Online isolation shopping. Let's talk about it. I haven't really indulged up to now, not even before C-19. The last time I shopped online was when I had had back surgery and was on cortisone and couldn't sleep at night. The Surgeon did warn me that I would go slightly batty and put on weight but he didn't tell me about the sleep deprivation and what might occur during those long wakeful hours. For a month after, packages arrived in the mail, nothing ever fitted so it all had to be sent back. No money was lost in this exchange and it kept me busy during the long nights so all good. But this week, to sweeten my homecoming from my curtailed second year abroad (yes, life is tough, I know you're all feeling my feels), I have indulged. Paints, and an embroidery kit and a few other bits and pieces will be arriving shortly. By the time they arrive, we may be out of isolation and they'll be put aside as I erupt back into the world. Mind you, it's hard to imagine what that will be like. Sitting in a restaurant, wondering who's touched the wine glass, the cutlery. Who's washed their hands: more importantly who hasn't? What if someone sneezes at the table next to you? I may continue entertaining at home for a while.
Which is exactly what we did yesterday. We are the plus two visitors to our wonderful neighbours. I cooked recipes from the #Jerusalem cookbook by #YotamOttolenghi. This book is amazing! It took me a while to source all the herbs but I managed it, going early and only frequenting shops with social distancing round circles on the ground ( As you know, I do appreciate a good SD ground circle!) Sumac, chervil, tarragon, seeds of coriander and cumin, capers and fresh dates. It was a long list but I found most before people decided to do their Sunday shopping.
After researching the ways of the homemade scrap rug and making a skirt cover for an old lamp that I was about to throw out, I put on Lana del Rey and slowly undressed onions, massaged spices into the chicken: marinated plump dates and onions in vinegar: toasted pitta bread and almonds in butter and oil for a spinach salad; sauteed cumin, caraway, garlic and capers for a bean salad and then lay the fried chicken onto a bed of rice, caramelised onions and currants and then cooked it slowly over the heat. I followed the recipe religiously. Something I rarely do. All the while, sipping on a Negroni, the ingredients of which I had sourced over a week and finally found the final missing vital ingredient that morning. Then all dishes were passed over our brick wall and then the daughter and I appeared elegantly at their front door. The plus two.
Project completed, old fabric and belt buckle of my grandmother's repurposed.
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