Snow Day Ahead

Sunday, March 2, 2014 – Snow Day Ahead

With a major snow event forecast for Monday, FCPS pre-emptively called off school on Sunday night.  I appreciate the early notification because I was scheduled to sub tomorrow.  Instead of getting up at 5 a.m., I’ll be able to stay snug and warm inside as I watch the snow flakes fall.  Along with this kind of weather comes a craving for comfort food, and I’m ready with a new recipe for Moroccan lentil-chickpea soup.  Elliott will keep busy with his continuing research on kitchen exhaust fans.  No trips to the attic for me yet but, who knows? – Monday might be the day.

Elliott will be glad to have some time at home with me.  I’ve been out of the house so much this past week that I’m afraid he’s feeling a bit neglected.  However, we did go to services together yesterday morning at Beth El, where I chanted the Torah and Haftarah portions.  His beard is growing back nicely, but when he put on his best suit yesterday before services, we discovered that he has become The Incredible Shrinking Man.  Even though he only bought the suit a couple of years ago, both the jacket and pants are already a few sizes too big for him. 

How he manages to lose weight on a diet of cookies, ice cream, and peanut butter sandwiches is baffling and unfair.  I try to eat so healthfully, yet I struggle to squeeze into my favorite pair of jeans.  I must admit, however, that I have been over-indulging a bit lately.  This past week alone, I had three lunches out with friends.  As a prelude to class on Thursday, my friend Cheri and I had an early happy hour at Dolce Veloce, the Italian wine bar in Fairfax City.  Among the small plates we enjoyed were a pizza cone (don’t think about the calories), grilled calamari, and a tower of roasted eggplant and peppers.  On Friday, Kathy, Debra and I ventured into new culinary territory at Bangkok Golden.  Rather than piling our plates with Thai items from the buffet, we ordered from the separate menu of Lao specialties, which opened the door to a whole new world of flavors.  The colorful mango salad packed plenty of crunch and heat (although we specified mild).  We scooped up sticky rice salad, a tantalizing mixture of veggies, lemon grass and fresh herbs, in crisp lettuce leaves.  A delicious coconut milk based noodle soup and a tasty dill scented stew of pork and vegetables warmed us up and rounded out the meal.  All of the dishes were scrumptious, and each had a unique flavor profile. 

The entrance to Bangkok Golden in Seven Corners

Mango salad

Sticky rice salad with lettuce wraps

Orm, a Lao stew

A Lao soup

Since Friday was Matt’s birthday, Elliott and I joined him for a birthday dinner at one of our favorite dining destinations – Wegman’s (Matt’s inspired choice).  I’m so glad we’re a family that believes in sharing when it comes to food.  This allowed us to sample a smorgasbord of desserts, including coconut layer cake, apple pie, pomegranate rugelach, and three (yes, three!) different kinds of raspberry filled cookies.  I’m not sure which was my favorite.  Further research is required. 

Speaking of food, here’s a consumer report from Marshall:  Trader Joe’s sells 4-packs of frozen unbaked pain au chocolat (aka chocolate croissants).  You defrost them overnight and then pop them into the oven the next day.  Just be warned – with the flaky pastry and warm chocolate filling, they’re dangerously delectable.  I think I’ll make sure Elliott eats at least one a day so he doesn’t lose any more weight.  

Pain au chocolat from Trader Joe's - looks authentic and tastes authentic!