Tag: women

Dishing it Out

 

Discover Prompts Day 5: Dish

Usually, on a Sunday, I prepare meals and “healthy” snacks for the week.  I work part-time a few towns away, and during the tourist season in SW Florida, the commute at peak hours is a nightmare. On days that I have to work, I like to make sure I don’t have to fuss over what I’m going to eat.  On days that I don’t work, I still don’t like planning and preparing elaborate meals.   I’ve taken to making one pot and one-dish meals, such as soups, casseroles, pizza, or pasta.  Keep it Simple is my motto.

This is the second week where I’ve not planned out my week partly because I have not been to work for three weeks because of COVID 19.  It has been challenging to plan, mainly because the supermarket has been hit or miss with what is available. I make it up as I go along.  I managed to find ground turkey at the end of last week and promptly prepared my version of “sloppy joes” on mini French rolls with a side of oven-fries and a cucumber salad.

In preparing my meal, I noticed that I was running low on “recaito.” Recaito is a homemade seasoning, basic to just about all my recipes. Some people call it sofrito, which means “gently fried” or sautéed.  Growing up, I used to watch my grandmother and mother chop up all the vegetables each time for every meal.  The onions, pepper garlic, and sometimes tomatoes are sautéed in a heavy pan before adding to the dish. Every day, for every meal…chop, chop!  On rare occasions, I’ll take the time to do to chop up everything fresh, but in general, I thank goodness for blenders, food processors, and Magic bullets!

  Recaito.  consists of onion, garlic, peppers (I prefer cubanelle or Italian pepper), aji dulce -small sweet peppers (don’t confuse with the Scotch bonnets), add cilantro and culantro/coriander leaves (culantro has a more robust flavor, use sparingly.)

As you know, supermarkets have limited supplies, and since I didn’t feel like traveling to a specialty supermarket, I decided to make the Lazy -Lindi version of recaito.  These are, after all, unprecedented times of basic survival.  The newscasts continue to say that things will get worse or peak in the coming weeks. I don’t want to be without recaito in the middle of a pandemic.  We all have our limits. 

Usually, I make a big batch to share.  See my attempt at a still-life of my 20200405_142724ingredients and tools.  You may recognize a Ninja blender, extra-large measuring cup, ice cube trays, pre-cut green peppers and onions, peeled garlic, a small bunch of cilantro, and small packaged culantro.  The ice cube trays are for easy storage.  After the ingredients are blended, I pour the mixture in Ice cube trays and then in a freezer bag or container.  When I’m cooking, it’s easy to pop an ice cube or two into my soups, sauces, Spanish rice, or beans.  If you are not feeling exotic, leave out the cilantro and culantro.  It’s still a tasty and convenient way to have condiments on hand. 

So with my magic ingredient past down from generations, I am ready to survive our COVID 19 Pandemic.  Be safe. 

The Practical Aspect of Romance

I like to read other bloggers stories. I truly believe the human experience is one.  Often I find something in the blog that resonates with my spirit.   Yesterday I was visited by Simplytrizah, and when I visited her page in return, I was quite amused.  In Trizah’s Random Thoughts, she tells the stories of her adventures looking for romance from the perspective of a millennial newly cast in the adult world.  As I commented on one of her posts, some things about dating during this time period are the same regardless of age.  

I was reminded that on my trip back from visiting my family, I had a three and a half hour layover between flights and I started looking for something light and funny to read.  I came across an e-book that looked promising.  It was supposedly a humorous look at romance in the Third Age.  I enjoy romantic comedies with the likes of Jane Fonda, Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep and of course the adventures of Grace and Frankie.  When I looked at the reviews, however, I was discouraged.   It seems that some readers were disappointed that the protagonist did not exhibit or reference any signs of aging.  I suppose the idea aging gracefully is subjective, but it did get me thinking about the message we are leaving for the young woman.  What have we learned as the generation who created the sexual revolution is aging?

I decided to share a portion of a short story that I’m working on.  I’ve enrolled in an editing, and re-writing course and this is one of the stories that I want to do.  I might even work it into a longer piece about One Ordinary Life.   This part of the story centers around a modern tribe of women who periodically get together for support and encouragement – think Red Tent in modern day New England.  The friends are gathered to make a large pot of fish chowder on a cold winter night; add a little wine and conversation and I have a story!

Is it possible to be practical and a romantic at the same time?

 “At this stage of the game,” Nan continued her lecture, “dating is all about the practicality of the matter. It’s not about Disney princesses or Hollywood’s love stories. That doesn’t happen in real life and much less at our age. Before you step into the labyrinth called dating, ask yourself why do you want a man. Do you want entertainment, part-time companionship, just sex, financial security? Determine that first, and then go after what you want…”

Examples and testimonies followed, but Clotilde was unusually quiet and had stopped listening. She sipped her wine and chopped her vegetables as her mind wandered to places where her friends could not imagine.

That night she wrote in her journal:

“They tell me that there are no castles in the clouds, nor do valiant princes exist who ride on white stallions and risk their lives for fair maidens. They tell me it’s all a question of convenience, the practicality of the matter. They say that the years pass us quickly and if we don’t act with good judgment now, we are weighed down by life’s regrets. 

I was a lonely, caged dove unable to spread my wings, imprisoned by fear. Your eyes sparkled with mischief, and I said “Who cares! Let’s fly!” With you, I believe there are indeed places where dreams come true.  Your warm breath touches my cheek, and your kiss awakens the sleeping beauty of my soul. My spirit flies like an eagle! The years fall away. I transcend the clouds safely nestled in your arms to find that castle where dreams become a reality.”

Nan and her friends were too late with their intervention that night; for Clotilde had already crossed over to the land of unicorns, rainbows, and pots of gold.