More Truffly Adventures

Posted on 2008/01/18 22:15:08 (January 2008).

[Sunday 13th January]
Had a lazy day in today - Chie was markedly better than she had been the previous day, but still not quite up to going out anywhere, and I was quite happy to just loll about the flat.

Watched Tokyo Story at some point today (or was it yesterday? can't really remember). We have watched quite a few Ozu films over the last couple of months, and I have been finding them really endearing. What fascinates me is Ozue seems to use basically the same cast over and over again. My particular favourite among these is Chishu Ryu, who on the surface comes across as a particularly wooden and unidimensional actor - always playing the same stoic old man - and yet has an expliciable kind of charisma about him. I find him oddly spellbinding to watch.

Dinner was another adventure in gastronomy - I had to think of what to do with the other half of the truffle I had bought yesterday - knowing that they lose their flavour if they hang around too long, I was keen to use it up ASAP. So tonight I went for a risotto - the base risotto was very simple indeed (and as I didn't have any risotto rice I used sushi rice, which I find makes a great substitute) - some sauteed shallots, a splash of booze (rather unconventionall vodka, as I didn't have any white wine), a very gentle vegetable stock, a dash of cream, and some olive oil and butter. Onto this went the remainder of the truffle, just before serving, again just thinly shaved.

If anything I think this was even better than yesterday's dish, again really rich and fragrant, with that wonderful perfumed aroma which isn't quite like anything else. Heavenly!

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