Cassoulet

Just typing that headline makes me salivate. Sadly, I don't see any in my future. Especially since I'll be spending this weekend in Juneau, Alaska. Why, you may ask, would anyone want to go to Alaska...in February?? It has everything to do with love, friendship, and the chance to get a glance at that hot soccer mom/governor. Wait.....scratch that last reason. And it definitely has nothing to do with cassoulet. Could you imagine cassoulet in Alaska: Is that a confit duck leg in my dish or a moose hoof? Since when does cassoulet come with blubber? And what that last bit has to do the reason for this post is nothing, but my mind tends to wander.

The real reason for this post is this column I read at slate.com by Katherine Lanpher. She related her experience trying to create the perfect bowl of steaming cassoulet as a comforting antidote to the economic catastrophe crashing down around us. Very entertaining reading. My favorite line, where she is writing about her first attempt and the lack of swooning at the table:

"Everyone at that table remained upright; clearly, I had work to do. "

By the way DDS, that so reminds me of something you would write! So while I'm up in Alaska this weekend freezing my butt off, drinking with the locals at the Pyramid, and trying not to get my ass kicked for making one too many igloo jokes, I'll be thinking about cassoulet. And salivating.