Every weekend morning, a new science experiment. I make an omelet for both of us, and every time I experiment with seasonings, looking for the perfect combination. I start a skillet with a tablespoon of butter and one chopped fresh scallion. In a copper bowl[1], I whip four eggs, a dash of salt, a little chopped garlic, a dash of lemon pepper and a splash of whole milk. The rest is experimental.
Today’s combo worked well. I added finely chopped fresh sage, finely chopped fresh chives, a pinch of allspice, and a dab of blackstrap molasses. I top it with grated sharp cheddar. It’s even better with a side of French Lentils and Quinoa with Sage Butter Vinaigrette
When I lived alone, I would periodically get all excited about experimenting in the kitchen. I’d fill the fridge with all kinds of cool stuff and dreams that I usually wound up feeding to the garbage can a couple of weeks later. The key is that you have to be cooking often enough, and in enough quantity, to keep the inventory moving, because most everything you need is packaged for families. And with the economy of scale afforded by Warehouse stores, I often wind up looking for someone to share food with – either right in the package, or as a prepared meal.
This is the year I decided to stop making excuses for my lack of culinary ability and to make a serious effort to learn how to feed myself (and others) with skill and style. So far, so good. It is a very interesting journey!
[1] Years ago, I was told that the copper helps froth the eggs. I don’t know if there is any truth to that, but I love having one copper something in the kitchen, lovingly polished and beautiful. The value is clearly more about ritual than chemistry, because adding water or milk to the eggs is the proven way to get fluffy omelets.
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