Room Service

Had a dog sitter hired and the two "honeymooners" (LOL) headed out for a long weekend which included a short medical meeting and two nights as guests at the Sheraton.

Sometimes you cannot write funnier scenes than the 'actual" scenes which do not need much embellishing.

Imagine Saturday morning...Ron wants to not be late and I want to head out around Madison with a low-key bike ride.  I am dallying and ask Ron,  "Call and ask to have the room "Maid-Up".

This is standard operating procedure for yours truly.  I usually travel with Yo Yo;  the wonderful barking "Little Shit," says Ron in all seriousness.  It makes everyone happy. . .The maid service, Yo Yo and me to take the dog while the room is renewed.  Alas, on Saturday I asked Ron to call while I laced up my feet...Not because I had Yo Yo but because having the room done while I am gone is a good idea.

Fast forward to my next hearing: "I want the Room Serviced....I have called Room Service because I want the Room Serviced...Isn't this ROOM SERVICE.". . ."I don't want you to bring me BREAKFAST!" proclaimed MY VERY OWN Dr. Brilliant

I can't LOL!  I can't do anything but gently, most gently with the most calm and quiet demeanor say,  "You meant to call Housekeeping (thinking  OMG...) BUT NEVER MIND" And then. . .

I laughed all by myself...all around the town.  I can unequivocally declare myself the "Happiest Capital City Biker" of this past weekend.   I am cycling past "Recall Walker" signs and I am hysterically on fire laughing out loud.  I am lucky to not be stoned.  I was told by one driver I was "On the wrong side."  He got laughed at too!  Later, Ron LOL too!  He is a very good sport!

Of course the room was finished when I returned.  I am certain the couple in Room 815 were farder for "employee hotel humor." Later we would finish off the Saturday locked in a downtown ramp near Martin Luther King Blvd.  Ron failed to validate the ramp ticket and neither of us had the techno skills to raise the exit gate.  It wouldn't take a credit card,  a $20.00 bill and of course not the ticket.  I had to call the emergency number and "The Voice" must have felt sorry for me.  Finally we are home!  Ma and Pa Kettle went to town!

Because it was across the street we went to the horse show too.  I am convinced we were the only people at the horse show who didn't own a horse.  We still don't own a horse.

. . . Ron got two new pairs of running shoes and I bought new knives.  Had to promise not to use them outside of the kitchen!  Also as a result of Whole Foods I have now a brand new best web site to visit. . .
                                                       www.BlueStonePerennials.com

Easter Lamb And Mom

Mother Mary aka Mary Ursula

Lamb Chops with Mint Sauce

Not per Mother Mary

yield: Serves 6

The lamb that we buy today hardly requires a typical English mint sauce (the puckery flavor was originally designed to cut through the stronger taste...

ingredients

• 3 8-chop racks of lamb, trimmed
• 6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

• Fresh mint sprigs

Mint Sauce

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup canned beef broth
• 1/3 cup minced shallots
• 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

preparation

To make lamb:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard on each side of each lamb rack. Mix breadcrumbs and mint in medium bowl. Press breadcrumb mixture onto lamb, coating completely.

Arrange lamb, meat side up, on large baking sheet with rim. Roast lamb 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast until thermometer inserted into lamb registers 130°F. for medium-rare, about 20 minutes longer.

Transfer lamb to work surface. Tent with foil; let stand 5 minutes. Cut lamb racks between bones into chops. Arrange chops on plates. Garnish with mint sprigs; pass Mint Sauce separately.

To make sauce:
Combine 1 cup mint, broth, shallots, vinegar and sugar in heavy small non-aluminum saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 2 hours.

Strain sauce into large glass measuring cup. Place cornstarch in same saucepan. Gradually whisk in sauce. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir until sauce thickens slightly and turns translucent, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.) Stir in remaining 2 tablespoon mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 1 cup. 

               Mother Mary took great pride in her lamb shanks.  She used to ask the butcher to save them all for her, in a day and age when they were tossed rather than sold.  She wouldn't think of ever serving them (which she simmered in her orange cast iron covered roaster in a homemade barbecue sauce of dry mustard, brown sugar, and ketchup) without Mint Sauce.  The roaster (which I still have today) is devoid of spots of cast iron on the bottom.  Mom probably packed a mean shank in her day!

To the novice of mint sauce you have to realize it would better be called it, "Mint Vinegar."  But somehow it works! To the non descendants of Mother Mary you can buy Mint Sauce in some condiment aisles still made by "Crosse and Blackwell" It is English.  My rule is when I find it...buy three!

Recently we got three of the four home for Easter. Yet, I had four because Josh goes where Gretchen goes.  Without much protest from Ron, the Easter bunny:  he hide 100 plastic eggs and the kiddos had a blast searching for eggs. Gretchen won!  She made out like a bandit. Then the kiddos said we should eat in the dinning room and ,Yes!  We sat down to lamb shanks with mint sauce.  Grandpa didn't know what he was eating!  Lamb is still distinctive with or without mint sauce! 

Gretchen and Josh are stateside and Meaghan remains in Germany.  If anyone can survive without her sister it is Meg. Meg is so funny!  She is in Greece with friends as I type this.  She is tossing around a new car and thinking VW diesel Golf But she is "not sure they sell them in Germany."

Well, I always like to spend money when I am depressed!  I bought a capiz shell lamp once.  I thought I was the queen of Milwaukee that day!  Then we had four children and my depression ended.  I have been too busy to put myself first for 34 years.

This may be only April 15th...our taxes are done, as are the offsprings' by their reports...WE DO NOT OWE! . . . 

I just turned on the AC which is probably a new record for our seventh year in Wisconsin.  It is a 90%, humidity day & damp; very damp; Ron's watching the Stanley Cup play-offs (Nashville 3... Detroit 1)  and I am watching him.  I am also sure I just saw a rainforest's monkey swing though the woods.  It is rainforest warm today!  Mike just left for MSP because the weather is supposed to become ugly by late afternoon.  (Someone check on me tomorrow.)

I was thinking if I air-condition the house and wait out the weather in the basement it will be less humid.  I am hopeful I will also create a 'tornado defying negative pressure home'.  Or one without a roof. . . What do I know?  

As always there is never a dull moment when "Ma and Pa Kettle" go to town with any combination of Kirschling kiddos and the outcome is "double your pleasure, double your fun with Doublemint  Doublemint gum!"  Last weekend was Greg, Gretchen and Josh.  This weekend Michael told about his free falling experience from the top of the Target Center and had Chuck in stitches with his (Michael's) getting home from Brewer's Park. Needless to say the evenings rocked!

Well it is on to watch the Penguins play the Flyers which Ron tells me is a "Hate Match.   I can nap through fights too!"

My Dad, his car, his mom Gertrude...
maybe returning from Korea Late 1940s?  Maybe Grandpa King's Car too?