Black Truffle

Some time ago I purchased a lone black truffle. I’ve heard so much about them, but I’ve never had an opportunity to try one, or even to try truffle oil. Since last week I perfected my omelette technique, and truffle and eggs are such a classic combination, I decided to treat my husband and myself to a black truffle omelette. I really had no idea what to expect when I opened the jar containing the truffle, but the first thing to hit me was the smell. I’ve heard it described in so many ways, mostly earthy… devine… descriptions that aren’t really all that descriptive; to me it almost smelled chocolate. The texture was another surprise; I expected it to feel like a mushroom, but it was much rougher in texture and more firm.  I didn’t really use all that much in the eggs, just a light dusting really, but the flavor was really truly beautiful though I would find it hard to describe; there was still the almost chocolatey perfume to it, but it didn’t taste anything like chocolate really. Now I’m dying to buy some truffle oil and make a risotto.

All in all it was a great treat for a special Sunday breakfast, and really fun to make. My husband, who’s really not all that much a foodie really thought it was something special as well. He’s looking forward to a mushroom risotto with truffle oil at this point. I’ll have to put up the recipe for that when I get around to making it.

Other than that I spent most of the day just relaxing and catching a few movies on cable. It was a really uneventful day even for my kitty who spent most of it hanging out in the front room window soaking up some sun. A perfect Sunday I guess

Round the Block

Today, I got up and before breakfast took a walk around the block. Not exactly a massive accomplishment for most maybe, but for me it was huge. Better yet, it wasn’t painful or too exhausting; it was actually fun. It’s nice to see what the neighbors are doing with their yards, and it’s nice to see a few neighbors here and there. I was overtaken by a couple in their 70’s, but they both looked real fit for 70 .

I actually created a workout schedule for myself a few weeks ago, and so far it’s going well. I have a little gym I’ve been using to try and bring some tone to my upper body and to give me some sort of endurance; it also lets me do some exercises for my left leg in isolation of my right. I can’t really tell how I’m doing yet, but I’m encouraged by the fact I’m able to do my routine 3-4 times a week, and I had the energy & endurance for my little stroll around the block.

Another foray into the unknown wilds for me, I had my husband go to the grocery and get some lean chuck steak, and I popped it into my food processor and made burgers for us with it. I can honestly say they were the best burgers I’ve ever had. I’ll probably put my recipe up here sometime, I was just surprised at how good they really were. I think I’ll try other types of steak and maybe some combinations in the future, but for now those were awesome.

Then this evening one of my husbands friends, who is a major dessert lover, came over to watch the game (Wallabies v Frenchies I believe), and I cracked out Gordon Ramsay’s chocolate fondant recipe and served it up with crème brûlée ice cream; I have to say, he swooned over it.  He thought it was the perfect dessert. I have to say I think it’s pretty much the perfect chocolate dessert. I’ve never had a chocolate fondant before, but my understanding is if made correctly, the center is a liquid sauce and the exterior is a deliciously moist cake; a bad one essentially becomes a cake. These came out perfect. The exterior was moist and as soon as you cracked it with a spoon, the interior was a little lake of molten chocolate. Really luscious, not too heavy and not too sweet. I have a couple of other fondant recipes I want to make to compare it with, they have slight variations in the proportions between the ingredients. I can’t believe I’ll encounter one any more delicious or any easier to make than this one though. Excellent work Chef Ramsay.

Other than that I’ve had a fairly uneventful day. Mostly just lazing around the house and a little trip to the library. It was nice having company over, I love making treats for company. I’m feeling a little less tired today, but I did sleep in this morning a bit. In any case I hope the less tired trend continues. I still have a few more weeks before my mobilization, and I hope to at least 75% by then

Tingly Tongue

I had always thought that my tingly tongue had something to do with one of my chemo drugs, but I’ve had a tingly tongue now for about a week, so now I think maybe it’s a side effect of the immuno-therapy with rituximab. Whatever it’s the result of, I wish it would go away. It feels like I’ve got my tongue stuck to a nine volt battery all the time. Not horribly painful or anything, just weird and prickly. Ah the joys of treating cancer. It’s such fun, and very strange.

Other than that and the pervasive tiredness I’m feeling I’m otherwise alright. I’ve had a bit of heartburn for no real reason, some days it seems like anything can give me heartburn. Today it was a boiled egg. Yesterday my english muffin. Tomorrow I’ll just start my day with a nexium and see if that doesn’t keep it at bay. I’ve been drinking a lot of water, so I don’t really understand why I would have heartburn. Naughty tummy I guess. I also have a bit of a rash still on my shoulders and now on my sides; it’s itchy, and I hope it goes away soon too.

I didn’t think I’d have any sort of side effects this time. I thought I’d just have my rituximab and there’d be no problem; I’m a little disappointed. At least my skin around my port is healing well. I’ve been rubbing jojoba oil and vaseline relief and repair balm on it, and they’re working. I have a little redness and one small patch of dryness and that’s it. Ah well, things are looking up. I think I’m going to take a little walk around the block tomorrow… en crutch of course… even though I hate my crutches. I haven’t had anymore of that weird pain in my leg, but my bones in my pelvis are still noticably sore, so it’s best to treat them gingerly… I’m a delicate flower I guess.

Rugby League State of Origin Game 3 Preview

Game III brings up thoughts of great returns. Alan Langer, Brad Fittler, Andrew Johns. Is it possible, could we add the name Braith Anasta to this list? What of his half-back Mitchell Pearce, what a time to make a debut! Is this the fairy-tale: The son of a former Origin great making his debut and starring in a series decider? Playing alongside him is a man previously voted “The most overrated player in the game”, previously banished from Origin, but now returning triumphant? Or this: Queensland going down in history as a three time consecutive series champion.

In my estimation Qld has exerted more influence over the series – at no stage have New South Wales truly been dominant. You must remember Qld is the two time defending champion with (at this point) far more depth and options in most positions. Read more

I Am A Sleepmonster

I feel like a broken record of late; I’m tired; I’m really tired; I’m really really tired. Not so much a physical tiredness like when my blood counts were low; I’m sleepy. I got away without a nap yesterday, but I paid for it today. I could not keep my eyes open. I had to give up on attempting to work; it’s not fair to the office if I’m nodding off as I try to code, so no billable work today. I actually passed out on the sofa twice today, and took a nap around 5:30pm, and I’m ridiculously sleepy right now. I have no idea whether or not this is related to my chemotherapy in any way. I hope it does, and I hope it’s over soon. I feel non-functional at this point. At least my cat is down with napping too. He and I are partners in sleep; I would love to think it’s because he loves me so much, but I think it’s because it’s cold out, and I’m so very warm. I throw off so much heat he actually starts out sleeping on me and has to move away later. Even still it’s nice to have a little buddy to cuddle with, and he’s very cuddly right now.

My hair is really beginning to grow. It’s nearly a half inch long all over now, with some bits being longer (I have yet to shave my rebel 2″ hair that survived chemo). I think I will even my hair all up this weekend though; goodness knows how long it will be by then. I hope this is a sign I’m getting back to normal in terms of my super human healing powers . It sounds funny, but I’ve always healed really quickly, overnight for minor things sometimes. It really beats what I’ve been through with chemo; I was beginning to feel like the patches of skin that peeled off because of the adhesives would never heal, but they’re nearly healed now. They were hideous looking for awhile there.

Well I have to cut things short because once again I’m nodding off.

K’s Out of Chemo Too

My kitty-baby, K, had his last chemo treatment today; HOORAY! When I have my sushi fest he’s joining me. He loves prawn shells and salmon. He’s so precious; his normal doctor has gone on to Sydney to do research so he had a new doctor today, and he greeted him with his usually loving growl and attempts to rip the guys hands off when he tried to put a line in him. Ah well another Vet scared off; I don’t know what the deal is but he hates most vets; he liked his last one though, and she wasn’t afraid of him, but the last five vets he’s had other than her have been terrified of him. He’s not that evil… he doesn’t even have front claws. I could probably never get him any sort of treatment if he did. He’s so precious to me though.

So me and him we’re both done with chemo now. I’m glad he doesn’t have to go through mobilization, wish I didn’t .

George Carlin Dies at 71

I was so saddened to hear today that George Carlin died yesterday in Santa Monica of heart failure. I will probably always remember the first time I heard his Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television, though I failed to realize at the time how ground breaking it was, and how much trouble he got into for persevering and continuing to perform the act in spite of the Supreme Court ruling it indecent in 1987. He’s said that he took a perverse pleasure in being a footnote in America’s legal history. I think it’s a brave thing when someone stands up for something they obviously believe so strongly in. It’s funny the people who’ve helped to preserve civil liberties in the US.

Anyway it’s pretty sad news. He was such a funny guy, and topical. I appreciated his views on a lot of things; he could be abrasive, but I think that was part of his charm. At least his works live on in his absence, and people will be able to hear his unique observations… there’s now a DVD retrospective of his work, George Carlin: All My Stuff, maybe I’ll ask for it for Christmas.

Tired and Chilly

It’s been really chilly here in the evenings lately; that’s not doing much for me, considering all I want to do lately is curl up and sleep anyway. I hadn’t read anything about rituximab causing tiredness, but since my treatment I’ve been more and more tired. I’ve also had a nice rash on my shoulder, which must be related to the rituximab. It’s starting to clear itself up today, but it was really itchy. Very similar to a rash I had on my legs a month or so ago.

I swear some days I could sleep until noon, have a warm bath and sleep some more. I don’t know what’s going on with that. Maybe when you’re healing you need insane amounts of rest or something. If I’m not a little more energetic by the time I go into the hospital for mobilization, I’m going to ask the doctor about it, just to make sure it’s not some weird complication or something. My port site is finally healing up from the adhesives peeling the skin off around it. I’m really looking forward to the removal of the port; I guess in my mind its removal represents the true end of my journey with cancer. It was really invaluable to me during treatment, but I’ve never really liked it. At first, I was constantly aware of it there under my skin, snaking up and over my collar bone, I’ve grown less constantly aware of it, but I still feel it there, and sometimes when I touch the base of my throat (which I had no idea I did as often as I do), I feel the tubing there. It feels very prominent, and I can trace the tubing down my chest to the port. I don’t like feeling it too much though, it kind of freaks me out if I think about it too much.

Well tiredness personified is going to cocoon in a wooly duvet and take a deep sleep… maybe my bear genes are just surfacing, and I just need to go into hibernation.

That Run Down Feeling

Today and yesterday I’ve been feeling really run down and tired. Part of it I know is the constant pain in my hip and back, and part of it must be my low red blood cell count. I just wonder when this part of the healing will be done. I went out yesterday for about an hour and a half, and when I got home I couldn’t pry myself off the sofa, and I had to take a nap before dinner.

I have been working prety much full time from home, and maybe that has some effect, but work doesn’t feel that hard most of the time so I don’t know whether that’s a factor or not; plus, working from home, if I need a nap I can take one and come back to things. I am surprised by exactly how much nap time I require. Currently I’m up to at least 1 – 2 hours a day. I really feel terrible if I don’t get some nap time too. I can’t wait till this is over either. I was never much of a napper in the past, naps used to make me cranky because I’d wake up feeling tired, at least now I just feel refreshed after one of my naps.

Anyhow I haven’t done much, though I did try the chicken wing strock I made the other day and it was really flavorsome. I still don’t know what I’m going to do with it though. Anyway, I think I’m in need of a nap right now.

Sunshine Returns

When I say sunshine, I mean my normal sunny demeanor. Gone are the ultra-grouchy cranky pants I was so unfortunate to have awoken to yesterday. Yippee! I hate being grouchy. Rat bred anti-bodies (aka rituximab) apparently agree with me, or maybe it was the nearly 18 hours of sleep I got yesterday. I don’t know, and I don’t care; I feel great today.

I woke up on the total right side of the bed this morning, then as on omen of what a great day it was going to be, I made a perfect three egg omelette for breakfast, and I mean perfect. The texture was beautiful and soft, the fold was dead on and it tasted great. I was so excited about it because I’ve been working on perfecting my three egg omelette for awhile now, about three months in total, not that I have practiced it often, I’ve only made four in the whole three months because I have to be in the mood for eggs to make them, and I usually prefer scrambled. I was working during the same period on pefecting my scrambling technique as well.

It all started when I bought a book called Eggs by Michel Roux, a Michelin three star chef I admire; before that I thought I knew how to cook scrambled eggs and omelettes fairly well, but after reading the book I realized there was more to learn. The scrambled eggs came along fairly quickly, and I’ve experimented with techniques from other chefs who are known for their eggs, but I really find the texture I get with Michel Roux’s technique is the best, and for me, where eggs are concerned texture is really important. So now, I’m onto the perfection of my egg poaching technique. I currently suck at that. The first egg I drop into the water is always good, it’s the second that smites me everytime, either sticking to the other egg or worse the bottom of the pan. I’m sure I’ll work it out with enough practice though.

I also bought some chicken wings the other day and today I started a really lovely chicken stock that I’m looking forward to turning into something tomorrow, maybe a soup or maybe I’ll use it in a risotto; who knows. I’m using a recipe from another chef I admire, Shannon Bennett, from his book, My Vue: Modern French Cookery. He’s the owner and head chef at a restaurant in Melbourne called Vue de monde; he’s of the kind of newer breed of chef who offers a dining experience instead of a menu to choose from per se. I’ve read a lot about him, and his recipes are great; one day I hope to have an opportunity to dine in his restaurant. Anyway he prefers using chicken wings to using a whole chicken for his stock, and since I’ve always only used a whole chicken; I’m very interested in trying out my new stock. I did have to quarter his recipe though. He recommends making a massive amount and storing it, but I don’t have that much storage.

I wish I could be this productive and have this much fun everyday. Even work was awesome; I had to make up a bunch of queries for a group looking to get some reports against their database, and all the queries were right on first run. I should’ve played the lotto today.

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