what the dickens...?

charles dickens once wrote (i assume whilst wearing a morning jacket, quite probably a top hat, and with all likelihood mutton-chop sideburns that could brush the soot off your boots and sweep your chimney without so much as a bob's-your-uncle) that “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”  now, i assume when he wrote this, that he was talking about parenting.  or, he might just as easily have been talking about moving house.  both can currently be applied to this girl.  I find myself with the dubious honour of packing up and moving house within the next month, with all three menschkins nipping at my heels.  and though i am exceptionally excited about the future and my new home, the three menschketeers make it a stressful endeavor indeed.

does this sound like an apology?  it should.  i have been dreadfully neglectful of my posting duties.  there are things in need of braising, of pickling, of roasting, and of poaching, and goddammit if i haven’t dropped the ball (or, the spatula).  forgive me, my 3 readers (WAIT!  i can’t forget you, mysterious number four), and please allow me a little time to get my sweet new kitchen in order.  you’ll be happy there with me, i promise.  we can cook together on the fat new viking range as we sip wine and look out over the olympic mountains.  we can sit on the deck and flip our way through the latest edition of lucky peach (look it up.  you’ll love it) as we nibble on castelvetrano olives, beecher’s reserve, and discuss the latest southern food revolution. 

meanwhile, i leave you with one of my favourite, yet easiest recipes: homemade tortillas.  “what what?  what?  what?  what what?  what?  what?”  no need to ask thrice, macklemore, let me tell you just how easy it is to make your own cantina-worthy delicious corn pancakes…

homemade tortillas

2 cups of masa harina

1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups water

pinch of salt

heat cast iron skillet on medium heat.

mix ingredients together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon.   adjust water as needed.  i swear, it’s different every time i do it.  but it should look roughly as so:  boom.

roll out into wee ping pong-sized balls of goodness.  innit.  keep dough underneath damp paper towel until ready to use.

place ball of masa between two circles of parchment paper inside a tortilla press.  press once, rotate disk of dough, (pause to make sure wine glass is filled and page of seattle magazine is read,) then press again.

cook tortilla in hot skillet for one minute on each side and keep warm until ready.  serve with filling and toppings of choice.  look forward with great excitement to next post written from new office, new kitchen, new house.

boom.