Fortune Cookie Reflections

Today my fortune cookie fortune said: “You will be a great success – both in business and social situations.”  Phew!  What a relief!  Seriously…after 2+ years of unemployment I was really beginning to wonder.  Now I know I can rest easy.  I mean, if the fortune cookie says it’s so then it’s so…right?! 

But that fortune cookie did get me to wondering about my current situation.  Who am I kidding?   That didn’t GET me to wondering.  Thinking and wondering about my situation is what I seem to be doing most of the time these past several months.  When will I find a job?  Will I ever go back to feeling financially secure?  How long is this recession really going to last?  Why does it seem like I’m the only one still out of work?  What’s wrong with me?  My friends and I affectionately refer to this kind of counterproductive self reflection as “ShitTown.”  I on more than one occasion have said that “My mind is like a bad neighborhood – no one should go there alone!”  I think we all find ourselves in ShitTown from time to time.  Like any bad neighborhood, the key is: DON’T GET OUTTA THE CAR.  Just find a way to get your ass back on the interstate and the hell out of that place.  It’s no good.  But it is so easy to become paralyzed by thoughts (analysis paralysis) and allow yourself to feel isolated believing you are the only one in the world who is suffering.  But you have to remember – and believe – that just isn’t so.  SO many people out there are hurting.  Many are in far worse shape than me.  We all have clouds in our life.  Stormy times.  Difficult struggles.  I try to remind myself of what my Mom would often tell me when life gets me down: “This too shall pass.”

I was watching Oprah’s new network this past weekend and she has this really wonderful new program called “Master Class.”  In it she interviews people she considers to be Masters; people like Diane Sawyer, Jay-Z, and Simon Cowell.  The one I was particularly moved by was Maya Angelou.  I’ve never read one of her books.  I’ve seen her on television and probably heard bits and pieces of her famous poems but so much of what she said about what she’s learned in life struck a chord with me.  Here are just a few of the thoughts she shared that I loved:

I’m aware that I’m a child of God.

It’s amazing to think that the IT which made fleas and mountains…and rivers…and stars…made ME.

What I pray for is humility…to know that there is something greater than I.

Then I have to know that the brute, the bigot and the batterer are all children of God; whether they know it or not.  And I’m supposed to treat them accordingly.  And it’s hard.  And I blow it all the time.

I loved that…and share her belief.  She talked about her grandmother “Mama” who raised her as a young child and her mother who raised her later in life and the lessons they instilled in her.  Like “When you get: give.  When you learn: teach.”  So simple. So powerful.  She also talked about doing right.  This especially inspired me because doing right is so important to me.  Maybe it’s because I was born a Libra ruled by the scales.  Or maybe it’s because I am the youngest of six children, a child of divorce who continuously fought so hard to keep peace in my family.  She said:

Now sister, you know what’s right.  Just do right.  You don’t really have to ask anybody.  The truth is: right may not be expedient.  It may not be profitable.  But it will satisfy your soul.  It brings you the kind of protection that body guards can’t give you.  Try to be that…in your church, in your temple.  Try to be that in your classroom.  Do it because it is right to do.  People will know you.  And they will add their prayers to your life.  They’ll wish you well.

So…take up the battle.  Take it up.  It’s yours.  This is your life.  This is your world.  So pick it up.  Pick up the battle and make it a better world.  Just where you are.

Isn’t that beautiful?  I can’t think of a better blessing than to have others wish you well and to add their prayers to your life.  So for today – I’m going to BELIEVE that dame fortune cookie.  Recognizing that I, too, am a child of God.  That there is something in me that is of value – and maybe not just to me.  I just have to keep FAITH and HOPE and TAKE UP THE BATTLE.  And remember that if my Mom were still here, she would tell me: “Child, this too shall pass.”

Welcome 2011!

Wow… where has January gone?!  Umm…while we are on the topic: where did that last decade go?!  As I reflected on that this morning I was really surprised at how quickly time has passed.  Isn’t it funny that as we get older time seems to go by faster?  As a child I remember thinking a month was nearly an eternity, let alone a year (except when it came to summer vacation which always flew by like lightning).  Yet as a quatrogenerian (can you dig it?!) I’m marveling at how the passage of TEN years went by so quickly?!  An old boss of mine had a great insight into explaining this phenomenon:  When you are a child, say ten years of age – the time that a week or month or even a whole year represents in comparison to your lifetime is much larger when you’re younger.  For example, a year when you’re a ten year old represents 1/10^th of your lifetime vs. at age 30 one year represents only 1/30^th of your life. Therefore, time is relative.   So in some twisted way, this seems comforting to me.

Speaking of twisted…(great segue right?!)

                                    

I know we usually think about lemons as a summer time fruit, but they are actually in season right now.  Tom’s mom has an abundant Meyer Lemon tree next door to her so last time I was there I picked oh… about 30 lemons.  I louvre lemons…especially Meyers!  In my excitement – perhaps it was their sweet floral scent that was intoxicating me – I didn’t really stop to think about how 2 people could possibly consume 30 lemons before they rotted.  So what did I do?  Well when life gives me lemons…I don’t just make lemonade, I head straight to the internet for every recipe I can find on Meyer lemons. 

I remembered coming across a food blog (Yummy Supper) a few months ago with beautiful photos that had 3 or 4 recipes for Meyer Lemons and so that’s where I started.  One recipe was for preserved lemons.  Never heard of it.  But then I saw the pictures of the Braised Halibut with Preserved Lemons and Pistachios and decided immediately I needed to try it!  I would love to say I’ve tried the Halibut, but the lemons take a month to “preserve” so all I can say is that I HOPE it turns out as good as it looks.  They are currently curing away in my fridge. 

Now that was all fine and well – but I needed a quick fix.  I needed to make something with my lemons that I could try RIGHT NOW.  So I decided to make Candied Lemon Bits – a fantastically easy recipe that is fast and Oooooo so yummy.  I think they could make a very sweet hostess gift, and certainly work great as a sweet breath freshener post-morning coffee.  Next I plan to make Martha Stewart’s Lemon Curd.  Do YOU have a favorite lemon recipe?  If so, I’d love to hear from you!

Now – normally I offer up a wine pairing suggestion.  But today I’m offering up a cocktail recipe – a Meyer Lemon Drop Martini. 

I hope you are lucky enough to have a Meyer lemon tree near you!

Preserved Lemons
There are some great photos demonstrating the process found on Yummy Supper Blog

 Ingredients:

12 Meyer Lemons
10 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
1 – 2 Clean Canning Jars

Scrub lemons until nice and clean. Cut a thin slice from the tops and bottoms of 10 lemons.  Set 2 whole lemons aside to juice later.  Cut two deep intersecting slits in the 10 lemons. Make sure each lemon is still attached, but the center should be nice and accessible to receive lots of salt. Heap salt into each crevice. Squish salted lemons into a clean jar or two.

Let lemons sit jarred for 3-4 days allowing the skins to soften. Then press the lemons again and cover them with juice squeezed from the two remaining lemons. Be sure the curing lemons are completely covered with juice (this will avoid mold growth).  Store in the refrigerator for at least a month before using.  As needed, pluck a preserved lemon from the jar, rinse off salt and use as directed by your recipe.

Also check out the Halibut recipe I mention…I can't wait to try it out!! 

Candied Lemon Peel 

Ingredients:

4-6 Meyer Lemons
2 Cups Sugar, Divided
1 Cup Water

Wash and scrub lemons.  Peel your lemons into long strips while trying to avoid as much white “pith” as possible. After removing the peels, blanch them in simmering water for about 3 minutes to remove the bitter oils.  Scrape any remaining pith from the blanched peels using the back of a spoon. You might end up with a little pith, which is fine.Lay out parchment paper and set out a low bowl with sugar.  Take the strips/bits and dip them in the sugar, which will easily stick to the syrupy peels.  Let dry on parchment.  Store in an airtight container.

Make a simple syrup by combining 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir regularly until sugar has dissolved.  Add peels to simple syrup. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. (Note that thicker skinned citrus like oranges may need 5 minutes to blanch and up to 20 minutes in the syrup).

Be sure to save the simple syrup for my Meyer Lemon Drop Martini or if you are willing to part with the syrup, bottle it and give it to a friend!

Meyer Lemon Drop Martini

1 ½ oz. High Quality Vodka (I like Ketel One)
Juice from ½  Meyer Lemon
2 to 4 Tbsp Reserved Lemon Syrup (from Candied Lemon Peel recipe)

1 Cup Ice

Sugar (for rimming glass)

Wet a martini glass and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.  Run flesh of lemon around the rim of martini glass then dip into a plate with sugar on it to give a nice sugared rim.  Then combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker (add the ice last so as not to water down the delishiousness).  Give it a few good shakes (or stir if you prefer).  Pour into chilled martini glass and garnish with a bit of the candied lemon peel.  Mmmm…I Die.

Cheers -- and Happy New Year!!