I already bought your present. Happy Hanukkah!
In other news, I'm in Laramie WY! Here's what I found there:
* altitude sickness (drink water, it goes away after a day)
* bison burgers
* elk chili
* snow, snow, snow
* The Library, a combination brewing company AND drive-thru liquor store. (No I am not kidding). Try the oatmeal stout and play Big Buck Hunter Pro for only $.50 a trek!!!! (I beat the GC five times.)
* Coal Creek Coffee Co., a roomy, unpretentious coffee joint with excellent food, serious coffee in BIG cups (served everywhere in town), and live music. Reminded me of Portland OR.
* a music-loving population which packed Coal Creek for me despite blizzard conditions
* This spanking new small theatre, on the grounds of the historic Wyoming Territorial Prison. (Now a museum in warmer months).
* This cute B&B, which does have a staying-with-relatives vibe, but really nice ones who insist that you eat the salad fixings in their fridge with the frozen pizza you brought home, and make great granola for breakfast.
*Oh, and Norwegians. :-)
I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon in the kitchen with friends of the GC who introduced me to the world of Norwegian desserts. Since my only exposure to food from that part of the world thus far has been Bacon Paste in a Tube (thank you A-Mac), getting in on this family's Christmas cookies was enlightening and delicious. The treats are all variations on waffles (!! I'm sold). Here's one kind.
Krumkake are a cone-shaped, thin, crispy waffle. They are feather-light and sweet but not cloying, require a special waffle iron, and make use of almond extract and cardamom (!!), which I'm told is a really common dessert flavoring in Norway. Live and learn.
God Jul! (Merry Xmas!)
Tomorrow we head to Kansas City. Up at dawn to make it there in time for ribs. See you at home.
Love,
The Boo.
