Relocating Chez Spence?

Today is New Years Eve, 2009. I took the day off, and am happily sitting here in my wrap/blanket (NOT a snuggie), and I'm watching a picturesque, light snow falling outside.

Out my window, disturbing the tranquility, I can also see cars driving down the street. The creepy neighbor lady walking outside in flip flops and her robe (did I mention that it is snowing?) to pick up her paper. My two next door neighbors are men who are obsessed with their leaf blowers and are leaf blowing their snow. I have always lived with this type of suburban noise, and I have had enough, and so has Scott. We are officially looking to relocate Chez Spence to somewhere quiet, wooded, and secluded.

This is not to say that my suburban neighborhood is not an awesome place to be if you enjoy the close proximity of neighbors. We are within walking distance to everything we need - the market, the library (one of the best in the county), the brand new recreation center, not to mention all of the schools. The coffee shop, that is also a short walk away, is charming and brews a mean bean. The doughnut shop takes me back to the year 1956, and I am burning some of the calories I consume because, guess what? I'm walking there, too.

The convenience of this city cannot be beat either. Our location is roughly a 15 minute round trip to the airport, and we equidistant from 3 major freeways in the area, within about 7 minutes of each. We are far enough away that we are not inconvenienced with the noise and traffic. We are also on the same side of town as our friends and family.

And then we can talk about the nostalgia: Scott's Grandma has a picture with her class in front of our historic little cabin, because she attended the high school here. My Grandpa used to drink at the bar at the end of my street. My mom used to ride her bike from her home that was one city over.

Emotionally, I am quite attached to our home. It is comfortable and beautiful. We moved here when we were first married, and have made many memories. I will sob uncontrollably in the event that we decide to sell this house.

Any of these would be good reasons to stay, but as I age a bit, I am looking for something different. I long for peace and tranquility. I yearn look out my window, at my large piece of land, and watch wildlife and see trees. I am not a country girl, nor will I ever be. I like conveniences and hate well water. I am also not a fan of new construction, and prefer the charm of older homes. All of my likes and dislikes put me into a bit of an awkward position in my quest for homestead happiness. Most areas with acreage have well water, and are most commonly populated with homes built after 1970. These areas are also typically about a half hour from civilization.

Finding an area that meets my critical requirements will definitely be a challenge, but these areas do, exist. There is a village about 35 minutes east of my current location. The taxes are high, the house prices are high. The scenery is priceless. Deer are plentiful, and wild turkey roam the landscape (I didn't even know that Cleveland had wild Turkeys!). They call it a "Bird Sanctuary". A river runs through the town, and there are cliffs and valleys. People donate some of their acreage to a land conservation program to keep this city green and spacious. I, personally, love snow, and this location is located within the "snow belt". Within a 10 to 15 minute drive you will find some of the best shopping in the area. Also within that distance are 3 major freeways.

It seems like a dream, but with the right planning and timing, it will become our reality. My memories of our first house will come with me, though I will vacate the home itself. I know that I am preparing to embark on an emotional journey into the next stage of my existence. It should be quite interesting.

Since I last wrote, I received what will be one of my favorite Christmas presents in the years to come. My boss, Kim, took fellow Team Leader Karen and I to a cooking class and dinner with Chef Loretta Paganini. To be honest, I did not know who she was when I arrived, but now I will never forget her. She is a local cooking celebrity, originating from Bologna, Italy. She runs 2 schools, right here in my beloved Cleveland, one for "home cooks" (see www.lpscinc.com) and the other to train professional chefs (see www.icasi.net) . In doing a bit more research, I see that she is the chef behind Simply Gourmet on the Discovery Channel.

The class was entitled "Cooking with Wine". We were permitted to bring our own wine and watch the show. Karen and I even participated in the program by stirring risotto for [exactly] 23 minutes - it's one of the secrets to perfect risotto. Needless to say, I was inspired on many levels. Chef Paganini combines her love of culinary arts with a flare for entertaining and obvious desire to teach - and it is the perfect combination. The food was absolutely delicious. I was reminded of how much I love to create things in the kitchen, even if they are other people's recipes at this point in my life. I have rededicated myself to learning technique and to being the best home-chef I can be for my family and friends.

That leads me to this past Saturday. It was gray, cold, and a bit snowy. A fire was roaring in the living room. I decided it was time to learn to roast a chicken properly. Rather than reach for my "Set-it-and-forget-it" Ron Popeil rotisserie, I reached for the masterpiece by Julia Child Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It's not a coincidence - I do admit that I was a bit inspired by the movie Julie and Julia. To be honest, I never thought that roasting a chicken was anything fabulous, nor did I see anyway that it could be. I was SO wrong. I roasted the chicken on its side, just like Julia instructed, and basted it regularly. I made a mushroom sauce consisting of cream and port wine. Scott and I flambéed the chicken in cognac. I even followed her directions for pan roasting fingerling potatoes. I learned so much as I studied and followed the recipes exactly. It was an amazing meal made with relatively simple ingredients. It is no wonder that the woman is touted as a legend. She explains why, not just what. There is actually chemistry and physics involved in cooking.

High on my success from Saturday night, I decided to pull out the recipes that I received from the cooking class. I made Osso Bucco (veal shank) in Gremolata Sauce, and poached pears with port zabaglione. Again, we enjoyed an amazing meal with relatively simple ingredients, and I was able to learn new techniques.

This week, I am keeping it simple with Fettuccine Alfredo, Roasted Red Snapper in mustard sauce, and Chicken Piccata, all things that I can easily make after work and last minute shopping. Then it's Christmas. I am not cooking for the holiday; we are going to be guests this year. I am already contemplating my culinary challenges for the weekend, however...

In case this is my last entry prior to the holiday, in case someone is actually reading my scribbles, I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.

New Years Resolutions = Pie Crust Promises

Mary Poppins teaches the concept of the "pie crust promise" - "Pie crust promises" are "easily made, easily broken". I think that it is safe to assume that, with rare exception, this is how the typical new years resolution is defined. We all view the new year as a sparkling, clean slate. Another chance to make this year better than the last. The slate can only be so clean, however. Old habits and life in general always seem to get in the way of everyone's good intentions. The editor of Real Simple Magazine points out in her January editor's note that studies show most new years resolutions are disregarded by February 17. Based on my personal study of my own patterns and behaviors, there are two problems:

1. I expect miraculous complete change, as opposed to gradual improvement.

2. The list is too long and therefore impossible to achieve.

To the first point, I tend to fall "off the wagon" the first time I fail. Rather than learning from my mistakes, I give up. This is the danger of perfectionism: if it can't be done absolutely flawlessly, it is not worth doing at all. Marla Cilley, the "Flylady" and author of Sink Reflections, and www.flylady.net points out this danger and reminds her readers that even a little improvement is better than no improvement at all. As the saying goes, "old habits die hard", and new habits take a long time to root (typically, a minimum of 21 consistent days, or about 30 to 40 repetitions according to most information on the web).

Secondly, I think that the knowledge of a new year will give me some kind of superhuman powers to change everything about my life, my personality, and my habits that I do not consider acceptable. The list is long, and impossible. Again, perfectionism kicks in - if I cannot do it all, I just will refuse to do anything at all.

Based on my research and self reflection , I am improving upon my resolution list this year. I will give myself credit for things that were accomplished in the past year; be realistic by aiming for improvement and not necessarily complete change; and will add a few challenges that, if achieved, will make me a more well rounded person. I am also desperately hoping this blog will keep me accountable.

Reflection on 2009's resolutions:

1. Lost 15 pounds and did not gain it back.

2. Consistently attended a weekly Pilates class.

3. Exercised more consistently.

4. Cooked more, went out to eat less.

5. Became a bit more organized; learned to use what I have and get rid of what I don't use.

First draft of New Years resolutions, 2010.

Goals: Simplicity. Attainability. Specific when possible.

Disclaimer: Subject to Change through December 31, 2009

1. Continue the following never ending quests:

a.) Better organization both at home and at the office

b.) More consistent physical fitness

c.) Improvement of time management

d.) Budget dollars more effectively

2. Become a better listener, suppress urge to constantly express opinion.

3. Keep up to date with journal and blog.

(Writing makes me feel better and keeps me accountable)

4. Learn to sew. (Challenge to be more well rounded)

5. Get serious about learning the French language. (Challenge to be more well rounded)

6. Cook 6 out of 7 nights a week, carefully planning shopping each week. (Exception: kitchen construction timeframe)

7. Work towards losing and keeping off the final 10 pounds prior to health day at work in May, subsequently improving BMI.

Is Anything Special Anymore?

My friend from back in high school, Kate, recently blogged about the old holiday specials, and how you tube reconnects her to those specials, allowing her to relive her childhood nostalgia while she watches Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, Charlie Brown, etc. on her computer, any time she wants. Isn't it amazing how technology makes these things so available? This brings an interesting question to my mind: is technology a blessing, or is it a curse?

Like Kate, I remember a different time. This slightly unnerves me, as I do not consider myself to be old, but it is amazing how different things were when I was little. We had one color TV for the family, and one tiny black and white TV that someone could watch if they wanted to deviate from what everyone else was watching. They both had dials that we had to turn, and we didn't have a remote control. Cable was not available where I lived, so I was stuck with regular TV channels, and had to adjust an antenna to get good reception. At some point, we got a Betamax - the predecessor to the VHS. Since this was not common yet, there were not too many things even released on video cassette.

At Christmastime, my mom would always look for the nights that the specials were on. She would tell us about them, usually a couple days ahead, and me and my brother would be excited all week to watch them. We would have treats; we got to stay up a little bit past our bedtime to watch. It was truly magical. We knew that we wouldn't get to see these specials for another year. We tried to tape them on our Betamax, but inevitably, someone would pause to avoid a commercial and forget to press record again and ruin it.

Somewhere between being little and 'tweenhood, videos began to be released and available anytime. At that point, everyone had a VHS. Then, cable became the norm in most households. Our beloved specials were played regularly after halloween on the cable networks. If we couldn't find the special we wanted on cable, Blockbuster Video and others had the movies for rent and for sale. And so it began - specials became normals.

In 2009, there are devoted holiday networks on digital cable and satellite. Holiday movies are made by the dozen each year. The "classics" are available on collector DVD's and streamed from Netflix. As Kate points out, they are available on You Tube at the push of a button. By the time the holidays are over, everyone saturated and sick of the movies, the music, and everything else that goes along with this time of year. When I mention to our niece that she can come over and watch a Christmas special, she looks at me like I'm crazy because she's seen them all a million times.

I mention my friend Kate that I "reconnected" with when we "friended" each other on Facebook. I can express my thoughts in writing on this blog for anyone to read. Information on anything is available in a couple of keystrokes. The list of how technology enhances our lives goes on with things much more important than what was mentioned. Given the chance, I would not go backwards.

I cannot help feeling a bit robbed, however. Technology has been a strong contributing factor to the removal of the "special" from our lives. Nothing is scarce or anticipated; what we want, we can have in a matter of seconds. I used to think that the holidays became lack luster to me because of the aging process. That is probably partially true and inevitable. After much thought and soul searching on the subject, it has become apparent to me that I do not like the extreme availability of things that were once special. What magic aging did not ruin, availability has obliterated. No technological advance will ever be able to bring back that feeling.

Coming to this realization gives me the chance reclaim some of the magic in the season. New traditions can be created. In my heart, I can make the normal special once again, and be ultimately thankful for everything available at my fingertips. Someday, this time in my life that seems mundane now, will be special in my memories, too.

Party Invitations and Circles

Once upon a time, there was a little girl. I think she was a nice little girl, a cute little girl. For whatever reason, there were a couple times when her peers had parties, and her invitation must have gotten lost in the mail because she was the only one not invited. She would hear others laughing and chatting about the party, only to find out that the invitation was not lost. It was simply not sent; her presence at the party was not wanted. Ouch.

When it came time for the little girl to have her birthday party, her hurt feelings and immaturity got the best of her. She explained to her mother that she wanted to invite everyone except...

This little girl had a very wise mother who explained that trite, old saying that "two wrongs don't make a right". It is not proper etiquette, nor is it kind to invite an entire group of people and exclude one or two.

As the little girl grew up, as all little girls do, she learned about invitations and circles. A friend of hers that she worked with was getting married. Due to the size of the families, and the high-cost of weddings, this friend could not invite the entire team at work to the wedding, so she made the tough decision not to invite anyone from work. Period.

She explained that an unedited guest list consists of multiple of circles, each individual circle representing groups of interrelated people. Once a circle is started, it must be finished, or else feelings could be hurt. The grown up girl felt sorry to have missed this friends wedding, but understood her point and respected her honesty and concern for the team's feelings. Sometimes doing the right thing means making sacrifices. It is always easier to explain that no one from a particular group is invited as opposed to trying to explain why a select few were not.

This is not to say that guest lists cannot be restricted - they can and should be. When dealing with a group of people that, in one way or another, function as a team, or another unit of some kind, much care needs to be taken. The circles must be formed the entire circle invited or not invited. If separate circles cannot be formed, everyone is invited. It is a safe policy.

The only exception that may exist is blatantly cruel honesty - going to that person and telling them that there is an event, and everyone is invited except them. If one is not willing to take that step and tell the person to their face, then there should be no exclusion. It puts anyone attending the party in an awkward position. Out of hurt and embarrassment, the uninvited will rarely confront the host, rather, they will discuss the matter with the other guests.

Does everyone have a right to choose who they invite to their party? Absolutely. In this grown up girl's opinion, however, having the right to exclude someone does not make the exclusion the right action to take. No one wants to be the one singled out. Do you?

Williams Sonoma

It is a bittersweet day when one flips the pages of a Williams Sonoma catalogue and feels that they no longer need anything in the book...

The Value of My Pantry - Priceless!

At this point, it is the beginning of December. We still have our share of some above-average temperatures, but soon, things are going to change. This is the time of the year that I make sure I have my list of recipes that are pantry and freezer friendly, and I make sure that I am well stocked. When I wake to an ice storm or a foot of snow on the ground, I am prepared, and I do not need to leave the house. This, of course, includes the wine cabinet!

In the coming days, I will post my recipes and shopping lists as I prepare to hunker down. I have already had one instance, just this weekend, where my stocked pantry kept me out of the cold.

It was Saturday, and about 29 degrees. Scott and I spent the morning house-hunting, which has apparently become one of our favorite pastimes. We came home and we were frozen - thankfully, Scott lit a fire. Anna and her dog Coco, joined us, and we spent the day out of the cold, wrapped up in blankets in front of the toasty fire. Later in the day, just as darkness approached, the seemingly idyllic setting was disturbed by our stomachs hunger rumblings, and we all looked at each other in a panic because none of us wanted to go out to the store.

Thanks to my attempt to always have certain things on hand, I was able to make a rich and creamy Fettucini Alfredo on the fly - I made Giada DeLaurenttis's version as I was well stocked with lemons, a block of parmesan, fresh nutmeg for grinding, and butter. I did have to improvise slightly, however, if I didn't want to go to the store. I had exactly 8 ounces of cream, but 12 were needed - I threw in some half and half to balance things out - we couldn't even tell! The sauce was so rich and creamy. I also only had spaghetti, not fettucini. Slight texture difference, but still magically delicious.

Truth be told, this is my favorite time of year. To me, Winter is a time for slowing down, and enjoying and cozying up the inside the home that I love. With a little effort and creativity, my stockpiled pantry (and fridge/freezer) keep me inside, warm and dry.

Catching Up - Thanksgiving 2009

Well, it has been a little while since my last entry - close to six months. Summer has past, and autumn is rapidly drawing to a close. Today is December 1, and Christmas season has begun!

Last week, we celebrated Thanksgiving. As an adult, Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday. The sole purpose of the day is to get together with our loved ones, eat together, and be thankful for what we have and those we love. There are no ulterior motives, no gifts required - just a day of being grateful.

8 years ago, we decided to celebrate our first Thanksgiving in our home, hosting the event for both sides of our family. Our home, at that point, was a work in progress to say the least. We bought the house for it's potential, and at that point had just begun making some minor cosmetic changes to the home. The kitchen was horrible, and by horrible, I mean truly disgusting and atrocious - no exaggerating, if anything I cannot find words to describe exactly how bad it really was. Scott decided, in October, to remodel the kitchen, which consisted of taking a sledgehammer to most of the walls, and much to my delight, removing that fake 70's era brick from the backsplash. Needless to say, we were naive at that point, and had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. My dad came to help. The counters were installed the day before. I was not able to practice - I had to go into cooking for a house full of people "cold turkey".

That day was an exhausting success, which inspired me to keep going with the holiday year after year. I found a book entitled Thanksgiving 101 by Rick Rogers, and it became my handbook - I studied it starting in the beginning of October each year. I began inviting people early in the day for appetizers, and serving a late dinner. Quite elaborate and nice, but a large expense. My timing was off - the turkey always took longer than it was supposed to, there was never enough oven room for all of the side dishes, and there was chaos with too many people in the kitchen trying to help. Also, I noticed there was always a lot of dinner leftovers because tummies were full of appetizers and most couldn't fit dinner.

I consider this year to be my most successful yet. It was organized and much simpler. First, the decision was made to eat dinner much earlier, which means that 95% of the appetizers didn't happen, thus saving funds, saving time, and saving valuable tummy space for dinner. Second, I scaled back on side dishes, as I have learned that no matter how good the food is, people can only eat so much, and the taste buds can only appreciate so much as they get easily saturated with too many flavors. I thought back on Thanksgivings past, and took note of the things that were the biggest hits, and simply made choices. Borrowing my mom's little, portable convection oven gave me just the extra oven space I needed, and while the turkey rested, I was able to bake my stuffing and sweet potatoes separately for a simultaneous finish. Smashed red potatoes (no peeling required!), and steamed green beans completed the menu - both stovetop items. My dinner was timed to the minute!

Somethings that I learned early and haven't changed:

• The day before is spent doing any prep work that can possibly be done.
• A pot of turkey broth is prepared the night before and simmered all night long for use to baste the turkey, and in many of the side dishes and the gravy. (My favorite tip from Rick Rogers).
• I baste the turkey - it takes a little longer, but I have not had a dry, bland turkey, ever.
• My mother-in-law makes the gravy. I'm not a gravy lover, and therefore do not feel capable of producing a crowd-pleasing gravy.
• My father-in-law carves the turkey - he's a true artist.
• My mom and me work feverishly to keep up with the dishes.
• I buy my bakery. My favorite is Costco - their pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, and apple pie are as good as (if not better than) homemade, and they are extra large for lots of servings. In fact, people are shocked to find out that these are Costco buys.

The kitchen is not completed yet - that project was tabled for 2010, hopefully the first quarter of the year. The Christmas decorations are almost completed thanks to Scott's momentum this weekend.

I will not be hosting the family's Christmas festivities; this was a choice I made to preserve my sanity. We will, however, try to host some nice get-togethers over the season, and I look forward to documenting those events.

24 days until Christmas!

Fabulously Fun Bistro Day Featuring "Mango Madness"

One day a year, I schedule a day of work to attend all of my annual doctor appointments so that I don't have to go through the trouble of making up time on many different days. Yesterday was that day. While a good chunk of the day was spent in waiting rooms and exam offices, I did get to have a little extra fun in my kitchen.

It worked out that my friend Anna and her Lab "Coco" could join Scott and I for an alfresco dining experience. For lunch, I prepared Rachael Ray's Tex Mex Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, which is always a winner. Homemade croutons and dressing adorn crispy romaine lettuce and avocado, and then it's topped with a chili grilled chicken. Very tasty - I do not adjust this recipe at all because I find it to be perfect as it is. I made a tremendous mess in the kitchen, but it was fun to get to prepare a healthy and delicious meal in the middle of a Tuesday. Scott's homemade Margaritas completed the dining experience.

Being the corny gal that I am, dinner had a theme - it was all about the Mango, hence "Mango Madness". Grilled Tuna steaks with a Mango Glaze and a mango and black bean salad, courtesy of Bobby Flay. I found a You Tube video about de-pitting mangos, which was very helpful (and entertaining). Since it was my first time preparing this meal, I followed the recipe to the letter. I was happy with it. We ended the meal with a mango dessert (I cheated on this one - bought it at Trader Joe's). Anna and her boyfriend Ray joined us on the deck - as you can see, Anna is a repeat diner at Chez Spence, and she's spreading the word!

All in all, it was a healthy, yet delicious day, and I had so much fun. Cooking as much of the meal as possible from scratch allows more control over the ingredients, and usually this means that it is healthier than what is ordered in a restaurant. I control the salt, the type of fat, and the portions. I notice that, when I cook at home, I eat whatever I want for the most part, and with the help of exercise, my weight stays under control. I mostly see unwelcome results after a restaurant binge - unfortunately food is often flavored with excess butter and salt, a double whammy on the waistline.

Finally, we had the kitchen remodel folks in yesterday for some final measurements and brain-storming. I'm crossing my fingers for the completion of the dream kitchen by the end of summer!

Hooray for Wednesday!

Dad's Day at Chez Spence

After a stormy Friday, and a rainy start to Saturday, our weekend here in Cleveland, OH turned out to be beautiful!

I was able to plant a few more herbs in my deck's container garden - I now have Chives, Oregano, and Mint to go along with my Simon-and-Garfunkel-esque line up of Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.

Chez Spence also hosted a fabulous Dad's Day brunch, and I have to say, it was a great route to take. The menu consisted of a tasty strata that was effortlessly made the night before, some delicious herbed potatoes (featuring my own Rosemary and Parsley), and some various finger foods including an assortment of cheeses, fruits, smoked salmon, and shrimp cocktail. Of course we also indulged in Mimosas, and my mom brought some delicious banana muffins to complete the buffet and cater to the sweet teeth in the crowd.

I really enjoyed the brunch for a couple reasons. First of all, other than arranging the buffet, I was able to make most of the menu easily the night before and the oven did my work on the big day. This allowed me the ability to visit with our family as it cut down on time spent in the kitchen and made for much easier clean up. Second, everyone still had some daytime left when it was over, which is a treasure on a Sunday, the day before reality hits.

I will share the recipes once I figure out how to manipulate this blog more efficiently. In the mean time, it's time to start a new week.

Still Getting Started...

Several months ago, my good friend (Ballerina and Pilates teacher extraordinaire) Anna nicknamed our home "Chez Spence". Why? Probably because we invite our friends and family here any chance we get to share good food and good wine. It's my chance to live out my seemingly impossible dream of having my own little cafe/restaurant/coffee shop/bakery where people come to laugh and relax...and keep coming back for more.

It's a cry for help, you see. I'm trapped. Trapped into playing the sensible role of an insurance agent and living the 9 to 5 American dream. Don't get me wrong - employment is truly a blessing. Paychecks and health benefits are a wonderful and necessary thing, not to be taken for granted. But that's just boring reality. Chez Spence is my place to have the best of both worlds.

After living close to a quarter century of my life, appearing to have no artistic talent, I kind of started liking to cook. I successfully attempted to single handedly cook my first Thanksgiving dinner for both of our families (roughly 25 people) and realized that I enjoyed almost every moment - the hustle and bustle, the smells, the chatter and laughter of loved ones. The dirty dishes, well, not so much - but that's what the loved ones are for, right? At the end of the night, I was found sound asleep, underneath the pile of coats on our bed. Dead to the world, but very much at peace with my success.

After meeting my husband's friend, Eric (Chicagoan, talented cook, food and wine snob, etc.), and doing a bit of modest traveling, I realized that cooking and entertaining is, in fact, an art, and I finally found my artistic outlet. Not everyone has nor wants to have this talent, but most people who are in their right minds enjoy being around those that do have this talent. At this point, my skills primarily lie in planning and preparing other people's recipes with my own twists here and there, though I am slowly evolving and making up my own.

My real Chez Spence gives me the opportunity to spend time with friends and family and to live my cafe dreams without the risk and expenditure of quitting my real job, but my blog Chez Spence will give me a channel to diary my progress and share ideas with anyone else that is interested.

Where to begin...