We're slowly tiptoeing towards being fully settled in and unpacked -- it'll be a bit yet, but I can say with confidence that we are more unpacked now than we ever were in Seattle. Which is exciting and sad all at once. There've been a few broken things but not too many (and one mug that I'm secretly glad to see go), and then the exploded green food coloring that I'm so glad I double bagged. I've seen quite a lot of family already, with plans to see more of them soon, and we even made it down the shore one weekend in September. We've found a couple farm markets, including one that's part of the local ag school and promises to have fresh produce all winter (no small thing here in Pennsylvania). And I've had oh so much delicious scrapple.
We're getting to know our kitchen - storage quirks, oven that runs closer to true than any of the ovens I've worked with thus far, fridge door that is prone to swinging back open if you aren't paying attention...that sort of thing. A nice feature of this kitchen is that the design elements were clearly thought through by a cook - the long skinny cookie sheet cabinet in just the right spot, the sliding shelves for easy loading, the deep pantry for...everything. And a big island, which is AWESOME for cooking - consistently clear counterspace is my friend. So far I haven't had any dramatic cooking episodes to report on here - there's been red sauce, coq au vin, carnitas, a pork roast that I sadly overcooked, your basic baked chicken thighs. All tasty, but nothing to write home(page) about. Plus EPH has been traveling quite a bit, and I'm much more likely to do something simple and pasta based when it's just me.
I'm cooking a double birthday dinner for my parents this weekend, though -- trying to find that menu that is interesting and festive, but without committing the cardinal sin of dinner parties: the slippery slope of overambitious experimentation. I'll keep you posted, friends.
Autumn! One of the two top cooking seasons...so much comfort food and baking to do. (Late spring, with fresh produce coming from every which way, is the second best)
