Getting Out of My Comfort Zone

I have been bored.  I'm tired of this.  I'm tired of eating the same things, of cooking the same things, of buying the same food.  This end, my horizons have shifted.  I am learning to cook things I've never cooked before, to use seasonings I don't normally use. 

For instance, I have discovered the joys and flavors of something unceremoniously called "fish sauce".   If you like the salty quality of soy sauce but not the heaviness of its taste, try fish sauce.  Don't be put off by the initial odor.  It really IS fish extract.  Aaahhh, but the flavor it adds to a basic stir fry is amazing.  I found it tastes best when coupled with shrimp, acceptable with chicken but not so good with beef (though my husband likes it even then). 

Tonight's experiment started with a quick trip to our local meat market where I picked up a pack of boneless skinless chicken breast (no stretch here), a small 7 boned steak (yawn) and a pound of goat.  Yes, GOAT.  My beloved hubby will grill a couple pieces of it tonight along with the chicken and steak, but tomorrow I'm going to braise and curry the rest of it. 

My research says that goat meat, or chevon as us cultured folk call it, is a healthier option than beef.  It's leaner and as goats usually live on grass, hay and roughage rather than so much grain, the fats that are in the meat are better for you. 

I'll keep you posted on the results!

Coming Into the 21st Century

I just spent the last 15 learning, one more time, how to save a picture to a printable file.  The fact that I even know what a printable file is surprises me as I write this.  Still, I'm very grateful to Penny for her patience and humor in teaching her mama this very essential skill. 

The contrast in life skills has shown up in an unexpected junxtiposition.  I sponsor a little girl overseas.  I don't know if she's ever even seen a computer.  But in an effort to connect, I'm printing pictures of my own grandkids to send to her.  Computer skills are expected here.  Knowledge of dirt and weather are essential there.  I used my computer to type the letter, to access the picture files and to print the photos.  And I'm sending them to a place that has no access to any of this.