Hold that thought...

So, the clever folks at Homerton Hospital's respiratory clinic have not yet actually decide if I have TB or not. Public health, in theory, is a good thing. Let me tell you, it is a pain in the neck to be at the receiving end of it. I spent 2 hours on Thursday trying to get the conclusive "purple box" blood test. Hypothetically, if I do have TB, I can't even go to the fancy Swiss rest homes (where I could work on my German while reclining) as the Home Office still has my passport.

update

I don't have tb. I've known this for months, but have been to lazy to update it. apparently, I live in a council with a high tb rate. Not because of the immigrants- we immigrants are tested and treated if need be- but because of our friends who visit us and bring their rotten tb germs.

my arm has tuburculosis

Hackney is a TB zone. Please see image of Mantoux test from wikipedia and then my own welt.



Lets hope my lungs don't have it too!

ugh, the pain of immigration

So, dear reader. I am an immigrant. Usually, it is ok, seeing as I speak the same language and was educated here, but sometimes I really feel it. Particularly when I'm carrying lots and lots. Once, I was walking over one of those sad pedestrian foot bridges over a very busy overpass separating one sad neighborhood from an even sadder one- the kind at the end of Lilya 4-ever- carrying a plastic bag that was very heavy and I felt, this is my immigrant experience. Christoph, also an immigrant, thinks I'm belittling REAL immigrants when I complain. I don't mean to.

Gremolata, schmemolata? Gremolata!

Dear Reader,

The first time I knowingly had gremolata was at Chez Panisse for my college (university for my UK readers) graduation luncheon. I had some sort of thin crust ham and cheese calzone with gremolata on top. I had to ask what it was and was sorta annoyed when I found out it was just minced garlic, lemon zest, and parsley. Fast forward many years to a kitchen with a glut of polenta and clementines. One evening on a whim I minced together chili pepper, fennel seeds, clementine zest (carefully remove the pith from the zest; this is NOT easier after a class and half of mulled wine), parsley, cilantro (coriander for my UK readers), and some salt. Scrumptious! Now this mixture is added to practically everything served in this house. Polenta fries, salad, salmon marinade and garnish, roasted butternut squash and white bean salad, pasta. You get the idea.

half skinned gorilla ice skating! A vision in tattered tulle!

Dear reader,

So, on Saturday I was at the gym and luckily some European Ice Dancing Free Dancing Championships live from Zagreb were on the telly. Most of it was very nice, of course. But one number was so so very magical I nearly died on the elliptical trainer. Yes, the enchanting dance of the half skinned gorilla and his witch bride was exceptional. After a morning of research, I am giddy to bring you this very special presentation!

Aha! Suspicions confirmed by wikipedia!

Confirmed by wikipedia:

Some health workers fear that a resurgence of goitre might occur because of the trend to use rock salt and/or sea salt, which has not been fortified with iodine.

Can you imagine a near future with hundreds of foodies with goitres. Ewww!

I want iodized sel de mer!

Do you know what upsets me? Non-iodized salt. Switching to iodized is such a simple way to improve your thyroid health. Unfortunately, the only iodized salt available is usually that really cheap table stuff, and not the nice flaky sel de mer that gives that lovely salty flavor crunch. Hrumph.

Neither here nor there...

Perhaps I'm a traitor to my industry and the cities I live in, but I don't think Europe or NY is where it is for menswear these days. Check out these Junya Watanabe looks. Cozy and exciting.
From men.style.com

Modernism Makes Me Hungry

Omg, dear reader. Guess what will be launched shortly. Yes, you guessed right! My very own cottage industry. Soon you will be able to buy my creations right here.

help, im drowning in polenta

Ok, I'm no longer drowning in polenta. In fact, Xoph and I have crawled out of the polenta flooding pretty much unscathed. By far the best thing to do with left over polenta is to slice it into french fries, and roast them with olive oil, salt and pepper in a hot oven (200Cish) until all crispy. Then toss the fries with minced parsley, garlic, more salt and pepper and a tiny bit of finely grated Parmesan. Eat at once.

Whoa, dear reader

Just when you totally forgot about this blog, I've decided to bring it back! Much has happened in the past 6 months. I got married, quit my job and moved back to London with my husband. It is 10am in London which means it is time for Radio 4's Women's Hour! My favorite. It looks like today there will be a segment about polygamy! My favorite!

What else to expect this week:
-gremolata, schmemolata, gremolata!
-milan/paris mens shows
-scientific flow chart guide to immigration
-10 trillion things to do with left over polenta in a land without canned black beans