I spent a large part of today searching for unflavored gelatin. Certainly, I probably could have saved myself a good 5 miles of walking by just going to work and grabbing some, but nooooo, I was on a mission, and was sure I'd find it. Once again, my cheesecake is special in whole new ways.
I was asked by the youngest brother to bring it for dinner tomorrow. Not just to please bring dessert, but to bring the creme fraiche cheesecake. As per usual, I procrastinated until 2pm today, and then madly wandered downtown looking for gelatin. In the frenzy, I forgot I also needed cinnamon for the graham crackers and that the vanilla bean i thought i had was actually also at work, in my knife bag, with the emergency stash of gelatin that i keep in case i have to make a cf ck on the fly.
I am nothing if not brilliant at shooting myself in the foot. First stop was Target, where I kinda figured I'd find it on the shelf with the jello. Nope. But they did have all the dairy i needed (this is not going to be a high end version...my heathen family has even told me that the fruit "isn't important" wtf?) so at least I got the first round of stuff - thought I might have luck at DeLaurenti's in the market, plus I've been meaning to check out the little burrito window next door to them for a while so I did both. No dice at D's and when I realized I also needed flour I asked the woman at the burrito spot where in the market i might find flour and she shook her head "Right across the street on the corner, you can't miss it" she seemed shocked that I wouldn't know that. As I walked up to the corner, racking my brain to try and remember where there would be an actual drygoods store in that part of Pike Place Market (also, can I take a minute to vent about a HUGE pet peeve of mine? People who call it Pike's Place Market. Both locals and tourists and friends and family...drives me bonkers. I always assume it must be some sort of schizophrenic throwback to "Pike's Peak" but still, dammit! It is The Pike Place Market. Simples.) and then as I wander inside the building walking by the FLOWER STORE on the Corner, I realize that woman heard flower, not flour, because what jackass in their right mind would be buying baking staples at Pike Place?
Yeah. So no luck there. Stopped at two corner groceries on the way back to my flat, but of course no luck there. At home, took a break to call Mom and brother, and to eat burrito. The burrito was fair at best, and once again, another Mexican place in the Seattle Metro area fails to achieve any sort of victory. Ah well, at least I know not to do it again.
It occurs to me that Uwajimmaya a mile in the other direction might be eclectic enough to have what I need, so off I go to the International District...which is always a delightful flashback. When I worked in that neighborhood, I ate in all the little hole in the walls, and have great memories of nights drinking there with coworker Rory, and also of rampaging drunken binges with Shay where we'd start drinking at 11 in the morning and not stop until the money did. One afternoon, a woman bartender actually fed us Mochi ice cream because she insisted that we had to eat something.
It would be a lie to say I didn't glance in some of the old haunts - and how the hell are so many of them still there when so many of the other places I used to know are long gone? Just wondering if I'd spot the Raven. It's not constructive, I know, but a habit I can't quite kick.
Anyway, get to ground zero of JapanTown and it's mayhem as always in that store, all the jostling and ignoring of personal space; however, it remains one of the most impressive food expos ever. So much fish. All the sushi, sashimi, veg and fruits....and the asian food, frozen, dry, aisles of soy sauce, vinegar, ramen.
However, I was on a mission, and was victorious in finding the flour i needed for the graham crackers, but still no gelatin. But I did find agar-agar powder (!!!) ((because the strands/crystals suck to use)) so I snagged that. And then some sushi, and a beer, and a coke....and some satsumas. and blackberries for the cheesecake (screw my savage family). Fairly happy (I didn't realize i needed cinnamon yet) I set off home, taking a quick detour to look at the bookstore where there were tons of beautiful pens, and manga in english. Yeah. Trundled home, past the dudes hanging at the neighborhood mission and upstairs where I finally put the kitchen aid that charles gifted me with to work. Dessert is done and I'm finishing up now, reducing some Riesling from work to make a syrup to go with it. Tomorrow, up early (for me); supposedly we are eating at 2pm, so hopefully I'll be back home by 6 at the latest, ideally I'll be driving while everyone else is eating.
There is beer and champs in the 'fridge for when i arrive home, hopefully it won't require a xanex to decompress after my first big holiday back with the fam. Well, most of the family, since the other brother is having a last-minute dinner at his house, but we'd already agreed to go over to the youngest's house...argh, cannot wait until xmas.
Sodding holiday nonsense. Wish I could just go to the South of Italy and hide for a while
.In happier news:
We won the North London Derby! Once again, I didn't watch live and we beat them 5-2. Also beat Montepilliar today to make it into the knock out round of CL. Once again, the boys seem to do best when I don't watch live. So happy for Jack though today! Hopefully will subscribe to the channel again after the first of the year, if I can scrape together enough $$ for a new laptop by then. Gonna be a tough go though, for sure.
Smitty sent his holiday greeting this evening - he's always so good about that stuff. Hopefully he'll swing by the restaurant soon...ah, yes, the restaurant, more to write about that soon....
