More Sugar, More Spice
Hello! It’s me. I am back from what felt like cruel and unusual punishment in the form of rapid-fire virus roulette sweeping through our home. I managed to avoid Covid for 2 ½ years before it picked me up and threw me down a flight of stairs and then kicked me while I lay suffering. Once I got up, it’s friend RSV knocked us headlong into a frozen lake and left us shivering for days. Frances and I are still wiping our noses, but we are back! My brain however, has not yet returned in full force. The fog is incredible and is causing a serious lack of motivation. I’ve always prided myself on being a highly productive and efficient human being. Yesterday, I turned off my Slack and lay down in bed, under the covers at 2pm. Mind you, I got Covid November 12th and today is December 13th. This is my crying plea to put your mask back on. We are sick humans making other humans sick, constantly. I can easily understand how both illnesses could send someone to the hospital and worse. We took Frances to the ER twice in 24 hours for RSV. She had a fever that we were not capable of controlling on our own. She ended up on amoxicillin, but they were only able to provide a partial dose because the rest of the antibiotic did not exist anywhere in Colorado. For the sake of your friends, family, and neighbors – bring back your mask.
PSA over – the holidays are here and if you know me personally you know my name is Nicole Noelle because I was born on Christmas Eve. I spent much of my younger years contemplating how to separate my identity from my holiday birthday. There are few other birthdays that elicit a name to match. Maybe a Glory born on the 4th of July (or Carol Ann if you’re my mother), but for those born on the day or the eve of Christmas - Holly, Mary, Joy, Nick, Nicole, Noelle/Noel or according to Google “100 perfect Christmas names”. I’ve moved past my qualms with my birthday and name to match and now I love it. I’m always with family, always off work and it’s a perfect time for cooking big with no regard for diet or budget. Plus Nicole Noelle DesRosiers Thebault is seriously unique, seriously French name.
It seems that this season and, in my opinion, all big food holidays are the season of our Culinary Queen Ina. She’s unstoppable and we love her for it. When I make holiday food, I channel Ina because she taught me to cook and because her dishes are classic yet exciting and this is what you want! Please the crowd but don’t sacrifice the creativity and flavor. There’s something so loving, so nurturing about cooking for someone on a holiday. It carries romance in a plutonic way. This goes for all holidays in my opinion. If you make me brisket and kugel, we are dear dear friends.
I don’t think you can overdo it in December. It’s the richest, fattiest, most expensive month of the year. Go for it and don’t look back. That’s why for this newsletter we’re braising pork in milk, basically gold at this point in the economic year. This recipe is one of my favorites. It’s an adaptation from Frenchie, a perfect restaurant in Paris. I used this milk braised pork to make a trophy-winning chili in January 2020, an honor I will mint on my headstone. Don’t worry, I’ve included the chili recipe with the pork recipe. It’s not a casual chili recipe, it’s an “impress your future in-laws, win a trophy, make everyone at work praise your cooking” chili recipe. As I’m writing this, big dark dense snow clouds are rolling over the foothills and my leftover pound of milk braised pork from last night’s dinner is beckoning for it encore.
Remember this is the season of giving and honestly, I think that means giving to yourself first. Don’t overthink every detail of your meal or every gift you select. This world is crazy and your loved ones are happy for your existence and your well-being. Give joy, give praise, give honest bold compliments, give strong drinks and well-seasoned food, give your extra time, give donations. Cheers and see ya on the bright side of 2023!
The Music - Sugar and Spice
The Menu :
Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Dried Cherries and Almonds