Thinking About a Return to Blogging

November 16, 2016


A long time has passed without a single word from me.  I've been thinking about all my 'virtual' friends a lot lately; a few weeks ago I started thinking about jotting down some thoughts in blog-land.  Well, here goes:

I returned Monday from over 10 weeks in California, having finally had my second total knee replacement, this time the left.  Now I have two bionic knees and am happy as I can be with both of them. I flew to Sacramento on the 1st of September and had the surgery on the 13th.  Because I'd spent the last year being very diligent about my gym participation, I'd lost considerable weight and had built some really good muscle mass, making both the surgery and the recovery much easier than even I'd hoped.  I was in and out of the hospital in just over 24 hours and was up an walking right away (with a little protection help of a walker - I didn't like the idea of being bumped into!).  I even started walking outside my daughter's house in the second week; even made it to a restaurant or two that week too.

I was completely discharged from MD care about three weeks ago and spent the last two in California visiting friends and having fun. I so enjoyed seeing my grandchildren - the twins and triplets are all getting ready to turn 17!  That, in itself, is hard to believe.  All five of them are driving and going every which way from morning 'til night.

This is 5'7" Mimi with (from Left) Tate 6'3", Avery 6'1"
 and Spencer 6'5"

 The photo was taken in September on the occasion of Quinn's engagement brunch.  Yes, Quinn, who had the disastrous "left at the altar" episode in her life has found love again.  This time with Jordan, who will be welcomed into the family on April 29, 2017.  I'll leave that story for another day.  Suffice it to say we're thrilled and here they are:

Quinn and Jordan.  Quinn met Jordan a while after the disastrous
wedding call-off and he offered to be a friend!  Voila!
To Jordan's left is Quinn's dad David, very interested in the brunch
menu.  All this in Napa, California.

Jordan had asked David for Quinn's hand and then planned a whole weekend in the Wine Country.  He proposed in a vineyard (with photographer at the ready) and we surprised Quinn by arriving for the engagement brunch the next morning.  Fun, fun, fun!

More to come!

Happy Birthday, Leo; April 11, 1905!

April 11, 2016 - Happy Birthday, Dad.  You'd be 111-years-old today!

Leo Francis Ryan, born April 11, 1905 to James Francis Ryan and Agnes (née Kuus) Ryan, the youngest, and only boy, in Meriden, Connecticut.  He spent 30 years in the military service - first Navy for four years, then Army for 26.

Thinking of my dad on this beautiful Spring day in Antigua, Guatemala.  I don't have access to many old, old photos to share; but, here are a few:

1943 - After nine years of marriage Mary-Patricia (Patsy) was welcomed
into the Ryan family on February
3rd.  This photo was taken sometime in the Spring of 1943.

Because I was born in the middle of WWII, Dad was gone for much of my infancy and early childhood.  My memories of him almost aways include his being in one of his uniforms.  And, even when he was in civilian clothes he was always impeccably dressed and groomed.  He was a serious person; however, I always felt so loved and cherished.

Wedding day, September 17, 1960 - Marilyn Turville, Dad, me, and
 Susan Votaw - heading into St. Justin's Catholic Church,
Santa Clara, California

At the time of my wedding in 1960, Dad was retired from the military.  He was unable to participate in the wedding rehearsal and I remember the night before the ceremony, he practiced the "cadence" of  the wedding march down the aisle - to make sure he would be in perfect step!  An introvert by nature, the whole wedding day was a challenge to his sensibilities, but he carried it off with love and it was a wonderful day!

Wedding Reception Left to right:
Brother Jim (16), Dad Leo, Mom Dorothy, me (17), John (almost 22), John's mom Doug, John's dad Spence,
John's sister-in-law Barb, John's brother Larry

Oh, how time flies.  Happy Birthday Dad, I love you.

And, After Another Long Pause, the Story Continues . . .

March 11, 2016

Again a long pause in writing!  It's not for lack of material, but time!  During these last several weeks, I've been spending lots of time and energy making my little rented casita a real home for Lacy, Eleanor, and me.

It's been quite a treat to watch  Vulcan El Fuego, as it's been erupting almost every single day for the last
several months.  This is a shot taking right at sunset, when the lava flow is a little difficult to see.  At times, the entire upper area around the crater is spectacularly glowing, flowing lava in the darkness of the night.

First, we painted all the interior walls "piña colada" yellow, a soft, but happy color.  Then, I had some furniture built - a round table and six chairs for the dining area, along with four comfortable chairs for the living area.  The whole casita (little house) consists of a living- / dining- / kitchen- in one room and one bedroom.  There's a nice bathroom and lovely wall-in closet with all built-in drawers and closet hanging.  I've befriended a fantastic carpenter / painter / fix-it man, Cesar, who's been working almost non-stop for weeks.

After having the dining table and chairs built and delivered, I decided I wanted to turn the set into a spectacular work of art; I found an artist, Leonardo Ricardo, an ex-pat from California, who has also become a good friend and has created a spectacular piece of art - my dining room table.  I shared with him that I like blues and wanted the tabletop to say something about El Fuego.  It's a work in progress, but last Friday I gave my first dinner party, using the new table.

Currently Cesar is prepping the chairs (sanding) and will paint them a midnight blue so
 they won't compete with the tabletop.  Check out the center base and feet of the table.

This is a not-so-representive closeup, but, if you look closely you may see some almost
 invisible 'stripes' representing El Fuego.  And, more easily seen are splotches of an
iridescent orange representing spurts of lava that fly out of the crater to then flow
 down the sides of the volcano.

It's such a fun process - so much more relaxed than when I tried to decorate, work, raise kids, take care of a husband, etc!  Today, Cesar spent lots of time sanding chairs, buying paint and brushes, etc. for painting next week.  We also went to the glass man - all shopping within a couple of blocks of my house(!) - and he cut some pieces of glass to put in a couple of food cabinet doors to minimize the view of foodstuffs while sitting at the table!

See the Guatemala versions of "Kitchen Witches" sitting on the top of the cabinet.  They're "Kitchen Angels!"

I continue to do volunteer work, almost on a daily basis; mostly teaching English right now.  Later I'll be helping to buy equipment and furnish a new surgery center that will be built here in Antigua by one of the wonderful foundations - this one will be performing cleft lip and palate surgeries for patients from all over Guatemala.

On another note:  One of the foundations I work for gave a Venetian Masquerade Gala a couple of weeks ago; the turnout was fantastic and everybody arrived in costume.

Cousin Linda Champagne and I got ourselves all dressed up for the ball.  Costumes were
 created by a wonderfully talented German ex-pat from clothes she buys in the
"Paca" (used clothing that's shipped here from Canada and the US and sold for
practically nothing to the hard-working, albeit poor people of Guatemala).
Both of our costumes probably cost a grand total of $30!!!!

One last note for this post:  We're in the full bloom of Cuaresma - the Lenten Season - Antigua's Semana Santa - Holy Week - is something to be seen, at least once in your life.  There are processions and processions all during the forty days of Lent; this coming Sunday's will be from the church in San Bartolomé Becerra and it will process in front of our little compound.  So, tomorrow night we will be out in the street making an "alfombra" (carpet) for the procession to pass over on Sunday.  I plan to be out with my Guatemalan neighbors in "haciendo penitencia" (doing penance) making a beautiful carpet that will welcome the procession.  Hopefully I'll have some beautiful photos to share.  

For now, here are a few photos I took last year.  These carpets are made out of dyed sawdust, fruits, vegetables, etc.  The work is magnificent, each is unique, and there are literally hundreds of them put together during the whole Lenten season, but during Semana Santa, it's one of the most amazing 'celebrations' in the World.

Such almost unbelievable color, artistry, and detail

A stunning carpet in black, gray, and white

Families, neighbors, and friends spend hours, days, weeks, and months planning and
constructing these masterpieces

All vegetables

Just take a look at the length of this alfombra - it's almost 2 blocks long!

If This Were Your Last Day on Earth . . . .

I've been watching "Grey's Anatomy" on Netflix for the last week, or so.  I'd never seen it when I was settled in my house in Roseville.  After having worked so many years in the OR, I mistakenly believed that a TV show just couldn't do the experience justice.  So, currently I'm working on Season 2, Episode 18.

The medical drama series focuses on a group of doctors at a hospital in Seattle, including several who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), is the daughter of a famous surgeon. She struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them -- Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.

I've never been a seasoned  / addicted TV watcher, except for Food Network in the recent 10 years.  Way back in the 60s and 70s it was Julia Child, from "mastering the Art of French Cooking."  Then beginning in the 90s it's been Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.

Anyway, during my travels around the US and my forays into  foreign countries in the last few years, I've begun watching lots of different types of movies and TV series on iTunes, Amazon Prime, and Netflix, all on my computer.  I love them all.  It's interesting here in Guatemala because if I go on the Internet to the Netflix website, I get some American, Canadian, British, and Australian programs; but, I also get lots of movies, etc. from Spain and Latin America.  Mostly they're in Spanish, and, if I'm lucky, there'll be English subtitles - I still have lots of problems catching the gist of movie conversations if I don't have a little help from subtitles!  Then, I can open an application, called Hotspot Shield, that somehow 'tricks' the service providing carriers into thinking that I'm accessing Netflix from the USA; and, presto, I get all the Netflix programs that are currently being offered to US subscribers but not to Latin American subscribers!  Pretty nifty, I'd say.

So, back to "Grey's Anatomy." First of all, the name of the TV show is really catchy to those among us who have labored away in the reference book, "Gray's Anatomy," the epitome of anatomy textbooks.  I'd be willing to bet there aren't more than three doctors in the US who do NOT own a copy of "Gray's Anatomy."  Even after ridding myself of 99% of my personal library in the last several weeks, I still have a copy, as it never goes out of style - human anatomy doesn't change.  Maybe in the next thousand years, or so, there'll be some modification to human anatomy, but not now!

In the episode of "Grey's Anatomy" I watched earlier today, Season 2, episode 17,  Meredith is tasked with maintaining her cool in the OR with a patient who has an unexploded bomb in his chest.  She's actually 'holding' her hand on the bomb until it can be safely removed and handed to the bomb squad who's standing opposite her with the operating table and patient between them.  I won't spoil it if you haven't yet seen it - go to Netflix and take a look at the whole series if you're interested.  But, the episode concludes with Meredith asking the question:  IF THIS WERE YOUR LAST DAY ON EARTH,  HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEND IT AND WITH WHOM?

I'm meditating on my answer right now.  What's yours?

Notes From Travel Day, Sacramento to Guatemala City

American Airlines SMF (Sacramento) to LAX ( Los Angeles) to Dallas / Fort Worth to GUA (Guatemala City). Eldin, my friend and driver, will be outside La Aurora Airport waiting to take me to Antigua. If all goes well I should be home at about 10:30 tonight. I paid to take extra luggage to Guatemala - no extra clothes - I actually left several pieces of clothing in my little storage unit  in California so I'll have some for next time I visit. No, three bags are filled with kitchen supplies and lots of craft materials for my Amigos del Arte group that meets every Wednesday morning. 

After this VERY busy five weeks I'm so looking forward to some relaxation time and time to digest all the changes taking place in my life with this elimination of so much STUFF.  Even though I'm not terrifically attached to houses, I have enjoyed my little 1250 square foot abode in Roseville. I took one last walk through this morning to make sure everything was out, and to say one last "goodbye" before flying off to continue my Guatemala adventure. 

I'll miss all my kids and grandkids; their lives all change almost from  minute to minute. It's still strange to say that my youngest grandkids, the twins and triplets, are all going to be 16-years old soon!  Wow!  All five of them are studying Spanish in high school so I'd love to have them visit me in Antigua. 

I say a little prayer for my dear Quinn, who is still suffering the effects of her cancelled wedding. She's strong and resilient and will, I'm sure, find happiness once again and go on bravely to live a successful life in whatever and with whom ever she chooses. 

Addison (23) and Holland (21) are sharing an apartment in downtown Sacramento, Addison teaching sixth grade and Holland pursuing her studies at Sac State University. Those two are going places and I love them mucho. 

Already landing in Los Angeles so I'll close for now. 

Part II:

On American Airlines flight from LAX to Dallas Fort Worth. Smooth flight.

Part III:

Landed in Dallas Fort Worth after a nice flight.  Took the sky shuttle to the international terminal for my flight from Texas to Guatemala City.  When I arrived at the gate I found that the flight departure was delayed - we finally took off almost two hours later than planned.   I had a chance to email Eldín, my Guatemalan friend and driver, to tell him not to go to Aurora Airport until a little later.  We finally got in almost two hours late.  Immigration and Customs were a breeze.  I'd smuggled 3 large rutabagas into the country for my cousin, Linda, to make her famous rutabaga pudding for Thanksgiving and was a little concerned that they may open my bags - but no such worry occurred.

And, speaking of recipes . . . 

I have a recipe request from Quinn:

Mimi's Chicken Wing Hors D'oeuvres

Ingrédients:

*1 pound chicken wings (about 14 wings), wing tips removed (save for making chicken broth). Then, separate into wingets by slicing through the connecting joint. So, for 14 chicken wings, you'll now have 28 wingets 

*½ cup regular Kikkoman soy sauce

*Garlic powder (not garlic salt) -I don't measure it - I guess it would be about 1 teaspoon in total if I did measure

Instructions:

*Turn oven on to Broil. Set an oven rack about four inches below the broiler heating flame or element. 

*Line an aluminum / metal baking pan (with at least one-inch sides) with heavy-duty aluminum foil, using enough foil to completely cover the bottom and all sides of the pan. Tuck the foil in over the lip of the pan on all sides. This prevents burned soy, sugar, garlic powder and chicken fat and juices from making the pan difficult to clean. 

*Arrange the wingets in the pan, trying not to overlap pieces

*Sprinkle the wingets with a little soy sauce, a generous sprinkle of garlic powder, and about a teaspoon of sugar. 

*Place the pan under the broiler and broil  the first side of the wingets for about 5 - 8 minutes, checking often to avoid burning the skin.

*Using tongs, turn wingets over, season the uncooked side with soy, garlic powder, and sugar, and broil second side for approximately the same amount of time. 

*Using tongs, turn wingets to expose first side again. At this time you can add more of the three sauce ingredients, or, if there's sufficient sauce collected in the pan you can collect it to spoon over wingets and broil for a couple of minutes, until the wingets are nicely browned on this side. Turn again and broil the second side until browned and the sauce in the pan has thickened.

Arrange wingets on a serving platter, lined with large lettuce leaves if you'd like, and spoon the syrupy sauce over them. Serve wingets hot or at room temperature to be eaten by hand with an available cocktail napkin to keep fingers clean. 

Enjoy 28 cocktail servings; but, beware, people usually eat four or five each!!!

So, it's 12:57am; I'm sitting up in bed with Lacy and Eleanor by my side.  Aaahh, it's good to be home.  I plan to do a lot of relaxing for the next few days.  

Getting Out of Dodge!

I'm finishing up a myriad of minute issues, readying myself for departure tomorrow morning from Sacramento to Guatemala City.  I'll be back in Antigua tomorrow night, where Lacy and Eleanor are waiting for my return.  This has been a most productive five weeks in California.

I have:

• Put my Roseville house on the market to be sold - and it's supposed to be a good sellers' market
• Sold my Smart Car to my son's family- Jeff will use it as a commute car
• Put both the Toyota Dolphin and the Fleetwood Flair on the market to be sold by my nephew and grand nephew - I'm going to miss them both, but now is not the time to have them sitting
• Had two estate / garage sales - Profits of over $4000!!! Lots of help from Sharan
• Sold multiple belongings on Craigslist
• furniture
• refrigerator
• freezer
• washer and dryer
• Oriental carpet
• enough yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks, knitting books, and equipment and supplies to open a yarn shop!
• hundreds of cook- and other books
• dinnerware
• silverware
• cooking implements and supplies
• pots, pans, bake ware
• microwave
• All Clad slow cooker
• counter top oven
• dishes - China and everyday
• more
• more
• more

I invited a relatively new Canadian friend, Sharan, who lives in Guatemala, to come up to California to help me with, upon arrival October 1st, what seemed like an overwhelming and impossible job to complete in the two weeks Sharan was to be here.  Well, folks, she's a human dynamo!  I can't say how much I appreciated her help and unrelenting encouragement.  I could not have done it without her.  And, my daughter-in-law, Alice, continues to be so gracious with her time and effort.  She'll arrive later this afternoon and will drive me to the airport early tomorrow morning.  Kari, David, Jeff, Alice, and even world-traveling son, Spencer, have all been so supportive.  Thank you all!

I haven't been able to spend the time I would have liked visiting with many relatives and friends.  I'm especially sad that I didn't see my brother, Jim; but, it just wasn't in the cards that I could drive down to Santa Cruz to see him; and, he wasn't able to come up here.  It's one long drive through the San Francisco Bay Area and then also through the San Jose area - both difficult to navigate through commute traffic spots.  Jim and I try to stay in touch through email; so we'll continue that when I return to Antigua.

I've just emailed my Orthopedic Surgeon here in Sacramento to start arranging my second total knee surgery, hopefully for January 2016.  This knee is not as severely damaged by arthritis as my right knee was last year; but, it is ready for the replacement and I'm so looking forward to being pain every day.  Fortunately, this knee only hurts severely when I walk!  But, I like to walk a lot, which has been impossible for almost a year.

Kari and David's home in El Dorado Hills

L to R:  Samantha and Malia, son Jeff's twins - almost 16

I'm going to be very busy as soon as I get to Antigua.  I've been asked to write a syllabus for an English teaching program, then develop a teaching plan, and 'hire' volunteer teachers for a foundation I volunteer for CasaSito, Antigua, Guatemala.  I also have four English students, each of whom I tutor four hours each week .  One is 18, two are 19, and one is 20 .  They're all excited to learn and very conscientious about homework, etc.  I can't wait to see them all again.  I've also collected all kinds of arts and crafts supplies to share with a group I belong to called Los Amigos del Arte; we get together for about 4-5 hours each week and do crafts projects that we then sell to raise money for CasaSito.

Check out the website for CasaSito - a scholarship program for underprivileged Guatemalan kids from primary school through university - ages about 8 - 25.  It's a wonderful organization and I'm happy to be a part of it.

I'll also be involved with my Guatemalan family:  Carlos (my current Spanish teacher), his wife Nancy, daughter Shirley (my Guatemalan granddaughter), and daughter Heisell and her husband and baby.  I have some gifts for them that I know they'll appreciate; it's rewarding to be able to help them out; they are wonderful people, as are most of the Guatemalans I know.

Heisell and Fernando on wedding day
Spring 2015

L to R:  Fernando, Nancy, Heisell, Carlos, Shirley
Wedding Day Spring 2015

Of course it will be wonderful to see Cousin Linda - remember, we met in Antigua almost four years ago and found out we're actually related - her grandfather and my grandmother were cousins in Plattsburgh, New York.  Small world - Linda was born in Rhode Island and has lived most of her life in Chicago.  I'm essentially a west coast girl - and we met in Antigua!!!

Cousin Linda Champagne with baby
Danna Sofia Fernanda Lopez 1 week old

Going to miss Quinn, with whom I shared
a great grandmother / granddaughter lunch
last Saturday.  She's doing so well after her
sad cancellation of her wedding last month.
I so love this young lady!

Rear: old photo of Addison, Quinn, Avery
Front:  Holland, Spencer, Tate
They're all so grown up.

M-P's Antigua casita - my own slice of paradise.

Hollandase Sauce . . . Another of the Mother Sauces of French Cooking

So, you might ask, what's the story of Hollandaise Sauce?  There's some debate about who originally invented this delectable addition to any meal - breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Some food historians think it was developed in the Netherlands, hence the name, and taken to France by the Huguenots.  Others believe that Hollandaise was developed and served to the King of the Netherlands by a French chef in French King's court sometime in the 17th century.  Who knows for sure?  Not I.

This is what it looks like when it's ready to eat!

It's probable that the original sauce may not have had egg yolks involved at all - simply sweet butter and a touch of acid, in the form of vinegar or lemon juice.  And, certainly many gourmet cooks and restaurants today serve a sweet butter and lemon sauce on such dishes as "Sole Meuniere," one of my favorite dinners to order in San Francisco, where the fish is so fresh and the Meyer lemons and sweet butter from our California countryside make Sole Meuniere so fabulous.  Mmmmm, my mouth is watering for some right now!

Okay, back to the story:  Hollandaise is an emulsion of egg yolks and butter, usually seasoned with lemon juice or vinegar.  The tang of the acidic lemon juice should provide a definite tang, but shouldn't overpower the velvety smooth sauce.

Once again the recipe is simple - only three main ingredients:  egg yolks, butter, and lemon.  Ah, but then there is the preparation and that requires some practice and patience.  As many of you know, cooking egg yolks can be challenging - cook them over too low a heat and they don't thicken, cook them over too high a heat and they curdle.  So, read the recipe carefully and when you make it for the first time, do it when there's not any stress associated with company coming!

My first lessons in the preparation of Hollandaise were from Julia Child on "The French Chef" TV series beginning in 1963.  However, through the years I've modified and personalized the sauce so that now I can say the following is truly my recipe.

Mimi's Hollandaise Sauce

2 large fresh eggs

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ pound (one cube of a one-pound package) of salted butter, cut in half

1)  Separate each of two fresh eggs over a small bowl using the egg shell halves technique of cracking the egg carefully and pouring the contents back and forth between the egg shell halves until all of the egg white has fallen into the bowl.  Then holding the yolk in one of the half shells, drop the yolk into a small room temperature saucepan.  Do the same for the second egg.  Now you have a bowl with 2 egg whites that can be refrigerated for several days, or frozen for up to a month.  And, you have two egg yolks in the saucepan.

2)  Add 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice  to the saucepan - bottled if you don't have fresh, but  fresh is always preferable.  Add ½  of the cube of butter.  This is probably the only time I really prefer to use salted butter.  I'm a sweet unsalted butter fan.; but, I find that salted butter is all you need for seasoning in this sauce; sometimes I also add a little white pepper, but not often and not much.

3)  So you have your 3 ingredients in the saucepan.  Move it over a very low heat to begin the process of melting the butter.  Using a whisk or a wooden spoon, stir the ingredients constantly for the entire time the pan is on the heat, first to blend the ingredients and then to make sure they heat slowly and evenly - to avoid curdling the egg yolks.  (More about curdling cures later).

4)  Maintaining a low heat, stir the ingredients until they are mixed and hot to the touch.  Add the second ½ of the cube of butter and continue to heat and stir for several minutes until the emulsion of ingredients is complete and the sauce has thickened to a medium-thick consistency.

Although most recipes say you must make Hollandaise at the last minute, right before serving, I've found that it's perfectly acceptable to make it up to several hours before it's needed.  You can pour the sauce into a bowl or you can leave it in the saucepan.  The important thing to remember is that it needs to has a sheet of plastic wrap placed right on the surface of the sauce itself to prevent a film from forming.  It's not good enough to just stretch foil or plastic over the bowl / pan.  Refrigerate the sauce for up to several hours, even overnight if it's to be used for something like Eggs Benedict for the next day's brunch.  Remove it from the refrigerator an let it come up to room temperature before serving.  Sometimes I simply serve the sauce at room temperature; it's 'heated' by the vegetable or dish it's embellishing.  And, sometimes I choose to reheat it on the stove being VERY CAREFUL to use the lowest heat possible to prevent curdling.

Ideas for serving this delectable sauce:

Eggs Benedict - spooned over the toasted English muffin, Canadian bacon, and poached egg

Omelettes - just about any flavor, except maybe Mexican or Asian

Asparagus / broccoli / cauliflower / green beans / spinach Hollandaise

Any broiled, grilled, or sautéed fish - Sole Meuniere is just an example

Variations of Hollandaise - sometimes referred to as "mayonnaise sauces" - here are a few:

Meuniere Sauce - mentioned earlier

Béarnaise Sauce - it's considered to be a "child" of Hollandaise.  It's a traditional sauce for steak.

       It uses vinegar in place of lemon and is flavored with shallots, fresh tarragon / chervil, and

       fresh peppercorns

Sauce au Vin Blanc - adding a reduction of white wine and sometimes fish stock to Hollandaise sauce

Sauce Choron - a variation of Béarnaise without the tarragon or chervil, plus added tomato paste

Sauce Valois - a version of Béarnaise flavored with a meat glaze from what meat's being roasted

Café de Paris sauce - a version of Béarnaise with curry powder added

Sauce Paloise - has mint substituting for the tarragon in Béarnaise

These are just a few - the list of variations is almost endless.

Jeff, Kari, and Spencer were raised on Hollandaise; it was to "go to" addition sauce  for so many meals.  I'd hazard to guess that almost any food can be made more special with Hollandaise!

Happy Cooking!