Light Bulbs. Strokes. Guys and Dolls.

When we first came to this apartment, the whole place had regular light bulbs. Fine, except the one in the kitchen kept burning out before you could turn round. Eventually we wised up and started using CFLs, there and in most of the rest of the place. Much later we kind of discovered we could probably have got the super to change the bulbs so we didn’t have to buy them, however, we always have bought our own and continue to do so. We had a big bulb to go into the kitchen and when it went out after many years of sterling service, we tried to replace it. However, these days, neither of us are that stead on our pins and we couldn’t threat this large bulb into the holder. Had to call the assistant super (super had a stroke a week or so ago). He fitted the bulb but damn me, it wouldn’t work, they cost about $15 too, couldn’t take it back, had it too long. The assistant said they are now using LED lights, about which we know nothing, so we went and bought a new CFL and fitted it. Now I need to find out about LEDs which I saw were sold in the store as well. I think the CFLs are great, they last forever, but I assume, because of what he said, that LEDs are better. Anyone know?

I had forgotten to write about our superintendent having a stroke, I am pleased to say he is doing pretty well according to his wife. But a day or two after he went into the hospital, the assistant ended up in hospital as well. Poor woman was dealing with the building on her own. The super is carrying rather a lot of weight so I am not terribly surprised he had a stroke, it is apparently not his first. I am not sure if it was a stroke or a mini stroke (TIA) but he lost the use of his legs for a while although he is now able to walk again. I feel so sorry for his wife, she must have been going out of her mind when it happened and afterwards running this big building. Matt had lots of TIAs a few years ago so I know what it’s like.

Last night I had a sentimental evening, I watched Guys and Dolls which was popular when I was 18 or so. I particularly love the song Your Eyes are the Eyes of A Woman in Love; a band to whom a bunch of us used to dance would play that for me and my current boyfriend every time they saw us. We used to belong to a club which held dances at the weekends. The movie starred Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons and Frank Sinatra with Vivian Blaine. The idea was taken from the books of Damon Runyan all of which I read at the time. I loved them. One never hears of them these days. There was a second movie (or maybe it was the first) made from his books all about Apple Annie. Frank Sinatra was in that one too. I have forgotten the name at the moment. Marlon Brando was particularly gorgeous in those days.

Kevin Lynch of Closet Kitchen has come up with a good recipe. Saltimbocca is a traditional Italian recipe made with veal originally which is wrapped in prosciutto and flavoured with sage leaves, we have also made it with chicken. This recipe is made with shrimp and sounds pretty good.

Shrimp Saltimbocca

Servings: 8

Shrimp wrapped in prosciutto with sage leaves served with a tasty browned buttery, lemony sage dipping sauce.


ingredients

• 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
• * small sage leaves
• 3.5 ounces prosciutto, cut into 4-6 X 1 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 sage leaves
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 3/4 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice (~1/2 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• salt and pepper to taste

directions

1. Wrap the shrimp up in the prosciutto along with one small sage leaf optionally skewering them either on sticks or with toothpicks to hold the prosciutto on.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add the shrimp and cook, about 2-3 minutes per side and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in the pan, add the sage leaves and cook until the just start to change a darker color, and set aside on paper towels.
4. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about a minute.
5. Add the wine to the pan, deglaze, simmer until it has reduced by half, about 3-5 minutes, add the lemon juice and butter and remove from heat stirring in the butter as it melts.
6. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, crumble the fried sage leaves and mix them in.
7. Serve the shrimp along with the dipping sauce and enjoy!

Have a great day

Tournament, Dawn Chorus

By the time I got home yesterday afternoon, I was knackered, worn out, aching all over, you name it, that was me. I will never, but never try bowling 6 games in one day again. My scores in the afternoon made it look as though I had never bowled in my life before. In the morning, we came first, but there were still 5 more teams to play before we knew the true results, in fact we ended up second and the other team beat us by 7 points. Yay us. We are patting ourselves on the back. This now means we have to bowl in Chatham, Kent (yes in Ontario) at 10 a.m. on September 1. However, we have been asked for $42 each which includes the price of a banquet. Sorry, I am not hanging around in Chatham all afternoon just to attend the banquet (food usually isn’t that much good anyway at these things).

After all that exercise yesterday, I was up at 5 a.m. this morning with cramps in my feet. Ouch. At such times I drink a glass of tonic water which works wonders due to the quinine in tonic. I was sitting in the living room with the patio door open, and I could hear the dawn chorus. Long time since last I heard that. There must have been thousands of birds twittering, we do have a lot of trees outside our windows after all, and I wondered what makes them all twitter at that time of the morning, one never hears so many at any other time of the day. It lead me to start thinking about book 2 of Glenda Larke’s Isles of Glory trilogy, Gilfeather, with all the birds featured in it - until the magic ends – a very evocative scene that has definitely stayed with me. This is the cover from Australia. I think the Australians do a much better job on book covers than anywhere else. This trilogy is the only one of Glenda’s which I don’t own. I must remedy that.

This afternoon Matt has an appointment with the Secondary Stroke Clinic at the hospital which, in my opinion, is a waste of time. He has seen them all before, and done all the tests he has to do, before. We know what’s wrong, we know they can’t do anything about it, so why p*ss about. Which is, more or less what I am going to say to them this afternoon. He is taking all the medications they can give him, there is nothing more anyone can do we are told.

One thing I didn’t mention, at the bowling alley in Elmira they had brought in donuts and muffins for people in the morning. I have had these before when we have been there for travel league bowling. They buy them from a local baker and they are marvellous. At the end of the morning they brought in sandwiches – I assume from the same source – and they were absolutely wonderful sandwiches, moist and delicious. I wish we had a baker locally who could produce such results. I could pig out on those muffins, I don’t, but I could, easily.

Here’s something a bit different for a chocolaty food. That is, if you like spicy.

Mayan Chocolate Truffles

By The Nourished Kitchen WebMD Recipe from Foodily.com

This recipe for Mayan chocolate truffles calls for chocolate with an 85% cocoa content, bitterly and wonderfully dark; you’ll find that the addition of other flavors such as orange, cinnamon, vanilla, and even chipotle chili powder enhances the complexity of the chocolate’s inherent flavor and aroma. You won’t miss that sugar one bit. Further, these Mayan chocolate truffles are more simplistic and rustic – they require no hand molding; rather, simply chill the chocolate in the refrigerator and cut away at it to form beautifully imperfect bite-sized pieces. Beauty lies in imperfection.

Ingredients

10 ounces chocolate with 85% cocoa content, chopped coarsely Zest of 1 orange 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder 1 vanilla bean Dash unrefined sea salt 1 cup full-fat coconut milk 1 tablespoon coconut oil Cocoa powder, for dredging truffles

Instructions

Toss chopped chocolate into a mixing bowl with the zest of one orange, cinnamon, chipotle chili powder, the contents of one vanilla bean, and a dash unrefined sea salt.

Bring coconut milk and coconut oil to a slow simmer in a saucepan over a moderate flame.

Pour coconut milk and oil over the chopped chocolate and seasonings then stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is thoroughly melted and the mixture, or ganache, becomes thick, uniform and glossy.

Transfer the mixture to a plate lined with parchment paper, molding into a log as best you can, and allow it to harden in the refrigerator for eight to twelve hours, or overnight.

After the Mayan chocolate has hardened in the refrigerator for eight to twelve hours, remove it, unmold it from the parchment paper and carve it into irregular bite-sized chunks.

Toss the chunks with cocoa powder and serve.

Notes: Unless you live in a very hot climate, these truffles should keep at room temperature indefinitely.

Total Servings: 8

Have a great day