VittlesVamp

Missing My Kitchen

The kitchen renovation is in the homestretch. Or at least I hope it is.

The walls had accidentally been painted a dark shade of green - the color meant for the trim - but now they've been reprimed and repainted. The cabinetry has been delivered and partially assembled. After going through a monthlong frenzy of ordering sample tile for the backsplash, I finally settled on one and placed an order. It just arrived, as did the grout.

I never wanted to do this kitchen overhaul in the first place, but once the structural damage was uncovered there was no turning back. It's been a bit of a nerve-wracking enterprise, but I do recognize that I am very lucky. Needing to redo a kitchen in the middle of a pandemic is a hassle - but it is decidedly a first world problem.

Just keeping my fingers crossed that it turns out okay. Please let it turn out okay. Please let it turn out okay. Please let it turn out okay.

Maybe I should cross my eyes and toes for good measure.

Viral Recipes During The Pandemic? Irony Not Lost On Me

Yes, it has been about a year since everyone started making sourdough. I resisted that trend.

Still, ever once in a while I have succumbed to recipe mania. Seems like every few months a new "must-make-recipe" hits social media, as more and more people look for guidance in navigating meal prep during the pandemic.

First up was the Caramelized Shallot Pasta by Alison Roman that had everyone cooking down copious amounts of shallots with briny anchovies, tomato paste, and more. I heard about people making jar after jar of it to put on top of everything from fish to eggs. Sounded like a magic stuff.

My review: Meh. Very meh.

A far superior option if you have a yen for shallots is a Shallot Marmalade from David Lebovitz. Brilliant accompanying cheese or on top of a seared pork chop.

Admittedly, it isn't meant to serve as a sauce for pasta. When I want an easy pasta, I often find myself just browning butter and tossing in a few sage leaves to sizzle. I pour that over a plate of ravioli and shower it all with grated Parmesan. That's it. So good!

But then another pasta recipe started making the rounds. This one emerged from the depths of TikTok and quickly claimed the spotlight: Baked Feta Pasta. The hype around this recipe is off the charts.

It's appeal is simplicity. A brick of feta cheese on a baking dish, accompanied by a tumble of grape tomatoes, chopped garlic, a few lashings of olive oil, a grind or two of black pepper and a sprinkling of hot chili flakes. Into a hot oven for 45 minutes until melty.Stir everything together for a sauce. Toss in cooked pasta and add a handful of basil leaves. Eat.

Easy to make? Yes. Delicious? Um. Not so much. Don't get me wrong, the resulting bowl of cheesy pasta is fine. Absolutely fine! But, absolutely no more than fine.

Lesson learned: viral during a pandemic. Ironic? Sure. Worthy of accolades? Not necessarily.