Sticks and Stones

may break my bones, but I disagree. I think names can hurt. I don't like that 'toughen up' poem.

More often though, names confuse me. I remember when I was young, hearing words like kike and spic and no having any idea what they ment at all. The person they were used to refer to seemed perfectly normal to me. Maybe in part that's why that sortof narrow-minded thinking didn't stick so well. The racists in my life just assumed that I would see the world through the same twisted eyes that they did.

Anyhow, someone mentioned this URL: http://www.rsdb.org/ It's a database of racist codewords for various peoples. Kind of disturbing when you see just how much of this stuff there is. At least now though when some ignorant asshat uses some expression like that, I'll be able to call them on it.

Dinner

Stacey bought me some chantrelles earlier in the week and I took the opportunity to use them tonight.

Butternut Squash soup with chantrelles:

1.5C baked squash pulp.
1C milk
2C chicken stock
white pepper to taste
Bay leaf
1/2tsp oregano
pinch of nutmeg
2tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ginger
Puree and simmer medium heat.
Meanwhile, toast some coarsely chopped pine nuts and sautee about 1/2C chopped chantrelles in light olive oil.
Add these both to the soup about 5 minutes before serving.


Best freakin' rice I've ever made:

It was supposed to be a pilaf but it wasn't quite. It used a lot of the same things as the soup.

1C basmati rice
1C chicken stock
2/3C water
1/2tsp dried parsley.
1/4tsp white pepper
1/2tsp salt
Throw all this in the rice cooker.

When the rice is done, toast some pine nuts (same as above)
Sautee until lightly carmelized 1/2 large onion in 1tsp dark sesame oil.
Another 1/2C chopped chantrelles added to the onions about 3 minutes before they're done.

When the rice is done, add it to the skillet with the onions and chantrelles. Also add the pine nuts and 2tbsp butter.
Cook until rice no longer sticks to itself.

Both dishes were done in about 45 minutes start to finish. We had slice pear for dessert and a smidge of cognac with dinner. Sherry or a dry white wine might have gone better but it was quite good none the less.