We've arrived at the 52nd week mark: precisely one year of COVID-19 being designated a global pandemic.
I had hoped to look back at this period of hardship, extracting the lessons that could propel humanity to sageness. But I guess we can't do that, at least not yet.
It is with optimism that I gaze at the path before me:
- Obscure as a foggy cliff on a dreary autumn day;
- Unpredictable with steep slopes and hidden tree roots; and
- Potentially grieve-inducing like unpaved sidewalks with unpainted trip hazards.
Creations of the week included:
1) Whole Wheat Bread
3) Mixed Stir Fry of Bean Sprouts, Seafood Mushrooms, Carrots, Pork, Carrots, and Sweet Potato
Inspired by my Soy Braised Eggs of the past weeks, I proceeded to render the recipe more meat-friendly. With the exception of rose cooking wine, the ingredient list remained identical: a stick of cinnamon, star anise, brown sugar, dark and light soy sauce, and water as needed. Added was the step of blanching for scum removal, which was followed with further skimming once the pot was returned to heat.
a) Craft for immediate consumption
b) Preserve for postponed enjoyment
c) Modify for gradual gratification
Divided between four yogurt tubs was a mixture of whipping cream, condensed milk, honey, and Nescafé Gold. Although seemingly devoid of structure in the initial churn, the formula was seamlessly scoop-able after a night of subzero refrigeration. This texture, however, was observed to revert to a successively more pliable state over the next couple of days, promoting quick consumption.