It might be cold, but it sure is cool!

February is usually a pretty cold and miserable enterprise in New England.  It's a time when practical folk escape to places where the only requirements for survival are sunscreen, wispy beach cover-ups, and thirst-quenching umbrella drinks.  I'm not sure what synaptic misfiring went on upstairs when I suggested to family and friends a few years back that we go spend a weekend in a place where the moisture in your nose crystallizes the moment you step outside, and you need a lesson how to sleep in order to survive the night.  I think we discovered that at a certain point, say minus 30 degrees, Fahrenheit and Celsius become pretty much equal by then, no conversion necessary.  It's good to get out of your comfort zone every once in awhile....

Welcome to the Ice Hotel, Quebec, Canada!

Pretty ice carvings abound.

The chapel.

 The cafe.

The Disco.

The Absolut Ice Bar....

....clamoring for something to warm up the pipes with.

Never thought I'd be drinking vodka out of an ice cube. 

One of the "bed" rooms (bed = ice block, pallet, animal hide)

They suggest sleeping nude inside the special sleeping bags....of course the children objected to such a disgusting prospect. We opted for the next best suggestion: non-cotton-fibered material.  Cotton retains moisture, which will make you even colder. Against rational thought, you're to sleep with your face outside of the sleeping bag so as not to produce condensation inside the bag. 

 

Seriously?  At 2AM when I thought my nose was going to fall off from hypothermia I bailed and finished the night in the lodge where our suitcases had a beautiful room with queen beds and luxurious down quilts.  

Out of our lively party of thirteen (six adults, seven children), only four made it all the way through to morning - one dad (Steve) and his three impressively "just do it" teenagers (Melissa, Abby, and Steven).

 This is a really fun and crazy thing to do once in your life.  In all fairness, we happened to pick one of the coldest weekends ever on record.  I think most people could manage the entire night.  They even have honeymoon packages, though I think I'd opt for the sunscreen/umbrella-drink location for that kind of event.  The Hotel de Glace is constructed anew each January, and rooms are available until March, or until they melt.

Missing a little bit of scrumptious.

Every January I do a month-long detox/cleanse.  I always feel incredibly good (and lighter) when I'm done, however that's not to say I don't really miss a few things....wine, salt, cheese, coffee, bread (did I mention wine?), and all my favorite cookbooks.  There are a few regulars in my not-another-taco-night-tonight repertoire, so while I am salivating over what I don't get to eat this month, I can at least get some visual pleasure out of a few staples I photographed this past year:

Smashing up some peas, mint and fava beans ala Jamie Oliver.

This was a delectable meal: 

Smashed peas/fava beans, mozzarella on sourdough toast; grilled peach, bresaola and goat cheese salad (both from Jamie Oliver's Jamie at Home); steamed lobster and lemon butter (fresh from the Atlantic).

 Bubbling Rhubarb Crisp (from Donna Hay Magazine, issue 9)...

 ...this cannot be eaten without a really good quality 'nilly ice cream.

Sweet Roasted Tomatoes with Harissa, Saffron and Labneh (got this out of British House & Garden magazine, Aug. 2008).  You can make your own labneh by straining yogurt mixed with garlic and herbs overnight, or if you're like me and usually decide to do it last-minute,  use a honey goat cheese and it is absolutely delicious.  Must serve with good crusty bread.

 

 Caramelizing garlic with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, herbs.....

...caramelized garlic tart, from the cookbook Plenty (Yotam Ottolenghi)

Asparagus and Potato Tart, Jamie at Home (Jamie Oliver)

Blackberry jam with lemon and basil (I added blueberries too), adapted from The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook (Rachel Saunders)

This was my first canning experience.  I'm hooked.  And I'm now a big fan of adding basil to my jams.

Is it February yet??  I'm hungry!

Bon appétit!

Go on! Take a little walk...

I've been known to complain about the long winters in Connecticut, it's hard to get excited about six months of deadened vegetation and seemingly endless cold, short days.  But I will admit that there is much beauty to be found out the back door.  Even in winter.

Baxter Preserve, North Salem, NY

December 31, 2011

The final day of 2011 is shrouded in fog.

This is dog country.....

.....and horse country.

The first day of 2012 is sparkling with sunshine.

Weir Farm National Historic Preserve,

Ridgefield, CT

Artist-in-Residence historic buildings dot the landscape.

Pick a trail....

....or follow Henry.

Leafless, and appearing lifeless...

 ...there is a sense of peace....

...and yet color will find its way out.

 And what's a hike without a puppy?  

He'll remind you of the wonder of it all!

 Happy 2012 everyone!