Back!

Sorry, it's been a while.  It's been a busy couple of weeks.

Last week was spring break, and I spent it in 3 different states!  The biggest chunk being in the Windy City.

Unfortunately, Chicago was cold, windy, and rainy.  I guess it gets it's rep for good reason.

I also can't say I did all that much that was green, and the most local I got was a deep dish pizza.

However, I did get my first experience in a Trader Joe's!  Flat Stanley and I were very excited.

From here we stocked our hotel room with some healthy, reasonably-priced snacks and... umm... refreshments...

Who doesn't chill wine in a garbage can?

We also ate some amaaaaazing food...I think because the weather is so crappy, and Chicagoans have nothing better to than eat out, they put great pride in their restaurants and bars.

So that's my excuse! I definitely lack a tan, but I ate and shopped myself silly, and had a wonderful spring break (minus the cold and rain and allergy attack).  Chicago really is a nice city, I just need to return someday in the summer.

And now that spring seems to have finally arrived in Upstate New York, I'll be back soon with something good.  Til then!

Jake Moon Cafe

It's Spring!

Thatcher Park Overlook

OK, the sun isn't exactly out, but it's been warm enough to leave your coat at home, and that's about as much as we can ask for in April.

This weekend was a beautiful one, so on Sunday (which actually started out sunny) I took a road trip out to Clarksville with Capitol to Capital for a brunch at Jake Moon Restaurant and Cafe followed by some outdoor time in Thatcher Park.

Jake Moon is a cutie little diner in the country.  The outside doesn't really reflect the inside or the food, because driving up, it didn't look like much.  Even the inside is simple, but it's decorated in that hippie eclectic way that hints that you should expect something a little different.

And the food.  The food was SO GOOD.

That's mine.  I got the Bennett Hill Scramble, which is three eggs scrambled with wild mushrooms, herbs, and gouda.  I will never eat another mushroom that isn't wild.

My friends got the S.O.S. and the Red Flannel Hash (check out the menu on their website).  All were very good.  The bread is baked right here, and they also have house apple butter and orange marmalade.

I've never had orange marmalade like this before.  Look at those orange slices.  I brought home my own jar, and A took home some apple butter.  If we had known it was only $4.50 I would have bought one of each myself.


Besides making their own bread and condiments, what's even cooler (and why I'm telling you about this place) is that this little cafe makes the attempt to include some local products on their menu, such as apple cider and milk from local farms.

Definitely take the trip out to Jake Moon yourself on the next nice day, and don't forget to stop at one of the many state parks while you're out there.  I forget that I'm so close to so much nature.  Hopefully by my next trip everything will be a little greener and a little more thawed.

EW

See that beetle-shaped black smudge in my empty bowl?

It's a beetle.

It fell from my last bite of sauteed pre-washed spinach from a local supermarket.  Meaning, I probably ate the rest of the family without even knowing it.


Lessons:

Always re-wash your pre-washed.  (Mom, feel free to say, "I told you so.")

This is the extreme scenario proving why I like to make food from scratch myself.  It drives my point home: you can't trust or rely on processing in general.  Know your food, each step of the way. At least when I buy my spinach from the farmers market, there's no illusion: I know I have to wash it, so this doesn't happen.  When it says pre-washed, I want to believe them.  At least it was a beetle and not salmonella.


And I thought I didn't have anything to write about this week.
Maybe this extra protein will get me through yoga tonight...?