food

Thanksgiving Dinner!

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Thanksgiving Dinner

This was my Thanksgiving dinner. Not perfectly plated, but it was perfectly delicious! I’m so full and tired.

Thanksgiving dinner was a combined effort. My mom made the turkey and the oyster and cornbread stuffing. We cooked the macaroni and cheese together. I made the collard greens. My aunt made the candied sweet potatoes and mushroom stuffing. Then my aunt and I made the gravy together. The cranberry sauce was the traditional canned variety from Ocean Spray, which you can tell by the lines! LOL.

Thank you to those of you who read my posts faithfully and also to those of you who drop by now and again. You’re very much appreciated! Happy Thanksgiving!

Dinner Tonight + Book Goals

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dinner tonight

This was my dinner tonight! It was very good, but spicier than intended.

I sauteed Vidalia onions and orange peppers in olive oil, then seasoned with garlic powder, lemon pepper and balsamic vinegar.

When I cut up the onions and peppers, I kept the scraps and boiled them in water to make a vegetable broth. The basmati rice was cooked in the broth, along with a bit of of butter and a chicken bullion cube.

Imitation crab pieces were added to the onions and peppers right before removing from the heat. I buy the fake crab every few months, but don’t think that I’ll continue. I did a quick search and found an article stating that they are extremely processed.

Which I knew, but I didn’t realize exactly how much less healthy they are compared to real crab. Again, this should have been more obvious to me. The calories are about the same, but there is way less protein and nutrients than real crab, but more carbs. I think I’ll buy canned crab from now on instead. Although, I guess I should look at that label too!

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Now to books! Since this year is wrapping up, I have some more book goals. I need to start and finish a book, so I can return it to the library. It’s called, “The Comedy of Error: Why Evolution Made Us Laugh,” by Jonathan Silvertown.

I’d like to read five more books before the year ends. The number is rather random and pulled from the air, but it feels doable and a decent amount. I’m not yet sure what the other four books will be, but I have a few in mind.

One book that I’m really interested in reading is a novel called, “Before the Coffee Gets Cold,” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. I heard a lot about this book from several YouTubers and was reminded of it again today. Apparently it’s part of a series of four books. There seem to be a mix of reviews, but I’m definitely feeling a pull to read it.

This book seems to have everything that I love. Coffee, cafes, time travel and short stories. The story is about a small cafe in Tokyo where people can time travel. But they have to return before the coffee gets cold.

This reminds me of a Korean drama on Netflix called Nine Time Travels. Nine magical incense sticks allow the main character to travel back exactly 20 years to the day. But he returns when the stick stops burning.

Pumpkin Spice or Peppermint Mocha?

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This past Saturday, instead of ordering my groceries online and picking them up, I went into the store. This is how the man gets you! I fell prey to seasonal flavor temptations. But did I get the season wrong? Is it still all about pumpkin spice? Or has that ship sailed and peppermint mocha is now the favorite? Enter the battle of the seasonal flavors.

What did I buy? I got Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats Pumpkin Pie Spice and Bolthouse Farms Pumpkin Spice Latte, with the tagline, “Made For Sweater Weather.” The tagline got me. It felt so cozy! Also, I like Bolthouse Farms in general, so I often get something from them if it’s new.

As I was linking to these items, I noticed that the pumpkin spice latte is no longer available. Now the season items are Holiday Nog and Peppermint Mocha.

When I was shopping, I kept noticing the Christmas items and peppermint mocha flavored goodies. But it seemed too soon and I still wanted my pumpkin spice fix. But today, I received a Starbucks Rewards email giving me some seasonal instructions.

“Have a very merry martini — Introducing the new Peppermint Mocha Espresso Martini, available exclusively at our Starbucks Reserve® Roasteries. Made with Starbucks Reserve® espresso and topped with peppermint-infused whipped cream and candy-cane sprinkles, this cocktail is perfect for holiday happy hours.”

Maybe my seasonal flavor consumption has gone awry. The cereal is really good. I haven’t tried the latte yet.* So pumpkin spice or peppermint mocha? I think it’s whatever you like. Both seasonal flavors are good, but soon pumpkin spice will be gone for the year.

Stores are ready for us to do Christmas shopping and want us in the mood. So they set the tone by switching flavors. It’s interesting that Starbucks created both flavors. Peppermint Mocha in 2002 and Pumpkin Spice in 2003. Then the rest of the world followed.

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* Updated 11/7/23: I tried the latte. It’s neither strong nor sweet, and I prefer both strong and sweet. So that is especially disappointing. I had hoped to taste a more robust coffee flavor and some nice spice. I didn’t taste much of either, so I don’t recommend and would not buy again.

Muji Spinach & Cabbage Miso Soup

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Muji Spinach & Cabbage Miso Soup

Over the last several months, I’ve found myself wanting to have a light soup available quickly. A soup that I didn’t have to make myself. Something more substantial than a bullion cube and that I could keep at home and grab when I wanted.

I’m not sure where I saw Muji soup first, but it was one of the vloggers that I follow on YouTube. Several of them were enjoying Muji soups, snacks and coffee. Everything looked really good, so I went on their website and ordered a bunch of things. This might seem like a sponsored post. I wish! Sadly, it is not. I just enjoy their products.

Muji is a Japanese brand that I first learned about when I saw the store on Newbury Street in Boston a few years ago. I generally don’t like shopping in person that much, so I mostly buy online. But their store is one that was a joy to wander around and look at all the fun items. They have just about everything! Sort of like Target, but with a cool minimalist aesthetic.

Since I’m not in Boston much anymore, I figured it would be easier to order online. The shipping fee was rather expensive, but the delivery was in less than 24 hours from when I ordered. Maybe it was worth it, because I didn’t have to fight Boston traffic or exhaust myself looking for parking going to the store.

Anyway, the soup! It’s quite good. The packages are very small though, so I ended up making two servings, which really feels like one. Unfortunately, I also realized that I probably shouldn’t have too much food containing miso, which is fermented soybeans. For health reasons, I’ve mostly eliminated soy from my diet. Otherwise, I definitely recommend Muji soup and the store overall.

Oh, and writing about soup has me thinking about chowder. Which I prefer to buy rather than make. It’s time to revive The Chowdah Project! So during this month, I hope to try some chowder and blog about it at least once. Now, where shall I go….

Spice Bank at the Boston Public Library

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spices

Unlike a regular bank where you deposit money, instead, the Boston Public Library‘s Spice Bank is looking for spices and dried herbs. Tasty!

Since 2021, the Greater Boston Food Bank and the BPL have joined forces to collect and distribute spices, along with food, to people across Eastern Massachusetts. Library patrons can bring unopened spices and dried herbs to any of the participating library branches (Brighton, Central Library in Copley Square (Newsfeed Café), Charlestown, Connolly, Fields Corner, Jamaica Plain, Lower Mills, Roslindale, Roxbury and South Boston) through April 15, 2024.

The spice bank came about because, “the BPL hopes to offer a way to maintain a sense of cultural identity and family traditions, encourage creative and nutritious cooking, and promote the abundant cultural make up that is found in Massachusetts.” Hopefully this bank will yield a lot of interest. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself!

The BPL is no stranger to innovative programs like this. They have a seed library and over the past few years have given away free gardening kits.

Recently I’ve been trying to visit BPL branches that I’ve never been to before. I visited the Adams Street Dorchester branch most recently, and took out a bunch of books. One of the books is aptly called The Last Chance Library, by Freya Sampson. So far I’m enjoying it. It’s lighthearted and set in England, about a librarian who finds out that her library may be closed down due to budget issues.

Libraries have always been a big part of my life. It’s wonderful that there are many available near where I live. I love seeing how libraries continue supporting communities in so many new and innovative ways.