September
"I went off my diet today."
I am going to a big food conference in October. Most people would probably prepare by reading the conference materials, reading up on the region, mapping out how to approach the event. I am preparing by going on a diet. There is simply no way I am going to pass up sampling things such as Branza de Burduf (a Romanian cheese), Sir iz Mijeha (lit., cheese in a sack, from Bosnia and Herzegovina), Jabal Amel Freekeh (green wheat from Lebanon), Meurche (a cured meat from Bulgaria), Yacon (a fruit from Argentina)... and you get the idea.
But today, while walking around the house with a colander, I spotted about 20 bright, golden squash blossoms trying to stretch wide toward the sun while still remaining partially protected behind scratchy squash plant leaves.
I plucked them all and hurried into the house while they were still wide open.
With just a spritz of water to clean them off, a dab of egg wash and a slight pass of brown rice flour (optional), they landed in a saute pan and were done in 30 seconds.
A pour of chardonnay was all it took to turn effort into sheer delight.
And now I'm back on my diet.
