Another gray day. Having taken care of most of the left-overs, made myself a quesadilla with cheese, cherry tomatoes and shallots for lunch. I'd meant to put in an avocado, but since I forgot, the avocado got to star in its own solo salad--avocado with a splash of lime.
Oh, I have been making great progress in emptying the fridge, but now that Sue is coming tonight, how could I not do another round of shopping?
The truth is I don't need much of an excuse to hit the grocery stores--I long ago realized that just as going to museums, or taking long walks are mood elevators, I am often inexplicably cheered by a trip to the market. It may be true that it's particularly exhilarating to stumble across great produce markets in foreign lands, but I can even get a bit of a buzz in my local and dreary Ralph's.
I don't know Sue well but I do recall from a long ago visit that she makes much closer attention than I to the caliber of food she intakes. She is definitely a vegetarian, and perhaps a vegan. No matter. It also wasn't clear if she was going to be eating any meals with me. No matter. I wasn't sure, so a little food shopping was necessary.
Lena had coveted Q-tips to clean baby Phoebe's ears at tea time yesterday. I'd packed up a good supply, but alas, she had left them behind.
I'd planned a little bike outing--a q-tip drop off at Lena's followed by a quick visit to the 99¢ store--in the hope of scoring those giant boxes of organic greens and who knows what other surprises?
But, rains were threatening--so I took the car. Turned out just fine. I'd forgotten I had to buy a new mop--and despite my newly recovered biking skills, I knew I couldn't manage transporting that. The rains stopped while I was at Lena's so we did get to walk with Phoebe to the 99¢ store where I bought some smaller packages of organic greens as well as brussels sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus and remarkably enough, from a bin over-flowing with all sorts of fresh herbs, epazote, which I've been wanting to make with black beans. Many potential meals from one quick trip.
And I wasn't done yet. After walking Lena and Phoebe home, I had two more stops--Smart and Final--to buy the mop--but also to peruse their new more up-scale produce section, where I was inspired to make chicken soup, buying a chicken as well as dill and parsnips. These purchases compelled me to stop at Ralph's for hearts and gizzards. I knew I'd three frozen chicken feet from Whole Foods, and decided to pass on the backs and necks I usually buy there. In the organic section of Ralph's there were also loose golden beets. Oh--a fine shopping outing all around.
Returning home, I set to work on the soup. I half-expected Sue for dinner, and knew she wouldn't eat the soup, but it did feel like something I had to make.
Sue called from the airport at 6:30--she was on her way, so I stepped up my dinner pace.
The little chicken was mysteriously blessed with two livers--a perfect snack, while the soup cooked and I roasted the cauliflower and beets (I just wrap them in foil and pop them into the oven) to add to the salad.
In the midst of these preparations, Sue called. She'd just heard from a friend, whom she'd been hoping to meet, so she wouldn't be coming for dinner. No problem. The soup was for way in the future, the beets weren't near ready, the salad was still in its plastic boxes, and I happily ate the pan of cauliflower florets as soon as they emerged from the oven.
I eventually peeled and sliced the beets, sprinkled them with a bit of vinaigrette and saved them for another day, and after many hours, strained the soup, also for future meals.
And so ended a day of abundant shopping and cooking, but relatively little eating.
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