Classes, Colloquium, and 'Prom'

The past two days have been full of EGSA (English Graduate Student Association) events.  I finished up classes for the semester on Thursday, but the last day of classes felt very anti-climactic after such a long, tiring semester.  I still have so much to do before the semester really ends that I didn't feel able to celebrate, despite the bottle of wine and the cheese plate set up in the seminar room.  Two papers and a large final project stand between me and that feeling of sweet relief.  Eeesh.

On Friday morning I presented what I have so far of my Tudor Theater paper at the Graduate Student Colloquium, did a little work in the grad lounge, attended the last colloquium panel, then made 'Paper Plate Awards' for our second-years--with the help of my wonderful EGSA 'prom committee'-- which we handed out at 'prom.'  Yesterday was all about 'prom.'  I struggled with what dress to wear, fretted over who would pick up the paper plates from the grad lounge, and stressed over everything going perfectly.  Very little academic work got done as I tried to put on the best prom ever.  Luckily, the EGSA board is wonderful, and I got a lot of support.  I felt like in the end, I had to do very little, and everyone else helped to make the party go off without a hitch.  I hope the second-years had fun!

Here are a couple of my favorite pictures from the 'photo-booth' that we set up (my camera on a tripod; bags of costume pieces to make the pictures more fun).

Prom was really fun, but I'm so glad that my EGSA duties are over for a few days so that I can concentrate on finishing up this semester strong!

Shorter

Apologies in advance for the slightly blurry selfies below, but I got a haircut!  My first haircut in over two years!  I cut off more than eleven inches to donate to Locks of Love.  My friend Shea did the cut and styling-- she has cut my hair several times since we were roomies in Bath and I always like how she makes my hair look.  I also like that she lets me drink a glass of sangria during/afterwards/as needed (cutting hair is a big deal).  We went with a slightly slanted bob this time, a la Posh Spice.

If you have long hair you should definitely considering donating to Locks of Love.  It's super easy to donate, and besides just loving my new length, I feel really great knowing that I'm helping someone out.  Thanks, Shea!

Shenandoah Staycation

This past weekend Zan and I took a "staycation" together.  We haven't gotten to see a lot of each other this summer since our weekends don't coincide, so I took a few days off, and he took a few days off, and we ended up with a lovely four days together.  We had a fancy dinner in Charlottesville the first night at my favorite restaurant, Maya.  The first full day, we drove Skyline Drive, hiked Dark Hollow Falls trail, almost went horseback riding but the trails were too slick to take the horses out, and had lunch at a National Park lodge.  We saw plenty of deer and heard from people on the trail that we just narrowly missed seeing a baby black bear (which might have been good, if Mama Bear was anywhere nearby).  I just loved Shenandoah National Park-- I can't wait to go back.  The next day we visited Bold Rock Cidery in Nellysford, VA, and we picked peaches at a PYO (Pick Your Own) peach orchard.  We admired the views of the mountains.  We visited Charlottesville again and saw Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing with some friends.  We came back to Williamsburg and watched movies and played with our handsome cats and relaxed.  What a perfect mini-break. 

Ice Cream Sunday

I had great plans on Sunday to make an onion soup, but when I arrived Dennis suggested that we make chocolate ice cream instead.  How could I say no to that?!  Chocolate ice cream!  

(Oh hey, it's me in eighteenth-century garb!)

Many of you will say, "Ice cream?  In the eighteenth century?  I don't believe you."  Well, believe it!  The Governor's Palace has an icehouse-- a twenty-foot deep hole made for keeping ice.  The Governor (and other wealthy Virginians with icehouses) would have had ice shipped down from the northern colonies in the dead of winter and would have packed it into their icehouses.  Ice was cut from lakes and packed with salt and sawdust for shipping, so it wasn't the kind of thing that you would mix in with your drinks.  Nor was this a refrigerator-- foods were much fresher then and bought and consumed daily, so there was no need for refrigeration of vegetables, fruits, or meats.



Ice was shipped almost specifically for ice creams, and occasionally for putting around (not into) drinks for a cool treat during the hot summer months.  "During the summer months?" you might ask.  "Wouldn't the ice have melted?"  No.  Reports suggest that ice could remain, well, ice, until September or October in the ice house, even if it had been brought in the previous December or January.  A test of the Governor's Palace icehouse a decade ago or so confirmed these reports.

Their iced creams, however, differ slightly from our ice cream.  Theirs was more like frozen custard.  To make eighteenth-century ice cream, you must start out by making a custard.  You can flavor it however you want-- fruit ice creams were especially popular with denizens of the eighteenth-century.  Since we made chocolate ice cream, we started by grating some pure chocolate that we had made in our chocolate program.  We then got together about a dozen egg yolks and five pints of cream in a pot over the fire, taking care not to let it boil.  As it heated, we added in the grated chocolate, along with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a dash of cayenne pepper for a bit of a kick.  Once the mixture had thickened, we took it off the fire and set it to cool for several hours.  We had to cool it, because to make eighteenth-century ice cream you put the custard into a metal canister, set the canister in a bucket, and pack ice around it.  If we had put the custard into the canister hot it would have simply melted the ice.  Useless.

As it was, we put the cooled custard into the canister, canister into bucket, ice packed around it, and spun.  Yes, we spun the canister in the ice, by hand, for two hours.  You notice the handle on the lid?  It's for spinning.  You can also just use your hands and turn the whole canister (as I am doing in the first picture, above).  You spin.  And spin.  And spin some more.  As the ice melts you drain it from the bucket, and add in more ice and rock salt-- the rock salt makes the ice colder.  We spun for two hours before it was time to clean up the kitchen for closing, and it probably could have used another hour of spinning to harden completely.  But ta-da!  We made ice cream!  Since it melts we can't display it, so I just had to take some home with me.



And it was delicious. :)

A Wedding and an Asparagus Recipe

Picture time!  This past weekend Zan and I headed to Alexandria for the wedding of one of my best friends from high school, Kristen.  She held her wedding at a gorgeous venue overlooking the Potomac.  The weather cooperated-- a sunny, clear day, and wonderfully cool.  It got a bit warm in the sun during the ceremony, but there was a nice breeze.  Despite not knowing any of the other guests, Zan and I had an excellent time.  Just before the ceremony we met two "wedding friends" who we spent the cocktail hour talking to, and then we found out we were all seated at the same table for dinner!  The food was amazing-- the cake was a lemon-raspberry.  Kristen looked just gorgeous and was obviously incredibly excited.  Zan and I got in two slow dances, and jumped up and down to Ke$ha and Lady Gaga before we had to drive the two and half hours back home.  The best part?  I got two whole (iPhone) pictures from the wedding!!!

Then today at work I cooked Asparagus Forced in Rolls-- or, stuffed in rolls (forced coming from an Old French word meaning "to stuff").  It was a neat little recipe from Hannah Glasse's cookbook.  First, I took some French rolls, grated them until round and white, cut off the tops, then hollowed them.  Next, I put them in a fry pan with some butter until they were nicely fried. While those fried, I cut stalks of asparagus into tiny medallions.  Then I put some cream, beaten egg yolks, nutmeg, and salt over the fire in a saucepan, and once it had begun to thicken I added my asparagus stalks.  Once cooked, I filled the hollow bits of the French rolls with the asparagus sauce, then cut three holes in the lids of each roll.  I blanched six asparagus spears, then put them in the holes, because the recipe calls for each roll to appear as if "the grass" were growing out of tiny mounds of earth.  Best part?  I have a picture!  I made these!

Can't wait to post more pretty food pictures as the summer wears on!

Down at the Mardi Gras: Picture Post!

As promised, a picture post!  We'll start out with photos from the Krewe of Xanadu Ball!

(Kay did my hair, isn't it wonderful?)

(Our table setting)

(Gorgeous Kay!!!)

(Me and my mother, belles of the ball! ;))

(Last year's royalty bidding adieu to their reign...)

(Presenting Queen Xanadu 2013...)

(Here she is!)

(In New Orleans, at the Iris Parade)

(Endymion!)

(Our swag caught during parades.  This isn't even all of it.)

(At the parade at Morgan City)

Hope you enjoy the pictures!!!  They can't entirely capture the magic of the Mardi Gras season, but hopefully you can see that a grand time was had by all!

Christmas at Disney: Joyful Photos!

As a follow up to my Disney Highlights post, I present: Photos from Disney World at Christmas.

 These were the decorations in the lobby of our hotel.  I could have sat in front of those Christmas trees all day.  Just looking at the picture makes me feel happy inside.  Plus, the fireplace scene in the second photo is actually made from gingerbread and candy!!!

 A very nice gentleman offered to take our photo in Epcot.  We are at the entrance to the World Showcase by the giant Christmas tree with ornaments depicting flags from the nations of the world and banners saying "Merry Christmas" in many languages.

 I snapped a picture of this Christmas tree at The Primetime Cafe in Hollywood Studios when my mom and I stopped in for a vanilla coke.  Doesn't it just take you back to the 1950s and 1960s?

 Here begins a series of photos from our Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party!

Isn't the Magic Kingdom just lovely at Christmastime?  In this photo you can even see the "snow" that falls on Main Street U.S.A. during the Christmas parties.  So much fun.

 Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel in The Little Mermaid tells us the Christmas story in Epcot's iconic Candlelight Processional.  She's so beautiful.

And don't forget-- I still have to show you my video of Woody dancing to Gangnam Style!  Plus, be on the lookout for a post dedicated to New Fantasyland!

(Photos are mine; please do not use without credit)