Well after ten days in Curaçao Nancy and I are finally home after our wedding and honeymoon. It was wonderful that so many family members could make it down and share our wedding. We took a ton of pictures and I have a lot of stories to tell. Over the next week I will be making posts for each day we were down there so stay tune.
isn't technology wonderful
This year there was no Buffett show during the long weekend so Nancy and I took the opportunity to just relax after a long few weeks. On Sunday my Dad got the family together at his house to enjoy some of my famous smoked ribs. All summer we have talked about cooking the ribs for him and Pat and this weekend was the perfect opportunity. Upon hearing I was cooking ribs many decided to show up: Bobby, Tracy and the kids, Matt, and even my brother and Audry. The two of them never show up to any family events so it was a surprise to see them there.
Nancy and I arrived at three so I could start cooking the ribs. I had the rub and sauce already done before arriving, just needed to prepare the ribs my dad got. After getting them on the grill it was time to relax and enjoy a few beers while the ribs slowed cooked. One thing I really love about ribs is there is very little that needs to be done while they cook, all the works is in preparing them. About 90 minutes into the cooking process I add some more charcoal and a few more handfuls of wood chips and that is i. Almost three hours later I pulled them off and they looked incredible as always. I brought them into the house and the vultures circled as they cooled off. All the sides had been prepared and the table was set, just needed the meet.
After dinner we celebrated Bobby’s birthday which was in a few days. Got a great shop of him blowing out the candles with his kids.
yum! slow smoked ribs
After a successful dinner and it not being a school night, everyone enjoyed the cool summer evening and sat on the deck for a few more hours. Pat and Tracy eventually get the kids ready for bed while the adults setup a family poker game. It is becoming a tradition that we have a couple $5 buy in games when we are all together. I couldn’t hang and decided to take a nap on one of the outside couches, the cool weather was making me sleepy. Eventually everyone called it quits and we headed home well past midnight. That evening over dinner we talked about a rib off when football season started and we are working on a date that is good for everyone. I will cook the same recipe, been very happy with the results so far, and hope to bring home a trophy.
copyright John Hagarty
My dad turned 65 over the weekend so we helped him celebrate another year on earth by going to Foti’s in Culpeper, VA. Pat got a room at a B&B in Remington with dinner at Foti’s to complete the celebration. Pat coordinated with the family to get as many of us as possible to show up for dinner and it turned out wonderful. We have done this in the past so it was not a big surprise when he saw everyone there to help him celebrate. Matt, Tracy, Bobby, Nancy and myself all made the trip out for the evening.
We were told to meet at the only pub in town by 7pm for drinks before heading to the restaurant. Pubs have always been a “go to” place when we get together for drinks. Usually the beer selection is good and the atmosphere is relaxed. This place was anything but, in fact it was a dump. Our caravan of merry people arrived right on time to find the place not officially open, the staff was getting ready for some beach party that night. We grabbed a drink and headed to the upstairs balcony to relax where we meet the folks.
At the appointed time we headed down the block to the restaurant for our reservations. Walking into the place it was well appointed with just enough light to see things but dim enough for perfect ambiance. The restaurant was full but not crowded which was nice. Looking over the menu it was not extensive but the selection looked amazing. Chef, Frank Maragos, worked at the Inn at Little Washington before opening Foti’s and put together an good menu of diverse dishes. He obviously has talent if he worked at the Inn and put this menu together.
a good turn out for dinner
We sampled several of the appetizers and they all where amazing. I got the special appetizer for the night, shaved lamb on toasted bread and what looked like bruschetta topping. This was a cold dish with the meat tender and the flavor pairings worked nicely. Nancy wanted to try the escargot, I know they are snails but I have never eaten them before. On Nancy’s recommendation I tried it and was impressed, they were tender and flavorful. The last appetizer for the table was vanilla roasted Maine lobster and it was huge. It must have been a 1/2 pound of tail and call with a hint of vanilla flavor, tender and not rubbery. So far things are off to a good start, I have quelled my hunger paints a little yet still wanting more.
For the main course I got the black pepper corn encrusted salmon and it was amazing like everything else. It came with roasted local vegetables and couscous as the sides. Everyone’s food was amazing and for about 15 minutes there was silence at the table as we all ate our meals and drank our wine. Nancy got the chicken, Matt the rib eye, Pat and Bobby the beef tenderloin, my dad the duck (he’s a sucker for duck), Tracy scallops. Everyone raved about their choice and some even licked their plates clean it was so good.
After such a great meal it would be a shame to not have some dessert so we ordered that to finish the night off. I got the hazel nut ice cream with cookies and because it was my dad’s birthday they gave him a special “Happy Birthday” dessert which he at least sampled. We even got a visit from the chef which was really cool.
Happy Birthday Dad
By now we could do little more than just sit there and enjoy the last few sips of wine and marvel at the exceptional dinner we just completed. I can’t stress enough how good the food was that night. It was certainly not cheap but for a nice evening out it is a real winner. Being Culpeper we closed the restaurant down just after 10pm but the night was not complete yet. We headed back to the pub which was in full swing as a night club, complete with trashy woman and pumping music. We instead went to the only other open place that night the Smoking House just down the street. It is a real country bar with country music, I saw a guy with spurs on his boots and several pin ball machines. Here we had a few drinks before closing this bar down as well around midnight. I was not to thrilled with this after party and was looking forward to get back home.
We said our goodbyes and piled into Bobby’s 4Runner for the hour drive back to there house. It was past 1:30 when we arrived but the party was still going. We sat on the deck to enjoy another round of drinks and I was enjoying the mostly full moon on a clear night. By the time 3am rolled around it was finally time for bed. All we can hope for it to wake up the next morning and enjoy another day. My dad has been saying these words for years now and I am inspired by this simple outlook on life. He doesn’t require much, just wants to get up each morning.
wave that flag
Last weekend we (Nancy, my dad, Pat, Matt and I) went to Wisconsin for the high school graduation of my cousin David’s oldest son, Andy. It was going to be a giant party at the park across from Rose’s house as we would need all the space we could get. We flew out on Friday morning to Milwaukee and from there we drove across the state to La Crosse. On Sunday we would head back to Madison to visit more family and catch the plane out of Milwaukee on Monday.
I couldn’t wait for the long four day weekend in Wisconsin. I was looking forward to introducing Nancy to the rest of the family and for her to see were I spent many summers, a few Thanksgivings, and Christmases thrown in for good measure. Once we landed in Milwaukee the first thing we noticed was the severe temperature drop. We just left temps approaching 100 degrees in DC and Milwaukee was a brisk 60 and cloudy. When we got to Rose’s house a few hours later everyone kept apologizing for such cold weather. I was loving it, I could have used a sweet shirt, but I was not going to complain about the cool weather. I didn’t complain about the cool temps in San Francisco either.
After getting the rental car it took about three hours to reach La Crosse. We arrived at Rose’s house and walked right into a party. We were offered something to drink and gladly took up the offer. Not 10 minutes after we arrived others started showing up to welcome us back to Wisconsin. In no time the house was filled with guests and everyone was having a great time. Some of these guys I have not seen in five years so it was great to catch up with everyone. Nancy, Matt and I spent most of our time outside on the deck, even thought it was drizzling. It was just great to be outside enjoying the company. Eventually we got the fire pit going and enjoyed a toasty fire with our drinks. We did eat as well, someone brought authentic German potato salad and it brought back memories. That and the brats and locally made hotdogs and I was in heaven. Even had a few local brews from the New Glarus Brewing Company, the Spotted Cow was taste. Late into the night we bullshitted.
The sleeping arrangements at Rose’s house are limited so us kids shacked up at David and Teresa’s house just down the street. David came back to pickup us up so we wouldn’t have to stumble, I mean walk in the dark. On the way back we got lost so we stopped by The Ridge to get some directions.
Five years ago, the last time I was in Wisconsin, turned into an epic and memorable trip. Not only for me but for my entire family as well. It was Mike and Roses 40th wedding anniversary so I went up to help celebrate. After a welcoming house party we headed to The Ridge for a few more drinking. I really wanted some scotch but they didn’t have any so I got tequila instead. This was my fatal mistake, Jose and I just don’t get along. Every five years I need to challenge that friendship and this trip was that time. I remember my cousin Kenny and I sitting at the bar just knocking back the drinks. Needless to say the next day, not just the morning but all day, I was feeling rough. I pretty much missed the ceremony and party afterwards. I felt so bad, I was ashamed I drank so much. My family took it all in stride and they have never let me forget about that night.
park where the graduation was held
Nancy has heard the stories over the years from different family members so as we drove to David’s house she wanted to see the now infamous bar. The place looks exactly like I remember it five years ago. We bellied up to the bar in the same spot and ordered a round. For a mere $10 we got four drinks, including the Spotted Cow. After the round we finally found our way back to the house and headed to the basement for a night cap. By now it was late and we were all exhausted so to bed we went.
The next morning I woke up and was feeling great, no hangover this time. All morning we did was we could to help get ready for the party. From what I heard 200+ people from all over Wisconsin were showing up for this party. Teresa’s family is rather large and four of the kids were graduating at the same time so they rolled the parties all in one. The party was held at the local park which has ample space to accommodate this large crowd. We spend the afternoon mingling with family, drinking a little, and stuffing our faces with pork BBQ. A friend of David’s spent Friday roasting and entire pig for the party and it was awesome
By late afternoon most of our family was off at church or…..doing something else and it eventually was just Nancy, Matt, my cousin Kenny and I left at the party. Not knowing anyone else we headed to Rose’s house for a private party, we cracked open some beers and enjoyed the view from the deck. Ever since I was a kid the view has been the same, an panoramic view of green fields and farms with a blue sky and white fluffy clouds as far as the eye can see. I was happy Nancy got to see this fond memory of my childhood. It was amazing but as darkness approached more people migrated to the deck, by 8pm it was full. We talked, drank, and eventually got the fire pit out to make some s’mores. Afterwards imagine if you can, 10 drunks walking from Rose’s house to The Ridge. It was a crazy site seeing us all walking down the street. At The Ridge we had another couple of rounds and called it a night.
Statue of Ssgt. Raymond P. Olson.
Sunday, our last day in La Crosse. Teresa cooked a great breakfast of sausage gravy and biscuits which kept us going most of the afternoon. After we got a tour of the local fire station. David is a volunteer firefighter and is very proud of his work and the new station they have on the ridge. Saying our goodbyes to David and Teresa, Rose and Mike, and finally Marvin we headed for Madison through the rolling hills of the back country. Highway driving might be faster but it certainly lacks the stunning beauty of the state. On our way we stopped in Coon Valley to visit their recently completed war memorial. The memorial lists all those from the local area that have fought for our nation starting with World War I. I got to see my Dad’s name engraved in marble.
When we arrived in Madison we visited with Pat’s sister Eillen and her husband Gerry who cooked a wonderful meal for us weary road warriors. Same pattern as the previous two days: drinks, food, and then more drinks outside. It must have been well after 10pm before we called it a night. There was no spare bedrooms at Gerry and Eillen’s so Kenny and Patti, who live in Madison, offered their place to Nancy and I for the night. Their kids started summer camp so the four of us had a few more drinks and talked late into the night before catching some zzz.
The next morning was very low key, which I loved. In their living room is a high square table that Kenny, Nancy and I sat at all morning talking, getting a little work done and generally just shooting the shit till 11am. Precisely on time my Dad pulls up in the rental and we head towards Milwaukee to catch our flight. It was a short drive and we made it to the airport in no time, got through security (even with my refusal to use the millimeter wave machine and have some dude feel my junk) and waited for our flight.
Finally got home about 7pm and Nancy and I just relaxed the rest of the evening. It was a long day of travel and after three days of drinking our bodies craved rest and relaxation. I only wish we took off Tuesday so we could recover properly from our little adventure up north. It was great seeing everyone up there for the weekend and we are looking forward to seeing most of my Wisconsin family at our wedding were we will tear it up in a foreign country.
I don’t know how this saying came about, but your 30′s are called the “dirty 30′s.” I have been in my thirty’s for a few years and there is nothing dirty about them. I will say that most people have grown up and will continue to grow up while in their 30, becoming more responsible with each passing year.
The last of the 20-somethings, Nancy, had her birthday on Sunday so we celebrated with some friends and family at the house. I was in charge of cooking and Nancy wanted ribs, mac and cheese, and grilled vegetables for the evening. For an appetizer I cooked a kick ass brie dish that was completely gone in no time. The mac and cheese receipt was taken from a grilling cookbook. For the ribs I was able to use my new rib rack that Matt got me for Christmas and rib cook book that went along with it. The three racks I purchased fit nicely in the rack and I got to cooking around 4pm.
I was busy in the kitchen prepping food when our guests started arriving about 5:30. I was so busy getting things ready I completely lost track of the time and didn’t start cooking the ribs till almost 7:30. We planned on eating around 8 so I blew that time out of water real quick. In the end there where two 45 minute cooking seasons before the ribs were finished.
To prepare the ribs I used a maple and brown sugar rub and separate maple glaze for the ribs and I must say they were fantastic! I was a little worried about the time it would take to cook everything and the ribs not coming out good. In the end the cook time took longer than I estimated but the ribs where cooked perfectly and everyone loved them. It was a good feeling that for 10 minutes the house was quit. All evening the the house was filled with conversation and commotion, you could hear a pin drop while everyone ate the ribs. We ate two racks for diner and later in the evening we finished off the last rack as a late night snack. The only thing I screwed up was the timing, but that didn’t matter when the food was finally served.
I started the ribs off for 45 minutes of indirect heat on the grill, to this I added a handful of smoking chips to each pile of coil. After the initial 45 minutes it was time to add more coals and start the vegetables cooking. I got a second pile of coal going and put the ribs right over the head, flanked on each side by vegetable skewers. I also used this time to apply a generous amount of glaze to the ribs. Half way through the basting process while talking to Nancy I see the door open and someone yelling “there is a fire in the kitchen” with the fire alarm going off in the back ground. I couldn’t believe it and being right in the middle of basting the ribs I couldn’t do much about it. I asked Nancy to investigate for me and she confirmed that yes there was a fire in the oven. The mac & cheese was suppose to brown under the broiler and I put the food to close to the burner so the crust caught on fire. I never panicked, I just calmly put the lid down on the grill and walked in side.
Everyone was gather in the kitchen not sure what to do. Tracy was desperate to put the fire out, scurrying around looking for a fire extinguisher I suspect. First job was to stop that damn fire alarm, so I barked at Bobby to pull it off the ceiling and take it outside, now I could hear myself think. I grabbed an oven mitt and pulled out the casserole dish from the oven, indeed it was on engulfed in fire. Then as the calm person I am I blew out the fire, crisis over. The mac & cheese was a little worse for ware but everyone was safe and the house was still standing with no damage. I looked at Nancy and asked if that was enough excitement for her birthday. The casserole didn’t look pretty, but I scrapped off the burnt crush, reapplied a fresh layer and put it back in the broiler much lower from the heat source. After the only emergency of the night was over I went back outside to tend the ribs while everyone else went back to talking, smoking and drinking.
Another 45 minutes passed and it was time to pull the ribs off the grill. At this point it was well past 9pm and I was nervous. I had never cooked ribs before and I was not sure how they would turn out. Would they be cooked enough, burned, taste like crap? I didn’t know. When I opened the grill lid to look a quick scan revealed the vegetables looked perfect and ribs didn’t look burn, but I was only looking at the underside so not a good judge. As I brought the three slabs into the kitchen everyone has assembled to watch, which is typical when someone in the family grills. I laid them on the cutting board and flipped them over…..they looked amazing! The next test, doneness. When I cut into the first one it was perfectly cooked with just a bit of juice.
After eating it was time for a nap, everyone was so full the food coma was quickly setting in. To jolt use back to life the smokers all had a cigarette in the cold, another round of shots and time for a little dancing. For Christmas Nancy got Dance Party 2 which we played for almost 2 hours. Of course the the fellas didn’t fell much like dancing but after I got up there and showed them how it was done everyone loosened up. We traded off between everyone and had a grate time shacking our booties. I know Nancy took a few videos and I don’t even want to see what I look like, I probably look like a fool but it certainly was fun.
Another cigarette outside which brought us just past midnight and officially Nancy’s birthday. A quick happy birthday and some awesome cookies Matt made and it was back in side. This late in the evening we lost Nicole and Jeff but the rest of use stuck it out for a round of poker. It is becoming something of a tradition that when the family gets together for a party we get at least one round of poker in. The stakes are only $5 but it is a ton of fun talking shit. We killed the last rack of ribs while playing, had to satisfy the midnight munchies and the ribs certainly hit the spot on that.
The next morning the ladies where not feeling well. Both Tracy and Nancy had a lot to drink, I think it was the jello shots that put them over the edge. Thankfully Bobby was feeling good and made some kick ass omelets for everyone using the grilled vegetables and left over cheese from the night before. The rest of the day Nancy and I didn’t do crap. It was a lazy day spent watching tv and getting a few things done around the house. I personally couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday
