Midwest With Zest

Oooooh it was a week.  I don’t even know what made it such a long hard week.  I think it’s the snow.  No, not snow, it’s the ice.  No, no, that’s not quite it either.  We need a special term for the road conditions right now.  Last Wednesday I got so frustrated and tired of being slightly scared I walked my bike the last two blocks home.  I know it’s tough driving as well, but from a car you don’t get the long slow up-close version.  It’s not a road, it’s thick dense slick ice sheets that absorb sand and rocks like a black hole.  On top of the ice sheet are ice bumps, ridges, snow mounds and traps.  Snow traps, like sand traps.  Greyish piles of snow that are the consistency of damp sand.  Depending on the depth I might just pedal through or lose all traction and feel my rear wheel skate sideways.  All of this occasionally gives way to bare asphalt.  Often leaving an edge parallel to my tires which might as well be cracks in the space-time continuum for how much I fear them.  Biking to work feels like a malevolent obstacle course designed by Sideshow Bob.

Sideshow Bob evil plotting

In the past, as bad as the road conditions might be, somewhere it was decent.  Main roads would be mostly clear but have more traffic.  Side roads would be snowy but spacious.  Now there is evil everywhere.  Main roads are ice bumps and edges.  Side roads are pitted with so many varieties of snow Inuits would need more words.  All roads are so choked with snow (even with the parking restrictions) I’m either holding someone up or narrowly being passed while balancing on snakes.

So without further ado, I’ll finally get around to sharing what I cooked this week.

Nuyorican rice and beans pilaf style.
My original inspiration came from the New York Times Magazine
I made it several times following the recipe. Continue reading →