Monday, July 28, 2014

Giant Butterflies


My husband and Carter

A week ago, my husband took a few days off and instead of going to the beach we decided to have a more economical stay-cation. Our big activity for the week was to go to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, a trip that definitely did not disappoint. We were fortunate enough to go there during a major exhibit, Imaginary Worlds. As you can see from the picture, Imaginary Worlds consist of giant animals made from plants. Our favorite was the butterfly, but there were also gorillas, rabbits, cobras and a beautiful enchanting mother nature. I highly recommend seeing this exhibit before it leaves Atlanta.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Sorbet Cocktails

Ah, the love of frozen treats. I wish I could share most people's love and affection for ice cream, sherbets, klondike bars, ice cream cake, and all other forms of ice cream and, the sweet lady of frozen desserts, the sorbet. Alas, I can not. Part of it is due to a mild form of lactose intolerance that I inherited from my mother and the other part of it rests on the fact that most desserts that live in the freezer just aren't very good. Too many ingredients, flavors that should have long time been retired, and enough sugar to cause diabetes make up the majority of ice cream selections one finds in the supermarket frozen food aisle.

Years ago, my husband and I bought a Cuisinart ice cream maker that quickly became the best specialty kitchen item we have. Over the years we have made real vanilla bean ice cream, green tea ice cream, espresso ice cream, and Aztec-style spicy chocolate ice cream, all of them with the simple ingredients and half the sugar. Recently, I have gotten more into sorbet. I love the delicate taste of frozen fruit. For someone watching their weight, like me, this is delightful treat because a little goes a long way. With the birth of my daughter,  I have started experimenting with alcohol mixed in with the sorbet. Ooh la la, is it good. Ladies this is great for a special treat for mommy or a dessert that will impress your friends on that much needed girls night out.

My husband, who was born on the big island of Hawaii, had a birthday last Sunday, so this week I made pineapple sorbet with rum. It tasted vaguely like the pineapple drink Disney World sells in adventure land. Yummy!


I Lost My Bikini Top on Kealalekua Beach Pineapple Sorbet
Ingredients
- 1 can of pineapple chunks in pineapple juice (I like Dole, it has pineapple and pineapple juice with  no added sugar)
- 1/4 cup of rum (I like Bacardi white label rum)

Directions
-puree the contents of the can (pineapple chunks and juice) using a food processor
-pour the rum into the ice cream maker
-pour the pineapple puree into an ice cream maker
-start the ice cream maker; it should take about twenty minutes to freeze


Saturday, July 12, 2014

You Can't Dig Up All Gold


gold mine shaft

Typically July 4th at my house consists of grilling a few steaks before heading over to the lake to watch the fireworks. Since we have a 5 month old we thought that waking a sleeping baby up so the we can "ooh and aah" at fireworks was probably not a good idea. This year we drove about 30 miles north to the old gold mining town of Dahlonega for some independence day fun. With the 88 degree sun beaming down on baby we were not able to do much on the square except listen to a few pickers play a couple of tunes and eat some lunch.

We chose to eat at the Smith House, famous for its family style Southern dining and more recently the gold shaft. The Smith House Historic Inn and Restaurant has quite a history. It was originally built as a home and office by Captain Frank Hall, a Dahlonega businessman 1895. Legend has it that while Captain Hall was building his home,  he struck gold. Over 100 years later  in 2006, while a worker was preparing a concrete floor, a hole was punched into a 20 ft mine shaft.

Leaving the dining room, people with full bellies make their way to the small dark alcove that houses the gold mine shaft. I did the same. With a child's delight, I looked down the shaft hoping to see a glimmer of gold. It is true that a vein of gold runs through town and under the square proving you can't dig up all gold.

Friday, July 4, 2014

Runoff Politics Down on the Farm

Me and my little girl

The way to a Southerner's heart as well as their attention always begins with the stomach, and I must say I am no exception to the rule. For it was my stomach as well as my curiosity that led me to a Sunday political gathering in northern Forsyth County. Beautiful Kinsey Family Farm where one can get a real Charlie Brown Christmas tree hosted a meet and greet of the runoff candidates for Forsyth County for local and state office as well as U.S. Senate. In typical American political fashion all who were there donned red white and blue stickers of candidates, babies and kids were given balloons.  Hundreds of  people showed up for this event. It is my guess that half were actually there to meet the candidates and the other half were there for a free Sunday lunch. When you advertise free barbeque in the South, they will come. I was expecting the, candidate B is bad for the job because - and fill in the blank speeches in the hot sun, but instead got pleasant greetings and loud music.