On last Thursday morning we packed up the car with a couple of bags and the above cookies and headed down towards Florida for Maria and Heath’s wedding.

After about 19 hours on the road and an overnight stay south of Nashville we arrived in Panama City Beach.  In less than an hour we were changed into our swimsuits and enjoying some beach time and swimming in the Gulf.

We connected with Maria and Heath, Shannon and Derek, and Mom and Paul and spent the evening having dinner at The Shrimp Boat restaurant with a number of family members and friends that were in town for the wedding as well.  The next morning we hit the (rainy!) ground running and the ladies spent the day at the salon getting hair and makeup down for the ceremony, complete with mimosas.

There was a bit of stress getting everyone through the salon in time, and a triathlon causing roads to be closed didn’t help in that regard!  Thankfully, by the afternoon the skies had cleared and soon Maria was walking down the sandy aisle on the arms of her mom and dad.  The ceremony was elegant and sweet, and a more comfortable, beautiful setting could not be imagined.

Paul had asked me to take charge of his fancy camera during the ceremony (which I loved, by the way!) so I’m waiting until they return from their Florida travels to get more ceremony shots.  Justin grabbed a few on his iPhone, and I kinda like this shot of me taking a picture of Shannon.

After the ceremony, a reception and dinner were held at the Boatyard restaurant.  The room and setting were comfortable and a good size for the group, and the appetizers and dinner food were exceptional.  Roasted oysters, seared rare tuna, lime shrimp, veggies and salads, prime rib, pastas, shrimp and grits, roasted mahi mahi and other options were all part of the incredible spread.  Plus, the sugar cookie favors seemed to be well received as well.  While Maria and Heath made the rounds and tried to visit with all their guests, we enjoyed visiting with Shannon and Derek (who traveled to Florida from San Francisco).

Early the next morning we were packed up and headed back north again, though we choose a slightly different route to utilize the Interstates a bit more and fit in a short visit with some of Justin’s family.  Our plan came undone rather quickly though, as just north of Nashville and south of Louisville, there were two MAJOR accidents, and the Interstate was completely blocked.  We spent over two hours winding our way through the (very pretty) backroads of Kentucky, trying to avoid the backed up traffic in all directions.  We later found out that people died in both accidents, and our inconvenient delay pales in comparison to what others were going through.

After the long day in the car the day before, we enjoyed sitting down for breakfast with Justin’s Uncle Mike, Aunt Shelley, and cousins Abby and Adam and their little ones, Mason and Ruby.  This was our first time meeting Ruby, and I loved her smiles and chatter.  We don’t get to see these great relatives as often as we like, so it was fun to connect with them for a bit on our way home.

Overall, spending 40+ hours in the car is not the best way to spend a weekend, but the reward of seeing and spending a bit of time with family and getting a bit of Florida sun was well worth it.

This past weekend my stepsister Maria had a beautiful wedding ceremony in Panama City Beach, Florida.  Kind of a nice spot.

I had some issues getting pictures from my phone, but now that I’ve got ‘em, I’ll write up a full blog post tomorrow!

Donut from Bleodow’s Bakery in Winona, Minnesota.  Brought to our home by a friend whose daughter is currently attending Winona State University.  Best glazed donuts, period.

And the concert certainly did not disappoint.  Ed Sheeran is still a relative new comer to America’s music scene (his album doesn’t even release until next month), but he is a fantastic performer and a very talented musician.  A lot of the comments around us transformed from  ”Who is this guy? I’ve never heard of him,” to “This is great!  I love this guy!”

And Snow Patrol was a treat to see live.  Apparently the lead singer, Gary Lightbody, is having issues with his voice and throat and he wasn’t able to sing a number of the songs planned for their set, but they really made up for it by playing more of the songs from their older albums, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  Hopefully his voice will recover as the tour progresses, it would be sad if they had to cancel any of the future shows.

Plus, an evening in Minneapolis is always going to mean a good meal out, and as my cousin Mike recently joined the team of chefs at HauteDish we were looking forward to reconnecting with him over a good meal.  I had some fun making these silly HauteDish pig cookies for him to share with the staff.  Mike actually had the evening off work, so he and his girlfriend Jen were able to sit down and join us for the meal, rather than preparing it.  We had such a good time talking “shop” with them, about restaurants, food preparations, cookbooks, great meals, etc.  And we really had our socks blown off by the incredible food that found its way to our table.  We had enjoyed a meal here last year with Trav and Emily, but the exceptionally skilled staff is really starting to show off (in a good way!).

Mike ordered off the menu for us, plus the kitchen sent out a few extra dishes for us to try and enjoy.  The starter salad was a take on a classic wedge salad, but was super fresh and crisp, with the best bleu cheese and french dressings ever.  He also requested the Char-Cuts plate, but the chef definitely went overboard and sent out the most impressive 2 foot long board of charcuterie we have ever seen.  There were even a few items on the board that Mike hadn’t seen yet.  We all devoured it, exclaiming over different bites as we went.  HauteDish definitely deserves its title as the best place in Minneapolis for charcuterie.

The kitchen then sent out a few warm appetizers, Green Noodles (pictured above) and Peas and Toast.  The homemade noodles married beautifully with the ricotta salata spheres, which burst open with the pressure of your fork, oozing the milkiness through the noodles, similar to a poached egg.  And never have mashed peas on a piece of toast tasted like what they prepare at HauteDish.  Granted, I can swear to you that I have never thought mashed peas on anything would be considered “good,” but these fresh, super sweet green peas were excellent with asparagus, pecorino cheese and foam, and house-smoked sturgeon on a slice of toasted brioche bread.

Mike had also ordered us two entrees to share, knowing the size of these dished would be impossible to tackle on one’s own.  And wow-za!  These two plates nearly took up the width of the table!  Mike and Jen shared the Rabbit and Carrots (and made sure we tried a few bites as well!) and Justin and I shared the Colorado Lamb Three Ways.  Mike had been telling us this was the best lamb he had ever had, and after taking a bite, we were quick to agree.  The meat on the chops was like the finest filet mignon we’ve had, except the fact that it wasn’t beef!  The care and attention that is going into all of the components of these dishes is really remarkable.  We had to pass on dessert for two reasons, yes, we had a concert to go to, but also because our stomachs might have exploded.  HauteDish doesn’t promise you an easy, light meal.  But a dinner that is uber rich, spectacularly delicious, and pushing the boundaries of what “classic Midwestern fare” is?  Absolutely.

I love getting fresh, local eggs. Though, I imagine the poor hen had a tough time laying this egg!

I taught a few sessions on working with fondant this past Saturday at a Girl Scout Conference.  It was nutso.  And Maureen took full advantage of the perks of being a helper.

Nom nom nom!

Here’s the latest order of sugar cookies, done for a class field trip.  The third graders were touring the downtown area, the bank, library, and riding the City bus, learning the important parts of a community.  It was fun to have them stop by the shop for a few minutes and see cupcakes coming out of the oven.

Cookies filled with knowledge (and sugar)!

Heading out to the dairy in just a little bit.  Less than a pound of butter left in my fridge.  Inconceivable!

So much fun to decorate these cute cookies, especially when working with a great friend! Thanks, Jenn!

After three months away it has been a hectic two weeks getting the shop back in order, cleaned and stocked and ready to open this Saturday.  I already have a nice load of orders and lists coming out of my ears to ensure everything gets done!  And I already have the first order of sugar cookies decorated, and such a cute, springy order at that!

Good to be back to our own river walk, even if it is nice and chilly today.

Justin and I were married 10 years ago today.  It feels substantial, a milestone.  We’re happy, and content, which feels successful, in a way.  I’m so thankful that love, forgiveness, grace, and humor are still such integral factors in our relationship.

Competing

Dinner at Piccolo was amazing, as usual.  Standouts for me were the razor clam chowder, the camembert and apple tortelloni, and the bone marrow rice pudding.  Julie’s favorites were the cauliflower terrine and the pork jowls.  The desserts, especially the pine needle panna cotta were exceptional as well.

Once dinner was done, we headed straight home and fell into bed.

In my happy place

Razor clam chowder with compressed celery, crispy sweetbreads, and tapioca

Cauliflower terrine with golden raisins, asparagus, and Marcona almonds

Burrata with fresh hearts of palm, lardo, miner's lettuce, and chili oil

Duck gizzard "braunschweiger" with radishes, watercress, and rhubarb

Camembert and apple tortelloni, with rabbit "pancetta", spring onions, and sorrel

Scrambled brown eggs with pickled pig's feet, truffle butter, and Parmigiano

White shrimp with kumquats, baby fennel, wild salad greens, and ginger

Monkfish and crab roulade with poached egg, asparagus, and arugula

Callistor Farms chicken with spring onions, potato, beech mushrooms, buttermilk and chicory (and crispy skin on top)

Veal breast with tarragon, radishes, peas, and bone marrow rice pudding

Lam shoulder with black olives, cardamom bread, chevre oil emulsion and Pedro Ximenez vinegar. (I forgot to take a picture and took a bite first)

Smoked pork jowls with boiled peanuts, ramps, ham and celery root

Pine needle panna cotta with pine nut brittle and mugolio

Marcona almod Rice Krispy bar with sea salt meringue and apple butter

Chocolate pound cake with blood orange, medjool date, and cocoa nibs

But amidst the craziness that is the apartment (and my mind) we took some time out this afternoon to visit the Japanese Tea Garden, near the San Antonio Zoo.  It really is a tranquil, beautiful little park, especially when there are less than a dozen other people sharing the space with you.

All the stonework is intricate and quite impressive.  The bridges and pathways gently meander through the ponds and gardens.  The Koi fish in the ponds are substantial, but not overwhelming (unlike the stinky feeding fish in practically every body of water at the Zoo!).

The large main canopy at the entrance provides an abundance of shade, and I am sure the unique space can be seen in all sorts of wedding, engagement, and graduation pictures!

The garden isn’t a huge space, and it doesn’t take all that much time to wander over the paths, but it was just the right size to get outside, enjoy the warm sun and fresh air, and find a few minutes of peace before jumping back into the land of Packing.