- Maldon Sea Salt: I love the way the "soft white flaky crystals" feel when I pinch a bit and sprinkle it over food. At 9 bucks a box, it feels like a guilty pleasure. But it's worth every penny. Not only is the texture nice, but the taste is exponentially better than even kosher salt. Anything that makes food taste more like itself, but better, sharper, clearer is good in my book. Interestingly, the Maldon website says it has a "salty flavour." What other flavors do salts come in?
- Cookie Magazine: I cringe when I see Parenting magazine (it screams mom jeans to me). Real Simple is nice and all. But I can't help but feel like it's written for a nice mom in Minnesota who drives a mini-van and wants to de-clutter her mud room. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not me. But Cookie Magazine seems to be a little more urban, a little more hip, a little more edgy. Not that I'm those things - but I do aspire to be those things and isn't that what magazine reading is all about? Admit it, you feel a bit like a rock star when you read Rolling Stone or Paste. You feel smugly superior and liberal when you read The New Yorker. And you feel like a star fucker when you read People. Back to Cookie. I love it because where else am I going to find out that the Brazilian bikini wax is out and the French is in? That there is decent women-directed porn out there -- and it's "good for couples." That there are family-friendly, non-cheesy Caribbean vacation spots. And that it is possible to find kid music that you'd actually want to listen to.
- Hanky Panky thongs: Think you don't like thongs? Try these. They are cute, sexy and comfortable. Recently some of the friends reminded me how the low-rise style is exactly what a modern girl needs to wear under her designer jeans so there's nothing peeking out when she bends over. I prefer to leave the whole thong-showing thing to cute teenagers, shameless skanks and Monica Lewinsky. Thanks to K and A who kindly gave me 2 lovely pairs for my birthday.
- Cuisinart Slow Cooker: This was my Valentine's Day present. Some might not consider this to be very romantic. (Remember that scene in Father of the Bride when Brian gives Annie a blender for their 8-month anniversary?) But I really do dig kitchen gadgets and anything that has to do with cooking. (My cast-iron frying pan might be my favorite possession.) It was sweet and thoughtful of my husband to get it (and calculating). He knows that one of my greatest regrets is having a job that rarely allows me to come home and cook the elaborate and nutritious meals I dream of. But the slow cooker lets me indulge the obsessive compulsive Type A in me -- prep and chop the night before, throw meat/veg/broth/herbs/spices together in the cooker in the morning before work, and bam! dinner is waiting for me when I get home. It also lets me indulge the gourmet in me -- recent dinners have included pulled pork bbq with Carolina sauce, lemon rosemary chicken, chili, parmesan sage pork and beer braised beef brisket. Tomorrow I'm trying slow cooked pinto beans. Maybe I won't be that into it when the weather gets warmer and lighter cooking will be more appropriate, but for now I'm happy. (Jewelry, shoes and handbags are good too.)
Should I be worried that my friends buy me lace underwear and my husband buys me a crock pot?
2 comments:
That slow cooker sounded so good I just bought one! On sale for a mere $79 at Crate & Barrel.
You'll have to let me know what culinary creations your slow cooker produces. I tend to think that pork - more so than almost anything else - was made for slow cookin'.
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