Flavors 518

It is an exciting time for me. Detroit Tigers are in the World Series (though playing terribly), the election is coming up, and I'm changing jobs (hooray!). I've been really liking the John Mayer song " The Age of Worry ". Here's some of the lyrics: "Don't be scared to walk alone/ Don't be scared to like it  No, your fight is not within/Yours is with your timing Dream your dreams but don't pretend/ Make friends with what you are Give your heart then change your mind/ You're allowed to do it Cause God knows it's been done to you / And somehow you got through it"  This all makes me reflect on the town I've spent the past three years working in. Of course, I was lucky to get a job when the economy was terrible in 2009 in my chosen field - even one that was temporary, grant-funded, and in a different state around a steep and sometimes snowy mountain. It wasn't always easy though, and I am now even luckier to find ...

I always thought Mcgriddles at McDonald's sounded totally disgusting - sort of like Paula Deen's Krispy Kreme sandwiches . But today we stopped in at McDonald's for breakfast, and Scott got one. I was very skeptical at first, and I found the first bite interesting. I took another bite, and then I realized something - it isn't supposed to be like a weird mix of sweet and savory, it is supposed to be like a portable version of pancakes that is not as messy and does not take as much time to eat. Actually it wasn't half bad - certainly not the most disgusting thing in the world. Who knew?

This weekend we headed down to NYC for a quick trip. Our friend Jacqui, co-owner of a wine bar we loved when we lived there Rest-au-Rant , is moving back to Berlin forever, and there was a farewell party for her. We felt that Jacqui herself and that particular establishment at a certain point in time was really important in our lives, so it seemed right to say good-bye. We had the Spanish sausage for an appetizer that was oven-roasted in red wine sauce and spices. It was fabulous. See full menu here . We had a couple paninis for old time sake too, because we always used to get them years ago. It was great being able to say good-bye to our friend, and another friend of ours, Megan, showed up. She's from Scotia, and of course in a Smallbany moment knows my friend Elizabeth who I met in a totally different way. A couple other people there were from the Capital Region. One talked about how much cheaper it would be to raise her kid if she moved back here near her parents, and anot...

As part of my Treat Yo'Self this afternoon I checked out Yeh! Yogurt in Crossgates Mall. This may be the first time in the history of this blog that I have genuinely disliked something. Ugh! It was like ice milk - grainy with a viscous texture and cloying flavors. I tried the cheesecake and vanilla flavored yogurt. Toppings were alright, but there is no getting around the yogurt tastes bad. I don't say Yeh! I say Nay! Yogurt. Check out Kristi ranks the area's frozen yogurt shops ! About Yeh! Yogurt Kristi says: "It tastes similar to ice milk with little flavor and even less creaminess." Much better I think is the Yo D. Sert near the movie theatre. I am pretty sure that one seemed way more reasonably priced, but you'd have to compare directly to know for sure. Tour de Crossgates Yogurt - Daniel !

You know I love the Whistling Kettle . I once wrote about the tea and another time about the whole experience . Well, I checked it out again today, and it was a lovely lovely lunch. It was quite possibly a little celebratory lunch, so I decided to treat my self. You know how I love the Berkshire s, but if all goes well there could be a lot more buckets of fried chicken in my future. So I say, treat yo self! I got a pot of the lavender Earl Grey because I absolutely love it. This tea is just so elegant. The subtlety of the lavender and the Bergamot oil mix so beautifully with the high quality tea. It is the kind of delicious food item that makes you stop and think. It slows you down, and forces you to just live in the moment. Also, they have reconfigured their seating since last time I was there. Look at these cool, tall, comfortable booths: I ordered a curry chicken salad sandwich with pecans and a side salad. I got the ginger dressing which was amazing. They ...

Check out my post on From Scratch Club about Finger Lakes Distilling . As an update, I saw yesterday at Exit 9 in Halfmoon that they sell a whole range of their liqueurs including the Maplejack one I described.

Hello Internet. I have not typed at you in a while. What have I been up to, you ask? My coworkers and I were in a craft fair . We were proud of our display: My in-laws came to visit, and we checked out Yono's . I thought the food was fabulous, and liked that it felt light in my stomach even though clearly a lot of thought and skill had gone into the preparation. See my amazing lamb with coconut rice:  Husband's red snapper with flageolet beans: We had a great time at the Fresh Grass bluegrass festival at MassMoca where we also really enjoyed the "Oh, Canada" exhibit. We checked out Mezze in Williamstown too, which everyone loved.  I've made use of my bear cake pan I bought at the Confectionery House with my friend Sandy . I made this one for my friend Elizabeth. I went to my cousin's wedding in Michigan, where my sister put the bridesmaid dress she wore for my wedding on me. There was cake we didn't get to eat, and...