Passing The Quaran-time
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How are ya doing? Now that’s a loaded question these days, isn’t it.
I’ve got my ups and downs, but overall I’m figuring out my “new normal” and doing OK. I’m mostly scared about what this will all mean for our collective “new normal” moving forward. Will our all our loved ones be safe? Will the majority of us have work? Will we be able to hug again? Will I spend the rest of my days afraid?
Sunny days are so much easier. I feel so lucky to have a little patio and roof deck to be able to enjoy the sun when it actually comes out, but I struggle daily without a more expansive outdoor space to fully roam and feel free. A car or a yard would make me so happy right now, but keep dreaming big little girl.
Since we’ve been holed up, I’ve had so many projects I’ve also wanted to do. Some I’ve completed, like tending to my flower box and my mini garden, power washing (OMG it’s so satisfying to see the color of your patio changing right in front of your eyes), doing some exercise most days, and lots of cooking. Others I’ve failed miserably at. Have I organized my clothes and closet yet? Nope because that feels like a chore since I’m not wearing anything other than leggings or sweats right now. And it’s definitely taken some mental work to realize that it’s OK I didn’t get there yet. We are all currently under a lot of stress, and it’s OK to not be productive all of the time. I think right now, what helps put a smile on my face is to remember things I am grateful for and those good sunny days.
Tell me, how have you spent your Quaran-time? Perhaps you’re still working. Perhaps exercising more. Perhaps you’ve made your first Sourdough. Perhaps you’re just bingeing on all those shows you never had time to watch. And all of those are OK. I just hope you’ve settled into these strange times the best that you can.
But sometimes, we just need something simple to make us smile. So here’s what I have for you today:
I was so tempted to try this on Mr Duke since I desperately need to trim his nails, but I haven’t gone there yet…
My video editing skills are super amateur from high school and college, so I’ll try to expand them with this course .
This Vance Joy song (though not new) still puts a smile on my face.
Though titled “The Last Cookie Dance”, we all know this won’t be the last. Daily (mostly solo) dance parties always boost my mood.
Did you know TO-GO COCKTAILS may be coming to Philly?!!
Meanwhile, here’s a fave cocktail you can make at home.
Or you can order wines for pick-up from Le Caveau’s bottle shop.
Right now is the perfect time to start a garden! Plants, flowers, fresh veggies and herbs make me so happy. I have a tiny space so it’s a simple herb garden for me, but perhaps you have a space like Martha. The more you can grow at home, the better.
I have yet to try on my jeans, so it’s possible they might be quite tight. Who knows, but I’m digging these workouts because they make me feel strong and graceful.
OH, AND A RECIPE FOR YOU TO TRY! Key Lime for Your Quaran’time! I’ve been substitute teaching for a high school culinary class…today we made a gluten free “key lime” mousse pie. You can try below, and let me know what you think!
RECIPE NOTES
Feel free to make this gluten free using gluten free graham crackers (store-bought or homemade) or regular gluten-full graham crackers. I did not make my own for this recipe due to time constraints, but I’m happy to share my GF graham cracker recipe if you ask!
The filling starts with a basic fruit curd, only with key lime (fresh if you can find or Nellie & Joe’s) or juice from regular limes.
I make my curds in a pot directly over the heat. However, it can burn super easily, so I suggest making with an indirect heat source, such as over a double boiler or bowl over a pot of boiling water, if you aren’t comfortable.
Chilling the curd in an ice bath will help it cool down quickly. Plus you’ll have the added bonus of no edges starting to solidify if you are agitating with a spatula the entire time.
At its most basic, mousse is made by folding an aerator into a base. Here, we are folding a lightly whipped cream into a thickened curd. If you are whipping cream for a mousse, you want to make sure it is only whisked to medium soft peaks because folding medium soft peaked cream into mousse will keep the texture smooth and creamy when it sets. Equal textures combine much more easily. If your cream is over whipped and folded into the base, it will not full homogenize and will have a grainy watery texture on your palate.
I like to do small amounts like this by hand with a whisk to ensure I do not overwhip the cream. But you can certainly use a standing mixer, just be sure to watch it closely, as it can turn from perfect to over in no time. However, it happens to the best of us, and if you did happen to overwhip your cream and it almost looks like butter, there’s an easy way to fix it. Just add a few more tablespoons of fresh cream and slowly fold it in by hand. The cream will loosen and eventually come back from the edge to become useable again.
Ahhhh meringues. I could talk all day about meringues. Eggs are brilliant and so versatile. I use an Italian Meringue on my pies because they are the most sturdy of the meringues, meaning make in advance and it can sit on the dessert table for awhile and not weep. The easiest things to remember about making an Italian Meringue is they are a 2 : 1 ratio of sugar : egg white, and you must cook to about 240 degrees F (a thermometer definitely helps). I also highly recommend a scale (this one has lasted me years!).
The perfect Italian meringue is stiff, thick, and glossy, but not watery or weepy. If you hold the bowl over your head, the meringue will stay put.
This recipe is sized for a small disposable 9” pie pan. It should fit a 9” ceramic dish, but sometimes they are a little deeper and may need the recipe to be scaled up.
Above all, just enjoy!!!