Pepo's Birthday Chimay-Glazed Short Ribs

When I told Pepo I was going to cook my way through the Zuni Cafe Cookbook, he jumped up and down and promptly opened the book to this recipe, declaring it his "birthday meal". Oh me, oh my! This is definitely decadent and just perfect for a special occasion. 

True to form, we went for gold serving them alongside buttermilk mashed potatoes and chard (the greenery - just to make ourselves feel better about the rest of the meal). The mustard is brilliant as a last step and totally makes the meal.

Short Ribs Braised in Chimay Ale

From Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rogers

Serves 4

About 2-1/2 pounds short ribs, cut across the bone into 2-inch wide bands (have the butcher do this for you)

Salt

1 to 2 tablespoons mild-tasting olive oil

1-1/2 pounds yellow onions (about 3 medium), sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 bay leaves

A few whole white peppercorns

A few sliced dried wild mushrooms, rinsed in warm water and coarsely chopped (optional)

Up to 1 cup Beef Stock or Chicken Stock

Up to 1 cup Chimay ale or similar Belgian-style ale or a mellow porter or stout

About 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Trim and season the ribs:

(for the best flavor and succulence, do this step 1 to 2 days in advance, or at least a few hours ahead):

Trim most of the fat from the short ribs, but leave silverskin and touch sheathing around the bones intact. This will help keep meat succulent and will give body and character to the braise. Salt evenly all over (we use a scan 3/4 teaspoon sea salt per pound of meat). Cover loosely and refrigerate

Cook the ribs:

Warm the oil in a 3-quart sauté pan over medium heat. Wipe the pieces of meat dry. Brown the short ribs evenly and gently on the three meaty sides, about 4 minutes per side. Pour off excess fat.

Rearrange the meat bone side down in the pan. Add the onions, bay, pepper-corns, optional mushrooms, and equal parts stock and ale, porter or stout to come to a depth of about 3/4 inch. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat, until fork-tender, about 2 to 2-1/4 hours. (You can cook the braise in a pre-heated 300º oven if you prefer.) Check two or three times to make sure the liquid is barely simmering, and turn each piece of meat each time you check. When the meat is done, uncover, prop the pan at a slight angle, and leave to rest for about 5 minutes. 

Mustard topping/under the broiler:

Turn on the broiler.

Skim the fat that has collected at the lower side of the pan. Taste the juice and simmer as needed to concentrate the flavor. Salt as needed. Make sure each piece of meat is bone side down, then brush or smear the tops with the mustard. Set the pan under the broiler, about 5 inches form the element, to brown the mustard and glaze the surface of the onion stew, about 5 minutes.

Serve the short ribs very hot, mustard plaster up, with a spoonful of the syrupy sauce and onions.

The sweetest birds!

I bought this dresser on the sidewalk in Noe Valley over 20 years ago. Given my "single-girl-just-finding-her-way-in-the-city" status, it was definitely a splurge at the time and I distinctly remember the woman who sold it to me refusing to bargain because she was happy to keep it for herself. 

I can't say I blame her. I've kept it all these years because it's just the sweetest piece and the perfect size. And of course now, it's also a nostalgic reminder of my bachelorette days. It had seen me through a few moves and gotten a big banged up, so I decided it needed a refresh - and painted it a dark navy blue. But the best part is the knobs. Pepo offered to paint them for me and we quickly settled on a bird theme. Just a little bit of quirk always works wonders. Aren't they the cutest? I don't know which bird I like best!

Gifts of the North, South, East and West

I cannot believe that ten years ago today, B and I tied the knot in Sonoma on a beautiful, balmy fall afternoon. I remember the warm breeze as we said our vows under an ancient oak tree and hearing geese call out as they flew overhead during the ceremony.

It was an incredible day filled with friends and family from near and far. Great Aunt Eva and Uncle Reuben's cake topper from the 40's graced our cake, and there was champagne and salsa dancing late into the night. 

Someone once told me that, like a garden, every relationship needs care and feeding. Today we're retreating to one of our favorite places to walk in nature and remind ourselves of these hopes and wishes, shared by our dear friend Victoria (aka "Fearless") as she married us:

Blessed be this union with... 

the gifts of the East:

Communication of the heart, mind, and body. Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun.

the gifts of the South:

Warmth of hearth and home,  the heat of the heart's passion,  the light created by both to lighten the darkest of times.

the gifts of the West:

The deep commitments of the lake, the swift excitement of the river, the refreshing cleansing of the rain, the all encompassing passion of the sea.

the gifts of the North:

Firm foundation on which to build, a stable home to which you may always return.

These years have been such a gift. I am so very grateful that you came to my door, Pepo. I love you madly. 

Bees, glorious bees!

B captured this amazing photo in our backyard this morning. I love the flower, but it's the pollen-laden bee that took my breath away. It's a great personal victory for him that the flowers have managed to get this tall. Usually the squirrels come by to snap their heads off one by one. Every. Single. Year.  But not this year. Woo hoo! It just warms my heart -- all the wonderful things he's planted to attract bees and hummingbirds... and we just love watching them flit about doing their thing. Here's to summer!

Stretching a new muscle

"Use it or lose it!" is a phrase I've been thinking about a lot lately. Beyond the usual ideas about health and fitness this saying conjures up, I think about it in terms of my whole life. Trying new things, learning new skills, encouraging the tiniest seeds of an idea are so important and so easy to forget when we're in our usual routines. 


That's why I'm so proud of Pepo. He's been nurturing his creative self slowly and steadily for awhile now - dabbling in acrylics, oil painting and even water colors. Personally, I think he's ridiculously talented but I'm just a little biased since I'm in love with him. His typical comfort zone is small and detailed, but last night he branched out and went big! The inspiration came from a photo he took when we were in Baja earlier this year. This is just the underpainting - but already I can see where he's heading and I love it!

"Ooh ooh, aah, aah!" That's the Fairy Dance!

I'm sure you've probably been waiting to hear what happened to the fairies since we last saw them. As you recall, they were completely obsessed with Ivan's pot of gold and were flying in to get a closer look.

Turns out they were a bit naughty, stealing his gold and distracting him with an ooh-ooh, aah-aah dance. (I'm sure you've heard about that dance before. It's very common among fairies.)


Uncle B was wondering where to take the story next. Should the fairies be put under a terrible spell? Would Boris swoop in and eat them? Then we thought - perhaps the fairies need a COS (change of scenery). Besides - we haven't really seen where they live, have we?

So we wandered over to Red fairy's toadstool cottage. All fairies live in toadstool houses, you see - and of course the toadstools often color coordinate with their fairy-owner's outfits. (Is that not THE cutest toadstool house ever?!) But wait! One of the fairies is missing! What will Jacey decide happens next? We excited to see where she takes the story next.

It's the little things

It's funny. Our house is filled with things that are dear to me - yet - over time, I walk right by them without noticing.

Each morning I pass by these little gems sitting patiently on the bookshelf. The penguins, though perfect for Valentine's day, are actually a hand-painted Christmas card that B made for me. Nestled beside them are little "rocks" created by my friend Rae Dunn as party favors for a wedding that I planned. My friend Viola had asked guests to share words that were meaningful to them prior to the wedding. I chose two spanish endearments that I've always loved: "mi vida" (my life) and "tesoro mio" (my treasure). After all these many years together, we hardly ever call each other by name. It's always B or Pepo or Ambianzo, but never Brandon. Our friends have often scratched their heads when they learn I'm frequently called Chuck and sometimes "mi vida".

It's these little things that make my heart sing on this Valentine's day. May yours be sweet.

The gift of handmade sweetness

One of the many reasons I love my husband is for his incredibly thoughtful, creative spirit. For many years, this has expressed itself in small sketches, usually around birthdays for our nieces and other holidays, like Christmas.

It's a small way he dipped a toe, and now more firmly a foot into the world of art. My most favorite part of this are the tags he makes for Christmas gifts. Over time, my name has fallen off, as has the formality of "from" and "to" - both of these replaced with various nicknames, or nothing at all.

Sometimes, just one of my favorite creatures....

Other times, sweet holiday fare. It's these small things that I hold most dear this time of year.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year. 

Happy Birthday, Pepo!

It was our friend Victoria (aka "Fearless") who first suggested that birthdays were an opportunity to celebrate your own personal new year. We were completely inspired by this and have celebrated each year reflecting upon the possibilities each year presents. Inspiration can sneak up on you in unexpected ways. Like this photo that B snapped off in a small shop when we were in Santa Fe. He didn't say anything to me about it at the time. He just noticed it because it spoke to him and he captured the moment.
Today is B's birthday (aka, Brandon, Pepo, Mr. B, Uncle B, Poopy B, Ambianzo, caro mio, and many more). I love each of these quotes tremendously and I think they are just the perfect fodder for reflection on such a day as this.

"Tell me, what is is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Happy personal new year Pepo. I love you madly.

Bravo, Pepo! Bravo!

Pepo survived the first few days at his new job with grace and good humor this week. And it was quite a week. Certainly, it required way more social juices than he had to give, not to mention the challenges of navigating basic things like a new commute, new lunch spots, a new office and of course - a total career change. As they say, be careful what you wish for. He's exhausted.

During the interview process, he had heard through the grapevine that one of the executives had found him to be both analytical (an expected job requirement) and also charming (awwww). This immediately made me think of Charlotte's Web and how earnestly Wilbur worked to embody the words Charlotte spun into her web for him. There was "Some Pig!", and then terrific, radiant and finally humble.
As B walked into the office on his first day, I thought of how he might have a spring in his step and I imagined all the words that might be hovering over his head - like excited, nervous, new kid,  smarty pants, talented, fancy!, and of course charming.

Congrats Pepo! I wish you all the best in your new adventure!!

Saturday morning

It's a perfect kind of morning. Warm enough to sit outside in the garden with a cup of coffee, feel the sun on my face, snuggle up with Slim and take in the gorgeous spring garden that B has steadily nurtured over the last six years. Ah, Pepo!

The lavender is getting ready to bloom and I noticed that our rose geranium has busted open with flowers. I've been waiting patiently for this moment... these blossoms will become the magic ingredient in strawberry jam. Maybe this weekend....


We're off to Calistoga tomorrow and I cannot believe we are celebrating sixteen years of having met and fifteen years of love. It's been a ridiculous romance and I feel just so lucky to have such an incredible partner.

Slim's been enjoying the sun this morning too. We've been smooching on him as much as possible these days to properly appreciate him for all of his ways and the companionship he's shared with us over these many years. He's creaky now and sometimes cranky, but we love him all the same.

To the Grove of Giants!

So, if you remember where we left off in "The Princess and the Dragon," the Princess was at the castle, telling the King all about her encounter with Henry and that she was scared he was going to eat her.

We decided maybe we'd been inside the castle long enough now and a COS (change of scenery) was needed to move things along. So, we pointed the Princess in a new direction and sent her off with a mission- to invite Henry back to the castle. But first, she'd have to go to the Grove of Giants and find Bob, who could help her find her way to Henry.

Uncle B has gotten a little giddy with this project and splurged on some fancy markers so he could get this next page just right.

We also introduced "Tofu" - as the Princess' loyal companion.  I love the tongue and his ears.

So, as it turns out, the Princess made it to the Grove of Giants and we have yet another new character. Bella told us that the bird's name is Marco. This is starting to get good!

What will Bob look like? Is he a giant? Or - does he just live in the Grove of Giants? And will they make it to Henry in time? And why does the Princess' body keep getting smaller and smaller? Curious, no? Stay tuned!

PJ's for Pepo

So today is a big day. Since it's a matter of secrecy involving crossing fingers and toes and hoping for the best - I can't tell you WHY it's a big day. But - I can tell you that my man deserves a little special love and attention today. And for that - of course - what could be better than a pair of custom-made pajamas?
One thing I love about B is that he's so patient (oh, and kind and charming and...). Occasionally I ask him if he'd like me to make him something- like a pair of mitts, or a hat or some socks. We'll pick out yarn, or fabric, and then - sigh - he gets shuffled to the back of the project line while I complete things for almost every other person I know. Did I mention how patient he is?
Awhile back he hinted that perhaps a pair of flannel pj's would be nice. And so he shall have them. He's a fairly conservative gentleman if you must know - so I'm not at all surprised by this elegant and understated fabric selection. I think I'll get started on them tonight.
Oh - and if you'd like to join me in crossing fingers and toes - please do!

Will Henry eat the Princess?

So if you remember where we were, the Princess was very worried because she had just seen a dragon...


Hmmmm.... our turn. We wanted to leave the story open ended so that Bella could decide what's next. Here's what we came up with:


And we wanted to leave the possibility of a friendly encounter. We also decided the dragon's name is Henry.

 

Bella continued the story at the castle. I love the speaking bubbles and how creative she was in overlapping them over her characters. When I asked her what she thought would happen next, she giggled and mischievously answered "I dunno". I could almost feel her shoulders shrugging up and down over the phone. Clearly it's Auntie Mary and Uncle B who have to decide what's next. 

 

Fairies and "Goblens" and Rainbows oh my!

Our 6 year-old niece Jacey lives near Chicago. When she saw the fun we were having with our Los Angeles niece Bella writing a story, she got to work on her own book right away. Apparently, this will be an adventure about fairies!


Hmmmmmm where will we take this story? Will the "Goblen" be nice? And who gets this pot of gold? There are a LOT of coins in there. (Perhaps there's a book advance for Uncle B - our master illustrator...)



And check out that very elaborate fairy outfit. This is going to be a fun one. I can feel it already.




We love the way Jacey has introduced the "Goblen" character with lots of mystery and leaving much to the imagination. (Is that a pint of ale in his hand?). Stay tuned for the next page as Uncle B gets his color pencils out!