To Have And Have Not!

Hello everyone!  Have ya'll missed me?!?  (chuckle)

I'm sorry it's been a couple of weeks ~ I've had a lot going on in my life!  Cliff Notes version, we had a sixty year old oak tree at our B&B bounce off our car and then fall into the parking lot during a snow / ice storm + we had 14" of snow and were house-bound for what seemed like endless days + I discovered I have two brothers!!  The latter is primarily what has take up all my time and thoughts .....all "good things!" ....just been a lot for me to digest ...no pun intended!  Oh, and I'm going to be an Aunt in March!!!   I'll be flying to Cleveland, Ohio in May to meet my fabulous little brother Sean, his beautiful wife Zoe and my new niece, Nina.   http://www.city.cleveland.oh.us/CityofCleveland/Home
 LIFE IS GOOD!!!

So I woke up this morning at 5:30A thanks to one of our cats, Matilda, who seemed to think my nose was a piece of cat food.  I woke up, got up, ground my coffee beans, brewed my coffee and went into the living room with my laptop where I sunk down into my favorite toile covered "Archie Bunker" chair.  I had every intention of  writing.  I had every intention of being witty.  I had every intention of writing an awesome, witty blog!   Well, it just didn't happen.  After about 3 sips of coffee my eyes started closing and I ended up going back to bed and snuggling with Chris and our dog Molly.  I must admit, sinking back into our Goose down filled bed was a small slice of Heaven!  :)

About 9AM the phone started ringing (we don't have any guests at the B&B today so it was d-i-v-i-n-e to be able to go back to bed!) which kinda forced me to get up and get around.  I took a reservation, made a fresh pot of coffee and then the phone started ringing ...again and ...again and...again.  Well, you get my drift!

No worries ~ here I am now!  Back in the saddle so to speak!  So my mind started turning this morning about today's blog topic and I came up with..."To Have And Have Not."  "Why?", you might be thinking?  Well, honestly because I was reading this month's VANITY FAIR last night, an article on the fabulous Miss. Lauren Bacall (we have the same birthday!! - 09.16), entitled "To Have And Have Not."  The tittle of course referring to the 1944 movie by the same name and starring Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall.
http://www.humphreybogart.com/     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFfuUu5xmMA

Although I am not living in Martinque with the second world war happening around me, I felt the title really encompasses so many things in my life - in everyone's life - as well as food!  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037382/

Let's see.  To Have:
 I have had:....lobster, roller coaster rides, banana pancakes, rain splashing on my face, mustard on my cheeseburgers, the sunroof open, heat blowing and heated car seats "on" when it is 29 degrees outside, my homemade guacamole, music always playing at the inn, a generous supply of Gatorade G2 at all times, pictures of all things and people important to me, fresh flowers delivered every week, the windows open when I go to bed so I always have fresh air dancing around me, my husband Chris' party-in-your-mouth Jerusalem salad, constant contact with my friends and people who have a permanent address in my heart, hot bubble baths, grilled chicken Caesar salads, our animals around me at all times, oysters on the half shell, a "Law & Order marathon on my TV" while snuggled in bed, fresh mangoes, long lazy Sunday afternoon drives in the Ozark mountains, hummus dip, a stack of magazines on my night table at all times, fresh garlic in almost everything, everyone's numbers programmed in my phone so I don't have to attempt to remember them, extra ice in all of my beverages and our Egyptian cotton bed linens monogrammed.  That's pretty much a Cliff Notes version for you but you "get it", right? You're pickin' up what I'm throwin' down?!?

Let's see.  To Have Not:
I have not had:....frogs legs, an opportunity to visit Italy, chocolate grasshoppers, best friends since elementary school as I grew up "all over the place", a horse, caviar, a hot air balloon ride, a trampoline, venison, a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, a season at our B&B without a crazy "Bridezilla", a rose garden (I don't actually like roses so I'm absolutely A-OK with that!...my favorite flower is the tulip!!....and Chris, as always, was the perfect Valentine having my usual 3 dozen white French tulips delivered!), Casu Marzu (maggot cheese - yes, loaded with writhing, live fly larva), sewing lessons, free food that's handed out at grocery stores (because, let's face it, that's just plain s-c-a-r-y!), children, pineapple on my pizza, a book deal (yet!), Publisher's Clearing House show up on my front door with The Prize Patrol (beyond a total bummer), Cognac, the desire to go sky diving, latkes, or shashlik (Russian ketchup).  That's pretty much a Cliff Notes version for you but you "get it", right? You're pickin' up what I'm throwin' down?!?
http://www.wetv.com/bridezillas?gclid=CL-k-MqljacCFcXD7Qod12mNHQ

So what about YOU?  What are YOUR "Haves" and "Have Nots?"   I'll be honest, it took me longer to come up with my "have nots" than my "haves!"

So let's bring Martinque into the picture as, again, it is the setting in the movie "To Have And Have Not."  http://www.martinique.org/activities/beaches.php   Actually, let's bring the food of Martinque into the picture!
http://frenchfood.about.com/od/regionalspecialties/a/martinique.htm

Their fresh island seafood is lobster (yayo!), freshwater crayfish, conch & urchin.  Creole dishes are available with fish and fried vegetables.  Higher end restaurants serve French classics such as foie gras, escargot (yumm!) and steak with bordelaise sauce.  Popular desserts are pumpkin mousse and watermelon sorbet. :)

Their breakfasts are on the light side and tend to consist of guava and passion fruit as well as herring, avocado and cucumber salad.

Their customary beverage is Ty punch made with rum, lime juice, syrup and bitters  ~ sounds pretty darn tasty to ME!

I'm thinking a meal I would enjoy in Martinque that I can add to my "Have Had" list would be:

Ty Punch
Cucumber Salad
Lobster (why, but of course!)
Watermelon Sorbet

With Spring around the corner (hard to believe since it was -9 degrees just a week ago with 14" of snow on the ground) I thought a recipe for watermelon sorbet would be pretty tasty!  Below is the recipe ~ let me know whatcha think!  Maybe you could make it tonight and watch a fabulous "Bogie & Bacall" movie!  AMAZON makes it easy for you - they offer a "set collection" of all four movies they made together!  http://www.amazon.com/Bogie-Bacall-Signature-Collection-Passage/dp/B000EMGCV0

Oh, did I mention one of the romantic getaway packages we offer at our B&B is entitled "Bogie & Bacall?"  Chuckle...I kid you not!  Go check it out!  I actually reserved a "Bogie & Bacall" package last week!  Don't forget to visit the right column of my Blog page and become a Facebook fan of our inn, MOUNT VICTORIA!  Chris and I want you to!  We really do! :)

Hope you have a romantic movie and watermelon sorbet filled evening!

WATERMELON SORBET
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1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
4 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. grenadine
3 fresh mint leaves
3lbs. of seedless watermelon (1 small watermelon)

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring all ingredients to a boil (except the watermelon) dissolving the sugar granules.  Let cool slightly.  Remove the rind from the watermelon and cut the watermelon into chunks.  Puree half of the watermelon in a blender.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl.  Repeat with the remaining watermelon. Add the slightly cooled syrup mixture to the pureed watermelon mixture - blend well.  Place in a 2 quart plastic container and freeze for 4 hours.  "Enjoy!"

Always "Push The Parsley!"
~ OkraLogic . A Girl Cook