full regalia.

imitation goods.

Recently I’ve been on a money-saving kick, it is part and parcel of living at home. It is certainly an upside of an uncertain time. One of the various other upsides is that our kitchen is large, and though it is pretty much the opposite of well-stocked, its allows for many culinary endeavors to be undertaken. Recently, I have undertaken a number of these, including:

• Cold Brew. The easiest recipe on the planet: grind, steep, filter, drink. I’ve been using La Colombe Atelier beans, and since I’m only making my batches for one (this is a pretty small-scale operation) a pitcher tends to last 3 days. Sometimes I freeze some of it for coffee ice cubes. It saves me at least $2.50 a day, and if you’re buying the concentrate at the supermarket, you’re a sucker. 
• Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread.
  Inspired by a cookie trade my brother does with his friend Ruth, I sent the hermano these cookies from Smitten Kitchen. Mine turned out less golden, and were a tad floury, but buttery chocolate chip cookies doused in milk kind of get the job done regardless, methinks.
• Chocolate covered pretzels. I also sent the bro a ton of these. I know it’s silly to say you’re good at making chocolate covered pretzels, but, I’m really good at making chocolate covered pretzels. I use the butter snaps from Snyders instead of silly rods (chocolate dipping for noobs and people who are high, clearly).
• Abraço’s Olive Oil Loaf. On a roll from the shortbread, and probably too sugar high from all the pretzels, I decided to get adventurous and made my first attempt at imitating this beloved breakfast good. The recipe was originally printed in Bon Appetite. A hearty slice at the shop is $3, and nowhere near my walk to work, so, this saves grief and money. (Ain’t the internet grand?) The loaf reproduces really well. Not too sweet, very moist. I think they must have held out with some secret ingredients, because the texture felt a little different. Possibly they use more olive oil, or some cornmeal? Anyway, if my parents hadn’t had some, and I hadn’t decided to have seconds for desert, this lil’ loaf would have lasted me for a week’s worth of breakfast slices. With the cold brew it was a nice imitation of my fancy, former Manhattanite existence.  
• Cold Sesame Noodles. This one was a bit of an ad hoc dinner situation. Since I’ve been getting back into baking and cooking, I’ve been bringing in my lunch more often (C.R.E.A.M.), and so I decided to make these for dinner/lunch yesterday. Essentially, I took soba noodles, and with no measurements, just added some peanut butter, sesame oil, sesame seeds, pepper flakes, vinegar, soy sauce,and salt (all a splash here a splash there, these guys were actually a tad on the dry side and not drowning in sauce). They were good when warm last night, but a whole lot better today when cold. I think I want to try my hand at it again, but swap out soba for a tofu/rice noodle. Or do it Sandra Lee style and just throw some peanut butter and soy sauce on spaghetti. Ew. Gross. Sorry, guys I just kind of threw up on myself. 

On that delicious note, I will leave you. I’m thinking of things to concoct over the weekend - thus far I’m thinking I might want to make a tomato cheddar soup. Anyway what doesn’t do wonders for the waistline does do wonders for the wallet. Now I have all this extra money to spend on alcohol! books and handwritten letters to friends and family and stuff.