April 2, 2026 Breakfast -Granola. Lunch - Vietnam 2000. Dinner - Grilled Lamb Chops and Asparagus with Roasted Root Vegetables and Rice
I awakened at 6:30 and ate granola with milk, tropical fruit salad, and yogurt.
We went for a tour of the garden this morning.
I worked until 12:00 when Peter came and drove us to Vietnam 2000.
This was my first lunch after discharge from the hospital. Peter ordered one of my favorites, No. 30, grilled Pork and egg rolls on steamed rice vermicelli on lettuce, bean sprouts, and cucumber strips. I asked the waitress if the kitchen could make No. 86 without any salt. No. 86 which is steamed rice flour sheets on a bed of sautéed cucumber strips, and bean sprouts garnished with the same fried egg rolls and grilled pork.
What came out of the kitchen was a delight. In all appearances the usual rice sheets dish garnished with egg rolls and grilled pork except this dish was also presented with snippets of oriental basil randomly garnishing the dish, an extra special effort to present a specially appealing dish. I could not be mired in thrilled that the chef had not only accommodated my request for no salt in the sautéed cucumber sticks and bean sprouts but also added a garnish of snippets of basil to enliven the presentation. What can one say when one’s request is exceeded but gratitude to that restaurant that goes the extra mile to deliver the best possible dining experience.
I have been committed to Vietnam 2000 for many years including take out during the dark days of Covid and today’s experience shall bind my commitment for many more years to come.
When I returned home I made myself a strong Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk and watched the market close on a remarkable day that saw the the averages swing from deeply negative to positive for 5he NASDAQ and almost positive for the Dow, a sign that there is pent up risk on fever out there.
Unfortunately, oil decoupled and fell rather sharply even though 40 nations are meeting to try to reopen the Straits of Hormuz. Brent went from 102 to $112 a barrel. For example, the future price for crude for delivery in June was $98.00/barrel, but the price for a barrel of crude for delivery in April was $141. To say the oil market is in chaos is an understatement, My portfolio made a small .425% gain, which trilled me.
When Peter drove me home I worked at my desk until 3:30 and then meditated with our small zen group until 4:00, when I began chopping vegetables for the roasted root vegetables for dinner. I filled a 10 x 16 inch Pyrex baking dish with a diced turnip, red beet, and onion and a head of garlic separated into cloves, two carrots, about 1 lb. of Brussels sprouts, three small Yukon gold potatoes and a small handful of fennel bulbs.
When Suzette came home at 5:00 she tossed the vegetables with z’atar, Aleppo chili, and ground timur pepper. She then roasted the vegetables for 45 minutes covered spin a 350 degree oven with aluminum and then15 minutes uncovered to brown the vegetables.
She also grilled five lamb chops I bought at Costco on Monday and about 8 to 10 thick asparagus I bought at El Super that she seasoned and tossed in a bag with olive oil on our outdoor propane grill.
We saw a great sunset as we were grilling the lamb chops.
I heated a pile of PPI rice and Suzette added a pile of roasted vegetables, 4 or 5 grilled asparagus and a grilled lamb chop.
I poured out the last 1/3 bottle of Lemelson Pinot Noir that Vahl gave us.
It was a hearty dinner that combined winter and spring ingredients. I loved creating bites of rice, vegetable and lamb.
I even enjoyed the few sips of red wine.
After dinner we watched Midsomer Murders and I took a sip of Calvados with two chocolate and caramel macadamia nut clusters.
Suzette went to bed at 9:30 at the end of Midsomer Murders but I stayed up to watch a British police mystery, titled George Gently and blogged this entry before going to bed at midnight.
Bon Appetit
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