Downton Abbey Sundays

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Sunday is usually my rest day, plus it's farmer's market day and generally an all-around "me day." I sleep in, have breakfast or brunch out, go to the market, do my other food shopping, run errands, get a manicure, visit with friends. It's always a pretty fabulous day. But when Downton Abbey season three began, Sundays went up a notch. We drank wine, had great food and watched Downton. Does it get any better?

Some menu highlights have included 40 cloves of garlic and a chicken, salmon with shallots and grapefruit, and grass-fed beef chili and cornbread. Last night, for the final Downton Abbey Sunday this year, I braised a pork shank in white wine. The shank was from my favorite local pork purveyor, Flying Pigs Farm and the recipe incredibly simple, yet the outcome so divine.

The shank is rubbed with a mixture of crushed garlic, fresh minced rosemary and olive oil, then placed in a dutch oven with butter and a mixture of carrots, onion and celery. I used some beautiful yellow carrots from the farmers market.

After slightly browning, the temp is lowered, wine is added, and three magical hours later you have the most incredible pork you could imagine.

The wine line-up paired beautifully: Joel Gott Pinot Gris 2010 for braising and sipping; Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino 2007 with the pork. 

The meal was outstanding. The finale of Downton Abbey, however, was not. I'm still in denial. I'm also in denial that Downton Abbey Sundays will have to wait until January 2014. In the meantime, I'll continue my other Sunday MyDay traditions.

Training
On the training front, things continue to progress after a major stress, exhaustion, work, life-change setback. Thankfully after missing most workouts for two weeks, I had a structured rest week and nailed almost all of it. It's still a juggling act, but as I phase off my consulting work, more time is freed up for training. I also have a new motivation - more to come on that this week!

Are you a Downton Abbey fan? What did you think about the finale?