Dear country mice who visit their city mice relatives during the holiday season,
Hello, fellow country mice. As a transplant myself, I understand that the big city can be a bit overwhelming. It’s big and loud and there are so many things you don’t have to deal with on a regular basis, like, say public transportation. But that’s a discussion for another time. Today, I’m writing to talk to you about sidewalks. Read the rest of this entry ?
I feel that the time has come for my annual Grinch-like declaration that it’s not frelling Christmas yet so could we stop with the performances of the Hallelujah chorus, the displays of Christmas candy, the lighting of Christmas trees, and the inflation of communist snowmen.
I know for a fact that it’s not time for Christmas related shenanigans yet, because I haven’t even had time to cook my Thanksgiving turkey. We’re 12 days from leaving a shoe out for Sinterklaas, more than a fortnight from anyone setting wreaths of lighted candles on their head in honor of St. Lucia*, and nobody’s lighting the first candle for Hanukah early. Also, not to put too fine a point on it, it’s still November and it won’t be December until the middle of next week. Read the rest of this entry ?
Let’s take a moment to discuss space or, rather, my kitchen’s distinct lack of it. My kitchen has one 36-ish inch long section of counter and one 12 inch long section. That’s it. There’s space for one cutting board next to a bowl with maybe space for some (but never all) of your ingredients. There’s space for two people to be actively cooking… but not if you also want to open the fridge. Read the rest of this entry ?
Generally speaking I can tell how my week is going by how early in the week I make my menu plan, and therefore my grocery shopping list. The earlier in the week the list gets made, the worse the week is. Last week I didn’t get around to making my grocery shopping list until Friday evening because that was the first time I had time to breathe. This week I had my grocery list done by Monday afternoon, but that owes more to the fact that next week is Thanksgiving and I’ve had that menu plan down since early October than it does to the quality of my week thus far. This particular grocery shopping list is typed, itemized, has been double checked and includes a timetable for Thanksgiving. It’s not the most fussy list I’ve ever made, but it’s possibly in the running for the top 10. Read the rest of this entry ?
Pardon that brief interruption in posting. I don’t know if you heard, but the San Francisco Giants won the World Series for the first time in 56 years. And, just for future reference, you can prep for a dinner, attend crazy street celebrations and still finish eating at a semi-reasonable hour.
I go through cooking phases. There are some weeks when nothing sounds appealing and menu planning is an exercise in whatever seems like it will be the least amount of work. Then there are weeks when there are more recipes I want to try than there are meals in the day. This is a week when everything is making my mouth water and my fingers itch to be at home in my kitchen cooking. Read the rest of this entry ?
Monday Night Dinner 