Mixing Families in Washington, D.C.

Story by Nicole

Thanksgiving 2013 took place in Falls Church, Virginia, after the severed promise of a terrible snowstorm. Jason and I arrived on Wednesday night, and everyone spent the first evening relaxing and getting to know one another (Jason’s parents met Christina and Maia for the first time when they showed up on the doorstep on Wednesday morning after driving all night from Boston, Massachusetts). Thanksgiving preparations began.

Marc begins preparing the turkey. (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Thanksgiving eve also marked the first night of an unusually early Hanukkah. Jason’s family debated the correct songs to sing while Nicole and Maia looked on, both amused and intrigued.

Two candles mark the first night of Hanukkah. (Photo/Jason Rafal)

The next day began with learning to bake challah from Marc’s tweaked family recipe, which was altered to gain the flavor and texture that he remembered from his childhood. For more about the challah, you can see the challah photo essay.

Close-up of the finished challah. (Photo/Jason Rafal)

The rest of Thursday was spent in cooking and occasionally running out to the Korean market for forgotten items. Jason managed to find a project when he noticed that his parents’ dishwasher was still covered by the plastic film used to protect the metal during shipping, and his slightly obsessive insistence on its removal paid off in extra shiny appliances.

Jason expresses his horror at the plastic film that he found still attached to his parents’ dishwasher. (Photo/Nicole Harrison)

Shortly after the bread was finished, Maia began working on the pumpkin roulade, a sort of sponge cake roll with whipped cream-based filling.

Spices are added to the batter for the pumpkin roulade. (Photo/Nicole Harrison)

The batter beating resulted in a loss of structural integrity in the mixer whisk, a dilemma solved (temporarily) by a combination of electrical and scotch tape.

Jason and Marc examine the failure of culinary engineering that threatens the manual creation of whipped cream. (Photo/Nicole Harrison)

I decided that Thanksgivng, amidst the chaos, was the best time to begin writing this blog. None of those words were included, in the end, but they were typed with sudden spurts of speed and focus.

Nicole focuses on writing within the cooking environment. (Photo/Jason Rafal)

At 6:30, the beautifully brined and baked turkey was finished.

Marc slices the first piece of turkey. (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Later in the night we enjoyed Maia’s roulade, which had experienced whipped cream failure in the fridge. In the moment of clarity following the moment of anxiety, Maia pushed the mushy cream to either side to encourage the running that was already occurring and topped the roulade with fresh spots of whipped cream.

The finished pumpkin roulade. (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Mt. Princeton Hot Springs

Story by Nicole

The Mt. Princeton Hot Springs are nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, near the virtually invisible town of Nathrop. I’ve been here several times; the warm water and stunning views do not disappoint.

(Photo/Nicole Harrison)

It is somewhat of a balancing act, deciding when to come. In the summer, the mid-70s weather makes the 90-105 degree water somewhat unappealing. In the winter, the water feels amazing, but the stinging wind and snow can make you wish for goggles and a snorkel. 

This visit was the second annual trip to the hot springs with Tom. Kayla was the fourth person rounding out our group. When we arrived on Friday night, light snow accompanied us. As we soaked, it became increasingly wet and heavy, making our towels into nothing more than cold, wet, somewhat stiff wind blocks. Snow definitely makes soaking in hot water more interesting, between the stinging sensations when one’s body is out of the water and the fascinating dissipation of snowflakes into the pool.

Overnight, the wind came up, and the morning it was clear enough to see the snow-covered peaks. We soaked until the wind chased us away, then headed home to Denver.