Sunday, September 19, 2004

Picture of a Smug Kitchen Witch

Wanna know why? Of course you do! Because of the following: I own the China Moon Cookbook (run, do not walk, to buy this cookbook).

Had it for years, after some friends visited the restaurant back in the early/mid-90's and got it for me.

(And this connects to the present in what way, aside from the general and inevitable progression of time? I'm so glad you asked! Why, I'll tell you.)

I've been out of a couple things for most of this year.

So, I made curry powder yesterday morning. A double batch. And Chinese 10-Spice (mandatory if you want strange-flavor eggplant, which I think I just might). And Szechuan Peppercorn Salt.

While I was at it, I should've made garam masala, but I didn't think about until I'd already used the grinder for coffee again, because that's in another cookbook (my encylopedia of Asian cooking -- no, I'm sure it's called something else, but that's what it *is*).

What I *do* want, desperately, is a separate grinder for spices and for coffee. Of course, I only want such desperately when I'm mixing spices in large enough batches to not want to use my mortar and pestle, and have been drinking (decaf) coffee recently. This is not all that common of an occurance.

Yes, my coffee today has some interesting undertones to the flavor...why do you ask?

I need to get a new candy thermometer before mixing up new batches of hot oils, and I started a brand-new sourdough starter.

So, this weekend marks my first month here in Boston. (Looks at spices. Looks window at blue, blue sunny sky.) Not too bad. Not too bad at all.

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