What accounts for the spike in all-around good newses? I was warned about this by my older cousins ("Oh, those years. Those years are just going to be a blur of brides and babies")(I assume they were referring to my 20's and 30's?), but this seems unprecedented. It's like everyone jumped all over poor June's soul and threatened to overtake it with flower arrangements and bassinets.
(Ha. Do bassinets exist anymore?)
Now, I enjoy a good party, don't get me wrong. I'm all for happiness, and babies are awfully cute...but my god! My tearducts! My...wallet! Ack. I know it's summer and this trend isn't new by any means and really, when love and children are all you have to complain about, c'mon...but there's something afoot here and it's freaking me out. I believe I'm approaching the phase in my life otherwise known as Looking Back On. Or maybe it's the Why Didn't I? Or the Never Will I Ever. It's kind of profound in a sort of fluffy way.
So of course I revert back to my very least responsible and most excellent self. I've been thinking an awful lot about college, daring myself to return to the dirt, grime and muck of those few years that were good, so good while they lasted. The intrigue, the sleepovers (in twin beds! I still can't believe that), beer for breakfast which I haven't been able to do since, all the learning, growing, the BOOKS my gosh, and the incredible transformation that happens when you're suspended in a four-years-wide bubble...I wasn't what you'd call "naive," but I was significantly brighter-eyed and bushier-tailed than I am now. In fact, I think that my tail's all but fallen off (we've all gotta lose it sometime).
I also remember the food, and bear with me please. Wash U. had tremendous food. I think that we were ranked higher for our food service than for our academics, which was fine for the students (if not for the endowment). Perhaps the culmination of this stalwart commitment to culinary quality was weekend brunch at Center Court (I still don't know exactly what Center Court was, but I was an ardent fan). We had omelets made to order, kids. French toast, a waffle bar, meats, cheeses...and we'd lug our hungover asses to the cafeteria and pig out. I'm getting sick just thinking about it, both for the sheer volume of food consumed and the idea that our university more resembled a luxury hotel than an institution of higher education. But I ate, and ate well, and don't remember complaining about it while I was there.
One day I was at Center Court with my friend and I decided to reenact a scene from one of my favorite movies, Dangerous Beauty. It's a silly film and I adore it, and there's this one moment where a rather aged but still with-it lady suggestively eats a stalk of asparagus (it's classy! it's...classy.). With the steamed asparagus I'd picked up at the buffet, I attempted the same...and got the end lodged in my throat. About a minute later (and no thanks to my friend, who was laughing and pointing across the table while I turned red, then blue) I managed to pull it out and, scowling, finished my meal.
My relationship with asparagus has never been the same. I don't really get excited when it comes into season. I'm still apprehensive and it might be about my behavior and it might be about the vegetable, but I just don't use it all that much. So I was quite surprised with myself when I picked up a bunch the other day. I'm not going to talk about its gorgeous tender buds or the verdant essence of musk or whatever it is asparagus looks/smells/tastes like. I'm just going to say: that night I fell to sleep in my full-sized bed (!!!) with a newfound respect for the long green stalk. Maybe I'll give asparagus another chance. I am growing up, after all.
Tagliatelle with Asparagus and Pancetta
This wasn't really an inspiration. This was "I have to get everything out of my fridge and NOW." I used SchoolHouse Kitchen's SweetSmoothHot Mustard because, well, I work for them and it's a fabulous product, but you can use a mixture of honey and mustard with almost identical results. The dish, before adding the pasta, stands alone as well...so if you don't have pasta milling about your cupboard, don't despair...just don't, please, don't overcook the asparagus. And add more pancetta if you'd like, and more cheese if you'd like, and eat it with your fingers, if you'd like. I'm sure I did.
Serves 3-4
One bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, chopped fine
4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
2 tbsp. of SweetSmoothHot Mustard, 1 tbsp. dijon and 1 tbsp. honey (or sub your favorite)
1.5 tsp. butter
Couple glugs leftover dry white wine from lunch
2-3 cups cooked pasta (from fresh or dry, really, any shape will do), just al dente
1/2 cup (or more) reserved pasta cooking liquid
Salt
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. parmesan, grated, plus more for serving
Sprinkle truffle oil (optional)
Simmer about an inch of water in a saute pan over medium heat. Add asparagus, salt and a bit of olive oil. Shake around until water has evaporated, then remove asparagus. Pour in rest of olive oil and saute pancetta until crisp. Remove pancetta to paper towels to drain, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Add shallots and garlic, and sweat for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add mustard (or honey and mustard), butter and wine, and check for seasoning, adding salt if necessary. Add asparagus and pasta, plus a bit of cooking liquid until sauce is loose enough to just coat pasta -- you don't want a soup so add water sparingly. Stir in parsley and parmesan and remove from heat. Before serving, stir in crisped pancetta and sprinkle on truffle oil and extra parmesan if desired.
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