Weekend!

[oyceter]

I feel like I should be happier than I am, given that I am eating my first peas of the year! And yet, I am not on cloud nine, like I usually am after a day at the farmer's market.

I think only getting five hours of sleep may be part of it -_-;;. The other part is -- I miss my little city. I love the current condo, and will love it even more once it's unpacked and not a huge mess, but... I miss my little city. I'm still getting used to the new little city, and it's a delightful place with wonderful nooks and crannies, but I'll miss the old one dreadfully for a while.

But enough of that!

I went to the farmer's market for the first time in five months! Why did I forsake it for so long? It was sunny and I found parking, because now I have to drive there instead of being within walking distance. But that was probably a good thing, considering the amount of stuff I got.

I still miss the old pie stand, sigh. And I forwent (forgone? forgoed? weiiiird) the delicious green onion bread and salmon spread and went all out for fresh fruits and vegetables! Originally I was only going to get scallions, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, spinach, lemons and peas peas peas peas peas, but on the way, I got sidetracked by the last of the mandarin oranges.

"Have a sample, last of the season!" said the sample guy. "Ok!" I said, since I never turn down a sample. "Ooooooo!!!" I said, delighted by the unexpected sweetness. "Those are good!" The guy nodded, "Yeah they are."

Needless to say, I got quite a few.

I also got three baskets of strawberries, even though they're not quite as intense and simply strawberry as the ones I had in Taiwan last winter, which tasted exactly like they smell. These are still a wee bit watery and sour, but oh, the smell! The redness!

And I ended up getting two bundles of asparagus because I've been craving them from jonquil's posts, except I shall have to experiment with a way to cook them. Woe! My copy of Joy of Cooking is in a box and I can't consult!

Sadly, there were no heirlooms in sight, so I consoled myself with vine-ripened ones for chilled Moroccan tomato soup.

Also, there is a new (?) stand at the market that's selling mousses and pates and blood sausage and the like! I didn't get anything because today was the day of vegetables, but I tried the truffle mousse, and oooooo. Must get at future point with bread from the bread place. There's also a stand that solely does lemons and grapefruit, and they had the most gorgeous Meyer lemons, deep yellow and so soft that the peel kept breaking when I juiced them just now. I think I could eat them in slices, they're that ripe.

I ogled at the avocadoes and artichokes and leeks but passed due to my arms not quite being able to lift all the stuff I got, passed longingly by the little garden store selling heirloom tomato plants and herbs (must get when I start the balcony garden! Eeeeeeeeeee my own tomatoes!!!!!!!), marvelled at the last (?) of the apple cider, and grinned when I passed buckets of tulips in every color.

Forget sleeping in! I have to get back into the habit of going every Sunday! I missed it so much; I had the widest grin on my face as I wandered through the stalls.

And most wonderfully of all, there was the art and wine fair going on in the street, and after I put my loot back in the car, I wandered up and down, got myself my very own Angry Dieter's Fork (see my icons), bought something for my sister, and splurged on a beautiful wire and pearl choker confection thing.

I have also inaugurated my kitchen with sophia_helix's peas with lemon dressing, though I still can't figure out where half the things are. I think I've forgotten how to cook peas =(. This batch (I bought four pounds, muhahahaha!) probably should have been cooked a weeee bit longer, and next time I'll just sweat them the way I normally do instead of doing the lemon dressing and squeeze lemon on top. The dressing's a bit too much oil for me, though I adore the lemony tang on the green sweet freshness of the peas.

Oh peas! How I have missed you!

Comments

[chi-zu.livejournal.com]

I get the best recipes from you! Which is funny considering you consider yourself to be a neophyte cook. ^_^

Hope the new apt. is working out.

[oyceter]

Hee! It's just because I snurch them from everyone else ;).

The new place is... uh, overtaken by boxes. Still. Yeah....

[chi-zu.livejournal.com]

Eep! I'm not looking forward to moving myself! I kind of start hyperventilating when I think about paying for grad school and housing in NY at the same time.

Uh, wait, did I ever tell you what happened with the whole grad school thing? I think you asked me once and I can't remember if I replied because I was opening like, three shows in 10 days. BUt in case I haven't I am NY bound! It's exciting and terrifying.

[oyceter]

You didn't tell me about the grad school thing! At least... I don't think so?

I'm so excited for you though! New York! Chikalicious! The Strand! Theater!

*hugs* I hope packing and moving goes well, though.

[chi-zu.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!! It's all freaking me out a little bit. But I can live with my friend though it's far away and I'm applying to costume shops there in hopes of making enough money for rent.

Maybe we'll have better luck meeting each other in NY than in CA? We could go to Chikalicious! And the Strand! and to shows!

[oyceter]

Ooo, I hope so! I think I'm going to be there come September, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have, since I'm going for my sister's bday.

[sophia-helix.livejournal.com]

Mmm. Now I want peas for dinner again. And like I said -- the oil works if you have lots of yummy french bread to sop it up with.

Try roasting asparagus with salt and pepper. It's like barbequed corn! :)

Now I'm off to buy peas for my dinner...

[oyceter]

Mmmm bread... now I'm sad that I skipped the Acme bread people =(.

[gwyneira.livejournal.com]

Mmm, asparagus. I'm going to try stir-frying it this week, which I've never done before, but usually I roast it.

Drizzle a little olive oil on it, a little salt and pepper, and mix it up with your fingers until all the spears are coated with the oil &c. Then spread it on a rack set over a cookie sheet, and put it in the oven under the broiler for a few minutes (how long depends on how thick the spears are - I just check it every couple of minutes to see how it's doing).

[oyceter]

Oooo that sounds so good!

I think my new motto is that olive oil, salt and pepper solve everything.

[canandagirl.livejournal.com]

Rachel gave me her purple potatoes before she left for Europe. I was surprised that their flesh was purple as well. How cool is that?!!? As a serious purple freak, I'm pleased and curious at how they'll taste like.

[oyceter]

Eeeeee yes!! I really like purple potatoes! They're less waxy and more starchy than Red Bliss potatoes, but not quite as starchy as the normal brown potatoes.

Also... purple!

[canandagirl.livejournal.com]

It's the purple I like.

[oursin.livejournal.com]

The simplest way to cook asparagus (apart from roasting it, which is very good) is to trim the ends, and then stand it in a pot of boiling water with the stems in the water, and the tips out of it (so that they get steamed), and cook until tender (timing depends a good deal on how thick the stalks are). Serve with lemon juice and melted butter, or hollandaise sauce. A walnut oil vinaigrette dressing goes well, too.

[oyceter]

Mmmmm, thanks for the tips!