Lamb, Books, & Picnic Baskets

• I finished "Dog Blood" this past weekend.  The author has written a number of things that I have liked but not loved.  In this case, I loved it.  I strongly suggest that you read Hater and then Dog Blood and tell me what you think.  Especially if you have grown tired with some of the tropes of the zombie genre.  This is not a zombie book (oh yes, it is...) but it explores the same themes.  I look forward to the third book of the series (Them or Us) which comes out in about eight weeks.  I mean, if you don't like the genre, I understand...but then why are you reading me?
• On Saturday, HJ77 and I went looking for things to fill a picnic basket.  My suggestion was "Let's head to the Farmers' Market" which HJ77 had offered resistance to before. Now, I know someone like me loving Farmer's Markets is so much of a cliche that it is stuff that white people like. But I do love them...I like fresh, seasonal, local food, and I love tasting new things that I have never had before.  When I think of Farmers' Markets, I think of the Troy Waterfront Farmers' Market or the Greenmarkets in New York and I have certain expectations about what as going to be available.  My belief is that you should be able to buy the bulk of your food directly from the producers.  (There is also the thing about buying fresh and raw food as opposed to the boxed crap that most people shovel into their maws, but I understand why my situation, while not being unique, is different.) So, in our quest to fill the aforementioned picnic basket, we headed to the largest Farmers' Market in Rhode Island, the Hope Street Farmers Market.  HJ77 was very happy at the Troy market and she had told me that her's was different.  Because I am an idiot, I thought "How different could it be?" Mainly because Providence is one of those towns that is full of smart people with hippie sensibilities and enough money to demand what they want.  Yeah, I was wrong.  It was not that it was a bad farmers' market it just that it was...small.  I was expecting a literal cornucopia of fresh and local delights and...while there was some of that, there was also a lot of...the same stuff.  We ended up having to go to a...wait for it...Whole Foods to get the rest of the things for the picnic basket.  Ironic, no?
• On Saturday night, HJ77 and I had dinner at Cook & Brown Public House and while I am not going to write up a review (I am sure that HJ77 will over at SugarnSpice.) I wanted to mention a couple of things.  One, the service was incredible. It was just great.  Our table was great too. (I am wondering if it is a Union thing.  HJ77 graduated with the Chef-Owner.  I do not remember him.  I doubt he remembers me.  Maybe that is why the service was great but I doubt it.  I think that they offer this level of service for everyone.) Our appetizer was outstanding.  Lobster makes everything better, no?  Especially when it is cooked well.
  
  Doesn't that look grand?
  
  For the entree, I had the lamb shoulder, which is very good.
  
  Now here is the issue. The difference between very good and incredible comes down to one little thing for me. I love chorizo. It is a wonderful sausage and pork is always good. It also has a distinct flavor. The sauce for the farro salad was finished with chorizo oil and at the end of the meal, that is all that I tasted. Again, not bad but...I was loving the taste of the lamb and relishing what was my first real Autumn meal of the year. The dessert (which HJ77 will talk about) made up for it. If you are around, and can get a reservation, please do check it out. (Oh, as a by the way, the Union alum who is the Chef-Owner is also a James Beard Award winner...that is pretty cool.)