Goodbye and hello, composing a compote

Today after took a walk, I did a load of laundry, watered the flowers, admired the hibiscus 

packed the latest parcel to send to the Knitting Ministry, and various other things, then made a large quiche.

It finally dawned on me that I could use a large glass pan instead of pie plates. Eight helpings here. One has gone already, for lunch, really nice touch from the cheeses.

The cheeses are grated Parmesan, sharp cheddar and crumbled blue cheese. Seasoned with kosher salt, white fresh -ground pepper, ground flaxseed and turmeric.  The greens are a spring mix of arugula and spinach, with red onions, steamed first, plus parsley. So it's like a daily supply of a few items.

Yesterday I had another epiphany. You can macerate fruit mixes even if you don't make them into a crumble. Clever me.

I was planning to stew apples and blueberries anyway but I thought I'd do the extra step a la Rose Levy Beranbaum, the GOAT baker who has written volumes on everything baking. Anyway I learned from her about macerating fruit to amp up the flavor. As follows.

First I prepped and put the fruit in a big bowl, tossed with some, not much, sugar, the fruit is sweet, a teaspoon of cornstarch, diced and minced fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, turmeric. 

Then you leave it alone and read your mystery story for at least an hour.

Then drain the liquid you now have, into a saucepan, over lowish heat, swirling not stirring, to keep it from burning, till you've reduced it to about half the volume. 

The smell at this point is practical intoxicating, then you add it into the fruit, mix then return everything  to the pan, cook it gently till fairly tender, then let it cool.  

Then turn it out into a dish looking like red jewels and tasting amazing. 

The extra step of macerating the fruit is so worth it, since you're working anyway. Now I have many desserts in the wings. A spoonful of plain yogurt on top, or  atop, as the ditzy recipe writers in women's magazines like to say, perfect. Poifect.

Now that the ministry parcel is ready to go, I feel free to think what next to make. 

Still too hot and stuffy upstairs to get on with the warp weighted loom and I'm wondering about a different location now. TBD.

Maybe the next thing is the Tunisian crochet socks, made with a better yarn. 

While I'm considering that, I think I'll take a pot of tea out to the deck and just sit. Yes, that's a plan.

Happy day everyone, when all else fails, including your legs, just sit.