A newly published piece and some fantastic food

Each November, Fox News online produces Thankful Nation, a segment featuring essays from and interviews with celebrities and regular folks. I believe that gratitude transcends ideology and am sincerely thrilled to join the Thankful Nation crew by sharing this essay about Nanny. Thank you to everyone -friends, family, and strangers alike- for the wonderful notes and comments throughout today. I’m happy so many of you have memories of blackberry pie too.

The past two days have reminded me what real cold feels like. The kind that cuts through your clothes and slices straight to your bones. The kind that leaves you longing for a warm fire and a big bowl of steaming soup.

Yesterday, Oliver and I bundled up and spent nearly two hours at the farmers market. He loves being there like I do: fully and with patient enthusiasm. He wolfed down a fresh-from-the-wood-oven margherita pizza. He delighted in the "longest eclair" the French bakers had, adding chocolate cream to the tomato sauce spotting the canvas also known as his face. He helped me choose sunchokes (bottom right) and turnips (bottom left), sampled apples and cider too. He flirted with our friend at the butcher's stall. We helped hands and laughed the whole time.

Using most of the sunchokes this evening, I did make soup: a huge vat (because it freezes well) of my sublime Leeky Sunchoke Bisque which I look forward to each year and which never disappoints. This plus some of this gorgeous bread made a hearty, warming, lip-smacking dinner tonight. Even Tom didn't balk about the absence of any meat.

Leeky Sunchoke Bisque

Now, we are jumping lanes here but it's still food-related. 

Last October, when I met some writer friends in New Mexico, I learned a bit about using dried red chiles to make sauce. I've had a gorgeous homemade ristra of NM chiles hanging and drying in my pantry window, and I pluck from it when the mood strikes. It's nearly 75% gone now and the peppers are marvelous as ever. Next time I make these chili tacos, I'll write down my recipe because they are insanely satisfying.

turkey, black bean, red chile tacos

All to say that we've been eating well, and I'm glad about it. 

Lovely Monday, awesome soup, back to Downton

Lawd a'mercy was it nice to drop my sweet boys off at school this morning. It is absolutely remarkable how much I can do and how quickly I can get it done when I'm on my own. I took a 45 minute nap! Ran four, count them FOUR, errands! Worked out! Made them a wonderful hot dinner! Built and lit a fire and played Brain Quest in front of it! And so forth. It was all so nice and really, it felt good to get back in the saddle of everyday life. Normalcy is often underrated! Do you know what I will now suggest any parent gift to their children in addition to empty boxes and rolls of tape? A rotary pencil sharpener! You know, the old manual type that you can bolt or suction to a surface. I have had so many crappy electric ones over the years, and while we have many of the small plastic ones that look like a rectangular lip- or eye-liner sharpener, they just don't get the job done like the old-fashioned model. Because my three-hole punch has literally disappeared -odd- we went to Staples after school to get me a new one. While there, I shrugged off pleas to buy enormous fake money, a box of 1,000 paper clips and other random don't-needs, but I did acquiesce when we spied the pencil sharpener. The boys proceeded to over-sharpen every pencil in the house and finally I had an intervention; the sharpener is now in a time out. That said, if you need an inexpensive and (mostly) beneficial/functional tool/toy, consider adding this to your list of ideas.

T returned home just as we were about to start bathtime and took over like a champ so that I could make our dinner. A friend who is neighbors with a master gardener recently shared with me an enormous bushel of fresh sunchokes. I love sunchokes and while I enjoy them in many preparations, the cold front blowing through made soup seem like an awfully comforting meal. So, I made my Leeky Sunchoke Bisque which I loved even more this time than I ever have before. It.is.so.good! You simply must try it next time you come across sunchokes. Gah!! I can't wait for leftovers tomorrow.

Now, I heard that Downton had jumped the shark, but I myself enjoyed most of this newest episode. The sitch with Carson and the other singing Charlie seemed rather preposterous and Edna just blows, but the Dowager was fabulous as ever, and I was happy to be back with the Grantham clan. How does Thomas find the energy to continue being so conniving?