a smaller life

garlic scape pesto

 

Image courtesy of purlingplans

  

We subscribed to a CSA this year- One Straw Farm is supplying most of our vegetables this summer. It's a great deal and I'm so excited to have begun- we have the opportunity to get all of these delicious local veggies and to try some new things, too.

Like scapes, for example- the twirly, curly tops of garlic. I've eaten them before, but never made anything with them, until this week. They were in my CSA box this week, and we were scrambling to look for something to make with these. I nibbled the edges, never having had one raw before, and the taste was somewhere between blanched garlic and sweet green grass. It was the perfect summer flavor, and I had no idea how to use it.

We were strolling through MOM's this weekend and lo and behold, the answer was handed to me: garlic scape pesto samples, complete with a recipe. There are no words for how fantastic these are- we bought thin- sliced, rustic whole- grain bread to eat this with.

 

Garlic Scape Pesto

Ingredients:

10 garlic scapes, trimmed & chopped

1/3 cup roasted almonds

1/3 cup fresh- grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup olive oil

sea salt, pepper

basil leaves, fresh

Instructions:

Use a food processor or a blender to mix the scapes, almonds, cheese and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Stop the mixer, scrape the sides with a spatula, then add the rest of the oil and blend again. Add salt and pepper and blend one last time until your pesto is at the consistency you like best. Spread on lightly toasted bread or crackers, then top with grated parmesan cheese and one leaf of fresh basil.

You can freeze this to save it- it will hold for up to one year. If you're regrigerating leftovers, add a drop of olive oil and cover the surface with wax paper. 

Nom.

in which I am a day late, and a pug short

  

 

I know, I'm a day late. There were sleep issues and updates to worry about, but I didn't forget, I promise. Translation on Flickr! Can you tell I was hungry when I wrote this one?

We're still looking to adopt a pug- happily, the one boy we went to meet today was returned to his owners. Not happily for us, of course, but that's a nice outcome. We're still looking. We were in PetSmart this afternoon and a woman walked in with a baby pug and we both, briefly and crazily, considered a puppy. Madness. I recommend a new law against puppies in public. Either way, we're not puppy people. Puppies always find homes. 

This week is all about resting up and stretching for the Homespun Yarn Party this Sunday- eeep! I'm so excited to finally get to go to one- I've missed them all so far. Oh, and dyeing for our Summer and Fall releases. It's a little weird to be that far ahead of the game, but I think I could get into that. Planning and organizing and all of that.

things that are good

In the midst of the house madness, we've embarked on our Buy Nothing Month, half as a personal experiment and half as a safeguard in case the home insurance company leaves us hanging. Sam was already attempting to tempt me from the high road on Day 6, telling me that if we didn't get Chick Fil-A waffle fries right that moment that we would regret it on Sunday. When that didn't work, he played dirty and reminded me that after the waffle fries, we could go get Five Guys, but I held on, and I think he's glad I did.

It took one hell of an effort, though. Damn. I swear, they put something addictive and delicious in those waffle fries.

We've set some pretty simple rules: food is okay, if it's for eating at home and isn't self- indulgent snack junk. No eating out or take- out, no going to the movies, no museums that charge an entrance fee, no buying books or waxing or yoga classes. No spur of the moment iTunes song purchases. Pay the bills, obviously, and get gas when we need it, but try to avoid excess driving. Vet trips and medical co- pays are expected and part of regular bills. We both allow ourselves one small indulgence: he has corned beef hash at work on Wednesdays, I get a hoagie at Wawa on Mondays. (That's another place that adds crack to their food, I swear.)

I think that's everything.

It doesn't seem like much- a lot of people live this way all the time- but having that one, $4 luxury a week makes it seem extra- awesome.

And really, there's very little that we miss, oddly enough. Waffle fries, obviously, but my homemade biscuits and gravy this morning was a pretty decent compensation. I'm listening to Ok Go videos instead of buying the new album, and you know, I don't mind at all. Those videos are kick ass.

Other than missing the yoga classes and the waxing, it hasn't really made that much of an impression on me, but ask me again in another 20 days.

In other news, another List Of Good Things.

 

 

Translation to my chickenscratch over at Flickr, as always. Thinking of making this part of my Monday routine. Thoughts?

 

things that are currently devouring my life

• Night photos.
• Preparations for Sock Summit.
• Designing handwarmers and a shawl. (Anyone interested in test knitting?)
• Failing at teaching myself crochet. (Should just wait for Corrine to return.)
• Mochimochi's series of very tiny knitted things. (Tiny armadillos! A tiny computer! The cute, it hurts.)
• Obsessing over my very small vegetable garden.
• Cooking For Assholes. (Language warning, but that's a bit obvious, right?)
• Dr. McNinja. (Awesomeness warning, also probably pretty obvious.)
• Several truly lovely graphic novels.

in which there are four days left

Before anyone points it out- why, yes, I AM still wearing the same shirt. Go ahead and judge me. Go on. It's all right. I'll just crawl back into this, where I've spent most of the last few days.

I sort of live in bed right now, with my books and my iPod and the room service menu. It's wonderful. I drag myself out of bed to shower and cruise the internet, then drift back to bed. I have literally left the hotel room only twice- once to ask the front desk for a power adapter for my laptop, the second time to grab coffee. That was before I found the little card in the nightstand that told me coffee could be delivered to my room gratis at any time. Now, there's really no reason to leave at all.

Billy and I will head out into the city tomorrow, I think- assuming either of us can be bothered to drag ourselves out of our rooms, which is a little questionable. I'm headed down to the beach this evening, once it's cooled off, just to be near the water and maybe read. But really, this part of the adventure isn't about adventure; it's about recharging and re- setting, about getting ready for all the work and change I have lying ahead once I return to Maryland. That is another post, though, and not nearly complete yet.

in which beef is what's for dinner

this is what an exciting meal looks like these days, originally uploaded by s.eyre.

Some years back, an allergist diagnosed me with a severe allergy to beef. Severe as in a life- threatening, multiple- ER visits, epi-pen carrying, anaphylaxis- style allergy. My allergist hypothesized that my allergy was probably a reaction to a hormone or antibiotic used in commercial beef, but that didn't help much; I certainly couldn't afford organic beef or buffalo, and why would I want to take the risk?

I had to take some pretty stringent precautions to avoid exposure, because beef, beef fats, and beef extract (eew, there's a gross idea) is in a LOT of American foods. It changed the way I ate- I focused on acquiring protein from vegetable sources, I got flexible with what my idea of a full meal looked like, and I ate a lot less junk food. Eating anything I didn't prepare was a leap of faith. Asian and middle eastern foods became a safe place for me- Indian, Thai, Lebanese- because they didn't usually include beef, and when they did it was very clearly marked.

My allergy, compounded with my sister Megan's severe food allergies, lead me to look into how we as a culture eat, where our food comes from, and what happens to it before it gets to us. Pretty much everything I learned during that course of ongoing research was 100% horrifying. Our food is sick, and sad, and wrong. Our food is usually far from fresh yet full of chemicals to convince us otherwise, or to convince us not to care (salts, sugars); it is produced as cheaply as possible at the expense of nutritional content and taste. It is shipped great distances. It is, in a word, unhealthy, and most Americans eat altogether too much of it, too. The meat production industry in the US is repellent, and I say that as a non- vegetarian.

Coming to Afghanistan, I knew I'd have a limited diet; there was a huge risk of cross- exposure in foods, and without access to a kitchen I would be at the mercy of chow hall workers. Still, months passed without any reaction, no matter how small. I had some Afghani meat dishes cooked by some of the local interpreters who- due to our language differences (Dari vs Urdu) could have been mistaken when I asked if they had given me lamb or beef. It smelled good, I ate it. Nothing happened. Well, no: I deeply enjoyed some incredible Afghan food that didn't taste like lamb at all, and didn't get sick, that's what happened.

It made me feel daring. I tried just a little well- done beef; I'd found my reactions are lessened the further from raw the beef was, which always pointed towards my allergy being to chemicals in the meat, rather than the meat itself.

So I tried a little something. Nothing happened.

I tried a little more. Nothing. I got really daring, and ate some medium- rare- looking beef; still, nothing.

I'm not sure what it means. I know I was diagnosed by an allergist using a scratch test. I know I've needed epinephrine injections in the past. I know this meat is American beef and I'm about 100% certain it isn't fancy superfresh organic beef, either.

I know it is lovely to have options again.

I don't intend to base my diet off of meat when I return to the States, no matter how much I've missed beef- but that I am grateful not to have to live in fear every time I eat outside of my home. I can and will integrate small quantities of high quality, local, organic beef into my cooking, and that's just thrilling. I'll have Sam pick up the ingredients to a real French onion soup before I fly home, for certain; oh, I've missed that.

I have no idea how this happened. I know Megan is no longer as allergic to everything as she was as a girl, although I'm pretty sure she still has issues. I'm more than half- afraid it'll come back, so I keep my epi- pens and try to pay attention to my body. People have made comments about detoxing, about this being potentially tied to health changes I've made in the last 9 months or so, but I wonder about that. It sounds too tidy.

And really, who cares? It's happened, and it's lovely. For now, I enjoy my kabobs and look forward to French onion soup, a real fillet on our grill. A little more diversity in the kitchen and an absolutely thrilled husband, to boot. I don't see myself taking ground beef up seriously- turkey has done so well for so long, and it's not nearly as greasy- and I've always preferred lighter meats. I'm just pleased to have the option.

---------------------------------------------

And in case you'd been wondering- about the Swear Jar? I haven't given up all together. Billy and I will be taking that up again when he arrives- a sort of mutual challenge. Poor Jason won't know what to do with us, but I'm looking forward to giving it a try again.

in which I am resolved, or: in which there is accountability

Resolutions, 2009:

1. Don't die.
2. Postpone dying: Don't start smoking again, keep active, eat well, pay attention.
3. Consume less: Create more, drive less, grow and cook our food. Simplify, reuse, repurpose.
4. Do better: Try harder, remain grateful, keep perspective. Be kind.
5. Challenge myself: Allow myself some vulnerability. Be brave. Try new things.

in which there are some of my favorite things, the knitting list

It's not just for knitters, actually. Let's get the knitter- only content out of the way, though.

Hooray for tuulia's Deep In The Forest mitten pattern!! I'm on a huge mitten kick lately.

While I'm talking about mittens, Liberty Fibers has these wonderful Thrum Mitten Kits. Thrummed mittens have bits of roving knitted into them; the roving fills the inside of the mitten with a wonderfully warm and soft wooly lining. Perfect for the deep cold.

 
Handspun yarn is always such a pleasure. AllThePrettyFibers' Kings Of Egpyt handspun makes me happy.

Hansigurumi makes the most brilliant knit toys. You can buy her Loch Ness Monster Pattern here. Not a knitter? She sells finished toys, too, like her Halogenic Octopus, shown below.

For those non- knitters who aren't lucky enough to have someone making handknit socks for them- you have my sypmathies. Handknit socks are one of the great luxuries in my life- I can't get enough of them.

FeetTreat is here for you with the Valentine Socks.

HeirloomLace is here for you, too, with her Plum Choice socks. (And seriously, her shawl work is astounding.)

HandmaidenBC's Apple Sweaters are the sort of thing I never thought I needed.. until I saw one. Keeps apples bruise- free and oh- so- cozy.

Finally, KnitHappens' Odd Mitts are imperfectly perfect.

in which living in a small world isn't always bad

Behold, the great excitement of the day:

That's right, all: there are 60 watt light bulbs at the PX!!!!!!!

I've spent the last few months carefully using my one lamp, conserving my last 60 watt bulb. There are frequently 40 watt bulbs at the PX, but they don't cast much light in a windowless room, and they're even worse when I'm trying to take pictures of knitting, etc- nevermind when I'd trying to read at night. Also, I'm not sure why, but the 40 watt bulbs burn out in a hurry, too. I don't think that's normal- possibly a defect with the bulbs themselves? Anyways, I've been watching my gooseneck lamp closely, waiting for the inevitable darkness.

I went to the PX today to grab some cold medicine for Jason. (I knew his recent boasts of good health were premature!) Waiting in line, I looked to my left, where the bulbs would be if there ever were any; there never are, I don't know why I bothered today. Thank Whomever, my optimism paid off. I literally squealed over 60 watt light bulbs and grabbed the allowed three boxes- seriously, they're rationed, isn't that nuts? And it wasn't just me, either. The soldier behind me in line grabbed three, too, and we chatted for a moment about how we thought this day might never come again.

I sent Billy and Chris texts, in case they needed some. This, people, this is big- big news out here: 60 watt bulbs and decent towels in stock: get them while it's hot!

I suppose I could see this a different way: I could say it sucks so much here that we get excited over halfway decent chow and light bulbs. Some days, that's the way it feels. Still, the pure pleasure of all these little things makes up for it; when they do have light bulbs, or socks, or real eggs at breakfast chow or whichever other little daily comfort we regularly go without, the surprise of coming across it makes up for a lot.

in which we talk (briefly) about spending

Still looking for ways to minimize my consumption. It's tricky. I'm looking for my weak spots; I have a coffee habit that's a bit out of hand since returning from the US, and if I want to keep at that, I really need my french press to arrive, already. It's $2 a cup if I'm buying it from Green Beans, the base coffee shop. There are other areas, as well; MamaBlue and Sundara keep tempting me to buy yarn, but I already have more than I can use, and I'm not going to stop reading their lovely blogs just because I'm weak- willed.

I'm allowing myself a few areas: coffee, until the press arrives (any day now, hopefully); a few yarn subscriptions with Sundara (yarn- buying minus the impulsiveness); one small frippery a month, preferably handmade or local.

This month's frippery is really only a half- frippery; I can tilt my head and convince myself it's all part of The Cause, but tying frugality to buying a thing is a slippery argument at best. Still, treeswithknees' thrift- oriented wallets rock my socks.

And my personal favorite...

After all, why beat around the bush?

The overall personal goal of extending my frugality is to put more of my allowance into my business fund. The closer I come to getting back into working as a yarnie, the more I want that- really, need that- to be a raging success. I also feel that as I'll be making less, I should get used to spending less now before I need to, and of course the closer we get to Buy Nothing Day the more I am reminded of how overall awful consumer culture is.

That said, it's back to knitting up holiday gifts. I'll never make the mailing deadline, but I'm told it's the thought that counts.