Deathly Hallows Feast!

last night, we hit up our all-time favorite movie theater. The Alamo Drafthouse doesn't just serve good food and drink but they also offer some fantastic events.

The menu was whimsical and tasty.

THE ELDER WAND - Ale Battered, Smoked Salmon Wrapped Asparagus with Elderberry Garlic Jam; this was our favorite course.

FORBIDDEN FOREST PASTRY - Roast Local Hen and Wild Mushrooms fill a Potato Pastry served with Green Tomato Chutney; I had roasted potatoes instead of the poultry and this was excellent.

AMORTENTIA - Chilled Soup of English Cucumbers with Rashers and Herbs; our least favorite course. Some vinegar gave the soup a pickle-y taste.

CLOAK - Seared Strip, Stilton and Shallot cloaked in Pastry, Cumberland Sauce, Roast Cauliflower; I had mine with a red wine-marinated portabella. The pastry was yummy.

THE SORCERER'S SCONE - English Lavender Brambleberry Scone with Lime Marmalade and Clotted Cream; this course was excellent. We were given two scones, way too much, and would have preferred one with more marmalade and cream.

The courses were all paired with wine. Just excellent over all.

Prior to the movie starting, spoofs and parodies were played as we settled into our seats.

We received water glasses that we could take home.

Of course "real" butter beer was available if one wanted. It was made with hard cider and tasted like apple pie in a glass. That was just our sample; a pint size was available for purchase. It was too rich and sweet so we opted not to given the feast ahead of us. Still, I'd like to deconstruct this recipe and enjoy it on a chilly winter evening.

Ultimately, we had an outstanding time between the feast and the flick. I had forgotten lots of details from the books and wished I had brushed up before attending. The only snag was that the movie stopped near the end at a rather key moment. The crowd seemed fine, with cheers of "intermission" erupting. The chef came out to talk with us again and we were all given free passes for a future screening. After ten minutes, we were back in business. We're grateful to Austin's boss for the gift certificate we used that evening, what a wonderful gift idea!

Anniversary Dinner Part II

Each weekend in June, we'll be dining out to celebrate the five year anniversary. We splurged the first weekend but the subsequent three are supplemented by Groupon, a social networking coupon service.

Last night we headed out into Hill Country to a winery that we've visited several times and kicked things off with a tasting.

Then we headed next door to the trattoria where we started with artichoke Parmesan fritters; they were delicious and gooey.

The restaurant had subtle ways of blending Texas and Italy like this place mat which is the translation of the song lyrics "the stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas."

Austin went for the classic lasagna.

I had risotto with fresh spring peas and prosciutto but it was way too salty so they very graciously brought me a vegetarian version instead.

We were far too full to consider dessert so we stopped at the nearby Salt Lick BBQ joint to pick up what is known as the best dessert in Texas, the blackberry cobbler. It is in our fridge waiting to be enjoyed tonight.

Parent Visit Recap

Once again we had a lot of fun and packed tons into a short span of days so I'll try to remember what we did when the 'rents Dan and Maureen were here. Austin picked them up on Wednesday while I was teaching and they headed off to a wine bar we recently discovered with great outdoor seating, nice pours, and a view of the skyline. Everyone was tucked in with a nice flight of red wine and I was offered many tastes before my "Sparkler" flight of bubbly arrived. I could tell by the server's accent that he knew French (just the way he said "cuvée") and we later found out he was from Senagal but educated in France. We had a lot of fun chatting with him.

We headed to the LundeRoy Lodge with the ladies picking up a baguette and some cheese and the menfolk heading to our favorite wine shop where they naturally did some damage. We sat on the patio and relaxed all night, soaking in some great weather.

Thursday I had to teach again so we grabbed Chinese for an early lunch and then Austin took the 'rents to a movie at our favorite cinema; they all had an early dinner while seeing Source Code (general consensus- not bad). I grabbed take out on my way home and we took advantage of more patio time.

Friday my mom and I shopped for an outfit for her to wear to a wedding and I got her hooked on The Limited. Fortunately they often have sales and educators get 15% off all the time so she was happy about that. We also got a few things for my niece's second birthday. We also had some good Mexican for lunch and she tried fish tacos for the first time. Meanwhile, Austin and my dad were hard at work on the projects I posted earlier. I am still beyond thrilled with the under cabinet lighting and love the effect it adds to our kitchen. For their reward, A & D got Rudy's barbecue and enjoyed. My mom and I made tortilla-crusted tilapia and roasted asparagus.

One of my dad's favorite restaurants in the world, Mongolian Grille, was on deck for lunch Saturday and we all enjoyed custom-made stir fry. We had a little detour on campus so I could stop at the library and then we hit up one of Austin's favorite watering holes that features lots of microbrews that he wanted my dad to try. We ended the day, of course, with more lounging on the patio and just munching on leftovers from all of our culinary adventures. I made peach ice cream but it didn't set up very well so it was part of Easter breakfast.

I brought my parents back to the airport on Sunday morning and Austin and I spent the rest of Sunday getting organized for another week. We don't really do Easter and we've both got a busy week on deck so back to the grind it was.

On Wednesday, Austin got a random call from a friend of his dad's and before we knew it, we had dinner plans for Thursday. We chose dinner at Vespaio, an Italian restaurant friends had been swooning about. I took the bus to campus so Austin could pick me up right after I was done teaching and take me to meet the family friends.

Vespaio was very busy and we were barely able to press up against the bar to enjoy a few pre-dinner drinks as we waited. It was trying to see the menus and list of specials laying on the bar but a nice glass of Montepulciano (hers) and Anchor Steam beer (his) helped as did the engaging conversation(s) we were having over the din of the bar. Eventually, we were led to our table which was located a little off the main restaurant area in a nook surrounded by walls of wine bottles. After more menu-ogling, we were ready.

Austin tried the mixed seafood grill, enjoying redfish, a crab cake, and salmon.

I opted for the linguine with clams.

Our dinner companions had a lamb shank with saffron risotto (and I had to get my fork into that risotto- divine!) and what I can only describe as a fancy pork chop (I'm not big on meat so I lack the vocabulary to describe it but I can say it went over well with its consumer).

Over all, it was a delightful evening from the wine to the food to the charming company. We have been so lucky to have had so many interesting visitors since we moved to A-town.

PS I had to look into the meaning of the restaurant name, "Vespaio." I wondered if it had anything to do with the Vespa as quintessentially Italian. "Vespa" means "wasp" and "Vespaio" is "wasp's nest." I should have asked why it was named as such.

On Average...

Our last few days of January were about 20 degrees above average, hitting just into the 80s over the weekend. Austin and I soaked up the sun, opened all the windows, and had an impromptu patio party for two. Meteorologists darkly warned that things would change, maybe starting Tuesday night. We went to bed last night still well into the 60s.

By morning, it was barely 30 and that was about the high. Add to that bitter, whipping winds and indeed it was winter in Texas again. Austin actually had the day off so we could do some Grown Up Stuff like banking, tax preparation, an insurance meeting... so we were in and out of the car all day. We also ended up near a big outlet mall so we spent a good part of our time there walking around outside and Austin ended up finding the kind of jacket he's been looking for (which he wore right out of the store).

We got a lot done today and, after lots of tasks and chilly blasts, we've got the fire going and some mulled wine simmering on the stove.

Another Successful Parent Visit

Paula was off yesterday, fully drenched in sunshine, BBQ, local wine, and general Texas goodness. After the Hill Country wine tastings and BBQ I posted about earlier, we played mini-golf at a perfectly kitschy course and then hit up Whole Foods for some grilling items. The above photo was a little pre-dinner baguette with olive oil and garlic along with locally crafted LundeRoy cider and some fantastic Sangiovese. Later, we turned on the patio lights and Austin grilled bleu cheese burgers and a cheddar-jalapeño salmon burger for me. I made a green salad with feta, pears, and toasted walnuts with a shallot vinaigrette and a side of lemon-shallot orzo. It was all delicious and we had to wait on the brownies with vanilla bean ice cream until the next day.

Due to flight delays, Paula was then subjected to the end of the Packer game (WOO HOO!) and the Steelers/Jets game with dinner at a new Mexican joint sandwiched in. On Monday, she saw Austin in action at the home office and took advantage of more sun-soaking on the patio before I dropped her off on my way to campus.

Thus unfolds another week in the LundeRoy household. Austin's birthday is on Friday and we may go to a wine tasting tomorrow night to kick off the celebration a little early. He is still pondering what we'll do to make merry but no doubt we'll have plenty of options to entertain.

Rain or Wine

This is what our weather has looked like all week. Apparently it came in with a cold front and then kept on going with some of the hurricane fall-out. We are really enjoying the gray days since, believe it or not, days drenched in sunlight and blue skies and high temps do get old. It's currently raining steadily which I think is a perfect backdrop for the Brit-style pub we'll be going to shortly to celebrate a friend's birthday.

On Wednesday this week, we went to a wine tasting at our our favorite liquor store. Now, before I describe the tasting, I feel I must add the disclaimer that perhaps it's unusual for relatively healthy, stable people to have a favorite booze shop but trust me, it's more than that. In addition to the fantastic selection and knowledgeable staff, this place has a great deli, an outstanding selection of international foods (from Vegemite to HP Sauce to caviar), lots of tea and coffee, and cool local products. So when we heard that there was a wine tasting, we were in. We showed up and the parking lot was full with lots of folks heading in with empty wine glasses. We were given a list of the wines at each station and the pricing on them. There were ten total stations with a taste of a red and white at each. Along the way and to keep you busy in the long lines, there were samples of interesting cheeses, Texas salsas, and even fondue! Austin and I had a great time; the only drawback was the crowd of people but hey, that's minor. In the photo is one of the wines I selected that we didn't actually taste- txakoli wine that had been recommended to me by a Basque friend years before. The name was so unusual and the bottle was so pretty (reminding me of this famous Spanish/Catalan painting) that I took it as a sign to finally try the stuff. One bottle reminded but more wines were to be tasted! Dilemma, hmmm, so I hid the bottle behind other less interesting ones and rescued it when we were done with the tasting. We also acquired a few other interesting bottles from the tasting so if you're in the neighborhood, please stop by for a glass.

Spring Break: A Visit From the Fam

Austin's parents came to visit during the second half of my spring break which worked out wonderfully (no need to skip classes or find someone to cover my teaching). It is the annual South By South West music/tech/cool stuff fest in Austin so they flew in with all the instrument toting hipsters and we decided to avoid the SXSW hot spots.

For the first night, we planned to do some grilling to (finally) utilize our new patio furniture and take advantage of the gorgeous weather. Here is how the menu unfolded.

Green Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
(Yeah, it looks like a regular salad, but I am obsessed with my Lenox Vibe Serveware so indulge me.)



Orange Fennel Shallot Salad made by my ma-in-law, so refreshing and delicious.



The spread including grilled swordfish with pineapple salsa and grilled pineapple circles.



And for dessert, inspired Cousin K who was vacationing in Florida, Key Lime Pie.



We paired the meal with a Torrontes, a recommendation that was perfect and arrived via a circuitous route involving my undergrad French adviser. The meal, the company, and the conversation were fantastique.

Nick and Carrie's Excellent Adventure!

What do you do when the bride and groom are from different parts of the country, not to mention the fam? Destination wedding at a wonderful location! Nick and Carrie chose the gorgeous wine country area just outside of Santa Barbara, where the film "Sideways" was shot, and was that ever a great idea! Austin and I hopped the connecting flight from LAX to Santa Barbara and gawked the whole way as our little plane flew up the CA coast over azure Pacific waters with hazy mountains gracing the coast. It was amazing. It was just the perfect choice for an intimate wedding with immediate family and the closest of friends.

First and foremost, it was a wonderful time for us to hang with the fam and meet new people. Austin and I particularly enjoyed this while we were out at the local wineries tasting and mingling. The scenery and amazing wine and good company couldn't be beat.

As for the wedding day- being whisked away in limos to several different wineries for the ceremony, luncheon, and cupcake reception was a wonderful way to do a wedding! The food, wine and dessert(!) were all out of this world- the bride and groom did a great job! Just viewing the scenery out the limo windows was wonderful and then hanging out at wineries- wow!

All in all, a big thank you to Nick and Carrie for making this all happen and to the family and friends of the couple for making it a beautiful, memorable experience.

Wine Tasting

Yesterday we toured three different wineries near Buellton. The rolling landscapes, yellow leaves on the vines, and autumn sun were just stunning not to mention how fun it was to taste many different wines. I'm uploading some photos if you can stand to see the many variations on the landscape around here. Just click on the photo of Austin tasting to see the set (captions coming eventually). Cheers!

Road Trip!

My friend, Beth, and I escaped our grad school surroundings for awhile and went to Dallas. I've been busy catching up from a weekend away but here are some highlights.

• Cooking class at Central Market- the theme was "cooking with wine" and it was a total blast.
• A glass of bubbly at Veritas after class.
  
• The Modern Art Museum of Ft. Worth had an amazing collection and the building itself was really cool.
• Dinner out at Local, a restaurant specializing in, believe it or not, local and organic foods.
• Dessert at La Duni (cuatro leches cake!)
• Pedicures

T-day for Two

This year's meal has proved the best the LundeRoys have ever made and we did partially homemade, partially store-bought. Here are the details.

The overall spread (somehow still had gravy boat and hadn't sent it to storage):



The turkey that we almost didn't have:



Green beans with lemon hazelnut butter (zester and grater still in storage, Austin made the zest with a knife):



Mashed potatoes (masher in storage, had to go to a few stores to find one on Thanksgiving), best ever because they included butter, cream cheese, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, and sharp cheddar. Very healthy.



Stuffing was Stove Top, we've never been able to make anything better than this mushy goodness:



Cranberries from a can just like Gramma always had:



Not pictured include the gravy (jarred) and the pumpkin pie (shoulda made our own, store bought was just so-so). We had Beaujolais Nouveau with dinner and Sauvignon Blanc after. It was really tasty and we basically spent the entire meal groaning with satisfaction or saying "these are the best potatoes ever!"

A funny thing happened on the way to the winery...

Today we woke up feeling rested and I mentioned that I wanted to have an adventurous day. We went to brunch at Chez Zee and Austin tried their famous Creme Brulee French Toast and I had their migas (same dish I had last weekend at a Mexican place). I had been to Chez Zee twice before and it was Austin's first visit; he thoroughly enjoyed it and we decided we'd like to have dinner there sometime.





After brunch, we found a barbershop since Austin desperately needed a trim. It was a true barbershop and was very old-school. They do shaves there too and you can get a big can of Lone Star Beer if you come later in the day. The dude who trimmed Austin had tattoos all over including barber themed ones. Nice to see a man dedicated to his work and he really was, he did a great job cleaning Austin up.

Next we decided to visit some wineries that were about a half an hour outside of town and had an errand to run near campus on the way out. It was move-in weekend so there were people and trucks and moving vans everywhere- totally crazy and we decided to skip a visit to the bookstore. As we were leaving the campus area, I heard the crunch of metal right behind me, saw a crash in the rear view mirror, and went into autopilot mode hoping I wouldn't be a victim of the domino effect. I pulled straight off the road and threw my phone to Austin who called 911. We saw an Audi fly up on the curb, crushing a small tree and garbage can. A few other vehicles apparently got tagged and pulled over. The emergency response was fast and they were really good about asking everyone if they were ok as well as containing the situation quickly. Austin and I had no damage to our vehicle in spite of the fact that a street sign had fallen down in front of it during the accident (Austin pulled it from the street as he was calling 911, giving a clear path to the firetruck since liquid was oozing from the crippled vehicle).



Shaken from the adrenaline, we got out of the way and happily found quieter roads out in the Hill Country. We saw buzzards and gazelle and a llama and then visited two wineries. The first had an Italian theme and was gorgeous, like a resort, and the second was more quaint but had an amazing view. We ended up with three bottles of Texas wine when all was said and done.



Now we're coming down from the busy day and getting ready for dinner at a BBQ place across the street. I am guessing (hoping) tomorrow will be a lot quieter...