Good morning, you little sunshines.
I am trying to cook more.
This is my face right now saying that.
My white whale of cooking has long been chicken. I am afraid of it. So terrified of undercooking it and dying hunched over at my desk from food poisoning, I’ve overcorrected and produced chicken so dry it could be used as packing peanuts. Friends and family have tried to teach me! I got every tip, trick, recipe and piece of advice! But nothing worked, because I couldn’t get past the fear of undercooking it. So, I pivoted - bought rotisserie chicken, premade shredded chicken, anything and everything. But, it just wasn’t sustainable. And after years of trying, I gave up and began to come to terms that mine would be a chickenless world.
It is not lost on me that I am being a chicken…. about chicken.
I was lamenting my fate to my therapist this past month, as one does, saying how I want to learn how to cook and I really like chicken, but alas and alack… ‘tis tragically not for me. I awaited the usual tips, tricks, recipes or advice to just buy the rotisserie chicken at the market and waited to tell my tragic tale of woe - that, rest assured, I had tried it ALL, but chicken and me are destined to be star crossed lovers.
My therapist took a beat and finally asked, “What about a meat thermometer?”
In my life I have had very few moments where I can safely say that I was gobsmacked. This was one of those times. I could only laugh and shake my head in disbelief. I had legitimately never thought of that, nor had any of my friends and family - even though they all own one. After years of elaborate, labyrinthine machinations, the solution was embarrassingly simple.
Because far too often what’s making solutions complicated isn’t the actual mechanics of them, but the emotion underneath. It fogs things. Yes, it’s only chicken, but I still felt the usual shame and frustration that goes along with not being good at something.
My friend and I have started using this as shorthand when talking about challenges - asking, “Is this a meat thermometer situation?” Meaning, is there a simple answer that we’re either not seeing through the thick fog of emotion, unwilling to see because it promises a big change or scarily lies outside of our comfort zone.
Do you have a meat thermometer situation in your life? How about a good beginning chicken recipe?
Each month, I’ll gather:
🤩stuff to watch, read and listen to
🤝great follows on social media
🌈 music to soothe
🥑 good food and great places to eat and drink
🕯calming things
*****
🤩
We’ve got a new season of Father Brown AND the final season of Endeavour.
I’m a sucker for any travel series that involves trains or meandering, but I’ve run through em all. So, I started searching YouTube, and found some great stuff. What I really love - even more than the tv shows - is how these travelers are more my speed - budget wise and realistic experience of travel. As opposed to a film crew, access and budget to go to stuff without the crowds, these travelers show you what it’s actually be like. The two accounts I like so far are The Evergreens and Tom Thornton.
I went to dinner with a friend this past week who reminded me that I haven’t listened to Jason Isbell’s, Weathervanes nearly enough. Next up, is his documentary of the making of the album.
We’ve also got new albums from Maisie Peters and ATEEZ.
🤝
Follow Experience Scotlands Wild to dream of travel and see sublime landscapes.
Follow Candace Molatore for aspirational vibes.
Follow Chuck Cruz for mouth watering food and great recipes.
🌈
🥑
This is super boring, but I switched my protein powder for my smoothies and it’s really GREAT.
So, you know how I can’t shut up about Yasso Greek Yogurt frozen treats? Yeah, well get ready: they have POPPABLES.
For Father’s Day, we drove over to Gook Hwa House and got THE EFFFFFING BEST bao, dumplings and fried chicken. Like.. i… i ….. it’s so good. We’re going back for our big Birthday Bonanza this summer.
🕯
It’s Li’l Fan Season. So, here are the three I’ve found that are good for different purposes. All of these fans are cordless, don’t need batteries & are charged via USB.
THIS is a great Li’l Fan for travel, or to just be in your purse or backpack. It’s teeny but mighty. And? It’s got a flashlight!
THIS Li’l Fan is what I attached to my treadmill. It turns and pivots well, and it’s little tripod tentacles really grip.
THIS Li’l Fan is better for fixed positions - desk, nightstand, patio, etc.. It doesn’t have that easy turning/pivoting ^ that one does, but it’s so quiet and mighty.
Recently I bought a nightlight. I plugged it in and legit my entire house lit up like a baseball stadium. It was too mushhhh. So, I found THESE li’l guys and the warm amber is so much better.
HERE is the meat thermometer I bought. It’s great and… even I can use it.
Same whole birds, I roast one using Martha Stewart’s Cooking School video directions. Roast at 450 F. which seems excessive but makes a perfectly tender bird inside a shell of crispy skin. It’s basically a cavity full of lemon slices and herbs with a dried body slathered with butter and S&P. Writing about this sounds so murderous! Bodies and skin and all. 😬 But, one whole chicken feeds us for days so I guess it’s worth the primal practice of eating other living things.
A local “upscale” market that carries organic birds randomly throws whole chickens on sale for .99/lb. I buy the limit of three. Freeze. When I want to cook with chicken I thaw one and put it in the crockpot with 1/2c. water. Well cooked on high for about 4 hours. We have broth and meat that falls off the bone to use for days. Don’t cook too long so all the flavor goes into the broth. Just until the leg wiggles loose easily.