Two is twice as many as one. Seems like a silly thing to say, because, well, duh. But when it comes to cooking, that means twice as many leftovers, leftovers that may well sour before the one can eat them all.
One of the many things I took for granted when I was with Holly was her willingness to eat leftovers. I have always been a haphazard leftover eater, preferring to move on to the next thing — and I had developed a ritual of eating out for lunch.
All that’s gone now. New life, new rhythms, new rituals.
For one, I need to photograph anything for Hunter Angler Gardener Cook around midday, to take advantage of natural light. I’m just not as skilled as Holly at photography, so I need to do what I can. I do need to get an artificial light situation going… (any suggestions?)
Shooting at lunch sets me up for dinner leftovers, or going out for dinner. Both are fine options, especially since my neighborhood has a dozen restaurants in walking distance; walkability was a major factor in choosing this house in St. Paul. (For the record, the best food close to me is a ramen shop called Ichiddo.)
Most of you want recipes made for four people at least, so that’s what I do. This generally means a lot of leftovers for me. So I’ve been mindful about what I prep for the website: Some dishes just don’t lend themselves to leftovers.
I am hoping to cultivate friendships with my neighbors and nearby friends to take future leftovers off my hands, but until then, I end up chewing on the remnants for days.
Various forms of “garbage plates,” where I add this or that and either pour it over rice or bind it all with eggs, are the norm. I ate off a pot of Boston baked beans for more than a week this way, little by little.
Sometimes I impress myself with various iterations of “fancy toast.” I’ve been working on becoming a better rye baker (more on that later), and so have had lots of test loaves to mess around with. The variations have been fun:
Butter and jam for breakfast. Yeah, I am finally eating jams and preserves. Go figure.
Soft, spreadable cheese, sauerkraut, and smoked mutton. The smoked mutton is from a nearby Scandinavian market (!) I know, right? Gotta love Minnesota…
Straight up blue cheese and cured meat.
Molletes. Mexican refried beans, pico de gallo and cheese on toast. It’s rad if you’ve never eaten it.
Apparently I don’t use milk fast enough: Had to pour off about a quart of a half-gallon that went sour before I could use it. I should be able to do something with soured milk, right? Just can’t remember what…
A larger issue is that I just love cooking for people, especially friends, or a partner. Grouse camp scratched that itch in a major way — almost too much — but now that I am alone at home, I miss it.
The few times I have cooked for someone, even if it’s just muffins, or creating fancy toast with tinned fish or cheese and sauerkraut and cured meats, have flooded me with joy.
Cooking for someone is an act of love for me, and cooking for someone I love is something I find myself craving. It’s a small way to care for someone, and I miss that.
Maybe this will become a commonplace for me again someday, who knows? I hope it does. One thing I do know: I’ll never take that for granted again.
Until then, it’s leftovers.
Oh I understand. It’s the same way for me too in this season of life. Your food list looks a lot like mine - master sandwich make
I frequently resort to eggs, in many forms! However, I made a huge pot of Chicken Murphy
(Stew) with substitutions, and my roommate ate two bowls! I froze some, and am quite happy! I do bake my own beans, and while this may seem disgusting to some, a plate of beans with a couple of eggs baked on top, is very satisfying