Blenders

I finally found it: the perfect make-at-home Indian recipe that would remind us of our Indian carry-out place. Oh, it was a dish ridden with flavor. And the scent of cooking it took me to new heights. I finally found, after reading its name over and over again in conjunction with Indian cooking, Garam Masala, a spice which seems simply comprised of only like five things I might feasibly throw together from my spice pantry. But no, I declare Garam Masala to be the Spice that Enabled Me to Cook Something Indian that Tasted Good.*I had a recent encounter with a wonderful older woman at Key Food. We were both in the rice aisle, and I was browsing for Indian-grown rice versus the Thailand-grown jasmine rice that I mistakenly used last time I cooked Indian (a curry recipe). Thai rice and Indian rice are distinctly different in flavor and even in scent while cooking. Anyway, I was bent down peering at Basmatis, which are Indian-grown rice grains, when the woman said to me from the row of juices oddly placed directly across from the rices, "Have you tried Basmati? The grain melts in your mouth..." and I said, because I didn't quite understand her at very first, "Yes, I've had that. Now I'm trying Indian rice." When she walked away, I looked back at the rice only to realize Basmati rice is Indian rice. And Thai rice, which I've had tons, is Jasmati (or Jasmine rice). Look, I'm new to this rice universe. Thankfully the nice lady didn't feel the urge to correct me!*Anyway, what I needed for my Indian Butter Chicken, which is the Sunset recipe I tossed together for Craig that tasted so terrific and authentic (not knowing what that means), was the Basmati. And we both agreed, it made a difference over serving Chicken Curry on Jasmine rice. These things we learn slowly.*Today I learned that there is a food writing course being taught at a prestigious location in Manhattan beginning in September and running through November. It is a night course, one night a week, and would fit perfectly into my plan, provided it doesn't fill up before I can afford to sign up. Unfortunately this and next month equal taxes, and what I owe kind of stinks. But if the course doesn't fill up, and if I'm able to enroll, I might have a semester's worth of time to learn about food writing and whether or not it's something I'd like to casually or actively pursue. I've got these tendencies to shift talent gears, deciding one day that I'm really good at this, deciding the next day that I'm definitely skilled at that. And maybe that's normal for a person who isn't entirely comfortable in their career shoes. However, Craig and I will not throw money at something not worth my while. It doesn't make sense to invest in something vacant. But the great thing is, he supports every announcement I present to him. He's really excited at the prospect of me taking a food writing course. He's been the happy recipient of mostly good newly-discovered meals crafted by me for nearly a year now (plus the time prior when I was learning and fumbling to cook!)*So we'll see. Meanwhile, the photograph depicted above represents the lovely glass-bodied blender I bought myself to better whip the sauce for the Indian Butter Chicken. The blender was under $40, and yet its glory is white, glass and lovely, considering it isn't a blender/food processor combo (which is the ultimate goal I wish to reach in terms of grinding kitchen equipment!)*March Madness has begun, this morning I arrived to work before 6 with Craig as my company for a very important thing I needed to do, and now we're trying to rule out watching Lost over the start of March Madness. I think the weekend will be spent catching up on shows. Hopefully we can just relax. Relaxing is what I need!