“Your present plans are going to succeed within the year.”

20Jun11

Got this fortune in my cookie on Saturday. I might need to frame it and hang it up in my room somewhere to keep me going.

I wonder how accurate it is– one of my current plans is to marry a multi-millionaire (or was it billionaire?). 😀 I wonder . . . If you are reading this, future billionaire-husband, I am here! *waves* Let’s get hitched!

[Insert cricket chirp.]

… or maybe not.

My fellow friends who are studying diligently for the bar are going to hate me for this, but there are a little more than FIVE WEEKS LEFT. Can you believe it? Is there a pause button somewhere?

But no, here we go, tumbling willy-nilly towards that unreachable finish line. For what? To grab that elusive (and expensive) California Bar number?

There won’t be any real recipes today. I made a shepherd’s pie a couple days ago that I WANTED to share with you, but when I pulled it out of the oven, it . . . well, you know the saying about there are some faces so ugly that only their mothers would love it?

Hm. It was that ugly.

On the other hand, it was tasty (potatoes and beef and cheese all rolled into one? How could it not be absolutely scrumptious?), so I had a good dinner and second day lunch made from it.

So . . . no pictures of Shepherd’s Pie this time around. Maybe if I try again.

Instead, because summer seems to have arrived here in San Francisco (finally!), I’m going to share one of my favorite summertime desserts (see above): Winter Melon Jelly!

There really isn’t a recipe for it– you just . . . put agar, water, and the winter melon sugar together in a bowl, boil, pour it into a pan, then allow it to set and chill for a few hours. It’s delicious, believe me you.

(Note: use agar-agar and not gelatin. They result in different textures, with agar-agar being firmer than your normal Jell-O brand gelatin.)

Summer is a time of long days, beaches, hot sun, and frozen drinks. The only one of those I’ve experienced recently has been the long days. Studying makes a day longer, definitely. I managed to get away from it briefly yesterday and sat in Dolores Park, enjoying the sunshine with hundreds of other San Franciscans who seemed to have the same idea. Plus, it was Father’s Day.

So with that, I bid you Happy Monday, a belated Happy Father’s Day, and Welcome Summer!