Oysters & Ice Cream

I went to Troy to grab a few nibbles recently. 

Went to Plumb Oyster Bar to try a few of every oyster on hand. These ranged in price from $2.85-$3.00. A once in a while kind of place for me, but it's nice to change it up every now and then and try different varieties of oysters.

I didn't grab a photo of the brussels sprouts, but they were smashing. Nicely roasted and charred halves that were covered in a balsamic sauce with crushed toasted hazelnuts. Really well done texturally.

The interior is a bit twee - like Wes Anderson's happy hour bar. Tiny tables. Warm, cozy lighting.

Dutch Udder for ice cream. Cinnamon Toast Crunch on top, strawberry oreo below, both scooped into a birthday cake ice cream cone. Two scoops was a bit much for me, but I powered through it. It also helps that the flavors are rich, balanced, and well crafted. I'm normally not a cone person, but their craft cones are thin yet sturdy and maintained structural integrity throughout the half an hour or so it took me to eat these two massive scoops. The only tweak I'd like to see is for the cinnamon toast crunch bits to stay crunchy in the ice cream, as it came out a bit on the soggy and chewy side. Or maybe leave out the bits entirely. But oh that flavor. Forget cereal milk. Cinnamon Toast Crunch ice cream is where it's at.

Thanks Troy - it was nice to be back. If I had more time, I'd have rounded it out for dessert at The Confectionery. I really like how walkable downtown Troy has become.

Mom Thoughts

I had to stop nursing around 8 or 9 months. I forget when I started supplementing with formula, but right around then was when it became clear that I wasn't making enough, and my previously bountiful freezer stash was dwindling. I went into breastfeeding with the same mindset I had for most of my pregnancy/motherhood experience: "Well, let's give it a shot." And hey, there's always formula. No shame in that game.

What a shitty way to lose weight. I was super stressed going through divorce and trying to balance life. Thank goodness for my friends and family there to prop me up. My dad encouraging me to finish one sushi roll. "Come on, you haven't even finished one roll..." 

In the moment, I was partially relieved to regain the personal autonomy and not be a human food bag. Breastfeeding is tough. A few months out of one year old I have a kiddo with a good mouthful of teeth and a penchant for biting - I can't imagine breast feeding for more than a year. Power to the moms that can.

At the same time, twinges of sadness every so often because if there's one thing I love doing, it's helping. I was pumping and before the stress went high, I was going to donate to kids in need. But then it turned out my own little kiddo needed it. I was glad to have a reserve. And really, up until one moment in time, my kiddo was going strong as an exclusively breast fed kid. Pretty neat. 

Funnily enough, before I moved and the older milk expired, I warmed up the last few bags  from the freezer to make a final bottle. The kiddo took a few swigs and then lost interest. I wound up pouring it down the drain a few hours later. I feel like it's a good natural finale. The kid practically lives on cow milk now.

Never had an issue feeding in public. Had a few comments about formula. Eh. Whatever. My kid's a juggernaut now, so it all worked out.

Single Mom Cold Brew Coffee

It's summer, so I'll let you in on my secret cold brew recipe. 

It's called Single Mom Cold Brew:

Make a pot of coffee, then drink it cold (over ice if you're feeling fancy).

Repeat for 2-3 days, or until coffee runs out. Sometimes this only lasts 1.5 days. 

Keep out of reach of incredibly inquisitive and clumsy child (who has clearly inherited her balance and grace from her mother.