Unemployment Is Great . . . Except For The Pesky Money Thing

Actually, I think I was long overdue for some down time and now I'm getting it. Of course, in my fashion I'm filling up my days with job hunting, cleaning, unpacking, and admiring the flora and fauna of my new nest.

I HAVE LIZARDS!!! Big green ones, smaller brown ones with a lighter strip down their backs, and night-prowling geckos (which aren't really lizards but they kind of look alike). Yes, some of you may think "ick," but lizards remind me of my St. Croix childhood, so I feel doubly at home.

It's a new challenge because I'm cooking for two people now instead of four. Granted, there are fewer opinions and palates to consider, but "what do you want for dinner?" is unfortunately met mostly with a bored "I don't know . . ." followed by "no" to my menu suggestions. I have had a few hits, though: Beer Can Chicken last Thursday was definitely one of them. I've decided I like anything that takes about 10 minutes to prepare and then cooks by itself for an hour and a half. That left plenty of time to sit on the patio with a glass of wine and talk with a friend.

My wine tasting has been drastically curtailed due to lack of funds -- it's a luxury, not a necessity. I did, however, allow myself $6.99 for a bottle of Smoking Loon Pinot Noir. It's really pretty decent, but you have to get it to the right temperature. Reds should be served between 55-65 degrees, and whites (for the most part) between 45-55 degrees. That estimate varies based on the dryness and sweetness of the wine, of course, but suffice to say that the warm top of the refrigerator does nothing to improve the bouquet of a $6.99 bottle of red wine. Live and learn!

Sticks and Stones . . . But Mostly Sticks

I love my new house. It's the perfect size and is graced with two large trees, one in front and one in back. They provide shade, soothing sound effects when there's a breeze, and an acrobatic facility for the neighborhood squirrels.

And since it's spring in Texas, they are also providing a multitude of work. Good thing (work with me -- I'm making lemonade here!!) I'm unemployed at the moment and have time for all of this. The spring storms bring green grass, flowering plants, and a multitude of sticks and other debris from the trees.

I tackled this particular chore with logic and a deadline. Since I am a new homeowner, I have a plethora of boxes that need to be unpacked and it's all too easy to flit from one job to another and not accomplish much of anything. I am methodically taking one room at a time and arranging it to my satisfaction. True to my blog, the kitchen was the first room. I love it. It's smaller than my old one but compactly arranged so that I don't have to take more than one or two steps to move from task to task.

As for the do-it-yourself bonfire kit that the trees generously deposited in my front yard, backyard and -- just so it wouldn't feel neglected -- the pool, I allotted one hour for the front yard and one hour for the backyard and pool to see how much I could get done. (See results above.) That made the chore less onerous because I could count down until my time was up, and I accomplished a lot!

So far, after living in the house for one week and two days, we've had all sorts of home ownership type drama: no hot water (I set up an account with the gas company in advance of the move but used the wrong address); no functioning pool equipment (so far I've had to purchase a pool motor and a filter may be next); and no air conditioning (old, jammed-in filter caused the pipes to freeze). However, this is MY house and I'm loving every minute of it . . . well, maybe not the cold showers.

On the PLUS side, I love the neighborhood. It is older and graceful, with a nice mix of younger folk and retirees. I have beautiful green lizards in my yard, which remind me of my childhood in St. Croix. And the previous owners landscaped so that a new riot of flowers appears as spring meanders toward summer. It's beautiful -- scares me a little bit, though, because gardening is NOT my strong point, but perhaps I will develop an affinity for it.

Changes

King Whitney Jr. once said: "Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better."

That's okay -- I don't know who King Whitney Jr. is either . . . but it's a good quote.

In the space of seven days in March, my divorce was finalized (March 15), I closed on my new house (March 21) and I got laid off (March 22). The last was not totally unexpected but pretty horrible timing. I look on all of it as a chance for new adventures. Of course, I'm actively searching for a new job, and I have a few possibilities. I'm moving into the new house this coming weekend.

Since I'm unemployed, I have new challenges to face (besides paying the mortgage). Originally, I thought the old house would be sold by now and I'd have half of the profits to furnish my new house comfortably. Unfortunately, thanks to the economy, that hasn't happened, so in addition to unemployment and a new house, I still have my half of the bills for the old house to keep up with.

As I look around at what I will be moving to the new house, it's easy to think I'll need this or that or I MUST buy this, but I've started a new game with myself: my goal is to spend NOTHING on furnishing the new house but make do with what I have. I have a lot of my parents' things (pots & pans, miscellaneous side and kitchen tables) that have been stored in the garage. I have a double bed that was in the guest room and that I will use for myself until I can afford a queen size bed. I have an inflatable bed that can be put in the guest room. I can use a laundromat until I can afford a washer/dryer, or, if I can afford a washer, I can dry clothes the old-fashioned way -- on a clothesline. (They smell better that way, anyway.)

I may not be able to afford wine for a while, but my cooking is going to get creative and, hopefully, even healthier. So join me in my new adventure, and let's see where it leads!

Wow, over a month since my last blog!

There's been a lot going on -- eating and drinking, certainly. Life continues in its inexorable forward progress with its serene and endless round of mornings, afternoons and evenings, and events fit themselves into the flow of life as threads are woven into a piece of fabric. "The fabric of our lives . . ." For those of you who know me, Chris and I filed for divorce on January 6, after 27 years of marriage. Since then I haven't felt much like writing but I do want to get back to it. I enjoy translating my thoughts into words. I haven't found particular pleasure in exploring new recipes and new wines as we have been trying to get through the mechanics of divorce, getting the house ready for sale, looking for new places to live, and trying to keep up with work and make sure our children's lives aren't too disrupted. Even though it's being done amicably, it's still pretty damned tense at times, and we are handling it with as good grace as is possible under the circumstances.

I do not regret one minute of my marriage, just as I do not regret one minute of my life. Today is the 8th anniversary of the discovery of my dad's body after his suicide two days previously, and coincidentally it is the 11th anniversary of the violent death of the beautiful daughter of a friend of mine. Tragic events, both of them, and totally unnecessary. Life has moved on but their memories will always be with us and make us who we are today. I embrace the good and the bad, learn what I can, and hope that I am a better person for the experience. It is those who move through life without learning anything from their experiences who miss out on the wonderful tapestry of life.

Yes, I have cooked tonight. I have a glass of Fleur Pinot Noir at hand and I raise it to Bill Bibbee and Bonnie Jennifer Lowe, two beautiful people who enriched the lives of all who knew them.

I'll be back with insouciance, cooking, and lovely wines. My life goes on, and I love it.

Easy Manicotti and A Great Bordeaux

Alright, the title is kind of false advertising, because I didn't actually drink the Bordeaux with the manicotti. I made flat iron steak on Saturday night and we opened a 2001 Bordeaux that had actually been allowed to age in our pantry for years. Oh my. What a lovely, delicate balance -- smooth on the palate with a subtle, sophisticated flavor. I still need training to recognize exactly what I'm tasting. If someone says "currants and black pepper" I'll be able to distinguish those flavors but can't think of what I'm tasting on my own. Yet. I am enjoying the wine-tasting experience, and I intend to learn as much as I can without ending up in rehab in the process.

Flat iron steak is really good if it's marinated. I've tried it both marinated and not, and it definitely benefits from soaking in wine or some other type of marinade. This time I mixed red wine, olive oil, garlic (of course!), fresh rosemary, and a little dry mustard, and let the steak marinate for about an hour. Then I grilled it for about 5-7 minutes each side, and it was delicious! I served it with a red wine mushroom sauce that sort of came about accidentally. I was cooking the mushrooms as I usually do, with salt, pepper, garlic, and a little white wine, when I remembered that I wanted to make a red wine sauce for the steak but it was a little late. So I dumped some red wine into the mushrooms, added a little arrowroot to thicken it and then finished by stirring a pat of butter into it. It was quite passable and received good reviews from the family.

Now on to the manicotti: last week I was bored with the usual dinners and when I saw a package of manicotti tubes at Albertson's, I bought them and tried to decide what to fill them with. I didn't want anything super-heavy on the stomach, so decided against Italian sausage or ground beef. Spinach and ricotta alone would not fly with the kids, so I thought about the package of frozen ground turkey that I'd been saving for Sloppy Joes. I browned the turkey with chopped garlic and onion, seasoned the mixture with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning, added some ricotta cheese that I had left over from the last batch of lasagna and a little of the shredded six-cheese Italian blend that Albertson's sells, and stuffed the manicotti with that mixture. I WAS going to make homemade Alfredo sauce to put on top, but I was in a hurry (as usual), so just dumped spaghetti sauce on it, sprinkled more cheese on top, and shoved it in the oven for 30 minutes. It was really delicious! I was pleasantly surprised. I got a thumbs up from one kid and thumbs down from the other, which means I'll make it again and tweak it a bit to see if I can get the almost impossible thumbs up from both of them. I'm an incurable optimist.

First Wine Tasting of the New Year at Parker Wine Cellars!

The New Year started off beautifully at Parker Wine Cellars with a taste of the wines of Castoro Cellars, out of Paso Robles, California. My Aunt Mona and cousins Jane and Tom live in Paso Robles, so the name immediately brings up good feelings. Familial considerations notwithstanding, the Paso Robles area turns out wonderful wines. The last time I visited California (July 2010), I drove through the wine vineyards and marveled at the beautifully symmetrical rows of grapevines, lovingly and carefully tended.

We sampled:

2008 MUSCAT CANELLI~~ A much maligned grape over the years that when done right, can serve a great purpose. It's popularity in California is on the rise while in Texas it's grown just about everywhere. Starting with a very floral nose dominated by honeysuckle, the wine hits the palate with layers of ripe peach, honey and a touch of creme brulee. Minimal residual sugar shows some sweetness that balances with ripe fruit and very low acid. The finish is medium length even for a fairly light wine. Best served as an apertif and not a dessert style wine but would also work very well with spicy food. (MY NOTE: This was an AMAZING wine! It was lightly sweet, not syrupy or heavy. I was surprised at how much I loved it and at only $9.99, it's a real bargain.)

2008 "ZINFUSION"~~ A wonderful little wine that certainly intrigues your palate with a lot of flavor and a lot of fun. This super little wine harks back to the old style Zins that aren't overly alcoholed and hit the palate a little brighter. A blend of Zinfandel from three different vineyards, the Lojocano, Whale Rock and Shell Creek Vineyards where each one brings a different style of this finicky grape. A nose of raspberry, and earthy red plum explodes on the palate with oodles of blackberry, pepper and spicy fig that meld together seamlessly for sips of pleasure. The finish is quite lengthy and shows a balance of acid and muscle that covers the 15.3 alcohol. Not subtle and quite frankly could work well with a nice juicy Rib-eye grilled to perfection. Only 509 cases produced. (MY NOTE: I enjoy Zinfandel on occasion, but it's not my favorite wine. Zinfusion, however, got my attention and held it with its complex, bold flavors.)

2006 VENTI CINQUE ANNI~~ OK, for you non Latin types, simply put, Twenty Fifth Anniversary. A Blend of Small lots from some of the exquisite vineyards in P.R. that include 34% Zinfandel, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 9% Petit Verdot, and 9% Malbec, this big boy delivers in style. A nose of earthy dark fruits and pepper wafts through your sinuses that seems to make the palate jealous. When satiated, your palate then does a happy dance around the ripe plum, black currant, vanilla and white pepper that races up and down your tongue front to back. The finish is quite lengthy as expected and easily shows off a balance of acid and a muscled structure that tells you that it is good now, but has room to get even better. Versatile in which is is really good just enjoying on its own, but could sit quite comfortably on a dinner table of hearty food. (MY NOTE: One word: YUMMMM. This is a GREAT wine and perfect for this time of year along with a good beef stew or leg of lamb with Yorkshire pudding or, as Jeff suggests, on its own, perhaps in front of a roaring fire. It was REALLY cold today and snowed, so my mind is on the concept of keeping warm.)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Right. I know. I'm four days late with this. I'VE BEEN BUSY!!! I did make time on Christmas Eve, however, to visit Jeff at Parker Wine Cellars to apologize for missing so many wine tastings lately and to take him a sampling of Greek pastries. (There's an interesting thought: which wine would you pair with kourambiethes or melomakarouna?)

I walked into Parker Wine Cellars at the PERFECT time, because there was an open bottle of wine and I got a taste. Steve, the representative for Amancaya, was showing off their 2008 Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Argentina. Very dry, full-bodied, with a good flavor. I think Jeff is considering whether to carry the wine in Parker Wine Cellars.

We're past Christmas now and almost to New Year's, so I'll get a head start by saying HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!