small h

And we're in Scotland next month!

Who wants to treat me to the Foxface seafood dinner? I promise to make lively conversation. ETA: I've just been informed that would I should do is offer to LISTEN for two hours, not talk. I can do that, too!

Thanks! It's the egg wash. Also, the recipe was a winner.

Fifth of July cookout. Impossible burger on homemade sourdough discard bun, potato salad, corn, vinegared cukes.

We're finally taking our honeymoon (to coincide with our first anniversary). Edinburgh for several days, probably going to Glasgow also, and then heading north to the Flow Country because I am obsessed with peat bogs. Pescatarian-friendly, no tasting menus (I don't like the loss of control), nothing too crazy-expensive but some fanciness okay because honeymoon. Particular-to-Scotland, oysters, salmon, good whiskey a plus.

When we first got the car, during the pandemic, I hadn't driven in so long (and I was much more used to a stick) that I occasionally used my left foot for the brake because my left foot was so bored. I do not recommend this.

I drove for the first time since my most recent hip surgery (January 2024). I probably could've gotten behind the wheel earlier, but eh, if someone else wants to drive, I'm not gonna fight about it. My stick shift days are probably over, though, alas.

I could see feeling menaced by caffeinated garlic.

I have. Probably once every two weeks or so. Not always on the M14, but it’s not that uncommon.

I have to push back on this a bit, as I think compliance varies but is not dead. As an extremely judgmental person, I am forever eyeing people who I either know haven't paid (like your gang o' teens) or suspect. And I think more people pay the fare than not, at least on my regular downtown routes. For one, I see them. And for two, I've witnessed a fair number of transit cop fare-checks, and these days, fewer people are getting caught having not paid than a year ago. Or cats to live in bodegas! https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-lawmaker-wants-to-legalize-bodega-cats-in-the-5-boroughs

You'll never guess who disagrees with you.

Today in unexpected food behavior. I had some pizza dough in the freezer (made with sourdough discard), and I thought I'd make some flatbread out of it. I'd parbaked the stuff before, so I figured things would go according to plan. But no! It pita'd. No problem, squished it down, slapped some fava bean / lemon / mint / feta on there. Served with a side of balcony lettuce and homemade ranch. How green was my dinner.

I know. Same. And earlier the same day, the driver of a different bus I was on took some time to give detailed directions to a confused passenger, which annoyed me 'cause I was running late. But this is less about me delaying the bus and more about a good Samaritan kid.

Well, here’s an interesting thing that happened. I was coming out of my building and saw the M14A bus starting to pull away from the stop. I waved and tried to hustle, but I am not very speedy, and the driver either didn’t see me or (more likely) ignored me. And then a teen on a bike got in front of the bus, forcing it to stop. I saw him point in my direction. This gave me the time I needed to reach the bus door - which I had to knock on, because the driver was still ignoring me. Once she opened the door and I got on, the teen rode off. “Was he holding you for me?” I asked. She said “Yeah, you got to be at the stop or I leave.” “I know,” I said, “but I was just coming out of the building.” “Then you wait for the next bus,” she said. “Or some nice kid buys me time,” I said, and then I walked quickly all the way to the back, because she was pretty pissed. TL;dr The kids are alright.

Or to fear. Or to dread. Or to hide from.

I got to ""Each forkful is too much and not enough" and had to lie down for a bit.

Chilled (balcony) sorrel and squash soup with a little curry powder and a boiled egg. Hot weather food!

My first lunchbox!

You think that's it?

Now someone else has also suggested humidity. Maybe I'm wrong about this.

I would be fine with the curliness (looks like David Chang's ramen noodles). It's the stuck togetherness I object to.

I don't think so, although it's a good theory. The dough was pretty stiff and dry, and the a/c was on. Maybe I wasn't diligent enough about flouring the dough, but it went through the flattener just fine. The cutter seems to be both snagging the dough and not cutting all the way through it. The only differences between last night and every other time I've made pasta is that I used sourdough discard, and I didn't let the dough rest much after kneading.

Who wants to diagnose the issue with my KitchenAid spaghetti cutter, or the issue with me? Something has gone wrong. Spaghetti is not supposed to be squiggly and stuck together.

So sick of this. Want to watch Poker Face!

The time has come for a Byproduct.