The on-going chronicle of all things related to the George and Laura Roediger House (c. 1905) in the historic Holly Avenue Neighborhood of downtown Winston-Salem, NC. More info and pictures can be found at RoedigerHouse.com. [Mobile users: CLICK TO SEARCH the blog.]
Last Monday's supper was supplemented by a sweet finishing treat: white wine coffee cake. This is a recipe I got from my mother, and she'd gotten it from other ladies in our hometown of Buies Creek. It's not fancy but it's fantastic, and it's certainly made a lot of appearances in my kitchens: from my faculty apartment at Wake Forest University to the original kitchen here, and plenty of times from the new kitchen that has now marked 15 years of operation as of this past year.
This past Monday's mealtime was perfect for a standard meat and two sides: roasted hoisin pork, roasted spiced potatoes, and roasted spiced broccoli florets. That is all. It was just right.
On the final Sunday afternoon of 2024, the main meal was offered up at lunchtime: skillet beef stroganoff, a quick recipe when there's a bit of ground beef to be used up. It's always a soothing bowlful of goodness, enhanced by the extra shakes of Emeril's Essence for the seasoning, but also topped with freshly shredded sharp white cheddar and some parsley for eye appeal.
Based on "Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Dinner in a Skillet," by Emeril Lagasse. Found online at The Food Network and also on Emerils.com.
The holiday spirit never settled on me this year, even though I cherished gatherings with friends and the delightful addition of my brother-in-law to the household during the break between semesters. I very nearly failed in my annual Christmas card tradition, scrambling to get them all done in an uncharacteristically quick three days, all the while reveling in how much I enjoy turning my thoughts while signing each one to people I’ve known far and wide and long and short. This year’s Roediger House card seemed to strike quite a few people in some kind of way because there was a spike in texted responses from folks that was so very appreciated.
It was a December of much movie-watching and idle projects, and not nearly enough of the cooking that I want to do when there’s this ample supply of uncommitted time, because my morning weigh-ins were bent on being a persistent warning and things got a little out of control. (Last Saturday morning was my highest pounds reading since 2018 and I was not amused.)
The nondescript weekend nestled between two holidays, when it’s a mystery as to what day or date it is, was also a wild weather ride. I’ve already belly-ached about the cold and drear of Friday and Saturday, and that misty malaise and those well-chilled temps led to a quick second fire of the season. (I obsessively count things: this was Fire No. 95 since the kitchen renovation and addition of that wood-burning fireplace in 2009.)
Sunday was winter’s Southern sensation of weird warm temps, high humidity, more precipitation, but also an ongoing watch for thunderstorms that never quite materialized here. If Saturday trapped us in the 40s, waking up to 60°F that morning was a mixed blessing. But hey: I prepped a set of logs to be ready for whenever the next fire needs to be lit, and I was glad it was warm and not raining while the coffee brewed so that the task could be more comfortably accomplished.
But here we are to begin a new year. My honest report on this first day of 2025 is that the life of home and work is marvelous but my fears for our nation’s future are always sitting nearby, waiting to pounce with their oppressive depressing weight at any moment. I will bear in mind the useful guidance found in what my mother had placed and positioned all over her house, because she was a wise woman: I will change the things I can; I will find a way to accept the things I cannot change; and I will choose as wisely as I can where my energies will be placed and what costs I will bear. As others have noted with helpful sagacity: it is a time for choosing. I hope the coming year bears marvelous fruit from all of your own wise and necessary choices!
