The A-List Cooks: Pondering Pomegranates

Photo courtesy of Isons Nursey & Winery
www.isons.com

Until this fall, other than the myth of Persephone (goddess of the underworld) and the ancient Greek explanation for the seasons, I didn’t know much about pomegranates.  That changed when I was looking for ways to use the abundance of zucchini from my garden. I found a salsa recipe that included zucchini and pomegranates and have made it three times. The pomegranates add a cool, crisp jolt to the salsa that I can’t get enough of; I think I’m hooked.

Mac Daddiez - A Delightful Treat for the Mountain Athlete

December is here but where is winter?! While weather in Bozeman was looking up for a while with a few small storms and cooler temperatures, it is now warmer and the long-term forecast (Ten day, according to the Weather Channel) isn't looking too good with temperatures in the 40s and questionable chances for snow. Despite the not so great start to the ski season, Mike and I have managed to get out for some skiing over the past few weekends. Nothing rave about and no great long days in the backcountry, but it was skiing none the less and that is always a good thing.

A-List Recipe: Smiling Buddha Ginger Tea

Last week's rainy weekend allowed me to revisit homemade tea and gives me the chance to share another recipe with you. I'm not much of a tea fan but have recently grown quite fond of ginger tea. (Thanks, Mike, for introducing me to Choice Organic Ginger Tea!) While in San Francisco in November, my chef buddy Deno made homemade ginger tea and it was wonderful so I decided to try it on my own. It was the perfect thing to make over a rainy weekend and is quite easy. Enjoy on a rainy spring day or any time!

Smiling Buddha Ginger Tea
~For every six ounces of water, add 12 slices of thinly cut ginger.
~Water
~Honey

• Place the ginger and water in a pot.
• Bring to a boil.
• Simmer for 25 minutes.
• Voila! Your hot ginger tea is now ready. Add honey to suit your taste.

Note: If you have made enough tea to save for later, you can go either way on removing the ginger slices. If you leave them in there, it makes the tea very strong so you'll have to dilute subsequent cups of tea with water.

Update on A-List Activities

If you're wondering about the status of recent blog posts, here is an update...

When Harry & Sally Met Seinfeld for Dinner

That was us minus the groovy clothing

Over the weekend, Mike and I hosted a sub-section of Bozeman’s A-List for a dinner party. I always love entertaining in my home, especially when I find the motivation to serve a real meal. Potluck gatherings and bring-your-own BBQs, which are extremely popular in Bozeman, tend to get old so assembling this group for a sit-down meal was a refreshing change of pace. Call me old-fashion, but there is something really nice about sitting around the table to share a meal.

A Recipe for the Thankful Season

Wow! November came and went. Between four work holidays, a long weekend in San Francisco and two sick days (A first for me. Ugh!), the month just flew by. Thanksgiving is always such a great holiday and proved to be the perfect way to close out November in style. Between laying low to recover from being stick to socializing to skiing it was a memorable long holiday weekend.