I love and will always love my Neal's Yard Dairy tote. But I'm confident I will find new ways to remember my trips to old London town, rather than carrying this bag with its stains and thread-bare straps. This week I upgraded to a new used Dooney and Bourke. The brand doesn't mean much to me, but it's well made and appears to be a classic of sorts. I can fit and find my keys, my Rosebud Salve and a diaper all in two shakes of a lamb's tail. It didn't cost terribly much, but it was definitely a discretionary expense and one that I wanted to disappear. And so I decided I would eat it for lunch. There is this great scene in Crossing Delancy, (one of our favorite movies) where Izzy walks into the bookstore where she works with a large shopping bag in her arms and someone asks her, "What's in the bag?", and she answers, "My lunch for the next month." Really, there is a dress she can't afford in the bag. And so it went for me. Starting with beans then lentils, back to beans then lentils, finishing with homemade pizza.
Monday: Depression Stew from My Berlin Kitchen. This has become a mainstay in our home. I love it and I double it. It's made with flageolet beans and carrots and potatoes in a tomato base.
Tuesday: I tried this recipe from Food52 for red lentil dal. It was fine and would have been much better had I not elminated the last and perhaps the most interesting part of the recipe.
Wednesday: Black Bean and Rice Skillet from Simply in Season. Another simple favorite and one where I get to use my cast iron skillet from start to finish.
Thursday: Lentil Soup which got bumped back from Monday night. My own version, fairly simply and fairly heavy on the cumin and tumeric.
Friday: Pizza. Smitten Kitchen's crust. The rest of it was unremarkable, but none of us really cared. Especially me.
After a week like that one, I can't wait to read through my new Bon Appetit, paying careful attention to the Chicken and Dumplings on the cover.
The weekend!
I loved this post.
ReplyDeletefanks, Rachael!
DeleteMy mom had that Dooney in all brown - I recognized it immediately - lovely!! :)
ReplyDeleteI have been stalking vintage Dooneys on Etsy and Ebay - want a backpack for hands free babywrangling. And Crossing Delancey is a favorite - the music is so great and my family has folded so many lines into our personal argot... "One hundred and twenty pounds of pure gold... that's me".
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome! Crossing Delancy forever. :)
DeleteI found you via Rachael and I was wondering if you can share the lentil soup recipe you make?
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly! Thanks for stopping by. You know, the lentil soup has just become one of those things that I throw together depending on what I have in the kitchen. It starts like any other soup - olive oil, chopped onions, garlic, carrots, celery -saute those until they are soft. add your lentils, brown, french, or green. and some tomato paste if you are in the mood, a tablespoon or two. and then add your broth or water -about 7 cups. Bring to a boil, simmer and then you can add some potatoes -which i usually do -diced potatoes. season with lots of cumin and some tumeric. i start with a couple of teaspoons and season to taste. salt is key, especially if you use water instead of broth. :)
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