I mean, have I mentioned my time in Italy several dozen times already?
[ “Here: watch with feigned interest while I scroll through my phone!”]
I’m now … THAT person.
I’ve mentioned in an earlier issue that staying in a small Italian village very far from home inspired me to slow down.
Way way down.
For instance, since coming home, I have mainly adhered to my stated promise not to drink take-out coffee in my car.
Yay me! WHERE’S MY MEDAL?
I’ve always liked to cook for myself and eat alone (what’s up with that?). But my practice has been to mainly eat while standing over the sink, walking around the house, or staring at my phone or laptop.
I’m sharing my recipe, now, for a beautiful breakfast.
In my opinion, this breakfast tastes best when cooked and eaten alone on a quiet weekend morning.
This meal is probably not possible for people in a hurry, because the whole idea is to slow it waaaaaay down.
DIRECTIONS:
Use your best stuff. (I have a lot of best stuff.)
I assume we’ve all read those “trend” stories telling us that our children DO NOT WANT OUR STUFF.
I say, good for them. They have the right to possess whatever they want, regardless of the attitude of their elders and ancestors. Because — guess what — by the time my generation’s best stuff is dealt with or divvied up, we’re not going to be around to have an opinion about it.
I also say, GOOD FOR ME.
Just now I’m picturing myself wearing dainty pearls while rototilling my garden plot.
BUT … I DIGRESS!
Back to breakfast.
Soft-boil two eggs.
** Start with eggs at room temperature, if possible. Place eggs into a pan with water deep enough for the eggs to swim and jiggle without smashing into each other.
Bring water to a boil.
Watch eggs dance for about a minute in a rolling boil.
Turn off heat to stove.
Let eggs sit in their hot bath for a few minutes while you make some toast or set the table.
If you don’t have an egg cup (who does?), find something cool to use as one.
(I use a sterling silver jigger that I have never once used to measure alcohol, which belongs to a very cool collection of antique barware that I’ve put together over the years and almost never use for its intended purpose.)
Get one of these doohickies: It’s basically a weighted ball that you slam against the top of the cooked egg. The cup at the bottom of the doohickey has a sharp edge that perfectly cuts off the top of the egg!
Action shot
Make yourself a nice cup of coffee
I’ve used a moka pot for many years, but after returning from Italy (ahem — I went to Italy!) I retired my really old (and great) Bialetti and have started using this piece of genius equipment. It has a glass bowl!
I REALLY ENJOY WATCHING MY ESPRESSO BUBBLE UP.
If my coffee pot had its own show on Netflix, I’d watch it.
Set a nice table. Here I pulled out my old Napoleon Ivy china that no one other than me cares about. I’ve also pulled out some silver, and am even using a cloth napkin (this is one I nicked from my upgraded service on United Airlines, while coming home from my recent TRIP TO ITALY).
Mangia. ENJOY!
***** Note to the two people in the world who, like me, enjoy eating soft-boiled eggs.
DO NOT PEEL THEM.
Eat them right from the shell, using a small spoon.
Did this process take me almost an hour to prepare and eat?
Yes, it did.
Did I feel like I was dining in luxurious fashion in a fancy hotel?
Yes, I did.
The whole experience feels like a treat. Using my good stuff and slowing things down like this gives me a boost.
I sort of hate the term “self care,” but I think this breakfast boost qualifies.
And OK … the whole experience of cleaning up after myself brings me back to Earth, but that’s fine, too.
In fact, while preparing my breakfast today, my dentist’s office called and left a message telling me that I have an appointment to get my teeth cleaned tomorrow. Oh joy.
This is a nice reminder that whenever a person goes off to La-la land (or ITALY), everything they left behind is waiting for them.
That includes all of the best stuff AND the bad stuff.
And that’s as good a reason as any to send yourself off on a little self-care trip whenever you can — even if you only journey from the stove to the breakfast table and back again.
***** I hope you have a grand week, full of little private joys.
Love,
Amy
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