Musing it up, cracking self up

It is a spectacularly beautiful day today, so gorgeous that I didn't even mind the forty years it took to walk Percy to our neighborhood CVS and back because he is, as a kennel once told us, "extremely interested in exploring scent."

That is a dog-lover's way of spinning "your dog doesn't want to exercise but rather stick his nose onto the remnants of other animals' (or his own if we pass the same spot twice; smart dog) pee for as long as you'll allow."

A most-appealing tinge of fall is in the air; that slightly crisp chill that causes you to put on a long-sleeve t-shirt before heading out to get the paper and bring the kids to school. It'll dissipate by noon but it's not a mirage. It's the sort of weather that makes everyone love fall and want to bake apple pies and feel nostalgic for who knows what. And it's the sort of weather that never lasts quite long enough.

I'm having the same reaction that I do when spring lets you know it's coming: as if I am a biannual cleaning tornado, I am roaring through my home today. Watch out tchotchkes! Watch out "special papers"! Watch out pretty much everything! 

Also, I have to stay home today to wait for a signature-required package that I did, let me tell you, stay home all day yesterday waiting for but which, natch, came just after I left to get the boys. 

I will prevail today, FedEx. I will get that package. Which is not even for me. #husbandlovestoshop

Bygones. A butterfly just flitted past my window, Percy is snoring contentedly, Nutmeg is MIA (surely trolling the 'hood for who knows what) and I am literally laughing my ass off at a wildly intelligent, priceless exchange going on in a friend's Facebook feed about this video. 

Also I'm laughing because my new tennis racquet arrived and just look at the label!! #freetime #crackingownshitup

Wilson loves Em and Rogie

I'm also laughing because "It's Decorative Gourd Season, Motherfuckers" is again making the rounds. It's spit-out-your-drink funny. On par with the annual haters guide to the Williams-Sonoma catalog. Seriously, go improve your day and read it.

My cold is mostly gone, although were I not in such a good mood I think I'd admit that it's not as improved as I wish it were, the Pope is in town, and in addition to the tureens of soup I've recently cooked, I've also made some delicious other stuff, not least the elephantine kale salad I just made for lunch. 

Seriously, it looks as if I have (or will have) a problem.

My Cameron's smoker box was just waiting to be rediscovered, and I happened upon it just after buying some King salmon the other day. Fortuitous. I spooned some hickory shavings inside and then smoked the fish until it was taut and mahogany-colored but still perfectly moist and tender. Sublime.

Peach and tomato season is rapidly coming to a close, so we had a last round of my favorite salad creation of the summer: Tomato, Peach, Chèvre and Herbs with Apple Vinaigrette. Also sublime. 

Last night was taco night, I'm finishing up yet another plum tart (duh) ,and who knows what this evening will bring, not least because I have literally spent three hours on Facebook today. It's possible we'll have cereal. Actually, that's impossible. But maybe waffles and fried eggs.

OK, I have to go so I can fully commit myself to this giant salad, but I want to leave you with yet another hilarious tidbit. This message, courtesy of my darling Oliver, was written last night in response to an "attack" by Jack who is a really terrific big brother 96% of the time but wasin an epically irritating mood yesterday.

What is POSD and why are the fighters smiling?

Likely you need some translation. 

School is
closed
because
Jack hit
my ear. And he pushed
me down.

Clearly Oliver is a beginner in the spelling department -I mean, in what world are SGOL and POSD school and pushed?- but I love A) that he closed the school he created in and runs out of his room and which no one has yet attended as punishment and B) his accompanying picture with clear action lines provides helpful context. 

I'm still cracking up. Jack was in hysterics too.

A) Poll, B) Smoking chicken

A) Readers, I am on cloud nine. My smile is Joker-wide. I've got an even larger spring in my step than usual. Not only have so many of you voted in yesterday's Future of Em-i-lis Poll but also you have left such thoughtful comments and are full of support. Thank you for the notes, emails, feedback and suggestions. I am flattered, humbled and newly energized. Nearly 80% of you like the way things are; the rest want more in the way of cooking, recipe development, kids and eating, and so forth. I love it! If you haven't already, keep voting and let me know what you think about direction as I commence year 4 of this wonderful journey. Share Em-i-lis with friends, comment when something strikes you, makes you laugh, looks good. I always love to connect with you and hear what's resonating and drawing you back for more.

Thank you! Gracias! Grazie! Merci beaucoup! Danke! Mahalo!

B) Smoking chicken! Two days back, one of my dearest friends, C (mom of the two little girls; we often cry/laugh together; we both love wine; she hates clothes and shopping but I can get past it!), texted to say that I must come over and shop. She and her hubs are renovating their kitchen, and she was in the midst of a serious purge. It all had to go. C is not overly excited about the process of renovating -not least because her interim kitchen will be in her bedroom- and it seemed like the best way I could support her in the short term was to go over, bring her the double burner and microwave we used during our renovation and take as much of her old crap as possible.

People, it was an absolute delight. It was like hitting the gold mine at a flea market but then you find your bill is $0. I got a silpat, (yet another) Microplane, this ridiculously cool soup pot, random pottery, other odds and ends AND a stovetop smoker box. She had two of these puppies (despite the fact that a) she doesn't like smoked foods and b) is a vegetarian; not that you can only smoke meats but that is a common object of smoking), and I chose the smaller, unsure if I'd use it regularly or watch it collect dust at my house rather than hers.

I used it last night to smoke a chicken breast, and suffice it to say that after one bite, I texted C and asked if the larger box was still up for grabs. Happily, it is now mine.

This is such a great contraption. Made by Cameron's, it's a stainless, multi-part box with a sliding lid and one of those cool folding handles. You simply place some finely chopped woodchips (Cameron's sells these too though I'm sure you could use any woodchips that you might already have for your grill) into the bottom of the box, place the drip tray directly on top of those, put whatever food you're smoking on the wire rack (C no longer had this so I simply put the chicken on a piece of foil directly on to the drip tray), slide the lid shut and place over medium heat on the stove.

Thirty minutes later, voila! I carefully opened the box, and a languid stream of hickory-infused smoke seemed to wind directly into my nose. I loooove smoked meats, love the smell of smokiness (when food-related) and so was utterly entranced. I like the the color smoked meat becomes; a perfect golden pinky-salmon that looks as lovely as it should and likely will taste.

While the chicken was smoking, I rummaged through my crisper drawers (my spring cleaning buzz has most definitely extended into the fridge, and I've been tossing or using everything I see) and found a small bulb of fennel and a half-head of Savoy cabbage. I thought a warm slaw-like salad would be a lovely base for sliced smoked chicken, so heated a little butter (2T) in a large skillet set over medium heat, added one thinly sliced clove of garlic and the fennel and cabbage (both thinly sliced), a half-teaspoon each of fennel and caraway seeds, drizzled some oil over the top and sprinkled generously with kosher salt and some fresh pepper.

Using my trusty olivewood spoon, I gently tossed all that together until the oil and butter were pretty evenly coating the veggies. Then I covered the skillet, turned the heat down just a hair, and steamed everything until it started melting together; not mushy but with a lovely softness balancing the residual crunch of the fennel and cabbage. When the chicken was done, I thinly sliced and placed it over the veggie sauté.

Honestly, it was delicious. Absolutely delicious. Simple, healthy, bright and just all-around comforting. I'll write up the recipe soon.

Since there is none left, I'm off to pull together some lunch. Having just remembered that there is pumpkin ravioli in the fridge and a small bunch of sage, I think I know just what I'll enjoy.

Thank you again everyone. I am really, really thankful!