10 Reasons

Recently I've found myself a bit Rome-sick.

Coming back to the States and back to a place I've called home since I was 10 has definitely been a challenge and has had it's moments. But, I love this place and for now it's home again.

So to get me out of my Rome-sick funk here are 10 reasons (in no particular order) why I love being back in the South and back on The Plains.

1. Afternoon thunderstorms - didn't realize this was unique to a Southern summer until I left. I love the torrential downpour with claps of thunder and flashes of lightening that goes as quickly as it came.

2. Football season - not a huge fan of the game, but the spirit that fills the air is contagious. Already the countdown to kick-off has begun and I'm already getting caught up in the buzz...I think we're at 46 days.

3. Driving to the grocery store - Okay, so this isn't unique to the South, but it is a luxury I took for granted and I'm glad to have back. No longer do Jim and I have dates to the grocery store and an only-buy-what-you-can-carry-on-the-walk-home mentality.

4. Dinner with family - love being able to have a spontaneous dinner with the parents.

5. Not being anonymous - in Rome it was very easy to be anonymous. I could go throughout my day running errands without running into a single familiar soul. Here I can't go to one store without running into someone I know. It adds a nice touch to the mundane task of running errands.

6. The Rum Salmon Salad from Amsterdam Cafe - Okay, maybe this one is just pure addiction. It is the perfect meal. A huge salad of mixed greens with fresh mango, candied pecans, and a to die for rum vinaigrette served with a grilled to perfection filet of salmon. There is nothing better.

7. Breakfast - Italians don't eat breakfast (unless you count espresso, a cigarette, and sometimes a cornetto - a sweet pastry). I love breakfast. It is my favorite meal of the day. I love being able to go to Chick-Fil-A to grab a chicken biscuit (when I'm being really bad and eating gluten), or go to Price's Bar-B-Que House to get a good 'ol Southern breakfast complete with grits, bacon, eggs, etc. And, can I just say Waffle House? Who doesn't love Waffle House? Breakfast available 24/7 is a beautiful thing.

8. Lake Martin - I love Lake Martin, but it is a bitter sweet place for me. Two years ago one of our close friends and Jim's roommate, Kevin, tragically drowned there, but I'm learning to love it again. I've been back only once since that happened, but I'm looking forward to more lake time to come.

9. My things - I know this sounds materialistic, but it is so nice to be surrounded by all my things. My art, my photographs, my beloved Le Creuset, all the things I had to pack away in storage, not knowing when I'd get to pull them out again.

10. My Southern accent - I will say, I don't think I have a strong accent and I'm definitely not Paula Deen, but whatever accent I did have has definitely come back. I love being able to say "y'all" and add a little twang to any word without getting strange looks or giggles.

So that's the end of my silly little list. :-) I hope you enjoyed it and that it can help you think of 10 reasons you love wherever it is you're calling home these days.

Pepper Bacon and Summer Corn Risotto

Well, I caved. I did something I never thought I would do.

I cooked with pork fat. And, I loved it.

I had several ears of sweet summer corn from the farmer's market in the fridge that I needed to use. The plan was to fire up the grill and throw them on. There is nothing better than grilled corn on the cob, right? But, with the excessive heat warnings we decided it wouldn't be very pleasant to stand over a hot charcoal grill, so I came up with a plan B and decided standing over a stove in a house with no AC lovingly stirring risotto for 25 minutes was a much better solution. Maybe it wasn't a cooler solution, but it was a tasty solution. :-)

Risotto is one of my absolute favorite things to make. It has a reputation of being very labor intensive and complicated. But, it really isn't. It does require active cooking time, you can't just turn the stove on and walk away. So my solution is to open a good bottle of wine and drink a glass while I'm stirring away. Last night we decided to crack open one of our good bottles of wine we brought back from Italy. It was a Castel Gioccondo 2004 Brunello. Again, not really the most refreshing thing to drink on a hot summer night, but it was divine. Such a good wine. If you can get your hands on it definitely try it.

Without further adieu, here's the recipe:

2 ears of sweet corn, husk removed and corn cut off the cob
2 strips of bacon diced (I used thick cut sugar-cured, pepper-crusted bacon)
3 cups of stock (any stock will do, I had vegetable stock on hand)
3/4 cup arborio rice
1/2 an onion, diced
1/2 cup shredded parmigiano reggiano cheese

Start by rendering down the bacon over medium-low heat. (I recommend using a good enameled cast-iron pan for risotto.) While your bacon is cooking go ahead and heat your stock in another pot. Once the bacon is to your desired crispness take it out and put to the side. In the same pan with the bacon drippings add the onion and saute until it is slightly translucent. Then add in the corn that has been removed from the cob and the rice. Saute for a few more minutes then slowly start adding your liquid.

Add stock a ladle full at a time and stir, stir, stir. The more you stir the creamier your risotto will be. When most of the liquid has absorbed add another ladle. Keep doing this for about 20 minutes. Then start tasting your risotto. The rice should be slightly al dente, you don't want it to be mushy. If you need more than 3 cups of stock, use more. If you need less, use less. When you've added in all your stock stir in the parmigiano reggiano and add in the bacon.

Then turn off the heat and enjoy.

Buon appetito!