Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Holiday Cheer


Isn't this lovely? It's the Xmas tree outside of Le Cirque restaurant here in Manhattan. I walk past it a few times a week and I always stop to look at it. It's a calming oasis in the midst of all the holiday craziness. Tourists cramming the streets, wild traffic, deafening noise....and there, right in between two buildings with nothing else around, is this sight. It's so placid and calm. There is never anyone taking it in, I am usually the only person standing there enjoying it whenever I pass. It's a nice little pick me up that I will miss when it disappears.

I also want to add that in the spirit of the holidays I unearthed my George Winston classic CD "December". If you want something really soothing and relaxing to listen to this would be it. I was listening to it with someone last week and he put his head on my shoulder and said...wow, this is the most relaxing thing I've ever heard. I think he was right. The icing on the cake was my annual purchasing of the pannetone. As usual, I picked up my favorite brand, Tre Marie. This is the brand that made me like pannetone. Before that I hated it. This is moist, fresh, flavorful and just perfect. I like the one with custard in it. It is amazing! Even the big palooka at my local Italian Import store said as I bought it, "that one is the top of the line!"

Oh and one more little factoid.....I realize that I am sounding like Oprah here preening on and on about my "favorite things" but I just tried another brand of truffle salt and it was totally inferior to the original one I raved about. Not only that but I just found out that it is available in two strengths, 5% and 10%. I have 5 and I am definitely going to try some 10 to see if it is even more fabulous. The brand I like the best so far is called "Selezione Tartufi". I tried another and it was too salty. I know that sounds crazy to say a salt is too salty but it was compared to the other. It wasn't as balanced and the truffle flavor was too weak. If I had tried the one I'm not nuts about first I never would have thought it was as great as I do. So lesson to be learned if you're thinking of trying that glorious stuff!

3 comments:

Emily Adamson said...

We're giving away a flight of finishing salts including truffle & salt. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment letting us know which salt would go the quickest in your kitchen - and if you win, we'd love to hear how our truffle & salt compares or ranks on your favorite list! To enter: http://marxfood.com/

L.M.F said...

Thank you so much Susan! That was so nice of you to say!I'm glad to know you're out there reading and I hope you get a chuckle here every once in a while, I look forward to "seeing" you around!

L.M.F said...

Emily! you are evil! I went to your sight and now I am craving all that beautiful looking salt! It reminds me of perfume. I love perfume of all kinds and the way it is composed with all the diff notes and combinations. This sounds like the edible version of that! I am doing battle of the bacons right now and will be posting on that soon and I would love to do a battle of the salts too. They sound truly "stunning", if a salt can be that, Hehe!! I entered your contest, thank you so much for posting!