Recently

It is beginning to be that time of year and we are cooking more at home. Of course no week goes by without a trip to the farmer's market, which has become our Saturday morning ritual. My new favorite thing is to stop by Foraged and Found Edibles for their bags of dried mushrooms. Seriously the best pizza topping in the world, with a little provolone and parmesan thrown on with them.

My birthday was earlier this month and I elected to go to Cremant, a favorite French restaurant of mine. We brought our own wine (a great way to make friends with your waiter!) and had a great time. I tried absinthe for the first time, ate some lovely cured salmon with celeriac, duck breast with polenta, and many stinky cheeses for "dessert." After dinner, I had a wonderful slice of birthday coconut cake.

Andy made choucroute last weekend and we had a fun time going down to the market to visit the German ladies at Bavarian Meats. They are too nice!

I also made the "French Style Pot Roast" from the Nov. 2007 issue of Cook's Illustrated. It took the better part of an afternoon, but the results were worth it. Not quite like my mom's pot roast recipe, but good in a different way.

Next up, butternut squash and sausage bake for dinner tonight and possibly next week, some saffron risotto with butternut squash.