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Over the years I have come to learn that I’m a bit of a sensitive flower….physically. I can tell immediately when there is a change with my hormones, down to the minute it happens. It’s weird. And any negative side effect from them I feel greatly. Marco can now pick up when I haven’t eaten because I turn into a beast and many meltdowns have been had. Is there a word more intense than hangry? Because that’s me. I stick to a sleep schedule (going to bed and waking up around the same time every day) and yep, you guessed it when I don’t get those hours I feel it. I’m also very sensitive to things I put in my body like…caffeine.
Sometime after college, when I was deep into my health kick, I cut it out completely and stayed caffeine-free for years. Every morning I would have a decaf coffee with vanilla creamer because I enjoyed that little ritual since high school but I didn’t miss caffeine at all.
I have never understood the “don’t talk to me until I have my coffee” people because I wake up ready to go. My mother and Marco will tell you, some days I wake up and start singing. Actual loud singing of made-up songs about the morning, the cats, or the day to come. That singing is usually accompanied by some dance moves too. Mostly interpretive dance in the morning, the choreography comes late at night. When I’m awake, I’m awake and ready to go.
During the pandemic when life was dull and I was itching for some stimulation, I started drinking caffeine again. Let me tell you that one cup of Bianco Forte from my Nespresso would hit me hard. Quite instantly the bottoms of my feet would sweat, I was twitchy, alive, and all of a sudden a broadway star singing and dancing through the house. But as with any drug, it stopped working, and recently I found myself having the unheard-of second cup!! Especially over the last few months with all the traveling.
Marco noticed himself starting to go for another cup too and this week we decided to cut caffeine. A little cleanse to reset the batteries. We ordered a bunch of decaf Nespresso pods because I can’t give up my cup with vanilla creamer in the morning and two Fridays ago was our last caffeinated cup.
Today is day nine and this week was a breeze for me. I had a few nights of not great sleep in the beginning but otherwise, I feel good. I have been diligent about taking my adaptogens in the morning and going to bed at the same time every night. I was productive, clear-headed, my mood was better, and I’m still performing like I’m on broadway in the mornings. Marco on the other hand has had a terrible week with headaches, no sleep, and lots of complaining. Let’s keep him in our thoughts as we tackle our second week 🤞🏼.
This week I also became a forager!!! Did you see I found a giant puffball mushroom? If not, watch this video about it.
I have seen puffball mushrooms before online and had a total nerd moment when I spotted them on the trail behind my house. The one I took home was just over 3 lbs!! Unfortunately, it had some yellowing on the inside making it mildly toxic and I decided not to cook it. Marco and I went foraging again and found tons of puffballs. We are talking little fields of them. I took one home, cooked a little piece, and tried it. It was fine and tasted like a mushroom but I chickened out and only had one bite. More research needs to be done and maybe next spring we will become foragers and eat what we find.
We ran into a neighbor who has lived here for 20 years and told us in spring we get morels down by the creek. You already know I’ll be out there with my boots on searching for them!
ICYMI
My Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup went out on Wednesday in The Kitchen Club. 20+ of my favorite recipes. Two more recipes plus a cocktail will be going out this month before Thanksgiving. Join The Kitchen Club by becoming a monthly or annual subscriber here.
I made a shepherd’s pie with the leftover turkey and it was incredible. I won’t have a recipe for you before Thanksgiving but one will be coming this winter. If you missed the shepherd’s pie, make sure to follow along on Instagram.
And let’s have one more moment to appreciate this Roe + Potato bowl I made. Recipe definitely coming soon!
✨ Next week ✨
In place of The Weekly Recap, I’m sending out my Holiday Gift Guide! This year is a good one with things I love, things everybody needs, and things I wish I had. Gifts for everyone in your life to get your holiday shopping started! Keep an eye out for that.
Stuff to Read
Help! What’s a S’moagie? S’more + hoagie? That’s a no for me.
There is one astoundingly easy way to perfect your banana bread
More Than Just Extract: A Guide to Vanilla Paste, Powder, and More
Recipe Inspo
Listen To This
Milk Street Radio with the lovely Alice Waters and a great conversation about tinned fish.
Places I ate
Birria tacos from Tacos El Gallo. Our go-to spot here in KC for street tacos.
We tried The Campground in the West Bottoms on Friday. It has been on our list for some time and we will definitely be going back. They have really stellar cocktails, I had a white negroni and Marco had a Hatchetman, and all their food options are small bites. We shared the cheese & charcuterie board, truffle fries, salt-roasted beets, and butternut bolognese.
The inside atmosphere was great but we loved sitting outside by the fire. Campfire smell is something special to me and it made our time there extra cozy. I kept sniffing my hair on the way home and loved the way it lingered. 10/10 all around.
Thing Everybody Needs
Every cook should have round cutters. They have endless uses. Cookies, biscuits, Butternut Squash Bites…
Animal Cuteness
Stevie! This cutie ate dinner with us at The Campground.
See you next Sunday with our Holiday Gift Guide!!! M