I used to play guitar. In bands. In high school and college, these were “cool” bands with amplifiers and the like, but long before that when I was still in pigtails (literally), it was The Village School of Folk Music Dynamite Kids and strolling minstrel affairs.
In any case, My Favorite Things was one of the songs we’d always sing (in the non-amplified bands) around the holidays. And it was just that memory (and the fact that the song has been stuck in my head all day! Sorry if it happens to you . . .) that inspired this post.
I wouldn’t consider myself a material girl (uh oh, another sticky song), but there are a few things that I’d rather not do without and others that simply make me smile. Maldon salt. Fage Yogurt. A sweet birthday note (yesterday) from Lenn at the wonderful wine blog Lenn Devours.
As I began putting this together, I realized that I’ve had a lot of lists up here lately. But hey, tis the season—wish lists, gift lists, new years resolutions. No?
So here are a few of my favorite things (not counting daughter, husband, family, friends, etc. . . they’re part of a whole other list):
- Steel Cut Oatmeal — As breakfast. As risotto. As a pan-fried cake.
So versatile. So tasty. And oh so healthy too. - My Chalk Board — Not quite sure what I ever did without this. I write down what produce is in the fridge (I always forget what’s hiding in those “crisper” drawers), what’s out in the garden, anything I have a hard time keeping track of, and then piece together meals at a glance.
- Barilla Plus Pasta — I discovered this at the CIA/Harvard health conference I was at a few months ago. I love pasta, but I’m not thrilled about the type and amount of carbs in
it. And I haven’t yet found a whole wheat pasta that doesn’t have a gummy texture. Enter Barilla Plus (it comes in spaghetti, spaghettini, penne and rotini). It’s got the usual semolina flour mixed with a special “multi-grain” (and legume) flour that has lentils, chick peas, oats, spelt, barley, egg whites, ground flax seed and wheat fiber, giving the pasta an unusually high fiber, protein and fatty-acid profile. And it has great texture and a 
slightly nutty taste. - Maldon Sea Salt — Our friends came back from London bearing boxes of Maldon for us several years ago. They’d had it in a restaurant there and found it to be the perfect condiment. The crystals are large—the bigger ones are nearly the size of a rolled oat—but airy and crisp as a wafer. They add a lovely crunch and clean savory flavor to salads, pasta, sautes . . . almost anything. Now that we’ve found it locally, it’s a staple on our table.
- Fage Yogurt — After I came back from Greece, I’d often pine for tzatziki. But I really wasn’t in to spending a day
straining watery yogurt (cheesecloth just isn’t my thing). Then I discovered Fage Greek Yogurt. It’s pre-strained with a thick, creamy texture just like (well, almost like) the yogurt in Greece. Now I can just scoop and grate and mix and I’ve got my tzatziki. My favorite is the 2% . . . fairly low in saturated fat and very little taste or texture compromise. - Le Creuset — I never thought a roasting pan could make my life easier in the kitchen. But my
Le Creuset does. The cast iron holds heat incredibly well and the enameled surface gives whatever little nuggets of yumminess are in there a gorgeous, caramelized crust. And that’s just the roasting pan. Don’t even get me started on the doufeu. - Chicken Stock — Odd, I know. But what can I say? I love chicken stock. I use it all the time—in sauces, in salad dressings (it’s great, I swear!), in pasta . . .
- Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair — We “discovered” the Stokke High
Chair over at our Swedish friends’ house and decided we’d go Scandinavian for Noe too. It has adjustable seat and foot rests, so it fits your child from one to ninety-two (well, you know what I mean), it scoots right up to the table so your table is the “tray” (we love this aspect . . . it means Noe eats right at the table with us . . . just what they were contemplating over at Gastrokid a few days ago) and it’s really quite lovely. We chose dark walnut and it matches most of our furniture and the chocolate-colored walls in our dining room.
There you have it. My last list of the year (I hope). Ooops, one more item to add; having a Michelin two-starred restaurant a mile down the street. We’re headed to Cyrus tonight :-) I’ll report next week . . .
In the meantime, Happy holidays everyone!
10 Comments
Lia - what a gorgeous restaurant! I too love steel cut oats. We’ve been using the whole wheat pasta for a couple of years since my husband was diagnosed with diabetes. My kids and husband still don’t like it but I do and I’m the cook.
I’m heading to Redding this afternoon to pick up my oldest son from the airport - I’ll have to think of a nice place to eat. I’ll also have to think of my own list. steph
If for whatever reason you can’t find Fage (lucky you to have it available!), it is easy to strain yogurt though a paper towel set in a colander or strainer. I gave up on cheesecloth years ago as way too fiddly. Happy Holidays!
Steph - You should give the Barilla Plus pasta a try! Hope you found a good restaurant yourself . . . Cyrus was over-the-top fabulous, as usual (Ironically, Nick, the owner and host-extraordinaire, greeted me with “so, we’re one of your favorite things, eh?” when we walked in. He’d been pinged with a pingback and had seen this post not an hour before we walked in the restaurant. Technology is so funny.).
Laurie - Thank you for the tip! I never would have thought of that and it does sound much less fiddly. Glad to know someone else shares my sentiments on cheesecloth!
Lia,
Cyrus looks absolutely spectacular. I can’t wait for a full report on what you ate and drank.
My husband and I plan on hitting wine country at least once in 2008 - I’m putting Cyrus on my list of restaurants to not be missed.
Oh, and BTW, I eat steel cut oats every morning this time of the year. With a little brown sugar, it’s so good that I forget that it’s healthy!
Your list looks perfect to me Lia! I’ve never had Fage yogurt, and just today saw it for the first time. I’m going to have to plan a fantastic Greek feast soon so that I can allow myself the splurge.
A very Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Lia - we do use Barilla Plus
- my family is picky about “spaghetti” (not pasta). One of the first times they abandoned me was when I changed the standard spaghetti sauce from meat to shredded carrots . .it was delicious, imo. 
My things off the top of my head: Homemade salsa and tortilla chips. Garden tomatoes. Mole sauce. Homemade refried beans.
A solitary lunch out with a good book.
This almost 100 y.o. house with the wavy glass windows and old fashioned key holes and glass doorknobs and a staircase that my kids’ grandma slid down on pillows (which she taught my kids to do). (Of course it drives me crazy as well because it begs for renovation).
Things, things . . . . I’m not a big lover of “things” as in material things . .I have a hodgepodge of cooking stuff although I like the looks of your “Le Creuset”. I don’t have a lot of shoes. I’m not into jewelry at all.
I like being outside. Taking walks. Jogging. Riding a bike. Tossing a ball with my son.
I’m looking around and all I see is lots of plants.
steph
It is 24th Dec here, and so time for me to wish all of my blog friends a wonderful time with family and friends tomorrow. May it be a peaceful and blessed day for you, where each of us can give a lot of joy to those around us. Have a great day.
I definitely agree with steel cut oats and le creuset (I use mine all the time). And chicken stock - yes! If only I could make it weekly, but finding time can be so difficult.
A few other things I’d put on my list:
Saturday mornings with a cappuccino, muffin, and magazine.
Saturday evenings with a glass of red wine, a full tummy, and a magazine.
Blasting music from my teenage years.
An evening walk with my husband.
Sharing my best dishes with friends and family.
Any time spent with my nieces and nephew.
Okat, nice list, I was thinking. I like all of that stuff, I can get (and do) Greek yogurt, etc.
Then I was the 2* right down the street?
That tops it…
I sit in jealous awe!
Have a great dinner and a lovely holiday!
foodette reminded me . . a morning cup of coffee and the newspaper - editorial page first. Music definitely from my teen years and that would be classic oldies since I’m 50. Oh . . and one very very vain “thing” . . . when people are surprised that I have adult children. Just two nights ago as I picked up my oldest from the airport, his seat mate was surprised that I was his mom. Now, that is almost so vain that I may not post it. . . . .
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