Sometimes things just don't work out

Salmon under salt

I like trying new things - recipes, hobbies, beverages, you name it. Sometimes those things work out beautifully. Sometimes they don't. One example of when they don't work out is my latest new thing - lox. We bought a large salmon filet, and I decided to try my hand at lox. I read through several recipes, and finally settled on one because it was written by Alton Brown. I really like how he breaks things down - process, chemical reactions that are happening, timing, everything. So, I pulled his recipe (courtesy of Food and Wine magazine, https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/aspen-2004-gravlax) and got to work. I mixed the salt and sugar, and added in some fresh ground coriander and caraway because I didn't have dill. I covered the filet with salt, wrapped it, and flipped it diligently. And when I pulled it out on Saturday, it was close to a disaster. It's so very salty, and harder than lox should be. I talked it over with my resident curing and grilling expert, Walter, and here's what I did wrong. I put too much salt on it. The amount of salt was specifically measured for the amount of fish to cure. Because I didn't know better, I thought the curing process was independent of the volume of salt. It's not. So, although it's not a complete disaster, that lox will have to be mixed into other things, and maybe shaved. I'm thinking I'll use it more like bonito, or bottarga, grated over pasta or eggs. Who knows? Maybe it's the start of a new food adventure!

Because chocolate

Over the  last week, I also made a flourless chocolate cake for a friend of mine because she and her husband lost their dog, Nelson. Nelson was awesome, and he was a complete jerk. He looked a lot like a mogwai from the movie Gremlins, and sometimes he was a gremlin. He didn't like skateboards, cats, or children. He did love Zia, and treats, and me. And I loved him. Zia also loved him, and she loved  to go visit and hang out with him. She had several overnight stays when we were out of town, and always looked forward to going over, and sometimes seemed a little reluctant to come home! Nelson got cancer a couple years ago, and they treated it. But it came back, and this time, the treatment was going to be more aggressive, and so they decided to keep him comfortable. He was a trooper, and it was finally time to say good-bye. So, I made the cake for her and her husband, as an "I'm sorry" because they lost their friend. I'm hoping it was a little bit of love on the inside, and that for a minute, it made them feel better.

Finally, we made chicken wings on the BBQ this weekend. Walter is usually the king of the BBQ, and I just stand back and let him do his thing. However, he was working on his bike at the same time, so I asked if I could help. He likes doing a traditional St. Louis BBQ, like his dad and older brothers did in the backyard when he was growing up. He grills the meat until it's done, then puts it in a pot with some BBQ sauce and a little beer, and lets it sit on the fire until the sauce has thickened up and the meat is juicy and tender. He and his family do this with pork steaks and chicken, and it's tasty every time. Suffice it to say, I need to ask more questions before trying to take over the grilling duties in our household. I added too much beer, and well, it was a little more juicy than he liked it to be. It all turned out well, and we enjoyed our wings with some potato pancakes made from a leftover baked potato and a polenta cake made from some leftover polenta. Add in some celery and carrot sticks served with blue cheese dressing, and we even had a vegetable!

That's all from my dining room table under cloudy skies. Stay safe and healthy. Remember to be grateful for all you have, and for the things that you don't have as well.

Nelson and Zia at leisure