What joy we are experiencing. Bonnie has filled the house with the smells of her new recipes. Her Lamb Tagine recipe is nearly ready for a throw-down with the Food Channel's Bobby Flay. Bonnie is able to stand up and trim a whole leg of lamb with the patience it takes to make it into lean bite-size chunks of meat. She works slowly and with deep pleasure as she makes everything "just so" for her kids.
Both of her adult children and three out of four of our precious grandkids are sleeping in the beach house with us tonight. What a bright dinner table we had here. With all of the December birthdays and the various venues for opening Xmas presents and Bonnie's insistence that Christmas has at least 12 days, it is simply a moving feast around here these days.
After last year's Christmas hasty "retreat" back to the hospital, and followed by a lengthy rehabilitation to learn to sit, stand and walk again, it is truly heartwarming to see Bonnie enjoying a REAL Christmas this year. Bonnie is having the time of her life with her kids and grandkids.
Bonnie spends time with each person as if they are the only person in the whole world. Listening, reading books, feeding bottles, playing games, making food and serving ice cream with chocolate sauce. Bonnie is the GrandBee around here. Finally she falls into bed and goes to sleep in minutes. What love her children show her by coming to spend days and nights with her here at the beach.
We thank our friends and family for helping us hold it together to make it to this day. If this were to be the last great day of our lives, life has been truly full.
We send our love and condolences to Rose Ann Charnley and her family this night. Our friend and Interval colleague, Don Charnley passed on Christmas eve at about 11:30 PM. May the four winds blow him safely home.
/Daniel for BanD
I have become a real fan of Tajine too. I have discovered that you can do a great chicken with preserved lemon, and the secret is doing your own pickled lemons. Is it hard or does it take long you ask? No and no. Just kosher salt water, a sharp or even dull knife, a few reasonably clean jars and 10 days. However I ruined my fist tajine when I forgot the remove the pulp before I used the preserved lemons and the salty taste nearly killed everyone.
Then I used some of the preserved lemons in a sugarless BBQ sauce that I made with Chipolte (not sure of that spelling nor is spell check) Happy New Year.
Ken
Posted by: Ken | December 27, 2007 at 12:24 PM
I think I'll have to find a cookbook and look up this "Tangine" Today our 22 year old announced he was leaving school for a quarter to snowboard. He is now gone. Why did I want to raise him to be a free spiri?????? Blessings to all, betsy
Posted by: Betsy Hall | December 27, 2007 at 11:59 PM
Lamb tagine has nothing on "black bean crab" which we are cooking as I type. The one dish that Major ever makes is this succulunt Chinese concoction of crab, black bean, ginger, soy, onions, parsley, and french bread to soak up the juice. It is a messy, wonderful dish and all of our family is together this year to enjoy it. We will crack crab, lick our fingers, eat the crab, burp a bit afterwards and drink beer to cool the spice. The best part, of course, is that Ian, Jess, Steve, Arden, Luke are with me and Major. We too feel totally blessed to be together this holiday. Much love from this Nonny to Gran Bee!
Posted by: Lexy Martin | December 28, 2007 at 08:31 PM