Sick

Sick hit the house.

I came down with a sore throat I just couldn't seem to kick over the weekend, and Scott followed with something worse, taking a sick day after feeling just plain terrible at work yesterday.  I thought I'd take it hard when I work up.  But no.  Today I feel better.  It is a first for me to get sick with only a sore throat and fatigue.  I am the phlegm queen.  When I get sick, I sneeze.  I blow my nose.  I sneeze.  I blow my nose.  This repeats about ten more times until I sigh, yelling, "ENOUGH ALREADY!" to my body, to my respiratory system, to my genes.  When I go out, I hoard tissue boxes and shove wads of that precious quilty goodness into my coat pockets, along with ChapStick and bags for Nia walks around the neighborhood.  And I make a wish: that I won't be a slobbery snotty mess in public.

I really thought this sick would kick me and I'd wake up on one of these 3am mornings with a stunning ache and the want for fleece and bed.  But today, when that *#$&@* alarm went off, I felt better.  I wouldn't go as far as to say that I felt great or ready for the day.  But when you're sick, "better" is a gift.

So thank you:

 The Hot Toddy.  Lemon for the C, Honey for the soothing, H20, well, that's obvious, and whiskey that ties the whole drink together, allowing you to feel that smoothed out feeling, where sleep is not too far away, and doesn't hit you like a shot of cherry flavored Nyquil.  And a Hot Toddy is delicious!

However, there are some keys to having a good experience with this lovely beverage.  First is the fruit. Meyer Lemons are it.  There are no substitutions whatsoever.  Do not try to recreate this beverage with an ordinary lemon, or god forbid, a bottle of store bought lemon juice.  Even in our sickest moments, we refuse a hot toddy with anything other than a Meyer Lemon.

Secondly, the bourbon.  Our favorite is Booker's and it's not cheap, but I'm sick here people.  I deserve something tasty.  Other good alternatives if Booker's is out of your price range: Eagle Rare, Basil Hayden's and Rebel Reserve.

You may be a Honey snob, but we aren't, so I just use the bear.  If you have honey recommendations though, I'd like to hear about them.

And the water.  I've heard that black tea is really lovely in this drink, but boiling water does just fine for both of us.  I ordered this drink at a local bar over the weekend, and our bartender either put a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg in it.  I don't know which, but it was really wonderful.

Even better: Matzo balls are cooking as I write this, and then I will add them to a homemade stock.

I like better.

Hot Toddy
I like clear glasses for this drink, and I picked up these neat Tazo glasses at Starbucks over the holidays.  You can also use a regular sized mug.  That's what I do when these glasses are in the dishwasher.


2 ounces Bourbon (see notes above)
1 Meyer Lemon, squeezed (no substitutions!)
2 tablespoons honey


Mix bourbon, lemon juice and honey together, then fill the glass with hot water.  Taste and adjust as needed.  The more water/lemon you add, the more sour it will be, so adjust accordingly.

Potluck

I have a potluck lunch tomorrow for work, and as much as I enjoy them, it's hard for me to be creative and pull something off that people will like and eat.  I'm not the best in this cooking situation.  I make something that I think is good, but it doesn't have the appeal that some of the other dishes seem to get.  For one potluck, I made hummus, homemade, and there was barely a dent in the bowl when the meal was all over.  What was eaten, you ask?  Microwave tortillas and cheese in quesadilla form.  Another potluck was at a family reunion... It was Mexican themed, and I decided to bring a crock pot with shredded pork tenderloin slow-cooked in Trader Joe's Green Salsa Verde.  It wasn't until Scott pleaded with the family that people actually tried it... It hadn't been touched before he talked it up.  For my last potluck I made a simple orzo asparagus salad, with a homemade olive oil lemon dressing, and that was also ignored.

So here's what I've learned about potlucks:

1.  Your dish must be obviously identifiable (and well liked among the crowd of potluckers).
Very few people will try things they are unfamiliar with, especially if it isn't described in detail.  This was my first mistake with potlucks.

2. Your dish must be presented in an aesthetically pleasing way.  
No one will try something brown and in meat form simmering in a crock pot if they aren't told to eat it.

3. Your dish must be easy to eat and grab off the table.
In a work setting, eating something delicious and super messy is traded for something cleaner and easier to eat.

I am the opposite of all of these traits.  I will try the unidentifiable, and actually gravitate towards something different.  I don't care about aesthetics.  Though I appreciate the effort, I really go for something that smells and tastes amazing.  And whatever, I'll make a mess.  It's about the food here, people.  I've noticed that some of my favorite people in this world do not live by these rules either, and that's why they're my favorite.

Okay.  So, the potluck.  I've sold out a little.  I looked at some awesome recipes, one of which is a blended walnut/herb/ricotta dip for bread that I was sure I'd do, until I remembered my previous potluck fails.  I'm not failing this time.

Yep, chocolate covered strawberries.  It fits all of the rules.  Easily identifiable, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to eat.  The chocolate was melted then dipped and put on wax paper to harden. Strawberries are making a comeback into the grocery stores these days (along with daffodils and asparagus), and though it's not locally grown, it's coming from California.  I had some leftover chocolate after I was done, so I dipped a few pretzels in there as well.

We'll see how this goes.  What I have learned is to keep my creative, wacky food ideas to myself when it comes to these things, but play up on the simple..  The really simple.

  Chocolate Covered Strawberries (serves 10-12)
This is the simple way of making these strawberries.  For a more interesting flair, add 1 tsp vanilla extract to chocolate, or 2 tablespoons Irish Cream.  I even thought of sprinkling them with a hint of sea salt.  Also, the chocolate choice is up to you.  I used Ghiradelli 60% Cacao chips, but you can use something lighter or darker based on your preference.  


   2 boxes or about 20 strawberries
  1 10 ounce bag dark chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl, on high for 45 seconds, then stir and put in for 20 second increments until chips are completely melted.

Wash strawberries and dry on paper towels.  Spread surface with wax or parchment paper.

Dip strawberries one by one holding the green stems and place on paper.  Let set for 1-2 hours.  Gently peel off strawberries and put on plate.  Store in refrigerator to ensure the chocolate stays intact.