Foods of My People

The college where I work is doing a series of "regional lunches" to give everyone a taste of home. This week is the Southwest Lunch, which includes Colorado (!), Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. I got a preview of the menu yesterday:

Buffalo Burgers

Churros

Chili Con Carne

Calamari

Pecan Pralines

Whole Kernel Corn

Now, my first question is: from what southwestern ocean do they plan to import the calamari? Secondly, how have I missed all of the Pecan trees that are apparently growing in the Southwest?! Hilarious.

On the plus side, I'll happily eat a buffalo burger (I'm assured that these are made with buffalo meat, not just Buffalo-style with a side of blue cheese) and a few churros for dessert. Although I'm certain that they won't be as good as the puff pastry churros we made for New Year's Eve! I will make a follow-up report after I sample the Southwestern fare tomorrow.

West Virginia, Mountain Mama

Last weekend, Ned and I hit the slopes in West Virginia for a fun ski weekend with friends. Though the mountains aren't as tall and rugged as my beloved Rockies, they are certainly beautiful in their own right. I gained a new appreciation for the greatness of Colorado skiing as well. The snow in WV wasn't too bad, but it definitely wasn't the fabulous champagne powder we'd experienced in Winter Park just a few weeks ago. Icy patches gave us an extra challenge. But it sure was pretty up there! And we had fun getting to know some new people and just being out of town for a couple days. Hooray!

Ned and Nancy looking sporty at the top of the mountain!

There's no tree line on these mountains, but there is a line where the frost starts - pretty!

These trees made me realize why people sell those weird frost-covered Christmas trees around the holidays. I still think the artificial versions are ugly, but these trees were spectacular. The wind blows the snow around and it sticks to all the branches, making the trees look like coral.

Just a pretty shot from the lift.

Disturbing conversation

Overheard at Barnes and Noble last night:

19-year-old-looking Customer: Do you have any books by an author named...um...Emily Bronte? I'm not sure how to spell it. Maybe B-R-O-N-T-E?

19-yar-old-looking Employee: Looks confused, consults computer to see if they have the book. "Yeah, it looks like we have some over here." Then leads Customer to the "classics" section, where Bronte books are prominently displayed.

Nancy Drew: Sighs.

Recipe Update: Chorizo Magic

Some of you may recall a tasty recipe I posted here a few months ago for Chile Rellenos stuffed with goat cheese. Last night I made them for Ned and decided to add some chorizo to the goat cheese filling. Let me tell you, it was fan-damn-tastic. Also, somewhere along the way, I realized that the rellenos benefit from a little drizzle of olive oil before you put them in the oven. The melty cheesy goodness with the extra kick of spice was just the treat we needed on a very cold evening.

So, my friends, go forth and make delicious Chile Rellenos a la Nancy and Ned. You won't be sorry!

(And special thanks again to the ever-fabulous Diana for the recipe inspiration in the first place!)

Holiday Highlights

I just returned from my holiday trip to CO, and what a trip it was! Family, friends, snow, and lots of fun. A few of the highlights:

ASPEN! As always, it was fun to catch up with so many friends and former colleagues in Aspen. And we RTD gals learned an important lesson about windshield wiper fluid.


PLAYING TOUR GUIDE! One of my Lynchburg pals came to visit for a few days - it was his first trip to the Rocky Mountain West, and I think he's pretty smitten with the big sky country. We had fun skiing/boarding in Winter Park, exploring the REI flagship store, learning about Dough for Dummies, and much more. I love showing off my home town to my friends!


SANTALAND DIARIES! Once again, Gary Culig was hilarious as David Sedaris's elfin self. Plus, a fabulous potluck dinner before the show, and drinks afterward with so many of my favorite people.


ADORABLE NEPHEWS! My family is so great. Mom and I had fun shopping together, and the whole family got to spend quite a bit of quality time together. My two nephews are funny and sweet as ever. We went to Build-A-Bear together, which I highly recommend for family fun. I also got to enjoy Zoo Lights with my fabulous sister-in-law and my older nephew. It was DANG COLD out, but we had lots of fun. Hooray for hot chocolate on cold Denver nights!


NEW BRUNCH SPOT! Have you been to Steuben's? It's a super-hip retro diner at 17th and Pearl. Very funky place, full of hipster 20- and 30-somethings. I had a terrific brunch there (don't miss the French Toast!!), and the rest of the menu looks great as well. I'll definitely be frequenting this joint whenever I'm in Denver.

PUFF PASTRY GALORE! Diana and I rang in a Very Puff Pastry New Year with our menu on the 31st. Beef en Croute, Vegetable Napoleons, and Gringo Churros - I think we brought the cuisine of Neige sur le Plage to new heights. Photos to come.