DangerChicks (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} dangerchicks) wrote,@ 2004-10-18 11:45:00 |
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| Current mood: |  cranky |
| Current music: | Song:Toska - Artist:Andy Statman & David Grisman - Album:Songs of our Fathers |
Marcy: Being sick sucks
Okay, here's my litany of annoying disorders. First, I had a major leg cramp on Sunday night that Would Not Go Away. On Monday, I tried potassium (to the point where I made myself throw up, I took so much . . . *sigh*), muscle relaxers, anti-spasmodics, and pseudo-narcotics. It finally passed, but I had a post-medication-binge hangover all day long. Too much methocarbomal is not a Good Thing. Then on Wednesday, I found that a little bump that had been hanging around forever had suddenly grown into a huge wad of skin, filled with god-knows-what and attached to my body by a stalk that appeared to have been made of white plastic. Had to get rid of that, complete with pus and blood and guts. And *then* the pain meds gave me the worst intestinal distress ever. Finally, I tore the site of the former growth wide open on Friday morning -- more blood, more pus. Generally not a good week, healthwise. So I spent the weekend wrapped up in a blanket feeling sorry for myself. whine whine whine...
Luckily, one of the cable channels was playing a marathon of a show that has this host I find surprisingly hot, so I just watched her redecorate people's houses for them most of Saturday. Sunday, I assuaged my crankiness by cooking a big ol' pot of Carbonnade. Tonight, I will probably make Ecuadoran chicken and Estofada.
Look what I learned: mozzarella is easy to make!
How to make Marinated Mozzarella Balls, start to finish
Part One: Make the cheese
1/2 rennet tablet
1/4 cup cool, chlorine-free water (most bottled waters are chlorine-free)
1 gallon milk (2%, 1%, or skim -- don't use whole milk in this recipe)
2 teaspoons citric acid
Crush the rennet into the water and stir to dissolve. Pour milk into a nonreactive pot (no aluminum or cast iron). Place over medium heat. Sprinkle the citric acid over the milk and stir a few times. Heat milk to 88 degrees. Milk will begin to curdle.
At 88 degrees, add the rennet solution and continue stirring slowly every few minutes until the milk reaches 105 degrees. Turn off the heat. Large curds will appear and begin to separate from the whey (the clear, greenish liquid).
With a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, scoop the curd into a large glass bowl. (If it's still too liquid, let it set for a few more minutes). Press the curds gently with your hand and pour off as much whey as possible. Microwave curds on high for 1 minute, then drain off all the excess whey. With a spoon, press curds into a ball until cool. Microwave two more times for 35 seconds each, and continue to drain the whey and work cheese into a ball. In the meantime, place the whey over medium heat and let it heat to about 175 degrees.
When cheese is cool enough to touch, knead it like bread dough until smooth. When you can stretch it like taffy, it is done. You can sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons salt into the cheese while kneading and stretching it. The cheese will become stretchy, smooth and shiny. If it is difficult to stretch and breaks easily, dip it into the hot whey for a few seconds to make it warm and pliable. Then pick it up again and stretch it into a long rope. Fold over and stretch again. Dip in hot whey as needed to make the cheese pliable.
When the cheese is smooth and shiny (this takes just a few minutes), it is ready to use. If you want it for later, shape it into a log or a ball, and store in water in the refrigerator. For Mozzarella Balls, break off walnut-sized pieces and roll into ball shapes.
Part Two: Marinate the cheese
all the cheese balls you made in Part One
1 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced tiny
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
12 black peppercorns, crushed lightly in a mortar and pestle
1/4 t salt
1/4 t red papper flakes
Heat the olive oil over a low flame and add all the spices. Remove from heat immediately and let cool to room temperature. Remove the rosemary sprigs. Pour the oil over the cheese balls and store in the refrigerator overnight.
Note that start to finish, this takes less than one hour, including making the cheese. However, if you don't want to make your own cheese, you can usually buy fresh mozzarella balls at an Italian grocery store. You can also buy a block of fresh mozzarella, cut it into cubes, and marinate the cubes.
You asked me questions, I have answers....
1. Having you been watching the election debates? I failed to watch the first one. Then I heard about the "lump on Bush's back" conspiracy theory, so I watched the second and third, in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the alleged device. I did not catch said glimpse, but I did confirm my opinion of the Leader of the Free World.
2. Any public displays of your political views? I live in a terribly Republican neighborhood. It makes me happy to drive to Seattle to work, and watch the signage change along the way. The challenger for Patty Murray's Senate seat is a despicable creep who runs ads suggesting she admires Osama Bin Laden. While I am not putting signs up, I *am* giving money to various campaigns, moreso than usual. I gave money to Barbara Boxer's campaign for re-election, too, since I grew up in California. And last night, I was called by a Gallup poll.
3. What was your favorite Halloween costume? I had two favorites. One was a geeky thing, some years ago, when computers were not so common. I drew big boots out of cardboard, and then put pictures of thermometers on them. One showed 0F and the other showed 90F. Then I wore black pants and turtleneck, and tied the boots together like a sandwich sign, with one in front and one in back. Only about half the people at the party I went to got it, but those who did could not stop laughing.
The other was when I dressed as the night sky. I wore my college graduation gown, died my hair black and put on blackface makeup. I painted a silver crescent moon on one cheek and put little rhinestone stars all over the gown.
4. What's your favorite Halloween candy? Caramels.
Now it's my turn...
1. What's the strongest double-take you've done lately? At my most recent class session, we had some visitors and a short reception for them. I was standing in a group with several people and we were chatting about various things when the subject of therapy came up. This one guy made some comment about his therapist and I was all, "Dude, this is so none of my business, but what is your therapist's name?" Well, you can guess the answer. It was almost as creepy as meeting someone who once had sex with my mother (besides my father). I guess that must be the transference, but at least we both had the same reaction. We changed the subject, you betcha.
2. Were you surprised at how poorly Scout divided the tribes? I was, a bit. But I knew which tribe Sarge would choose as soon as Scout put Rory on one of the mats. It seems like she got the tribe she wanted, too. She's either nuts or a very canny player, indeed. or both.
3. What's the most surprising (but flattering) thing anyone said to you recently? One of the faculty was giving feedback to individuals in a group, and she said to me, "Marcy, you are one of the most brilliant people I have ever met," which was not the surprising part. That was the second half of her sentence, which was, "and often, brilliance is accompanied with a kind of intellectual arrogance, and yours is not; instead, there is a sort of humility about you that is very inviting." I was shocked, because I am secretly afraid that am Just Too Damned Arrogant For My Own Good. I wondered later if she's crazy, but mostly, I was just surprised.
4. Any new guilty pleasure TV shows? I watched the first episode of Manhunt on Bravo the other night. I have no idea why I found it compelling, since looking at attractive men is not really my thing. But it's like watching a train wreck. It confirms all the stereotypes I have of handsome young men. And there is even one guy on it that I like. I am sure he is not long for the competition. Most of the TWoPpies getting all hot and bothered by the show are gay men and straight women, but I am not the only lesbian who is finding it oddly engrossing.
P.S. Did you see that they have set the time for the premier of TAR6? November 16 (a Tuesday), at 9, 8 Central. Starts with a two-hour premier. Whoooo!
