Endeavors, Adventures, and the Weather

I wanted to wait until my experiment had come to fruition before writing this post, in case I poisoned myself or created something gross. Did I make absinthe, more shampoo, a not-so-savory anti-flu tonic? No. I made yogurt.

That glop in the middle is a scoopful of mirabelle preserves, something I also plan on making as soon its jar is empty. It blended well with the yogurt, which was plain and quite runny -- homemade yogurt tends to be less solid than its commercial counterparts since it doesn't contain any added thickeners. But I didn't mind the barely-there viscosity; slurping up a bowlful of tangy dairy product -- fresh from the teats of a nearby Alsatian heifer -- is something I could do everyday.

To make yogurt, all you have to do is make your milk a hospitable environment for bacteria growth, which, as anyone who's left a glass of milk out overnight, knows is not hard. Translated into the language of my limited kitchen, this means leaving a bowl of hot milk on my radiator for seven hours. Voila, yogurt.

This experiment is the first of many that I plan on executing this winter (yes, winter: see below photo).

 

Fig tapenade, poached quail eggs, braised fennel, naan, falafel, and plum preserves are all on my list for the season, among others. In addition, I have specific foods and flavors that I just want to work with, in general -- figure them out: persimmons, various types of seafood and cheeses, bulgur, fenugreek.

I'm sick of not knowing what to do with certain foods. I want to be able to have any fruit, vegetable, spice, dairy product, or legume put in front of me, and generally know what to do with it. What on earth do you do with a bulb of fennel? a pinch of coriander? a black radish? I know, of course, that I'm still quite limited in my ingredients, being in the Vosges and all. I don't have access to hordes of spices, fruits, and nuts, but I'm going to do the best I can.

That was point one. Point deux is an update on my life outside the kitchen, which has recently involved some hours at the nearby indoor rock wall, a new crochet hook, and my violin. I've decided to join le club alpin which, for 60 euro, not only gives you access to the rock wall, but allows you to go on numerous winter-related excursions (cross-country and downhill skiing, mountain hikes, climbing trips) with the club as well. There were also a few jeunes (young people) at the rock wall, and so naturally I jumped at any chance to mingle with my own kind -- a rare breed in these parts.

My new crochet hook is a No. 3, a teeny-tiny one for my teeny-tiny strands of alpaca yarn I bought the other day to make myself a scarf. Crocheting: an activity for domesticated animals using the hair of other domesticated animals.

Oh, and I almost forgot: le fromage de la semaine: comte. Subtle, tangy, firm, best eaten on its own. The best one so far.