Love in a Lunch Box

School lunch.  In this case, camp lunch.  Lil' Bit set forth for her first week at Montessori summer camp on Monday, and for the first time as a mother I had to pack her a lunch.  

There is much to consider when packing your child a lunch.  First of all the container, or box if you may.  There are soo many different types of lunch boxes out there, but I settled on a panda bento box.  It is small, requires no plastic bags, and is absolutely adorable don't you think?

As far as the contents go, I feel like a teacher can tell a lot about a parent according to the lunch they pack their child.  I roasted a chicken on Sunday and had a grandiose plan to make Lil' Bit a gorgeous roasted chicken sandwich.  She was going to be the kid with a gourmet lunch so good that the teachers would be envious.  But alas, the lunches at this camp are not refridgerated so that means you are limited to foods that can hold up at room temp for hours, unless you pack an ice pack...but that is impossible unless you put the bento box into a lunch pack...which just seems like overkill....although having the ice pack would open up a world of lunch possibilities.  Something to think about. 

  

I have been racking my brain as to what to make her for 10 separate lunches over the next 2 weeks.  We don't eat lunch meat unless it is organic, which means it lacks preservatives...so the deli sandwiches we eat at home regularly are out.  In fact, we don't each much of any food that has preservatives so I have been racking my brain as to what to make Lil' Bit.  Thus so far she has had a hummus with carrots and pita for dipping, fruit and cheese meal and the traditional fail safe Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich with a side of crackers and fruit.  Lil' Bit loves pasta so I am going to whip up some pesto, and search for some other pasta salad recipes to work into the mix.

When I was a kid, my mom was a working gal, and while she did pack us lunches on occasion we usually ate from the school meal plan.  When Mom did make us lunch she always wrote a little love note on our napkins.  I still remember those napkins to this day...full of x's and o's and the word "Mom" sprawled in cursive across the flimsy paper.  I have been carrying on the tradition, only taking it to the next level.  Lil' Bit gets a little drawing on each napkin.  They are rudimentary, but she loves them all the same.  Today when she opens her lunch she will be greeted by a little dog wagging its tail.

The ritual of making my daughter lunch every night has been really cathartic.  It is a new ritual of nourishment that allows me to really think about how I can connect with her while she is apart from me the following day.  I suppose I have a lifetime of such rituals to develop as Lil' Bit and The Sprout grow into women.  Parenthood allows you to find joy in the most mundane places, like love in a lunch box.

The Poisoning of Pumpkin

This is Pumpkin.  She is one of Lil' Bit's best friends, but a nemesis of mine.  Pumpkin is terribly adorable, but can not be trusted under any circumstance.  She is full of shenanigans.

Pumpkin was born on Halloween in 2005.  Her parents, Lucy and Bud, belong to good friends of ours. Her mother, Lucy, a cocker spaniel, had been living with her father, Bud, a beagle jack russell mix, for years. The two dogs tolerated each other, like older step-siblings, forced to co-habitate due to their owner's matrimony.    

Our friends decided they wanted cocker puppies, so they sent Lucy to a breeder to get knocked up.   They watched as Lucy's belly grew and patiently waited for her litter of beautiful purebred cockers...but alas Bud and Lucy had another plan.  When Lucy went into labor and the first puppy came out with spots it was evident that Bud and Lucy had found love, or at least had a round of casual sex that resulted in a pack of gorgeous mutts.

At the time, Chef was opening his restaurant and his dog, Clancy a fox hound/lab mix, the handsome devil, spent most of his days and nights alone.  I told Chef that Clancy needed a sidekick to keep him company at home, and Pumpkin was the perfect fit. 

I often find Pumpkin standing on top of our kitchen table eating any food left unattended.  If Lil' Bit has food in hand, lets say a piece of cheese, Pumpkin will sneak up behind her and gently snatch it from her little fingers.  Pumpkin enjoys diapers as well as other bathroom garbage can goodies, and can always be counted upon to act as a mini vacuum cleaner whenever Lil' Bit sits down for a meal.

Most recently, Pumpkin's last snack attack resulted in a phone call to the vet.  After a particularly harrowing day Chef brought me home a lovely chocolate bar.  Organic 80% cocoa with seasalt and hazelnuts. I nibbled on it and left it on our coffee table.  I went into the other room to check on The Sprout, and when I returned there was nothing left but the paper wrapper.  The little bitch was stretched out on the floor looking lethargic, yet satisfied.

Pumpkin is a small dog, and it was a pretty large chocolate bar she had ingested.  It was highly likely that her little snack attack could poison her...although death by chocolate is not a bad way to go if you ask me. 

The veterinarian told us to pour hydrogen peroxide down her throat to get her to vomit.  This is what we did...and the poor pup puked a puddle of muddy foam all over our porch.  The she went and hid behind the rocking chair for fear of another bubbly shot from the brown bottle.

Pets are seemingly always eating things they shouldn't.  This is the second time I have been witness to the hydrogen peroxide treatment to avoid poisoning.  The first time was my friend's dog Kanu who ate rat poison.  Hydrogen peroxide saved his life as well.  This technique is the best way to get an animal to rid itself of something hazardous.

I just thought you might like to know...it may come in handy some day.

Lunch with Mrs. Secretary

Lil' Bit received this Hillary Clinton figurine as a gift from my brother-in-law.  The figurine is somewhat mannish, a thick neck and large beefy hands, which to be honest I found to be slightly offensive.  Why is it that culturally we tend to give powerful women masculine qualities?  

My daughter demanded that she wanted to nap with "Lady."  I had no idea what toy she was referring to, and when she fished out Hillary R. Clinton from her toy box I couldn't help but laugh.  Prior to actual sleep, the former FLOTUS took a nose dive through the railings of the crib, which resulted in Lil' Bit crying out for me to help rescue her.  I decided that it best for Lady not to take a nap, and told Lil' Bit she could have lunch with her later on.

The first word out of Lil' Bit's mouth upon awakening was "Lady?"  I handed her the Secretary of State and Lil' Bit held her close as we made our way down stairs for lunch.  The two gals dined on turkey sandwiches, carrot sticks and hummus, with a side of strawberries.  Lil' Bit gave Secretary Clinton a hummus facial, and a turkey body wrap.  It was a luncheon to be remembered by all.

The 4th of July is a celebration of our independence as a nation, and it spent honoring our forefathers that spurred our revolution...but I think we all need to also take time to celebrate our foremothers...the First Ladies of our nation.  

Martha Dandridge Curtis Washington

Abigail Smith Adams

Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson

Dolley Payne Todd Madison

Elizabeth Kortright Monroe

If you would like to learn more about the lives of these strong women of our nation check out

this website...http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/first-ladies

Have a great holiday weekend!

Summer Garden

I thought this week I would share some pictures from our 29 South garden.  The heat is obscene here.  After a sweltering lunch on the restaurant porch last week the thermostat in my car read 112 degrees, and dropped to a cool 105 as I cruised home.  That is with almost 100% humidity mind you.  It is disgusting. Unbearable. Maddening heat.


In this excruciating weather there is a woman who has kept our garden flourishing.  Her name is Shannon and she has been a life saver.  I want to share some of her work here...I give her full credit for taking my sprouts and nurturing them to fruit.  It is by her hand that this garden survived this season.

Like a pepper plant, Shannon is petite but has a bounty of energy.  She is a yoga teacher, volunteers with the Boys and Girls Club to help tend their garden, as well as the garden co-ordinator for the 9th Street Community Garden.  I don't know how she manages to do it all.

I put my trust in her to care for our lovely little green space, and from the Red Velvet Okra....

to the blackberry bushes which barely fruited last year, but this year are dripping with berries...the garden is gorgeous.

I took this picture last week, and now the berries are ripe and a gallon was harvested today.  It is extraordinary how quickly fruits and vegetables peak in this heat.  You have to catch them fast, before the bugs do...and luckily I have a wonderful lady who has her eye on the ball for me.  Thank you for working your magic Shannon!

                                       

To Life

The Sprout turned 3 months this week.  Unbelievable.  This is reason to celebrate.  She made it through "the fourth trimester."  Humans come out not quite fully cooked, so to speak.  As a species we are not even able to hold our own heads up for months after birth, while other mammals...like horses...are strolling around with their mothers in a matter of hours.


To watch the first 3 months of human life for a second time has been extraordinary.  With Li' Bit I was just so overwhelmed with the insanity brought on by sleep deprivation combined with the pressure of keeping her alive that I did not have the peace of mind to observe what was really happening.  No longer a rookie at newbie handling, I am exhausted, but much more relaxed with The Sprout, so I am able to enjoy the beautiful filthy dawning of a human life.

The soul begins awakes from a deep sleep during the first and second months...it is a slow and somewhat painful process as it starts the body's engine.  The body's systems are set in motion...the nervous system with spastic flailing, the digestive system with lets just say...a good cleaning of the pipes from both ends and the other systems of the body jerk into drive. By the third month it seems like the soul has the clutch down, but is still learning the gears. 


While that first true smile melted my heart in month 2, it was when The Sprout found her hand and recognized it as her own in month 3 that really struck me.  About three weeks ago she raised her tiny fist three inches from her face and stared at it cross eyed.  She held it there for about ten minutes, studying it intently.  I was afraid her eyes were going to be stuck crossed she was looking so hard at her hand.  She did this off and on through out the day, for about a week until one day she slowly brought it to her mouth. 


The Sprout began sucking on her fist with such vigor that it made a terrible slurping sound.  It was almost disturbing to watch.  The first time I thought maybe she was hungry, but then she did it after nursing.  Slurping, sucking, and gulping at her hands in a frenzy.  I just looked at her and thought, "Newborns are so weird."

The movement of bringing hand to mouth is probably the one of the most important motion in a hand's repetoire don't you think?  There are so many sensations involved with the hand in the mouth.  The taste of salt for the first time in sweat being one of them.


Recent studies show that this movement is actually embedded in the general list of spastic reflexes that make newborns so squirmy. But the moment they recognize that hand as something they can control, when it is no longer a spastic reflex but a tool...that is when you see the lightbulb ignite behind your child's eyes.  She sees her body for the first time as her own, and it is a powerful moment.


A tiny fist raised high in the air... I think "Power to the people."  But really, it is an image that can be summed up in two words, L' Chiam!  To life.  

Drool Puddle

This week at 29 South we debuted a new menu...our classics are still there, but thought you might like to know what Chef and his crew have up their sleeves this summer season...just giving you fair warning before you read this post that you might want to grab a hankie to mop up the drool.

A Simple Crust of Bread : This is brilliant.  A crostini with whatever Chef deems a worthy spread on any given evening. This particular evening the crusty bread was topped with creamed brussels sprouts and Benton Country Ham.

Pan Roasted Scallops:  This pretty little dish includes two perfectly pan roasted scallops sitting on either side of a sweet corn flan that is good enough to slap your grandma with a carrot and a pea coulis...flavor and color totally spot on.

Classic Frisse Salad:  I love frisse.  Love it.  And let me tell you, I would not normally think to eat a poached egg on salad, but the yolk drizzle with the herb dressing is fantastic.  The house cured lardon...chunks of chewy salty pork heaven...way better than croutons.

Chef's Foie Burger:  A half pound of Waygu Beef/Foie Gras Blend on a buttered kaiser roll topped with summer truffle brie, Benton's Country Ham, and a Conner Farm egg sunny-side up...it is worth the heart attack...I promise.

Thai Bouillabaisse:  This tastes as beautiful as it looks.  A bouquet of sea life swimming in Forbidden Rice (Chinese black rice) and a curried nage, topped with lotus root and cilantro salad.  In other words, gorgeous.

Smoked Painted Hills Short Rib:  This piece of meat is not for the peckish eater.  Lacquered in blackstrap molasses it is a rib to be reckoned with to say the least.  I love that it comes with a side of homemade pickles.

Wild Salmon:  The best thing I ate this tasting...a lovely piece of fish on a pile of scrumptious roasted mushrooms in a pool of parsnip puree that just melts in your mouth, topped with minted smashed peas and Zinfandel syrup...this dish is bright, lush and wonderfully savory.  

And for dessert...the perfect compliment to a Foie Burger...a microbrew root beer float.  I am a huge float fan, and this is the perfect thing to sip after a big meal on a steamy summer night.

TADAAAA!  What did I tell you?  Drool puddle.

Whew!

Last weekend marked the end of a maddening May!  This final month of Spring just buzzed by...don't you think?

Our month in a nut shell: 

With a newborn and two year old in tow we spent 2 weekends traveling, welcomed three rounds of house guests, threw an impromptu wedding...oh and I almost forgot Chef survived a minor surgery.

The beautiful thing is that we did it without killing each other. Which is a definite reason to celebrate..hence the empty bottle of Krug. Kidding...that was from the wedding reception, if you could call it that.

We kicked off the wedding weekend with a rehearsal dinner...the bride and groom, their 3 small children, our 2 little ones, Chef and I crowded around a big wooden table in the 29 South garden.  It was the first time we have dined in the restaurant garden and it was absolutely perfect.  It was wonderful just to let the kids roam around the beds while we enjoyed a leisurely meal.

The following morning we snuck onto the deck of one of this area's premiere wedding venues and held a renegade service.  We met at 10 am. I took pictures of the wedding party (all 5 of them) while Chef went and picked up the officiant.  Chef thought that the bride and groom were going to be dressed "resort casual" so that is what he told the officiant.  This turned out to be a miscommunication...the groom was wearing a suit, the bride a white dress, the officiant in a Hawaiian shirt.  At 11 am, a 15 minute service was held on a deck overlooking the saltwater marsh.

I photographed the service, Chef was videographer, and Lil' Bit was...I hate to say it...official winer.  She chanted "I hungry Mommmmy!" at the top of her lungs during the entire affair, while The Sprout looked on from her car seat.  Luckily the ring bearer was a 2 year old, and the flower girl just 4 herself, the best man 9 years of age...so needless to say the bride and groom had a sense of humor about our hungry toddler. After the knot was tied we all took off for lunch poolside.


That evening, the new family came to our house and the reception was held at our kitchen table.  Chef prepared an Argentine asado, a.k.a meat fest, in honor of the groom's heritage.  For dessert we all shared a bottle of Krug.


It was a tiny beautiful destination wedding, and Chef and I felt honored to have been a part of it.


There is something to be said about small intimate weddings.  You really feel like you are witnessing something truly special when you are sharing the experience with just a handful of people.  This is the second itty bitty wedding Chef and I have been lucky enough to have received an invite.

The first was in 2007, a destination wedding in Virgin Gorda, BVI.   I spent the morning on a deserted Caribbean beach with the bride and the best man's wife, while Chef, the groom and the best man spent their time scuba diving.  We reconnected at sunset for a beach service and the reception was simply a dinner of fresh seafood at a local restaurant with a dance floor.  It was the best wedding I have ever been to... the only way to do it.


Intimate, authentic, and remote...those are my three choice words for my ideal destination wedding...and being a writer for a wedding magazine I suppose you could consider me somewhat of an expert...although I have no intention of getting hitched myself.  Chef and I prefer to be on the other side of the officiant..Happily unmarried.