This is kind of interesting.

Found it as a sort of appendix/correction to a previous post talking about making popcorn with truffle oil. I clicked the product link and found two things that gave me the



feeling.

First, there's the highlighted brand. Now, nothing against them, but I see Roland products as total tight "budget gourmet" both here and in France. Generally, I'll buy their stuff if I find it at Job Lots or Monoprix, but I'm not going to go out of my way to order or pay boatloads of money. (Above is their American distribution address. For some reason, and I'm only going on gut instinct, I think they're Asian. Don't know.)

Second, the price (approx $7/bottle). That's about the price for a fair to middling bottle of *unflavored* olive oil here. Last time I was au marche in Versailles, I noted that...like...*real* truffles were going for nearly 1000 EE/kg, so just an olive-sized piece to soak would cost a fair bit more than the price of the two bottles for $13 listed here.

Ever since reading Allende's recipe for a truffle in olive oil decoction, I've wanted to try this. Can't do it right now, though, as even if I *could* get truffles in the States, I'd not be able to afford them. So, settled for the next best thing here - a small bottle of truffle *flavored* oil from a local Eye-talian shop. I had no illusions about it, given the price (slightly higher than the inexpensive Spanish stuff I normally buy), but it did the job. Not ashamed of that. But then again, I'm not marketing myself as a gourmet or anything. Am just someone who likes food and who cooks decently enough.

For what it's worth, the reason why I bought the oil was to make a treat for the housemate. He'd described frites drizzled in truffle oil and sprinkled with rosemary. Given my food restrictions right now, I came up with an actually really nice workaround:

Patates Douces aux "Truffes" et Romarin

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
4 T olive oil flavored with truffle (or not - just wanted to be foofy and nice for the housemate. Used Monini brand from Spoleto, IT, by the way.)
1+ T dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

1.) Preheat oven to 375 F.
2.) Wash, dry, cut out bad spots on the sweet potatoes. Slice thinly width-wise (like potato chips).
3.) Toss potatoes in olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Save a bit of oil to rub on a cookie sheet.
4.) Bake for roughly 15 minutes or so, turning over when necessary. Ultimately, you'd like them to be crusty on the outside and softish on the inside.

Pavel actually told me that, though it wasn't very truffly, it was honestly good and a keeper. I was happy because it's totally within the South Beach parameters.

The Pale Flower of Spring Hill.



Daisy Magnolia. Daisy's what her original people called her. For whatever reason, the shelter she ended up at changed her official name to Magnolia. Pavel likes calling her Maggie, Mags or just Silly Maggie. I alternate between the simple 'girl kitty' and savoring the full four syllables of her pink flower name.

Brought her home last night with very little incident aside from a bit of totally-understandable miaowling in the car. First thing was to scope out a safe place under the bed, of course. After a minute or two, curiosity got the best of our heroine and she did a full exploration of the perimeter of the new living space.

Of course, the boys were fascinated. (This time around, I think that it's Tony who's got the crush. Trouble's interested, but not as obsessed with her as he was with Ampersand.) The girl is showing pointed disinterest towards them both.

Will be interesting to see how this all plays out. I know for myself that have had the heart hooked. She's really a dear. Hope she grows happier here.

Lunch.

This afternoon while running errands, I passed by Christina's. Checked the chalkboard for the featured flavor: Sour Cream Pomegranate.

On the return trip, stopped in for a taste. Oh, was it was good. Treated myself to a scoop for the walk home.

Pavel's been playing this all evening. I don't do computer games, but I do like the soundtrack on this one. Have been leaving it running in the background while doing other things.

Am so close to done with this.



Would love to have it blocked and ready to wear by tomorrow, but I think that that might be a bit ambitious.



(Am sure that blocking would even out the cockeyed stitches. Have lots of tension-related issues; think it's another curse associated with left-handedness.)

Set a blood orange on each placemat for dessert tonight. Was surprised that Pavel had never seen or tasted one before.

"What a weird color. It's purple."

"That's why they call it a blood orange. Get it?"

He sniffed it. "Smells like an orange."

"I like them - maybe they're less acidic? Don't know. They taste slightly different from other oranges."

He broke off a section and bit into it. "Not as sweet as a clementine. Looks like a bruise. Looks like a hematoma in a rind."

Looked at him sideways. "Looks like something I'm going to find on the lawn after all the snow's melted."

(I won!)

Crème Brûlée and Cattails.



Katia's Irish Tweed, something that just came out in the fall. Am loving working with this tasty melange of wool, silk and nylon; is both a pleasure to look at and to touch. I'm working 32 stitches on my airplane needles - size 6-7 circulars - in what I can only describe as a fake brioche stitch. (All rows: Sl 1 *K2 P1* K1) Great airplane knitting; interesting pattern that works well with the flecks and slubs of color in the yarn.

Picked this up at the stall in the market at Versailles that sells notions and not-too-expensive but actually quite nice wools. Was a skein short, so sent the Frenchie out to get another - he was kind of amazed that the woman at the stall not only remembered him, but remembered our conversation about yarn requirements, etc. (Course she would remember! It's her job. Aside from that, I'm a fair rarity there in that I'm a stranger who doesn't rest cloistered behind the gates of the palace. My accent and chew-yer-ear-offedness tend to mark me, as a result.) Will finish this scarf hopefully on the plane ride over.

Worked a bit on it on the Buffalo flights, but really couldn't put my heart into it. It wasn't the sadness, but rather a book that I got caught up in.

Was a bit early for a date with a girlfriend from the ex job a couple weeks ago, so decided to browse around Rodney's in Central Square. Anyway, happened on another volume in Euell Gibbons's series on foraging that I'd never heard of. I believe that the Beachcomber's Handbook may have been one of the last that he wrote. It certainly was the most literary. In any event, I devoured it, digested it well, and was rewarded with sweet dreams.



Actually, I'd never seen the pinecone commercial. I remember the cattails, however, from childhood. Was fascinated by the idea of eating what seemed to grow like weeds around my aunt and uncle's house.

If I didn't have so much darn other stuff to be reading (am a bit behind in my classes), I'd bring another of his field guides along for airplane reading. Maybe I still will. We'll see.

What goes better with a fake fur hat than a fake astrakhan scarf?



Monoprix Astrakan Brilliant - two balls for a short scarf that looks pretty sharp when wrapped around the neck twice and buttoned. Just cast 15 or so stitches onto some large-ish needles (I think I used 11s for this.) and knit till you're out of yarn.

I'm not much of a fan of novelty yarns, as I find the knitting dull and the pattern selection kind of limited. (Who would want a whole sweater of the above?) Fell under the spell of Monoprix's notions section (Good stuff! Relatively cheap, too! Not an easy thing to find in Euroland), though, and just had to have this along with a few other 'samples.' Interestingly enough, the attached button cost more than the yarn.

Ended up giving this to Raphaella for Christmas. Kept the hat, though.

This year was a two-caker. My two favorites, too*. Based on that, I'd say that it was a pretty good birthday. Heaven knows it could've been worse.

***

* Cheese Cake and a carrot cake.

Monsieur Scoot brought the cheese cake ("If you're going to make this, get the real Philadelaphia cheese. Don't buy the off brand." was his stern admonishment). It's a long time since I had my favorite - Grandma Z's Eagle Brand no bake one - but Scoot's was a great substitute.

The carrot cake came from my current boss. She shaped it like a heart and put a big "one" candle on it, as, though I'm not yet Jack Benny's age, I'm certainly not far off. Wish I had my camera with me, it was so cute. There was plenty left to share, too.

Top Minds are at work trying to gain access to the seed dispenser. Have witnessed some amazing acrobatics from the balcony, the tallest yew branches that will support a squirrel's weight, the feeder itself.

Clearly, we're going to have to rethink the position and style of said feeder. It's not going to last long where it's hanging.

Tonight's movie on PBS was a favorite when I was a kid:



So much for Cinemascope.

Such a silly story. Worth it for the scenes of Venice, though. Rossano Brazzi, too.