Growing up

[M]en were much like children in their minds long ago, long, long ago, and so before they took to writing newspapers, and sermons, and novels, and long poems, they told each other stories, such as you read in the fairy books . . .

Some of the stories were made, no doubt, not only to amuse, but to teach goodness. You see, in the tales, how the boy who is kind to beasts, and polite, and generous, and brave, always comes best through his trials, and no doubt these tales were meant to make their hearers kind, unselfish, courteous, and courageous.
- from Andrew Lang introdution to The Green Fairy Book

Half the time when I speak I am quite convinced that people do not listen to what I say. So imagine my surprise when, after a couple drinks no less, a very special person remembered a part of our conversation when I mentioned I absorbed the fairy book color series between the ages of six and eight. And then, brought me his copy as a loan.

Re-reading the introduction after all these years reminded me a lot of the child I was and the person I thought I would be now. I have tried to convince myself in the past that child-me would not be disappointed, but I'm not all that sure. I suppose whether or not that is true comes down to whether or not child-me could accept that a job is just a job (especially as adult-me is not wholly convinced). In my off times I very much do things that child-me did and would have loved to do as an adult. But my daytime is rather disappointing indeed.

Last night I read myself to sleep with "Blue Bird," which likely also influenced the Disney version of Cinderella. It's surreal to sense that 20+ years later, I'm reacting to the same words and phrases that I reacted to then. I have gained experience over the years, but really not changed all that much.

* * *

Why be on time to work, when you can start a garden? I'm not really sure if I expect these to grow. I bought the Martha Stewart lettuce kit some time back when I had great aspirations for a container garden. I've decided to try to use it. If I see arugula beginning to germinate in a week or so, I'll know that the seeds are still good. Ditto for my alpine strawberries.

Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies: Today, on the first day of spring, my mom turns a year older. I would have loved to send her cookies, but I was afraid these would not hold up. The ganache is still cooling here, so they're really not that shiny, but ganached cookies with delicate little leaves are unlikely to make it through the mail intact.

Besan-hempseed encrusted tempeh, rice noodles with lemon-roasted garlic-caper sauce, roasted cauliflower and sauteed shiitakes and chanterelles: I'm not sure if what was nicest about this meal is the fact that it turned out fairly well even though I was frequently distracted, (and it was late, and I hadn't eaten all day) or the fact that I didn't have to do the dishes afterwards. And yes, that is a supplemental photograph of the roasted cauliflower. Normally, I find cauliflower a ho-hum vegetable. Usually what I grab when there's a crudite platter and my only other options are tomatoes (allergic) and celery (eeeewww). But my, when it's roasted with olive oil, garlic, sea salt, nutritional yeast and crumbs (in this case, ground puffed rice cereal) . . .

Veggie Burger: You people who can eat nearly all varieties of veggie burgers probably consider this no special feast, but it can be ridiculously hard to find ones that are gluten-free. (And let's not even discuss the bun . . .) For this reason, I must sing the praises of Wildwood tofu burgers. Not only are they gluten-free, but I can thankfully eat the original flavor despite all of my allergies. Served here on homemade chickpea flatbread with more of the apricot-sweet mustard-vegenaise concoction, arugula and sweet and sour cucumber relish. With a side of the roasted cauliflower. Yum.

TVP-Butternut Squash-Refried Black Bean, Pineapple & Avocado Burrito: I fear I will never find a replacement for flour tortillas that make me happy. When I bought them last nightI already know that I'm not a fan of these particular brown rice tortillas, but I was so desperately craving a burrito that I went there (the filling was tasty). These things insist on be heated up apparently, which I did. Which made them a little too crispy and even less pliable. They might make halfway decent chimichangas if I felt like frying the hell out of something. In the meantime, I absolutely must start experimenting with making my own. I'm a bit scared of palm and coconut oils, but if they will make for a decent tortilla, then I might have to go down that path.

And the PPK can be a dangerous place. I now covet these: