Expatriate Comes for a Visit, Brings a Bunch of Brits: Photos



Skylar at the San Francisco Zoo.



An anaconda a little too interested in my son.

 

Skylar searching the redwood forest for gnomes.



My sister showing Skylar a banana slug!



Skylar and Keats made fast friends.



Skylar and Suzie playing with the sand in the California sun.



Keats "puts" his feet in the Pacific for the very first time... and hates it.

Olive decides that Skylar is safe... temporarily. ;)

My sister's beautiful family in the fresh ocean breeze of the Pacific.

Showing Keats the very fun nature of sand.



Laughing away at his very silly parents.



Petting and feeding the animals at Little Farm in Tilden Park, Berkeley.



Skylar is an old hand at feeding livestock.



Mint Abounds on Keats' Day

Keats investigates the chocolate mint.

Planting the peppermint, spearmint, pineapple mint, and chocolate mint.

Singing "Happy Six-Month-Day to You!"

Hugs before covering himself with homemade cinnamon applesauce.

Chocolate ganache torte (a la Trader Joe's) and coffee ice cream sprinkled with espresso chocolate shavings for the "grown-ups" once Keats was asleep in his crib. :)

New York Style Cheesecake

This version didn't chill in the refrigerator for the full six hours before we consumed it... we were just a little bit excited.

So, back a couple of months ago I scoured the internet for a delicious cheesecake recipe complete with pretty pictures. I found it. Smitten Kitchen to the rescue, once again. I was all set and prepared to make a 4th of July cheesecake and take pictures throughout the process and then Keats got sick. As in, really sick. He had a fever and little rashy bumps spreading across his whole body. We took him to the doctor who diagnosed it as "a virus" and prescribed "waiting" and a bit of children's Tylenol. Trying (and failing) to remain calm through our first sick baby ever, Birch and I continued with our plans for the holiday weekend. Birch marinated and slow-smoked pork shoulder and ribs while I followed this amazing recipe for the first time (there have been several made since). 

I modified the recipe slightly, using all organic ingredients, cultured cream cheese, less sugar, and a fresh berry topping complete with the most patriotism I could muster. So here is Smitten Kitchen's modified recipe of a Gourmet Magazine recipe, once again modified by me (in bold):