Our good times started around 6:30 with this mocha monstrosity from The Book Lover's Cookbook:
This recipe was associated with the Ogden Nash poem "Coffee With The Meal." Normally I wouldn't bother typing out burden your early-morning intellect with an entire poem in this space, but the protagonist of the piece really spoke to me and the ending is quite heart-wrenching:
COFFEE WITH THE MEAL by Ogden Nash
A gentlemanly gentleman, as mild as May,
Entered a restaurant famed and gay.
A waiter sat him in a droughty seat
And laughingly inquired what he'd like to eat.
"Oh I don't want venison, I don't want veal,
But I do insist on coffee with the meal.
Bring me clams in a chilly group,
And a large tureen of vegetable soup,
Steak as tender as a maiden's dream,
With lots of potatoes hashed in cream,
And a lettuce and tomato salad, please,
And crackers and a bit of Roquefort cheese,
But waiter, the gist of my appeal,
Is coffee with, coffee with, coffee with the meal."
The waiter groaned and he wrung his hands;
"Perhaps the headwaiter understands."
Said the sleek headwaiter, like a snobbish seal,
"What, monsieur? Coffee with the meal?"
His lip drew up in scornful laughter;
"Monsieur desires a demitasse after!"
The gentleman's eyes grew hard as steel,
He said, "I'm ordering coffee with the meal.
Hot black coffee in a great big cup,
Fuming, steaming, filled right up.
I don't want coffee iced in a glass,
And I don't want a miserable demitasse,
But what I'll have, come woe, come weal,
Is coffee with, coffee with, coffee with the meal."
The headwaiter bowed like a poppy in the breeze;
"Monsieur desires coffee with the salad or the cheese?"
Monsieur said, "Now you're getting warmer;
Coffee with the latter, coffee with the former;
Coffee with the steak, coffee with the soup,
Coffee with the clams in a chilly group;
Yes, and with a cocktail I could do,
So bring me coffee with the cocktail, too.
I'll fight to the death for my bright ideal,
Which is coffee with, coffee with, coffee with the meal."
The headwaiter swiveled on a graceful heel;
"Certainly, certainly, coffee with the meal!"
Oh, what a glow did Monsieur feel
At the warming vision of coffee with the meal,
One hour later Monsieur, alas!
Got his coffee in a demitasse.
It's okay if you need to take a moment.
Next up was a loaf of Espresso Banana Bread, based on the same coffee drink as the Jumpin' Monkey Smoothie that disappointed me by not containing peanut butter around this time last year. Turns out I do not expect to taste peanut butter in my banana bread, so I prefer this version of things.
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| I mean, wouldn't object to adding peanut butter to a slice of it or anything, and actually, you know what, I'll be right back. |
I let the girls have a piece of this in the afternoon, but it did not have any appreciable effect on bedtime.
Last but not least, a little Martha Month warm-up in the form of Oven-Glazed Coffee Brisket.
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| Too spicy for the kids = more for me, more for me. |
I've been saying for a while now that at this age Ivy is basically just a puppy with slightly more verbal acuity, but what do I know.
(P.S. Today is my 8th anniversary and Dan gave me fancy salt and that is why I love him.)
