Long, hard day,
but a fairly successful one. I’ve finished wee Hamish’s vest, except for a
final, hopeful pass with a steam iron, and I’m made my kimchi. I didn’t go for
a walk. It was bright but cold. I felt fairly feeble, but I can’t go on
treating myself as an invalid forever on the grounds of that colonography.
I finished the
vest-tidying fairly briskly this morning. I read somewhere in the last couple
of days that the Chinese regard it as singularly bad luck to use scissors on
New Year’s Day – which is tomorrow. One mustn’t, of course, knuckle under to
superstition, but I feel one might as well avoid stepping on the cracks where
feasible. And there was no way that vest could be finished without snipping off
ends.
And then the
kimchi, a titanic effort in my current feeble state.
Kimchi consists of
four elements:
1)
Chinese
leaves (=Napa cabbage), salted and left to wilt and produce some brine
2)
A
paste made of onion and lots of garlic and various other things, including
Korean gochugaru chilli powder
3)
Some
additional vegetables, cut small: carrots, spring onion (=scallions), radishes,
chives, etc
4)
A
porridge made of rice flour, with brown sugar
So I spent quite a
while preparing those things, until I came to the point where it was time to
add the gochugaru chilli powder to the paste. I couldn’t find it. Big search. No
luck. Sister Helen and daughter Helen both say that I’ve got too much stuff. I
fear they’re right. There are some elements in the list above which can be
fudged. I had forgotten to order chives, for instance, so I put in more
scallions. But there’s no way of proceeding without gochugaru chilli powder.
Finally I ordered some more from Amazon, to be delivered tomorrow, and faced
the prospect of explaining to Daniela tomorrow why the kitchen was filled with
bowls of various things. Then I went
back to the kitchen and resumed the search, and found the chilli powder.
But then the food
processor couldn’t cope with the paste – 2), above. It was too dry and heavy. The
Nutribullet? I couldn’t get it open. So I divided the paste into three portions
and added 1/3rd of the porridge ( 4), above) to each, and then the
food processor grudgingly agreed to process the result.
When all that is
ready, you mix and mix everything together by hand and pack it into jars for
fermenting. It’s an active fermentation, which is always satisfying.
So now I am left
with no decision made about what to knit next, or what to do about cider now
that Dry January is over.
Take a look back at your blog entries in December and then look at the later part of January. You seem now to be able to see a task through and to write at some length on a variety of topics. Why jeopardise this when you have managed to abstain for a prolonged period already?
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to note that Rafael Nadal attributed some of his current success to having consumed no alcohol for the past four months - and he apparently plans to continue that way.
DeleteNot sure I agree that the cider is the difference,Shandy. Might it not be more exercise combined with having gotten past the colonoscopy/colonography? Or maybe, the longer days? Pretty sure the longer days make me happier...
ReplyDeleteLove your description of kimchi making. Having lived in Seoul I relish the thought of kimchi. In the fall there is a big effort to get young women to make their own kimchi. Older women gather in Insadong, an area of traditional shops, and proceed to mix great vats of cabbage brought to the site in wheel barrows. They wear long rubber gloves and proceed to smear the red paste on the leaves of the salted cabbage. It is quite a sight, fragrant with garlic and scallions. The seasoned cabbage is then packed in the traditional kimchi pots; large earthen jars https://www.maangchi.com/kitchenware/earthenware-pot that in the old days would be buried in the garden. You brought back a wonderful memory. I have made kimchi myself but find I can easily buy a jar at the local Korean market. I always have a jar in the fridge. Now days in Korea, all Koreans have a kimchi refrigerator so the smell doesn't permeate other items in the fridge. They eat kimchi at all (even breakfast) meals!!!
ReplyDeleteWhatever the cause, you seem to be doing better now. And the vest is done! Now for something with less figuring - perhaps the self-patterning socks for Ketki?
ReplyDeletei only know you through your writings on this blog. When I started reading your husband was failing and cantankerous. His personality and care seemed to dominate all your decisions. Now you are alone and don’t seem to organize yourself very well. Has this always been so?
ReplyDeleteYou may be depressed and still grieving.
Another thought, just how much cider do you drink daily?
Somehow, I don't think Jean is less organized. She writes often and knits amazing garments; makes kimchi and spends time with family. She walks when she has a helper. I think she is amazing.
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