Dit FROMAGE

Since our first foray into the wonderful world of cheese, we have since had two more rounds of new cheese sampling.  In addition to our first three varieties, we have now tasted:

Blue Cheese

Goat Cheese

Manchego

Edam

Emmenthaler

Pepper Jack

Apart from the Blue Cheese, which Caleb did not like in the least (that's my boy!), the new varieties were received very well.  In terms of favorites, Kenny was on the fence between Manchego and Edam; Gouda still reigns supreme for me; Caleb selected Edam as his favorite; and Isaac was torn between Blue Cheese and Goat Cheese, but ultimately decided that he liked the Goat Cheese slightly more. 

One of the best aspects of this process has been selecting the different cheeses.  Apparently, there is a whole world of cheese out there I haven't even come close to experiencing, I had no idea.  Each time we head to the specialty cheese section, I find myself overcome with anticipation and excitement.  I have spent a ridiculous amount of time perusing websites devoted to cheese like this and this (despite having absolutely no time for such inane pursuits).  And, earlier this week I saw an ad for a free Wisconsin cheese guide and I ordered it, I couldn't help myself.  I am a little sad that I am pregnant right now and not able to eat soft cheese.  As I type, there is a gorgeous wedge of Brie in my refrigerator on deck for the next "new cheese night" and knowing I can't have any breaks my heart just a little.  But, I am 3 months from the promised land and then there will be Brie and Sushi and Club Sandwiches and all the other things I never eat when I am not pregnant, but crave endlessly when I am.

The boys are indescribably enthusiastic about all this cheese and we will likely keep this up until that wanes or we make ourselves sick.  I am determined my children will be adventurous eaters who will try anything (within reason of course, I will not force them to eat scorpion kebabs or dog livers in China, unless they want to) at least once.  Polite eating is a skill, and that doesn't mean just knowing which is the correct fork for each course.  Thanks to the efforts of my mother, there is almost nothing I won't or can't eat and that has served me well as we have traveled the world and was especially useful while I was working.  I cannot count the number of times I sat down at a dinner or breakfast meeting and found myself presented with an unexpected or undesired entree.  It would have been rude not to partake and even when served cantaloupe, which I detest, I happily ate, just like my mother taught me.

We love Washington, DC, #19

What do the Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, and Constitution of the United States have in common?
  
Give up?  

Among other things, collectively these documents are known as the Charters of Freedom and are all currently on display at the National Archives in Washington, DC, (not to be confused with locations in Alaska, Georgia, and Maryland).  Normally, the Magna Carta is available for viewing as well, but at present it is being restored 
and will be in its new display case and ready for prime 
time in March 2012.  

This weekend, we took a very quick trip to the Archives to view these documents and some of the other exhibits on display.  As you might imagine, it was a bit difficult to get our kids excited about seeing some faded pieces of parchment, but then they saw the signature of John Hancock and thanks to this book, we caught their interest, at least momentarily.  They really enjoyed the other exhibits, however, which were teeming with buttons to press, recordings to listen to via telephone receiver, and interactive computer displays.  We will likely go again in the spring to view the Magna Carta and to see more of the exhibits we didn't have time for this time around.  Photography is prohibited in the entire building, so you'll just have to take my word for it that we were there.

 

On our way back to the car we walked through the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.  We stopped to get a view of the Archives through the fountains, make some wishes, and pose with a few of the sculptures that decorate the Garden's lawns.  In the summer they have Jazz concerts by the fountain and in the winter there is ice skating.  In the fall and spring, it is a pleasant place to pass a perfect Washington, DC, evening.

This is "Graft" by artist Roxy Paine, and Isaac's favorite of all the art we saw

We love Washington, DC, #18

Fall is my favorite time of year, but so often in DC we skip from the hot, humid temperatures of the summer straight to the bitter chill of winter.  But, not this year.  This weekend we are having absolutely pristine and perfect weather.  There is a slight chill in the air, but the sun is shining and the trees are beginning their transformation from deep green to the glorious hues of autumn.  It is weather that must be experienced outdoors and today it beckoned and we answered.

First stop: Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial.  The island, a nature and wildlife preserve, is situated in the middle of the Potomac between Washington, DC, and Virginia.  The center of the island is dominated by a concrete memorial to the former President, showcasing some of his more memorial quotations and crowed by an enormous statue of the man himself.  The surrounding island is crisscrossed with trails for running and walking and drinking in the beauty of this little oasis.  During our visit today we encountered any number of plant species and various animals as well including, herons, ducks, turtles, and deer.  There is plenty of space for even the most exuberant of visitors to run, jump, look for dragons and dinosaurs, hide from trolls, test their sword-fighting skills, and generally enjoy the beauty that surrounds them.

Next stop: the United States Marine Corps War Memorial and the adjacent Netherlands Carillon.  The boys have seen this impressive depiction of six soldiers raising a flag on Iwo Jima many times from the car as we crossed the Roosevelt Bridge, but this was their first time doing more than just passing by.  We took a moment to talk about the event represented by the statue and the importance contribution our military make to our country.  

Afterwards, we walked the few hundred yards to the nearby Netherlands Carillon bell tower.  In the spring the garden in front of the tower is teeming with tulips, but today it was full of beautiful, but unusual, fall appropriate flora.  Unfortunately we arrived in between hours so we didn't get to hear the bells play the armed forces anthems (in the order each branch was commissioned), but I have been there when they do, and it is worth sticking around to take a listen if you can convince your companions to ignore their hunger pains and be patient...we couldn't. 

Last stop: Girard Park.  This park is near where the boys go to school and Caleb has been pleading for us to take them there.  It isn't close to our house and there are about 20 other parks that are nearer and more conveniently located, but he was so insistent, we acquiesced.  It is not in the best neighborhood, but then, neither is their school, but the park is well-maintained and was a perfect place to eat our lunch al fresco and burn off any lingering energy before afternoon naps.  And, in fact, all four of us slept quite soundly after such a beautifully eventful day.

Christmas is coming...

Okay, so that's a bit premature.  And, judging from my to-do list and all the items still needing to be crossed off, if it were actually coming anytime soon I would be failing all of my classes and be woefully unprepared for a zillion other things, including the baby that is set to make an appearance just after the first of the year.  That said, it is coming eventually, of course, and there are a few things we need to do before that glorious season arrives, well, long before it arrives or we will likely not get them done at all.

  

 As you may recall from last year, my Mom likes a particular kind of gift for Christmas, one that takes forethought and planning.  So, this year we are actually making a plan in the hopes of producing just exactly what she intended when she made this request in the first place.  My goal this year, however, is to include the whole family so that this becomes a tradition, an expectation, and a joy we can share together -- not just something the adults do and force the kids to participate in.

Somewhere in the blogosphere, or maybe it was Pinterest, I stumbled upon the idea of a service tree.  I saw several variations on this theme and borrowed elements from a few to match our particular needs and abilities.  

Using an ordinary piece of poster board, I drew a tree. An artist I am not, but a tree is within the realm of my non-existent talent.  To save time, I bought pre-cut foam leaves from the craft store in lieu of sitting down and tracing and cutting for hours and hours.  I thought I would just tape the leaves to the tree, but it turns out that tape and foam don't bond very well, so I opted for sticky velcro, which, if I do say so myself, was genius and makes the tree reusable, if one desired as much.  On the back of each leaf I wrote an act of service.  Some are very simple like, "help Mommy make dinner" or "help Daddy take out the garbage."  Others are bit more involved such as "make and deliver baked goods to a neighbor" or "walk in the Help the Homeless Walk-a-thon."  Ultimately, however, all are very doable and can involve all 4 of us each time.  

We introduced the tree last night at Family Home Evening and explained that just like real trees, this tree should lose all of its leaves in time for winter too, but only if we perform the act of service written on the back.  Isaac chose first and so over the next few days we will each be doing "something nice for Isaac."  When that act is completed, it will be Caleb's turn to choose and so on until we are left with a bare tree and that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you do something nice for someone else.  The boys seem very excited, I am too, but there are a lot of leaves between us and bare branches -- we'll see how it goes. 

Say CHEESE

Friday at Caleb and Isaac's school is always a half day.  During the rest of the week they are served a hot lunch that includes something from all the food groups.  But, on Fridays, since most kids leave shortly after lunchtime, they get a sack lunch with a sandwich.  They school tries to get creative with their sandwich options, but usually it is 2 pieces of bread, a slice each of turkey, tomato, and cheese, and a piece of lettuce.  Now, my kids will eat salad, but lettuce and tomato on a sandwich is definitely out.  Frankly, the don't really eat sandwiches all that much unless they are of the burger variety.  Caleb detests peanut butter, I KNOW!  And Isaac, while he will eat peanut butter, prefers it by the spoonful and nowhere near jelly.  Even Trader Joe's Sweet Whole Cherry Preserves does not tempt him.  And, both of them would rather have their bread on the side.  So, I can get them to eat egg salad or chicken salad or turkey, but not actually on bread.  I shouldn't complain, I could stand to eat a little less bread myself, but this penchant for food groups and plates does make eating on the run a bit challenging.

Last Friday, as we headed home, we talked about that day's lunch and I was informed by Caleb that he ate only his bread and turkey and threw out the rest.  Isaac chimed in that he ate the cheese too, but only half of it.  I asked Caleb why he threw away the cheese and he replied that it was the wrong kind.  In response to my query "what kind was it?" he replied without missing a beat that it was "white cheese."  We then had a long discussion about cheese and how it is classified many ways, but usually not by color.  Caleb and Isaac were stunned as I rattled off endless varieties of cheeses and explained which came from cows and which from sheep or goats.  We talked about wheels of cheese and rind and smoked cheeses and cheese mixed with herbs and fruit and mild and strong flavors and all the different things we eat that have cheese in them.  I suggested that maybe we needed to sample some of these cheeses and then we could decide which we liked based on more than just color.  Caleb and Isaac agreed and asked to start immediately.  I was able to put them off, but not for long.

Tonight for dinner we introduced 3 "new" kinds of cheese: Romano, Havarti and Gouda.  We talked about the country of origin for each variety and the differences in texture and flavor.  We discussed what animal each cheese came from and how it was made.  We compared them to the cheeses we are already familiar with (i.e. yellow, white and feta).  Then, we tasted them. 

The verdict: a resounding YUM!  

Caleb was a fan of the Havarti and Isaac preferred the Romano, but they both enjoyed the "ham" flavor of the Gouda and had generous helpings of each type.  We decided in the future the boys would come along for the shopping part of this adventure and select our next varieties (Isaac has already declared he is bringing home "an enormous blue cheese" YUCK!).  I'm certain they won't love all the kinds we sample, certainly I do not believe that all cheese is created equal, but at least we have moved beyond white vs. yellow and in the process discovered the wonderfully diverse and gastronomically exciting world of cheese.  

Pumpkin Panic

In the last week, the weather in the Mid-Atlantic has turned decidedly chilly.  As someone who walks around with a toaster oven strapped to her middle 24 hours a day, this is excellent news indeed.  The crisp air means fall is on the way and we are anxiously awaiting its arrival.  At present, there is no real evidence of changing leaves, but the promise of gold and red sun-kissed treetops is tantalizingly near.  My inbox is overflowing with notices of apple picking and pumpkin patches, corn mazes and homemade apple cider, Halloween costume ideas and autumn inspired recipes and blogs everywhere are teeming with craft and food ideas to welcome the change in season.  

One such blog I follow recently reported rumor of a canned pumpkin shortage and she rushed out to procure some before it was too late.  Her errand yielded just 2 lone cans, a fact which, considering my penchant for fall goodies and a stocked pantry, sent me into a panic.  Accordingly, I headed out myself this weekend to stock up one of my favorite and most versatile staples.  I hit 4 stores before finding anything, and even then it was just a smattering of mostly dented cans.  I bought them ALL.  I am not a hoarder, by any means.  But I like to be prepared and I use pumpkin in myriad recipes, all year long, but especially now when the temperatures start to plummet.

I have since read that pumpkin shortages in the Northeast are not just a rumor, but a reality.  Many farmers are expecting record profit losses this year and farmers out west have found unexpected consumers for their crops.  We had planned to take the boys to a pumpkin patch at some point this year, but based on this information I imagine we'll be taking them sooner rather than later before all the gorgeous, orange globes untouched by hurricane and tropical storm devastation are gone.  Right now, though, I'm going to eat a delicious bowl of pumpkin soup secure in the knowledge that my pantry is fully stocked and there will be pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin gooey butter cakes and pumpkin pasta and pumpkin pancakes any time we want them, all season long.