It's Only Once a Year

During one of my recent telephone chats with a  friend I mentioned that I was drinking a glass of eggnog (Borden's no less), and she gasped, "I never touch the stuff. It's so fattening!". I replied, "It's only once a year.". She continued, "True, but it goes right to my hips.".   I started thinking about my friend and her slim form and wondered how she has always maintained her weight. It could be due to the fact that she eats like a bird-her idea of a binge is a cookie-Yes one cookie! I tend to play yo-yo with my weight moving from holiday to holiday-indulging in all my seasonal favorites and depriving myself in-between. Let's see, there's foie gras, pecan pie and let's not forget Mexican wedding cookies at Christmas (oh yea, can't leave out the eggnog and the ice cream cake). Moving into January we have the Galette des Rois which my family and I eat throughout the month, it is a French tradition after all!  Next comes Easter with all those marshmallow bunnies known sweetly as "Peeps" that have that sugary coating that can make you sick real quick. Easter also includes chocolate...how many praline eggs can you eat in one sitting?

June and July bring us the warm weather and with it-barbecue. Living as an ex-pat in France pushes me to stay in touch with my Southern roots and besides, who ever heard a heaping plate of pulled pork that wasn't accompanied by some potato salad, cornbread and a glass of sweet tea? Last summer I made homemade ice cream non-stop. I was trying to do the Julie-Julia thing with David Leibowitz's Ice Cream cookbook and I had great fun. In September I took on figs and made so many fig dishes that my husband begged me not to serve them again. October is Halloween, which means those delicious candy corns are hanging around the house and as cold weather appears -stews and sauces are in - fruit and salads are out.

After thinking hard about all of this I realized that Only once a Year perhaps merited a little reflection. I recently read a very funny book called, "Somebody Will Be With You Shortly" by Lisa Kogan. This autobiography  is a real hoot and the author spouts some rather astute observations about life in general. Here's a little excerpt, "I have spent the best years of my life growing out bangs, searching for a good bra and wishing I were skinny. (Here's a tip for anybody who's looking to drop a few pounds: Wishing doesn't do it.)".

How true! If I really want to reclaim the body that I had 10 years ago (like Regine Dukan invites me to do regularly on e-mail) then wishing it just isn't going to cut it. Could I really practice moderation and have just one chip, one cookie,  one bite?  I doubt it,  but maybe I could up my exercise to counter my overindulgences. The health advisor for the Oprah Winfrey magazine says that we need to do at least 30 minutes of exercise everyday no matter what. That means if there's a snowstorm I still have to get out there and walk. The article also included any major catastrophe such as hurricane, earthquake etc...Are they kidding me? Why in October I was already backing off from my regular running routine as soon as the first brisk breeze hit me. Other excuses have included: Consoling a friend who was having marital problems, dusting, talking on the phone, reading, and there's also the time my ipod was on the blink...who can walk without music? As lame as these excuses sound,  the truth is ...I really don't like to exercise! The water is always too cold at the pool, my legs hurt every time I do those leg crunches and eating and  drinking coffee and chatting with my friends is so much more fun!  I mean it's the whole breaking bread with others thing (or not but breaking bread anyway!).

I do have to admit, however, that I ALWAYS feel better when I do it.You know what this is leading up don't you? Yes indeed those inevitable New Year's resolutions. While reaching the height of my spiritual growth and writing that book I've been meaning to get around to will not make the list this year- I do intend to get  my body out of  bed on a regular basis, leave my current book and computer behind,  and gear up for my thrice weekly run (ok, jog/walk). I will try not to buy the chips, candy and other temptations that I simply cannot resist, and I will do  this without regret. As I was walking into the local store this morning I said to myself, Nikki, you can grow older gracefully, with humour and try your best to be beautiful -or you can grow old with regret for the past (when I had more elasticity). Quite frankly I'd be a fool if I didn't go for the former.

As time goes by, we let go of some dreams along the way, I know that I will never play the guitar despite the book (Play Guitar in 10 Easy Lessons) and guitar in my attic.  But our bodies are the one thing we can never let fall by the wayside. In an effort to maintain mine  I decided to take up tennis 2 years ago and learned that I can still be passionate about something besides a potato chip. Self-image is crucial and I finally feel good in my skin. In this new year I shall choose to feel good about myself despite my weight or wrinkles. As Forest Gump's Mama always says, "Pretty is is pretty does." so I shall just do Pretty as well as I can! Happy New Year!

P.S. Check out the picture...it's my first homemade Galette des Rois!

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Ding Dong

Ding Dong merrily on ...sigh, my ears are gently ringing. Ding Dong merrily on...sigh-my son  has just stopped screaming.
Gloria....Gloria...Gloria...

Only once a year-lots of build up but gone in a flash! Is it worth all the worry, stress, pondering, time and trips to the store? You bet.

Who would have known that my husband's favorite gift would be the alarm clock/gadget that changes colors and has nature sounds? I'm no fool-I knew as soon as I saw the instruction booklet that his beautiful leather briefcase would be stowed away in a corner whilst he perused the pages of the mystery clock which I will surely never be able to figure out. This is truly one of those "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" situations.

Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas....la, la, la, la, la, la,

I had a fight with a hanger and why it's my husbands fault

They say you have to pick your battles and out there in the real world I do okay with that. In general, I can let the things slide, not react to provocation and coast along pretty well with the bumps and grinds that life swings my way. At home it is another story...When I'm all alone (that's me, my personal jury which has an opinion about everything, and let's not forget my inner demons willing to jump at the chance to remind me that life is in fact, tortuous). Yesterday, I chose to wrestle with a coat hanger situated within my tangled web of a closet where everything I EVER want to wear is inaccessible to me. How could that be? Well- that is a good question to ask my 6ft4 husband who installs every cupboard, cabinet or shelf at least 6 inches too high for me to reach...Yes, I am thankful that he at least assembles the occasional purchase, but how is it that there are always leftover screws and a drawer that won't quite pull out without some serious muscle?

Once his mission is accomplished and the aforementioned cupboard/cabinet is put together he gives me very specific instructions which always imply that I'm a brute and break everything in the house. Now I am sorry but appliances can only live so long, especially the ones bought with my fidelity points at the grocery store and that were made in Russia! I remember the time we got a phone that way, it worked perfectly fine as long as you didn't need to telephone anyone whose number had a 9 in it!

Ironically despite the fact that every time I ask him to repair something he reminds me that he is a lawyer and not McGyver, he refuses to let me call a professional. As things stand now, the toilet is NOT running constantly but my dear hubby patrols the bathroom door checking everyone's flushing technique. Here's how he explains it:  "A gentle and quick tap on the button, but whatever you do-Don't hold it for longer than 30 seconds or the damn may flood!".

I should just be grateful for the crooked bookshelf and the extra exercise I get going to get a stool every time I need a dish or a dress-at least I don't have to do it...

Random Acts of Kindness

I was never much of a believer in "random acts of kindness", mostly because I had rarely, if ever, been the receiver of one. Then about 5 years ago as I was riding the bus to work in Paris, minding my own business like any good Parisian  (that prevents one from having to give up a seat BTW), when an elderly lady beside me began to talk. Before I knew it, I was having a delightful conversation with the most charming of women. She was very curious about my culinary interests and when I confided in her that I was a real" Foodie" who spent lots of time pouring over cookbooks, she made me a proposal I couldn't turn down. "Meet me in front of the Louvre tomorrow at 1:00 and I will give you my most treasured cookbook!". She explained that she  only has one child, a son,  who wasn't interested in cooking and she would like to give it to someone who would put it to good use. Being the optimistic person that I am, I took her for her word and showed up the next day in a timely fashion. Sure enough, after only waiting a minute or two, she came to greet me with a divine French cookbook. titled  "Le Livre de Cuisine de Mme E. Saint-Ange" dated 1926. It's a real gem and I refer to it often for basic French recipes and techniques.

One year later I found myself in the post office of my local village when I heard a lady speaking French with an American accent. I couldn't help but laugh as I listened to her struggling a bit with the postal worker. I introduced myself and she proceeded to tell me that she was returning to the States that very morning and would I like two big bags of pecans she had intended for someone else. I said,  "Yes Mam",  and that's how I ended up making all those pecan balls and pecan pies that Christmas. We exchanged addresses and this kind person has continued to send me and my family Christmas goodies every year.

I just love these stories because they reaffirm to me what the Christmas spirit is all about. It just goes to show you that you never know who you're standing next to in line-they might just be your new friend you haven't met yet!

Spotify

My girlfriend recently told me about this great website Spotify, where you can listen to an album in its entirety -whoops-a senior moment-I meant CD. For my friend it was an opportunity to check out the new Rhianna CD, for me it was an excuse to revisit my 20's ...I was in Heaven on Friday- as the snow blanketed the countryside I listened to George Winston's December. I was suddenly back in Boston seeing snow for the first time in my life. Being a Southerner, the closest thing I experienced to snow was sticking my head in the ice maker of the Holiday Inn-I loved the cool air, the quiet and the relief from those sticky, breeze-less Florida  summers. I was so enamored with this site that I was sure that my husband would be too. On Saturday morning I put on Steely Dan's AJA CD. As jazzy sounds played in the kitchen, my husband's rumblings could be heard. He blew his top at Black Cow and actually turned off my computer...OK-it's true I do change the radio station when his old French favorites come on - but I  am tolerant in other ways...Is this what they mean "For Better and For Worse"? Marriage is about compromise, (preferably him compromising and me agreeing that he should)so rather than try and persuade him of the musical merits of "Aja" (a true departure from previous albums which were much more rock), I shall happily listen to my old albums when he's not around. I'm pretty sure he would have more to say about : Little River Band, Joni Mitchell, and the Doobie Brothers...and as we used to say-"Keep on Truckin..."

Uncle Mike's Spicy Shrimp over Linguini

Finally over my stomach pains  I was craving something delicious and spicy (the spicy part was surely not helping my sensitive stomach) but tasty always wins out over reasonable. I am sorry but low-sodium diets are for hospitals and old folks homes and I'm not there yet! Here's one of the most delicious and  quick shrimp dishes I know of and it's all thanks to my brother in-law's fine ways in the kitchen...

 For 4 people

Ingredients for the sauce:
800 grams of fresh shrimp-peeled & deveined
1 garlic clove crushed
2 cartons of whole cream (50cl)
Louisiana hot sauce (to taste-at least 1 tablespoon but I used 2)
1 bottle of clam sauce
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Begin by putting on your water (salted)  for pasta in a large heavy pan, then get started on  your sauce while you're preparing you shrimp. In a medium sized saucepan sauté the garlic for 2 minutes in olive oil, once slightly golden add you clam juice, cream and hot sauce and cook on low until sauce thickens (about 20-25 minutes). As soon as the pasta is ready drop the shrimp in the cream sauce for 2 minutes max then serve directly over pasta. Season with fresh pepper.

As I live in France , it's not always easy to get your hands on some of these ingredients so you have to be inventive. For the clam sauce I drain the juice from a can of tuna. I actually have Louisiana hot sauce but I imagine you could use red pepper flakes and /or a little Tabasco for the kick needed. Lastly I don't put any herbs in this because, frankly, Uncle Mike got it just right but I did happen to have a little leftover grated Parmesan cheese mixed in with lemon zest and I just threw it in at the end and it was sooooooooo good.

Happy Eating!

Aches & Pains

Getting sick on a holiday week-end is no fun as we all know. Getting sick , in general is a real drag although there's nothing like a batch of intestinal flu to help lose those extra pounds that have been hanging around. This compounded with throwing out my back has made this a truly memorable week-end. I do have to say that if awards were given out for "husbands of the week" then mine would  win, bringing me aspirin, pulling up the covers and entertaining our 10 year old-his qualities are innumerable . Keeping to our commitment of a get-together this afternoon with friends I show up-bundled up to the gills and  an ice pack stuffed down my trousers. Being the great friends that they are, they gave me lots of medical advice, homemade soup and before you knew it I had completely forgotten about all my aches and pains. Apart from the brief discussion on menstrual cycles and colonoscopies it was a delightful afternoon. It's true what they say-laughter truly is healing...now I shall limp back to my kitchen and try and muster up something to feed my brood....