[sic]

We're still sick. It's not too bad, really–just a cold. But the timing is not so good. I had big plans for this week, big plans. Now my plans consist mostly of making an increasingly impossible to-do list for next week. On the plus side, though, I get to drink rum whenever my throat hurts–day or night–so there's that.

I did manage to rally this afternoon and get some chicken stock going with frozen thighs, adding fennel, ginger, garlic, and carrots to the mix. Later, I strained it into a smaller pot, and added shredded lime leaves, galangal, nam pla, the meat from the chicken thighs, and a dab of green curry paste, then let it simmer for a short while. The herbs on top were just-picked chervil, scallion, and bolting cilantro (I love the way the leaves get all lacy when they bolt) and some minced fennel fronds. This was pretty authentic tasting and all the way delicious. I added a ton of our homemade pink hot sauce from last summer.

Best of all, since there was pie crust in the freezer (I always make a double order) I busted out a quick strawberry-rhubarb tart for dessert, sweetening it only with maple syrup and honey. We ate damn near all of it, for medicinal purposes. The rest is for breakfast.