The Heartland & Our Neighbors (October 17-19 )

[Varmint]

8:30 a.m.:  All right then...who marched that Marine battalion through my mouth overnight while I was asleep? 

Lord.  Give me a few minutes and a cup of coffee and I'll stop being an invertebrate.  I promise. 

9:45 a.m.:  Hokay.  Walking upright on two feet and speaking in complete relevant sentences. Packed.  Recipe for raised apple pancakes in mind.  Bring on that brunch.

Glad to see that y'all are climbing out of the primordial soup.

[maggiethecat]

Glad to see that y'all are climbing out of the primordial soup.

Well, Lady T. is!!! (Way to go, Sue.)

A beautiful, crisp sunny Midwest autumn day. Brunch beckons. (And yes, folks, there are many, many, pictures. But, er, it'll be awhile until we get them posted.)

Round Three coming up. We're made of sturdy stuff.

[tammylc]

And I've arrived back in Ann Arbor safe and sound. Thanks to all the Heartlanders for a lovely gathering - it was great meeting you all. Thanks especially to MattB and Michelle for hosting, and Alex and his wife for giving me a comfy couch to sleep on at the last minute. You guys rock!

[Dave the Cook]

What's the brunch menu, other than Sue's raised apple pancakes?

[beans]

2002 Cabernet Shiraz (in can: 250 mL), the "tastes like ass" entry.

That is those Aussie in a can wines right?

Ooooooh, thank you! I haven't opened that free sample some mysterious wine rep dropped off a week or two ago.

The food and fun sounded fabulous.

[Malawry]

I had a few friends over for scrambled eggs, dried cherry scones with homemade jam and fruit salad this morning. It was fun, but not nearly as fun as your meals together are sounding.

I wanna know the recipe for the apple pancake. I remember eating one at Walker Brothers as a kid, while visiting Chitown with my folks. It's a favorite family food memory actually, and I'd love to make one for Mom the morning after Thanksgiving to make her smile.

[Alex]

What's the brunch menu, other than Sue's raised apple pancakes?

Scrambled eggs (very fresh, free-range) with grated Manchego and thyme mixed in. Lots of coffee and herbal tea. Good company.

I love eGullet people. They're already talking about where they're going to go for lunch on the way back to Chicago.

The second pancake is about to come out of the oven. Gotta run!.

[Lady T]

The apple pancakes are easy, and I will post that recipe tomorrow when I get to the office, after I clear the pile of (insert obscenities of choice) off my desk. The longest prep to it has to do with peeling, coring, and slicing a couple of apples. The batter mixes up with a fork in five minutes or less. No-tech and low-time.

They do taste okay, if I say so myself, and even better with the maple syrup Alex thoughtfully heated up. Niiiiiiice touch, sir.

This was one fine party. Never mind that it's stretched more or less over three days...it was all just one really fine party.

Off we go, with a band playing. In our minds, anyhow.

[Alex]

With tammylc safely back in Ann Arbor, fresco and family most of the way to Toronto, the Points West delegation nearing hamburgers and malteds in New Buffalo, and MatthewB and S.O. probably deep in the middle of a well-deserved nap, I just wanted to thank everyone for the first of what I hope will be many memorable multi-in-person, eGullet experiences. I knew there was a reason why I moved to the Midwest.

Recipes to follow, I'm sure.

[fresco]

Back in Toronto, still overwhelmed by the open-handed generosity and welcome extended in Grand Rapids by the Heartland crowd.

It was a pleasure to meet all of you, and I hope we can get together again, and soon. Thanks especially to Matthew and Michele for being big-hearted and courageous enough to play host to such a mob, to Alex for being such an accomodating and knowledgable guide to the folkways and pleasures of Grand Rapids (Guajolote was so carried away with Alex's enthusiasm that he said it was enough to persuade him to move back) to Col. Klink for his alchemy with smoke and meat, and to Guajolote and his amazing extended family for their warm-hearted hospitality, and to all of you for demonstrating that the preparation and partaking of food is, above all, an act of grace and communion.

Edited October 20, 2003 by fresco (log)

[maggiethecat]

demonstrating that the preparation and partaking of food is, above all, an act of grace and communion.

On the drive back to Chicago from Grand Rapids I was trying to elucidate what made this weekend so precious, but fresco beat me to it, and said it better than I could.

Saturday afternoon MatthewB looked at the mob in Michele's kitchen and observed, bemusedly, "This looks just like Thanksgiving." A perfect observation, but it was even better, because there were no family infighting or squabbles. He also gave me the theme for this post. (I know I'm going to say "generous" and "generosity" way too often, but I can't be bothered checking my Thesaurus for synonyms)

I feel like an Oscar Winner: I would like to thank:

eGullet. Without this site I wouldn't have met this incredible group of people. Think: Counting the Pick Pickin' and the Grand Rapids Weekend, I have spent six of the last ten days cooking with Aurora and Guajolote. God, I'm a lucky woman.

I would never have met the uber-awesome Writer, Cook and Singer and girlfriend, Lady T. I would never have stood in my pyjamas on the deck of Michele's house in the forest, watching the leaves fall in a shower of gold, drinking coffee and petting a Portugese Water Dog puppy. Hell, I'd never have gone to Grand Rapids, Michigan for a weekend! I'd have missed the Farmers Market. I would never have met fresco, his charming wife Bonnie and his smarter-than-this daughter, who flew in from Toronto for one day! And Tammylc who hiked in from Ann Arbor.

I would never have seen the Hello Kitty vibrator. I would never have met Col Klink, admired his eyelashes, eaten his smoked prime rib, lamb and duck, and truly understand his generosity of spirit. (Batgrrrl...we gotta meet you, Girlfriend!) I would never have met the combination of kindness and intellect that is MatthewB, or, again, the genuine caring and hospitality of Alex and his wife Anne. (Alex for Mayor of Grand Rapids!)

Iris and Jerry, guajolote's parents, provide the big clues about why their son is The Man. These people are The Best.

Matthew's SO. Michele, whose house provided the setting for the Main Event, is a --well, she's a Sweetie! She was my hostess and no one could ever make a guest (or guests) feel more welcome. Thank you, Lady.

There will be many, many pictures to come, some of them portaits of the Mascot of the Heartland, adored by all, NeroW and her very handsome Boy, Matt#3. We all need to get home and settle down to work with Imagestation or whatever. But on the ride home, Aurora, Lady T, Col Klink and I all discussed the thing we'll all remember from the Heartland Gathering: Standing in Michele's kitchen, emulating the Eric Ripert experience, improvising, cooking what was fresh and good--no bosses, only colleagues. Intent on our task which was: To make this the most Fucking Awesome Dinner Party Ever.

And it was.

Thank you, eGullet.

Edited October 20, 2003 by maggiethecat (log)

[Blondie]

Note to self: Call in sick next time

The grace and generosity of the Heartlanders was in full bloom at the Pig Pickin' too. It's a wonder to behold.

It sounds like you all had a great weekend. Thanks for sharing it with us

[guajolote]

We really need to get a picture of that prime rib up. It was, without a doubt,

THE BEST BEEF EVER

[MatthewB]

We really need to get a picture of that prime rib up. It was, without a doubt,

THE BEST BEEF EVER

Sinclair Lewis would have been mighty proud!

[Malawry]

Waitaminute. Hello Kitty vibrator?

[guajolote]

First of all, it was great meeting all of the new people: Alex and his wife, Fresco and his family, Tammy, and His Field Marshal/General of the Army Klink.

Dinner Friday was a blast. I've had the chef of a restaurant come see how my meal was before, but never 18 times in one night. In true Grand

Rapids fashion the restaurant was empty by 8:30 .

Saturday morning I went to pick up Maggie at Michelle's and there was an 8 point buck in her front yard. If I had brought my bow (and if I had a bow) we could of had smoked venison. Oh well.

The GR Farmer's market is really improving. The farmers are growing a lot of things that they weren't 5 years ago including leeks, lots of potato varieties, different greens, and much more.

In addition to the smoked corned brisket (make your travel plans now, Klink is making this for New Year's Eve) snack; we had dried cured hungarian sausage, liverwurst, the smoked/spatchcocked/fresh duck, and lamb salami - all served on a pig shaped cutting board. No bread or crackers, just meat. While Klink was slicing the brisket, he got the full traveling riot "grabby" treatment .

The look on Klink's face when he realized that there was no drinks in his early meat pictures was priceless.

All of the food at dinner was amazing, astounding, bewildering, breathtaking, extraordinary, impressive, marvelous, miraculous, spectacular, staggering, startling, striking, stunning, stupefying, stupendous, and wonderful. In addition to the prime rib and leg of lamb we also smoked some fresh Hungarian Sausage and lamb sausage.

Yes, it was THE BEST BEEF EVER

[guajolote]

Waitaminute. Hello Kitty vibrator? 

Hello Kitty Vibrator with wine clip attached

[tammylc]

Waitaminute. Hello Kitty vibrator? 

Hello Kitty Vibrator with wine clip attached

Damn - I knew I left too early on Saturday night!

[fresco]

You missed the climax.

[Lady T]

As pictures are posted, this will become clear. After a short series of "does the wine clip work?" informal taste tests (not to any known scientific standard), we decided to find and/or invent "Ninety-Nine Uses for the Wine Clip."

One of these uses was to (perhaps) enhance the efficacy of the Hello Kitty vibrator. No results available as yet.

There were others, God of Wisdom help us.

More later.

[maggiethecat]

Alex at Rafaella's on Friday night, flaunting the Official Uniform of the Midwestern diner-out. The winter version permits long pants and socks.

Alex worked with chef Joe to arrange the special eGullet menu, with wine pairings. Thanks, Alex.

[guajolote]

The winter version permits long pants and socks.

Alex was sockless though

[maggiethecat]

Guajolote went dressier. I love a man in a tiara.

[Varmint]

Guajolote went dressier.  I love a man in a tiara.

Did he wear those lacy panties that he's so fond of, too?

[guajolote]

Did he wear those lacy panties that he's so fond of, too?

It was thong night