intense and indulgent

a satisfying saturday

I somehow missed that it was to be cloudy today after a glorious week of December sunlight. I got up expecting to see a great sunrise but only saw a hint of light reflecting on the capital dome. Yes, well, there was a wee bit of light which is what matters since it’s been quite cloudy since.

I sorted through 5,000+ (yes, you are reading that right) photographs that in a fit of madness I deleted a few weeks ago on the premise I could check the archives. Since some are people who we’ve lost over the years, I realised this morning that I simply don’t trust archives so I madly began recovering them at 5 this morning. It didn’t take as long as it sounds but it was an intensive experience. It set the tone for the day, as it turned out.

As we are all aware, holidays center around food whether we like it or not. The problem is that I like everyone having what they enjoy. Since our daughter is coming in a couple of hours for two days, I had one more variable.

We associate with food certain activities or holidays. My husband associates brisket with some holidays and turkey with others. This weekend is a turkey day—period. And not just any turkey but dark meat. Quite straightforward except our daughter is now eating plant-based so even a small turkey is quite a bit for one person. No, let’s be honest: it’s a huge amount of food for one person, even if one freezes it for the remainder of the year.

I do have a confession, however. I went to our local store, Graul’s Market, where I know I can find virtually anything (at a significantly higher cost than similarly satisfying Wegman’s which has everything but is more than 20 miles away roundtrip). The mad rush of Annapolitans similarly seeking something special from Graul’s was building but I knew they would have a package of turkey legs if anyone would.

I rifled through the fresh and frozen stock only to encounter breasts, smallish entire bird and huge entire birds, gizzards, but no turkey legs. I texted my husband, suggesting perhaps a turkey breast instead?

Cynthia, I told myself, you’re not trying hard enough. Another voice in my head said ‘Now what? I put it off too late as I thought we were having vegetarian shepard’s pie. Great, Cynthia, well done. Guess we should have discussed this earlier than Wednesday’.

Why do I go to Graul’s, I ultimately asked myself. Because they have more options any other store. Remember when they had brisket but no one else did?

I summoned my courage to ask the harried butcher about a turkey leg. I had seen at least half a dozen people corner him with what he thought were ludicrous questions as I watched his face. My turn.

‘Um, do you have any turkey legs?’

He glared at me, then rummaged below the breasts to show me two packages of drumsticks. Drumsticks had not registered as legs to me. I honestly have not eaten fowl for so long (I began a strict vegetarian in August 1996) that I thought drumsticks were something else (No, I don’t think this is Alzheimer’s but the butcher probably did). I texted my hustand that I found drumsticks. He immediately said that was fine, of course, but I felt I was in another galaxy far far away. Sheepishly I picked up a package, sauntered to my cart, then dashed away but I swear I could hear laughter behind the counter.

Don’t get me wrong: I love, truly adore cooking. It lets me be as spontaneous as I want with a distinct goal in mind. Yes, I create flops but I just love the experience and find it not burden whatsoever. But I rarely cook meat since my husband also enjoys cooking a great deal. I don’t mind cooking meat but why not turn over to him what he most enjoys?

It’s fine as long as you don’t forget what terminology means.

At important meals, one doesn’t just eat turkey but eats other dishes along with the dark meet. So, today I treated myself to preparing the additional dishes to free up tomorrow so the three of us can relax as Dark Meat Tom is thawing for his grand entry on Monday.

This morning I decided I had earned an intense cooking day making two of my absolutely favourite foods: Sephardic spinach and Leek/potato soup. It was glorious, even with the seemingly endless chopping and clearning of leeks to assure they were pristine. The onions for the spinach were similarly intensive because they need be pretty fine but the task was not as large as for the leeks so I was in the chopping rhythm by that point.

I got out the cast iron braiser and the cast iron pot—no need for weights today.

The leeks and potatoes simmered in vegetable broth with thyme, marjoram (just a pinch), and a couple of bay leaves. Everything reduced to a gorgeous pureed soup after cooking slowly for about an hour. Sublime, simply sublime, though I have not tasted yet.

At the same time, other cast iron pot had chickpeas dancing with the onions softened by sauteeing in olive oil until they melted to the touch of a spoon. Intensive spinach cleaning was a prelude to watching that wonderful vegetable (why do people dislike spinach?) frolicking with the fresh dill, chickpeas, dash of lemon, and onions. I could eat this dish daily.

So, these are out of the way for the weekend with a most delightful intensity. We have only a relatively small refigerator so the shepard’s pie will be tomorrow’s project.

I am so thankful to have the resources and options we have. I don’t take them for granted but appreciate them.

What are you having for the weekend? Are you preparing it or sharing the preparation or going out?

Thank you for reading Actions Create Consequences today and every day. Thank you for your time and for those of you who subscribe with your valuable resources.

Take time to let those who matter know. Be well and be safe. FIN