Sunday, October 28, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Camping!
One week ago Greg and I went camping in the rain! I took these photos during a short time when the rain had paused.
Did you know that there is milk that doesn't require refrigeration? It comes in a box like a juice box, only it is a milk box.
In the background you can also sort of see the lean-to that we got. It was pretty fancy, and also really nice for keeping dry in all the rain.
Here is Greg in front of the fire he built in the rain. And our tent is in the background. It took 4 days to get it all dried out after this trip was over.
Did you know that there is milk that doesn't require refrigeration? It comes in a box like a juice box, only it is a milk box.
In the background you can also sort of see the lean-to that we got. It was pretty fancy, and also really nice for keeping dry in all the rain.
Here is Greg in front of the fire he built in the rain. And our tent is in the background. It took 4 days to get it all dried out after this trip was over.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Fish ham and Butter salt
Yesterday Greg made a fabulous dinner. For this week we are one of those families that makes a grocery list for the week and goes shopping for all of it on one day. (Previously life was more chaotic and we only shopped on a day by day basis... or possibly meal by meal... and also bought a lot of pre-made food.)
So Greg decided that one of our meals was going to be fish. I had intended to make fish recently, but ended up making duck when I couldn't find the fish. When we were checking out at the grocery store, the guy at the register commented that the package of fish we got was his absolute favorite. So that sounded pretty good.
And let me tell you! That grocery store kid certainly has good taste! The fish was amazing! We got salmon, which apparently was smoked, although I didn't realize it at the time of purchasing.
Ta Daa! This was such a spectacularly delicious meal. Greg broiled the fish, after putting some things on top of it. I think it was just salt, shallots, and basil? The fish was served on a bed of couscous, with a variety of small tomatoes and a butter sauce.
And did I mention that this meal came with a fabulous salad and a glass of wine?
It did. And both were so good. The salad was particularly delightful: greens with half a white peach and a citrus vinaigrette that Greg invented himself. The salad was of dessert caliber.
This was easily the best meal either of us has made since we moved to our new apartment, possibly the best meal either of us has made ever in the world.
We did decide that this meal had an unfair advantage: salt and butter. Basically, any food with this much salt and butter just has to taste good.
We also decided that the combination of a smoked flavor plus salt is the flavor we commonly think of as 'ham'. I ate my first bite of salmon, and it tasted like ham. What?!? So this logically means that ham doesn't really have a flavor of its own. It is simply the combination of smoke and salt.
And now hopefully you have been enlightened on the meaning behind the title of the post.
So Greg decided that one of our meals was going to be fish. I had intended to make fish recently, but ended up making duck when I couldn't find the fish. When we were checking out at the grocery store, the guy at the register commented that the package of fish we got was his absolute favorite. So that sounded pretty good.
And let me tell you! That grocery store kid certainly has good taste! The fish was amazing! We got salmon, which apparently was smoked, although I didn't realize it at the time of purchasing.
And did I mention that this meal came with a fabulous salad and a glass of wine?
This was easily the best meal either of us has made since we moved to our new apartment, possibly the best meal either of us has made ever in the world.
We did decide that this meal had an unfair advantage: salt and butter. Basically, any food with this much salt and butter just has to taste good.
We also decided that the combination of a smoked flavor plus salt is the flavor we commonly think of as 'ham'. I ate my first bite of salmon, and it tasted like ham. What?!? So this logically means that ham doesn't really have a flavor of its own. It is simply the combination of smoke and salt.
And now hopefully you have been enlightened on the meaning behind the title of the post.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Font Màgica de Montjuïc
The Magic Fountain of Montjuic
We stopped by this amazing fountain on our way back to the hotel last night. I can understand why this is a highlight of Barcelona. Last night I wasn't up for battling the crowds, so we got this photo from afar using my new superzoom lens. One night before we leave I'd like to try to get closer, but I may chicken out again. We shall see!
We stopped by this amazing fountain on our way back to the hotel last night. I can understand why this is a highlight of Barcelona. Last night I wasn't up for battling the crowds, so we got this photo from afar using my new superzoom lens. One night before we leave I'd like to try to get closer, but I may chicken out again. We shall see!
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Morning entertainment
Alternately titled: Who needs a television when you have a landlord like mine?
My landlord lives next door. Yesterday a large piece of construction equipment appeared in his yard, so I knew some entertainment was in our future. Luckily we were at the barn in the late morning and able to witness the action. I think we were also lucky that our landlord hired someone to operate the excavator, instead of doing it himself (he is big into DIY). Also, that parenthetical note is a huge understatement.
Naturally, we grabbed mugs of coffee and pulled up our chairs to the window to watch.
The above photo was taken just before the digging commenced. The conversation between the excavator operator and our landlord provided some good opportunities for Greg and I to do voice-overs. We thought we were pretty hilarious, but it probably wouldn't be so funny if I tried to repeat it here.
This was taken mid-way through the dig, during a break to measure the depth of the hole. I have no idea what they were digging this hole for, but it was Really deep. Obviously you can't see the hole in this picture, but you can get a pretty good idea based on the tremendous mound of dirt piled up. The digging continued even after we had left, so by now the entire yard could be dug up. There is really no way of knowing.
My landlord lives next door. Yesterday a large piece of construction equipment appeared in his yard, so I knew some entertainment was in our future. Luckily we were at the barn in the late morning and able to witness the action. I think we were also lucky that our landlord hired someone to operate the excavator, instead of doing it himself (he is big into DIY). Also, that parenthetical note is a huge understatement.
Naturally, we grabbed mugs of coffee and pulled up our chairs to the window to watch.
The above photo was taken just before the digging commenced. The conversation between the excavator operator and our landlord provided some good opportunities for Greg and I to do voice-overs. We thought we were pretty hilarious, but it probably wouldn't be so funny if I tried to repeat it here.
This was taken mid-way through the dig, during a break to measure the depth of the hole. I have no idea what they were digging this hole for, but it was Really deep. Obviously you can't see the hole in this picture, but you can get a pretty good idea based on the tremendous mound of dirt piled up. The digging continued even after we had left, so by now the entire yard could be dug up. There is really no way of knowing.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Stuff and Things as of Late
Recently Greg and I had engagement photos taken. We hadn't originally planned on having any taken, but somehow we came around to the idea, and boy what a good one it was. Not only did we get a ton of amazing photos, but it also gave us a chance to hang out with our photographer before the wedding and get comfortable with having him take lots of pictures of us. Our photographer is amazing and does amazing work. So so happy with our choice. Here is the link to his post with a few of the photos.
In other news, we also bottled up the smokey porter this weekend. The smokey-ness has not really mellowed out as we had expected. The recipe said that the smokey flavor was very subtle. Ours is basically the exact antonym of subtle. I guess that would be unsubtle. Or obvious. Or distinct. Whatever the word, it is certainly smokey. We still have hope that it will mellow out while it is in the bottles though. We want to have homebrew at the picnic on the night before our wedding, so it has some time to come around. And we should have time to make one or possible two more batches, and those will certainly not be made with any smoked malt.
In other news, we also bottled up the smokey porter this weekend. The smokey-ness has not really mellowed out as we had expected. The recipe said that the smokey flavor was very subtle. Ours is basically the exact antonym of subtle. I guess that would be unsubtle. Or obvious. Or distinct. Whatever the word, it is certainly smokey. We still have hope that it will mellow out while it is in the bottles though. We want to have homebrew at the picnic on the night before our wedding, so it has some time to come around. And we should have time to make one or possible two more batches, and those will certainly not be made with any smoked malt.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Back to Brewing
Greg and I both thoroughly enjoy the brewing process and the brewing results. Unfortunately our schedules don't really allow for that to happen as often as we'd like. Luckily Red Barn Brewing is back in business! On Sunday night we brewed our third batch of beer: a smoky porter. I am hoping it will be delicious, since a porter is generally my most favorite type of beer. Originally I had wanted to do a caramel coffee porter, but once we found the smoky porter recipe, that sounded like a perfectly good option. Signs of fermentation weren't really noticeable until Tuesday evening, as seen below:
Sidenote: In the background of the first photo you can see the super-sweet beer cases that Lisa and Dustin gave us for Christmas! Dustin made them in the woodshop. The each hold 12 beers (they even filled them with label-removed bottles!) with dividers, and have strong rope handles, and have a bottle opener attached. A very classy beer-transportation device, to be sure.
Sidenote: In the background of the first photo you can see the super-sweet beer cases that Lisa and Dustin gave us for Christmas! Dustin made them in the woodshop. The each hold 12 beers (they even filled them with label-removed bottles!) with dividers, and have strong rope handles, and have a bottle opener attached. A very classy beer-transportation device, to be sure.
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