Sick (Mental Health Day)

I didn't get to bed until midnight, still buzzing from the time I had at the restaurant -- being shown how to stoke a wood-burning brick pizza oven was fantastic, watching these people I was working and chilling with all afternoon make world-class pies before my eyes, damn cool. Woke up feeling not so hot in the middle of the night, revenge of the sausages perhaps? After 6 months in c-school, this may be my first gastric disturbance of note, which is a pretty good record.

When my alarm went off at 6am, I thought of the moussilines we were to make today (fish sausage, a moussier texture to ground meat, yuck) and the drama of Dora the Explorer freaking out on Chef Al because, well, because she's as utterly lost today as she was the first week of class, and knowing that I was allowed one more absence to graduate with honors, I knew the couch was the place for me today.

BREAKFAST: 9:30am, organic cheerios with good milk, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5

AM SNACK: 11am, flax-sesame tortilla chips, .5 bowls, hunger 4/5
A random purchase from WF, surprisingly tasty despite being 'healthy'.

LUNCH: 1pm, falafel sandwich, spinach pie, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Healthy comfort food.

PM SNACK: 1:45pm, cherry Italian ice, .25 bowl

PM WATERING: 4pm, 1 quart

DINNER: 8:30pm, spoonful of peanutbutter, good yogurt with honey, cashews, vanilla, 1 bowl,hunger 4/5
Not much to eat in the house. Breakfast for dinner!

Sick (Ratatouille)

I woke up at 5:30 this morning, as I still needed to write my recipe cards. I hit the hay around 11 last night, minutes after M, M's boyfriend and E split. Totally wiped. When I woke up, I felt shaky and my voice raspy. I hoped by just getting going (and a few spoonfuls of soothingly delicious ice cream), I'd snap to. Left on my bicycle a little after 7 as usual, and about 5 minutes later found myself struggling to pedal on a flat, empty street. It was pleasantly cool but I was a sweaty mess, and my head was pounding.

So I turned around and went home. I hate missing school, but if I were to force it, I suspect I'd get much sicker tomorrow and miss even more school, miss the weekend with B, and make other students sick. Still, I feel a little bit like a rat for leaving N, St and Sb in the lurch. I know N can rise to the occasion, if he took the time to write up his recipe cards.

I do feel good that I wore myself down by cooking and rocking hard in three different kitchens yesterday -- in the end, it was a lot of work, but I really enjoyed the day. Right before I plated the risotto yesterday, I had some blanched asparagus tips to garnish the dish for some visual interest. On a whim, I through them in the hot fry oil and deep fried them for 30 seconds, it added a nice tasty snap to an already unctuous dish. Satisfying.

In honor of yesterday's stews, I watched 'Ratatouille' on cable, silly movie but fun to see the little bon mots of culinary knowlege thrown around.

Watched a bit too much TV today, mostly the Food Network and Top Chef reruns, and saw this commercial:



Is it me, or does the clip of the woman in the last few seconds look like she's about to attempt something extremely pornographic with that sandwich?! Sick day, indeed.

BREAKFAST: 6am, granola with good milk, 2 spoonfuls of ice cream, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5

AM SNACK: 11:30am, 3 scoops of ice cream, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5

PM SNACK: 2pm, homemade power bar with good peanut butter, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5

PM SNACK: 3:30pm, asparagus risotto, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5
A little gluey, but the flavors really melded the 2nd day. A tad salty, but very asparagussy!

PM SNACK: 5pm, 1 scoop of icecream, .25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Hey, I'm sick, and it feels soooo good going down.