10 Years, Part Two

We recently posted about celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary, and reflecting on all that's happened and changed in our lives since we got married.

Well, you know lots of them-- finishing grad school, changing jobs, moving house, moving overseas, having a baby!  But one thing we haven't written about before is "The Office."  B and I started watching it on DVDs, rented at Berkeley's Five Star Video in 2005.  And tonight we will watch the very last episode ever, #23 of Season 9.

(Yes, we're behind.  Remember the bit about moving overseas and having a baby?  Cuts into the TV time).

Here goes... good-bye, old friends!

Where we rented our discs.

Where we watched them.

How we looked.

How they looked.

Ferie

Hello again darling readers!  It's us, the Derelict Duo.  Yes, we have had to change our name from Daring to Derelict, and it's all because of our absentee blogger ways.  Have we done anything interesting since April?  Jeps, as the Danes say, and maybe if you all play your cards right, we'll fill you in.

But for now, we're getting back in the game with a picture-heavy post about our travels in the US this summer.  We spent just over 5 weeks with family and friends in New Jersey, Arizona, and California.  It was great.

C has never been to the playground with so few clothes on!

Digging in the sandbox with Grandma.

More playground adventures. At least one of us is still daring!

Gotta wear hats, guys.

Exploring the Tucson Botanical Gardens, where B and I got married!

Turns out the Botanical Gardens have a sandbox too.

Live Oak Park in Berkeley.

We'd been dreaming about taking C here.

The view from our old neighborhood.

Fruit-buying at the Monterey Market.  Fruit doesn't look this good at home.

C's new friend, the (faux) terracotta warrior at our old apartment.

C gets cozy with Auntie R!

Walking down Vine Lane from the Rose Garden is my birthday tradition.

C and I enjoy the fountain at the Marin Circle.

The rat-bears!

C and Bedstemor make the most of yet another playground!

For those who are wondering, we hit at least 9 different playgrounds on this trip.

Where are the bubbles?

There they are!

Hi-yah!

At the Reid Park Zoo, just being uber-cool, you know?

But not too cool for hugs.

Looking at ducks with C's birthday buddy baby A!

Ready to eat Indian food with Bedstefar.

Turns out C loves breakfast tacos.  Well, who wouldn't?

At the Botanical Gardens once again--we just can't stay away!  (Except for the 16 months when we're in another country).

I am Veggie-Girl!  C digs helping out in Grandma's garden.

B and C trek on Mt. Lemmon.

C lounges at the splash pad.

Splash pads, by the way, are our favorite American thing!

Scandinavegan Summer: Mushroom Eating!

B and I were just in the US last week, where we admired the juicy tomatoes and peaches and corn that abound on the West Coast.  We both felt like those were real summer foods.  So we went to farmers' markets and the Berkeley Bowl and the Monterey Market and ate absolutely tons. 

Sadly, those aren't really things that the Scandinavian summer specializes in, but we're not too sad, because there are a lot of other interesting and tasty things around here.   The Scandinavegan will be presenting the best of the Danish summer, foodwise, and how to eat it.  Stay tuned!

Today we're starting with mushrooms, since last time we wrote about mushroom hunting.  Now you're probably loaded up with chanterelles, something like this, right?

Well, if you're anything like us, you have a much smaller basket of mushrooms, which is perfect for today's recipe: Woodsy Chanterelles on Toast!

(I like to say "on toast," but the truth is, we never actually toast the bread.  One could, though).

ca. 100 g of chanterelles, washed carefully and sliced
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
woodsy herb of choice; ie sage, thyme, or lavender
salt and pepper
a pinch of flour
sturdy crusty bread (sourdough is always nice)

Start off with a good slosh of olive oil in your skillet.  You could use butter, if you roll that way, I suppose.  When it's hot, begin sauteing the garlic; then, carefully and gently add the mushrooms.  Sprinkle them with salt so they release their juices.  Crumble in your herb of choice, just until it smells good.  Now gently use a wooden spoon to separate the veggies from some of the oil and juice.  Imagine the skillet divided in two; one side mushrooms, one side sauce.  Whisk in the flour--probably about a teaspoon will be plenty.  Whisk really well so there are no lumps, then gently fold in the mushrooms again.  Season to taste and serve with the good bread.  Delicious!

Grade A Grey Days

Well, the first big day has come and gone.

B has already flown away to Aarhus. He's there right now! So far he says it's fantastic, despite the rain. In fact, he's already made a mark on the Danish social scene, spoken real Danish to real live Danes, and found a lead on an apartment! Here's B--


And here's Aarhus.



But the prediction is for more cool, damp weather, so we're also posting a sunny shot from here in Berkeley. The rat-bears say "Hej!"



Of course, it's pretty cool and damp here too, at least in the mornings. Seems like fog must be the Daring Duo's Destiny.