Branzini

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The kids and I spent the morning out, and after getting home and eating lunch, J immediately changed into a formal work outfit: white pants, button-down shirt, tie, wool blazer. All this for quiet time. At present, he's eating pretzels in his room while wearing this outfit and reading. I wonder where this is all heading... At the market today, we got all the ingredients for the fabulous meatballs, and also some gorgeous, whole Branzini. I love that word, and I love that Branzini are a Mediterranean fish. Don't they just sound bronzed and tan as if they've been swimming around Crete all day? Alas no, these are sustainably farmed and are silver, but nonetheless, Branzino is a much more appealing moniker than flounder or mackeral. I thought I might be brave and filet these myself but almost instantly, I lost the will and asked the seafood woman to do it for me. She was watching the children bounce around and seemed to think my choice was a wise one. I asked for the heads and other refuse so that I could make a good fish stock, but I don't think she included them. Maybe next time.

Anyway, they sounded lovely and fresh for tonight so I might poach them in olive oil and lemon and serve them alongside a pearl couscous or something. OH, and I bought some gorgeous Italian plums and think I must make a plum cake with them. Italian plums have such a pleasingly languid shape as opposed to the perkiness of the standard type plums (also delicious) we usually have here. It's like they adopted their Italian heritage and grew accordingly.

What we didn't eat, Jack (up changing off-duty police gear outfits) did

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This steak couldn't have been easier but I wouldn't say the marinade was out-of-this-world. It was good but not memorable. I'd add some red pepper flakes for sure, and maybe a green herb of sorts. But just some post-dinner, post-wine, post-awake-5-yr-old musings... Jack loved the steak and finished off all this tomato salad (as we'd eaten the bread during the bruschetta course).  I do find crunchy, inner romaine leaves to be totally delightful in a water-chestnut kind of way: bright, cold-watery, fresh! The dressing was basic but suited the romaine well and I always love a shaving of parm over the top.

Meanwhile, why was Jack up nearly one hour after bedtime? Well, because he'd felt the need to change out of his khakis and short-sleeve button-down to overalls, police boots, a watch and a long-sleeved button-down. Really? This obsession is wild. Anyway, as I said, he ate a full dinner, we told him what "cut the cheese" actually means, idiomatically, and finally got him back to bed. He's so funny, but when I was tucking him, again, he laughed and head-butted me in the cheek so hard I saw stars. So, I'm icing with a wine bottle cozy and off to bed soon.

PS- Yesterday was the most-trafficked day yet for Em-i-lis. Thanks for visiting. If you like Em-i-lis, do share. Pass on a link, a love, whatever! And many thanks for reading.