Yesterday I wore a long-sleeved cotton shirt (with pants of course) and a very light, long microsuede coat, and the weather was gorgeous. The “bluebirds of happiness” are now on our front door, replacing the moose, evergreen and bear plaques my husband hates.
Flowers. This is a sin I will pay for, Fathers Cap and John (may they rest in peace) but I picked heather and delphinium, bells of Ireland and spider mums for St. Patrick to round it out. These floral ladies are teaching me to think about flowers. I bought the first ones but needed white spider mums to make it come to life. Yes, I’ve a class there next month for a Spring arrangement.
I have never ordered the boxed refrigerated food delivery. In cooking school I learned to shop produce, fish, meat, dairy on the outside and only go inside for cereal, oatmeal, pasta, rice et al. I used to have a service that provided great milk and apple juice, bacon, and as a surprise I got the package, which contained ingredients that were local, fresh and in season. It was my task to make that butternut squash work. Local, fresh.
The thing about flowers and food is that in order to be creative one must learn the basics then use them to their advantage, one veg or meat or flower at a time. I bought daffodils at my organic grocery, placed them in vases within 20 minutes and in four hours they were dead. I’ll get avocados, steaks, salmon, brussels sprouts there but not flowers. My flower experts are a block away and let me choose by stem. That’s what they are teaching me as it’s the same as cooking, with a different skill set.
After 15 years of my husband buying me flowers, he’s away all week on business so I buy him flowers. He never noticed them until I found some flasks online. He’s a physicist. He arrived home one night and said “That’s a Florence flask, Erlinmeyer flask, graduated cylinder and pipette!” Yes, Dear. I also framed him a 1970’s drawing of many flasks. If I place a Gerbera daisy in a chemical flask, he’ll notice.
Just like making him true Texas chili, no beans. So here’s what I’m up to, culinarily.
Salmon en Papillote
Salmon steak or fillet, individually portioned and seasoned with s&p, take off skin if preferred
Leeks, whites and light green only, halved, sliced, washed and sauteed, seasoned, in butter
Grainy mustard
Parchment paper. I fold a piece and cut it into a heart shape, place leeks on the bottom, salmon and mustard on top and fold the paper, I’ll have to show you how to do so. Place on a sheet tray and cook at 375 for about eight minutes. Remember, the leeks are cooked.
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I’m also looking into a bake of flour tortillas, beans, cheese, homemade salsa and guacamole. How that’ll go, I don’t know.
My framer awaits, as I’ve similar destinations for other works I’ve found and been given over the years. She gives me ideas and I choose, just as at the grocery and florist. The last one I did was mostly on my own, without her. I had to choose everything myself except for the fillip (I only thought that was for vehicle gas tanks) and I called the next morning and my friend was in. It is a charcoal drawing of dancers Dad gave me nearly 30 years ago and it was in the winning college art student’s “uniframe” all that time. When she answered the phone she said she loved my choices and couldn’t wait to get started on it. Really??? I wanted to send Dad a photo of it but he died before I could send it.
Confidence builds. One makes choices and sometimes, like me, thinks outside the box. Enjoy your life. Express your unique personality. Cheers! Dee
Cooking with Dee 