Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Pasta

If eating locally means not having to drive to the store and eating what's in the fridge, then I've been a champion since moving here. The store is 10 minutes away. This is insane. I used to live two blocks from Smiths, or half a mile from Nature's or a mile from the D&W. I could walk or ride. Not that I always did. But I did once and awhile. And I could drive in like 2-5 minutes. This 10 minute thing might be good for me though. I've been planning meals, stocking way up at the farmer's market, and shopping more thoroughly at the Safeway.
So yesterday, I looked in the fridge and saw that I had whole milk ricotta, a bag of basil, and a bunch of tomatoes. And I'm leaving tomorrow for GR and these things will not be good when I get back (I can rely on Egg to eat the tomatoes but not to use the ricotta. Or probably the basil).
So I googled those ingredients and came up with a fettuccine and fresh tomato dish. But then I saw the fettuccine was supposed to be fresh too. Instead of bailing to the store or making it with regular spaghetti, I remembered I had a pasta maker.
It took an hour but Egg and Z helped pull the sheets and hold the machine down as I cranked the handle. Z had her noodles with peas and butter. We had our ricotta. Z's was better but in both dishes, the pasta was great.
Fun fun fun. I love being hobbled by my hatred of driving to the store!

6 comments:

Condiment said...

I used to have a supermarket right across the street. I ate better, I saved money, I wasted less. Now my store is a 5-minute drive, hardly a great distance, but enough to cause me to overbuy, which means that there is always something in my fridge that is going bad. This never used to happen. I feel your pain.

Nik said...

I think I would give a lot of money to live across the street from a store. As much as it costs to live in L.A.? Maybe. At least L.A. offers the possibility of an avocado in your front yard.

Condiment said...

California has the highest sales tax, highest gas tax, and highest income tax in the U.S. Highest corporate tax in the West. Property taxes are in the middle.

Stay where you are!

Lisa B. said...

I am super impressed that you made the fresh pasta. I don't have a pasta machine. Is this my next gadget? Also, having whole milk ricotta in your refrigerator, and fresh tomatoes, and basil--that sounds like a pretty good day in any refrigerator. Yummy dinner(s)!

P said...

I am saddened my post didn't go through yesterday, but I still think hobbled by hatred is the coolest of quotes from the otter. I remember the time we used every towel and every counter in Portland to make pasta. Fun times. Gadget for the kitchen aid or a free standing one?

Dr Write said...

I can't believe you made pasta. I mean, I can believe it, because it's you.
With the grocery store across teh street, we have whatever we want, whenever. Not necessarily cheaper, so I admire your thrift.
You're my hero!