A marvelously lazy day began to unfold about nine this morning. It was just getting light enough to go outside but the temperature was only 12° so we had to bundle up like Eskimos to brave the chill. We each got on our thermal undies and started to layer with shirts and sweaters, pants and boots, jackets, hats, gloves, and scarves. I swear astronauts don’t have to spend as much time getting ready for a spacewalk as we do for Moscow winter walk. We did a long walk to a new Georgian restaurant we want to try tonight. It is actually not far from the apartment, but we wanted the exercise so we went out of our way to get there. It looks good and they don’t advertise live music so we’ll give it a shot. Our normal restaurant has just become far too loud with the music to the point that we can’t even have a normal conversation while the chanteuse is wailing about love, loss and betrayal.
On the way home the sun came out and it is now a bright and shiny day, but the temperatures have dropped even more so we’ll stay indoors for a while. We are just lounging around in our thermal underwear, Cindy looking like something from Victoria’s Secret while I look like Mikhail Baryshnikov’s worst dream. My plants are actually sighing with pleasure as the first rays of sun in the New Year embrace them. I feel like I should leave the room.
Dinner last night was fun, but time consuming to make. We picked up some frozen cod at the embassy and I decided to make Greek Cod, which is nothing more than an onion sliced and layered on the bottom of a bread pan. On top of that I placed five chopped cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, olive oil and the juice of a half lemon. I mixed it all up and then placed the two cod fillets on top with slices of lemon and a few little pats of butter. I sealed the pan with foil and placed it in a preheated 400° oven and let it cook/steam for about thirty-five minutes. Meanwhile, I diced up a carrot and one of the slices of onion I had saved and cooked them in boiling water for six minutes. I drained that reserving the water and then cooked some frozen cauliflower in that water for five minutes. I drained that, reserving the water and added a cup of rice to the water to let that cook while I smashed the carrots, onion, cauliflower with milk, butter, yogurt, Parmesan cheese, whole grain mustard and salt and pepper. When it was the way I wanted it, I put it into a glass bowl, added more cheese, sprinkled it with nutmeg and placed it into the oven with the fish for the last fifteen minutes of cooking. I then kept stirring the rice that was now cooking nicely with the water and the smells were incredible. When the rice was risotto consistency, I plated everything and brought it to the table with hot crusty French bread and a great bottle of French Chardonnay. Photos are here.
I shall leave you with a bit of a rant. When did Miss America become Miss Teen America? I noted with great dissatisfaction that the new Miss America is a seventeen year old high school student. Burt Parks would be very displeased.
Happy Sunday, Cindy and Wm
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