June 14, 2025 – a date which will live in infamy.
It was the day millions of Americans showed up to protest Trump throughout the country – and no one showed up for his birthday parade. Empty bleachers and sparse crowds… It was lovely to see him so humiliated.
We had thousands of people here in our City of Beaverton, Oregon. Thousands more a few miles away in Portland, and thousands more in the small towns around us. It was great!
Being the festive beings we are, we added our inclusive pride flag to the car for the drive to the protest and march.
It definitely stood out as we drove gayly forward. The parking gods were with us, as well. We saw people walking for blocks and blocks, street parking was non-existent throughout the neighborhoods surrounding the parks – but as we approached the park area, a place opened up right on the corner of the park! Perfection on a perfect day!
We met up with my sister and her wife for a fun couple of hours talking with people, marveling at the cleverness of the signs – it really is amazing what people with functioning brain cells can come up with! – and truly being in awe at the number of people – babies and toddlers, youngsters, tweens and teenagers, middle-aged folks, old people like us – and older folks, too. It was quite moving.
We decided against joining the march to the Government Center – crowds and distance walking are still a bit iffy for me, medically speaking – so we headed back to our primo parking space and with flag waving in the sunshine, headed home.
In a festive mood after a fabulous day, Victor decided we needed spaghetti for dinner – a recipe he had seen on Milk Street (on PBS – that bastion of liberalism that has helped children learn to read and learn for the past 50+ years – and enemy of the illiterati.
It.Was.Delicious!
Spaghetti with Prosciutto, Parmesan and Peas
adapted from 177 Milk Street
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1 cup), plus more to serve
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 2 or 3 pieces
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 4 ounces sliced prosciutto, cut into ¼-inch ribbons
- 1 cup frozen peas
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cream, Parmesan and 2 teaspoons pepper; set aside. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain and return the pasta to the pot; set aside.
In a 12-inch skillet over medium, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisped, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer about one-quarter of the prosciutto-onion mixture to a small plate and reserve for garnish.
Scrape the remaining prosciutto-onion mixture into the pasta in the pot, then add the peas and ¼ cup reserved pasta water. Cook over medium-high, stirring, until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, add the egg-cheese mixture; stir until the sauce thickens slightly and clings to the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. If needed, toss in reserved water 1 tablespoon at a time to adjust the consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the reserved prosciutto-onion mixture and additional Parmesan.
Really, really good.
And I made a quick beer bread because really good spaghetti deserves fresh bread and I didn’t plan in advance for a yeast dough…
I got this recipe from a customer – George – at Trader Joe’s probably 15 years ago. It’s a quick bread that uses both self-rising flour and beer for leavening. Different beers will give it a different flavor – and it can take any number of add-ins, from shredded cheese to nuts and seeds. I used a local IPA.
George’s Beer Bread
- 3 cups self-rising flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 12 oz beer
- 1 stick Melted butter
Mix flour, sugar, and beer of choice. Spread into a 4″ x 8″ bread pan. Pour melted butter on top. Bake at 350° about 1 hour.
It’s best to place loaf pan on a sheet pan to catch potential spills.
To make your own self-rising flour, merely mix:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 4½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
It was a perfect day.
Perfect protest, Perfect Weather. Perfect Dinner.