Fondue And Ferrarelle

…the heavens part and choirs of angels sing.

No, really.

My wonderful mom watched the female minions last night so that I could put Liam down early and fully enjoy my brother-in-law and his wife’s monthly supper club. Sasha Feroce made fondue, which she’s been dying to make for us for ages.

She spent a year (a formative high school year) in Switzerland and picked up many Swiss kitchen tricks. One of them was this classic Swiss fondue, which she made with gruyere, appenzeller, and emmentaler cheeses.

Oh, divine. We dipped cubed french bread, broccoli, cocktail onions and cornichons in the fondue. I was a little skeptical about the cocktail onions and cornichons, but they ended up being my favorite.

I can’t even describe this fondue. I’ve never tasted anything like it. And I picked up some prosecco, which paired absolutely perfectly with it. Yum. Yum. Yum.

I’m still thinking about it today. I wish I had some.

Anyway.

I was recently informed, in a completely charitable, circumspect, and non-judgmental manner that I am a raging alcoholic. In honor of that revelation I’m going to give you a list, in order of ascending preference, of my five favorite things to drink, EVER.

Ready?

The Roan Montgomery

Named in honor of the wonderful Chuck episode from whence it came, this is my most favorite cocktail. It’s pretty simple, really-just a Grey Goose martini up with three olives. But you would be surprised by how much that third olive matters. Obviously, being made entirely of hard liquor, these are a rare treat that I try to handle with care.

Awake Tea with Sugar and Cream

I’m not gonna lie, this one took a while to come around to. The Ogre has been drinking his tea British style since we were in college, but it wasn’t until coffee made me sick during my last pregnancy (such a sad time) that I finally agreed to give it a go.

I’m so glad I did. It is really delicious. I’m actually drinking one right now, and those Brits know what they’re doing when it comes to tea. I’ll drink other varieties of black tea like this, but there’s something about the Awake tea that makes it simply spectacular. It’s a little spicy, a little more complex, and with the cream and sugar to balance it…oh, just try it. Even if you’re scared.

I can’t guarantee that you’ll love it, though. I’ve made lots of people try it since I fell in love, and not many have liked it. It’s a very different kind of drink for those of us who were raised on coffee and cream, and I think it’s probably an acquired taste.

Real Italian Cappuccino

This one can neither be explained nor replicated. Trust me, I’ve tried. I got into the habit of drinking cappuccini in Rome all the time, any time of the day or night, after my friend convinced me to try one in a little shop one day.

Here’s the thing about me and coffee: I worked at Starbucks for years. I know my way around coffee, and I’ve never particularly cared for cappuccino. The foam was always too airy, the espresso too concentrated in the remaining milk…the whole thing was always just kind of blech.

But Italian cappuccino is something different. It’s a thing of beauty and magic, with thick, luscious foam that carries the flavor of the espresso in every sip. It’s just…oh.

I miss Rome.

Red Wine

Need I say more?

Sparkling Water

This is also a direct result of my time in Europe. I simply adore sparkling water. It’s the most delicious thing in the entire world, and I would pass up even a glass of good wine for cold bottle of Ferrarelle. (Aren’t you shocked?)

In my experience, though, not all sparkling waters are created equal. The one above, Ferrarelle, is the one I started drinking in Rome the first time I was there. It’s naturally sparkling, so the bubbles are a little less plentiful and it’s generally just a lighter water to drink. It’s dreadfully expensive here, though, and only available in snooty places like Whole Foods. If you want to try sparkling water, I would go for either San Pellegrino or Perrier. The supermarket brands are usually very, very carbonated so if you’re not used to it it they be kind of alarming and (so I’ve been told) “totally repulsive”.

Sparkling water is definitely an acquired taste. Very few people I know like it at all, but without exception, every single one of my friends who have spent extended time in Europe prefer it over flat water.

Flat water is just so boring! Sparkling water is much more exciting. And delicious. It’s like a party on your tongue.

Here Endeth My List

I think I’ve mentioned here and there that I’ve started homeschooling my oldest daughter. I’ve never really written a proper post on it, though, so I think I’ll do that this week.

Also, if you have pre-K and K aged children, you should click over to this girl’s website and listen to some of her music for children. Her name is Maria Spears, and she’s a lovely singer and songwriter who has just put out two CD’s of children’s music. One is traditional prayers set to music, and the other is learning songs for children (months of the year, ABC’s, that kind of thing). You can hear one of the songs under the “music” tab. If you’ve got a child who has an uncanny ability to memorize and mimic every single song they hear (like I do), these CD’s might be something you want to look into.

*I was not compensated for that little public service anouncement. Maria herself contacted me and asked if I would mind listening and helping her get the word out if I liked what I heard. I liked what I heard, so here’s the word.

**I promise not to rhyme anymore in this post. I’m sorry.

So it’s nearly 9 and I have school to do tomorrow, Halloween cookies to bake, pumpkins to carve and children to send out to fetch free candy for me, so I’m calling it a night. Happy Halloween! Enjoy playing dress-up without people staring at you like you’ve lost it.

Fondue and Ferrarelle