Kitchen play

[magid]

I was hosting a friend for dinner last night, but didn't have energy for making anything involved or elaborate. I decided on pasta, since it's reasonably quick and lends itself to one-pot dinners. While the orecchiette boiled, I assembled all the mix-ins. I cut pieces of mozzarella off a half-pound block, then cut sun-dried tomatoes into strips. I drained a can of black olives and another of chickpeas. I drained a jar of artichoke hearts, and opened a jar of spicy red pepper-eggplant spread. I wasn't sure if I'd need crushed tomatoes or not, so held off on that. I rooted around in the fridge, and found a bag of fresh spinach, so I washed some leaves. Once the pasta was al dente, I added everything, including the crushed tomatoes. I ripped the spinach as it went into the pot last, so it would still have a bit of crunch.

The dish is very substantial; a bowl or so is plenty for dinner. I was pleased with the spicy undertones, the slight crunch of spinach, and how there are enough different things that spoonfuls are different. And how there were plenty of leftovers for today's breakfast and lunch.

I bought a new flexible cutting board at Kitchens Etc. Actually, I bought far more than one, because five full-sized ones came packaged together, each with an appropriate picture: green for vegetables, teal for fish, yellow for dairy, red for red meat, orange for poultry, and two half-sized clear ones for something else (cutting chocolate, perhaps? :-). I only use cutting boards for vegetables, so I might have an odd mismatch when I get around to using the next color.

I have been gifted with a meat grinder (Porkert brand; this amuses me), and the last time I have memories of being around one being used was when my bubbe was alive, some decades ago now. Has anyone used one more recently? What did you make? I suppose I shall have to attempt some kind of interesting sausages now, there's no escape... I wonder what cuts of meat are appropriate (and how expensive they are)...

Trashpicked last night: a small wooden rack that might be strong enough to hold wine bottles (if so, I suppose I'll move the wine out of the dishwasher, and I'll have to choose what flavor dishwasher I want to have [only 5 or 6 years after kashering it]), and a covering for an old-fashioned radiator, with a shelf above and metal mesh in front for the heat to flow. I don't have a radiator like this, but it's a nicely worked piece, so I thought it might be useful. Does anyone have a radiator they'd like to cover?

Yesterday there were elections for councillors at large. I wonder what the minimum size requirements are, to ensure not being caged or imprisoned...

Hmmm... kitchen play.... what sort of conversation would the spatula have with the can opener, and would they present a united front against a dairy fork?

Comments

[cellio]

This is why I enjoy your journal: you'll write what sounds like an ordinary meal report and it'll get whimsical when you least expect it. :-)

(Well, one of the reasons I enjoy your journal.)

[magid.livejournal.com]

Thank you :-).

I suspect all of the implements would be on their best behavior around the wok, which, since there's no room in the kitchen, stays in the living room most of the time. Foreign dignitary, and all that. :-)

[cellio]

Well, foreign dignitary is one option. In my house, I think "damn uppity foreigner" might be more likely -- I mean, this is our kitchen, and who does that wok think he is anyway, coming in here and taking over practically the entire stove-top?

Everyone, however, would be on best behavior around a meat grinder, I would think.

[magid.livejournal.com]

The wok doesn't take up much more stove-top than the cast-iron skillet, actually, and is much lighter than the skillet, too. Hm. I suppose the skillet is the local heavyweight, while the wok is more of a specialized celebrity.

Almost everyone would be on best behavior around the meat grinder; I can imagine the dairy implements taunting the others a bit, feeling free from any retribution.

[dancingdeer.livejournal.com]

I am interested in the radiator cover, depending on size, etc.

[magid.livejournal.com]

I'll try to remember to measure it tonight.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Internal dimensions:
a little bit more than 26 inches high,
9.5 inches deep,
a little bit more than 28 inches wide.

The wood is nice and thick, also soft to the touch, except on the top shelf, which was painted a light beigeish shade.

[dancingdeer.livejournal.com]

Darn - it sounded perfect - we need one or two of these in the house, but it's too short. Great in other dimensions, though. Oh well.
Thanks anyway.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Would it be reasonably easy to attach some extra wood intermittently around the bottom (to allow the heat to circulate in front)? I'm not handy enough to have a good idea of what's easy/feasible...

[dancingdeer.livejournal.com]

I don't know. Good question, though. I"ll ask my housemate (the landlord) when I'm back home later. The cover is too long for the 3rd floor bathroom radiator, which needs something, but is probably good for the first floor dining room, where the smaller kiddo has a tendency to burn himself.

[dancingdeer.livejournal.com]

Okay; housemate says "let's have a look at it and decide if it's viable to add feet". So, when can I pick this up from you?

[magid.livejournal.com]

I'm around tonight after... well... I should definitely be home by 8, so after then would be fine. I'm also around tomorrow evening after dark. Do either of these work?

(It's reasonably light for carrying, but just large enough to be possibly inconvenient to carry for a distance, btw.)

[curly-chick.livejournal.com]

Remind me to tell you another definition of kitchen play?

*scampers off*

[magid.livejournal.com]

Oh, my!
I think it's getting hot in here...

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

When the eggs get beat and the cream is whipped?

[magid.livejournal.com]

I've heard tell of roasts getting tied up, too.