Pampers and Pakhlava

In a family sort of way

Beth Shepherd - Pampers and Pakhlava — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:16:31 +0000

Three years ago we put up a bird house. No renters.

The next year we advertised. Still, no renters.

Then last fall, we put up two bird houses, raised their height, and changed the location. And….

WE’VE GOT TENANTS. Chickadee tenants. A birdie family who are “with child”...or would that be, with chickadee.

In the past few days there’s been a LOT of activity at one house in particular. All sorts of comings and goings. I can’t wait to see what the upcoming weeks bring.

Since my own little duo recently became a trio with the addition of Baby Bird, I feel all the more excited that our bird friends are in a family sort of way!

Check out more cute little things on Delicious Baby Photo Friday!

Bangers and mash with Walla Walla gravy

Beth Shepherd - Pampers and Pakhlava — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:06:04 +0000

When I first met Big Papa, I was having a crown put on one of my teeth. As I bemoaned my inability to eat much of anything toothier than mush, he assured me, “Chewing is overrated.” That’s when I found out mashed potatoes rate as one of Big Papa’s favorite dishes. Sausages easily make it into his top five. So this March, when our travels to Armenia included a couple days in London on the way over, I knew that if we ate nothing else, we’d eat bangers and mash.

Bangers and mash are quintessential British pub food, eaten in homes for centuries but first served up in English pubs around WWI as a cheap and filling lunchtime meal for the working class. “Bangers,” sausages, and “mash,” potatoes are served up with a healthy slathering of rich onion gravy.

Bangers take their name from the sound sausages can emit when fried. Modern sausages apparently don’t make the loud “bang” sausages pre-WWII did when they were overheated because today’s meats are generally made with less water.

We tried bangers and mash at several London locales and they did not disappoint. How could they really? Bangers and mash, with a good pint of ale alongside, are comfort food at its finest.

Here’s my northwest take on onion gravy, made using succulent Walla Walla sweet onions. Paired with some locally grown potatoes and homemade sausage (one of the latest “it” foodie items easily found in Seattle), and our recent spate of gray days and drizzle, blimey if it doesn’t feel like jolly old England.

Caramelized Walla Walla Onion Gravy
Ingredients

3 cups thinly sliced Walla Walla onions (or other Vidalia-type sweet onion)

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon garlic

1 teaspoon thyme leaves (fresh if possible)

2 tablespoons cognac (optional)

1 cup beef or chicken stock

salt and pepper

How to:

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the butter.

Once melted, add the onions and sugar to the pan and saute, stirring occasionally until wilted and well caramelized, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Add the garlic and thyme to the pan and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the flour to the pan and stir to make a roux, about 2 to 3 minutes.

De-glaze the pan with the cognac and once nearly evaporated, 1 minute, add the chicken stock.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

Simmer the gravy for 15 minutes and season with the salt and pepper.

Want more bang in your week? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!

Gutter art: the ornamental downspouts of Gyumri, Armenia

Beth Shepherd - Pampers and Pakhlava — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:17:12 +0000

Gyumri is a place of unexpected beauty. The Kumayri historic district in the center of the city has more than one thousand 18th and 19th century buildings, and is also one of the few places in the Republic of Armenia with remnants of authentic historical Armenian urban architecture. Nearly all the buildings in the Kumayri district have survived two major earthquakes, in 1926 and 1988.

Almost every morning during our week-long stay in Gyumri, we took walks up and down the streets, and discovered wondrous details—-my favorite being the intricate designs of the gutters and downspouts. They were simply breathtaking. Bird and flower cutouts perched and carved out of simple sheet metal. An art form like I’d never seen before.

Want to see more artistic flights of fancy? Check out Delicious Baby Photo Friday!