Literary People

I spent the past four hours getting lost in words… I love when that happens… surrounded by Literary People, my kindred spirits… I love literary people… yes, they are quite odd, and quirky, and breathtakingly interesting. I am drawn to them, my people, and feel at home among them, getting caught up in the words and the comforting spaces between them. Jotting down a profound thought, breathing in a new idea, listening to the particular way a person tells a story, and their voice takes shape. I get giddy just being around people like this… oh to articulate ideas to people who are ready and willing to hear them!

True, this particular literary encounter hit me at a time when I was feeling a tad bit nostalgic for academia (can you think of anything better than  writing poetry and discussing art and nature writing all day while drinking copious amounts of coffee? Maybe, but to me that sounds pretty divine) and I will be the first to admit that my emotions are running high right now, but it was so comforting to be in a room full of people who were all working living breathing aspiring appreciating the written word.

I can’t help but think that if I surrounded myself with these types of people all the time, there wouldn’t be a lull in my writing, support and creativity would abound… but then again, who wants to live in a bubble? Diversity is good, but so is creative support, and so I stumble somewhere in between the two extremes fumbling through the real world being consumed by my day job, and having those literary types on a peripheral plane.

But at least I’m writing…

decadent and simple: Thursday night dinner

I spent most of the afternoon standing outside listening to the lull of machinery, and watching olives turn to oil… God, my job is delicious (literally). There is nothing quite like freshly pressed olive oil. It’s seductively green flavor, the intense chartreuse color… really, I may be a little biased, but Olio Nuovo is pretty much my food porn.

At the end of the day I was craving something that utilized the fresh crisp flavors of olive oil that is mere hours old… Does it get any better than this really? Of course by the time I closed up shop, went to the store, and ran some other errands my motivation for cooking started to diminish. I contemplated a dinner of baguette and oil (trust me, it wouldn’t be the first time) but after standing in the damp November afternoon I was craving something warm and comforting. Insert savory French toast… I love this dish, because it is ridiculously simple, requires no recipe, can be made in a matter of minutes, and yet there is something elegantly gourmet about it. I sliced some bread, whipped together an egg and some half and half (normally I use milk, but I’ve been drinking a copious amount of coffee at work, so I left my latest half-gallon in the fridge out there… plus the half and half added some decadence to this dish) a smattering of herbs and spices, and a few minutes later I was frying up bite-sized savory morsels. I poached two eggs, put them on top of my nest of toast, and doused the entire dish in Korneiki olive oil and Romano cheese… life is good. I’m sorry there are no pictures… I was tired and hungry, and the food was hot, so I opted to live in the moment and to eat without documentation.  It was decadent… it was simple… it was everything that I wanted… a little bit of down-home sophistication.

I’m sure in the next few weeks and months, as I dwell in the season of all things olive oil, I will make several variations of this savory delight. Here’s to easy and elegant week-night meals, and to newly pressed, local olive oil. Yummy in my Tummy.

A poem for the Fall

I've been enjoying the gorgeous fall weather over the past few days and was reminded of this poem I wrote, oh so many years ago... in looking back at it now, I'm not a fan of the title, but somehow feel obligated to it... after all I did write it my senior year of college, and I'm sure I was feeling rather sentimental or something... anyway, here it is, a poem for Fall.

Nearing the End

Wet crumpled leaves

saffron and crimson shapes

litter the charcoal colored path.

“Fall really is the best season”

I think

as I walk through the rain

towards an insignificant destination.

The colors are reminiscent of change

and today it seems nice,

this change.

I take it in stride,

I actually crave it.

Yesterday I was wishing

I could hold on to these moments a little longer.

All moments a little longer.

I thought

“Who really likes change anyway?”

and then I remembered that I do.

I look at the fallen foliage

and wonder

how something so close to its end

can be so beautiful

stepped on and over looked,

raked up and forgotten.

Wet discarded leaves

on the charcoal colored path.

Eating In

Oh November…

With the beginning of the month came the typical paying of bills and re-prioritizing projects and responsibilities. I’ve been evaluating my work schedule (how many hours I am putting in vs. how many I should be putting in vs. how many I will be putting in) planning out my next six weeks of yoga school, getting geared up for a weekend away, and yes, budgeting. 

As I was balancing my checking account I realized that the past few weeks (months, whatever) I’ve been eating out a ton… which is fun, and easy, and delicious, but also expensive. And as the winter months approach and the summer wedding commissions become a distant memory, I’m re-discovering my spending savvy as well as my love for being creative in the kitchen. It’s really eye opening when you realize that the amount of money you have spent on 1.5 meals will be able to buy you groceries for an entire week (and we are talking breakfast, lunch, and some dinners for two). Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret any of my eating out purchases…well maybe the one at Jory… but that more has to do with the poor service, and the discriminatory behavior of the staff… sorry, I'm digressing...

I still plan on eating out (hello, date nights!) but I definitely plan on reining in my food budget, and getting a little more creative in the kitchen. I’m back to the evenings of going shopping in my pantry and seeing what I can create from a handful of salad greens and a cupboard full of bulk foods. I’m getting inspired and learning some new culinary techniques, and grasping my inspiration from the ingredients I already own rather than an extensive menu at at restaurant. I’m (gasp) planning ahead, making grocery lists, and bringing my lunch pail out of retirement!(which is good, because I'm totally obsessed with my lunch box).  Look out November… I’m busting out my apron, flipping through Cooking Light, learning how to poach eggs, and in general am spending a lot more time in the kitchen… now if only I had a dishwasher… 

 Good Old Lunch pail

Mixed greens with lentils and poached eggs... mmmm protein