A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍
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Food and Life

Summerfest 2010: Double Dose of Garlic

September 7, 2010 · Narrative

The Best Damn Pork Butt, Period

As I smelled the sweet smell of garlic permeating the house, today was one of those days where the planets perfectly aligned.  Because it was the kids’ first day of school, I wanted to make a dinner that I knew they’d like.  But first, a flashback to last week.  I was making a dish and it called for a can of black beans.  Nick saw me in the kitchen with them, and asked for a bite.  I told him that they were from the can, and not what he thought they were.  He shook his head, not caring and grabbed a spoon.

Minutes later … “yuck!”  “I told you,” I said.  “They’re not the same as the Cuban Black Beans you like.”

He was disappointed, I knew, so I made a mental note to make him the beans he liked for dinner on his first day of school.  Although it was one of The Ex’s specialties, I have a tried-and-true recipe that is just as good as his.  But what to serve with it?  The Ex also makes a wonderful roast pork, something I haven’t attempted to make on my own since he moved out.  I happened to find a simple recipe in a recent issue of Maxim magazine, of all places, and by noon, the house smelled insanely delicious, with both the roast pork and black beans doing their thing.

Both recipes called for garlic, so that was the overriding scent of the day, with a flash of my fingers reminding me of what was cooking in the oven and the slow cooker.  And this week’s ingredient for Summerfest 2010?  Garlic!

As soon as Nick walked in the front door this afternoon, he made a beeline for the kitchen, knowing exactly what smelled so good.  It was all he could do to wait for dinner.  And the roast pork?  Wicked good.  For just a few minutes of prep work, you are rewarded with insanely tender meat, full of flavor from the herbs, garlic and wine.  Make it.  Even if the recipe came from Maxim.

And now for more garlic goodness from my fellow Summerfesters…

Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple: Garlic Knots

Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Spicy Pickled Garlic

Sara at Food2: Easiest Recipes Ever, Starring Garlic

Michelle on Cooking Channel: Roasted Garlic

Liz at Healthy Eats: 5 Reasons to Eat More Garlic

Kirsten at FN Dish: Garlic Chicken Greats

Margaret at A Way to Garden: Growing and Storing a Year of Garlic

Caroline at the Wright Recipes: Ajo Blanco Soup, and Confit Garlic

The Gilded Fork: Garlic Dossier and Recipes

Food Network UK: Glorious Garlic

Alana at Eating from the Group Up: Pickled Garlic

Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Italian Marinated Eggplant and Sorrel and Garlic Sauce

Paige at The Sister Project: Spaghetti with Garlic and Zucchini

Project 365
September 7, 2010, Photos #157-162

Ready for a New Year

Both kids switched schools this year, and now no more uniforms and an early start on the bus. I can’t believe they’re second and third graders already!

Boarding

They barely turned to say good-bye to us. Sniff.

Too Cute

And Madeline joined the school crowd this morning too, starting her first official day of Pre-Pre-K. She really, really, really wanted to go on the bus with the big kids, even though I tried to explain to her that she has a few more years to go.

Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Tailed

The Big Moment

First Day of School

The Best Damn Pork Butt, Period
Recipe courtesy of Maxim magazine, August 2010

20 sage leaves
3 thyme sprigs, stems removed
3 rosemary sprigs, stems removed
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 T fennel seeds, lightly toasted
1-1/2 tsp medium-coarse sea salt
1-1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder, skin on
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry red or white wine

Heat oven to 250. Chop sage, thyme, rosemary and garlic together. Place in a bowl; add fennel, salt and pepper. Stir. Score pork skin in a cross-hatch pattern, making 1/2-1/4 inch deep cuts about an inch apart. Make 10 1/2-inch deep incisions and stuff them with half of herb mixture. Tie pork tightly with twine, brush olive oil over skin and rub with remaining herbs. Set skin side up and roast for two hours. Pour wine over pork and baste with juices. Continue roasting, basting every half hour until skin is well-bowned, 2-1/2-3 hours more. Let rest for 15 minutes. For crispy skin, slice off cap of skin and fat. Broil, skin side up, three to six minutes. Slice roast and skin and serve together on a platter or crusty roll.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Cuban Black Beans, garlic, Maxim magazine, roast pork, Summerfest 2010

Comments

  1. Joanne says

    September 8, 2010 at 6:12 am

    The smell of garlic really just can’t be beat. To me, it reminds me of every family holiday as we were always chopping TONS of it to put into sauces or stuffed mushrooms or whatever. Good stuff. I love roasted pork and this sounds fabulous!

    Reply
  2. Prerna@IndianSimmer says

    September 8, 2010 at 11:31 am

    That is one tempting looking piece of meat! And those are some of the most gorgeous looking kids :-)
    Here’s what I did with garlic this week http://bit.ly/ck7C1r

    Reply
  3. Kris #40 says

    September 8, 2010 at 11:39 am

    My mouth is watering looking at those photos! mmm, mmm!

    Great first day of school photos!

    Reply
  4. Ranjani says

    September 8, 2010 at 11:45 am

    This sounds absolutely delicious! And the kids are just too cute =)
    This week I made garlic soup with poached eggs:
    http://4seasonsoffood.blogspot.com/2010/09/garlic-soup-with-poached-eggs.html

    Reply
  5. Nicole says

    September 8, 2010 at 11:51 am

    I can imagine how wonderful your house smelled while that pork was roasting. I woke up to semi-cool weather this morning (finally) so this type of meal is sounding very appealing to me right now!

    Reply
  6. Stephanie @ Dollop of Cream says

    September 8, 2010 at 8:41 pm

    I am always looking for new ways to cook pork — who would have guessed Maxim would have the answer?!

    My contribution to Fall Fest this week is a gentle nudge to plant your own garlic. It’s so very easy!

    http://www.dollopofcream.com/2010/09/plant-yourself-some-garlic.html

    Reply
  7. Eliana says

    September 8, 2010 at 8:51 pm

    WOW – I am literally drooling right now. This looks off the charts.

    Reply
  8. Kathleen says

    September 9, 2010 at 10:11 am

    I love this pork recipe. Will try this winter. I made some garlic chicken for Summer Fest.
    http://dejavucook.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/garlic-chicken-thighs-and-drumsticks/

    Reply
  9. Stacie Shepp says

    September 9, 2010 at 2:30 pm

    The recipes look divine, never enough roast garlic in the world, but the photos of your kids going back to school are the best! They look so cute and I can totally feel the excitement – and nerves.

    Hope it’s a great year ahead for all of you!

    Reply
  10. Louise says

    September 10, 2010 at 4:30 pm

    the only thing better than the smell of garlic is if it’s with it’s friends onions and bacon…
    Love your post-
    I did

    ~Caberneti Spaghetti Nests with Crispy Egg and Golden Garlic

    http://2besatisfied.blogspot.com/2010/09/summer-fest-caberneti-spaghetti-nests.html
    ~Chef Louise

    Reply
  11. Ramona says

    September 16, 2010 at 11:04 am

    They’re growing up so fast. Madeline looks so cute for her first day of pre school.

    Reply

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A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻

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A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍

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