The Wednesday After Ash Wednesday

I guess I've really made it through a week of Lent. Impressive.

Today was a pretty good day. I started off with a half a cup of Water Buffalo yogurt from Vermont and some of our homemade anadama bread toasted with butter and 3-Rubies Massachusetts fruit spread.

I did get a coffee on my way home from a meeting, but only a small one - half decaf.

I had a very quick lunch - anadama bread, cheddar cheese and sauerkraut and a glass of apple cider - before hockey.

My cornmeal arrived from Rhode Island today!

Before heading off to my evening seminar, I packed a dinner to go - a delicious local sandwich, which definitely bears repeating.

First I made two slices of "bread" from the cornmeal. Actually they were "Jonny Cakes," and old New England staple, probably originally called "Journey Cakes" because they were good road food. About a half-cup of cornmeal mixed with a pinch of salt and enough milk to make a thin batter. Cooked 'em up on a hot griddle - just like a pancake - and then set them aside to cool.

Meanwhile, I washed up a half-bunch of local chard and sauteed it with some onion, salt, and pepper, mixing in some local goat cheese after removing it form the heat.

Finally, I assembled the sandwich by spreading the cheesy chard on top of one Jonny Cake, and topping that with some pieces of smoked mackerel from Maine before sealing the deal with the second Jonny Cake.

I took a fork just in case it fell apart, but it actually held together quite nicely and, as I mentioned, it was spectacularly delicious...and local. Huzzah!