Pistachio Liqueur in Bulk

The Pistachio Liqueur was such a success, I decided I needed to make a lot of it. Christmas is rapidly approaching and just about every gift we give is food-related and homemade. The liqueur was relatively easy to make. The only tedious part is the straining. It needs numerous strains though first cheesecloth and then coffee filters to get as much of the sediment out as possible - especially 8 liters worth!

I made 22 375ml bottles. Not a bad afternoon's work. The only change I made from the first batch was this time I soaked the pistachios in Everclear instead of Vodka. It's definitely stronger than the first batch we made, but that pistachio flavor is still right there.

I started off with 10 pounds of pistachios and 4 1.75 liter bottles of everclear as the base.

The original recipe is here - I'm sure you don't want to make a vat of it - but if you do - just multiply it out.

Pistachio Liqueur

  • 8 oz roasted pistachios
  • 3 cups vodka
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 cup simple syrup

Coarsely chop pistachios and place in a mason jar. Add raisins and vodka. Seal and let sit about 2 weeks, shaking now and a gain.

Strain pistachios very well through a cheesecloth-lined sieve. Strain, again, through a coffee filter.

Make a simple syrup with 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Cool.

Mix syrup with pistachio vodka. Pour into a 750ml bottle and enjoy!

I also came up with what I think is a great label and really had fun putting it together. It's worth the time.

Really.

 


Gnocchi with Eggs and Green Onions

Most evenings from 7pm to 9pm you'll find us at home, in front of the TV. First, it's Jeopardy and dessert, and then it's PBS and cooking shows. The 7:30 shows run the gamut from Julia Child and the original French Chef series to Hubert Keller - who we both think sucks - to Jacques Pepin.

I have always liked Jacques Pepin. I like his style, his passion for food, and his ability to change and adapt over the years while still staying true to to the food. His last show was a perfect example - store-bought gnocchi elevated to heights heretofore never seen. And ready in six minutes start-to-finish. He talks about taking shortcuts he never would have done in his youth. I can relate to that. I've finally realized I don't really need to grind the wheat if I'm going to make a sandwich. On the other hand, I once embraced canned hollandaise sauce. Never again. But I make it in a blender.

It's not often we see a recipe and immediately want to make it - as in immediately want to make it - but this one looked too good not to. And, as it turned out - it really was as good as we thought it would be.

I love it when that happens.

The only trick to the dish is whisking like mad when you add the eggs. You don't want scrambled eggs - you want a soft, creamy egg sauce. I more or less got it right but even with a couple of egg curds, it was one hellava good dish!

Jacques topped his dish with shaved truffles and truffle oil - because he's French and that's what French chef's do. I opted out of both but may drizzle with a walnut oil or something like that next time I make it - because there definitely will be a next time.

I mean... dinner in 6 minutes. C'mon!

Gnocchi with Eggs and Green Onions

  • 5 eggs, beaten
  • 1 lb package shelf-stable potato gnocchi
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup minced green onions
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • About 1 tablespoon flavored oil, such as truffle oil, basil oil or walnut oil (optional)

Spread the gnocchi in one layer in a large nonstick skillet and add the water, olive oil, butter, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 3 minutes. Most of the water should be absorbed.

Add the green onions and continue cooking, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes longer, until the gnocchi and green onions start to sizzle and begin to brown lightly.

Add the eggs to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, for 45 seconds, to 1 minute at the very most. The eggs should be soft and loose. Add the sour cream to stop the cooking; mix it in well.

Divide the mixture among plates and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and a few drops of flavored oil, if desired.

Serve immediately.

And this really is a serve immediately dish. It's not going to sit around waiting for you.

Thanks, Jacques. And since we have most of your cook books, I'm sure there will be more fun food with your name on it!


Feed A Cold

The Cold of 2017 is pretty much a thing of the past. More or less.

I'm feeling better, not quite the snot-factory I was, and only mildly sinus-headachy. Life is good and it's time to rejoin the land of the living.

One thing about feeling under the weather is I rarely lose my appetite. I'm lucky that way. Lord knows I wouldn't want to shed a pound or two whilst suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous head colds... Nope. I'll have another helping, thanks... and don't skimp on dessert.

Feeling better... I spent most of my not-feeling-well time in the kitchen, so there was no reason to change things, today...

Yesterday I made a few fruitcakes for Christmas. They went down to the basement, wrapped in cheesecloth and soaking in whiskey. They should be really good by December 25th!

Today was a simple one-pot chicken dinner.

Chicken thighs and orzo. Perfect combination and I didn't have to go to the store! The basic recipe comes from Bon Appetit.

Chicken and Orzo

adapted from Bon Appetit

  • 6 chicken thighs
  • salt & pepper
  • 3 tbsp butter, divided
  • 1 fennel bulb, chopped, plus fronds, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 8 ounces orzo
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place in oven-proof skillet and brown chicken on both sides.

Place in oven until cooked through - about 15 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, place chicken on a plate and set aside.

In same pan, add the chopped fennel and onion. Cook until both are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the orzo and cook until the orzo begins to lightly brown - 3-5 minutes.

Add 1 cup white wine and stir up all the goodies (fond) in the pan. Keep stirring until most of the wine has been absorbed.

Add chicken broth a half-cup at a time, stirring in until almost absorbed. It's just like making risotto - only with pasta.

When the last broth is absorbed, stir in 1 tbsp butter, the reserved fronds, and the lemon juice.

Place orzo on plate, top with chicken thighs, and sprinkle with lemon zest.

It's the perfect one-pot meal - and it really only takes one pot!

Back to reality... planning the Halloween costume since I have to work, and starting to think about the Christmas decorations since we're going to have Christmas Dinner at our house this year. Can't wait!!

Yeah... I'm feeling better...

 


Baba Ghanoush

Yesterday's it's just allergies acting up turned into today's shit, I have a cold.  A doozy of a cold. I'll spare you the details of a non-stop running nose with a moustache and beard. Yes, a doozy of a cold.

I tried staying in bed but lying prone does not help the aforementioned issue. Against my protesting body's wishes, I got up.

We all know that I'm not a great patient. Victor has learned to just let me be. When I'm ready to be civil, I'm civil. So after a cup of coffee and a check of the email, I was bordering civility. We decided to head out to the garden and see if there was anything worth salvaging since we're pulling it all out tomorrow.

The tomatoes were pretty worthless, we had a dozen bell peppers, a big handful of tabasco peppers, a few jalapeños, and a dozen eggplants. Twelve more flippin' eggplants. I like eggplant. I like eggplant a lot. I just wasn't ready to see another dozen of them after the season we've had. I'm reasonably certain that had I felt better, seeing a dozen eggplants on a glorious sunny day would have made my culinary heart swell. Today, it was @#$%&  eggplants... 

But I also wasn't about to let them go to waste.

I knew that with this many eggplants, whatever I made had to be something that I could can. As I already have my caponata and other eggplant things downstairs, I needed something different. I hadn't made baba ghanoush in a while, so baba, it was.

The USDA does not recommend canning baba ghanoush because it's too thick and there are dangers of it not reaching temperature. I did find a site where a woman regularly cans hers at 10 lbs pressure for 45 minutes with no problems.

I decided to go for it.

The recipe is fairly basic, except I like some spice in mine so I added some tabasco peppers. I had to have Victor keep tasting it since the aforementioned cold was blocking my ability to taste properly.

Baba Ghanoush

  • 10 lbs eggplant
  • 1 full head garlic
  • 1 cup tahini
  • 8 tabasco peppers
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp sumac
  • 2/3 cup lemon juice
  • salt & pepper

Roast eggplants on grill until collapsing. Cool slightly and then place pulp in a colander to drain for about 30 minutes.

Process in batches with food processor, adding bits of the various ingredients as you go. Mix everything well and place in 8 oz jars.

Process at 10 lbs pressure for 45 minutes.

It came out just fine. A dozen 12 oz jars now await some chips...

Part of the fun of making these things is creating labels for them. I usually do a Google search for different antique labels and then manipulate them for my own use. They're old, public domain images that usually have no relation to what it is I change them to. Plus, I'm not selling anything, not making any money from any of this. It's all fun.

Sadly, I can't use a stick-on label on textured jars, so these have a label tied to them. I had thought of doing a round label on the metal lid, but decided I didn't want to cut out circles. Maybe I'll buy some round labels one of these days and see how they work...

In the meantime, though, the baba ghanoush came out great - even with my limited tasting ability.

Now... if I could only stop coughing...

 

 

 


Butternut Squash Soup & Flatbread

When is a pizza not a pizza? Why, when it's a flatbread, of course!

It seems that flatbread is the new pizza - at least by restaurant definition. Pizza has traditions assigned to it - and the negative dietary connotations. Flatbread, on the other hand, can evoke anything the chef desires. With a minimum of good-quality toppings, they can outshine their pizza parlour cousins while commanding dinnerhouse prices. Not to mention appearing more nutritionally sound.

I made pizza for years. Hand-spun rounds of cheesy, saucy perfection. And while I'm sure most of you will be surprised, I was quite opinionated on what should be allowed on a pizza. I'd never in a million years put seafood other than anchovies on a pizza - but Victor had lobster on a flatbread last week that was out-of-this world fantastic. Ham and pineapple was - and is - a sacrilege. But on a flatbread?!? Eh... why not?!?

It seems that I can continue to be opinionated and still allow for new thoughts and ideas. What a concept.

I use my old standby pizza dough recipe - it's pretty much the recipe I was was making at Pirro's back in the '60s scaled back for home use. I have a La Cucina Italiana recipe that calls for a 2-day cold rise that is really good, but this one is fairly classic and works in no time.

Pizza Dough

  • 1 tsp yeast
  • 1 cup barely-warm water
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Mix yeast with water and let proof a  few minutes.  Add flour and salt and (preferably) knead for five or six minutes with a mixer using a dough hook.  Slowly add olive oil while machine is running, mixing well and incorporating everything.  You should end up with a soft, smooth, and  elastic dough.  If mixing by hand, add oil with water and knead about 10 minutes.

Roll into a ball and place in a well-oiled bowl.  Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise until double in size – about an hour and a half.

Form into two balls and allow to rise, again.

Form the proofed dough into nice, round pizzas (I still hand-spin them but use whatever method works best for you.)

Top with your favorite sauce and topping and bake in a 450° oven until done.

While I generally like a 2-rise dough, you can form into balls and go for one rise, form, top, and bake - as I did with the flatbread, below.

I spread the dough with homemade Fig and Caramelized Onion Jam and then topped that with prosciutto and a sprinkling of cheese. Into a 450°F oven with a pizza stone for 20 minutes.

And then there was soup...

Butternut squash soup may be one of my all-time favorites. Victor makes such a great version that I don't even bother, anymore. I really do love a man who can cook!

The soup really is simple - but it packs a wallop of flavor. It was especially true with this batch because we knew Nonna wasn't going to be here for dinner - Victor added a couple of hot peppers from the garden.

Butternut Squash Soup

  • 1 butternut squash - peeled and cubed
  • 2 qts chicken broth
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 hot peppers
  • 1 can cannellini beans, drained
  • S&P
  • garlic powder

Saute onion and peppers in a pat of butter. Add squash, broth, beans, garlic powder, and S&P, to taste. Simmer until squash is falling apart-tender.

Puree with an immersion blender until completely smooth.

Serve with sour cream and a drizzle of good-quality olive oil.

The beans add a creaminess to the soup without having to add cream. You can also make it with olive oil and water or vegetable broth to make it completely vegan.

No matter how you do it, it's going to come out great!


Hot Pepper Sauce

I've wanted to make a hot pepper sauce for the longest time. Today, I finally did it!

The concept is pretty simple, but the ways of going about it are more varied and complex than I ever thought possible.

My all-time favorite hot sauce is Tabasco. I love it. It has just the right amount of heat, I like the flavor... It's what I was weaned on. It is also the most difficult and complex to make - fermenting pepper mash literally for years, to begin with. I was looking for something a bit quicker.

After looking at a score of recipes - I bought a hot sauce cookbook a few years ago - I decided to just wing it.

I had gathered maybe two pounds of assorted hot peppers from the yard - mostly tabasco and jalapeno with a few others thrown in - and started to work.

I stemmed the peppers and put them in the blender - seeds and all - with white vinegar. I also added about 8 dried guajillo peppers that I bought for something I never made. I did a few batches, making it all as smooth as possible. Into the pot I added sugar, water, salt, and a tiny bottle of Fuoco dell' Etna liqueur we picked up in Sicily that's just been hanging around collecting dust. And then some Absolut Peppar Vodka because, why not?!? It's been hanging around for years - no one drinks it - so it's time to put it to use, as well.

I brought everything to a boil, cooked it a bit, strained it, and bottled it.

The end result is pretty damned good. It's slightly sweet and slightly vinegary at first - and then the heat hits.

And it has some heat!

This is one of those things that will never be replicated but that's okay. This should get us through the winter.


Pistachio Liqueur

When we were in Italy a few years ago, we bought a little souvenir bottle of pistachio cream liqueur. It was in a bottle the shape of Italy and cost a grand total of about 1 euro. It held exactly enough to make one batch of really good pistachio biscotti. We looked for more, but the state liquor store in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania does not stock it. We made our own and it was pretty good.

Fast forward a few years and Victor started thinking about the 2017 Cookies. Knowing how much I like pistachios, he decided a pistachio liqueur - not cream liqueur - was needed for this holiday season.

Again, it's something the state store doesn't sell. Time to make a batch.

The process is really simple... you soak pistachios in alcohol for a couple of weeks, strain, add a simple syrup, and you're done. Really simple.

Pistachio Liqueur

  • 8 oz roasted pistachios
  • 3 cups vodka
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 cup simple syrup

Coarsely chop pistachios and place in a mason jar. Add raisins and vodka. Seal and let sit about 2 weeks, shaking now and a gain.

Strain pistachios very well through a cheesecloth-lined sieve. Strain, again, through a coffee filter.

Make a simple syrup with 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Cool.

Mix syrup with pistachio vodka. Pour into a 750ml bottle and enjoy!

About 2 weeks before our latest vacation Victor set the pistachios to soak. We shook them now and again, but left them to soak while we were gone. They ended up sitting for about a month, total - which only made the base that much richer.

The end result is an extremely rich pistachio beverage. Great for the planned cookies, but it will also be great as a drink on its own.

I see a lot of cookies and other goodies coming from this!


Leaf Peepers

Many months ago my sister, Phoebe, mentioned that she and her wife, Nancy, were thinking of a trek through New England to look at leaves. Something closer than a European trek like we've done in the past. Nancy's mom isn't doing all that great right now and she didn't want to put a continent and an ocean between her and mom. Makes perfect sense. We hadn't been north of Manchester, NH in years, so we jumped at the idea. Then my brother, Mike and his wife Debbie said they wanted to come. Then my sister Eileen and her husband, Mike. My sister, Arlene, is moving and couldn't swing it and driving around looking at leaves would be my sister Judy's version of the seventh level of hell. Four out of the six kids and spouses were committed.

We probably should all be committed. But that's another story for another day...

The original idea was to just drive around and go where we wanted to go and stop for the night where we wanted to stop. That works with 2. It even works with 4. It doesn't work with 8. I started looking at places to visit and places to stay. The new idea was to spend a couple of nights in several locations and to branch out and visit places on the way to the next spot as well as visit places in the various vicinities.

Mr Google and HomeAway became my new friends.

Emails flew 'cross country and folks started adding sites they'd like to see, things they wanted to do... A plan was formed. Instead of travelling through all of the northern states, we'd spend a couple of days in Boston and then concentrate on New Hampshire and Maine.

 

 

Day 1 - We had originally planned to fly up to Boston, coordinate arrival times, and meet the siblings at Logan Airport. Alas, I had some ear issues and wasn't all that thrilled about flying. Besides, I really do hate airports, nowadays.  So... we decided Amtrak was the way to go. And since it was a vacation, we justified spending the extra bucks and taking the Acela. When I was making the original reservations, Penn Station in New York was doing a lot of track work in preparation for the new Penn Station across the street at the old Post Office building. The Acela was the only train running from Philadelphia to Boston that didn't require getting off and changing trains. It is really such a civilised way to travel.

We arrived in Boston later than we planned, and jumped on the Silver Line bus to the airport to meet up with everyone. Mike and Phoebe both rented SUV's for the trek, so we all met up at the Car Rental and headed to Salem for our first house - a 5 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home just blocks from the T Commuter Rail and all the tourist sites - and a block from a liquor store. We drove up Rt 1a, met up with the owner, one group headed to the store for alcohol and the rest called for pizza. We were going to head out for dinner but decided pizza and shots was a better way to start the trip.

The guy at the store saw Victor's camera and said take my picture. Here it is...

Lots of eating, drinking, and laughter. We made it to bed before neighbors had to call the police.

Day 2 - One of the benefits of having lived in Boston for many years is having friends in Boston! I met Dorrie back in 1981 when we both worked at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge.

Dorrie currently lives in Salem - behind The Witch's House and mere blocks from where we rented. Day 2 was Debbie's birthday and Mike and Debbie's Anniversary. We wanted to do something fun for the occasions and since we're all baseball fans thought a Red Sox game at Fenway Park would be a treat. It was, but more on that, later...

We woke up, pulled ourselves together, met Dorrie at the T stop and headed into town on the Commuter Rail line.  The end of the line is North Station, so we headed off to the Holocaust Memorial, then into Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, and down to the harbor to take the boat out to the USS Constitution.

The Holocaust Memorial is one of the most moving experiences a person can experience. It is beautiful and powerful in its simplicity.

It's also a reminder that we still have to speak up. We can never be silent. Ever.

It is truly a moving and remarkable place.

Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market have morphed considerably since I lived in Boston. We didn't hang out there long - it was off to catch a boat to see Old Ironsides. We got to the dock just as the boat was pulling out, so it was off to the outdoor bar. We shocked the young bartender by ordering 8 shots of tequila, numerous beers, wine, etc. It was still morning... But what the hell... vacation.

Shots consumed, it was off to the USS Constitution. Brother Mike had been to see it before, but it had been closed due to a government shutdown. I had been out there, as well, and still marvel at how small the ship actually is. Of course, I was stationed on an aircraft carrier. Perspective in all things... It is a commissioned ship in the US Navy, manned by actual naval personnel. It is a really difficult post to get assigned to. I didn't even try when I was a swabbie...

We headed back to Quincy Market and lunch at Ned Devine's. The space once was Ames Plow where yours truly got plowed more than a couple of times. I was living in East Boston and a buddy and I would hitch hike through the Callahan Tunnel at night after the T had stopped running. Sweet youth... The Plow was there for 40 years. I'm surprised it closed.

From Ned Devine's we headed into the North End. The trip over there has sure changed. The Central Artery once separated the North End from Quincy Market and you had to cross the road leading into the tunnel to get there. That's all gone now that the Big Dig is completed and everything is underground. It took me a while to get my bearings. But I did...

Lots of history, here. From the Old North Church of "one if by land and two if by sea" fame to streets and buildings that are just where they were in the founding days. Lots of colorful characters dressed in period costumes and playing roles of colonials. From colonials back to Hanover Street and Mike's Pastries.

I mean... ya gotta get cannoli... Mike's is pretty famous for their cannoli.

Armed with packets and parcels, we headed back to North Station to catch the Green Line to Fenway. We were meeting more friends, Deb and Ben, at the Royal Rooter's Club. The Boston T is a great way to get around. The oldest subway in the country - and parts of it show it. It can be miserable and hot at times, but it gets you where you need to be.

Being the outgoing and friendly group we are, we struck up conversations with some other folks, including a guy who was dropping off a German exchange student at the ballpark. He said outside food was not allowed at Fenway - prompting BIL Mike to hide his box of cannoli outside on the way to the park, planning on getting it on the way back. BTW... somewhere along the line a "Fenway" stop was built to take the pressure off the Kenmore stop. We took it not realizing it is about a million miles from Fenway Park.

We finally made it to the park and looked for Gate B to meet Deb and Ben. After our million mile walk, we had to completely circle the park to find the gate. It's the original "you can't get there from here..." In hindsight, had we taken the T to Kenmore, we would have walked right up to Gate B. Go figure.

But when we did find it, a great experience awaited us! Through a fairly nondescript door, The Royal Rooter Club is an exclusive season ticket holder enclave loaded to the rafters with Red Sox memorabilia. Deb was able to get us in.

If you're a baseball fan, there's nothing finer... We had a fun meal and then out to our seats. I had a roommate in Boston who was Regional Sales Director for Seagram's. We would occasionally get the Seagram's seats that were third row at the on deck circle. They also included access to the Seagram's Club Room somewhere upstairs. We saw more than a couple of games with one eye closed.

Red Sox fans are a unique breed even among baseball fans. Louder and more boisterous than most you'll ever see. The guy in front of me was a classic example. Loud, fun, and with a wife who was a rabid Yankees fan. They were a hoot. A few rows in front of them was a guy who missed most of the game just getting up to buy beer. But when he was there, his screaming trying to get the section to chant with him was hysterical. He was crushed when no one would join in.

The Sox lost the game big-time. It was a massacre. But a good time was had by all. We all headed for the exit and some of the folks decided the walk back to the T was way further than they wanted to walk. Heck with Mike's cannoli. It's Uber Time. Trying to get a vehicle near Fenway when 37,000 people are blocking the streets is not easy, but... we somehow persevered. The first car took 4 and we headed to North Station. The second car took 5 - it wasn't designed for that many, but the remaining folks weren't getting out. Clown Car Central. Mike never did get to retrieve his hidden cannoli. We figure either a homeless person or a squirrel was the happy recipient.

We missed the train by mere seconds and settled into North Station to await the last train - an hour away - when it was determined that another Uber would be $70 to Salem. Times two.

The last train out of town is always the most fun. There had been a Roger Waters/Pink Floyd concert at the Garden and it was a colorful ride back to Salem!

The two guys behind us looked like serial killers and more than a few folks had consumed mood-altering substances. It was a hoot of a trip. Definitely not the Quiet Car. But we made it back and settled into our beds to gain the energy for another fun day.

Day 3 - Our final full day in Boston started with a trek to Trader Joe's and Dunkin Donuts. Lots of wine, liquor, and snacks. And donuts. Can't forget the donuts. We finally pulled ourselves together to meet up with Dorrie for a Salem tour.

Naturally, we had to start with the Witches House - but it was closed. Naturally. Notice those beautiful blue skies. The weather was perfect.

Time to meander through Salem, with Dorrie as our guide. We met up with a few local characters and had a grand time.

Dorrie's son, Jordan, joined us for lunch and our tour of the House of the Seven Gables.

Jordan was supposed to meet us at the game the night before but ended up having to work. Fun fact: Victor and I took him to his first Sox game.

Off to the House of the Seven Gables...

Were it not for Nathaniel Hawthorne, this would be just another house in town... Actually, it wouldn't even be recognizable. It had been remodeled extensively until it was bought and brought back to it's seven-gabled glory. My parents visited Boston back in '83 and we did the tour. Hasn't changed much. But it is an interesting site.

We never did get to the Witches House. It was time to head back to the house for drinks and dinner. We were meeting up later for a Night Time Salem Tour.

Now... if you've never done a night time Salem tour - and I hadn't - be prepared for hoots and hollers. It was one of the most tongue-in-cheek experiences, ever. It was fun! Our tour guide was dressed as a cat - of course - and led us on a merry tour of all the murders, mayhems, and spooky things that have gone on in Salem for the past 300 years. It really was a hoot.

There are the obligatory grave yards...

And spooky windows, strange happenings, and unexplainable shenanigans... Did I mention that it was a hoot?!?

But all good things must come to an end... We headed back to the house for cocktails and conversation until midnight. We would have stayed up later but we were heading to New Hampshire in the morning.

Day 4 - Woke up to Thunderstorm - kaBOOM. Off to New Hampshire. We made a quick drive up to Manchester and showed everyone the park where we were married in 2010.

That is the gazebo where we were wed. The park is right along the river. From the park we retraced our steps to the pub where we had our wedding reception. The Shaskeen.

It's a fun and welcoming place in every sense of the words. More shots of Jameson's and a great lunch. The bartender, Amy, was still there from our last visit - she had given us Shaskeen rugby shirts - and remembered us. We had a great time - and great food.

From there it was off to our house up by Lake Winnipesaukee.

Four bedrooms, three and a half baths... and views to die for. We drew lots to see who would get which rooms and settled in just long enough to get into town and meet our friends Marlene and Pat. Marl was the woman who married us in that gazebo... We had a great dinner at a little place in Alton, NH.

At least I think we had a great dinner. We were talking so much I don't even remember the food. Soon, the natives started getting restless and we said our goodbyes and headed back to the house for a quiet evening. Well... quiet for us, anyway...

It was cards, jokes, more shots, and plotting the next day...

Day 5 - We woke to the silence of the country. It was glorious. The views were unbelievable and the air crisp and fresh. Not a lot of color - it had been too warm for major leaf-changing - but spectacular scenery, nonetheless.

Today was covered bridges and a drive around the lake. The lake is huge with miles and miles of coastline, resort towns, boating, fishing... a summer paradise. We were pulling in at the end of the season. The weather was still summer-like but the shops were closing.

We stopped at Wolfeboro for lunch at a restaurant right on the water. As Victor was backing up to take this picture, he knocked a light off the railing where it crashed into the parking lot, below. C'est la vie...

We shopped, bought t-shirts and more Christmas ornaments - because one can never have too many of either - and headed out to see covered bridges.

I have to admit that I don't quite see the allure of covered bridges. I mean... they're kinda cool to look at, but... they're just bridges built covered to keep the weather from destroying the structure. We have one a couple of miles from our house. That being said, the design of this one was pretty cool.

We headed back to the house and grilled burgers and dogs. There might have been a few drinks involved, as well.

Day 6 – North of the Notch and into Maine.

We've heard our friend, Marlene talking about heading north of the notch for more years than I can remember.  I was time to see just where the notch was! I was thinking that I had driven through there several times on treks up to Montreal when I lived in Boston, but... nope. Different route. I was a notch novice! First stop, the Flume.

The Flume Gorge is a natural gorge at the base of Mt Liberty. Pretty cool.

From here, we headed east into Maine.

We travelled on a lot of unpaved roads to get to our next spot. Rustic doesn't begin to describe it. But what a beautiful setting.

Camp Mollocket has been around for 90 years - and, in places, it looks it. At first glance, one might think it was the inspiration for the Bates Motel. We were totally isolated at this spot. No internet, no TV, no cell phones... But what a beautiful setting, right on Shagg Pond.

Huge stone fireplace - and we needed it. We ran out of propane.

We had brought our homemade pasta sauce and some rigatoni with us and Victor cooked dinner our first night here. Garlic bread, salad... and plenty of drinks.

We may be roughing it, but we eat well, dammit!

The building has 7 or 8 bedrooms - some with twin beds, and at least 4 with doubles. They are all decorated by type of flower. We were in the Primrose Room. Not sure which room this was.

Rustic in a really charming way. A bit too cutsie in one respect, but it fit the surroundings.

Day 7 – Camp Mollocket. Woke up to a chilly house. Lots of wood in the fireplace. Called the maintenance man and had a propane delivery by 4pm. Cute as a button delivery guy. Fun, friendly... He reminded me of my old roommate, Michael, who was from Livermore Falls, Maine - not far from Woodstock. Same cute smile.

It was perfect weather and we took advantage of it! Sunning on the dock, out on the pond in the boats, and just sitting under a tree reading. Total relaxation.

Here's Mike out in the canoe.

Eileen and Phoebe made delicious beef stew for dinner with biscuits.

It was great. The perfect meal in a rustic setting.

As funky as this place was, it was the perfect spot for a few days of total relaxation.

Day 8 - Seal Harbor, ME. Drove from Woodstock to the ocean. Another excellent house in Seal Harbor, Maine.

A couple of the houses had some distinctly better rooms than others, so we just numbered the rooms, put the numbers in a hat, and drew them. We were the last to draw and the top floor was what was left! The view from our bedroom was pretty nice...

The house was on 3 acres with lots to see. The family settled in and Victor and I headed out to dinner on our own. The town is pretty much closing for the season and we had a really quiet meal - just a few others in the place. I had an excellent seafood chowder and fried seafood plate. Victor went for clam chowder and stuffed shrimp. Both were really good. The waitress was a youngster who had 17 more days before being set free. We brought back desserts - white chocolate cheesecake and apple berry pie. We watched TV, played cards, and did what we do best... nothing.

 

Day 9 - Acadia and Bar Harbor.  We entered the park at Seal Harbor and meandered through and up to Cadillac Mountain. The views are breathtaking from there. I had been to Acadia twice before - once in May and once in October. Both times the weather was wet, drizzly, and windy with pretty big swells crashing onto the rocks. This trip was amazing. Blue skies and blue blue ocean. Just amazing. You could see forever.

We headed out to Bar Harbor for food, drink, and shopping. We had lunch at Jalapenos - a pretty good Mexican place for being so far from Mexico. More than a few pitchers of margaritas were consumed. A shot or two, as well.  There was a cruise ship in town so the place was hopping for this late in the season. We did our best to support the local economy and headed back into the park.

Next stop was Thunder Hole - a rock formation that makes a huge thunderous clap when the ocean rolls in. Today, the ocean was calmer than that last time I was there, but the thunder clap was still loud.

We all had dinner at same restaurant as last night. Where last night everything was excellent, tonight it was meh. The chowders were still excellent, but the veal oscar was tough, the food just mediocre. The funniest part was the drinks. Our young waitress was not a bartender by any stretch of the imagination. Three of the girls ordered dirty martinis and I'm not sure what it was that came out, but they sure as hell weren't  martinis. They were all different-looking, as well. They couldn't drink them. So... a few more different drinks were ordered. After dinner we opted for Sambuca. The poor girl didn't know what it was or how to serve it. We helped her out and still left a really good tip. Back to the house for more desserts and loads of laughs.

Day 10 - Back to Boston. We had two things to do today before checking into our hotel - An LL Bean run and lunch at the Muddy Rudder in Yarmouth. We did lunch first - no sense shopping on an empty stomach, ya know. Our waitress a hoot. An old-time waitress who knew how to dish it and take it. We laughed and laughed the entire meal. Mike Reidy finally got his lobster, too!

Lunch consumed and we were ready to shop. Up to LL Bean. I bought a new robe, shorts, and actual pajamas. I've been wearing PJ bottoms and sweatshirts or tshirts forever. I now have a matching set! Bring on Winter. We were in and out in 30 minutes.

Gone is the huge display of products they had refunded over the years - and gone was my nightshirt that was once displayed. Many years ago when i lived at Tahoe, I bought a nightshirt mailorder from LL Bean. Probably around 1976. I had that thing for years, I'd wear it, throw it in a corner, step on it, wash it, bleach it, add, stir, repeat. It was mere threads some time in the early '90s when I took a trip back to Boston. I brought it with me because Dorrie, Susan, and I had planned to go to LL Bean and I was bringing it along as a lark to show them how long I had had it.

We rented a Town Car and had a ball. When we got there, Susan said that I should just return it since they had a return policy that would pretty much cover anything. I wouldn't do it, so she took it up to the counter and started complaining about how it had worn out. I was mortified.

The poor girl at the desk didn't even know what it was. She called over a supervisor who looked at it and said. "This used to be a nightshirt, I think it was Campbell Plaid. The material used to be flannel. Give her another one." And off she went. I got a new nightshirt.

The place has changed dramatically since I was last there. The old building is gone and a huge complex is in its place. They were having a 20% off sale, music in the courtyard, and everyone was having a good time. I bought Mike a cannoli to replace the ones lost in Boston.

In under an hour, we were back on the road and headed for the Hampton Inn in Revere.

We spoke with the lady at the desk and she recommended an Italian place a couple blocks away - D'Amelio's Off The Boat Seafood Restaurant. EXCELLENT food.

I started off with a panko crusted polenta cake, on top of marinara, with wild mushrooms, and truffle moliterno cheese.

I then went for a flatbread... Fig and Proscuitto - Black mission fig jam, prosciutto, baby arugula, and balsamic glaze.

That piece in the corner was Victor's Lobster flatbread. OMG! Good. I think I may be making the fig prosciutto flatbread for Thanksgiving.

Everyone had a great meal. And then it was back to the hotel for teary goodbyes.

I've been known to cry at 7-Up commercials but there's something about saying goodbye to my siblings that gets me every time. It doesn't help that they're the same way. We fight it and laugh at it as the tears trickle down. It's just the way it is, and, to be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Day 11 - Early up and to the airport with Phoebe and Nancy. We checked the car in and the agent drove us right to our T stop and the girls to their gate. Great service. and just a few more tears.

We took the Silver line to South Station and up to Club Acela.

The woman at the Club recommended we call a Red Cap for our luggage. It's not usually our style, but she said we would get pre-boarding, so we went for it. He brought our luggage right to our seats on a sold out train so we got our pick of seats in the Quiet Car. Sweet, indeed.

It was a really great trip. I wish Arlene and Judy could have been there with us, but while they weren't there in person, they were there in spirit. The other two downsides of the trip were we weren't able to get into Vermont to see our friend, Ruth in Brattleboro and we couldn't reach my old roommate, Dusty, who lives in Watertown. There just aren't enough hours...

And speaking of spirits... I think I drank more in these 10 days than I have in the past 30 years. I never went overboard or anything, but it seems as if there was always some occasion where a shot of Jameson or tequila was called for. A seriously good non-hungover time was had by all.

I'm ready to do it, again!