World Cup Cookout

It's because of my Dad that I'm a soccer fan. So of course we had to watch the World Cup with him.

As you now know, we lost. What a bummer! But it was a good, very sportsmanlike game and Japan got to celebrate a victory which is a positive. After the game, we enjoyed a family cookout.

My Mom has a dynamite kitchen. I love cooking in it, but cooking in another's kitchen is always a mixed bag. Like playing an away game on a stranger's home turf. It's not your choice of utensils or ingredients. Still, we managed just fine...

Caprese salad with homegrown tomatoes and basil

on the grill

Improvised Elote

 mild Italian sausages with condiments

... after all, it's not really about the end result, it's all about the game. Regardless of how the food looks, it's all about spending time and socializing with family and friends.

Thursday's Father's Day?

I really want to know what hunger, what desperation was going on in that first native's mind when they first looked at one of these little buggers and thought: "Hey, I could eat that." What other food produces twice the trash as it does edible fodder, has parts so sharp they can make you bleed, and requires you to burn as many calories as you earn? Crabs are crazy creatures, but we're Marylanders and we love them. They are a part of not only our cuisine, but our identity.

Tools of the Trade

So what would any good Annapolitan daughter do for her daddy on Father's Day? Take him crab bangin'.

So your first thought, of course, is our own Cantler's Riverside Inn. Yes, you and every other Annapolitan daughter. That's why I took my Dad a little further down the West River to Thursday's in Galesville.

Thursday's

The West River is a bit quieter than the other rivers of Annapolis. Beautiful sailboats glide by Thursday's wrap-around deck while boaters, bikers, and families enjoy crabs, steaks, and some fun Tex-Mex inspired appetizers along with their seabreezes and ice cold beers. In case you can't tell, I love this place.

A pretty sailboat on the West River

Dad got half a dozen local males and Mom got a broiled crab cake... so, about the same amount of crab meat but without the work. But c'mon, crabangin' is half the fun. It's the second official sport of Maryland after jousting.

Awesome right? So save the bay!

And of course, there was some beer to wash down all that Old Bay and crab meat. Dad likes 'em hoppy so he got a Harpoon IPA.

A crabby mess

About two messy hours later, six empty shells were in the bucket and Dad reached for the wet naps. He enjoyed the feast of crabs as much this year as every year we've had this family tradition. Two years now have been spent at Thursday's, and I have a feeling it's going to stick.

Commercial Break

Food and I are taking a short break.

A week and a half ago, I found myself in the hospital with a serious infection, enough for anyone to consider giving the foodie lifestyle some space.

Now, my wonderful husband is in the same hospital with an even more serious infection. My poor baby, aren't we over this already?

There are still so many popovers to attempt, restaurants to discover, and recipes to try.

But we all have to get well first. So here's to family, the more important thing in my life.

Honey Bunny!

My honey bunny is here! Great Harvest Bread Company is just around the corner from us, which is lucky around holiday time as they always have a special bakery item for you to take home for your very own. Ordering and paying in advance means that you just show up and pick up the day you choose, when you will have inevitably already spent your budget on other grocery items. So convenient.

The only thing that bothers me about my big bunny is the placement of his ears. And here's why:

The whole reason I wanted Mr. Bunny was thanks to the recipe on this flyer. But with bunny's ears lying  right over the 'bowl' of his body, cutting his back out for the dip is going to prove a tricky task.

I'm hoping I can maneuver his ears out of the way so that everyone can at least see what he's supposed to be before devouring the delicious rabbit.

The worst part is the waiting. I really just want to rip him apart and taste, but I must refrain until I can share him with my friends and family. I'm also still up in the air about the dip I want to fill him with; spinach is not my favorite, but a good back-up.

On another note, Happy Earth Day! Today, Starbucks offered free brewed coffee or tea if you brought in your own reusable container. I'm always looking out for little freebies like that. We were out and about during this dreary, rainy day, so I guess we saved some energy that way. But, I'm unfortunately being a bit of an energy hog this evening and self-cleaning the already scrubbed oven which was still smoking when I tried to attempt popovers again. And just about dying from the fumes. Ughck! It's times like these when I wish our tiny apartment had more windows.