Hollywog's Pond

Ain't Love Grand?


For me, it looks a little like this:

The name of my loved one?  All-Clad d5 Stainless Steel Sauté/Simmer pan, 4qt.  Just kind of rolls off the tongue, you know?  Our first dish together was the reason I sought out this pan - swiss chard a la bacon fat.  I love making and eating this but it has always been a chore to do so.  My one 10in fry pan was insufficient for containing all the goodness and I had to use a splatter pan under a too small lid to steam the greens (not pictured).  It functioned but lots of heat was lost and I dirtied more stuff than I needed to each time, including spillover from the pan itself every time I tried to mix.  No more, my friend.  Super sale at Williams-Sonoma of all places so I took advantage.  Mom will probably be annoyed again that I'm buying myself possible wedding presents again but I don't think I should have to wait to find a perma partner just to have a good covered skillet.  Or anything else.  Hats off to Tracy & Lee for the recipe several years ago that has become a staple in my life, whatever the season.


I don't think I've ever been so happy to see clouds covering the city as I was this morning.  I love that summer has come at long last but 90+ is too hot.  And I like my apartment because of the view  but have not been able to enjoy it the last week because of the need to seal out as much sunlight as possible.  Today is the start of the cooling trend and I couldn't be happier.  Just wish it wasn't going to cool so much.  Would sustained mid-seventies be too much to ask, really?  The cat is happier too, which she expresses by sleeping on her favorite perch atop two blankets on the corner of my couch by the window.  Contentness.


World Cup madness for the final today AND a Sounders match.  Will be soccered out by tomorrow for sure.  Until then, "¡Viva España!".


FINALLY planning another backpacking trip.  Joined a backpacking group and seem to have found some interested parties.  I sent the organizer my trip that I want to do (Seven Lakes Basin on Olympic Peninsula in the Hoh rainforest) and when and how I think we should go about it.  He seemed very eager to plan this so I've decided to start planning for success.  First up, food.  "A Fork in the Trail" and "Lip smakcin' backpackin'" have been moved up on the reading list.  I've made a couple of things out of them before and they have all been great.  Love eating good food.  And the plus side is that even if it isn't perfect after hiking all day anything at all tastes like a gourmet meal.  It's win-win.


Speaking of reading lists, been working through the Steig Larsson books.  It's been a bit of a problem, really. I wasn't too thrilled with the first one but book club comments convinced me (and the others) that the second and third ones were worth it so we pushed back our reading list to accommodate the second and third books.  The problem is that now that I have invested in reading them I like them better and I've been staying up too late reading.  A little over half way through the second one and I keep finding excuses to delay cooking, laundry, cleaning, eating, sleeping just to read.  Times like this I wish I read more quickly than I do.


Oh, and still in love with my "French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook" breakfast recipe.  I make yogurt once a week and have finally found a reason to eat "cuties" or clementines.  I really like the word clementine. If it weren't for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind I would consider it as a baby girl name.  Cursing children is not my aim so it won't be on the list for future names.  Same goes for Ophelia.  Love it but just can't do that to a kid.  Back to the food.  I haven't actually made it any further in the book than breakfast.  Will have to remedy that.  And I still haven't touched my if-all-else-fails-it's-a-bludgeoning-device Spanish cookbook.  But after Lisbeth is through with me most likely.  Not enough time I tell you!  Is it bad that I dream of being independently wealthy so I can cook more and read recipes without the fuss of having to hold down a job?  Travelling is second but food is number one.  Off to make breakfast then.