Have you replaced your spices lately?

Hello, I just came back from a dee-lightful weekend. Sure, it involved driving fifteen hours in two and a half days, but I got to go home. To a new home.

Our trip to Ohio was ostensibly to (a) spend some time with an old friend who is currently visiting from Malaysia and (b) help my parents unpack. Mainly, we ate. Waffles (with literally pounds of sausage on the side, Andrew was in heaven, I tell you) and maple syrup, cherry pie, brownies, lasagna, eggplant parmesan, chocolate cheesecake, and, um, lots of good wine and beer. I will take a moment here to recommend Great Lake's Brewery's "Holy Moses" White Ale. It is brewed with chamomile, orange peel, and coriander, which sounded a bit odd, but it was really terrific. I normally prefer porters and stouts, but this had a lot of flavor.

In between our rounds of eating, I helped my mother organize her spices. I have convinced her that spices do not actually keep their flavor for a decade, so every few years she goes to an Amish store where they sell them in bulk, and replenishes her stock. We generally split everything she buys, so we both end up with new spices and it doesn't cost nearly as much as buying them all at the grocery store. Having spent yesterday morning refilling shakers with fresh fennel, curry, cloves, and peppercorns, I itching to get into the kitchen and start cooking with my new zippy spices.

And, to wrap up loose ends from other posts: the cheesecake and key lime pie were terrific. I will definitely make the lime pie again, as it was super easy, once I zested and juiced the limes. Unfortunately, Andrew can eat a half a pie in on day, so I may have to learn to make larger quantities. Also, my hair is now a very bizarre blue-brown color. No pictures. I don't want this color to go on my permanent record. I will keep up the weekly henna applications, and hopefully it will resemble some natural color (any natural color) before I meet Andrew's family at Christmas.