Coq-au-vin, an English breakfast, and Houston TX

Coq-au-vin and English breakfast really have nothing to do with Houston TX, except that I'm blogging from the eat-out capital of the United States, and there's lots to tell. Firstly, there was SZ's birthday party, for which I made coq-au-vin, a traditional French casserole that is also a very popular party dish in England (with an entire 750ml bottle of red Burgundy in it, why not?). This recipe is again taken from Molly Steven's book, All About Braising, so if you haven't got it, why not? We ate it with some tagliatelli, which broad surface area soaked up all the juices of the red wine gravy beautifully.

Coq-au-vin

After that, it was just a mad rush of finishing work, spending time with The Parents who were in town, last minute christmas shopping, packing for Houston TX (there you go, the link at last!), and braving the freezing cold. Hats, gloves, scarves, sweaters sweaters sweaters, Uggs - all come out of the closet at last. I slept the entire flight.

Houston, Texas

The first thing I said was, it's cold here too. =( But it's gotten progressively warmer - yesterday was positively balmy. A nice break before re-entering the bracing iciness of the Mid-West next week, when we drive down to Kansas City to spend christmas with The Boy's family. The Parents are happy to be back in semi-warmth.

It's rather surreal to be in a new city that is going to be home yet is so strange, a new flat that is going to be home yet is not yet. But it's lovely to be with The Boy, and to spend time with The Parents together. I hit the road for the first time yesterday, a small Asian girl in a big big SUV driving on the "wrong" side of the road - please pray... for other drivers! So far, we've hit Central Market, The Galleria, and... er, Target. I made the Duck Ragu again on Monday evening, and it was as lovely the second time as it was the first. The best thing about oven braises (casseroles), besides the eating, must be the warm homey smells that fill the house. Mum and I have efficiently organised the entire flat and kitchen, after The Boy had admirably unpacked and tidied the entire flat entirely on his own, so I think I can legitimately call it a home home now. As you can see from the picture below, I brought my Le Creuset 5 quart oval casserole - it was quite amusing at check-in in Gatwick, I can tell you!

I have a cast iron casserole,
but no can opener!

The oven is HUGE!

English breakfast

Jetlagged, I wake up at 5am every morning, get out of bed at 6am, make coffee, read Proverbs and pray, and when The Boy wakes up, I rustle up an English breakfast for him, later The Parents when they wake up. It's been simply lovely to reclaim the mornings. Sunday we arrived and had dinner at Lupe Tortilla (The Boy's favourite Mexican), Monday we rested and had duck ragu, Tuesday I got the wheels, went shopping, and we ate at Pei Wei Asian Diner (think sweet American Chinese food) and Uptown Sushi (excellent sushi, glamorous settings but with incongruous cheapo metal chairs, scatty service), Wednesday (today) I think we're going to run errands. Tomorrow, I may take some friends' suggestions and do some touristy stuff. A little underwhelmed by Houston at the moment, and missing London. But home is where The Boy is now, and I am exceedingly glad for that.