Hats, gardens, and interesting desserts

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but when Josh and I were in the city last month, we ordered a custom panama hat for Josh in what is probably the last haberdasher in this country. It's a very cool shop (called Optimo--they did all the hats for the latest Johnny Depp picture). Well, we got to pick it up on Saturday.

Are you ready?

Here he is, sporting his new chapeau:

Where are we, you wonder? We are at the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago. It's this little gem of gardens smack dab in the middle of the bustling metropolis. As you look at, touch, and smell the gardens you hear the traffic and the trains that also call this corner of earth home.


And just one more shot of my dapper hubby. Notice how tall the trees are next to him. I swear he's not standing in a hole.


One more shot of the gardens. I'm very proud of this picture. The focus is on the Queen Ann's Lace in the foreground, but you can clearly see the greenhouse behind, and off in the distance is the Sears tower (recently bought and subsequently renamed Willis...but nobody in Chicago is going to stop calling it the Sears tower).

Now on to interesting desserts. I saw an episode of Giada yesterday, and am likely to make her entire meal for date night tomorrow. Dessert is the most interesting piece of the meal, in my opinion anyway. Here goes:

Ingredients

• 1 (9-inch) refrigerated rolled pie crust (recommended: Pillsbury)
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions

Special equipment: a 3-inch round cookie cutter

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper sprayed with vegetable cooking spray.

Unroll the pie crust out on a work surface. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 8 disks of pastry. Arrange the pastry disks on the prepared baking sheet. Using the tines of a fork, prick the pastry all over. Bake until brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.

Slice the bottom of the apples to create an even surface for cutting. Slice each apple into 6 (1/2-inch) slices. Cut each apple slice in half and remove any seeds or pieces of core. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Add the apple slices and toss until coated. Shake off any excess mixture. Arrange the apple slices on the same baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until dark brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream until thick, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until the cream is very thick.

To assemble the pies: Place the pastry disks on a work surface. Divide the cooked apple slices among 4 of the disks. Dollop about 2 tablespoons of the cream on top of the apples and cover with the remaining disks.

Transfer the apple pies to dessert plates, dust with cinnamon and serve immediately.

I thought it looked yummy, though not exactly easy to eat. Maybe I'll remember to take a picture.

Other news...my washing machine broke yesterday. Josh and I shopped and researched last night and I purchased this morning. It will be delivered and installed tomorrow.

Also, the check-out lady at the market greeted me as Miss Chef. I'm starting to get that reputation at my Dominicks. I think that's kinda cool.

Of giraffes, goats and moose

It was pointed out to me that I haven't blogged in three weeks. So here goes...

I got to feed a giraffe! Little (by which I mean short) ol' me got to feed two very, very tall giraffes.


We got to feed them their "snacks." You want to know what giraffe snacks are? Keep reading.


Giraffes at the Milwaukee zoo snack on rye crisps and maple branches.


And I ran out of both and was trying to explain this to Baja, the four year old male giraffe. It was very difficult for me not to pet him or give a little kiss but we'd been cautioned that these are still wild animals. I was picturing myself on the evening news--"Girl Mauled by Giraffe."

We also fed the goats:


I saw my very first moose:


And watch elephants eat. They reminded me of my grandpop.


So that's all the news that's fit to print.