Hi, everyone!
After our big snowstorm was over, the sun came out. I got to go out and play in the snow. It was over my head, so Grandma had to dig a path for me! The snow was warming up and I got wet playing in it. It felt good to dry off in my sunbeam inside afterwards!
Grandma was testing more recipes for the travel dinner, and I helped! Together we figured out how much fresh basil to add to the lemon cream recipe to make it lemon basil cream, instead! Then I helped with the parts of the food preparation that could be done way ahead! We made the crumbles to go on the apple goat cheese appetizer and froze them. Then we went shopping to get stroopwafels! They are a special Dutch cookie. Grandma said we were lucky to find them at a local store, but then Pittsford Wegman’s isn’t just any local store! The snow has been slowly melting, too, because the temperatures during the day are starting to be above freezing.
Every year, Grandpa makes a new display of photos for the kitchen door in time for the travel dinner. I got to help pick the pictures for this year! After they were all printed, I made sure Grandpa trimmed them and put the captions on the right photos!
The travel dinner was last Saturday, so Grandma and I were really busy cooking from Wednesday on! First I helped with the lemon basil cream. The basil goes into the blender with some sugar and lemon juice, and the blender is really loud! Grandpa got me ear protection to wear while the blender was on. We used the blender for the chocolate mole sauce, too!
Meanwhile, the snow was going away outside! I took time to go visit my friends the very early crocus blooms. They still come up in the grass, even though I told them that’s not where they’re supposed to be!
On Friday, we got a nice surprise! Somebody who knew we were having a party sent us a bouquet, and she wasn’t even coming to the party! The flowers look and smell very pretty! Then we got really busy making party food! I was in charge of making sure every serving of the apple goat cheese appetizer had the same amount of apples in it! It was cold enough on Friday to store the finished food in the trunk of Grandma’s car in the garage. We ran out of room in the refrigerator, so that was a good thing!
Early on Saturday afternoon I helped Grandma make the shrimp, cheese and spinach buns. They reminded me of the ones we had for breakfast in Tama Japan! After they were baked, I put the crumbles on the apple goat cheese appetizers. Then I made my welcome sign, so I was all ready for the party!
Moose-san and Tilly came to the travel dinner, and so did La Vache! We made sure all the food was served at the right time and Grandma didn’t forget anything! We wanted to make sure everybody felt welcome!
When it was time for dessert, we had a special job! We went around to every table to teach the guests how to eat their stroopwafels! They need to sit on top of a cup of hot coffee or tea to soften the caramel inside before they are ready to eat! Of course, we also enjoyed spending time with all our special friends!
When the party was over, I said goodbye to La Vache and Tilly and Moose-san and thanked them for helping me greet everybody. Guess what? One of the guests brought me a host gift — a package of my favorite maple syrup pecans from the sugar bush I visited last year! And the Christmas cactus decided to bloom — even though it’s halfway through Lent!
Today, it feels like spring! The temperature got up to 60 degrees F. and the snow is completely gone except for the plow piles. Grandma and I went outside to see which of my flower friends were in bloom. I found more crocus blossoms, including one that’s even farther away from where it’s supposed to be than any flowers were last year! The daffodils sprouts are coming up, too! I’m glad the crazy weather didn’t hurt them!
Then Grandma and I started picking up all the branches that the windy Wednesdays blew down. It’s a big job! Some of the branches were so long we had to cut them down to the size the town will pick up! We put the ones from the back yard on the tarp to take them out front. We ended up with four big piles, and we still have more to pick up!
Love,
Lion-san
Hello Lion-San, You were lucky to be able to help with the travel dinner preparations. Sounds like a great menu and annual event. Wish we lived close enough to participate in those travel dinners. For how many people did you and grandma prepare food??? Enjoy spring as it blossoms forth. We have some crocuses up but not yet in bloom. You must have some underground creatures carrying crocus bulbs to new places with out you knowing it. Love from, Great Aunt Betsy
Hi, Great Aunt Betsy! Grandma and I made food for 24 people, but only 20 were there because of illness and delayed travel. We have lots of squirrels and chipmunks around, so maybe one of them dug up the crocus bulb and reburied it in the middle of the lawn. I guess they thought it was an acorn! Love, Lion-san
We all enjoyed the Travel Dinner. The food was great and the company…….. The Christmas cactus might be an Easter one too. It is nice to have the snow gone. Tilly and Moose-san enjoyed being your helpers on the welcoming committee.