Conversations Continued
I know what you all are thinking…I have been a bit negligent in my promised intentions to getting the word out!
Summer seemed to pass in a blur. First there was the settling in to the new apartment, yes, on the Upper West Side. This neighborhood brings to my mind the memories of my first years in the city. Many a day was spent in dance classes, voice lessons, rehearsal rooms. Audition after audition. Very polite and many “thank you for coming” comments and every once in a while a “you got the gig!”
Riverside Park, do you love it? Zabar’s. And our apartment has a little back deck!
The bus has proven to be a most excellent mode of transport…crosstown, downtown, back uptown. And we get to see all of our home in passing. We are close enough to walk to Lincoln Center, probably my most favorite structure in the city. Just walking through fills my soul with spirit and possibility.
Chip is on the ferry more times than not. And always with a camera in tow. His patience for art of photography has not only provided a welcome distraction from his daily cooking routine, but has given us the gift of beautiful pictures. We will share some each time with all of you here.
Terrines, cold lobster, cheese, Champagne. And found a bottle of Domaine de la Gardine Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc…at a Monoprix(a grocery store) for 39.00 dollars!! Heavenly. I had never had the white. Very delicious falafel with cold, cold Rose and beer. We walked and walked and walked some more. Hot, but not humid.
Then we headed south to Condom and stayed in a treehouse. Really. And the night sky was so dark and peaceful. Drank mainly wine of the region, table wines. And Chip cooked duck with beautiful tiny tender potatoes from the market in duck fat. More cheese, more terrine, more Champagne. Had a most delicious cake for dessert that was of the region from a local bakery made with Armagnac.
Reality welcomed us home and we have been scoping the city in search of the new house to call home. So many of you have been keeping us in your thoughts and checking on us, we thank you. And, for the first time ever, we have had the time to be out, eating, drinking with friends and guests. Taking in a show, going to museums, galleries. Frankly I do not know how all of you do it! It is exhausting having so much fun. Wu’s Wonton King? Yes! And he is cooking at home, all the things that remind him of home cooking. Beautiful chicken from Hudson Valley and a tender lasagna, soft as butter, made with bechemel. Catching a Mets game at Citifield, listening to Jazz at Lincoln Center in Central Park, watching many a sunset in Riverside Park.
Do check out the installation at Gallery Perrotin on Orchard, up through December and into January. Our sweethearts at Mschf playfully present to us all what is an ironic look at the world around us. Grab a sandwich at Regina’s first…Chip is infatuated with the tuna. And Mara Driscoll, who graced our dining room some years back as one of our employees, is doing an old school New York “tasting menu” of the Arts, Art Bath, at the Blue Building. Check out the website for future performances and if you are of a mind, toss some donation their way. Their project is worth fostering. Chip ventured out to the Halloween Parade in the Village, again, camera in hand. I stayed tucked in and ate popcorn, drank rose, looked for him on the screen.
Chip will brine overnight and then roast a turkey from Snowdance Farms. Caramelized brussel sprouts, stuffing with prune and chestnuts, cranberry relish, cheese and scallion biscuits. I only have one culinary offering each year…corn casserole. Cru Beaujolais, Alsatian Pinot Blanc, again…Champagne. Rinse, repeat!
He will also go over to the Museum of Natural History Thanksgiving Eve and snap some photos of the balloons for the Macy’s Day Parade being blown up. I will add those later. It is never too late to do a quick “pickle” for the cupboards and so I am including a recipe that Chip did with Shishito peppers from the market with a couple of Italian Long Hots added for good heat. We find ourselves chopping and sprinkling them on all sorts of things and they add that “je ne sais quoi” or what is now called umami to whatever we may be eating. Of course, with terrines, fried fish, pork trotter, chili. Coleslaw! I can say for sure, and Chip would agree, we did not have enough corn this summer and never did find the “tomato.” You all know what I mean…the tomato sandwich tomato. But, there is always next August, with hope in our stomachs and hearts.
Take good care of yourselves and those around you.
With love,
–Chip and Tina
Quick Pickle of Market Peppers
