checked out for a little

We’ve checked out for a little; travel, cooking, and now upon second daughter’s recommendation have added in the study of wine, oh, boy.

Two weeks in Portugal, at times ten of us in all, and now in Manhattan, give or take a week. My travel mantra is now less is always more, and easier, and went with a carry-on and tote.

Sure, I feel a little style-lost, yet tradeoff is greater.

And cooking? One late afternoon in Porto went street-walking and picked up four fresh chickens, had the butcher cut them into eights, and that trifecta of tomatoes, onion, and garlic. A bottle of olive oil, dried pasta, some butter is love, coarse salt, fresh ground pepper, and copious amounts of Portuguese wine. We feasted.

Later in the week moved into the Douro Valley, toured Niepoort, and was gifted with a garden box of more garden fresh tomatoes, and green peppers, and oranges. Upon our late return to the apartment, all hungry and tired, those vegetables along with some white wine, garlic, onions, and butter, all pan sautéed separately and then combined into one gorgeous pot, divine for late night dinner. More wine, of course.

No photos, we’ve checked out for a little, text will suffice.

Wishing everyone good health and great meals, shared with those you love. xoxo