
so, for a grand investment of 69¢, i rescued the overgrown plants and saved the day. but all of that only filled about an hour of time, so i had to find some other way to distract myself.
i tend to take for granted having grown up with cultural influences that are not the norm. so, while something as all-American as tuna casserole would send me scouring cookbooks and food blogs for days, i can whip up a mid-week garlic-jerk roasted pork loin with rice and beans with nary an effort.

there are few products i would recommend with zero hesitation, and Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning easily gets my stamp of approval. the blend of scallions, scotch bonnet peppers, and spices is far better than any i've come across thus far. sure, i could make my own, but that would just be absurd.
toss in a few cloves of crushed garlic, olive oil, ground cloves, salt and pepper, and you have a combo somewhere near perfection. i added a couple long peppers to my signature blend of peppercorns and coriander seeds. these were obtained from my favorite spice shop at the Marché Jean Talon, one of the most awesome places to hang out in Montreal. they look a bit like unsuccessful pine cones, and taste like a cross between the more familiar black pepper and allspice. they are rather pricey, so i only use them for special things.


saute onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil, then toss in the rice and (drained) beans, add coconut milk, water, salt, and pepper, then bring to a boil and simmer covered till done.
there was a random butternut squash in the vegetable bin, so that managed to make its way into the meal, plus a salad to cool the tongue in between spicy bites.
and... after all that effort... after salivating for more than an hour while the most delicious smells poured out of my kitchen... i ended up eating just a few mouthfuls before i started to feel full, so i abandoned the meal to save room for coffee and dessert. not only does the Iranian restaurant up the street make a-maz-ing kebab sandwiches, they also sell a fantastic assortment of baklava. my favorite are the cigar-shaped ones. who knew procrastination could be so satisfying!