vermicelli

Tuesday, December 8, 2009


the cowboy and the sisters - Bess & Piper Belle, Miss D is hangin' back with the photographer

The cowboy made dinner last night - maybe my favourite dinner that he's made yet. Rice vermicelli with spring rolls drenched in a sweet, tres garlicy, fish sauce concoction.

Vermicelli with Spring Rolls

cooked rice vermicelli noodles (4 cups)
large handful of fresh mint rough chopped
handful of chopped cilantro
carrot sliced into thin strips with a vegetable peeler
half of an English cucumber chopped in large pieces
2 cups of bean sprouts
4 or 5 cooked breakfast sausage chopped (the cowboy's favourite brand)
1 cup chopped unsalted peanuts
3 spring rolls heated and sliced on the diagonal
Asian hot chili sauce to taste

Divide the above ingredients into two large bowls, spoon on plenty of the fish sauce concoction. 1/2 cup or to taste. Stir together with chopsticks and eat. Wow !

Fish Sauce Concoction

1 large head of garlic minced
2 cups of apple juice
1/2 cup Thai fish sauce
4 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. Asian hot chili sauce

mix well in a jar and refrigerate (keeps for ages)

Our day's begin with early morning coffee and conversation, followed by goodbyes at 29 Black Street as we attempt to separate for our new eternity (8 hours in the daytime). Hours in which I've been trying to recreate part of the life I had before the cowboy. My designer's life, my work life - that Creative Empire building life. Yikes. I'm struggling I confess. Oh how I wish I counted beans or some less conceptually taxing occupation - for my brain has become as dull as dull can be. Brilliant creativity and the love stupor do not seem to make a good match.

An hour goes by while I sit at the TTD willing my dull brain to come to, Please !? and he calls and I'm so relieved because I'm missing him tremendously already and we commiserate while counting the hours until we'll meet up again. He's coming into town to do errands, he tells me Why not stop by for a visit I ask. He says Yes I will with relief in his voice. Our scheduled meeting up again time is 3pm when I take the sisters Miss D and Piper Belle, to his house, for our afternoon walk with the beautiful brown hound Bess in the golden, now snow covered, hayfield behind his house. Then I have tea (English Breakfast imported from Newcastle on Tyne) and he has an afternoon beer and we chat once again by the fire. Dinner's back at 29 Black Street with another fire to stoke, crazed, wrestling, gnashing dogs and cats lurking disapprovingly from the darkened corners of the room. More after dinner conversation - ongoing and expanded next chapters revealed from our individual histories. We eat dessert - last night it was squares of dark chocolate and Christmas clementines. We sit on the floor on the thick rug (brought from his home for the dogs to play on - traction) and in front of the fire and we laugh until we're both crying and snorting at the silly and acrobatic antics of the sisters Bess & Piper Belle, while Miss D, who's curled up on the sofa, beams down big at her new pack.

Then we sleep tangled perfectly together looking forward to the beginning of our next new day.

11 comments:

  1. Hmmmm, spring rolls and concoctions. Add to that a spirited episode of Dog Wrestling and a roaring fire and you've got yourself a good time.

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  2. I'm drinking English Breakfast as we speak. I've gotta make some of that fish sauce stuff. I've got all the ingredients handy.

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  3. I started coming to your blog for the wonderful photos, but your true romance has me looking forward to your every post! And I know how wonderful it is to blessed with a man who cooks.

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  4. I love that very official culinary term 'Concoction'! I had a young lodger, a delightful girl and a terrifyingly dreadful cook, who had two dishes she'd invented, and seemed to survive on - Chicken Mixture and Beef Mixture....

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  5. PS Domestic bliss! The dog wrestling would drive me round the bend, though. Give me a ringside seat to watch Millie and Scooter pounce and wrestle any day!

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  6. I love the idea of Miss Winnie on the couch watching her pack: the other animals and you, and the cowboy included! Isn't it great to be part of an animal pack?

    I loved all your details today, especially the romantic ones. So glad you get to have him come by during the day. How far is your house from his house? Does he write or something? It seems to me you said he did. I know he is a retired history professor.

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  7. A man who enjoys cooking is one of the joys of life.Mine is a better cook than I'll ever be, fussy with ingredients and methods. I stand in awe,and sing his praises to high heaven as I shovel the food in. One can never underestimate the value of being an appreciative conniseur however.We have our place in the gastronomy scheme of things! I'm looking forward to more "he cooked/I cooked" Black Streeet adventures as I know you cook up a treat too Susan.xx

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  8. Isn't love grand...I'm newly in love with the Captain.

    much love

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  9. Yahoo!! What a wonderful chapter in your life!
    xxoo

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  10. Not sure why Newcastle on Tyne link goes to the blog it does but lovely post again. Yes, i do so love that English breakfast too as I sit here drinking my Earl Grey this time.

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  11. I'm thinking about how I can revise the fish sauce so that everyone can eat it...what can I replace the fish-flavor with? I'm thinking maybe a vegetable broth?
    Love to read about your great new love story...the real life ones are the best! I bet your cats are jealous! xx

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