Hi.

Hello All. I feel like I should introduce myself a bit before I completely dive in head first in this thing. I'm 23, a recent college graduate, unfortunately a full time jobber, hopefully a soon-to-be grad student, a lover of fine food and alcohol, and I've been single longer than I care to honestly mention. But I’m going to. I actually thought about this the other day, I haven't been in a serious relationship in. . .lets go with 6 years. It has become more of a way of life and less of a relationship choice.

I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I haven't had the opportunity to be in a relationship within the past several years, I have, there were several flings but never anything I’ve really wanted bad enough. I'd have to say that about 90 percent of the time it's me who doesn't want to pursue anything, and the rest is why I don't try hard enough.

Nowadays I feel like an old lady who has to go to sleep by 10 to get up early enough to get to work the next day, so the thought of having a boyfriend seems exhausting. It’s 9:47pm right now and the first thing I thought was, oh shit, I should get to bed. This isn’t something I wanted to happen to me just yet, especially so soon after graduation.

But let’s talk about something more interesting….food! Cooking is one of my favorite things to do and my mother found a delicious recipe and I plan on making it in the near future for a couple of people. It’s not really on a student budget, but it’s worth making at least once.

Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Creamed Leeks and Apples

Bon Appétit September 2001

By Sanford D’Amato

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

4 ¼ cups apple cider

3 tablespoons coarse salt

6 allspice berries

1 bay leaf

4 10-ounce bone-in center-cut pork rib chops (I actually prefer the pork chops without the bones, just because it’s easier.)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

5 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced

1 cup whipping cream

1 ½ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, halved, each half cut into 4 wedges

2 tablespoons sugar

½ cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth

½ cup Calvados (fairly expensive apple brandy made in France. Not all necessary, but tasty with the apples. And it’s nice to drink after dinner.)

Olive oil

Preparation

Bring 4 cups cider, salt, allspice, and bay leaf to boil in large saucepan, stirring to dissolve salt. Cool completely. Place pork in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour brine over. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy learge skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and sauté until tender about 7 minutes. Add cream and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. (It took me longer) season to taste with salt and pepper. (Creamed leeks can be made one day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add apples and sauté 10 minutes. Add sugar and sauté until apples are golden, about 6 minutes longer. Add stock, then Calvados and remaining ¼ cup cider.Simmer until liquid thickens slightly and apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Prepare barbecue (medium heat) or preheat broiler. (I might sear each pork chop on each side for about a minute on high heat and then put them in the oven at 350 until done.) Brain pork. Rinse under cold water; pat dry. Brush pork with oil. Grill or broil to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium.

Meanwhile, rewarm leeks, thinning with 1 to 3 tablespoons water if necessary. Bring apples to simmer. Spoon leeks onto plates. Top with pork, then apples.

I thought the creamed leeks and the apples might have been weird together, but they aren’t at all. It’s soooo good.

Something for you to ponder until next time: Sandra Lee: evil incarnate sent to earth to torture foodies –or all of civilization?