Ouch

So, I don't get it. Why is it so hard to find a flipper guy that doesn't have slots cut in it? I don't know about you, but I don't recall the last time I wanted to turn something over but found myself saying, "wow, I wish there was some way for bits of this to fall through while I'm doing this". And the cleaning... partially cooked egg + holes in a plastic flipper <> good combination.

In other news, I discovered yesterday that that stuff that makes chilis hot does not go well with eyes. I had broken up some dried chilly peppers with my dinner last night, and at the end of the meal, forgot that I had done it. I rubbed my eye and realized pretty quick that that stuff sticks around for a while.

Whoops.

The little chick was quite concerned, and asked "are your eyes feeling better now?" more or less every two minutes or so until they were. She's pretty sweet.

I suppose I knew it could be like that, and if I would have had Science Nathan around, he probably would have reminded me. In any case, I've learned my lesson now. Next time, I'm getting someone else to rub my eyes for me.

Shopping Lists And Putting On Chains

It's interesting seeing what people buy, and I'm always intrigued to see who's got what in the checkout line. I've had some good combinations before, but I think tonights was not too bad.

2 leeks (large)
2 boxes of Pim's chocolate/raspberry cookies
1 bottle of red wine

Now, I think that while the Pim's and the wine may be pretty predictable (if you haven't had these cookies... well, you need to), but the leeks add a lot. First, as a man buying unprepared vegetables, I think that puts me into a pretty special category to start with. But then, leeks are not like peas or lettuce or something that you just wash or steam and serve. They have a bit of mystery to them, and indicate a bit more intention. I like that.

Also worth noting is that I learned how to put the snow chains on my tires this weekend. We were in the mountains, and while the roads were bare and dry on Friday, there was a pretty reasonable amount of snow that fell Saturday and Sunday before we left.

I have often been sad that, as far as I can tell, a lot of the stereotypical male abilities that reach back generations in my family may well die with my dad (which is hopefully not soon). Neither of my brothers or I show much of an inclination towards being able wire our own homes or rebuild an engine. I can put up drywall, but you probably wouldn't want to live in the room after.

So it made me pretty happy to get the chains figured out. I recall pulling them out one other time and, after a few minutes, deciding to just take my chances with the snow. But this time I was determined, and I like that now I know how to get them on. So, the future of Delamont men is perhaps not all without hope.

More reflections on the weekend to come soon, I promise...

I Will Destroy Swiss Cuisine

I am eating rösti tonight. With parmesaen cheese that Helen brought for the last MNB practice. And chicken curry that Eva made last week for our home group. I haven't decided on a name for it yet - waiting to see if I survive it first. Thanks, ladies.

Fantasy Menu

I'm kind of hungry. But I have a cold, which means not only do I not really feel like cooking (or shopping, usually an optimal prelude to cooking), but I couldn't really taste anything I made, anyways. So I think I'm just going to fantasize a little about what the menu would look like if I were opening a restaurant in my kitchen.

Since you may not be able to picture the restaurant in my kitchen quite as easily as I can, I should maybe explain. It would mean that the food would always be available to me, or to people here with me. I would have the option to help cook it, but there would be someone there to cook it for me on nights like tonight. I wouldn't have to worry about what was in the fridge: since it is a restaurant, everything would be in stock. The music would always be good... loud enough to hear if you wanted to, but quiet enough to talk without having trouble hearing each other. And there would be no dishes to clean up. Ever. So....

Entrees:

• Garlic-stuffed mushroom caps, lightly breaded and crispy
• Escargots, with a lot of garlic
• Pringles, plain
• Bacon-wrapped scallops
• Spinach dip
• Sweet peppers, no dip
• Fois gras
• Bruschetta
• Bacon-wrapped bacon (deep-fried, and served with a side of bacon)

Soups:

• French Onion, with lots of cheese and fresh croutons
• Cream of green thing (broccoli, leek or spinach)
• Cold fruit soups for summer

Salads:

• Rocket and parmesan, with olive oil and vinegar
• Fresh tomato and mozzarella, with fresh basil, olive oil, and vinegar, heavily seasoned with salt and pepper
• Spinach, with mushrooms, boiled egg, crumbled bacon, sweet red onion and creamy ranch dressing
• Big salad with assorted greens, cherry tomatoes, grilled chicken slices and cheddar cheese cubes

Main Courses:

• Steak, filet mignon, bacon-wrapped and grilled any way you like it as long as it's rare
• Salmon, on a cedar plank or pan-fried in a cranberry vinaigrette with the cranberry bits caramelized..... mmmmmmmm............
• Kraft Dinner
• Lobster with freshly drawn butter
• Pizza, especially a really, really good margherita with buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil, or with various clever varieties of meat, seafood, and vegetables, though no tuna. And capers will be highly discouraged.
• Turkey, served with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and some joke about "what happened to all the other vegetables"
• Sushi or sashimi, especially tuna and salmon
• A really, really big burger, juicy enough to make you need a shower after you eat it (or part way through on a really good day)
• Lasagna

Desserts:

• Pavlova or trifle (or similar, anything with whipped cream, fruit, and meringue-ish stuff)
• Baked cheesecake, so dense it takes help to lift it to your mouth
• Chocolate cake, rich enough to endanger your health, with a tart raspberry sauce
• Creme brulée
• Magnum bars
• Italian gelato, mostly the fruit flavors

Snacks and Sides:

• Wings
• Potatoes: baked, mashed, or fries
• Grilled vegetables, tuscan-style
• Special K Red Fruit
• White corn tortillas one of two ways: with grated cheddar and montery jack cheeses, jalapenos, tomatoes, and a side of refried beans, or with that fake orange cheez, served in something that would keep it warm for as long as you wanted

Drinks:

• The best beers from around the world: Leffe (blond and brun) from Belgium, Franziskanner wheat beer from Germany, Pilsner Urquel from the Czech Republic, Guinness and Caffrey's from the UK, and Big Rock Traditional from Canada
• A good selection of red and white wines from around the world. I'm not a wine snob, so I'll be easy to please here.
• San Pellegrino sparking water, chilled almost to freezing, served in stemwear so thin you almost can't feel it. Unlike with wine, I am very much a water snob.
• Slurpee, coke and cream soda
• Hires Root Beer
• Italian coffee: espresso, espresso machiato, capuccino
• Licorice spice tea

So - any orders?

And, just for fun, I'm going to keep track of how many edits I do. Because I'm pretty sure that I'm going to go to bed now, think about this, and wake up in three hours covered in a cold sweat, unable to believe that I left __________ off the list.

Total edits: 2. How could I have forgotten gelato?!?