Mom and Tim came to visit the Walters household last week and I have been meaning to post an entry, but am battling the last bit of a nasty cold. I finally have some time today to recount their visit.
They arrived on a typical March day in North Texas – basically a huge thunderstorm. Flights were cancelled left and right at both airports, and we were wondering all day whether they would actually make it. However, they did make it only two and a half hours late, and the rain subsided. We picked them up from Love Field and started the trek home so we could begin the week of fun.
What a day they picked to start the fun – Nate’s 29th birthday! Mom and Tim had not been to our house since the wedding trip, and we have not had many overnight visitors since then. This was a treat for us – who love entertaining, and for them – who were in real need of some “royal guest treatment”. We started the night with a Proseco toast (much how my aunt and uncle toasted our arrival in Germany for our honeymoon last April) and I began making a simple salad of red leaf lettuce, fresh red pepper, and a delicious olive oil and fresh garlic dressing. The next course was the piece de resistance – Tarte Flambe or Flammekueche – our favorite Alsatian dish (a very thin crust “pizza” with sour cream & crème fraiche, onions, and bacon) that my uncle made our first night in Germany. Come visit us and we’ll make it for you too! We also opened our first of many very delicious and very special wines we’d been saving. Nate chose a 2006 Craggy Range Saugvignon Blanc and Tim picked a 2002 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Alt B. We rounded out the evening with a homemade carrot cake with orange and ginger cream cheese frosting and doling out presents for Nate’s special day.
Wednesday morning was loungy, but included Belgian waffles, fresh strawberries and whipped cream, bacon, OJ, and of course, many pots of coffee. M&T had a lot on their minds, real estate-wise, and we talked through the many changes to come in their lives. We headed out of the house for a few errands and then explored our wonderful nursery, Calloway’s, to get ideas on spring plantings for our yard. We made time for a late lunch at our favorite hamburger joint in Fort Worth, the TCU area hangout, Dutch’s. Then it was off to the first of many trips to Central Market for noshings for later on in the evening. That night we ate light and drank well – 2005 Williams Selyem Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and another good one whose name escapes me.
We celebrated the first day of Spring in the Botanic Garden, complete with a picnic from Central Market and our new L.L. Bean picnic blanket (thanks J&P)!! Mom and Tim remarked how they had never seen so many children in one place. It was Spring Break after all, but also an absolutely gorgeous day, so many parents were taking advantage of this for early Easter pictures. Plus, it’s Texas, after all! Fort Worth indeed is a very family friendly place! We strolled through the gardens and delighted in the plants already in bloom, especially the redbuds, pear trees, apple trees, and the peeking-out wisteria. We headed to the Japanese Garden for some serenity and more people (children) watching. After the garden, it was off to downtown to take in more of the beautiful (read: not humid) weather on Reata’s rooftop patio for happy hour. Readers – if you haven’t already picked up on this, Spring (and late Fall) are truly the best times to head to Fort Worth for a visit!
On Friday, we went to Central Market (again, yes!) to buy groceries for our Easter dinner. We came home and spent the entire afternoon on our back porch, drinking white wine from the cellar (Honig Sauvignon Blanc, Nautalis Sauvignon Blanc, Luna Pinot Grigio) and taking in the sunshine. What a way to enjoy a Friday! That night we were all inspired by a recipe for a Leek, Potato and Grueye Frittata from Williams-Sonoma’s recent catalog, and rounded out the meal with a radish, carrot, and green onion salad. Since the meal had a decidedly French feel, Nate chose a Chateau Latour Bordeaux from his collection (thanks to Gary & Mel for this one, given to him at his graduation from UNM). Can you tell yet that we drank well while M&T were in town?! I’m lucky to have a husband with such an amazing “cellar” – and there’s still much more great stuff in there!
Saturday morning came and we were all ready for some good Tex-Mex – at Joe T. Garcia’s of course! And, you guessed it; we sat on the patio, by the pool. Fantastic! We tootled around the Stockyards for a bit after brunch – stopping by Leddy’s, the famous boot and saddle makers, and driving around the old stockyard area and tourist spots. We lounged around the rest of the afternoon and prepared ourselves for the feast we would have later on that night. I made reservations for Nate’s “birthday dinner” at Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, also in the Stockyards. We sat on the back patio and enjoyed a delightful dinner!
On Sunday morning, the Easter bunny hopped by our house and dropped off some baskets for M&T. Mom and I made sweet Easter bread in the shape of a nest with five eggs. We frosted it lightly and decorated the nest with green-colored coconut shavings and the eggs with bright candy sprinkles. I then baked a Grueye, white cheddar, and chive strata that I’d prepared the day before and we enjoyed our Gruet Blanc de Noir sparkling wine in a mimosa. After our brunch, Mom broke out the PAAS egg-coloring packet and we set to work on our creations. We all imbued our sense of color and creativity into those eggs for a cute dozen. It sure was fun, but I’m really looking forward to the day we have some little Walters’s in the house to help out with a project like this! Easter dinner was a “fancy” affair of roast beef tenderloin, twice baked potatoes with sharp white cheddar and chives, and green beans, plus, a 2003 Wolf Blass President's Selection Cabernet Sauvignon. We then set out into the neighborhood for a walk with Riley. It was a lovely "end" to a great week. Besides all the eating and the “doing” it was great to have people around to chat with and share a little bit of what life is like here in Fort Worth.
Mom and Tim – thank you for visiting us and for all the generosity, joy, and plain fun you bring with you everywhere you go. We were delighted to have you in our home as visitors and to show off our newly adopted “hometown.” And to all our friends and family out there who haven’t been to visit or haven’t been here in a while, come on over! We promise to show y’all a good time!
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