What We’re Eating and Drinking: Kale Salad with Sesame Dressing and Tofu & Mulderbosch Rosé
Oh, sweet, sweet rosé. I’m starting with it tonight because I’ve been waiting for six months to revisit this favorite summertime beverage. Rosé became really popular in–when was it?–the late 90s? I mean it’s a beverage that’s always been around, but I seem to remember a resurgence of it at a some recent point. My parents, wine enthusiasts themselves, think rose is disgustingly sweet–probably due to of their experience with ceramic bottles of Lancer’s in the 70s or the big jugs of fruit-punch-sweet white zinfandel I remember them lugging to beach parties when I was a kid. Sommeliers have been known to scoff at the stuff, too, claiming that “drinking rosé is a state of mind more than anything else.” I’m no wine expert but, to me, the POINT of sharing a glass of wine with friends is to foster a certain state of mind. The mood of summertime and sandals and easy conversation is one I’ll evoke any time.
In other news, our eating-less-meat experiment is going okay, though I think I might need to get a new cookbook or take a class in vegetable preparation. Adding garlic and salt to everything is good, but we’re ready to expand our flavor palate. At any rate, I found this recipe for Kale Salad on Oprah’s website and it turned out great. I added some baked tofu for protein (easy to do–just cube a square of extra firm tofu and toss with some olive oil & seasonings and put it in the oven on 400° for 30 minutes). Cheers!
Gina: There is a serious lack of rose in my life! (More on the left side.) I can’t wait to visit in the summer and open a bottle with you by the river. If you find a good vegetarian cookbook, please share!
What We’re Talking About: What We Did Over Spring Vacation
This past week was school vacation week here in the U.S. Do you have a spring vacation week in Italy? Here it usually comes sometime around Passover and Easter Sunday (for those unfamiliar with the migration, it’s a time when folks from the northeast head to Florida or to the West Coast because the weather here in New York still unpredictable and chilly). This year Noah spent the first few days of the break near Clearwater, Florida with his dad and stepmother. He swam with dolphins and ate grouper and walked on the beach. Back here in the Hudson Valley I had some quiet time with him gone, but by week’s end we were back together in full-on adventure mode. Michele and Walker came up for a few extra days this week (NYC schools are out for the week, too) and we’ve had a whirlwind few days of cooking and gardening and eating and visiting farms. In the left photo Walker & Noah are considering the pigs at Glynwood farm. On the right, they are working as Michele’s sous chefs during her preparation for the Easter feast she has planned for her family on Sunday.
Happy week to you all! We miss you much!
Gina: How lovely! I know you all are going to start gathering more around terraces and gazebos, pools and picnics over the next few months, and it’s making me nuts! I foresee some serious Skype time in my future. We’re just getting to our Easter break today…see more next door! Italy also has a national holiday on April 25 and Labor Day on May 1, so the next couple of weeks should give us some time to relax and explore.