use real butter

Recipe: royal raspberry and almond cake

I trust everyone had a merry Christmas and/or federal holiday! I want to thank those of you who bid on my raffle prize as well as all of the other fabulous raffle prizes at Menu for Hope IV this year. What an awesome turnout. MfH raised 50% more than last year’s effort – over $90,000! That’s a whole lotta raffle tickets, kids!

Ever since I found out that my Aussie friends have lovely cold seafood picnics on the beach for Christmas, I have steadily rejected the traditional roasted animal – be it of feathered or four-legged persuasion – in favor of those animals who gurgle and bubble in the sea. Now *that* is a treat to me. I grew up on the water and spent far too much time in it or at its edge during my youth. This year we had lobster bisque, crawdad phyllo triangles (crawdads = crayfish = yabbies), shrimp cocktail, and king crab legs for our Christmas “meal”. The meal was neither lunch nor dinner, but a long drawn out noshing session. We didn’t have it in us to eat dessert. Who needs dessert after all of those lovely critters?

oh you little beauty

**Jump for more butter**

Jerad served up a terrific breakfast yesterday morning. It included American style bacon that he made from scratch. Actually, there were two types: maple and pepper. Both were delicious.

jerad’s homemade bacon

**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.