h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK, the weather's cooled off a bit these last few days, but we're eating what we've got. So here's the farro dish:

Cook 2 cups farro. Stir in 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp olive oil and salt & pepper to taste. In the meantime, blanch 1 cup each of green peas and fava beans (start with the milder flavor first so they retain their individual flavors). Add to the farro. Gently stir in 4-6 diced plum or Roma tomatoes and a handful of chopped fresh basil. Serve atop arugula. Yum!

Now...are 'fava beans' what we'd call 'broad beans'?



Yes. I like fava beans. Always have.

Broad beans? They're "dicke Bohnen" here - fat beans!

I don't get them as often as I should. But I like them, too. My favorites, though, are adzuki, pinto and cannellini (Great Northern). In fact, I need to make something with adzuki again soon, since it's been too warm for baking bean pies I haven't had them in several weeks.

Try pureeing them with a little olive oil.

Butter beans? I think you call them Lima.

But if it's dhal we're talking...moong, toor, urad or masoor.

K and I were out running some errands this afternoon and popped into the Swedish deli where we get the stuff for Xmas dinners. Mainly we went in for more cloudberry preserves and the lovely rum balls they have there, but we found a bottle of elderflower syrup which can be mixed with water for drinking. Just had a bit with some fizzy water, and is it nice! Thanks for the suggestion, Mala and ed.

So... I'm going to try that mango/pineapple, etc salad later this week (sans basil, cilantro and mint on K's, since he doesn't like any of them raw, or cilantro at all...) since it is going to be hot as hell (90°+) from tomorrow at least through the weekend.

Our a/c's on the fritz again- probably needs the annual freon charge- so in addition to not using the lights much, etc, I'll be trying not to use the stove for extended times, either.

So this will be a week for eating cool (temperature-wise) foods. Last night we split and apple, a few pieces of hard tack, and some fig paste.