Sarah's visit and Martin's birthday

I do have the best kids anybody has ever had. So there.

Sarah has been here most of the week, and it's been lovely, as she was here to work, rather than for a holiday. She has worked almost non-stop, but it's been nice, because we weren't always on the go doing holiday stuff. She went to Louisville yesterday for a meeting/conference with a client of her firm, officials, etc. Today we had a SSI hearing for Martin. It was also his birthday, and he got some neat presents, phone calls, a ridiculously huge meal at Bella Notte, things like that, and THEN we got to watch the KY Wildcats' first loss of the season (I think) which of course came on the heels of their being voted the #1 team in the country. So it goes...

I've been cooking. Sarah and I watched Julie and Julia the other night, and she mentioned that she'd never had Boeuf Bourguignonne (I think that's how you spell it...beef burgundy, at any rate). So I made it, and we had it for dinner yesterday. It was seriously good. I also made garlic soup, the "potage" you get at a lot of places in Perigord. Need to write down the way I made it, as I think I have figured out how to do it well, and it's sort of a combination of several recipes I've found. This stuff fits into the category of "cucina povera", or "poor people's food". It's made from local and readily available ingredients (garlic, water, duck fat, leftover bread, an egg, vinegar...), and is basically great. Tastes like the "terroir". Cheap to make, filling, nutritious...

The beef burgundy isn't far from that, either. It's a stew made with whatever kind of beef is around, cooked (flavored of course with things like garlic, herbs, onions, a carrot, celery...) for a LONG time in a local red wine, with onions and mushrooms added. How to feed a lot of people well without spending a lot of money? hey, folks...

Before she leaves, I need to get out the duck breast prosciutto I've made; we may have that with a first course tomorrow with the rack of lamb I bought. HOWEVER, I do not plan to eat the lamb, however wonderful it is; sorry folks, I'm allergic to lamb, and it seems to do bad things to me.

So there...

Cheers, Lillie