CSA Week 4

No, I didn't forget any weeks. We just cancelled our delivery for four weeks of chagim since we were out of town so much. Anyway, this week we got: lettuce, arugula (rocket), scallions, dill, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, squash, and beets.




In other news, we're back from America after a whirlwind trip in which we did nothing in Croton for a few days, did nothing (but pray and eat) in Teaneck for a few days, visit with Noames (I finally met her kid! She's cute!), and attend an engagement party in our honor with 275 of our parents' closest friends and relatives (and about 25 of our friends too). It was really a perfect party - a gorgeous venue right on the river, a fun band, amazing (dairy!) food, a whole lot of new people to meet, and about 100 people I've known approximately forever, and don't get to see often enough at all.  

Now we're back (I said that already) and back to full-time work and part0time wedding planning. This week we had our tasting (we will have delicious food at our wedding) and met with a photographer. So everything is coming together. And we're also in the midst of getting ready to celebrate for the wedding week/end of Katyusha and Sticks (they are the first of the at least 4 weddings that are happening amongst my circle of friends this year - and I thought we went through all my friends getting married when I was 24!)

Thirty

So yeah, we're off to America again a few hours. Yes, we were just there. We're going again, this time just for a week, so that our parents can throw an engagement party, since the vast majority of their friends and relatives will not be coming to the wedding in Israel. This will be party #4 for us - I think the last until the wedding. Good thing I like parties.

Party number 3 was a few weeks aho - we hosted a joint birthday/engagement/housewarming at our place for our Israel friends. A good time was had by all.

So right, the birthday. I turned 30 a few weeks ago (actually, now that I think about it, not even two). This once seemed liked a super big deal, but in reality it's been totally anti-climactic and not scary or old-seeming at all. There was a time not so long ago when I'd tell people I wouldn't mind being dead by 30. I didn't want to take my life or anything, I just wasn't that happy and didn't think being 30 would be that great.

Well, needless (I hope) to say, I am really really glad I am not dead by 30. The past year or so has been amazing and I can't wait for my thirties.
 
And maybe I'll even get to some of those things on my 30 list... (That was by far the biggest failure of my year, but I did other fun things, so I don't feel too bad about it.)

Odyssey of Birthday Restaurants

I'll have to reflect on turning 30 another day, but in the meantime: restaurant reviews!

So, AB had a birthday two weeks ago, and to celebrate that we went to La Guta. I'd last (and only) been to La Guta a few years ago with my parents and remembered it as being amazing, so I'd been wanting to get back for a while. I'd heard that they'd revamped their menu, and this proved to be true. When I first saw the new menu, I was disappointed; it wasn't very extensive, nor was it all that creative.

However, despite the slow service, the disappointment did not last. After the bread course (which lasted approximately forever), we were served an amuse bouche on a cute little spoon of a bite of chicken. Yum. Then after approximately forever more, the waitress brought by complimentary pumpkin soup in espresso cups to tide us over while they caught my gazpacho. I'm a sucker for soup, so that was fine.

Eventually our real food came, and we enjoyed. I started with a gazpacho, while AB got the gnocchi. My gazpacho was delicious. AB's food was delicious too but ... not gnocchi. As he said, it was Jewish gnocchi, by which we mean it was a latke in tomato sauce.

duck

The main course (served after a minty sorbet palette cleanser) was the highlight for both of us. I got duck served with black beans and green beans, and he got practically raw steak slices (it had a fancy name, but let's call it like it is), which is the way he likes it, and a pile of white mushrooms. We were too full for dessert, so I guess they did something right.


Tonight, for my birthday, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Topolino. The food was good, but the highlight for both of us was the wine. (For a small restaurant, they certainly have one of the best by-the-glass wine selections I've seen). I got the Yatir blend, which we've had before, and AB got the Bravdo Shiraz, which neither of us had ever heard of before.

quince

As for food, we started with an appetizer from the specials - quince in a creamy roquefort sauce. It was a bit too rich for me. For mains we decided to split goat cheese and ricotta ravioli in a buttery asparagus sauce and a thin crust pizza with tomato sauce, eggplant, buffalo mozzarella, and arugula. Arugula isn't really my bag so I picked it off (so classy, I know) and then the pizza was out of this world. The ravioli was not bad either.

For dessert I got chocolate souffle - not exactly the most unique dessert, but so so good. Not a bad way to send in my fourth decade.

CSA Week 3

First, an update from last week. Remember all those yummy vegetable dishes I mentioned we were making for Shabbat dinner? Here's how some of them turned out:

salad

We pickled. Did I mention that last time?

Spicy tomato salad with labane and pits chips

Potatoes provencal with gruyere

This week, our box wasn't that exciting - it's between seasons now. We got: lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, green beans, scallions, popcorn corn, corn on the cob, squash, parsley, louisa. 

Update

As you can probably imagine, life has been kind of hectic lately. When we left for the US the apartment was quite finished yet, so since our return we've been still settling in, in addition to undertaking a whole new project: planning a wedding.

We've made lots of progress on the apartment. We now have all the furniture and appliances we need save for dining room chairs, which hopefully we'll find time to look for soon. This includes our made to order bookshelves and dining room table, which we are very excited about. Pretty much all that's left are getting a counter top installed on our cabinets in the kitchen (don't ask) and getting our brand new light fixtures up on our lights.

We've made less progress with the wedding. We have selected (and signed on) a venue, which means we have a date, so that's very exciting. We'll be getting married in a cave in a forest in the middle of winter. I can't wait. Actually, it isn't a real cave, but close enough.

We've also met with a rabbi to discuss whether we're Jewish enough to wed in the Jewish state (so far all signs point to yes, but we'll see) and to if there is any way to bend Rabbanut standards align with my liberal principles. We have a few ideas for the ceremony but thinking about the Rabbanut makes me so angry I have trouble talking about it (even though we are probably Jewish enough and we will be able to find a Rabbanut-sanctioned rabbi who will let the ceremony be somewhat egalitarian).

And yesterday I went wedding-dress shopping. I didn't find anything I liked in the bridal store, but I did find a very simple, beautiful white dress in a regular store. It didn't fit me, but now at least I have a better idea of what I want. Next bridal appointment is on Friday, though I think I'll probably end up with a regular dress or just getting one made.

And that's it. I guess the next task is finding a photographer and a band. And working on our guest list and doing the invitation. I always thought planning a wedding would be super fun. But so far it's mostly overwhelming. Still, we have a tasting coming up. That ,I am excited for.

CSA Week 2

This time we got cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, onion, green beans, squash, pumpkin, potatoes, corn, thyme, and parsley. In it's honor (and because it's been way too long), we're hosting a Shabbat meal tonight, for which we made orange soup (out of the pumpkin and squash and also carrots), a tomato salad, a normal salad, potatoes provencal, which have tomatoes and gruyere in them, and steamed green beans. We also made curry lentils, though none of the ingredients in that, save an onion, came from the box.