use real butter

Math is your friend. Because I knew that my recipe for a deluxe 10-inch cheesecake would fill four mini cheesecake springform pans more than twice over (and halving 5 eggs is a total pain), I went and picked up a second set. I have a lot of great recipes for desserts that worked like a dream at sea level. The cheesecake recipe didn’t come out to the texture of my satisfaction the first time I baked it here at 8450 ft. Add to that my obsession with making personal desserts (individual servings) and we have two factors to juggle with. But I figured I’d just give it a go…

filled for baking

cooling the first set

**Jump for more butter**

This morning we drove down to Boulder to have brunch at Lucille’s (yes Kell, this is that great New Orleans joint) with Erin (from Seattle) and her friends. A really lively and fun group with terrific beignets to start the meal! Afterward, the host couple had to get back home, but the rest of us walked down Pearl St. and then down to the farmer’s market.

fall produce in the market

Erin’s friend is a college buddy who lives in Bellingham. Both of their partners were unable to come to the wedding (in Boulder) so they flew out together. How to describe it… sometimes conversation is forced and other times it isn’t at all. This flowed so easily. We wanted to know more about her and she wanted to know more about us. I love making new friends like that. When I think of my network of close friends, I really think many of them would hit it off immediately. That makes sense. I don’t think you can ever meet enough quality individuals.

I’ve never bought tamarind juice concentrate before. I picked up a jar of this while I was getting shouted at by the asian store owner in Boulder. I mean, if you’ve got her attention to look for preserved salted turnips, why not ask for the tamarind concentrate too? She never showed me where it was, she just began yelling to herself in her dialect (I don’t know what she is, to be honest – but she ain’t chinese) and then emerged from one dangerously crowded aisle with “LASJAR!” She meant the last jar.

to make thom kha kai (chicken coconut soup)

serve hot!

**Jump for more butter**