Les Flâneurs

Thanksgiving dinner in Douglas

What with early release for me last Wednesday and then two days off for Thanksgiving, I've had a nice long weekend to think about the future. I've decided that for the moment we're going to let the future take care of itself while we get on with enjoying the present.

And as part of that strategy we spent a lovely Thanksgiving at Dick and Dorothy's home in Douglas, MA. For some years now they've been opening their home to a variety of family and friends to come, sit, swap stories, and share a traditional (and traditionally delicious) meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and a variety of fall vegetables.

This year friends Barbara and Andrea rejoined us and brought along both a soup and roasted Brussel sprouts for sides. Friend Lee, who has been helping out in Susie's shop and who had just returned from tackling the basic pastry program at Le Cordon in Paris, came along with us and brought a couple of bottles of sparkling. Uncle Frank, Cathy and Mieke also joined us; it was nice to have Cathy's wit and Mieke's smile with us once again.

The event kicked off about 2pm and we all paced ourselves throughout the afternoon until we sat for the meal -- good food paired with good wine and lively conversation. One could hardly have planned a better way to spend a holiday.

It was dark, crisp and cold by the time we rolled out to our car and cruised back to Providence, satiated both in body and spirit.

father and daughter sharing a moment of laughter

Dick documenting a moment and Andrea contemplating an idea

Barbara works on her soup while being amazed at Dorothy

Dick staying on top of the dishes

Dorothy and Barbara putting the finishing touches on the meal

Barbara

the unveilling. . .

I was tasked with carving -- not a pretty picture

Dorothy wondering if everything is ready

root vegetable soup

the French Tarte

the spread

I kept my focus: beans, turkey and mashed potatoes

Lee and Dick share a thought

mother and daughter: Barbara and Andrea

Mieke takes charge of the dishwashing

desserts compliments of the French Tarte: a ricotta tart with raspberry sauce and a pear cornmeal cake imbibed with rosemary infused syrup topped with chantilly cream

mother and daughter: Mieke and Cathy

Our Food Week in Providence

This past week in Providence has been quiet and I mean that literally. There have been very few sirens screaming past our building in recent weeks, a most unusual phenomenon, believe me. I can't help but wonder: are personal tragedies on the decline or are the fire and police using a different route to help those in dire need of help?

As usual our week tends to revolve around, center on, find comfort in food. That goes without saying for the French Tarte, naturally, but I have to break free of my digital archiving duties during the day and seek out food experiences within a limited radius. So, I recently walked a couple blocks down Empire Street in order to purchase a rather unremarkable bean soup at AS220: lots of green leaves tucked in and among the beans and the bacon was a bit on the spongy side -- I suppose it was the broth, eh?

Later in the week Susie and I splurged on a Kermit Lynch wine dinner at Chez Pascal. It was a wonderful evening of delicious wines matched by equally delicious food, put on by the brilliant folks at Kermit Lynch. An importer of incredibly wonderful wines at a relatively decent price, Kermit Lynch has been one of those marques you find and never let go: you just know the product he selects and brings over here will be delicious and of good value. His organization has been a resource for us since we lived in Michigan.

During dinner we actually sat next to an Eisenhower, although she claimed that her branch of the family was very distant from the former President. There was really no resemblance, but still. . .

Unfortunately, the poor lighting and my mediocre photographic technique doesn't even begin to accurately depict the scrumptious food but I think you'll get the idea:

seared scallop with celery root, apple and saffron butter

beef short rib, white sweet potato gratin

pear custard gratin with bleu cheese

Our final dining experience for the week happened mostly by chance. One night we had to get out of the house for an hour or so right around dinnertime so we thought why not try the new Jacky's Galaxie in Johnston. (Jacky's is a small chain of Asian eateries in Rhode Island.) The service was very friendly, ambience neat and clean and the food, while tasty, was generally unremarkable. Still, the spring rolls were served with a very tasty crunchy peanut sauce rather than the ubiquitous orange "duck sauce." And the broccoli was just about perfect.

fried rice

The week ended, more or less, at the French Tarte's shop during the winter farmer's market. As usual there were plenty of goodies from the French and all sold before the market closed for the day.