Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts

27 July 2014

Simple pleasures - reacquainted with the wok

Reacquainted with the wok
The labyrinth of  boxes  has become easier to navigate as I continue to unpack boxes.  Today I opened the box containing my wok. I've had this wok  for a long time - let's just say I purchased it in the latter part of the 20th century.  Now that I have  a gas stove I can put the wok to use again!

Seeing the wok sparked the creative part of my brain and strong  desire to run to the supermarket. About an  hour later I returned with green, red and orange peppers, yellow onion, water chestnuts (canned), cornstarch , peanut oil and a package of chicken.

As I prepped the vegetables and chicken I was grateful to the kitchen gods for access to vegetables and meat. I found myself humming as I peeled and sliced the ginger that would be the added to this dish.  I washed, dried and oiled the wok (it had been boxed away for more than a year).

I poured peanut oil into the wok and turned the gas on and watched to see when the oil was hot. I added the vegetables, meat and stir fry sauce I made. It suddenly felt like old times.  Me cooking. Being creative.  Simple pleasures.


the finished product
The scent of stir fry filled the room. When the rice was ready I prepared a bowl of  hot rice and the stir fry mixture. There's enough for lunch and dinner in the upcoming days. I'm glad to have unpacked the wok and grateful to the kitchen gods for the simple pleasure of cooking. Xie Xie.

More boxes to unpack!

Be well,

Technicolor girl

15 July 2014

Technicolor dining and Moving

photo by TEP
My recent move to a new space was filled with Technicolor dining experiences. I took me a little over a year to find a place that felt right to me. I kept the majority of my belongings in boxes and suitcases while I searched for a place. At the top of my 'must have' list was a gas stove. The agent working with me at one point told me I was being 'picky' and should just be prepared to convert a kitchen stove from electric to gas. After a bit of silence I told the agent that the gas stove was not negotiable, I would keep looking and that I only wanted to see  spaces with gas stoves. She smiled a strained smile as we walked out the space with the electric stove ( I should have fired the agent, but that is another story altogether).  Fortunately, the kitchen gods prevailed - I found a space with a gas stove!
photo by TEP
As way of background,  I grew up in a house with a gas stove. I learned to cook, bake and made confections (e.g. fudge, penuche, popcorn balls) under the watchful eyes of my mother and father.  I also learned to have a healthy respect for cooking gas, pilot lights, how to care for burns and what to do in case of a fire. As an adult I have lived in spaces with gas and electric stoves. I've  created wonderful dishes and burnt foods using both gas and electric stoves. I prefer to cook and bake with gas. The space has a dishwasher too (Dear Dad, if you are watching this from heaven - I made good on having a dishwasher in my abode!)
The boxes are slowly being emptied and I look forward to getting reacquainted with my belongings and setting up my space. It's also been a perfect excuse to visit the neighborhood supermarket and explore what they have to offer. I'll talk about what I discovered in an upcoming blog post.


photo by TEP
I am grateful to the friends who gave me 'housewarming' gifts before my move and for those who are patiently waiting for me to tell them what else I need. A big thanks to my friend
 Leonora and her son Carlos for insisting on visiting me and lining many of the kitchen shelves.The same dear friends have also told me that I have exceeded my quota of plastic bowls and lids to store food and that if I purchase another bottle of wine they will hold an intervention session with me ( not for drinking, but to explain why I have purchased yet another bottle of wine).



I invite you to continue with me on my Technicolor dining journey.  More later, I have to unpack a couple of boxes today!


Be well,

Technicolor girl





27 June 2014

Water with a twist?

I'm in the process of moving and staying hydrated is a must.  After  reading The Kitchn's  article about how refreshing mint water is I'm tempted to run to the store and buy a few sprigs of mint. Wait, that's one more thing to pack!  The sprigs can wait until the moving is done.

Read the article here.  Be forewarned if you decide to grow mint on your own after reading this article, grow the mint in a container. Mint is insidious and will choke out other plants. I'll write about my mint experience in another post.



Would you prefer peppermint? spearmint? Or is there another variety of mint you prefer?



Be well,

Technicolor girl