Production underway

Yesterday I went out and bought most of the ingredients for the Saturday dinner at the Wednesday market and the co-op, and last night I started cooking. The getting had some challenges - we had an early freeze, so I don't think I have quite enough green beans yet, and by the time I got to farmers' market alternative sources (the co-op did not have any) - like the supermarket, or Whole Foods - at around 8:00 last night, the beans were picked over and not so good looking - I'll have to find another 2 pounds or so today. Salad greens were also a problem, and I had to buy embarrasing amounts of pears and plums.

I made pickled carrots (without plugging up the drain, like I usually do, so that must be a good omen) and caulifower; toasted almonds for topping the salads, pie dough for the galettes, and custard base for the honey and cinnamon ice creams. Now I am just fretting that the greens might freeze in our auxiliary basement fridge, or the pie dough wil pick up a funny taste from the vegetables' brine, or, even worse, the lunch crowd kids might spill something ....

But I probably just feel guilty - the director of the library school where I work just asked me if I could fill in on someone else's 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. class tonight, an introductory XML lecture, and I said "No", but jeez, I know the material, I just don't want to take the time away from the food, or miss Michel Chabon at our book fest at 8:00 tonight ...