01 November 2007
I spend a lot of time thinking about what to eat. If here is the acceptable amount of time to be thinking about food, I'm just there, on the other side. I blame food blogs. So maybe I can make you think about food too much too.
Let's start with breakfast. My favourite meal of the day? Certainly the most anticipated. I've been on a huge toast/tomato/basil kick lately, though I'm quickly running out of homegrown tomatoes. Last night, I made the tofu basil 'ricotta' from Vegan with a Vengeance -- substituting the olive oil called for with Sour Supreme. Yum.
On to lunch! Wait, THIS is my favourite meal of the day. I usually microwave potatoes when I want a 'baked' potato -- who's got the time for all that actual baking, eh? But I had to roast tomatoes for soup today, so I stuck this yam in the oven too (after brushing it with olive oil and sprinkling all over with salt, pepper, and rosemary).
Monosyllabic expressions of pleasure. I have gone back through all my memories, and I have never had a baked tuber to match this one. The meltiness, the creaminess, the flavour. Sweet inside! Salty outside! The miracle of Sour Supreme! Forget curries, forget burritos, forget tempeh (no! Don't forget tempeh! A slip of the tongue!) -- all things I've sworn I could eat every day. It's roasted yams for me from now on.
Ah, and now my favourite meal of the day -- afternoon tea! I made this yesterday, and although it's not the most attractive tart ever (this is probably as good as it'll ever look), it's really delicious. Just a cup and a half of unflavoured/unsweetened yogurt, a quarter cup of (sifted) powdered sugar, about a tsp of cornstarch. . . blueberries. I made a crust with crushed wholewheat digestive biscuits and oil and baked for about 25 minutes at 350F. I think it probably could have come out sooner, although I'm not really sure. I'm not convinced that the cracking on top could have been prevented, even with a shorter baking time -- it seems akin to a skin forming on pudding. And it's hardly even a dessert. More like breakfast, I should say.
The cats still eat in the hutch, in case you were wondering. Somebody slipped when they were pouring the food this morning, and instead of it all falling neatly into the green glass bowl, some of the food fell on the eating pedestal. And yes, they drink water out of a Pyrex teacup. And this? Is nowhere near spoiled, compared to some cats I know.
I love tomatoes on toast! I like your green mug with the birdie that is slipping into your photos recently.
P.S. I've been reading your blog for a little while now, but never commented before. I love it, your food is beautiful.
posted by Robin at November 1, 2007 03:15 PM
oh my goodness! such deliciousness. do tell, how long and at what temperature did you roast that gorgeous tuber? i LOVE yams and usually bake them wrapped in foil and don't eat the skin, but I'd love to roast one like you did and eat the whole thing!
posted by Nancy at November 1, 2007 08:04 PM
I made sure to scrub the yam very well before brushing it with oil and sprinkling over the salt, etc. I made sort of a cradle with foil but didn't wrap it up, and then I put it in a 425F oven for about an hour (turning every 20 minutes). It might have sat in the hot oven (turned off) for even longer than that -- just keep checking until a fork sinks in effortlessly! The skin is the best part!
posted by Anna at November 1, 2007 10:30 PM
Your photography is beautiful. Are you using a digital SLR camera (as opposed to a pocket camera?)
posted by Roseana at November 4, 2007 08:48 AM
Your toast. Looks delicious.
I am inspired. I have half a tomato left and I think I'll make that for my own breakfast tomorrow. Tasty tasterson.
posted by jessie at November 4, 2007 08:15 PM
Roseana -- Yeah, I use a Nikon D70 (SLR) for most pictures I take around the house. I've got a Olympus point-and-shoot that I use when I'm out and about.
posted by Anna at November 4, 2007 08:54 PM
oh my! i finally picked up some sweet taters (my drool hit the keyboard when I first looked at your post...) and can't wait to get home for dinner. You're an excellent food eating inspirer!
posted by kim at November 5, 2007 09:13 PM
You're wonderful - in the past year I've developed into more and more of a foodie, and I, too, blame the food blogs.
posted by Jenna at November 6, 2007 07:22 PM
Can you tell us anymore about how you made the crust for the tart?
posted by Kari at November 13, 2007 10:47 PM