a collection of tried and true
We started Fourth of July going to Blossom the night before to see the Cleveland Orchestra. We went with the Hiti’s, Larives and Purcell’s. We went early and got a nice space for everyone. The concert was great except that Mother Nature interfered during the 1812 overture and scared us…and the fireworks 😦 away.
The grown children of two whacked out performance artists try to come to grips with their strange upbringing. The novel goes back and forth between when the siblings were little kids and part of their parents “art”, and the present when they are young adults. The parts in the past are hilarious. Fun book.
PJH rating: ****
We continued our Spring of culture last night with a visit to the beautiful Severance Hall to hear the Cleveland Orchestra perform Verdi’s Requiem. I was not quite sure what to expect as I don’t think I have ever heard it before. It was A M A Z I N G. The full chorus and the four outstanding soloists really went over and beyond. Seriously raising the roof. I’m looking forward to getting a copy from the library and listening to the good parts again. There is nothing like being there in person though.
Tragedy struck Friday night. The last Dairymens glass broke. The end of an era. Manhattans will never taste the same.
We have been trying to do meatless mondays for quite a while now. We have come to perfect this pasta dish over the past few months. It is quite adaptable and is a good way to clean out the refrigerator on a Monday night. It is definately worth it to make your own beans instead of using canned. They are firmer and stand out better with the pasta.
Monday Night Pasta (Pasta with Garlic and White Beans)
Serves 4-6
Soak beans in a pot of water overnight. The next day drain them and rinse them. Boil in a pot with salt until tender.
In large saute pan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon or so of butter. Saute the garlic on very low heat making sure you don’t burn it. Take your time and get them nice and soft. Don’t be stingy on the olive oil. When the garlic is nice and soft, about 15 minutes, add the greens to the pan and saute them for a few minutes. Add a few splashes of broth and put a top on the pan to help the greens cook. After the greens wilt put the beans in and keep the pan on low.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente or even a touch under al dente as it will cook a little bit more with the sauce. When pasta is done, drain the pasta but keep a cup of the pasta water. Once the pasta is drained, put it in with the beans and greens. Mix everything up and add enough pasta water to get it to a nice creamy consistency. Adding pasta water is a great trick that brings everything together. Add salt and pepper if you want and last but not least lots of parmesan. Serve and enjoy.
We had Mother’s Day brunch over our house yesterday. Here’s a couple of pictures:
Courtney and I went to see Esperanza Spalding play on Thursday night at Tri-C Jazz fest at Tri-C auditorium. She and her band were a m a z i n g ! ! ! She is one of those people who are just dripping with talent. She has such a unique sound and look. The concert was sold out and all sorts of different people were there. I’m so glad we went and wish we were going to Diana Krall next week. Hopefully next time.
Grace and pals from “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown”.
Eat On Edgecliff 