Dinner tonight: King salmon, cherries, rhubarb, mustard seed...

I wasn’t actually planning to make a big dinner tonight as I’ve had a migraine all day and successfully completed a canning session, but King salmon was on for a good price today so I just had to buy some. I rediscovered that Gary Farrell 2007 Pinot in the wine fridge, and despite the headache -or to spite it?- I decided that would pair wonderfully with salmon, especially if I expanded upon the earthiness and subtle fruitiness of the wine. So, thinking about a vague riffing on the rhubarb chutney I recently made, I rummaged around in the fridge and discovered rhubarb, some cherries, half a shallot and some sorrel. If I stew it all together and at the end finish the salmon off in the same pot, might that be delicious? I’m betting the ranch on it so hopefully I’m right. ;)

Cherry-cardamom jam might be like healthy crack

I have never tried crack, nor do I intend to. Hell, I’ve never even seen crack. But I’m thinking this cherry-cardamom jam might approximate the effects of crack. It is so honking good. I’m standing over the pot as it cooks down, inhaling it as if I’m attached to a hookah. I’m also thinking, wow, this would help make a cake really freaking terrific. Like if you stirred these puppies into the batter of some delightfully simple cake just to gourmet-ize it a big. Yo!

He is such a trip (no pun intended here though he did wander into a wall, laughing the whole time

He is such a trip (no pun intended here though he did wander into a wall, laughing the whole time).

Just a note of clarification: there were no eye holes in this bag. That’s Oliver for you.