Here We Go Again

Merry Xmas to all!

And so begins the first leg--San Jose to Sacramento. Why Sacto? Grandma, ham, Dad, ham, Sharon, biscuits, Dede, ham. Not much ham where we're going. Plus we get cheaper tickets to LAX, which meant cheaper tickets to Delhi.

Karen's guarding the luggage at Diridon, if you're wondering.

Three-Legged Duck

Sure, it may be a week after the fact, but the photo--languishing on Karen's phone--must be shared, as it holds the secret to perfectly roasted duck.

First, boil the thing for two minutes. This separates the skin from the meat. Then, season the inside with salt and five spice before stuffing it with garlic, chili and bean paste. Next, lacquer it with a honey-salt dilution and string it up to dry for at least six hours. Roast at 400.

This invention is Gus, me, the duck, a tripod, a coat hanger and a drip pan. Don't forget the drip pan.

Temple of Ham

We're back now, after some weather delay, but I had to share one last shot. Started the evening at Baxter Station--or so we thought. Closed Mondays, though no one will tell you that. Next up: Bourbons Bistro, which was only serving apps due to an event no one mentioned. Finally, per Karen, we ended up at The Garage, a synagogue of all things porcine. Pancetta salad and a plate of country ham. Transit provided by the best cab driver I've ever met.

Next up: Thanxgiving. Stay tuned for tips on how to properly roast a duck.

Getting my bourbon on

Bourbon, I've had a love/meh relationship with you for years. Despite a few Sazeracs in New Orleans (when in Rome...) it's been challenging for me to enjoy bourbon on it's own or in a cocktail. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of it, and the smell of it, but I can't usually get through more than a few sips of it before I start feeling like I've been hit by a very large truck transporting massive amounts of alcohol.

Michael, of course, has been a devotee for years.

Enter Louisville. After two days here, I'm starting to really get my bourbon on. It started yesterday morning with a Kentucky mimosa: champagne, bourbon, bitters and juice. It continued with an afternoon pick-me-up in the form of a Kentucky bourbon cask ale (the ale is steeped in freshly emptied bourbon barrels) and a pre-dinner cocktail of bourbon, St. Germain, and basil. Now, it is reinforced by a girlie bourbon and ginger ale at the historic Brown Hotel bar. Two more stops, two additional stamps in my urban bourbon passport and I get a commemorative bourbon T-shirt--gotta love this town!

My Singular Fast Food Weakness

Sure, it's unhealthy, but at least it's an identifiable food product that comes from a single animal. When in Kentucky...

Art abounds in Louisville

After an incredibly satisfying brunch of bread pudding and lemon souffle pancakes at Toast on Market, we headed out to explore the city--hitting the art galleries, antique and design shops in the hip area East of Market. The Museum of Art and Craft in the museum district, which has a great collection of Appalacian folk art, was next. Here, Miguel poses in front of an installation outside of the art hotel 21c.

Float Like A Butterfly...

Sting like a white girl. Karen goes three rounds with the greatest at the Muhammed Ali Museum.