Our successful plot to tie the knot

So after months of wedding and maid of honour dress and centerpiece sewing, designing, printing, cutting, cd burning, shopping, and bow-tying, the wedding happened. Being the oldest of a household of six children, and therefore a little bit of a control freak (and also broke), I handled almost all of the little details myself by hand - from the favors to the programs. Brad worked away at his computer even harder than usual to make sure that the event was paid for. And when the big day happened, all of our extra hard work made me all that much more elated to see it come together.

But it was the big efforts of all of my loved ones that made me misty. My sister spent hours slaving over a beautiful seashell themed cake. Brad's aunt was the careful and attentive photographer for the evening. His brother, sister, and father painted, planted, posted, manicured, and mowed and flower arranged in preparation for the reception at their beautiful estate-like property. I was awestruck by everyone's efforts. So when we said our "I do's" I was not only grateful to be marrying Brad, but also grateful to be marrying his family. It was a lovely and intimate affair because everyone put a piece of their heart into it's creation. Just thinking about that brings tears to my eyes.

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. After a week of bleak weather forecasts, and holding back tears and fears of rain, it was the most beautiful beach ceremony that we could have hoped for. And although it did rain at the reception, I think that it added an element of excitement and cooled down our guests (and the boggy bride under 8 tiers of silk) just in the knick of time. Thank goodness for the tent!

A final thanks to all of my family - new and exisiting. And to all of our friends who worked so hard and traveled so far, and for contributing to the best day of our lives.

A dash of love

Yesterday I was suddenly invaded with the spirit of inspiration. And it didn’t hit me in the way that it usually does (through art, music, design). This time I was suddenly inspired to create flavors and textures in a meal that my man could savor. What better way to express love than through the most carnal of senses...taste. I began to dream up the perfect meal. This is what I made - Pork chops with an orange, mint, and sage glaze, topped with fresh pear compote. The side that I made was mashed cauliflower with sage and goat cheese. The sage really complimented both the cauliflower and the pork, and tied the meal together beautifully. All of the flavors were unexpectedly harmonious, which is what I was hoping for. If a meal is made really well, every bite tastes a little like love. I think that this is because love is exactly that - traits that are each unique, but when combined thoughtfully they are surprisingly harmonious.

The glaze - add fresh squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, chopped sage and mint and bring to a boil. Add corn starch to thicken.

The pear compote - Dice the pear. Add nutmeg and butter. Fry in a pan until soft (but not too soft - it’s the freshness of the pear that really compliments the heavy glaze).

The mashed cauliflower - Heat up the oil and add the chopped sage. Cook just long enough for the flavor of the sage to release into the oil, but don’t burn the sage. Turn off the burner *pretty much* 30 seconds after the sage is in the pan.

Blanch (don’t steam) the cauliflower. Add the sage oil to the cauliflower and mash. Don’t puree - the texture of the cauliflower really adds to the experience, and preserves the strong flavor. Add the goat cheese and mash it until the goat cheese blends in completely. No lumps.

I put the mashed cauliflower in a glass casserole dish and baked it with the pork chops for ten minutes. Baking it makes the top a little crispy, and the extra heat allows the flavors to mingle.

The pork chops should be cooked for 20 minutes at 425 degrees. spoon the glaze on thickly and cook for ten minutes. Then turn and do the same thing. Cook on broil for the last five minutes. Top with the pear compote.

Most importantly, do all of this with a lot of love. It really adds to the flavor of the dish. Everything tastes, looks, and feels better with an open heart.

I think that my man would agree with me. At least, I’m assuming that because of the seemingly uncontollable joyful sounds that he was making as he consumed the meal! Sometimes it’s hard to express feelings in words. So it’s lovely that art, music, and even food can sometimes express the unspeakable.