Cooking

On Wednesdays this guy runs a farmer's market type thing in the CDC parking lot where I work. So wed. mornings the cdc sends out an e-mail advertising for him and mentioning the 5 a day website about nutrition featuring recipes and other info. Well, as I currently have very little to do at work, I was reading through the recipes last week and printed out a few that sounded within my severely limited skill range. One of which is a marinade for grilling potatoes. So we cooked out tonight and I brought over the recipe and ingredients, and it's really simple. Just five ingredients mixed together and brushed onto potatoes as you grill them. But that still counts as cooking and is far more experimental than anything I've done in the kitchen that wasn't baking...perhaps ever. Anyway, so I try this thing out tonight and everyone wants to eat my shishkabobs and says how great they are and it's really interesting how different compliments are when they apply to something you normally don't do well. I mean, I'm still incredibly flattered whenever someone thinks I've done some particularly clever statistical thing, but, let's face it, I am in grad school for statistics, so it's somewhat accepted that I have some skill in the area. And since I wasn't even allowed to use the "nice" knives in my kitchen at home, anything more challenging than boiling water is considered a significant feat for me in the kitchen. So to get complimented on any dish, even a really simple one, is unheard of for me. And really, really nice. So it was a good night. In addition to my own personal victory, it was simply a lovely evening. Good people, good food, beautiful weather. Sitting outside, drinking, grilling. Then trivial pursuit and Fight Club (the movie, not a reenactment) afterwards. Now a quick snack, finishing up Primary Colors, and bed time without an alarm for the morning. What more can a gal ask for?