Good morning, itโs Wednesday already! Not a whole lot to report. Yesterday, I went for a bike ride; listened to the first episode of this crazy new podcast; started Season 5 of The Wire; and read a chapter in a book about Tolstoy (!) that Andy is editing and obsessing over. This photo is from last week when we decided we needed to eat frozen prepared Italian food around a backyard fire pit. As much as home cooking has saved me these past few weeks, it felt good to shove a block of cheesy pasta into the oven and press a button. Here are three things for your Quarantine Wednesdayโฆ
Pantry: Yogurt with Mango & Pistachio
I havenโt been to NYC since March 12, and wow do I miss it. Even things I once dreaded, like taking the packed 4 train to Brooklyn, I find myself sentimental about. This is especially true for restaurants, of course. And every now and then, Iโll think of some special place, then say a small prayer while I google to see if they are surviving. One of those is Moustache, where for decades we ate lamb pita โpitzasโ and raisin-almond-and-chicken ouzis and honeyed-mango-pistachio yogurt for dessert. (Whew, they are still open, doing takeout.) I could never recreate the pitzas or ouzis at home, but the yogurt? That one is easy: I just top full-fat Greek yogurt with chopped mangoes, a drizzle of honey, and shelled pistachios. Works just as well for a healthy snack or breakfast as a dessert. Itโs not exactly the same, nor do I really want it to be, but Iโll take it.
Project: Shrimp Rolls
Over at Cup of Jo today, I wrote about my favorite Summer Signifier, i.e. the Shrimp Salad Roll. I like mine lighter on the mayo, and with lots of dill, lemon, and a dash of horseradish. So so good. Head over there for the recipe.
Purpose: Hephaistos: God of Fire!
Right about the same time as I started this blog (in 2010), George OโConnor published Zeus, the first in a series of graphic novels devoted to telling the back stories of each of the Olympian gods. OG Dinner: A Love Story readers will remember that Phoebe, then 8, became instantly addicted, and that volume kicked off an obsession with Greek mythology that lasts to this day. (Next year, when she heads off to college, sheโs considering a minor in Classics.) Last week, Hephaistos, the 11th of a projected 12 volumes, arrived in our house, and I just love how sheโs grown up with the series, always looking forward to the news that the next one is on the way. An experience that is decidedly the opposite of bingeing on Love is Blind on Netflix. (Though I do hear that is insanely good in its own way, too.) Anyway, if you have any budding mythologists in the house, check out the series.
Stay safe.
The goal of theย Project, Pantry, Purpose seriesย to keep us sane, distracted, and connected. Please continue to comment below with suggestions for recipes, projects (for kids and adults), good deeds, donation ideas, stories, movies, games, puzzles. Or just tell me how youโre doing, whatย yourย daily routine is, andย especially how DALS can help you or people in your community. You can also email me directly at jenny@dinneralovestory.com.
I already had the shrimp rolls from your book (a fave in our house) on the menu for tomorrow. What are some good sides to serve with it? Thinking corn on the cob andโฆ?
I am enjoying Wind of Change! Have you read Patrick Radden Keefeโs book Say Nothing about Northern Ireland? If not, you should. It is excellent!
Omg, I went to Moustache several times in 1997 with a friend who absolutely loved it. Iโm from
Florida, now live in Tx, and I still dream of the inflated pita bread.
My goodness, going to try the mango yogurt because YES itโs in my pantry, but why havenโt I tried to combine this until now!
Also I read Circe last year and am now putting those graphic novels on my read list! Greek mythology is so fascinating.
I just finished Circe and loved it! It might be too dark for your daughther, but it should definitely land on her reading list ๐ Also, I got Stephen Fryโs Mythos and Heroes as a gift from my bf, so that might be something she likes too.
These rolls lool delicious and so summery!
Are you working from home? My Wednesdays are such a stressful messy blur of trying to get work done while supervising kid care!
Yes working from home, but since my kids are 16 & 18, I am fortunate not to have to think about home schooling or overseeing childcare. I feel for parents like you who have that on top of everything else!
Would it ruin the dish to replace the shrimp with lobster pieces?
We have a Greek god obsessed 9 year old boy here. Think it started with this series too and now heโs on his second run through the Percy Jackson series and resisting starting other books because he โprobably wonโt love them as much.โ Would love Phoebeโs recommendations for other books. Esp interested in getting him to read โchapter booksโ vs graphic novels that I know he will devout with little nudging.
If you are in Southern California, please let me know as I have the same! (Well, almost 9 but still.) Anyway, hoping for some Phoebe recs too!
I just have to comment to say that I am SO glad that I did a Classics minor in my undergrad. My major was Applied Math which (believe it or not!) could be pretty dry and had a fairly prescribed course selection, but I had so much more freedom in my minor to choose whatever I was interested in that semester โ language, literature, politics, history, religion โ itโs all there! I genuinely feel that my Classics knowledge has enriched my life โ I find myself realizing all the time that I understand something (a word, a reference in art or literature, a question about grammar, a military strategy, etc. etc) because I learned Classics.
Wowโฆ this is so yummy. I love it