home sweet home

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I got in at MHT around 2230 on june 16, wired and exhausted. I go to conferences primarily to touch base with my friends and allies, and it was good to do so. But by nature I am more of a recluse than I seem, and spending several hours each day surrounded by crowds of people, no matter how dear they are to me, is very exhausting. I find it worthwhile to pay the extra $$ to stay in the conference hotel so that I can escape to the room for 5 to 15 minute breaks away from it all.
John's gout is doing much better, though he still has twinges and is still taking anti-inflammation medication and following a fairly restricted diet. I did a little research and found that a few sources suggest that black cherries (fresh, frozen, or juiced) contain a substance that helps to break up and excrete the uric acid crystals of gout, so we are also trying that. Many thanks for all the prayers.
It's good to be home. The CSA started last week, and we got a head of lettuce, some green garlic, pea tendrils, 3 tomatoes, and some spinach greens. I made salad for dinner last night but forgot to use the tomato. But half the lettuce is left for tonight. I will probably pan-braise the spinach with a little of the green garlic and olive oil - John is not allowed to eat spinach right now, alas. I need a good recipe for the pea tendrils. Every year I do the same thing with them (steam with a little butter added) and it is getting a bit boring. But they are not an item with tons of recipes in the standard cook books. Erik makes an excellent green garlic soup, but I don't think I have enough of them to use that recipe. Will have to explore.
We still haven't put in our vegetable garden, and maybe we won't be able to this year. The CSA really does provide a great base for good eating, and there is also the farmer's market. I'm a bit bummed out because when I left for DC, the brussels sprouts were blossoming and when I got back, the plants had been stripped bare of their blossoms and leaves by some maurauding pest. So I don't know if we will plant our own. I know that we should.
The rhubarb is still blooming. I am really wanting to harvest some - but of course rhubarb is also on the verboten list during an acute gout attack. Oxalic acid crystals, or so they say. I have been trying to find an accurate and evidence based list of dietary interventions for gout, but there is a lot of variability in the lists and not a lot of objective evidence. I guess the availability of drug therapy has decreased the incentive for basic research.

1 Comments

Pea tendrils?

Wash them, but do not dry them.

Get your wok hot, then heat up some oil. Toss in the wet tendrils (watch out for splatters, though), some crushed garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Stir fry for a minute, add a splash of dry sherry, and finish on low heat for a couple more minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste.

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This page contains a single entry by alicia published on June 18, 2005 10:40 AM.

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