in good taste, vol. 47: solar power
risk, reward, the antarctic flag, and a spectacular frittata
Don’t fall asleep in the sun.
I know. But after some loosely applied SPF, a few kicks in a pool, and a cup of rosé, it’s practically inevitable. It’s Summer 2021, and I’m back to old habits, inadvertent sun poisoning being one of them!
Like many of you, my privileged return to the world has been mostly gradual and deliberate, and entirely voluntary. Global re-entry feels like getting sun on the back: warm, welcome, a bit golden around the edges; not without some attendant risk.
So life as I knew it returns, albeit slowly and with a tinge of difference. I go to the doctor’s appointments I’d put off. A stranger cuts my hair. I am married now; we sit at a table or on a bar stool for dinner, once more. There is an element of risk in all of this, of falling asleep in the sun again, so to speak. It is what it is.
EXTRA LINKS FOR THE EXTRA-LONG TIME AWAY
I very much relate to Nigella Lawson’s argument for culinary enjoyment:
“There are times when I eat that I am made so completely happy by what I’m eating, and so intensely aware of and alive to the deep-seeping pleasure of every mouthful. I used to start feeling anxious as I neared the end of my plate, horrified by the knowledge that this very state of bliss was soon to come to an end.”
“It’s okay to outgrow the life you thought you wanted”
Why the Angostura packaging label is too big for its bottle
On being blissfully, voluntarily, consciously child-free:
“If you don’t want kids, they think you must hate them. It all boils down to education, cultural differences and religion...People wonder, ‘What else is she going to want?’”
Antarctica’s first flag
I like this list of “7 of the best decor pieces I’ve ever owned” and would like to hear yours! My own, non-exhaustive list would include:
a Danish teak bookshelf that holds my cookbooks;
a sapphire velvety couch;
a funky white wooden “speakeasy” bench, with a hidden drawer for special wine;
2 jade horsehead bookends;
a 19th-century French walnut dining table;
A slightly-bruised secretary desk, given by my favorite post-modern fiction professor;
a signed photo of Dolly Parton.
A FRITTATA FOR YOUR BREAKFAST, BRUNCH, LUNCH AND DINNER
An excellent way to use up the ends of vegetables and set yourself up for a nice eggy snack. I aim for about 2 eggs per person if I’m feeding more than me, but even if you’re just cooking for yourself you’ll want to have more than 2 eggs.
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
6 eggs
¼ cup milk
Half a bunch of asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces
Half a red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
½ pound baby potatoes, peeled and diced
8 oz. mushrooms
¼ cup crumbled feta (or goat cheese)
2 tbsp. herbes de Provence
1 tsp. za’atar (optional)
1 tsp. sumac (optional)
Salt & pepper
WHAT TO DO
Pre-heat oven to 375. In a medium-sized bowl, crack eggs and whisk in salt, pepper, milk until fully combined. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine asparagus, red onion, squash, zucchini with 1 tbsp of olive oil and salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence (+za’atar and sumac, if using).
In a medium-sized skillet, heat butter to foaming, and sauté mushrooms over medium heat -- try not to touch them too much, and keep them separated so as not to steam. After about 4 minutes, flip them; once browned on the other side, set aside on a plate.
In a separate saucepan, par-boil potatoes in salted water (this will cut overall cooking time in half, and make the potatoes a lot more palatable). When they’re fork-tender, drain them in a colander.
In a cast-iron skillet, heat remaining tbsp. of olive oil and sauté your vegetables for about 5-7 minutes, or until softened on medium-high heat, adding the garlic at the last 2 minutes to get fragrant, but not browned. Combine the reserved potatoes and mushrooms to the mix, as well as feta. Put the heat on low and pour in eggs, being careful to get egg in the crags between the vegetables (easiest done with a silicone spatula). Season with a bit more salt & pepper, and cook on the stovetop on low for about 30 seconds-1 minute -- you want them to still be runny, not fully cooked.
Put the cast-iron skillet in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the frittata has risen and browned a bit and egg has cooked through (keep an eye on it at the 15-minute mark). Take it out of the oven and let rest for 5 minutes or so.