use real butter

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. I am definitely on the mend although not 100% back to normal. I really can’t stand being ill, but to add insult to injury is my loss of appetite, which I guarantee rarely happens.

Peabody mentioned that she likes pears in salad a while back, and that got me thinking… It’s pear season and pears are everywhere. A couple of nights ago, I thought I’d follow a good suggestion and added it to a favorite salad. It’s quick, easy, but full of a lively array of flavors. I tossed baby arugula with a light dressing of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then I topped it with a few shaves of Parmesan, some slices of ripe pear, and a couple of thin sheets of prosciutto. Thanks for a great idea, Peabody!

a great arugula salad for fall

Recipe: peppermint ice cream

I can’t tell you how excited I was to finally try a peppermint ice cream recipe! I’ve been wanting to make peppermint ice cream ever since I left Ithaca, New York 5 years ago. Ithaca was where on occasion, I would buy Purity brand peppermint ice cream which wasn’t that crappy green stuff. It was real peppermint and pinkish and absolutely heavenly. I suppose peppermint ice cream to me is what Coffee Heath Bar Crunch is to Jeremy. But I was never much of a dairy expert and ice cream wasn’t high on my priority list of skills to accomplish. I don’t know why now, but I’m glad!

This recipe comes from David Lebovitz’ The Perfect Scoop. I actually found it on Elise’s terrific site here. I’ve had issues crushing peppermint candies in the past. My favorite peppermint candy is King Leo brand peppermint sticks, but they are so airy they would just dissolve in ice cream. I used those generic red and whites from the store. When I made peppermint bark in the past, there was a lot of swearing and harming of worktable surfaces. I wised up this time and remembered my seldom-used mortar and pestle.

good idea

**Jump for more butter**

I’ll first begin with the sweet. Yesterday, I picked up TWO packages from the post office. One was from Australia, so I immediately knew that was from Kell. The other… the other was – the long lost package that Amos and Louie sent over three months ago! I had even called the freaking Ned post office to inquire and they told me they had never seen it. When I got it yesterday, the postal worker (my favorite one, she’s quite nice) looked at the date and said, “March?! I’ve seen this thing in the back forever!” I think it might have remained in the back forever if Amos hadn’t called and raised a little hell.

Kell and Jerad sent me the sweetest card congratulating me on my defense, and a book that all of the foodies have been reading. Plus, a long handwritten letter from Kell, something that people just don’t seem to do as much of anymore. I cherished every last scribble. Amos and Louie had more official looking stuff in their package – US Marshall sportswear! So cool. Louie is what is right with federal law enforcement. They also included Louie’s favorite movie of all time: Anchorman. Jeremy wanted to watch it right away, but we had stuff to do. I loved Elf, so hopefully Anchorman will be just as funny.

loot from care packages: thanks kell, jerad, amos, and louie!

In an effort to use up egg yolks and to test a new recipe:

i made earl grey crème brûlée today