Spring Is In The Air...

It is so nice to finally have an actual Spring in Michigan, it is almost too good to believe. Tat has been slowly and cautiously getting a few flowers here and there. Not too many because it could still get pretty cold and the flowers we've already planted could all go to pot. But honestly I think we're pretty much out of the woods. At any rate I am optimistic, and with good reason I think, look at all the wonderful weather we have had for the past few weeks. Recently, Tat came home with a Subhirtella Weeping Cherry sapling and the boys and  I planted it, definitely adds a bit of color to our landscaping, very nice. I have noticed that all the trees are blooming and there are so many flowers coming up, I even took a few pics. We have this beautiful Magnolia in our front yard and it has bloomed magnificently, it's flowers have the whole yard smelling sweet and fragrant. I am looking forward to a wonderful summer.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

What a spectacular finish to a wonderful weekend, the weather was absolutely perfect. Like most people nice weather translates into barbecue. A few weeks ago Tat and I got a new grill because our old Weber just didn't cut it anymore. In terms of space and the volume of meat that I could put on the Weber it just wasn't adequate anymore so we upgraded. We looked at grills at 3-4 different stores and settled on the Char-Broil grill, and I love this grill. It's big and well made but the two features I love the most is: 1. It has a smoker and 2. There is a thermometer which gives you an idea of now hot the grill is. I have already grilled around 6-7 times already this year and it is only April. I made stir fried rice yesterday and I wanted the chicken to be smokey and more flavorful, so after a 45-minute marinade I cooked it on the grill over some hot coals and mesquite wood chips. And although I used chicken breasts, which typically drys out quickly, I used chicken breasts with the ribs attached and it makes a world of difference. The rib-in breasts retain more moisture and the meat comes out extremely juicy. A lot of people ask me why I don't upgrade to a gas grill and it is simple, you can't get the same amazing flavor with a gas grill that you can get with a standard charcoal grill. I love that smoked flavor.

 

 

 

Wynton Marsalis

Hope you all enjoy this.

http://www.wyntonmarsalis.org/audio/herenow/speed.mp3

Kehinde Wiley

Another favorite is my man Mr. Wiley, who has some very impressive work. He has galleried at the Dietch Project in the Chelsea district in Manhattan, which for any artist is a really big deal. Check out his work because he is definitely going Big Time.http://www.kehindewiley.com/

Audrey Kawasaki

I want to bring attention to a wonderful artist by the name of Audrey Kawasaki. She is an amazing artist who possess tremendous talent. Her paintings are imbued with a richness and warmth that makes them seemingly come alive. I love her work and I hope to show her sometime in the near future.http://www.audrey-kawasaki.com/

Expanding Horizons

Here at NSBBP I will be expanding the topics or rather areas of interests beyond family and cooking. I must admit that I have a lot of interests which include but are not limited to poetry and the arts. I also will be posting some of the causes that I taken an interest in over the years. You will also see new causes that I have taken up or want to give exposure to. So for those of you that follow my blog I hope this is just as exciting for you as it for me. Enjoy. 

Three Layer Chocolate Cake

This is the cake that Tat requested for our little New Year's Party at home with the boys. She subscribes to Good Housekeeping magazine and saw this recipe in the December issue. It turned out pretty good, although the frosting recipe had to be adjusted to accommodate such a large cake. With some vanilla ice cream it was simply delicious.