Portland, Oregon: I realized it had been five days since I updated this little website and Crystal some people become tense worried that something is amiss. All is well. It's just that no one probably wanted to hear about my closet reorganization - though it was absolutely therapeutic for me. The urge to purge!
You know those items in your closet that you don't wear, but are like-new? Sell them! I started using ThredUP last year. Order a free "clean out bag" from their website and it arrives a few days later. Fill the bag with clothing you no longer want/need/wear (has to be in best condition and they are selective on brands) and send the filled bag back free. In a few weeks you will receive a review of your items. As your clothing sells on their website, cash is placed in your account. You can take cash, or use the credit to purchase clothes at ThredUp. If you send them something they do not feel will sell/did not sell, you decide (up-front) if ThredUp should give it to a charity or pay to have it shipped back to you. They only accept women's and children's clothing - and handbags (thank you!) at this time. ThredUp is a great place to purchase clothing as well, and is a very popular hub for maternity clothing and cocktail dresses.
It's the bachelorette life for me now. My Driver is "living in a trailer park in Eugene, Oregon" and I will join him next week. The US Olympic Track & Field Trials begin July 1st and, though this is the third time he has been on the organizing committee for the US Trials, there are still 10,001 things that pop-up. DT is the Decider.
The July cooking magazines are out. I tried the Blueberry Buttermilk Chess Pie from Bon Appetit. A Chess Pie is a custard pie with a little cornmeal added to the batter. It is popular in the southern US.The process requires blind-baking a pie shell, letting it cool and then filling it with a custardy-buttermilk-blueberry batter... so two steps.
Admittedly, my pie was not as pretty as the one pictured in the magazine. That's bound to happen. I am neither a professional chef, nor photographer. (This photo was taken with my iPhone, so there you go.) I made the pie because it seemed interesting and summery and I had all the ingredients on-hand. I had never made a chess pie. This pie is good, but a little too "eggy" for me. Y'all know I am trying to like eggs, but it did not happen in this dessert.A very old established and popular restaurant in Portland, Bluehour, opened for brunch the first time this week. Dave was home for the weekend, so we made reservations and asked My Sister to join us. The menu seemed compelling - potatoes roasted in duck fat - and they were advertising $2 mimosas! I honestly cannot remember the last time we went out for a proper brunch. Our choices:
Can you say "Duck Confit Eggs Benedict"?
Morel mushroom omelet with brie, wilted greens and herbs. Served with home browns.
Guess who had the grilled hanger steak with duck fat hash browns, two eggs, chard, Sauce Choron... except without the two eggs? Me. Sauce Choron is a traditional Hollandaise with a bit of tomato added.And one photo of our little grandchildren:
They are so stinkin' cute!Until my next update, I remain, your all-caught-up-Crystal correspondent.