Recipes & Food-Related Ramblings
It’s cooled down some since we last spoke. Emphasis on “some” because it’s still summer weather incubated in a vast sea of pavement. So, the best cool we can do is 27°C, which is great. I am not complaining about the weather – for once. But even with the slight cool down, I’m still eating like we’re living that heat wave life. We’re talking quick-cook proteins and fresh greens 24/7 over here! And today’s Chilled Soba Salad with Sake Poached Shrimp is just further evidence of that fact.
Woof! I’ve got to say, I’m pretty much crawling out of last week. The whole week felt like Winter: The Sequel. Massive ice storm? Check. Horrible flu? Check. Feelings of complete and utter despair? Quadruple check. Its been one shitty week and that’s all there is to it, but there is an upside. I learned that when you’re confronted with Winter: The Never Ending Story the only way to cope is with a casserole. And I coped hard with these Tuna Casserole Stuffed Shells. They might not be much to look at but they are the epitome of comfort food.
Ever fall down an Internet rabbit hole? Stupid question, of course, you have. None of us are immune to the easy charms of Google. You innocently Google one thing and that leads to another thing and suddenly it’s 2:30 am, you really have to pee, and your leg is asleep. Most of us are guilty of falling down a black hole of celebrity intrigue, nostalgia-driven YouTube hopping and/or intentionally fruitless online “shopping”. But I’m willing to wager that few have spent the better part of a day Googling a cheese sauce. This is something I did in real life and am now admitting to on the Internets. And while I’ll admit the nerdiness is, well, embarrassing, it did lead to this Pimento Cheese Tuna Melt. So, there’s that.
Not every recipe that appears on this blog is triggered by some meaningful source of inspiration. Yes, from time to time a recipe just is. It’s not an homage to a childhood memory or the result of a mind-blowing experience at a restaurant. Sometimes a recipe is just a means of satisfying a VERY specific craving. These Angel Hair Crab Cakes with Saffron Aioli are one such recipe. Sure, the aioli reminds me of my trip to Barcelona and sure, the crab cakes take me back to many brunches past, but they’re not the specific result of any of those touchstones. These are crab cakes without a story. I realize this isn’t a very hooky opening paragraph, but if you enjoy watching bloggers flounder you should probably keep on reading.