My bottom line

I should be impressed with the way you dress;
bought at a fine boutique.
Or shout "hurray" for your MBA
plucked from an Ivy league.

Dare I feel complete sitting in the seat
of your Bee Em Double-You?
Or swoon too soon from the spell you sell
cast Sonoma Valley brew?

You steal a kiss after lobster bisque
giving promises of more-
“One crème brulee, two spoons” you say,
drop a bill and hold my door.

So dazzle me honey with all your money
and the game that lets you score,
I‘ve analyzed, cross multiplied
your balance sheets galore

and know this simple southern girl
won't offer up my bed;
my goodbye wink, and now my door,
"Darlin', you're in the red."



*Author's Notes*
Sad but true. Written after dining at the Wild Orchid Grill


Lobster Bisque
serving size
Serves 4.

ingredients:
One 3-pound live lobster
1 medium onion
1 celery rib
1 carrot
1 vine-ripened tomato
1 head garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
8 black peppercorns
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup dry Sherry
4 cups fish stock*
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

*available at fish markets and some specialty foods shops

Preparation:

Fill a 6-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil. Plunge lobster headfirst into water and cook, covered, over high heat 8 minutes. Transfer lobster with tongs to a large bowl and in a measuring cup reserve 2 cups cooking liquid. Let lobster stand until cool enough to handle. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, twist off tail and claws and reserve juices. Reserve tomalley and discard head sacs and any roe. Remove meat from claws and tail, reserving shells and lobster body. (Lobster meat will not be cooked through.) Coarsely chop meat and transfer to a bowl. Chill lobster meat, covered.

Chop onion, celery, carrot, and tomato and halve garlic head crosswise. In a 6-quart heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté reserved lobster shells and body, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Add vegetables, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, brandy, and Sherry and simmer, stirring, until almost all liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add stock and reserved tomalley and cooking liquid. Simmer mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.

Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a large saucepan, pressing on and discarding solids. Whisk in tomato paste and simmer until reduced to about 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Add cream and simmer bisque 5 minutes. In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and water and whisk into bisque. Simmer bisque, stirring, 2 minutes. (Bisque will thicken slightly.) Add lobster meat with any reserved juices and simmer bisque 1 minute, or until lobster meat is just cooked through. Season bisque with salt and pepper.



"Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it."
--Julia Child