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Wednesday, February 14, 2007

be mine swine

valentine's day would not be valentine's day without the color pink. let's take a moment to celebrate the color that makes heart day possible and also, perhaps, for those people who aren't fans of the big LOVE day, a bit unbearable.

pink: is for little girls; is the name of a rock star who has a song called "get the party started;" can be hot or light; is the beginning of the name of our little finger; is the color that pigs are. and that's what this post is really all about.i do believe that most people have a "thing" that they like to collect. if they don't, they should, for the simple reason that then it makes them easier to buy for. my grandmother loves owls and owns probably hundreds of figurines and stuffed animals and pictures and kitchen towels all featuring that wise old sage. She even has one of Picasso's owls (which I hope to one day inherit...). my mother is more a collector of anything flowers and anything red. dad is easy: golf. cathy benware: watermelons. mo: hello kitty. holly: frogs. kel: anything paris. what's your thing?
mine is and always has been pigs. i don't know why. maybe because i love charlotte's web. maybe because i felt like i could relate to them somehow. and, then there's the obvious fact that pigs are pink, my favorite color of course. way back when, if friends and family didn't know what to buy me, anything with a pig on it would be a good standby. if friends or family happened to pass by something pig-like, they would most likely think of me. i'm not sure if that is a good thing or not... one day i decided that i had enough pigs and much to the shock, horror, and dismay of my friends and family, i announced that i no longer wanted anything pig.

i still have a few practical, adult pig things, and every now and then, i appreciate the occasional pig gift. but mainly now i accept flowers, chocolate, purses, and scarves. here's hoping you enjoyed your valentine's day, that you received your "thing," and that you didn't make too much of a "squealer" out of yourself on valentine's day treats!

picture 1: real pig on church street walking around with its owner, but no leash.
picture 2: childhood pig collection (the pig with the purple bow is battery operated and walks, oinks, and wags its curly tail).
picture 3: adulthood pig collection (that's a pig cutting board and a pig pancake maker).
picture 4: what the inside of the bowl tells you after you finish an entire bowl of ice cream.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

crèmmmmmmme brûlée

crème brûlée has recently become one of my top favorites. while burnt cream may not sound appetizing, this custard based caramelly vanilla-ey dessert is one of the more decadent items on most fancy places' menus. first, you can't deny that having your very own ramekin filled with this deliciousness beats a piece of chocolate cake on a boring old plate that anyone can just reach a fork over and steal a bite from. The ramekin protects you and your dessert from scavenging dining parners. And believe me, protecting that sweet shell is what you want to do. Second to actually tasting crème brûlée is getting to smash through that sugary outside for its sweet inside. now that you know this information about my latest weakness, imagine my delight when Derek was given his very own mini blow torch, set of eight ramekins, and crème brûlée starter kit for christmas. his creation was just about the best thing i've ever tasted, until...
...not only does derek make a mean crème brûlée (and basically any other recipe you put in front of him), he works at ben & jerry's as a consultant. most vermonters and fans of ben & jerry's (of which i am both) know that when you are an employee at b&j's, you get to take home 3 free pints of ice cream a day. in addition, not only do you get a free gym and weight watchers membership, but you get to taste the "trial" flavors as well! i'm not sure if i should be spilling this top secret information, but i can't imagine that anyone other than my friends and family are reading this blog, so i'm gonna spill it: the other night D. brought home a pint of b&j's not yet released, not yet perfected, CREME BRULEE ice cream. just about the most amazing thing i've ever tasted in my entire life. it's that good. can't wait for it to be out on the freezer shelves. i wonder how many points a whole pint is worth...