...are just over Jill's head... that's the measurement on the glass, which is one of four fable-themed sippers that I bought awhile back at Fishs Eddy. And that's about how I feel right now, just like Jill taking a tumble down that darn hill. Jack's no help, of course. You can't see him but he's off in the distance, dazed, sitting next to the pale of spilt booze. There's only one thing Jill can do to get out of this tricky situation... That's right. And there's nothing wrong with a nightcap on a Sunday evening after a long week of falling down. (Does the word nightcap remind you of The Love Boat or is just me? It also reminds me of someone who once took me out on a non-date of sorts and asked me if I would like to go for a nightcap. I thought who says that? And then I thought, is it ethical to take one of your patients on a date? Because you don't ask someone if they would like to enjoy a nightcap unless you are on a date.)
Anyway, that is neither here, no there, really. What's here is a glass of bourbon, me and a family of four at odds upstairs. What's here is me with a large pot, a five-piece canning set, a book with lots of instructions and no ramps. Or jars for that matter.
I know they are out there because I ate some earlier this week with a delicious pork loin at Colicchio and Sons on 15th Street and 10th Avenue. I was almost beside myself when I read the menu. 'Are they real ramps?' I asked the waitress. She assured me they were and noted how they are here and then gone before you know it. That was Wednesday, and Friday came and went without even a moment to wander through the Greenmarket.
The dining experience at Colicchio and Sons was fabulous. I started with a corpse reviver which seemed most appropriate after my afternoon. The amuse-bouche was a shooter of creamy soup topped with truffle oil. (By the way, isn't the amuse-bouche--that complimentary one-bite nugget from the chef--one of the best concepts ever?) For a starter, I ordered a slow cooked egg with fresh peas and a Parmesan crisp over top--filling enough to be a meal, which is why I had so much leftover pork. But who is complaining--they take your leftovers and refrigerate them while you finish your meal. Now, that, my friends, is brilliant! And, they gave us all a banana chocolate-chip muffin to go for breakfast. Lovely!
So it seems that ramps are available. In the week I had failed to stroll through the Greenmarket, they had poked their savory leaves up out of the earth.
I anticipated I would be writing about my lovely pickled ramps. But, I have failed. I found most of what I need to can yesterday at Brooklyn Kitchen. It was a long journey because I misread 100 Frost Street as 100 Front Street. DUMBO vs. Williamsburg = several trains and lots of NYT crosswords on my phone.
Brooklyn Kitchen is a very cool spot. They have canning, beer brewing and baking supplies as well as many other fun items and a meat counter. I picked up a bottle of Fee Brothers Plum Bitters, this week's gastronomic delight of the week. Those bitters went very well in a dessert cocktail with some homemade pear vodka from my boss and a bit of elderflower liqueur. Yum!
That's all I have this week, ladies and g's. I hope those ramps will be around several more weeks because I will be out of town most of this week. Three plane rides should give me enough time to read about avoiding botulism. Yikes!
Stay tuned!
Gorgeous photos!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Mushrooms are fun!
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