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Merry Christmas from the frigid city of Minneapolis!
It's a total madhouse here with six kids under the age of eight. Paper is flying off gifts faster than post-Christmas sale items will leave the shelves on December 26th. Hope you are having just as much fun wherever you are on this special holiday!
I just discovered the kringle.
Not being much of a pastry person, I have somehow managed to live an undisclosed number of years without ever eating one of these delicate oval-shaped Danish pastries.
The kringle was originally brought to Racine and southeastern Wisconsin in the late 1800s by Danish immigrant bakers. As the years passed, a variety of fruit and nut fillings were introduced and the shape was slightly modified. But one thing that didn’t change was the intensive time commitment involved in the baking process. O & H Danish Bakery claims it spends three days producing a proper light and flakey kringle.
And after tasting one of the apple filled kringles this morning, I have to admit their efforts are well worth it.
People who see movies and concerts live longer than those who don’t. That’s what Fitness magazine claims anyway.
In light of that, I tried to talk Scott into catching Babel or Blood Diamond this evening. Trying to contribute to our longevity, you know.
But after stopping at a couple of furnitures stores in search of an end table to hold the new lamps I bought, there just wasn't time for a movie.
Especially since I also planned on engaging in a frenzy of Christmas-related kitchen activity. On my list to bake: Ginger Crackle Cookies (I love the way they gently crack.), Divinity (Thank goodness for clear skies earlier!), Sausage balls, and bourbon balls. Okay, I know the last ones don’t really require cooking, but they still count.
In other news – Many good excuses to acquire a faux glow and get dressed up (a.k.a. Holiday parties) abound. Last Friday we went to Scott’s office party at the historic Astor Hotel. We arrived just as the cocktail hour was winding up, and after a few introductions, took our seats for dinner. On the menu: salad, filet mignon, creamy mashed potatoes, and green beans almandine. After our meal, casino tables were brought in and the party was on!
Local lore has it that the 5 O’Clock Club used to be a hangout for mafia types.
Whether that’s true or not is up for debate, but with its retro-chic mirrored walls and dim lighting, it’s not far fetched to imagine “the boys” as Frank Sinatra referred to them, stopping in for a drink at this legendary Milwaukee steakhouse.
Over the years, the 5 O’Clock (2416 W. State Street) has developed a loyal following, and for good reason. The steaks are some of the best in the city. We made our first foray into the gated parking lot looked over by a seriously “don’t mess with me” attendant on Tuesday and walked through the oversized door sporting “Reservations Required.”
While we did have the prerequisite 7:30 reservation, the hostess didn’t really seem concerned, telling us in what sounded like a cross between a Wisconsin and a New Jersey accent, if that’s possible, to have a seat at the bar and we’d be taken care of soon.
We cozied up to the long, dark bar and ordered a couple of glasses of reasonably priced Merlot. Meanwhile, our waitress stopped by and took our order, assuring us she’d have our table set up within moments. True to her word, she returned a few moments later to escort us through the packed dining room to a small table laden with a silver relish dish full of green olives, pickled peppers, carrots, radishes, and onions. We also found bread sticks, salad, three kinds of dressing, a loaf of warm bread, some honey, butter, and a bread knife so large it could’ve been used as a prop on the Pirates of the Caribbean set.
