Food, Wine and Friends

annie1992

14 years ago

this weekend was the second annual Food and Wine Festival in Grand Rapids. I took Mom last year and she had a ball, so she went along this year too. Ashley turned 21 in June so she got to go too.

And, I had friends come along!

Yes, that's Peppi with my Mom and Ashley, and Sherry in the background.

Ashley and the boyfriend broke up, so now I have another resident:

Anyway, we met at the show, and I left the camera in the car. Take my word for it, we tasted wine and beer and vodka. We ate small plates of butternut squash soup and goat cheese bruschetta and chocolate fondue and cheese truffle dip with yukon gold potato chips and brisket sandwiches and steak something-or-another with a balsamic glaze and some kind of Thai spicy slaw with ginger. We watched Eric Villegas give a cooking demonstration making whitefish chowder and then got cappucino and left for supper,LOL. We went to Pietro's, mother and I had calamari, Peppi had Lobster Ravioli, Sherry had Alfredo Michael and Ashley had a Caeser Salad.

We drove home and opened a bottle of wine, LOL. This picture says it all. I'm still taking cold meds for my cough, so I had Diet Coke and DayQuil.

Mom had a 45 minute drive home so she left about 7:30 pm. Sherry and Peppi had some wine, then we decided we needed to eat. Again.

We had butternut squash/whole wheat bread:

with Karen (Riverrat's) chili:

this morning we made coffee for Peppi and I, Irish Breakfast tea for Sherry. I made bacon that Elery and I had brined and smoked, some eggs, toasted the butternut squash bread. Then we had dessert, LOL, some apple pie:

Sherry brought some of her rich, dark brownies with ganache and Ashley had brownies and a glass of milk for breakfast:

Peppi brought me a jar of her red cabbage and a bottle of ice wine which we never did get around to opening:

I also made some caramel oatmeal bars which were disappointing and we didn't eat any of them:

Peppi and Sherry just left, I sent homegrown steaks, some fresh butternut squash from the garden and a dozen eggs for each of them. Cooper is sleeping on the floor next to me and Ashley is ready for a nap, LOL.

It was a great weekend, lots of fun, good food, wine tasting and gossiping with good friends. I hope they come back soon, I have four bottles of red wine in the fridge that we never even opened!

Annie

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Comments (17)

amck2
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Annie, all the food looks & sounds delicious. From the smiles on everyone's faces it appears the Festival was a fun event. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Love your new handsome, furry boarder!
doucanoe
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sounds like a blast, Annie! And there is nothing more fun than hanging out with Peppi and Sherry!

Is that empty wine bottle the one that was sacrificed im my honor? (heeheehee)

Your mom is such a cutie, you two look quite a bit alike.

Linda
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Oh man - that looks like a blast! Unfortunately, there are more personalities I do NOT want to see then there are that I do..... Let me check the schedule with the rest of the family, I would seriously consider: Cigar and Whiskey Gala Raising the Bar: Mixology Magic CondÃ© Nast Traveler Taste the World: Grapes & Tapas Da Vino Code: Italy in a Glass If I can swing even a daytri[ on Sunday maybe we could meet....
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Yeah, Carol, we're just adorable, aren't we? ROFL... shaun, I thought that was a really handy way to use up cherry tomatoes when the big ones aren't very good and it makes a great salad that doesn't need a fork! Yes, you're suggestable. LOL That's why we love you. (grin) Gina, that's a HUGE convention hall, so it wasn't crowded at all when we got there, and was only a little more crowded when we left at 4. There were 12 "aisles" of food and wine booths and we just walked up and down the aisles, eating and drinking as we went. Eileen, I'll make a separate posting for those blue cheesse wafers. It was supposed to be a cookie (?!!) recipe, but that didn't sound good so I just left the sugar out. Elery liked them a lot, and you make logs like refrigerator cookies and then just cut off and bake what you want. I still have one roll left in the fridge for Thanksgiving "snackies". Annie
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Cathy, we were thinking about you, and agreed that next time we'll try to plan far enough in advance to have you come along, we missed you. Lars, when you do come to Michigan, we'll definitely have to have a get together, either here or in Chicago or SOMEWHERE, we can't let you come this far and not meet everyone! writersblock, the crust is a mixture of a one pound bag offrozen hash brown potatoes, one egg and salt and pepper. I press it into a buttered springform pan, mine is a 9 inch, and then add the filling and bake. My oldest daughter is celiac, so I'm getting better at gluten free cooking, even for other people, LOL. stir_fryi, that's my Grandma's recipe and the trick is to not overbake or they get crisp, like gingersnaps instead of staying chewy. The recipe was been very popular here over the last few years, then kind of dwindled away. Here it is, my favorite cookie since I was a child. Chewy Molasses Cookies (Annie CF) 1 1/2 cups of shortening (I use half and half with butter, but all butter makes them too crispy for my taste) 1 cups granulated sugar 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 eggs 3/4 cup of dark molasses 4 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ginger 1 teaspoon ground cloves Chopped crystalized ginger, optional, to taste. I used about half a cup, finely chopped and wish I'd have used more but I love ginger Coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for rolling Cream the shortening and sugars. Add the molasses and eggs and mix until well blended. Sift the flour (yeah right, I don't, LOL) and measure 4 1/2 cups into a separate bowl. Add the spices, salt, and baking soda and whisk to combine. Turn the mixer to low or stir, and add the flour slowly until well mixed. Stir in the chopped ginger and chill the dough for at least an hour. After the dough has chilled for an hour, roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and roll the balls in the coarse sugar to completely coat. Place the dough balls about an inch apart on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. The cookies will puff up and crack. When the cookies are done the cracks should still look a little wet, but the outside should look dry. They'll "fall" a little as they cool, let them sit a couple of minutes on the sheet before you try to move them to cooling racks. Peppi, we love having Emma and you here, and your Dad too. All I have to do is find a "babysitter" for the dogs, the cows, the horses and the chickens and we'll be right there! (grin) And, as Peppi mentioned, we had beef stew the first night. Maybe not special company food, but something that could sit in the oven and give me some time to visit instead of "hands on". I did use a Porterhouse, a Sirloin and two Rib steaks, so it was kind of special... Annie
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For the short time I was there, I had a great time with sisters. Annies sauerbraten was dead on and even Emma loved it. And the corned beef hash for breakfast with some wonderful muffins really hit the spot before we had to leave. As most of you know, Dad has dementia and sort of freaked on on me and wanted to go home to his own environment. We drove home through rain, sunshine, more rain with a rainbow and some sleet! Emma had a blast, playing with Molly and making a new BFF in Spark. Shocked me as she never seemed to take to cats, but this guy is so loving and laid back. He had no fear of Emma and I think that did the trick. The two playing had us laughing repeatedly. That boy is always welcome here. I have has a few says to get Emma back into her regular food as Annie spoils her. She sure loved the saurebraten and hash! And let's not forget the chicken treats! I am so sad that I missed the balance of the weekend. I have missed my sisters and brother Elery. He fits right in with us crazy females. Isla, some day I will take you up on the offer. Dcarch, wait till those anthropologist find out that we referred to each other as potential ax murderers. Lars, a Black Forest torte without the Kirschwasser is just chocolate cake with cherry pie filling. Sharon, you will not suffer in all this cooking of great foods. Annie, not last, thank you for everything. You fill my heart.
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beanthere_dunthat
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
So Asley had her formal girls-night-in CF initiation, eh? LOL!
What did she think?

That is one very handsome new rommie you have.
mustangs81
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Annie, Thanks for sharing! I just got the verbal report from Sherry and Peppi, being a visual person, your report added much depth. The food and wine fest in GR sounded fabulous.

Yeah, your roomie is a cutie but Ashley is gorgeous.

Cathy
lindac
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yeash....I thought it was a new magazine and was looking for the centerfold!
Yep...looks like food porn to me!
What a great time...what great friends!
Linda C
caliloo
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What fun! I love to see the get togethers!

Alexa
compumom
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm glad everyone had good fun and good food! We can always count on this group to make it special! Love the new furry friend too!
lsr2002
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
It all looks wonderful - friends, family, food, wine and new furbaby. Thanks for sharing, wish I had been there.

Lee
canarybird01
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Annie we can count on you to be a great hostess and have a wonderful time with CF friends! Love your photos.

Your new furbaby is a beauty! Thanks for posting all the news and pics.

SharonCb
trixietx
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
That sounds and looks like so much fun ! Great friends, good food and drink. It can't get much better than that.

I would be with Ashley on breakfast, I would choose the brownies or maybe applie pie, or a little of both!
riverrat1
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yay! Now I need to go pick my lip up off the floor...lol

So much fun and I miss you all. Thanks for the pics and the blow by blow. Great friends and a good time was had by all.

How did you like the chili?
annie1992
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Karen, the chili was very, very good, but I'm a midwestern girl. I just think it NEEDS beans, LOL, so that's what I'm going to put into the leftovers. (grin) I just can't help myself. We did have a rousing discussion on whether it would be better with beans or rice. Maybe both?

I've had that H1N1 flu and it's all respiratory, so a nice spicy chili was just exactly what I needed, it broke me out in a sweat!!!

Annie
annie1992
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Renee, I think Ashley can hold her own, even with the forum!

Yes, I do look much like Mom, and Ashley looks like me and Makayla looks like us, LOL. Scary, isn't it?

Linda, I figured we "sacrificed" several bottles of wine for you during the "tasting" at the food show. (grin)

I wish you had ALL been here! Cooper (the pup) loved Peppi, LOL, and kissed her a lot. I absolutely did NOT want another dog, Ashley promises that when she gets out of her internship, gets a job and a place to live, she'll take the dog. She'd better, and her rabbit is living in the garage too, so she's already got pets!

Cathy, it was fun. Maybe next year you can come along...

Annie
bri29
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
So glad you had a good time! I just finished dinner and now I'm hungry again. Dang you!
jessyf
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Awwwww I don't know who had more fun, you guys or us with the recent stuff going on here on the forum. OK, I think YOU guys had more fun! (dont' ask what you missed)
User
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Looks like you had a foodfest! What a fun get together it must have been. Great freinds , great food !

Sharon

PS: I just knew that dog was moving in some day! LOL
dgkritch
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Boy that looks like fun! Wish I was closer. I would have helped with the wine sacrificing!

The food and company all looks wonderful.

Deanna

Food, Wine and Friends

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