The New Year is well underway and yet, I remain in in personal Hotel California. Well, sort of. I go to the grocery store, several food distributions, and work.

For the past two months, Daughter and I have been working part-time. The local theater had staged a unique presentation. Seven short vignettes based on the age-old theme, The Seven Deadly Sins were commissioned by the Miami New Drama company.

Each section is staged in a vacant storefront on our walking mall. The actors are behind glass while the audience sits on the sidewalk equipped with their souvenir headphones. Each audience group is guided from segment/sin to segment to take in all seven.

Daughter is a guide and I manage access to the restrooms. After two extensions, due to popular demand, the show should be closing this weekend.
https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/12/11/live-theater-returns-with-seven-deadly-sins-on-lincoln-road/?fbclid=IwAR3vds0eNxtxFG1ftXfgP7UTii28XHJ231bTFS1AdyV4Q9Q-IwZe8W6qKEg

My usual cooking routine has been upended because we work a long weekend – Thursday through Sunday. But I’ve still been at it as best I can so that we can enjoy leftovers on the evenings that we’re on the job. Constant Companion frequently fends for himself – foraging in the filled freezer or making concoctions with canned tuna, canned chili, and whatever moves him.

I tried recipes from a recent zoom session. One of the amazing home cooks from Seattle’s Congregation Ezra Bessaroth’s Sephardic Learning Kitchen made a meal with Salmon and chick peas. She also demo-ed making Moroccan preserved lemons (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc_ryg_2HlA&feature=youtu.be).

Moroccan Salmon with chick peas. Needed: some nice pieces of salmon, I cubed red pepper, 5-6 cloves of garlic, sliced, ½ bunch of cilantro (I forgot to get this at the store, next time!), pepper, paprika, cumin (I replace with fennel seed), pickled lemon, one jalapeno (omitted in deference to Daughter’s palate).

Start by sautéing the cubed pepper in oil, add the garlic, then half of the cilantro, and the spices and preserved lemon. Add one cup of cooked garbanzo beans (chick peas). Arrange the salmon on top and add enough water to just cover. Bring to a boil, then turn down to medium for 10 minutes. Spoon some of the sauce on top and continue cooking another 10 minutes. Sprinkle the rest of the cilantro on top to finish.

This cook recommended using dried garbanzos that have been rehydrated and cooked. I much prefer to use canned or jarred beans.

She also gave a recipe to make preserved lemons. I had done this many years ago and had a number of lemons so I gave it another try; the instructions seemed easy.

And one photo of the charismatic Moon over Miami, taken one late night while at work during the pandemic

And Miami New Drama’s statement for the New Year!

Another New Year approaches the end of the week. That’s Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish New Year of the Trees (see Feb. 11, 2020 post)/