Use it all Up

There’s a hambone on the stove simmering in some scratch chicken stock, and I’m wearing last year’s well-loved black turtleneck sweater. There’s an eight-inch-long side rip in the seam opening of that cashmere piece, and that’s okay. 

While my footprint on this earth might not be commendable, I do try and use the things I gather all the way up. It’s a very small thing to do, using the things you have to their full exhaustion point, yet it yields some significant high satisfaction. 

I recently bought six organic chickens, for I had a full house, and lots of meals to put out. First night we had coq au vin using the thigh and leg only, I kind of love that I know how to break a chicken down, even if that seems a little strange and weird. 

The back bones were saved for stock, the rest of the whole shebang was put in the fridge, we had other things to do. 

Thanksgiving came and went, and then there was a birthday party, Booie turned 28! Chicken Milanese and Strawberry Cake! 

I cut the breast meat off the bone and pounded it thin, it was quite exceptional fried up with an egg and breadcrumb coating under a mound of arugula. 

Tired of pounding and frying, the rest of the situation I simply covered in some thick heavy cream and baked it for about 20 minutes or so. Once cool, shredded it all up, mixed in some mayo, chopped celery, walnuts, and tarragon, and called it all lunch. 

Peanut and I had lunch together this afternoon (leftover pasta from last night’s dinner) after her morning of Zoom school and we counted our blessings for having good food in the house. 

Every day dress, trying to use it all up.