Before The Crazy Begins

Before attending the very clever TacoMentry on Friday night, I went shopping. I H.A.T.E shopping – but really needed some cash – and I refuse to pay ATM fees. So I headed to a store hoping to find one of these items for an inexpensive sum: V-necked spring/summer tops, slide on canvas shoes, thick industrial pot holders, or a kitchen rag rug.

I ended up with something not on that list. And might I mention it meets NONE of my requirements?

It’s not small, it doesn’t zip close, and it’s not like a messenger bag.

In fact – as you can see, it’ is HUGE.

The only good thing is it’s big enough to hold this!

Yesterday – I did little except read and castigate myself for not getting anything done. Then I attended a Kentucky Derby party. The short time-frame of this event makes this one of the best parties ever. Get your guests in – give them a ham biscuit – a mint julep – chat for a few minutes – watch the race – and send them home! And what a race, eh? Of course since Mine the Bird trains in the southwest I knew he’d win. *coughcough*

I also received the second share of my CSA srpring box. This week along with the red lettuce, green onions, tatsoi and red kale there were also turnips, radishes, and STRAWBERRIES!

I thought I might cook with some combination of those things last night – but realized after consuming five (or maybe six) ham biscuits I wasn’t hungry.

Today I was determined to use my CSA ingredients for lunch.

I started with these. Isn’t their ruby-red jewel like color amazing? They became an accent to the CSA green onions and red lettuce plus some chunk chicken.

I have no idea what rock I grew up under, but chicken salad wasn’t part of my childhood repertory. Of course, it is a southern staple. I continue to riff on it trying to find something that is my own.

Sometimes I do a champagne vinegarette with parmesan cheese, pecans, and red grapes. This time I supplemented the basics with red jalapeno, cilantro, curry powder, Greek Yogurt, and toasted almonds. (I’m not a big mayo fan, so I’m always trying to find a different binder.)

I dressed the lettuce with red wine, lemon juice, curry powder, minced garlic, minced shallot and olive oil that I emulsified into a vinegarette. Then I scoped in the chicken salad and garnished with the strawberries. It wasn’t bad.

That’s a glass of rosé you see there in the background. I’ve never been a rosé wine fan. I think the first stigma stems from my grandfather who made his own by mixing Carlo Rossi or Gallo red and white wines together. *shudder* I was much too young to ever taste this concoction, but I was sure even at the tender age that what he was doing was VERY, VERY wrong.

Then there was the debacle of White Zinfandel. I guess it’s good because it became a “gateway” wine – but personally I think it’s the same as Bartles and Jaymes’ wine coolers.

Speaking of drinking – I received the coolest b’day gift and had an epiphany yesterday.

Know what those are? The gray blocks are soapstone cubes to keep in my freezer.

Know what they’re for? Scotch! Isn’t that great? They’ll chill my single malt without watering it down!

And the brown cubes? Those are frozen coffee cubes. For this:

Why would you make a glass of ice coffee and then water it down with ice cubes?

This week is the week I go insane. I’ve agreed to cook an “Ocho de Mayo” dinner for church on Friday night. It will be an evening filled with singing from the talented members of my church – and my food. I don’t have a firm estimate on numbers yet – but I am planning for 80 – 150 people. I’m hoping for the lower end of attendance.

I’ve developed the menu – and I keep telling myself its an easy one (ha!) and will be no problem to knock out in two days. (yes, I’m using vacation time to put this together).

Appetizers:

Legumbres en Escabeche & Chileajo (Lightly Pickled Vegetables & Cold Vegetables in Chile Sauce)

Chips and Dip (Hot Bean Dip and Salsa Fresca)

First Course:

Coctel De Camaron Campechano (Shrimp Cocktail)

Main Course:

Puerco en Mole Jojo Sencillo (Pork with Red Mole Sauce)

Salcicon de Res (Shredded Beef cooked with Tomatoes, Chiles, and Cilantro)

Sides:

Arroz Verde (Green Rice)

Fideo (Mexican Pasta)

Frijoles Charros (Beans)

Handmade corn tortillas (someone else is making them)

Dessert:

Cueso De Napoles (Almond Dessert)

Cinnamon Ice Cream

So – you’ll know why you Won’t hear much from me this week. I’ll going crazy.

Finally I call this "minutia" My mental composition is more pleasing than this *shrug*