Snow days

Here in NC, if there is a “snow event,” things tend to shut down quickly. The roads are not easily cleared and there are too few plows and salt trucks. So here we are, at home, staring at a blanket of snow outside.

The last snow day I remember was in1991, the day I was supposed to get my braces off. My orthodontist called me himself to announce the bad news that none of his staff could get to the office to yank those dreaded things off my teeth. This weekend is far superior to that experience. We haven’t done much. But that’s the beauty of it.

Our one major excursion was a walk to the local market in search of hot chocolate. We were not the only people to venture into the world, but there were very few signs of life outside. By the time we reached the market it was 5pm, an hour past the store’s appointed severe weather closing time. We didn’t care – hot chocolate is not a necessity. At least, it didn’t feel like one at the time. Something came over us on the way home and we decided to run the last few blocks. It inspired a perfect giddiness. Something had cracked open the normal order of things and now almost everyone was inside with no plans to leave the house for days. Being outside felt like silliness itself. Our lungs filled with cold air, we laughed our way back inside.

The cats are logging some serious lap time. Quick meals have been in order, to maximize the time spent with those little guys and huddled under blankets. Strangely enough, not all the meals we’ve been enjoying are served hot. Today I wanted my tuna and chickpea salad for lunch. I stumbled on the idea for it months ago after having an impressive tuna and white bean salad at the wonderful La Osteria in San Francisco. Fresh out of white beans, I experimented with chickpeas. I also swapped out the balsamic vinegar in their version for lemon juice. The results were good – I had created a light, bright and filling meal. But something was missing. Every time I made it I wanted to add a depth of flavor; it needed a darker, almost dirty note. This weekend, my mind cleared from traipsing through the snow, I finally hit that note with the simplest of additions: freshly ground pepper. Finely ground, coarsely ground: I don’t care. But freshly ground pepper matters. It has a meaty flavor, deep and dark on the back of the tongue in addition to the spark that we associate with pepper. Don’t be shy with it.

Tuna Chickpea Salad with Lemon & Capers

Ingredients:

1 6-ounce can tuna, packed in water, drained
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
2-3 stalks celery, chopped fine
1-2 Tbsp capers
pinch red pepper flakes
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
juice of ½ to ¾ lemon
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add tuna, garbanzo beans, celery, capers (to taste), and red pepper flakes to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and the juice of ½ lemon to mixing bowl and combine all ingredients. Taste salad to see if it needs more olive oil, lemon juice, or other seasoning. Cover bowl and chill for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Makes 2 large or 3 small servings. Salad will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Best enjoyed under a blanket with a cat on your lap.