A blog category of photos I’ve taken of HR (Hubby Robert) and … well, just about anything.
I haven’t done a “Robert and …” post in a while. Truth be told, I had forgotten about the category. (Don’t tell Robert.) So …
Robert and … Consummate Coffee Service.
Breakfast yesterday at one of our favorite coffee bars here in Savannah, Flora and Fauna.
HR Serving Coffee and … Love.
Breakfast on our little balcony.
With pastries from the Bakery at Versailles (from yesterday).
Left to right: Millefeuille au Caramel, Pistachio Cannoli and Tarta Santiago.
Oops, I smudged the Tarta Santiago. Here’s what it looked like before:
“Tarta de Santiago, or St. James Cake, is an almond cake from Galicia with its origins in the Middle Ages. The cake is a simple base of almonds, sugar and eggs, usually flavored with cinnamon and lemon zest.
It’s easy to identify it as it’s almost always adorned with powdered sugar with an imprint of the Cross of St. James, also known as the Cruz de Santiago.” sundaybaker.com
Now you know.
Stuffed, we made our way over to Miami Beach, South Beach to be specific, for a little morning “swim.”
Sun-tired, we trekked across Ocean Boulevard to one of my favorite restaurants from yesteryear, News Cafe.
Goodbye News Cafe. We had a great time.
Before heading back to downtown Miami, we Ubered over to the Lincoln Road Pedestrian Mall. Why? Because in my memory (from academic conference trips to the University of Miami a couple of decades ago) Lincoln Road was filled with all these quirky shops, bars and restaurants. No more. Big name stores everywhere.
But we did see this:
A terrific day at the beach.
A blog category of pics I’ve taken of HR (Hubby Robert) and … well, just about anything.
Robert and … a big hunk of Roquefort cheese.
TIB (Truth in Blogging): I have never bought a hunk of blue cheese before. I usually buy it as a container of crumbles. I was surprised at how much more succulently moist it was compared to my lowly crumbles.
Blue cheese seems to be one of those foods that people either love or hate. Similar to oysters.
TIB 2: HR doesn’t like oysters.
TIB 3: HR doesn’t like blue cheese.
TIB 4: I still like HR.
Here he is, dramatically explaining something or other. I can’t remember what. I wasn’t paying much attention. I was too focused on my blue cheese.
“Roquefort is one of the oldest known cheeses. It was reportedly the favourite cheese of the emperor Charlemagne, and in France it is called le fromage des rois et des papes (the cheese of kings and popes).” Brittanica.com
So what exactly is Roquefort cheese?
“Roquefort is a blue cheese with a unique flavor profile that originates from the picturesque Roquefort-sur-Soulzon region in France. Its distinctively rich, tangy taste and creamy texture have made it an enthusiast’s favorite among cheese lovers around the world. This cheese, aged for three to five months in local limestone caves, holds a protected designation of origin (PDO) status.” cheese.com
I might have gotten the Cool Card …
… but I know who HR’s True Valentine is …
Living in Coastal Georgia, I LOVE fresh seafood.
HR does too, as long as it’s shrimp, lobster, crab, crayfish or fish. He turns his nose up at oysters, clams and mussels. Poor thing.
So the other day, we were at Fresh Market stocking up on a few weekly deals. We were chatting with our favorite butcher lady, Lise, who just happened to be standing behind the counter hovering dangerously close (I thought) over several bags of fresh mussels.
I absolutely LOVE steamed mussels in garlic and white wine sauce. So I grabbed a bag (before Lise fell on them).
She gave me the suggestion to use leeks instead of shallots “for a better flavor profile.” Ooookaayy.
The next day, I pulled out my Julia Child apron and went at it.
Did you know that first you have to wash the mussels in cold water and … all purpose flour?
“Why?” you ask.
Well, to put a little beard on them, of course! “Beard” is actually the term used in my favorite recipe. The beard somehow attaches to any dirt or grime that still may be on them.
The next step is to use your finger to wipe away all those little beards. Which is harder to do than it sounds. And which borders on disgusting.
So I de-beard very quickly and get on with the more fun parts.
Next you throw together your base consisting of white wine, chicken stock, heavy cream, lemon juice, shallots, garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Whew.
Add the mussels and steam the big mess for about five minutes.
Please note that HR threw in a few large shrimp for good measure. (A bit unfairly, I thought.)
Here’s my bowl …
And here’s HR’s …
And finally, the test …
He didn’t jump up and down in culinary ecstasy, but he didn’t throw the shell at me either. I considered it a win.
What a Deliciously Joyful Lunch!
So back in 1985 I started saving my yearly/monthly calendars.
I’m not sure why.
So that makes … what? Forty years in 2025.
I suppose it started out as just a way to remember birthdays, appointments, to do’s and other important (or unimportant) dates I was prone to forget. This was before the days of “Siri, remind me ….”
But it morphed into jottings of my hopes and dreams, my frustrations, my successes, my problems, my New Year’s Resolutions (difficult to look back over today), my very … non-Facebook life.
As I skim through the pages of years/years of pages, I see emerging themes: family, children, travel, career, wife, ex-wife, coming out, husband, grandchildren, parental deaths, medical issues, joy, sorrow … Life.
I’m not sure what to do with them. Leave them to my daughters? Burn them?
The National Enquirer? People Magazine? The highest bidder?
Here’s to my new calendar for 2025 and whatever it may bring.
May your 2025 calendar be filled with Good.
And that’s my Saturday Evening Post. 1/11/2025.
NealEnJoy 