I know that chanterelle season is coming up soon and I was hoping against hope that there would be chanterelle mushrooms at the vegetable stand yesterday. But alas, they have not arrived yet. I had had my heart set on making a chanterelle and kale risotto. Instead, I found some shiitake mushrooms and spinach and whipped up this risotto for dinner last night. I used a little vegetable broth instead of all water. And I made some roasted brussel sprouts on the side. I’ve been so exhausted this week and we’ve eaten out or gotten take out almost every night, so even though I was really tired yesterday afternoon, I really just wanted some home cooked comfort food. The risotto recipe I posted a while back can be made with any vegetables — the base is the same. Eric took one bite last night and said, with a rather hilarious hint of disgust, “Why is this so cheesy?!” No cheese, my love. It’s just the way this risotto turns out. Rich, warm, comforting, and full of flavor. Just the thing at the end of a long week.
This has seemed like SUCH a long week, with the beginning of school, I’ve been fighting a sore throat and drinking lots of the turmeric detox drink, and my dear friend Tish left for Oxford yesterday. Her partner got into a Masters program at Oxford and she will be writing her dissertation from the UK. I’ve known this was coming for months and I’ve been trying to prepare for the loss of yet another friend to long distance. I know it’s simply a feature of the time we live in, when people move around a lot and when jobs, school, and other opportunities pop up in all corners of the world. And I know that I’m not actually losing Tish. But long distance friendships are different. With physical distance inevitably comes other forms of distance, just by the fact that we will no longer be in the same place doing the same kinds of things.
I don’t know if I would have survived grad school if it wasn’t for Tish’s friendship and support, and knowing her has pushed me to be a better person. That, I think, is one measure of a truly amazing friend–those who push us gently to be as compassionate, kind, and careful as we can be in navigating the world–to be better versions of who we are fundamentally, without trying to change our basic nature. I am very happy to see Tish set out on this new adventure–it absolutely seems like the right thing for her. But I am also sad to say goodbye to such a dear friend. Goodbye and thank you a million times!
And on that bittersweet note, I’ll bid you, dear readers, a happy weekend of enjoying time with good friends and family and resting up for another week!
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