Works in Progress

I've been working on a big post for a couple of weeks, but because work and Other Things are keeping me quite busy at the moment it's blowing out into a project with no clear end in site, so I've decided to put up a little something in the meantime.

Thanksgiving was last Thursday, and I missed you guys a lot. As nice as it is to have it with my family (and not to have to cook two bloody turkeys and my weight in stuffing), it will never be as fun as it is in Sydney. The warm weather, the franticness (franticity?), the running all over Erskineville with half-cooked birds because my oven died in the ass... they were fucking good times.

Anyway, a couple of people e-mailed me saying that at this time of year they missed my pumpkin pie. I figured that this at least is something I could provide from the other side of the world, so long as you-all promise not to miss me any less because you can make it without me. :)


XOXO

Best Pumpkin Pie
(Cook’s Illustrated)

2 cups (16 oz/4.4 kg) butternut pumpkin puree*
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup double cream
2/3 cup milk
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400˚F (205˚C). Blind-bake pie crust in pie pan for 5-10 minutes or until just a touch golden.

Process first 7 ingredients in a food processor fitted with steel blade for 1 minute.

Transfer pumpkin mixture to a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring it to a sputtering simmer over medium-high heat. Cook pumpkin, stirring constantly, until thick and shiny, about 5 minutes.

When crust is done, whisk heavy cream and milk into pumpkin and bring to a bare simmer. Process eggs in food processor until whites and yolks are mixed (about 5 seconds). With motor running, slowly pour about half of hot pumpkin mixture through feed tube. Stop machine and scrape in remaining pumpkin. Process 30 seconds longer.

Immediately pour warm filling into hot pie shell. (Ladle any excess filling into pie after it has baked for 5 minutes or so — by this time filling will have settled.) Bake until filling is puffed, dry-looking, and lightly cracked around edges, and center wiggles like gelatin when pie is gently shaken, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour, and serve with homemade whipped cream (not ice cream - it doesn't seem to work well).

*To make butternut puree:
Peel and cube fresh butternut. Boil in lightly-salted water until soft but not breaking down. Drain off water, then mash or blend pumpkin until very smooth (it should look like baby food). Do NOT add any additional salt or other ingredients, as that will stuff up the rest of the recipe.

An Unhoped-for Return to Form

Or: Our Heroine Regards Her Intestines Once More.

As you might have guessed from the titles, I am in a bit rough shape at the moment. The ol' IBS has resurrected itself from the bowels of, well, my bowels, and let me tell you, I hadn't realised how much I hadn't missed it until it came back.

I think now that it started while I was in Barcelona: right when I got back I had some digestive unpleasantness for several days, and I had thought it was food poisoning. It cleared up eventually, but then a few weeks ago I overindulged slightly on awesome cocktails at Drink and ended up very sick indeed; then a few days later I was sick again after a totally reasonable amount of wine; and then this past Sunday night I was sick AGAIN after feeling off all weekend and avoiding alcohol altogether... and now I'm finally connecting the dots. The painful, bloated, vomit-covered dots.

I had a bit of a cry last night at my mom because I was - and am - scared that this will be as bad as and last as long as the first time. The first time that lasted months and months, and was painful and embarrassing and limiting, and meant that I didn't feel comfortable leaving the house for any period of time in case Something Happened. I can't bear the thought of my already limited social life suddenly crashing down that much more.

But after a lovely Halloween with my family, Caitlin's family, and Colleen and her awesome dog Simon, followed by a good night's rest, I woke up this morning feeling heaps better about everything. I know what's wrong with me; I know it's not going to do me lasting damage; I know how to deal with it. It might take a few weeks or even longer to settle down fully, but that's okay. I'll drink lots of peppermint tea, and avoid anything carbonated or alcoholic. I'll eat very carefully and in small amounts. I'll restrict myself to soup and chicken and pureed fruit, all with minimal preservatives. I'll be on the three-bite rule: whenever I feel I can, I'll eat three bites of something I know is safe. I'm aiming for once an hour so long as I feel well, and today it seems to be working: so far I've had two 3-bites of a bread roll and three 3-bites of applesauce, and while it's not what you'd call satisfying, I also don't have much of an appetite so it's okay. In fact, that becomes one of the hardest things to deal with: when I feel like this, I don't want to eat and I'm often afraid to eat, and not eating anything only makes it worse - and then when I do feel well, I eat too much and it makes it worse all over again. But three bites? I can usually manage three bites, even when I don't feel great; and I know that I shouldn't have more than that right now, so I won't overdo it.

So that's that, for now. It's an overshare, and I wish it were better news, but... well, it feels good to talk about it and have my plan written down, so you're all helping me with that. :)


XOXO