Today is our
tenth anniversary of moving to Tucson. Ten years and two weeks ago, all our
friends in New England were shaking their heads, thinking, “What the hell
are they doing?”
We moved to Tucson
on a whim. Some might have said it was a mid-life crisis; we prefer to think of
it as our mid-life epiphany.
We were happy
living in Southern Maine, but we longed to live in a place with bigger skies,
warmer weather, less rain, no snow, fewer bugs, and a lot more sunshine. Tucson
reports sunshine on an average of 335 days each year.
We researched
and visited many places, and several were on our “maybe” list, but Tucson was
the frontrunner. Many of the contenders were very nice, but when confronted
with our full list of requirements, Tucson won hands down.
We decided to
check out Tucson on the recommendation of our friend Michael, who had spent
extended time here doing legal research. Our first visit was in June of 2004.
We picked June because all the sources said, “June is the hottest
month. “We’d see what it was like. Show us what you’ve got, Tucson!
We got off
the plane and the daytime temperature was 105°F (40.5°C) in the shade, with
blank skies of an intense blue we’d never seen before. We looked at each other
and said, “Hey, this isn’t bad at all!” You see, our experience of
heat always included high humidity. Here, the famous dryness of the heat really
did make a difference to us.
Markipedia liked
to grouse, “I haven’t been warm since Truman was in the White House.”
To this I would add that I’ve never been both warm and dry at the same time.
Ten years
later, we are still loving our “new” home in the Sonoran Desert. We
discover new things all the time, and have yet to be bored. Never does a
day go by that we aren’t stunned by the beauty of this vast and floriferous
desert.
One thing,
more than all its beauty, makes this place so very special to us: its people.
The warmth, friendliness, and openness of the Tucsonans makes this a wonderful
home for us.
Before we
moved here, we dreamed of living in a Tuscan farmhouse. Who hasn’t? Mark was
fond of telling people we got off the plane here only to realize we had misspelled
our destination. Tucson instead of Tuscan. Silly boy.
This morning,
while Mark potted up annuals for winter color in the garden, I made roasted
pork tenderloin with herbs, pommes Duchesse, and sautéed leeks Niçoise. We shared a bottle
of 2007 Coteaux d’Aix en Provence from Château Vignelaure. (The wine pairing
notes can be seen on the
Provence WineZine.) We celebrated our tenth anniversary
here with this winter’s first outdoor meal under our
portale.
It was
a(nother) perfect Tucson day.
~ David
Porc Rôti
Provençal
1 small bunch
fresh parsley
2 sprigs
fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon
fennel seeds
1 teaspoon
culinary lavender buds
1/4 cup fresh
bread crumbs
1 small
shallot, minced
salt and
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound pork
tenderloin, trimmed of silverskin and fat
1 tablespoon
olive oil, plus extra for pan
3 tablespoons
butter, divided
1/4 cup red wine
Preheat oven
to 400°F. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven.
Using a
mezzaluna or a spice grinder, mince together the parsley, rosemary, fennel, and
lavender. Place in a small bowl. Add in the minced shallot and bread crumbs.
You should have about 1/2 cup of this mixture.
Oil an
ovenproof pan, and place the trimmed tenderloin in the pan. Slather the top and
sides of the pork with the mustard, and press the herbed crumbs into the
mustard. Melt together 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, and
drizzle over the pork.
Place
roasting pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
Remove from
the oven and place pork on a cutting board. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter
and the wine to the pan, and place over medium heat. Stir to make a
sauce, and keep warm.
Slice pork
and place on a warmed platter, and drizzle pan sauce through a sieve onto the
pork. Served immediately.
Serves 2-3.
- The recipe for the Pommes
Duchesse is from Saveur Magazine, and the Leeks Niçoise are loosely based on a recipe from the Silver
Palate.
John - heneedsfood
November 7, 2015 at 8:55 pmThe reaction from my family when I told them I found a job in Sydney was probably similar to what you got. Talk about a shock! 22 years later and I haven't looked back. Not that it snows up there in Queensland, where they all still live. The humidity is a killer up there in summer, one of the reasons I move down here where it isn't as bad.
I like the sound of this recipe. So easy! I wonder if the lavender bush up the road is of the edible kind? Can you eat any lavender?
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2015 at 2:53 pmIt is always fun to keep them guessing, isn't it, John?
I don't know if all lavender is edible – that is a good question. We grow some that is, but most often I buy culinary grade lavender buds from a spice shop or natural foods store.
Unknown
November 8, 2015 at 10:34 amI got the same sort of response from friends when I said I was moving from Ohio to the south of France…really…have you lost your mind? I paid no attention and while it has not been without some challenges, it was by far the best decision I ever made!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2015 at 2:55 pmWell, Linda, that is a no-brainer to me, and I would have been applauding you! Sounds like a great decision. No matter where you go, I can assure you it won't be perfect, but it will give you one heck of an adventure!
Provence WineZine
November 11, 2015 at 11:46 pmLinda, good to see your name pop up! I knew you hadn't lost your mind; on the contrary, you found your soul!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
November 8, 2015 at 12:23 pmI can relate to your post…I think the two of you made a good decision. A delicious dinner outside sounds like a great way to celebrate.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2015 at 2:55 pmThanks, Karen – and it sounds like you two did just about the same thing recently!
Sippity Sup
November 8, 2015 at 2:54 pmI love how much you love your life. (That's the secret to life). GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2015 at 2:56 pmWow – you should be quoted on that. It is true, Greg, if you forget to love your life, it can get pretty bad…
Unknown
November 8, 2015 at 5:31 pmAhhh! The new pastry bag reveals lovely pommes!
And al fresco dining is one of the best reasons for Tucson! Cannot believe it has been a decade. Soooo glad we are here too…thank you!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 9, 2015 at 2:56 pmSusan, I love – nay, LOVE – my new pastry bag! It will change my life. Did I tell you that it is made from silicone? So easy to clean!
And we are so glad you are here, too! xox
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness
November 9, 2015 at 7:27 amDear David, sounds and looks like a perfect occasion to celebrate – you made an exceptional and elegant dinner and your pictures mirror the festive atmosphere of it all!
So very nice to read how happy you and Mark are about your "new home" in Tucson – could not ask for more!
Liebe Gruesse aus Bonn – es so sooo warm hier – it actually feels like springtime, incredible. Time to sit outside for dinner in November (rather rare around here).
Cocoa & Lavender
November 9, 2015 at 2:57 pmThanks, dear Andrea! I am glad to hear you are having warm weather – it is a nice surprise, isn't it? Enjoy your (what we call) Indian Summer!
Cheri Savory Spoon
November 9, 2015 at 7:01 pmHi David, sounds like you and Mark and very happy with your decision to move to Tucson a decade ago, I love the vibe and landscape of Tucson, it's very special.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 10, 2015 at 2:00 pmThanks, Cheri – I am so glad we found Tucson – it really was by accident and we loved it immediately.
I Wilkerson
November 9, 2015 at 10:55 pmWhat a beautiful celebration dinner. You have me drooling over my laptop. We know some very satisfied Arizona transplants from Wisconsin, though I was happy when my oldest finished up at ASU and decided she wanted seasons again (though I wish she had cut me a big bunch of rosemary from her yard before returning). BTW I think the Tucson/Tuscan joke is hilarious!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 10, 2015 at 2:01 pmHappy to mail you some rosemary any time, Inger! It grows like a weed here! 🙂 Mark was very pleased you liked his silly Tucson/Tuscan joke!
Nuts about food
November 10, 2015 at 11:54 amCongratulations for your ten years there: it looks like you made the right choice! I also love that you completely changed your life and followed your dream at a time when most people think it is too late (in other words, when you are no longer in your twenties or thirties… you help me dream of all that the future still holds for me, although I am no longer in the first stages of my life!).
Cocoa & Lavender
November 10, 2015 at 2:02 pmFiona – it was the best adventure either of us could have imagined. Really, at our ages then (47 and 53) we were crazy to do this. But I would do it again in a heartbeat. Reinventing oneself is such a joy! I can't wait to see what you do!
Marcelle
November 10, 2015 at 8:16 pmWhat a big move and sounds like it was the perfect one for y'all! That's a beautiful meal you made for your anniversary. That pork tenderloin looks like it was completely, amazingly, delicious!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 12, 2015 at 12:04 pmThanks, Marcelle – it was pretty tasty!
Provence WineZine
November 11, 2015 at 11:51 pmI will always be thankful that you and Mark spent some time in Kittery/Portsmouth. I know you recall that we met over a plate of pasta and, funny, here we are still talking food and wine! Your recipe sounds divine and readers of PWZ are quite smitten with your wine pairing!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 12, 2015 at 12:06 pmSusan – I love that every once in a while we STOP talking about food and actually discuss something weighty like weather or politics! Glad your readers like the food & wine pairings. It is a lot of fun on this end!
Paula | Vintage Kitchen
December 8, 2015 at 11:03 amHigh temperatures are completely different when the climate is dry! This is a great story David, with all the care you put on choosing the destination it's no wonder you're so happy in Tucson. Happy anniversary my friend! A hug to both of you from this part of the world.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 8, 2015 at 2:06 pmThanks, Paula! Now we just need to get you to visit us sometime and our home will be complete! 🙂
Unknown
December 15, 2015 at 2:44 pmHappy 10 year move anniversary! We have just moved from London to a small seaside town called Margate and hope we can be as happy here as you guys there. Lots of love and hope to bump into you again on a train one day, Erin.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 16, 2015 at 2:02 pmErin – so nice to hear from you! We really enjoyed meeting you both on the train – and hope you had fun in Seattle! Congratulations on the move to Margate – I have always wanted to see the "real" Margate, as New Jersey has a pretty awful version. The name was always so appealing! I know you both will be happy wherever you go – and we hope to see you again someday, too.