Almost Famous

I got a very interesting call earlier this week - the managing editor from Eagle Newspapers in Rochester called me (not exactly out of the blue, because I do business with one of their subsidiaries, and I’d met him once) to ask that become one of the Spotlight Newspapers’ website bloggers!  The Spotlight is their Albany-based chain of weekly newspapers (14 editions in total).  They’re looking to have someone blog about the local food scene, he really liked this blog (I casually worked it into the conversation we had months ago), and naturally thought I’d be a good fit for their website. 

Pretty cool, I think.  I’m excited about the possibility of many more people having access to the food knowledge and general insanity that peacefully coexist in my head.

I’m still working out the details (the hardest part will be coming up with a name as perfect as Wendalicious), but I hope to have the blog up and running soon.  I’ll keep you posted.  You’ll be able to find it at www.spotlightnews.com.  There’s an RSS feed available, too.

Worry not, dear readers, Wendalicious isn’t going anywhere.  The Spotlight is a family publication, and I need SOMEPLACE where I can use foul language.

A Setback and a Weird Coincidence

Well, we thought my brother-in-law would be home last night, but he had a minor setback, and will be undergoing even more surgery on Thursday. Even though it’s truly miraculous that he’s even alive, we are so anxious to have him back safe at home, with his two little girls.

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that he’ll be on a plane back home on Sunday afternoon.

Any thoughts or prayers you may have left over would be much appreciated.

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

On a much happier note, I was delighted to learn that Sarah and Marlene (and Marlene’s hubby) will be traveling up here for the July 4th weekend - which I believe is next weekend, if I’m not mistaken! Yippee! The Hotel Voelker is happily accepting reservations.

Oh, and an extraordinarily weird small-world moment happened to me today: I found out that my husband went to high school with one of my good friends from college, who also will be traveling up here next weekend. Boy, I’m hoping that Mike P. has some embarrassing stories about Bob - I need some ammunition. Right now, I got nothin’.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting…

Don’t get excited - that’s not what I’m talking about.

I’m talking about the fact that I’m expecting the first of my weekly box of organic goodies - I (along with a couple friends from work) decided to purchase a produce share in a local organic farm. Next Thursday (June 26) will be our first pickup date, and our delectable delivery promises much culinary adventure. I just cannot wait to see what I’m getting.

We purchased a share from Eight Mile Creek Farm in Westerlo, NY. The farm - and their certified organic produce - came highly recommended to me by a mutual friend. I called, asked about buying a share, and signed up immediately. Knowing I couldn’t possibly eat an entire share of produce myself (and since Bob vehemently eschews vegetables), I asked two friends to split it. They were nearly as excited as I was. For the next 22 weeks, we will be receiving a “mystery box” of whatever she happens to be picking that week.

I glanced at her list, and it seems she grows just about everything, including a few things that I have never seen before (can you believe it? me? not familiar with an ingredient?). Peas, beans, broccoli, chard, kale, parsnips, leeks, lettuce, tomatillos, etc. You have no idea how jazzed I am about this.

I’ve even asked my next-door neighbor, Chef Mark, if he’s be willing to help me out with some of the veggies I’m not familiar with - for instance, kohlrabi. What the HELL is kohlrabi? Mark says it’s like jicama, to which I said, “What the hell is jicama?”. Just kidding - I know what jicama is. I can’t wait for my private cooking classes! Mark’s pretty excited, too.

Bob, on the other hand, couldn’t care less.

I will be updating my loyal readers regularly, with photos and recipes from the bounty of Eight Mile Creek Farm and the kitchen of Wendalicious.

Summer 2008 is going to be fabulous!

God Taketh Away, and God Giveth

The past 2 weeks have been very trying for me, my family, and my husband’s family.

As I wrote earlier, my grandmother passed away last week. While this was not a shock, it certainly was very sad. My grandma had been ill for a very long time, and I knew she wouldn’t be with us very much longer. But, you always think you’re going to have more time. So, when my little sister called me at work to tell me she had died, I cried for a very long time.

Luckily, those tears did not contain any regret. I visited my grandmother whenever I could, and I always told her I loved her. I know I did not leave anything unsaid. I’m glad about that. I’ll miss my grandma something awful, but I know that she knew how much I loved her. I was honored to have my family ask me to deliver the eulogy at the funeral service. It was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, but I was glad I had the opportunity to share memories of Grandma with a room full of people who loved her like I did.

Sadly, my grandfather (her husband) had been in the hospital for about a week when my grandma died. My dad and uncles went to his hospital room to tell him the news, and he took it very hard. The next morning, his doctor told my dad that he didn’t expect him to survive the day. We all thought we would be planning a double funeral that week.

Astonishingly, Papa rallied around 10:00am - I was sitting in the room, crying, when he woke up and declared that he had to use the bathroom. Then he wanted a bowl of cornflakes. We couldn’t believe our eyes. Since then, he’s been awake, more or less lucid, but not any healthier. We know it’s only a matter of time. He’ll likely never come home again.

While this was all going on, we received word that my brother-in-law suffered a ruptured aortic aneurysm, while traveling for his work. He’s only 47 years old, so this news was mind-blowing. But, miracle of all miracles, he did not die. He endured 2 lengthy surgeries to repair the damage, and spent nearly a week in an induced coma. Just yesterday, he was brought out of the coma, and is now out of bed and doing okay. We are receiving daily updates from my sister-in-law (his wife), detailing his incredible progress. It’s unbelievable.

I’m having a hard time processing all of the events of the past week. Some days it just seems too much to handle. Other days I marvel at the miracles of life and modern medicine.

I do know, though, that I’ve learned a few things from this whole experience, which is far from over:

• Sometimes, your Dad needs a hug from you more than you need a hug from him.
• Never take anything for granted - it can be taken from you at any time.
• If you love someone you need to tell them. Now. It can’t wait.

Good thoughts, cosmic waves, prayers - whatever it is you do, I’d love it if you could send some our way.

In Memoriam

In honor of Eleanor Cuddeback Hosking, who passed away on June 9, I’m posting an article I wrote a few years ago, which was originally published (in edited form) on www.thegildedfork.com.  I will miss your banana bread, Grandma, but not as much as I will miss you.

Grandma’s Banana Bread

Comfort foods. They evoke images of childhood, of family dinners where there were more arguments than peas, and of Sunday afternoons sitting at Grandma’s kitchen table. As I think of my two favorite comfort foods - pancakes and banana bread - Grandma’s kitchen is the place that instantly appears in my mind’s eye.

It’s still the same farmhouse kitchen, if not a little more worn, since Grandma and Papa are getting older and less inclined to fix up the place. The table is just a little too big for the cramped space, with countertops flanking the table on the other two sides, leaving barely enough room to pull out a chair or open the oven. The chairs aren’t all original to the set, but it’s still the same table they’ve always had.

That kitchen, has seen hundreds of people come and go over the years.  Neighbors stopping by for a quick cup of coffee and an update on the latest gossip.  Fellow farmers dropping in to see about borrowing some equipment or to ask for a helping hand.  Friends who just happened to be driving by, walking in the door to say hello on their way through town. Brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, sons, daughters-in-law, cousins, and grandchildren…making themselves at home in that kitchen, which was warmed by the oven, and the love coming from my grandma.

When we were young, my sister and I would arrive after church and Grandma would become a short-order cook, making eggs to-order and her famous pancakes. She made her pancakes from scratch - and she never used a recipe. Some flour, some baking powder, some milk… She’d make as many as we wanted, and if we were especially good, we just might get the special mouse-eared pancake, or the turtle-shaped one.

We’d slather those pancakes with butter, and my sister would pour on some dark Karo corn syrup. I always opted for raspberry preserves. Then on the second and third, I’d sprinkle on some white sugar, and roll them up and eat them like burritos. That’s about as many pancakes as I would eat, because my mother would tell me I was eating too much. (She was right. I’m still trying to lose that weight. Somehow, though, it was all worth it.)

It wasn’t just us, though, who enjoyed those delicious pancakes.  Those same people who stopped by just to say hello usually gave in and ate a few.  The men who went hunting with my dad and uncles were fed and sent out to the woods with a full belly.  People came and went, and they often took some pancakes with them.

My Grandma is also famous for her banana bread. I remember cutting through slice after slice, spreading on the butter, and washing it all down with cold milk, straight from the cows across the road. It seemed that Grandma always had a loaf or two in the freezer, and one on the counter in case company dropped by. If she didn’t happen to have one made, there were definitely some brown bananas hanging around, waiting to be mashed up for the next batch. Even now, that cloyingly sweet aroma of ripening bananas takes me back to my childhood and that red-shingled house with its tiny kitchen. At least that’s my excuse when I ask myself why I’ve let yet another bunch of perfectly good bananas go rotten.

Wait, Wait!

I had the incredible opportunity to attend the live taping of NPR’s “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” Thursday night at Proctors in Schenectady. Granted, I paid for the ticket, but it was still amazing. I have been a fan of this show for about a year now - I don’t know how long WAMC (my local NPR affiliate) has been carrying it, but I’m glad it’s on their schedule now. If you’ve ever heard the show, you know it’s a hilarious send-up of current events - they call it “NPR’s oddly informative news quiz.” It’s that, and a lot more.

Having worked in radio, I was not awestruck by all the producers on stage, and all of the broadcast equipment - boring (to me). What I loved was:

• Watching the normally staid and businesslike Carl Kasell run around the stage at beginning of the show giving the panelists high-fives, and then watching him do celebrity impressions while never cracking a smile. Absolutely hilarious, considering Carl Kasell is the quintessential newsman, and has been the newscaster for Morning Edition since it began in 1979.
• The witty (and spontaneous) repartee among the panelists - Peter Sagal and Carl Kasell had a script, but the panelists (Mo Rocca, Amy Dickinson, and Charlie Pierce) did not.
• The incredibly talented people who write the show - it was obvious they were scribbling notes right up until showtime - the news they riffed on was that current.
• The audience Q & A after the show. Never missing an opportunity to grab a microphone in front of 2600 people, I raised my hand and asked the first question. Amy Dickinson said, “Ask us anything, as long as it’s not current events - we’re not good at that.” To which I answered, “Yeah, we know.” The audience howled. Peter Sagal then ripped the mic out of my hands. He gave it back, and I asked my question. I was in my glory. The next day, several of my friends called and emailed, mentioning that they heard me and my wise-ass remark.

If Wait, Wait ever comes to your town, I urge you to go. In the meantime, make sure you tune in - the show is one of the best things on radio today.

Random Stats

I love to check my blog stats - who doesn’t? I find this unreal, but the most viewed post on my blog BY FAR is this one, concerning a recipe for Sauteed Sirloin Tips. It’s gotten 179 page views since I began the blog in November. I always see “sirloin tips” listed in the search terms section.

Weird, and yet cool.

Ironically, the restaurant I mentioned (Dakota) doesn’t even have the dish on its menu anymore.

Stealing is NOT Always Wrong

I lifted this from Sweetpea…so sue me.

TECHNOLOGY

Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer? Work: a pcture of my nephew from his 1st birthday party. Home: The tulips one that comes with Windows XP.

Q. How many televisions you have in your house? Two that we use regularly, one that’s not hooked up to anything, and one in the attic.

BIOLOGY

Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed? Lefty - except for scissors.

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? All 4 wisdom teeth, a couple skin tags, and a mole from inside my belly button (seriously).

Q. What is the last heavy item you lifted? my computer monitor

Q. Have you ever been knocked out? No.

BULLSHITOLOGY

Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? Nope.

Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Mrs. Bill Gates

Q. What color do you think looks best on you? Coral or bronze

Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item? Not on purpose (I’m sure I’ve downed a bug or two)

DAREOLOGY

Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100? Probably not.

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000? No way.

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000? Uh…yeah?

Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000? Sure. If they’re dumb enough to pay it, I’ll take it off.

Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? Hmmm…no.

Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000? No.

DUMBOLOGY

Q: What is in your left pocket? No pockets.

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie? Sort of - it improves with repeated watching and alcohol consumption. There are quite a few great lines.

Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house? Both.

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower? Stand. No other choice.

Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own? Two

LASTOLOGY

Q: Last person who texted you? My sister Kristen

Q: Last person who called you? Mom

Q: Person you hugged? My friend Cristina, whom I haven’t seen in 4 years.

FAVORITOLOGY

Q: Number? 54

Q: Season? Fall.

Q: Color? Purple

CURRENTOLOGY

Q: Missing someone? Always

Q: Mood? Calm.

Q: Listening to? Mets game, but not by choice.

Q: Watching? My life slip away as I blog…

Q: Worrying about? Surprisingly, nothing.

Q: Wearing? Cape Cod t-shirt, pajama pants.

RANDOMOLOGY

Q: First place you went this morning? Dry cleaners

Q: What can you not wait to do? Move out of NY

Q: Do you smile often? Lately, yes.

The Magic Ingredient

Rosemary. My favorite herb.  Broken Sprigs of it tossed into a pan full of fresh vegetables, roasted to perfection - sublime. Added to a salt-sugar brine, left overnight to delicately flavor a batch of pork chops - brilliant.

How do you use it? Do you have a favorite recipe containing rosemary?

Does smelling it make you think of anything? Does the very sight of a sprig of fresh rosemary, rising majestically from a creamy yellow mound of fresh whipped potatoes, inspire you to compose a poem?

I want to know. The world wants to know. Tell us, right here.

Stand Back - I’m Pouring

I had a very intriguing offer yesterday from a friend…

My friend C. moonlights as a “pourer” for various liquor distributors and wineries, pouring wine in tasting rooms, fundraisers, and the like. We got to talking about how much we both enjoy wine, and she mentioned that she’ll be pouring for Standing Stone Vineyards (NY Finger Lakes) at the Travers Wine Tasting in August (which, believe me, is an incredible event - Bob and I went in 06, since his company sponsored it). Then she asked me if I’d like to be her assistant pourer!

Keeping in mind that I cannot possibly afford to go on my own (at least $125 per person), I jumped at the chance! It’s no pay, I can’t drink while I’m there, but other than that it sounds like a ton of fun!

C. talked about how becoming a pourer (starting as a volunteer) opened doors for her, as far as meeting distributors and getting to know people in the industry. I’ve been fascinated by everything about wine for a couple years now, and I think this opportunity could be the start of something good…