local roots

Celeriac escalopes. Grilled some celeriac two nights ago.  Lightly breaded slices of the root vegetable.  What tasty things!  And simple. I sliced them a bit thick so they took a longer to cook. Not only is it tasty, it's so weird.  Which is kind of cool.  Looks like something an alien would eat with the wrinkled up peel and shaggy roots sticking up off the top.  I don't even know where this was harvested.  Ontario I think.  Trying to buy local.  Trying to think global.

the cost of corn

Went to the movies last night so had popcorn and chocolate covered almonds for dinner.  Usually I pop my own and take the contraband in a big purse.  Opted for the movie house corn tonight because I saved a couple a bucks on a 2 for 1 ticket.  $6 for a large bag.  Good grief.  Then came home and ate the leftover chili from the slowcooker the day before.  Key ingredient: smoked paprika.  The movie: Ricky Gervais' 'Ivention of Lying'.  He uses the same font as Woody Allen in the credit sequence.  A quirky concept.  A world where people don't lie.  Funny in parts.  Some big name cameos.  Worth a 2 for 1 ticket.

foodfutzing

I can spend hours in the grocery store.  I love being surrounded by all that food.  The possibilities are endless.  I like taking my time and getting ideas.  I read the nutrition facts.  Catch  up on my French.  Compare products.  I futz.  Doddle.  Dilly dally.  Delay.  Procrastinate.  But with purpose!   In the grocery store, I foodfutz.  Today during my visit, I picked up ingredients for Caprese Fish from the German cookbook.  Stretched mozzarella.  I don't know what that means but it was the cheese with the least amount of trans fat. (.1 trans fat per 29g) Had to go with frozen pollock because the fresh fish counter had only a few filets of snapper, ocean perch, catfish left, next to some sad looking scallops.  End of the day on a Sunday I suppose.  But still.  

The cookbook calls zuccinnis, courgettes.  I guess that's the German name. Will have to ask the in-laws.  It's French too.  I got yellow ones.  Product of Canada.  Dinner?  Success!  For Italian spices I used oregano and a a healthy sprinkling from a package of spice I'd saved from a pizza kit.  I was impressed the mozza stretch didn't burn in a 400 degree oven.  While the fish cooled, I finished my beer and made macaroons.  Only two words to say about that.  Demerara.  Sugar.

inspiration of a paragraph

This blog is a daily paragraph about something I like which may include but is not limited to: food, exercise, sex, travel, books, pets and skydiving. But mostly food. After watching Julie & Julia yesterday, I thought I should try the route Julie took. But a German version so it's not the same story. Make each recipe in "German Cooking Today" by Dr. Oetker. Because like Julie, I too have a full time job. I live in a small apartment in a big city. I have a loving husband. And a cat. And have written half a novel and I love to cook. I have difficulty finishing things I start. But when I did the math I realized she had to make 1.5+ recipes per day for 365 days to get through the whole book in a year. Maybe she made 3 or 4 recipes on holidays and special occasions. Bravo. For me, it's a fine, yet flawed idea. I am ambitious, but I won't do that. I will start with realistic expectations. Like going through that German cookbook and making all the recipes, as time permits. Like writing one paragraph a day. Like the one you've just read.