Ah! Demanding Readers!

Requiring content! Ah! Brain soft and empty! Panic!

I had originally planned on a lengthy discourse that would have merrily strayed into areas beyond my expertise, but fortunately I’ve caught on that right now I don’t have the mental candle power to light that lamp. So, instead, I give you….something.

I’ve been back on the university campus twice in the last few weeks, and it’s been a strange experience. The first time was while I was in the throes of my sinus cold, so I know that made everything surreal and hard to understand.  Even taking that into consideration, walking into the university community centre bewildered me. It was as if I had become unstuck in time and I was  instantly the same guy I was 15 years ago (15 is an estimate. I have a poor memory when it comes to my own timeline). I think it was the huge throng of people going in every direction that overwhelmed me and confused me, as it always had. Eventually I got my bearings back but it’s a real kick in the gut to feel just as confused at  36 as you did at 20.

The students were all kids, much too young to be on their own and living as adults. they should still have a grade 13 year to mature a little bit more. They looked so young and immature that I couldn’t even ogle the girls. I just wanted to put a sweater on them and send them home to their mothers. This was probably the head cold talking.

Hey guy, relax!

Oh, the enormity of the stress that sat on my shoulders during the first year of parenthood. Through the blissfully thickening fog of forgetfulness, I can see glimpses of  a very tired and freaked out dad.

It’s understandable to be overwhelmed. I suspect that every new dad (every good dad, anyway) loses his mind with worry at the start. The sheer volume of the unknowable is enough to crack even the hardest nut. You have no frame of reference for being in charge of this fragile new life. You’re at your most tired and least rational. It takes repeated trial and error, and a lot of time spent with the little sprout to finally get enough data to build some realistic expectations.

It’s never perfect predictability, since they love to change their behaviours and capabilities in the blink of an eye. Max has now established that he can run into the kitchen, remove his shirt and pants, and return triumphantly nude into the living room, in a few seconds. He’s like superman in reverse.

In other news-sinuses still in revolt. The cool, dry nighttime air is turning my sinus membranes into sludgy wastelands of pain and pressure. Bring on the long hot showers! I cannot wait for this damnable head cold to end so that I can go back to thinking clearly.

More surprising deliciousness

I assumed that any cooking experiment undertaken while in the throes of this damnably stubborn sinus cold would have ended in an unpleasant mess. I was wrong: it was a delicious mess. And, the boy loved it, so it passes the most important test. So here, I give you, uh, a thing? Didn’t get around to a good dish name. Let’s pretend it’s a dish from exotic climes and call it “Moroccan spiced pork”. Would you ever find such a dish in Morocco, where most of the population is Muslim? Not likely.

Ingredients:

1 pork loin roast, about 3 pounds

5 ripe field tomatoes (use canned  tomatoes if you’re pressed for time, I won’t tell).

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon of green cardamom pods

1 teaspoon of salt

Start by marinating the roast for 30 minutes  to an hour, in just enough water to cover, and with the cloves, salt and cardamom added. A freezer bag is great for this.

Next, boil some water and drop the tomatoes in for just under a minute. Take them out of the boiling water and  into some cold water. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the skin off and remove the cores.

After marinating, put the roast and the marinade into a roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 200° F. Take your tomatoes and pack them around the pork roast. Cover and put into the oven.

One million years later (okay fine, 5 hours later) take the roast out of the pan. The pan will be chock full of liquid now, so back into the oven it goes to reduce. Turn the oven temperature up to 425°F and put the pan back in. This is a good opportunity to bake an accompanying side dish, like butternut squash. Seize the opportunity! Leave the roasting pan in the oven until you have about half  of the original volume of liquid. Skim out the cloves and cardamom, if you like, then stir the mixture to break up the tomatoes.

When the pork is cool enough to handle, pull it into shreds with your mighty hands. Put the pork into the roasting pan and mix. Add some salt to taste. Ladle on top of couscous and enjoy.