Blur

Not totally sure what I've done today such a blur has it been. I'll be glad when Oliver's school schedule is in full swing- yesterday was just 9-10a, today 9-10:30, and so on. I've not been sleeping well, and Ol was up at 5:45 this morning just singing away. Suffice it to say that I'm tired and feel slow. Fortunately, I have a sitter coming sometime soon and hope to find some energy for the gym or at least canning the brandied peaches I've been hoping to make. For lunch I enjoyed more of the burned eggplant I made last night- seriously, that stuff just pushes all the right buttons for me. Eggplant, tahini, lemon, garlic, pomegranate molasses. It's the perfect combo of sweet, smoky, savory and hearty. Absolutely wonderful. I have no idea what our main dish will be tonight, but as a side I'm having a real yen for the Roasted Broccoli with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette and Marcona Almonds that I absolutely adore and wish I'd made up myself. However, happy to have found it and looking forward to it tonight!

Pickled cauliflower report, yotam's eggplant

I cheated tonight and as my appetizer ate some of the pickled cauliflower I canned last week even though the recipe strongly suggested I wait another five weeks. It is deLICious! Oh wow. I'm going to make some more of that!!! Will also post recipe. As well, the burned eggplant with tahini was as wonderful as ever; fortunately the explosion had no influence on taste. If you've not previously, you should definitely make yourself a dish of this soon. Mamma mia!

Explosive!

So yesterday, I was canning watermelon rind pickles, and after submerging the final jar into the canning pot, I heard a thud of sorts. I removed the lid, peeked inside but saw nothing amiss so assumed the jars are simply shifted. Come time to remove said jars, I get to that pesky last one, lift it up and watch as the bottom falls out, spilling a neat ring of glass and hard-earned pickles swimming to the depths of the pot. I've never had that happen! Tonight, I was broiling eggplants for Yotam's eggplant with tahini, and opened the oven after a long while to check their progress. Almost before I'd touch this one with my tongs, it exploded like a vegetable-hating I.E.D. Eggplant guts are all over my kitchen, and I'm hoping what remains in this taut shell will make for a good meal despite the weirdness. Never had this happen either. Thus the admonition to pierce the aubergine several times before broiling which I completely failed to do.

Friends, it was a long day. Wow! A good one but intense at every turn. Back-to-school! Tae Kwon Do! Penis talk despite my best efforts! Exploding eggplants! I'm actually looking forward to the DNC as I suspect it will lull me into a slumber. It was absolutely fabulous to see all my parents-of-the-kids pals today, and I discovered that many felt exactly like this (as did I). Hah!