Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Cheese, Chapels, and Cubes..



Have you ever noticed how much toothpaste is actually left in the tube when it seems empty?

What caused that, I don’t know (well, actually just the voice of experience).

Not too much going on lately, just a few this and that’s…

Cheese Please!

We joined another couple for dinner at Bistro Belle Maison last Friday, and experienced the “new” menu which will remain more or less constant for a while, and the daily specials are on a chalk board on the wall.  Gone is the little letter sized single page with just small and main plates.  The “new” is larger, and I think without counting there may have been more selections on this menu than the old one pager.  Personally I liked the little one, but then I don’t run the place. One of the options on the menu was a Duck Confit, which I was attracted to, but a bout with a delicate stomach lately steered me toward a Coq au Vin selection.

Normally, I begin an evening dinner with a cocktail, and lately I have sort of steered away from my DMOTRWAT when going out, because: a) I don’t want to go through the hassle of explaining or returning the DM, and b) I have taken to having my cocktails “up” so they are not watered down (so no OTR), and c) they are much more attractive that way.   So generally when out, I will have a martini, generally with gin, although Gray Goose gets the nod occasionally.  And all the drinks get a lemon twist (so the WAT still applies).  And, any drink served up with clear alcohol should be stirred, not shaken.  Hey! Wait a minute Bottom Feeder!!  What about that iconic bon vivant James Bond who always wanted his (vodka) martini “Shaken, not Stirred”?  well, I thought the same thing, and found a little article that purportedly addressed that very point.  A team of doctors in England conducted a thorough study of the famous spy.   Apparently every December they undertake a somewhat tongue in cheek study, and in 2013 they launched an investigation based on their premise: “Ideally, vodka martinis should be stirred, not shaken,” the researchers report in the British Medical Journal’s Christmas issue. “That Bond would make such an elementary mistake in his preferences seemed incongruous with his otherwise impeccable mastery of culinary etiquette.””  After dissecting all Fleming’s novels of Bond, they came to the conclusion that: The heavy-drinking 007 most likely suffered from an alcohol-induced tremor that forced him to shake his martinis. In fact, they argue, the British Secret Intelligence Service agent with a license to kill consumed so much alcohol that he ought to be dead”  if you would like to read the full article, I’ll include the link here.

Whew, anyway, a shaken (up) martini will get watered down, and will be served with a myriad of little bubbles which destroys the crystal clear appearance of the drink.  Back to the point, the last time I was at the Bistro they had Green Hat Gin (distilled in DC), along with others (including Hendrick’s which I don’t so much care for).  So I tried that, it was a bit floral but different, so I asked if they had that this time.  No, they didn’t but they did have Half Moon Orchard Gin, a New York product distilled from wheat and apples.  Okay, I’ll try that.  I actually liked it better than (I remembered) the Green Hat.  Wasn’t quite as herbal and not overpoweringly floral.   I haven’t looked for it locally, but on the web the damn stuff is expensive, at least on a single bottle retail basis.

Finally getting around to the food, we ordered a cheese plate for the table, a chalk board Seared Ahi Tuna, two Coq au Vins and MFO two small plates, a beet salad and some little turkey meat balls.  Tough to find a good cheese plate around here, but if you’re a cheese head (non football) this one is a keeper.  Large portions, obviously just cut, and a great selections of soft, hard, sheep and cow.  Lovely.. 

Chapel Update (a quick change of subject here)

Folks by this time should know that I volunteer at Historic St. Mary’s City as a “Chapvol” during the time when the museum is open.  Meaning I sit out there in the rain or sweltering heat or on the occasional nice days and tell museum visitors about the reconstructed brick chapel of 1667.  I enjoy telling folks about the history of the original chapel, and the effort that went into the reconstruction.  And it is always entertaining hearing what they are interested in, or not (“How much of this is original?”).

Anyway, most people know three lead coffins were discovered in 1990 within the chapel and between archeology and research and a bit of putting two and two together, it is believed that they contained the remains of Philip Calvert, his first wife Anne Wolsley, and a child by (perhaps) Philip’s second wife.  The discovery was a major archeological event, and the raising was a great undertaking,  The were considered such a valuable find that they spent four years featured in an exhibit in the National Museum of Natural History called “Written in Bone” which proved to be immensely popular.  So finally they were returned to the City.  We are planning to return them to their original location, with a glass ceiling so they can be viewed.

So recently excavation within the chapel began, preparing a crypt area for their viewing.  I went down the other day and got a few shots of the volunteers at work.  By being the photographer you can avoid any suggestions that you pick up a shovel.  It is hard work.  I felt sorry for them (not enough to join in).. Fill up the wheel barrow, wheel it outside, dump it, bring it back, do it again.







Repeat as necessary.  It should be an exciting exhibit when the Museum opens to the public again in late march.  Make your plans to come and see us after March!




17th century transportation outside the chapel

Ice not in cubes

Did you slip and slide this morning?  It was nice when it was on the trees and not the streets!   Better in a glass...

7571




And after you thaw out, you can

DFD



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