Swine Time

When my dad's side of the family was in Georgia together after Thanksgiving, we happened upon an annual event: Swine Time!

In addition to having a delightful name, this festival takes place in Climax, Georgia. Seriously...you can't make this stuff up. Check out the lineup:

I really thought I was a shoe-in to win the longest distance contest. Alas, there were at least two people from upstate New York. Apparently Swine Time is big time. Anyone who cannot find something delicious to eat at Swine Time is not trying very hard...

James and Ellie allowed me to have one of their deep-fried Oreos. Yummers! Clearly this a treat best enjoyed hot out of the grease while the chocolate cookie is still warm and gooey...

Leigh Ann and Anne couldn't resist preserving the evidence of this field trip for posterity...or at least their next trip to the YMCA in Charlotte. (We were pretty bummed to find out we'd missed running in the event's 5K that morning. In fact, we might have missed Swine Time altogether if the girls hadn't gotten up early and gone to the local Y, where a friendly employee explained why the gym was so empty.)

 James, Ellie and I checked out the bungee jump, which was absolutely worth $6...

There was a notice posted that flips were banned for anyone over 20, but that is apparently not strictly enforced...yahooo!!!!

I'm not sure what made me prouder: my flips or the fact I managed to keep my deep-fried delights in my tummy! 

Leigh Ann and I used to do the pig chase at the annual Fat Cattle Show in Quincy.I still remember being absolutely terrified of the greasy, squealing piglets we were supposed to catch and put inside a burlap sack.

In this case, there is only one pig. The kids are separated into groups by age. Hmm, maybe all of that concern about growth hormones in milk is well-founded??

I thought it was a hoot and enjoyed our ringside seats. Other members of our clan were less amused and thought it was a little to close to animal torture. Nevertheless, I'm thinking Climax doesn't have a PETA chapter, so I'd expect this tradition to stay under the animal rights activists' radar...

(Fun fact: A bystander told us that years ago, the winning pig-catcher could choose between keeping the pig and getting a cash prize. Now it's just the cash -- I'd assume that happened after many a tearful winner fought with Mom and Dad about taking Wilbur home.)

On our way out, Leigh Ann got us a bag of fresh-fried pork skins. Scrumptious!

Go ahead and mark your calendar now so you don't miss it next year. Swine Time always takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Y'all come back now, ya hear?

Crab Dip -- Just for Mandy

Loyal blog reader Mandy was curious about Kurt's recipe for crab dip. (See, peeps, if you read diligently and post comments, you get special shout-outs!)

I would like to note that I made a very small contribution to this dish by mincing the shallots as Kurt worked on the Christmas tree...

He uses a Martha Stewart recipe. Here 'tis:

Martha Stewart's Crab Dip3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1-1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 cup half and half
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (1-3/4 cups)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
10 ounces lump crabmeat, picked over for cartilage
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon paprika

1. Preheat the oven to 400 deg. with the rack in the center. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of water and simmer for 30 seconds. Stir in the cayenne, Old Bay, and dry mustard until well combined. Pour the half and half into the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk in the cream cheese a few pieces at a time. When the cream cheese is fully incorporated, whisk in the cheddar cheese a bit at a time. Stir the mixture for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice and Worchestershire and stir to combine. Add the crabmeat and half of the parsley and stir.

2. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle with the bread pieces. Dot the top of the bread pieces with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle with the paprika. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the bread pieces are golden and the dip is hot. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve with pita cups, crudites or classic toast points. Makes 3-1/2 cups.

Holiday Party!

When Kurt told me he hosts an annual holiday party, I was curious: where would everyone fit? 

Well, he flips his bed against the wall and transforms his bedroom into the bar! How clever is that? 

Leigh Ann was our first guest...she helped us finish trimming the tree. Kurt decided to buy it at the last minute on his way home Friday. He must have been quite a sight getting it, a case of wine and a sound system on a city bus!

To make things run a little more smoothly, Kurt asked his friend Bryant to be our bartender and coat checker.

 I invited my friend Christine, and she brought her friend Darryl...

Leigh Ann just happened to have an NYC business trip that coincided perfectly with the party! So, she got to meet everyone.

 Roland found my camera and decided to make use of it...

 Kurt's friend Tony is Leigh Ann's new BFF...

 These guys found Kurt's party prank...

 How did I get lucky enough to live with the Sexiest Man Alive?

We forgot to take pics of the food. Oops! Highlights were Kurt's crab dip, bite-sized turkey pot pies and peanut blossom cookies. Start lobbying now to make the cut for next year, peeps, this is an exclusive gig!

Would You Light My Candle?

During this season of joy and celebration, it's fun to make some festive holiday dishes. 

And I can't think of anything that says Christmas like this Holiday Candle Salad, can you?? 

It's almost like it's missing something, though. Maybe some chestnuts??

Seriously, my fifth grade teacher Miss Bunny told me about this holiday treat via Facebook over the summer, and I could not wait for it to come into season! (I should note the topic came up in a discussion thread about "pear salad," another dubious holder of a "salad" title. Why do we Southerners think having fruit, a lettuce leaf and mayonnaise makes something a salad?)

Anyway, Kurt invited some friends over for cassoulet the other night, so I decided it was just the night to debut my creation. Unfortunately, keeping the cherry on top of a slippery glob of mayonnaise is tricky.

Hence my slightly deranged expression, as I was worried the whole tray would deconstruct before Kurt snapped the photo.

The boys were great sports and actually ate this oddity...but we followed it up with a real salad of grapefruit and avocado. The cassoulet was fab! Kurt went all out to make it for a friend's birthday last Sunday, and we got to enjoy the leftovers.

Now, if you were admiring our mantle decorations...as I'm sure you were...Kurt and I picked out some greenery at the Union Square market last Saturday.

We shopped around for a while...it was a gorgeous day to be outside. 

We eventually decided to go with the delicate "princess" garland. The guy suggested we give it a little soak in the bathtub to help it last longer.

From candle-making to garland-soaking, what won't we do to get ready for Santa?

P.S. Do you think I should leave him a candle salad on Christmas Eve instead of some cookies?

Santa Rides the Subway

As Leigh Ann and I headed out to shop on Saturday, Kurt noted it was "Santa Con." 

What's that? Apparently, it's when people dressed as Santa take over the city for a daylong bar crawl...

Or, as Leigh Ann said after we saw more than a few scantily-clad Missus Clauses, "I guess this is the December version of letting your inner slut out on Halloween??"

Clearly some research was required. According to the organizers at www.santacon.com: 

Santacon is a non-denominational, non-commercial, non-political and non-sensical Santa Claus convention that occurs once a year for absolutely no reason. 

Hmm, can you guys tell me more? Look! There's a handy FAQ to consult: 

SANTACON FAQ

Q: What is SantaCon?
A: SantaCon is your opportunity to be Santa!
Q: Is this some kind of political statement?
A: No. It's fun and only fun.
Q: Who's in charge?
A: Santa. 

And there we have it! Looks like I have a full year to get my fur-trimmed outfit, fishnets and hooker boots in order...

Keeping Kosher

"Are you up for going to the kosher restaurant with Iris when I'm in town for work next week?" emailed my sister. "They have great drinks!" 

"Are you kidding?" I responded. "Does the pope wear a funny hat? I'm in!" 

She wasn't lying about the drinks. Check out my super-sized fishbowl mojito. 

Granted, it was $15. But so are most cocktails in this town...much smaller ones, I'd note! Iris and Leigh Ann are colleagues, and Iris keeps kosher. She likes to eat at Abigael's on Broadway when she's in the city.

 For my starter, I ordered...what else? Kosher sushi!

 Leigh Ann went for the carnivore's delight...Iris had chimichurri steak. Yummy!

I had cashew-crusted sea bass. So good! There was a special event downstairs, so we enjoyed the parade of yamukkah-wearing gentlemen. I was tempted to ask for a kitchen tour but didn't want to embarrass Iris, since she'll likely be back there on her next trip.

The only downside was the cost: we spent about $85 a person. Kosher ain't cheap! Then again, someone might have had a second mojito...

Christmas Tree Lighting

It was worth staying at work until 9 p.m. on a Wednesday for this view!

Ever since I started working at Rockefeller Center in April, I've been curious to see what it's like to spend the holiday season in such a New York City landmark.

Wednesday night was the annual tree lighting ceremony. I walked outside in afternoon to check out the setup. Quite a production -- cops and security guards were everywhere, and they moved all the tables and chairs away from the windows near the skating rink underground.

Here's a shot from the Plaza yesterday afternoon. The building on the right is 50 Rock, where I work. There is a balcony on the fifth floor, and we used it to watch the ceremony, which was broadcast locally from 7 to 9 p.m. (I am 90% sure I passed by Saturday Night Live Producer Lorne Michaels while I was walking around.)

Here's the view from the corner office on my floor. The executive who occupies it was out and told her secretary not to let anyone inside. What a Grinch! Naturally we went inside after the secretary went home. (Only a handful of people stayed...guess it's not as much of a novelty for most of my colleagues.)

The view of the crowd from a window in the conference room...

 From the balcony, I spotted Donald Trump's distinctive hair on stage with Al Roker...

A lot of the performances were taped, but the teenybopper shrieks were always a good indication that one of Justin Bieber's segments was playing...

Cee Lo was there live...the acoustics were a little strange outside, but someone pulled a TV through a window so we could keep up with the show. The big screen on 30 Rock was just outside of our viewing line.

I was amused to see all of the performers had their song lyrics on teleprompter to prevent any embarrassing slips...

Finally, at 8:55, they lit the tree. Ta-DA!!!

What a fun night! So glad I stayed and made the most of it.