Monday, but hardly manic.

I love my job. I love my job because of the little things, like getting to see Darth in the mornings when I work the drive-through.
He's a sweet pea. Look at that face. His siblings are two very large labradoodles, you can sort of see them there in the background.

Then there are the not-so-nice little things. For example, yesterday someone came through the drive-through and told Daniel, "Hold on a second, I have to call someone to see what they want."

Really?
(that's Daniel's "really?" face)

Last night I made pork for dinner. Why does the smell of pork cooking away in the oven make me think of Germany? Well, for obvious reasons I suppose.
I made a roasted pork tenderloin with a Pinot Noir, thyme, shallot, and wild mushroom sauce topped with shiitake mushrooms, along with steamed green beans, a nice tomato and bell pepper salad with parsley and German herb dressing, and some creamy goat cheese polenta.

The mushrooms in the sauce were reconstituted dried wild mushrooms, and the mushroom broth produced from soaking them went into the sauce as well. I wish morels were available fresh around these parts. The sauce could be made with any red wine, but I think that floral thyme and woodsy wild mushrooms just beg to be paired with Pinot Noir. Perhaps that's just the Washingtonian in me. Simply sauté your shallot, add the mushrooms, then about a cup of wine and 1/2 a cup of the mushroom liquid, and allow it to reduce. Slide in about a tablespoon of butter and a dash of red wine vinegar just before serving, and don't forget to season it with salt & pepper.
I was off today, so Ricky and I got up early and went to Bon Appetit, a French-style bakery and café, for breakfast.

I love this. A rich, buttery croissant filled with marzipan and dusted with powdered sugar, and a fabulous latte. The café was adorable, and really made me miss Europe and the lifestyle there. I love the idea of getting up early and walking down to the local bakery (there was one about 2 minutes from my front door in Orenhofen) and getting a nice pastry and a cup of good coffee. No, this almond gloriousness wasn't the healthiest of breakfast choices, but it sure wasn't a heaping plate of bacon, eggs, and biscuits covered in gravy either. I felt sated, but not full or uncomfortable. I just got up, why would I want a meal that makes me want a nap?
They also have an impressive bake case.

I adore little fruit tarts covered in sugary glaze. Not so much eating them, but making them and looking at them.

I picked up a bottle of tarragon vinegar, something I've been trying to find for quite a while. They have a small selection of French and Lebanese groceries, which made me very happy. Bags of Za'atar (Lebanese roasted thyme, though the word can refer to many different herbs) and cans of eggplant, along with French oils, vinegars, and other condiments.
We went to Destin today to get more Nielsen Massey vanilla from Williams Sonoma, as I was out. How does someone run out of vanilla? I don't know, but I managed to. The weather is crap today so I'm going to occupy myself with housework and trying out my new Jillian Michaels cardio DVD.
Yes, I'm excited.