Ep. 5: The one about nothing, really
You know those posts on social media we’ve been seeing? The ones with cute graphics and the validating copy letting us know that it’s okay to not be productive during these times? Ya, I like them too. I like getting permission to do absolutely nothing if it suits me, and when I can see who of my friends *liked* the post, I at least know that they support my decision by proxy, so yeah - I’m thankful for that. There are some other validating posts I’d like to see though.
Like, what about the “It’s okay if you still want to be anti-social like you always were” inspirational posts or the “Zoom fatigue is real, people. Know the signs” PSAs. Where are those? Where are the posts that let you know you’re not a bad person if you’re not delivering care packages or visiting your parents’ driveways all the time? Do they not exist because you are a bad person if you’re not doing these things?
I wanna see a post proclaiming that making (or even just eating) banana bread is just as good as making a loaf of sourdough and another that congratulates you for knowing yourself well enough to know that avoiding wearing jeans is the better choice for your mental health right now. Personally, I need to see a post that’s like, “It’s okay that you ate 16 cookies today girl, but tomorrow you need a spinach smoothie, okay? Does that work?” And above all that, I want to be inducted into some official fecking club for joining in the collective Alison Roman cooking experience I’m sharing with my fellow humans, goddamnit! Do you even stew, bro? And if you didn’t, did you even quarantine?!
I may not have done much this week, but stream Bon Appétit YouTube videos, eat Portuguese baked goods, and successfully trick my fiancé into rewatching Sex and the City with me, but I have also made 6 more Alison Roman recipes (and my first heavenly loaf of crunchy, French bread). While I may not be able to count on many constants these days, I am finding that food continues to provide an even keel to my days and undeniably feels like productivity. So, without further adieu, let us turn the conversation to the good stuff.
Last weekend we celebrated Easter, just the two of us. Usually I would stop in to see my Nonna to wish her a Buona Pasqua and enjoy a honeyed ham with the anglo-Canadian side of my family, but this year it was just Max and I. We decided that despite the isolation, we’d cook up one helluva tasty feast. To accompany our lovely, Easter lamb we prepared Alison Roman’s delicious Vinegar-Roasted Beets with Spring Onions and Yogurt, Cumin-Roasted Cauliflower and Dates with Tahini, and Harissa and Maple Roasted Carrots. I continue to drink the anchovy and Castelvetrano Kool-Aid (that’s one salty drink, folks). These recipes are all fast-becoming our favourites.
Despite having lots of Easter leftovers we decided to tackle a few more recipes: Ms. Roman’s Skillet Chicken with Crushed Olives (and no sumac), Perfect Asparagus with Garlic and Salted Olive Oil, and Turmeric-Roasted Carrots with Seeds and Labne - all from Dining In and all a true delight. To round it all out with some lockdown essentials, we made this fresh and lovely Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan and Fresh Herbs too.
We’ve been eating so well these past few weeks. So well that I’ve interrupted key moments in every film we’ve watched with my obnoxiously euphoric exclamations of food-induced delight. Given how many contenders remain on the Movies Andy Hasn’t Seen list and what seems like endless recipes to try out, I think we may have to establish a Pause When Pleased Protocol. Hard to keep quiet when it’s that good though, y’know?
