Over the past few years, I’ve been doing some remodeling. Not on any room or building, but on myself. I found that I needed to take out some old habits and bring in some new colors to remake myself. As with all remodeling, I also like to examine the process from stripping ugly wallpaper to applying new flooring.
This is from September 2007
As a witch, I try to put intent into what I do. I fail many times but when I focus, it’s lovely. I am going to be making stew this weekend. I splurged and bought some short ribs for this purpose. I may watch too much Alton Brown.Nah, there is never too much Alton Brown… unless it is Iron Chef USA. Then sometimes.
But I digress.
I am going to make stew. I am going to go to the Farmer’s Market and buy some turnips and peppers if they have them. I am going to roast the ribs with those veggies to get a deep flavor. I am going to then simmer those ribs in some wine and garlic. Then I am going to season them and add some potatoes (new potatoes). While this simmers on the stove, I am going to clean the living room and breathe in the delicious smells.
I need to remember that what I put in me is as important as what I surround myself with.
We talked about what it means to “choose love.” I think that this is a part of that. By choosing to cook good foods and to eat good foods, I am choosing love.
So here is a recipe based on love. What else could it be but the Queen of Cups? She nurtures in a compassionate way. I’ve learned (or I am learning) to nurture myself in a compassionate way. What better comfort food than really hearty stew?
Arwen’s I’m Just Ribbin’ Ya Stew for the Queen of Cups
Short ribs
2 onions, peeled but left whole
3 new potatoes
1 bottle hard cider
Garlic powder
Garlic crushed
Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco Sauce
1 Can Ro-tel tomatoes (tomatoes with green chilis)
Olive Oil
Strongbow Cider (or some hard cider)
Turn on oven to broil. Realize you want to roast the veggies. Turn oven down to 400.
Whine about not getting to the Farmer’s Market for fabulous locally grown veggies. Pull out onions and new potatoes. Realize ribs are still in freezer even though you KNOW you’ve been planning to cook them today for a week. Pry out of container. Run under cold water until you can peel the plastic thingy from the bottom. Praise yourself for remembering about plastic thingy… this time.
Put frozen ribs in cast iron skillet. Place potatoes around them. Stick onions on top. Don’t chop onions. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Ok… ok… over sprinkle because you opened up the wrong side of the container. Add worchestershire sauce. Liberally add Tabasco. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
Cut onions in half. Cut potatoes in fourths. Resist urge to put one potato on a plate and just eat it as is. You only have three! Cut ribs into bite size nummy chunks. Put in stew pot. Add a good forkful of crushed garlic. Add can of tomatoes/chilis. Curse when you realize some idiot ate the last can of whole corn. Laugh because you live by yourself.
Open fridge and stare for a few moments. Pick up different things and put them back. Eye your very last bottle of yummy Strongbow Cider. Realize the sacrifice is going to be worth it.
Add bottle of cider and put in another bottle’s worth of water. Add a bit more Worcestershire. Stir and cover. Turn heat up to medium. Bring to a boil.
Reduce to simmer and cook for 2-3 hours.
This stew turned out so amazingly well. It was spicy rich goodness filled with a very full flavor palate. I may make a version of it again soon. 🙂
Cards shown:
1. Sibyl of Cups World Spirit Tarot
2. Detail from Queen of Cups from Victorian Romantic Tarot
