been awhile since

... i posted anything work-related. But when I saw the ocean on G's walk this morning, it asked me to share this very compelling Q&A interview with the author of a new book about what's going on in the oceans.

Photo by World Resources Institute.

I try not to talk about these things too much with most of the people I know because it's hard for me to stay calm and find the right words to get through the shields people create for themselves. Because, psychologically, we humans are having trouble dealing with the ecological problems our industrial society has created. It's downright scary, mindboggling, depressing. Better for your mental health not to think too-too much about it, I know. Just because it consumes much of my thoughts and, increasingly, my actions/lifestyle, I want to be clear: I am not judging anyone. Particularly the person (hi, S) with whom I recently discussed my gradual ethical transformation into this eco-hardass! I hope she can stop feeling scared to talk to me about such stuff and she can now attest that I do make, at my little city homestead, a pretty awesome loaf of bread!

Okay, end of enviro-interlude. Thanks for listening.

Addendum: Just got my hydro bill and mainly because of receiving my lamps with CFL bulbs (and probably also do to my deciding to cut down on heating a bit after having been shocked by my October bill), my consumption dropped from 10kwh/day in October, back to what it was at in August: 3kwh/day. Wonder what the corresponding CO2 reduction on that is!

the joys of unfussy

I'm so glad I'm pretty much the unfussiest person I know. Take celery root. It's bizarre looking and is probably ignored by a large percentage of shoppers, but man, I heart the stuff. And in super-easy savoury cakelets? Yes please! (I'm happily thinking of the four leftover ones in the fridge.)

Celery root muffies
Adapted (read: simplified) from Muffin Tin Mania

3 cups grated celery root
2 eggs
¼ cup flour of choice
1 Tbsp capers
1-2 tsp ground coriander, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grate the celery root (takes a strong arm if doing it by hand!). Combine all the ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Divide mixture among 8 buttered muffin-tin cups (half-fill the empty cups with water: the steam will help make the tops crunchy and the filled ones bake more evenly) and bake for 25 minutes until the tops have turned a golden. Let cool a bit before lifting them out with a rubber spatula.

yes, soup for you

I don't know why I logged in, I'm too tired to blog. But then I saw this recipe I meant to post waiting in drafts and I'm just gonna go for it.

And, as a matter of fact, I think I'll make some this weekend, WITH HOMEMADE BREAD! Because... drumroll please... my stuff got here last Thursday so I have my cookbooks with my awesome no-knead bread recipe and the dutch oven I need to bake it in. Plus I just ordered a lovely huge bag of unbleached flour and a Sugar Pie (heirloom) pumpkin that I could use in place of squash.

Ginger-scented squash and apple soup
(adapted from a couple of places)

• 1 leek (white only)
• 1 butternut or some Hubbard (quantity depending on size, some are huge!) squash, peeled, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored, chopped (squash and apple should be at a 3 to 1 ratio)
• 3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth if vegetarian)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger root
• Splash of milk or half and half (optional)
• A bit of salt, if necessary (my veg stock is salted so I didn't add any)

Boil squash and when half-done, add apple, leek and ginger. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for until squash is soft. Puree veg with some of cooking water, [return to a pot if you used a blender rather than a hand-held thingy] and add broth gradually until you have the thickness of soup you want. Stir in the milk/cream if you want.

Absolutely autumn-licious.