Diddakoi Walt Whitman
Take me home...St Emilion  kay@diddakoi.com

Updated: 01/07/06



Other places to visit

The Bleat
Spaceflight Now
Japanese Engrish
Eric Conveys an Emotion
Netflix
Epicurious
Free The Grapes
Tim Blair's Blog


What's on the nightstand

"Mommy Knows Worst"
by James Lileks

sniffle

sore throat


Saturday, 07 January, 2006

SAVE YOUR CORKS!!

[Only 8,473 more needed.]

I'm not nearly as sick as Mom has been for the past week. Poor thing - she's been coughing up a storm and hopefully is just about through her bout of nameless inconvenient winter infection. Mine started coming on in the form of a headache on Thursday and aching muscles plus sore throat and sniffles on Friday.

Gary went to see Katie last night and we drove down to the shore when he got home. We stopped at a restaurant on the way - "A Touch of Italy" - for dinner. We got there around 8:30 and they said it would be about a 15 minute wait. Forty-five minutes later . . . we were SO close to just walking out, but they finally cleared a table for us. And there was actually a happy ending - the food was quite good, reasonable price and we had pleasant, attentive service.

I took a bath when we got down to the condo and went to bed. Slept fine until around 5:00, so I got up and proceeded to lounge around on the couch and watch all three Lord of the Rings Extended Edition DVDs back to back. Nothing like thirteen hours of Peter Jackson's Tolkien to put a cold in its place. Gary went out for a bike ride - it was in the low thirties so I didn't think that should be high on my list of remedies. Other than that . . . well, that's actually been about it.

[*sniff*]

Thought I'd try something new this year. If I find a good recipe that I've either tried or plan to try, I'll post it here. Today's recipe is one that I made on Christmas Day, and again for our friends last week.

GUACAMOLE WITH PEAR AND POMEGRANATE SEEDS

No, seriously, this is really good. When I read the list of the ingredients, I didn't see how this could work, but it is lovely and the bowl has been pretty much licked clean both times. So, give it a go while pomegranates are lurking around the grocery store.

1/3 cup white onions, finely chopped
3 to 4 serrano chiles, finely chopped, with seeds (Or whatever kind of chiles you prefer - I used dried Thai chiles and it was just fine)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 pounds ripe California avocadoes (about 4 large)
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3/4 cup pear, peeled and finely diced
3/4 cup seedless grapes, halved
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds

In a molcajete or food processor, grind onion, chiles, and salt into a rough paste. Gradually add the avocado, coarsely mashing it (you'll want it to be chunky). Stir in the lemon juice. Fold in the pear, grapes, and 1/2 cup of the pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds over the guacamole and serve.

Makes 8 servings. (I make half a recipe and that seems to be plenty for 6 people or so)
Source: Gourmet Magazine, December 2001. Adapted from Diana Kennedy

[Enjoy!]

Quote du jour:

"Guacamole is not dangerous."

Mayor Richard M. Daley, after a hazmat scare in Chicago turned out to be mashed avocados

previous ~ home ~ next