This is my blogchalk:
United States, Minnesota, Red Wing, English, Spanish, Leah, Female, 36-40, Cooking, History, , Domesticity, Feminism, New Urbanism.

Sunday, October 10, 2004

On the days when I should be eating very well, I can’t concentrate enough to cook at all.  PMS unravelled me yesterday so badly that all I could do in the kitchen was pace.  It didn’t dawn on me until halfway through the day to check the calendar.  I should have known the syndrome was imminent on Thursday, when I dumped half a cup of white wine vinegar into my Bolognese sauce by mistake, instead of white wine, and had to toss it.   Knowing what day it is, knowing that I’m not simply losing my mind, helps to a degree.  It doesn’t make the symptoms go away, but it gives me a valid reason to excuse myself from normal functioning--to escape to a movie, to take a long walk, to soak in a hot bath, and to go to bed early.  (My husband might say that is my normal functioning—but not all four "escapes" in the same day!)      I’m tired, however, of losing even a day or two each month to this problem, which has grown more acute of late, and have decided to attack it from a nutritional and supplemental standpoint.  I suspect some sort of calcium / magnesium imbalance; beyond that, I’ll need to do a little research.    I was surprised to see that Katharina Dalton the pioneer in PMS research died not long ago; surprised to see that it had been recognized by someone, a woman, naturally, as a scientific problem so long ago.  I was even more surprised to see doctor Mona Shangold, a former assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, say that it is an accepted disorder for which they now have “good treatments”.    I should give Dr. Shangold a call, because I’d like to know what these “good treatments” are.  I suspect she means selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil, but something deeply distrustful in me would rather just unravel (and go to the movies, and go to bed) than resort to these drugs.   So, I'll concentrate on the natural remedies first and will report my progress.   Though I still feel exhausted, I’ve had the presence of mind this afternoon to play Balloon Lagoon with Kipp and a beautiful tortilla española is searing on the stove as I type.  I added an extra potato or two because today, Dr. Atkins be damned, I need those carbohydrates.   Tortilla Española From the Ballymaloe Cooking School Cookbook: In Spain, you must understand, tortilla is not just a dish.  It is a way of life.  Tortillas or flat omelettes, not to confused with Mexican tortilla which is a flat bread, are beloved by Spaniards and tourists alike.  You’ll be offered them in ever home, in the most elegant restaurants, and the most  run-down establishments.  No Spanish picnic would be complete without a tortilla, and every tapas bar will have them on display.  People even eat them at the cinema!  Tortilla de Patatas sounds deceptively simple but it’s not as easy to make to perfection as you might think.  The secret of success is to use enough oil. Spanish olive oil, such as Lerida 8 ounces potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups) 5 ounches onions, thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups) 8 eggs 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt freshly ground pepper frying pan, 7-8 inch in diameter, non-stick if possible Put a generous 1 inch of olive oil into the pan, then cook the onions and potatoes over medium heat until golden.  This can take up to 20 minutes.  Drain off the oil and reserve. Whisk the eggs into a bowl, season with salt and pepper, add the potato and the onion.  Put 2 ½ tablespoons oil back into the pan.  When it begins to sizzle, pour in the egg mixture, then lower the heat.  When the egg begins to cook, loosen around the edge and continue to cook, shaking the pan occasionally. When the tortilla is well set and golden underneath, cover the pan with an oiled plate and turn the tortilla upside-down on to it, taking care not to burn your hand.  Add a little more oil to the frying pan if necessary.  Slide the tortilla back in .  Cook until the lower side is golden and the whole of it is firm but still slightly moist in the center.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  Cut into wedges or squares.     comment []5:45:06 PM

© Copyright 2004 L. L. Adams. Last update: 11/1/2004; 7:17:40 PM.