It's all for you

When my husband and I moved to Chicago last September, we were a little concerned that our apartment had no air conditioning, but we didn’t particularly want to spend the money on a window unit, so we made a deal with ourselves: we would last as long as we could without. We had grand visions of being hard core, of breaking the back of consumerism, and tossing the cult of comfort out the window.

I am here to declare: today is as far as we made it. July 5th. Less than 2 months away from our year anniversary here in the city, and we are about to catch the bus to Best Buy and drag that window unit back home if it kills us.

Yesterday, the day of the fateful decision, dawned as any other day might–but hotter. We went down to the beach at 8:30 am to take some pictures and test the light for an upcoming photoshoot (more on that later). By 8:31 am, I was covered in sweat. By 8:32 am, I can’t even tell you what was happening since my brain had decided it was time to check out.

We came back to the apartment around 9:15. Around 10:30 I fell into some kind of sleep/daze, in which I remained until 12:30.

I had planned on:

-Making Garlic Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

-Processing pictures from Steve and Steph’s wedding

-Finalizing blog posts for Apple Muffins, Fried Catfish, and Spicy Garlic Lemon Sauce

-Figuring out imovie and working on the slideshow for my sister Erica’s upcoming wedding

-Reading Dostoevsky’s complete works

Nothing even remotely similar occurred.

Friends had become enemies, and enemies had become friends.

As my husband gazed at my pathetic pile of self, he decided the only wise course of action was to get me to the nearest Starbucks and spend the rest of the time before church (at 5pm) in an air conditioned space. As soon as I had cooled down, my brain started functioning and I became interested in living this thing called “life” once again. As I wept tears of gratitude into my Pike Place Roast, I reached a conclusion: we need to buy a window unit pronto. But don’t get me wrong–it’s not because I become a pathetic pile in the heat–it’s because the heat was preventing me from blogging! And you all are my priority, man. So it’s not like we’re wimping out–it’s all for you.

Besides my brain ceasing to operate, some other indicators that we really, really need a unit:

1. Butter has melted in butter dish

2. Box of chocolates from our San Francisco friends has melted

3. Any thought of turning on the stove/oven has become horrific

4. Sleep: impossible

5. Cuddling: ludicrous

6. Toilet seat is sweaty

Arroz a la Cubana (Warning: not a real recipe)

This is my go-to meal. When I haven’t planned anything, haven’t had time to grocery shop, or my husband is out and for some reason I’m eating alone, this is what I make. We ate it a lot in Spain growing up. And it’s not a real recipe. Which is exactly what makes it so fast and easy! Here goes:

Ingredients

(Serves 1, easy to multiply)

Cooked white rice

1 generous dollop of spaghetti sauce, heated up

2 fried eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Assemble into a bowl like this: rice. Heated spaghetti sauce. Eggs. Salt and pepper. If your eggs are overeasy, you can break the yolks and mix together. Eat! You’ll never go back. Or else, you’ll be revolted and never make it again. Either way, the word “never” will figure prominently in your response.

You could make a beautiful stack, using a ramekin to mold the rice into a cup shape on the plate and artfully drizzling the spaghetti sauce in a criss-cross pattern, with the egg balanced on top like a glowing yellow dome in the afternoon sunlight.

But as for me . . . I will continue to simply pile it into the bowl with no regard for aesthetics. Honestly–I think it actually tastes better this way. Some day I will do a blind taste test and prove it to the world.

I’ve wondered for years if I only like this because I grew up with it … or if I like it because it’s actually good. I’d also like to point out that there is probably nothing Cuban about this dish. It’s “Cuban” Rice just as French Toast is “French”, i.e., not at all.

For those of you who like to fancify things, you can make your own tomato sauce and add some chopped chives on top for color. Or chiffonade some basil or something.

Next week I will be posting a more real recipe. But in the meantime, have a great 4th of July weekend!

 

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