It Started with a Journal

Two seasons of Buffy sold; just five to go! :P

Okay, I've now finished Heroes S2 (yes, as it turns out, I only had 1 episode left). ( More commentary -- no spoilers for S3 please! )

This is for jade_okelani, or anyone else who likes Oreos ( ... )

I'm trying to come up with a menu for my cousin's dinner. I think I'm definitely going to make the creamy scallop soup, but that's more like an appetizer. I'm totally stuck on the main course. I'm not sure if I want to do another seafood thing, or have it be purely vegetarian as per her husband's preferences. Every time I think of a vegetarian meal, I realize that there's a meat element to it (like spaghetti ... with meat sauce. Or broth-boiled kale with a poached egg on toast ... but the broth is chicken. SIGH). At least I don't have to worry about the dessert -- her dessert slave is going to make a black forest cake. I LOVE black forest cake, so I'm really looking forward to that! Anyway, I'm now prowling Orangette's list of vegetarian recipes to see if something strikes me (this Tarte à l'Oignon looks good, and easy). Do any of YOU have good vegetarian main course recipes to share ... she asked hopefully?

Yesterday significantowl asked for ideas about what to do with apples. I suggested cheese fondue, because when Jade and I were in NY not too long ago we went to Artisinal and got cheese fondue, and our server recommended apples for dipping. We were both rather skeptical (maybe because our last experience with dipping fruit with cheese was on our Oregon trip when Amdoch was dipping fruit and cookies on a dare into the pot of Velveeta Rotel that Krim had made), but we were pleasantly surprised by how yummy it was.

So I've been thinking about delicious, gooey cheese fondue, and how easy it is to make. Artisinal is known for its fondue, but what we had tasted exactly like what I myself have made a number of times from a recipe I got at the NY Times. If you have the desire for fondue, make it! You don't even need a fondue pot as long as you have a container that retains heat well, such as a cast-iron skillet. You can get one for like $10-20 new (depending on size), or perhaps even better, find one at a yard sale, sold by someone who doesn't appreciate the years of food memories that have gone into seasoning the skillet. And once you have it, it's good for sooooo much more (traditional Southern cornbread, for instance!).

( Classic cheese fondue recipe. )

It is 62°F today. *weeps* Come back, summer! I hardly knew ye!

This lack of sun is also bad for my new basil plant (I guess the thyme plant too, but I care much less about that one). I've trimmed the leaves as much as I can -- it's recommended everywhere that you keep basil trimmed so that it's encouraged to grow and not to flower -- but I don't see any growth activity. I don't expect it to sprout new leaves overnight, but ... it's been days and the plant looks the same. And yet I'm supposed to prune it every 4 weeks, so there should be extra leaves to prune, right? I mean I suppose I'm glad it's still alive, given my track record, but I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Maybe overwatering? But in the past I've always underwatered and that's why my plants died, and I don't want the same thing to happen. >< Maybe I need to go to Lowe's and get something that simulates sunlight.

The colder weather has also started to make my starter act sluggish. I'm starting to think that I am just going to keep it in the fridge, since I'm not baking as much. I tried the English muffins again and they were successful, but a little too oily for my taste. Will try again some time.

akscully, I got my copy of The Bread Bible! I can see why you love it. I'm going to attempt the sourdough loaf and pizza recipes first. Have you baked anything you would recommend in particular?

Also, still trying to decide whether or not I want to get Heroes S2. I've just heard such terrible things about it, and it's only half a season -- do I want to waste money on that? (How dare they sell Lost S4 for the same price as previous seasons when there's only half the eps, btw.)