Today I learned about the "Lamest Edit Wars" page on Wikipedia. I think I got there when trying to find out when Michael Palin would release more diaries, which led to the discovery that some people think typing "Palin" into Wikipedia should take you straight to Sarah Palin's page. (And another edit war begins.)
I didn't find out anything about new diaries, but I did learn that all of (Michael) Palin's travel books are available for free on his website. He really is the nicest Python.
I also learned about "Jeremiads" on Wikipedia today. This summer I signed up for some contest at Powells.com, the used bookstore darling of the northwest, and ended up on their review-a-day list. It goes to one of my spam addresses, but I admit to getting sucked in to reading now and again.
In this case, there was a review of a new book of letters by Ted Hughes, and the reviewer said something to the effect that Hughes was known for his Jeremiads. I looked it up: "A Jeremiad is a long literary work, usually in prose, but sometimes in poetry, in which the author bitterly laments the state of society and its morals in a serious tone of sustained invective, and always contains a prophecy of society's imminent downfall."
I think we just found a new blog category.
I have a new paneer recipe to try for this three-day weekend. (Yogurt instead of lemon juice.) I think there are also some "aloo" plans - all I know is that ginger was on sale, so something has to happen.
Wait, I just opened another cookbook from this week's library trip. They have a recipe for paneer that I haven't seen before:
Preheat oven to 450.
Spread a pound of ricotta cheese in a 9x5" bread pan.
Bake until lightly brown and firm, but not dry. (About 40 minutes.)
Cool and cut.
Whoa. That's so easy. But does it taste good? Forget the yogurt and cheesecloth - I'm going to try this instead.
I just need a good korma recipe. And by "good" I mean "really easy." Like, so easy that the recipe drives itself to the new Whole Foods megastore and buys its own coconut cream and almonds. Maybe it also picks up a loaf of pane paisano. And, since no one will suspect a list of ingredients, perhaps it shoplifts a few wedges of that soap with the sea salt crust.
Hey, who is this woman? Her YouTube videos have a logo on them - she must be important! (No, seriously. Not sarcasm.) She seems to be very helpful. This is her vegetable korma video:
The site of all those little prep dishes is putting me off, but I don't know why I'm such a wuss. As long as you have lots of ramekins, and we do, it's just a matter of getting your materials in order beforehand. The actual cooking is pretty fuss-free. I'm just a whiny baby. But we knew that.
Besides, I just want to make the gravy. Everyone knows I don't truck with cauliflower.
(But, is it me, or do her "teaspoon" portions look extra-big?)
I realize that the Harvest Moon has already come and gone, but much as Thanksgiving rolls into Christmas, the big October moon is just the season's gateway to Halloween. Because Hughes was on my mind, and because I grudgingly admit to liking some of his poetry (I know that choosing sides in the Sylvia vs. Ted drama is so passe, but I'm old school), here's the first stanza of his "Harvest Moon":
The flame-red moon, the harvest moon,
Rolls along the hills, gently bouncing,
A vast balloon,
Till it takes off, and sinks upward
To lie on the bottom of the sky, like a gold doubloon.
The harvest moon has come,
Booming softly through heaven, like a bassoon.
And the earth replies all night, like a deep drum.
(Only the first stanza because I'm not crazy about the rest.)
(And I'll just slip in the obligatory BoC video without further comment.)
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