March 25, 2020 Lunch – Teriyaki Salmon with Roasted Vegetables. Dinner – Sautéed Smoked Pork Chops with Figs, Apples, and Apricots and Braised Cabbage

I finally left the house today at around 10:30 after a breakfast of toasted bagel , cream cheese, onion slices, and whitefish.

I delivered Willy’s Frye boots for repair to UPS, then I drove to Total Wine and picked up my order I placed last night on line for a case of wine and a bottle each of scotch and rum.  The wine was 20% of off and the spirits were 10% off.  I saved approximately $30.00.  I wore a mask and rubber gloves so felt pretty safe.  After picking up my order I rolled to the beer section and picked up a case of Negra Modelo.  We are counting on alcohol to get us through these trying times.

I then drove to the bank and deposited a check before returning home. MIT took a while to store all the wine, spirits and beer.  After I finished I decided I needed a quick hot meal so I heated 3 oz. of the PPI teriyaki salmon and about 5 oz. of PPI Roasted Vegetables. I poured out the last of the Pinot Grigio Della Venezia ($5.99 at Trader Joe’s) and ate a great lunch.

I watched the news after lunch and was shocked when the DOW  dropped from a 1300 point gain to a 495 point gain in the last hour and the Nasdq went negative.  Not a good sign.

The Congress better pass the $2 Trillion recovery bill that became stalled in the Senate today.

Amy called and told me how important it is to clean and disinfect one’s shoes and the floor, so I mobbed the floor with the vinegar and water solution as she recommended.  I see the logic of not bringing any virus into the house.

Suzette arrived around 4:30 and we relaxed and watched the news and checked the dampening of the infection curve in New Mexico.

We discussed dinner and when Suzette asked, “What do you want?”

I said, “How about a Smoked Pork chop?”

Suzette then enthusiastically suggested braised cabbage with it and finally, “I would like a sautéed apple.”

I asked, “Shall we drink a rose’ with dinner?”

Receiving an affirmative response, Suzette took off to the kitchen and I went to the wine rack in the dining room where I found a bottle of Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw California Rose made with organic grapes.  I chilled it in the freezer but the thirty minute chill during dinner prep did not cool it sufficiently so we had to add ice cubes to the glasses when I poured it at dinner.  I swear the wine was watered down even before adding the ice cubes, so it was not a great bargain at $3.99.  I will not buy it again.

I shredded 1/3 head of cabbage and Suzette diced a bunch of asparagus.  Then  Suzette braised those vegetables in butter and olive oil with fennel seed in one skillet and the pork chops with the rehydrated figs, apricots and apple slices in the other skillet.  When the ingredients were cooked Suzette poured some Calvados into the skillet and flambeed the pork and fruits.

The finished dish was interesting and very flavorful without being heavy.

We have an interesting food relationship.  I prefer cooking French, Chinese and Japanese, while Suzette prefers cooking German Cuisine.

We also both enjoy improvising new dishes using PPIs together.

It works.  For example, tonight on the spur of the moment Suzette created an interesting German influenced meal that we had never eaten before, smoked pork chops sautéed with fruits (apple slices, diced apricots, and figs) accompanied by braised cabbage and asparagus with fennel.  I never would have thought of that menu and I found it refreshing and not too heavy.

Now I need to think of something creative and different.

Bon Appetit