Food blog and a happy start to the week

Now that I live on my own, it's pretty important for me to cook. And I love to do it. creativity, efficiency, tasty... my favorite adjectives all rolled into one. I think; what tastes good? what is going bad first? and how can I make it all work?

My landlord gave me a zucchini last week. I don't even like zucchini. fortunately I had garlic... this might be the first time I have eaten it, let alone make it for myself. Almost 30 and still growing up!


I purchased an incredible piece of steel in Japan... it looks like this:

That was the Rainbow Trout that I bought- gutted not filleted. It was much better to buy the whole fish and fillet it myself. I did it and only had one small bone in my mouth during the meal. That Toyokatsu knife really did the trick!

Sauteed in the same garlic pan as the zucchini (saved washing something else). Plus, the fish head, spine, bones and tails make great fertilizer for the compost. This experience was worth the "trouble" of cutting a real animal and using its parts effectively. And doing the math, for the same price as the Coho I ate two nights ago, I got twice as much fish to eat with this Rainbow Trout. Maybe it's a cheaper fish, but I didn't have to pay for "labor" of filleting the fish.

Tasted much better than pictures or words describe. Of course served with Thai Jasmine rice and a side salad of tomato, carrot and mixed greens.

And this morning's breakfast. Like the woman at the Farmer's Market told me, "This is a $3 melon. I don't even have to weigh it." Well, I took her word for it, but she was wrong. I would have sold it for $10 knowing how good this thing was. Juicy, but not overly. Sweet, but not bowl-you-over. Delicate but fleshy enough to fill me up. Perfect. Really. Half for now and half for an after-school snack!

Yesterday I wrote my paper. Now I'll spend a couple of days editing it and then I can turn in the whole thing. I think it will be the longest paper that I have ever written! Go figure. It took all day and I was pretty drained by mid-afternoon.

After prepping for dinner, I hiked up to school with a lot of heavy Falcon and Eagle-related books in my backpack (it wasn't raining, so I decided to go for it.) I turned them in after holding onto them for nearly six months. Then I went to the gym. Just to shoot around again... and then found myself in the middle of a four-on-four full-court game. My team lost 11-8, but I definitely scored 6 of those points. It is a good feeling to know that I am a smart basketball player and in the right places to get rebounds. I was playing with more fit, younger undergraduate students and able to hold my own. I wasn't as quick, but I played angles and a little bit smarter. I got two steals and even a block to keep my team in it for another possession. Then 3-on-3 in the half court. Again, my team lost. But the guy I was guarding (a good 6 inches taller than me) only got two points. I scored two also- so that was a draw. Another block in there for me too.

My apartment is clean. It's almost ready for me to mess it up again with my myriad of projects. But I am confident that it is good for Rosh Hashanah on Thursday. I hope to go to services at the reform congregation here and I am still working on getting an excused absence for my 1-credit Yoga class which is based solely on participation! More importantly... Happy New Year to those who are celebrating... may it be joyous and sweet.

Another busy week of school starts today, but I hope to get reading to stay on course. And I still hope to catch up on three overdue blog posts and various other errands. I love my life. I love this program. I love this blog. Love.