01.01.70

By Tom Yates

The drives to Washington through the Shenandoah Valley on bleak gray mid-November days still dance in my head as reminders of simpler times. Even from a distance, the houses looked happy, with driveways full of cars from visiting family members and little clouds of smoke poofs drifting from their chimneys. All those Thanksgiving families gathered together in all those passing farm houses. A mental postcard.

We always stayed at the Howard Johnson’s Hotel in Washington across the street from the Watergate building. Even then it was run down and old, but it was cheap. Not even the dish rag spilling out of the gas tank of my beat up 1977 Granada drew a second look in the parking lot of this HoJo’s.

We would arrive in the afternoon on Thanksgiving day and have dinner in the too brightly lit hotel reataurant. It was a HoJo’s after all and ambience was not their strong card. It is poignant now to think back on the cheap, room-temperature white wine served in cheap bulky stemware that began our special Thanksgiving holiday meals at HoJo’s. It was always the same. Very consistent. Warm wine in cheap glassware.

Source: Ace Weekly

by ggmsmolly

Heat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Spoon 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake and sprinkle each with apple, then drizzle a little more batter over the apple. Cook until the tops are bubbly and the edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 more minutes. Keep the pancakes warm on a baking sheet in the oven while making the rest. Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Brush the hot griddle with butter. For each pancake, pour approximately 1/4 cup measure of the batter on the griddle and cook on both sides until light golden brown. Repeat until no batter remains. Empty the contents of the lemon curd into a small saucepan and warm over low heat....

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by thegoodgirlsguide

Eek! It’s been too long all you lovely Good Girls ! Having returned from an awesome holiday in Africa and in Plettenberg Bay for a bit of a beach break, I took waaaay too long to get back into work , get my training program back on track (am doing The Argus Cycle Tour, 2 Oceans Half Marathon and 10km Valentines Day Trail Run all in the next few months) …which meant that my dear blog has suffered for attention.

Apologies! To make up for it, I’m sharing the yummiest recipe I’ve come across in a long time . Thanks to my darling friend

Place a large mixing bowl on top of another slightly smaller one, filled with ice and cold water (the bottom of the large bowl should touch the ice). Set aside. Put chocolate and water (also sugar and/or liquor if you’re using) in a medium-sized pan and melt the chocolate over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Pour the melted chocolate...

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