I am not sure what is going on at PC Express, but their email said they hadn't any smoked salmon or shrimp. I didn't believe it so I phoned the seafood department, guess what, they had lots of both. Then when I got my order, I had only one carrot. The web site shows 3 carrots (I think) but to be sure I always say I want 3 or 4 carrots. I can probably make do with this carrot as it is fairly large, but.... Maybe it is because they have increased their staff and they are getting a bit slipshod.
Nice to see Kathy again, she is getting so brown as she and her family have been working outside on a major project and it has taken a few weeks. Been a bit hot for that kind of work lately, I certainly couldn't have handled it at any time of my life. I have never been one for a lot of heat unless I was near a pool where I could just fall in. I remember when we were moving down to NC we had a UHaul and it was that kind of temperature. That is what we did, loaded some stuff and then went for a dip in our pool. I miss that pool these days.
Just got a call from VSM saying they could only get me 4 kidneys this week but more next week. Said OK I will be in tomorrow anyway. Need chicken thighs and Italian sausages.Will check out their seafood dept. They have great fish there but it tends to be a tad expensive. It staggers me, these days, cod is one of the most expensive fish. When I was a kid it was one of the cheapest fish you could get. The famous "fish and chips" was always cod, dunno what they use these days. I miss the days when Matt used to cook all the fish we ate (friends joked that we therefore ate fish every night), but he knew a lot more about it than I ever did.
Kathy was mentioning strawberries and later, on Facebook, I saw they had strawberries for sale at Barrie's Asparagus Farm..
Just saw this on Facebook. Absolutely impossible. It must have taken this man years to learn to do this. Matt thoroughly enjoyed it as well.
Much to my surprise, all my friends for whom I purchase asparagus, with one exception, are "asparagussed" out. Even one friend whom I thought was as daft as I am about the stuff. I couldn't believe it. Me, I am thinking of freezing some more and it even crossed my mind to can some more but I only have one Mason jar left and I am not going to go out and buy more, freezing is not the best way of saving it (unless you happen to be a company like Bird's Eye) but it is better than nothing and also, better than the stuff in the stores once the season is over. Not that I ever buy in the stores anyway.
Simple and Citrusy Asparagus Stir-Fry
The trick to this citrusy stir-fry is to get your pan roaring hot before adding the ingredients, which
brings out all of the flavors in the aromatics while keeping the asparagus beautifully bright green and crisp
1 red chile (such as Fresno or Holland), thinly sliced, seeded if you prefer less heat
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 lb asparagus, trimmed, thinly sliced on a diagonal about ¼" thick
Kosher salt
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 medium orange, halved
½ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems
1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high until hot, 3–5 minutes (a drop of water should jump around in the pan). Cook chile, garlic, and oil, stirring constantly, until oil starts to shimmer and garlic just begins to turn golden, 60–90 seconds. Immediately add asparagus; season lightly with salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until asparagus is just beginning to brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, butter, and 1 Tbsp. water and cook, tossing constantly, until asparagus is still crispy yet cooked through and coated in sauce, about 30 seconds longer.
2. Remove pan from heat. Finely grate zest from one-quarter of orange over stir-fry. Squeeze juice from one orange half over and toss once more.
3. Transfer asparagus mixture to a platter. Top with cilantro and sesame seeds. Taste and squeeze more orange juice over if needed.
Servings: 4
Source: Bon Appétit
Have a great day, stay well, stay safe.
Nice to see Kathy again, she is getting so brown as she and her family have been working outside on a major project and it has taken a few weeks. Been a bit hot for that kind of work lately, I certainly couldn't have handled it at any time of my life. I have never been one for a lot of heat unless I was near a pool where I could just fall in. I remember when we were moving down to NC we had a UHaul and it was that kind of temperature. That is what we did, loaded some stuff and then went for a dip in our pool. I miss that pool these days.
Just got a call from VSM saying they could only get me 4 kidneys this week but more next week. Said OK I will be in tomorrow anyway. Need chicken thighs and Italian sausages.Will check out their seafood dept. They have great fish there but it tends to be a tad expensive. It staggers me, these days, cod is one of the most expensive fish. When I was a kid it was one of the cheapest fish you could get. The famous "fish and chips" was always cod, dunno what they use these days. I miss the days when Matt used to cook all the fish we ate (friends joked that we therefore ate fish every night), but he knew a lot more about it than I ever did.
Kathy was mentioning strawberries and later, on Facebook, I saw they had strawberries for sale at Barrie's Asparagus Farm..
Just saw this on Facebook. Absolutely impossible. It must have taken this man years to learn to do this. Matt thoroughly enjoyed it as well.
Much to my surprise, all my friends for whom I purchase asparagus, with one exception, are "asparagussed" out. Even one friend whom I thought was as daft as I am about the stuff. I couldn't believe it. Me, I am thinking of freezing some more and it even crossed my mind to can some more but I only have one Mason jar left and I am not going to go out and buy more, freezing is not the best way of saving it (unless you happen to be a company like Bird's Eye) but it is better than nothing and also, better than the stuff in the stores once the season is over. Not that I ever buy in the stores anyway.
Simple and Citrusy Asparagus Stir-Fry
The trick to this citrusy stir-fry is to get your pan roaring hot before adding the ingredients, which
1 red chile (such as Fresno or Holland), thinly sliced, seeded if you prefer less heat
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 lb asparagus, trimmed, thinly sliced on a diagonal about ¼" thick
Kosher salt
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 medium orange, halved
½ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems
1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high until hot, 3–5 minutes (a drop of water should jump around in the pan). Cook chile, garlic, and oil, stirring constantly, until oil starts to shimmer and garlic just begins to turn golden, 60–90 seconds. Immediately add asparagus; season lightly with salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until asparagus is just beginning to brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, butter, and 1 Tbsp. water and cook, tossing constantly, until asparagus is still crispy yet cooked through and coated in sauce, about 30 seconds longer.
2. Remove pan from heat. Finely grate zest from one-quarter of orange over stir-fry. Squeeze juice from one orange half over and toss once more.
3. Transfer asparagus mixture to a platter. Top with cilantro and sesame seeds. Taste and squeeze more orange juice over if needed.
Servings: 4
Source: Bon Appétit
Have a great day, stay well, stay safe.
I think that cod got overfished so badly that it drove the price up, and it has never come back down. It is good though! Today I plan to have lox and cream cheese on a bagel for lunch. Smoked salmon costs less than cod for god's sake! Too much asparagus? Impossible!!
ReplyDeleteOh I know that is the reason David, but they are still doing it I'm afraid. I eat my smoked salmon and the weekends mostly although I sometimes make it last through two lunches and a breakfast.
DeleteI agree, how can you have too much asparagus. I personally eat it every day during the season.
Did you watch that video David, you should, it is fascinating.
Hi Jo: I did indeed watch it and forgot to mention it. How fascinating! And such precision and coordination. You probably know this but the music is the Flower Duet from Léo Délibe's opera Lakmé. Most people probably came to know it when it was used in a British Airways commercial many years ago. In fact back then they might still have been known as B.O.A.C, I am not sure.
DeleteI'm so glad, I wanted everyone to see it. I knew the music very well but would have been hard put to name it, thanks. I don't particularly remember the airline commercial. Never have watched a great deal of TV and watched even less in the days of BOAC
DeleteTry buying sea bass or haddock. The prices are ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI have a food pick-up at one. I never get everything on my list, but I have gotten lazy and dread going to the store. Next to impossible for me to breath with a mask on anyway. But whatever I don't get I have vowed to try another grocer tomorrow, in the flesh. We'll see.
I know, fish is priced prohibitively these days - more expensive than most meats now.
DeleteDon't they email you about replacements or non availability of items? They do for me and I phone them way before pick up.
This store does not offer that. Another chain actually checks inventory before they confirm a pick-up. Anyway, I got most of what I wanted included the hard to find bread I like. It was hard to get even before this 'crisis'.
DeleteBTW, you might want to try Blistex Lip serum. Works better than lipstick. https://www.blistex.com/products/lip-serum/
I like the idea of checking inventory Denise. Good idea. Glad you got the break you like.
DeleteI do use Blistex as well, have to slap stuff on my lips all day long unfortunately.
Hi Jo - the video is delightful ... as you say amazing. Asparagus ... I'm still eating a lot of it ... and got some fresh broad beans as well - brought for me by a second friend - and I'll have the asparagus with salmon tonight.
ReplyDeleteYou eat well ... and that's good - take care ... Hilary
I certainly thought so Hilary, I also thought it was impossible. Ma too, lots of asparagus - haven't had real broad beans for years, proper runner beans are difficult to get too. Haven't even thought about supper yet.
DeleteWe do eat well.
I have seen Romancing the Wind before and was blown away. An incredible amount of skill and practise - and I find it very, very beautiful. Almost mesmerising.
ReplyDeleteI have certainly been templed out (in India particularly) but cannot imagine being asparagussed out.
Fish and chips here is (or at least was) often shark. Another species we plunder. And waste considerable amounts of our catch.
So were the kites LOL. Only I guess they weren't. I was blown away definitely. He must have spent hours learning to do that but it is so beautiful. I can't even fly one.
DeleteTempted out?? Do tell? But no, not asparagussed out.
Can't imagine shark for fish and chips. Yes, I know a lot of it is wasted.
When we went to India (in 1990 I think) there seemed to be a temple on every corner. Many of them were incredibly intricate and beautiful but after seeing what seemed like hundreds I was definitely all templed out.
DeleteI really don't know what is used for fish and chips now but flake (which is shark) was used for years. Partly because it was cheap and partly because sharks are cartileginous and don't have bones.
Never been to India although I have friends in the UK who have been several times and love it. I can imagine getting templed out, I had the same experience in many catholic countries visiting their churches. Usually, they were overloaded with treasures and one could not take them all in. I remember in Malta visiting the best church of the lot which was Ta Pinu on the island of Gozo which was almost empty. Beautiful place.
DeleteDunno what they do for fish and chips in the UK these days, suspect most places use haddock, but don't know. I should ask Hilary. Cartileginous is a good word.