#1 Whenever I've a spare moment, I run down the road to the library and browse the cooking section. Don't think the variety/quality of my literature cramped, because it's not; it's just that I find new recipes and foods therapeutic, adventuresome and (dare I say it) invigorating. I love Nigella Lawson in part because she's British and has great variety, but mostly because she eats like a horse and cooks like the fat southern grandmother I never had. Anywho, a picture in her book How to be a Domestic Goddess instantly caught my eye (don't bother mocking the title...my husband has that covered). Feast your eyes on:
Sooooo, we all love should love onions (after all, who can resist their transformational flavors AND their ability to ward off the common cold?!?). Seriously...I judge you if you can't take the plunge. After seeing the photo and reading how easy it was to make, I decided to keep this recipe close at hand. Onion pie for dinner.
Step #2 of inspiration: We found the most epic of finds at a thrift store 2 weeks ago: a vintage tweed sport-coat for the husband. For $4. That fits him like a glove.
Now, while my husband is NOT as pre-pubescent as this gem of a male model, the jacket does fit him in a similar manner. It's complete with suede elbow patches. Be still my beating heart.
#3. You may be asking how a tweed sport-coat goes with onion pie. Read on.
After reading James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small this summer/fall (and every other sequel that followed), it was with great delight that we discovered the BBC television adaptation. We've been watching it regularly as part of our evening routine. There is no word to describe the perfection of this television show (esp with Robert Hardy at the helm)...not even 'delightful'. Perhaps 'scrumtrulescent' alle SNL's 'Inside Actor's Studio'. Perhaps.
We love having our four cats, one dog and six birds while watching this program. We also love that it's the dead of winter weather out here in Chicago, with wind chills significantly below zero. The Yorkshire farmers--in the books and the television show--live every year in similar conditions. They battle the elements, maintaining their animal stock and livelihood, whilst remaining salt-of-the-earth-folk.
Bringing it all full circle: they eat heartily and dress in thick woolen tweed. As did we tonight.
Dinner was quite delicious. Warmed us from the inside out.
Although that may have been because we were covered in purring cats and kittens.
We love having company. The front door is always open.
B
I have onion-pie-thrift-store-becky envy.
ReplyDeleteDid you even know there was such a thing?