What a fabulous day

[serene]

Today was one of those days that makes me happy to be here and be me.

First, woke up and puttered and caught up (sorta) with email and LJ. It was nice. Then walked to the Berkeley Bowl with someotherguy -- perfect day for it. Bought some swiss cheese and three kinds of mushrooms and spring onions for the quiches.

Oh, the quiches. Our friend D came over and we schmoozed and made quiches. I adore cooking, and I like it even more with other people.



Mushroom quiches (makes 4)

4 pie crusts [we used store-bought]
3 or 4 spring onions, sliced [we used all the white part and about half the green]
1/4 white onion, chopped [because that's what we had]
6 or 7 cloves of garlic, minced
several tablespoons of butter
1.84 lbs (I'm just reading it off the grocery receipt -- use as many as you want) white mushrooms, sliced
.29 lb fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
.62 lb portabello mushrooms, sliced
Some sherry (about 1/4 - 1/2 cup total, I think, but we didn't measure)
1 lb each swiss and mild cheddar cheeses, grated (or sliced or cubed -- whatever)
12 eggs
1 quart whipping cream
about 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
about 1 teaspoon white pepper

The oven needs to be on about 375F, but my oven may run a little cool, and you don't need to preheat just yet, because the mushrooms take a while to cook down. We cooked the mushrooms in batches, because none of my pans was big enough. Anyway, cook the onions and garlic in butter until they're soft and starting to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add mushrooms and saute until they, too, begin to be soft and stick to the pan. Add a few splashes of sherry and let the whole thing cook down for a while until most of the liquid seems to have cooked away.

When all the mushrooms and onions are nearly cooked, preheat the oven. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and cream with your new KitchenAid stand mixer [or use a whisk/fork/mixer/whatever]. Add the nutmeg and pepper to this custard mixture and set it aside.

Into each pie tin, divide the ingredients into the crusts in this order:

1) A layer of swiss cheese
2) A layer of cheddar
3) A layer of the veggies (use it all up -- it will look like there's no room for the custard, but there is
4) The custard

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until brown and set. Let stand for a while until it's cool enough to eat. Share with firecat, who showed up during the prep and crocheted beautiful things while you all chatted, and with someotherguy, who was sweet enough to run out for butter when it turned out we had none.



It was really nice to sit and talk with D and firecat. I usually do find that I talk more about myself than I listen to others; firecat is much better at asking people about themselves, and I got to learn some about D, which was nice.

After firecat scooted to another engagement, someotherguy and I drove D home. Her house is within spitting distance of Lake Merritt, and we've never really stopped there, so we walked around the lake. It's quite a long walk, but we enjoyed the sunset and the water and the birds and the fish and the lights and just hanging out. It was a lovely time, and my ankle gave me nearly no trouble at all. Then home for some really nice let's-call-it-cuddling, and now here I am, up at 12:30 when I have work tomorrow, and feeling as fulfilled and happy as I have ever felt. My life is simple these days, but rich and good, and I am a lucky woman.

Comments

[intenselaura.livejournal.com]

D'you think describing it as a historical reenactment could get me a travel grant?

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Why yes. Yes, I do. :-)

[intenselaura.livejournal.com]

Woohoo! Your say-so oughta be good enough for the people who dole out money for these things. Of course they'll probably want a report or a documentary or something.