Someone Farted in the Laundromat

As Brad can attest, I hate doing laundry. It is one of the two chores I fear, the other being dishes. But, because we are traveling to Santa Fe tomorrow and Brad has taken care of the delicates more than once on his days off, today I stepped up to the task.

While I was sitting there, reading my most recent issue of Print and waiting for the dryers to buzz, a couple came in giggling and sorted there laundry right next to me. A moment later I looked up to see they were gone and realized I had been left in a fart.

Up until that moment there were 2 things that were making the laundry errand bearable to me. Next to the dryers it was warm (and almost cozy on a cold day like to day) and it smelled like FABRIC SOFTENER – an odor I would perfume myself with if I could. And so, you can understand why I was particularly offended by such behavior; the laundromat smelled like ass for the next five mintues.

*****

Tomorrow morning we head to Santa Fe for a long weekend during which I will teach a 3-day day workshop for my teen students there at Charisma Dance Studio. Brad and I will also be eating green chilli, enjoying the big blue skies, and deciding whether or not we want to relocate back to our former home from Brooklyn, where we now reside.

Our dog Francine, will be staying with my friends Sara and Steve, who are watching her as a trial run to see if they want a dog themseves. I have to admit I fear that in our absense Francine will act out in rotten, evil ways we have never seen and the two of them will never want to speak to me again after I pick her up next tuesday. But it is likely she will just sleep like she usually does for 90% of the time we are gone. I have been mentally composing the note I will give them with Francine and her belongings that tells them "How to Take Care of My Dog", as neither of them have ever cared for any dog, to my knowledge. I also fear that the note will be overly detailed and make me appear to be a dog-obsessed lunatic. Yet another risk I will have to take.

It is unlikely I will blog over the next 5 days, unless I steal a few mintues on Brad's laptop. So, in order to get you though the impending lapse, I leave you with two soup recipes that have been getting Brad and I through this Fall. Both of these soups are easy, almost fool-proof and deeeeelicious!

Tomato Soup

4 cups chopped tomatoes (preferable seeded although not necessary)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1.5 teaspoon cloves
course ground sea salt and fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1-2 tablespoons sugar

In a stockpot combine tomatoes, garlic, onion, broth, cloves and generously salt and pepper. Boil gently over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes to combine the flavors.

Strain all the liquid from the mixture and set aside. Blend remaining until very smooth.

Heat butter over low heat until melted and quickly wisk in flour to form a golden roux. Add a ladel full of reserved liquid to prevent from burning or sticking and continue to wisk so no clumps form. Add remaining liquid and bleded mixture. Stir to blend and heat gently through.

Eat and enjoy!

I like to serve with cheese toasts. Use slices of crusty bread topped with slices of asiago cheese, salt and pepper and broil for about 5 minutes until crispy and golden.


Split Pea Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped carrot
2 cups finely chopped celery
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cups split peas (I use one green and one yellow)
8 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook onion, carrot and celery until onion
is translucent.

2. Stir in peas, broth, salt and pepper. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 2½ hours
and stir frequently.

3. Puree in a food processor, return to pot to heat through.

4. Serve, top with some croutons and enjoy!