7/10/12 - Ups and Downs

It was a low-energy day. I was in the grips of some serious inertia, and then I got some kinda bad news, and it just really set me in a bad state of mind. I decided hiding in my apartment all day was the best way to handle it. I had my last piece of clafoutis for breakfast with a scoop of my apricot ice cream. Sometimes food therapy is a good thing.

I spent a long time looking at pictures from my trip to Spain and thinking about how wonderful it was, and how much I want to do more traveling. I was going to write one blog entry about my whole trip, but I realized that was crazy, and I narrowed it down. Check it out: http://rosehastimeonherhands.blogspot.com/2012/07/7912-flashback-culinary-adventures-in.html 
I was feeling so inspired by my little trip down memory lane, that I figured I'd just better write another for good measure. 
http://rosehastimeonherhands.blogspot.com/2012/07/flashback-fun-with-fashion-spain.html


I watched the finale of Season 9 of "Project Runway." It made me cry a little, I admit. I know this is old news, but my favorite designer won! I made some more flax crackers. This time I added pepitas, smoked paprika, and lime. They turned out really tasty!

I also took my second stab at plum butter. This time I used much sweeter pluots. I bought them ripe, but I've been ripening them even more in a paper bag on the counter. They are juicy!

Again, I blanched them, and removed their skins.

Again, I put them in a saucepan. This time I didn't need to use a knife. I just sort of squeezed them off the pit. I didn't even need to add water!

I ended up adding about a 1/4 cup of agave because it was still just a little too tart. Then I let it simmer and simmer and simmer.

This time it ended up a gorgeous deep burgundy. I had enough for two and a half small jars, so I canned 2 and kept the half to eat now.

Yummers!

Now I'm going to brag for a minute.  Not only did I make some kick-ass plum butter, but I have the best boyfriend in the world. I was watching "True Blood," waiting for my jam to finish cooking down, and feeling a little sorry for myself, when Alex called. "I'm home," he said. "How would you like to come over? I can draw you a bubble bath, pour you a glass of scotch, and read you poems while you relax." Truth be told, I had been in my pajamas all day, and was feeling a little attached to my sofa, but really, who can resist an offer like that? So when the plum butter business was all wrapped up, I put some real clothes on and drove my butt over to Alex's place. He greeted me with a glass of Ardbeg, neat, and had already drawn the bath, complete with lavender bubble bath. Then he said the sweetest words ever: "Want to order gluten-free pizza from Lucifer's?" My boyfriend read me the "Tao Te Ching" while I soaked in a bathtub and drank scotch by candlelight. Then we ate pizza. Life is good.