The last hurrah

Now that we have a baby, one of the things I'll miss most is being able to go out to eat in nice restaurants. Oh, sure, there are places that are kid-friendly, but few of those fit into the category. You know, the really nice restaurants. I don't think we'll be eating again at The Pointe on our next trip to Tofino, for example.

Last night, my parents gave us orders to go out for supper while they cared for the baby. We quickly made reservations for Chambar, a Belgian restaurant I've wanted to try for some time and had hoped to patronise before the baby was born. Well, he was born three weeks early, so that was that.¹

The restaurant was worth the wait. We each opted for the soupe de potiron (roasted squash and apple soup) for a first course. For mains, Werner had the smoked sablefish and I had my long-anticipated moules et frites, the Coquotte variation with bacon and garlic and vegetables. Werner chose a German Riesling to accompany his entrée, while I stuck with a non-alcoholic cocktail. (No wine for the baby, after all.) Too tired to go on, we split the Gaufre Liegoise (Belgian waffle) for dessert, and each had Americanos (Americani?), me with the decaf version.

We were home and asleep before the 8:45 reservation would have brought the main course.

For a last hurrah, it was a good choice.

Many thanks to my parents for the break, and to Werner for the wonderful meal and company. An evening to remember.


¹ Funnily enough, seated at the table next to ours was a family with a baby. At least we know Chambar has highchairs, so maybe we'll get there again?

Happy birthday to me

Today is my first birthday as a mama. Since the baby was due, well, now, I've teased Werner more than once that he wouldn't have to take me out for expensive birthday dinners for, oh, at least 15 or 18 years.

{sigh}

Last year, he surprised me with supper at Villa del Lupo, two years before that we went to Seasons, and the year in between we were in Rome. I've been spoiled.

Had I still been pregnant now, I warned him ages ago that I'd want one last blow-out birthday supper. After all, I'd be huge and uncomfortable and completely deserving of one final treat. But I'm not pregnant now, rather I'm the mother of a beautiful boy of almost three weeks of age. And as for our opportunity to go to these sorts of restaurants? That window has closed.

So a few days ago, I proposed that, for my birthday, what I would most appreciate was childcare. Between Werner and my parents, I reasoned that Jakob could easily be cared for while I shopped for needed ingredients and prepared a special meal for us to share. My first choice would be seared tuna, something which I haven't cooked since last year as raw fish was out during pregnancy. A simple dish, really, but too expensive to be an everyday meal. In case I couldn't find good quality tuna, risotta alla funghi was my back-up plan.

Did I mention I have a newborn?

Last night was one of the most sleep-deprived yet. I'm so tired I really couldn't care less if supper is nothing more than a frozen pizza. In spirit, I would love to go out for a foodie's dinner, but by mid-afternoon I'll be knackered anyway.

Of course, we could still go to Denny's; after all, the local restaurants advertise that the birthday celebrant eats free.

Apple time

Today we bundled up the baby and went to the university's Apple Festival. With my Mom here, hopefully we'll still be able to get a number of apple pies ready for the freezer, and ideally some applesauce too. So I spent a shocking amount of money to buy Northern Spy and Mutsu apples for pies, Ambrosia and Honeycrisp for eating, and several others besides that I'm simply too tired to recall. Last year I bought some Berlepsch, which were scrumptious in pies, and Hannah's Special, for delicious and light applesauce, but neither varietal was available this year.

I also bought a candy apple for myself. Hey, the baby wasn't due 'til next week, so surely I'm still entitled to enjoy the odd pregnancy craving?!

Only dairy these days

The only thing I'm cooking these days is breastmilk. The baby was born three weeks early (before I got any homemade bread in the freezer, sigh), and we're in the chaotic days of early parenthood. My parents are here and my Mom has been doing all the cooking.

Except yesterday, I had a few minutes to spare, so I baked chocolate chip cookies. We didn't really need cookies, but I needed to bake cookies. Something that was for me and felt good to do.

I miss cooking already. I hope it won't be too long before I can do at least a little baking once again. In the meantime, I grateful that my Mom is taking good care of us.