finocchio e la PastaQueen

confession: i've been living off of canned food for the past few days

new reality: FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD!!!!!!!! (check out the attached photo as a testament :P)

today marks the first of many days to come that i will actually be making dishes that are in the book as i have FINALLY gotten myself to a supermarket and can FINALLY start cooking like a real person! (only problem is, midterms hang in the near future...)

on the menu: braised finocchio and minestrina tricolore
(well, i'll have to get some potatoes, but whatever)

also, i have a new pasta machine!! it will be making it's debut performace shortly so definitely keep an eye out for it! but getting it, now that's another story...

The PastaQueen moves in...
this story starts a few days ago when i was searching on kijiji for some 2nd hand kitchen appliances that i needed to complete the book. i found a "made in italy" one for $15 and, while i have one at home, couldn't let this incredible opportunity pass. so, when my roommate asked if i wanted to go to the grocery store with her, i saw my chance and seized it!

as my roommate and i were going for this grocery run when i get an email from the seller of the pasta maker that i have today and tomorrow from 6-8pm to pick it up if i still want it. not wanting to miss out on a "made in italy" pasta maker, i ask if it's at all possible for us to get it on our way to the supermarket. as luck would have it, it was actually sorta on the way there and we were able to pass by. (if not, i was going to figure it out tomorrow)

as we're driving towards the place, my roommate starts telling me that this place is known for being the rough area in london and fair enough; it was in the middle of god-know's-where booneyville london!!!!!!!!! she tells me of how her boyfriend's cousin, who's a cop, would always have to come out there to check on something or do something in general... :S what was i thinking!! i was totally going to do this on my own... but uh... yay for bestest best roommates!!!
we're driving more and more into this place and the only thought that's going through my head (and her's too apparently) was "WHERE ARE WE AND HOW DO I GET OUT?!?!"

so, with google driving direction in hand, we find the illusive house and pull over.

twilight. dark shapes and shadows move about with nothing but the russling leaves around us. me, being me, thought i could do this on my own, but thankfully, my roommate asked to come along and so, we got out of the car and approached the door. up a narrow driveway, with dried plants encroaching on the pavement. knock knock. no answer. knock knock. noise inside. we wait.

the door is opened by this smiling non-ganster looking grandmother type person and i ask, "hi, are you debra?" yup, found the house and although arriving rather unexpectedly, she welcomes us in and we wait in her front foyer. a fat cat sits down the hallway and lazily stares at us while my roommate and i discuss in a rather falsely cheereful voice the pros and cons of some miscellaneous subject. finally, the person re-appears with the pasta maker in hand and all i can say is "pheeewww.... can we go now?"

and off we go, back to the car, and room away to the supermarket.

oh, the adventures this project is bringing me.

i can't wait to get my own copy of the book in the mail! i'm currently using a library book until mine arrives, but heheheheh :D so excited!!