Ethiopian market, Christmas present for self, cheesecake

I was so jazzed about my injera and wat lunch earlier this week that I immediately texted Hiwot and asked if she might be remotely willing to teach me how to make injera. If so, where should I get supplies?

"I'm glad that you love my Injera, I'm totally willing to teach you how to make injera. You can find the Teff flour and the (Mitad) grill from any Ethiopian market or I can tell you the market address in Washington DC...I'll bring you some starter."

Um, yes. I am ALWAYS down for exploring a new-to-me market. Hiwot directed me to Black Lion Market on 14th St NW, certain it would have both black and ivory teff flour and the exact grill I needed to cook the injera. Can you even believe the loveliness of this woman? 

I walked in and shyly inquired about the grill, showing one employee a photograph that Hiwot had sent me. 

"Oh yes, you want this one! Also, it can help you make chapatis, tortillas, and pita." 

"Thank you! This is perfect. And do you have smaller than 42-pound bags of teff flour?"

"Now you need to talk to this woman. She knows everything about flour."

That lovely woman brought me over to smaller bags of flour, gallon-size Ziplocs of various flours individually weighed and priced, labeled in Amharic. I heaved one bag each of black and ivory teff, and also a large sack of red lentils into my arms, and placed them carefully on the counter by the register before adding a boxed grill to the mix.

A young man with a great smile walked up behind me, placed his bag of injera on the counter, saw my pile, and asked, "Are you going to make injera? Do you like it?" I was the only white shopper in Black Lion, and I am certain he wondered if I knew what I was doing. 

I smiled back and said, "I love it. My friend made me some and said she would teach me and that these items are what I need because she'll bring some starter. Isn't that cool?"

I showed him and the two women at the register my pictures of Hiwot's injera and they were very impressed.

"Oh yes, she knows what she is doing!"

Then I showed my photo of the wat I'd made. 

"You made that? Lentil wat? Good for you."

We were all smiling like crazy. I turned to the man behind me and said, "Now why aren't you making your own injera?" and grinned. He laughed and said, "Oh, I know I should! But I'm not so good at it." 

I stumbled out into a freezing day, arms and heart full. 
~~~
Winter break started yesterday after the kids finished school, and I cannot adequately express how deeply thrilled I am to have no homework to oversee for a full two weeks. Ah! Oliver spent last night at a friend's house, and Jack, T and I grilled a pizza and vegged out.

Today, the boys and I finished up one of the two epic projects we've been working on as surprise gifts for the grandparents, and I made a pumpkin cheesecake for the freezer and also a batch of rum balls. The latter gets better over time, so they'll be perfect when Mom and Dad arrive next week, and my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, just after!

Injera and lentil wat (and a tiny Shel update)

Quick Shel update: 1) Jack's teacher was as amused by the whole situation as I was which is comforting, to say the least. 2) I have learned more about Shel than I ever expected to know. 3) When in 5th grade, Oliver will not be doing his poetry research project on Shel.
~~

Ok, so as y'all might know, I like to talk to people- friends, strangers, neighbors, whoever. Generally speaking, I'm a social gal. 

Also, I am the mother of sons and have a husband. Because of this, I am an almost-daily regular at the market nearest me. Because, constant, high-quantity eating. 

In any case, I have gotten to know a number of the store's employees and truly enjoy seeing them when I'm there. Last time I got one of my horrid sinus rages, Hiwot reminded me that drinking my body weight in hot water with lemon, ginger, and honey was wise. I ran and got a huge knob of ginger and later that afternoon was grateful for her advice.

The next time I saw her, I thanked her profusely, and we talked some more and then were pals. One week ago yesterday, I was at the store purchasing, among other items, some red lentils because I have been helping a friend test recipes for the cookbook she's writing. Hiwot said, "Are you making lentil soup?"

"Yes!"

"I make lentil wat and always put berbere in it."

"Is that like pili-pili from Kenya?"

"Not the same but it is a red pepper. I bring mine back from Ethiopia. Do you have any?"

"No, sadly. It sounds great."

"I'll bring you some. And my recipe."

"OMG, I will bring you some preserves."

So, we set a date, met in the check-out line at the appointed time, and exchanged goods. I made her a pear, lemon, honey, and ginger preserve (because hello, she and I met because of ginger), and she brought me a generously-filled Ziploc of berbere and her hand-written notes on lentil wat.

Powdered gold.

"Do you like injera?"

"I love it. Do you make yours with teff only or a teff-wheat blend?"

"Only teff, of course. Both black and white. Well, ivory. Have you had both injeras?"

"No, I've only had ivory. This is so cool. I had no idea there was black injera."

"I will make you some. Let's meet back here next week, same time."

People, I was overwhelmed by her generosity.

We met yesterday, and she had the most amazing, yeasty, spongy, full-of-moon-craters injera for me. THAT SHE HAD MADE JUST HOURS BEFORE! You have to have a starter and let it ferment and everything. Truly, I was and remain so deeply touched. And my inner foodie was just off her rocker.

Today for lunch, I made myself Hiwot's red lentil wat. I stood over the stove as oil and onion and berbere melded, as ginger and garlic made everything fragrant, as the lentils went in and I added water by the cupful as if I were making an African risotto. 

While it cooked I called the White House comment line and waited on hold for ten minutes. Democracy in action, y'all. And then I spoke to a lovely woman and told her how desperately worried I felt about our country. I asked her to please tell President Obama that I felt it'd be grand if he would declassify everything pertaining to Russia's hacking of the DNC, DNCC, Hillary, Bernie, everything BEFORE the electors place their final votes on December 19. It won't change the outcome but we all deserve to be as fully informed as possible. 

And she thanked me for calling, and I thanked her for answering, and we hung up and I burst into tears because this country and Trump's buffet of unqualified Cabinet choices and Aleppo. But then the wat was done and Hiwot's injera was waiting, and I had the most magnificent, beautiful lunch I've had in a while.

I sat in silence and gratitude, thinking of all the beautiful difference in this world. Of cuisines and people and names and places of birth, and how so often when we come together in compassionate, generous, curious, lovely ways, we are all strengthened and made better. 

Miscellany, mostly of the Christmas and feline persuasion

It is very cold suddenly. Winter! Things appear to be hardening all around. The ground, for one. Drivers are more aggressive. Fewer are smiling. Coats are zipped high and tight.

But I patently refuse because Christmas is nigh, and I am nothing if not a jolly g-damn Christmas reveler.

My entire dining room table is covered in holiday card- and gift-making supplies. Even Oliver, a serious crafting guy, is impressed. "Mama, you have a LOT of craft stuff." Tom, too, feels my Martha-parts are really living big these days. I think my use of his heat gun took him aback just a tad. But y'all, embossing powder is fun! Teachers, grandparents, friends, neighbors, "strangers" (those online friends you've not yet met in real life but intend to and so in the meantime, snail mail during the holidays!)...there is much love and gratitude to be shared. 

Lest you think my inner activist is quieting, she is not. There is much work to be done, and I have tried to do at least one action-item per day since the election. The orange yam continues to disgrace the office of the Presidency. It is shameful. I am ashamed of him. Stand strong everyone.

"When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt. But that is not what great ships are built for." -Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Indeed!

The Nut and I spent a great deal of quality time together today. He is so delightful! Also, Big Boggle. Fun game for the whole family. I was competitive but only quietly. ;) Oliver repeatedly found "Ol" and "SOS." I'm not sure what to make of that- hidden message?

He lives a charmed life.

I finished Hillbilly Elegy, quite good not amazing; more on it later, yesterday and am continuing now with H Is for Hawk, masterful. Does anyone else feel totally overwhelmed by content lately? God, it's like a world-sized snowball.

Do: cook your salmon with lemon, olives, grilled artichoke hearts, salt, and a pat of butter in a foil pack. Serve with asparagus, quickly roasted until just crisp-tender, generously dashed with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. A healthy, easy, winner of a meal.