Woke up around 8:43 but again stayed in bed for half an hour. I think it's just cold in the morning. Skipped breakfast, read more of The Raw Shark Texts, 12:45 came by fast and I was out the door to my optometrists appointment (I need a new prescription). The right lane was closed on the way there which was a little frustrating, and I went into the wrong (though nearby) parking lot, but I made it. Dr. Flanagan was alright. Eye puff test didn't really work out, though we did get the left eye. Prescription did change but not by much -- I think maybe 0.25 a diopter (negative, I'm near-sighted). Asked about astigmatism which gets worse with more screentime and apparently my prescription is supposed to correct for that! She suggested wearing my glasses for near work more. We wrapped up and I headed out. The drive home was slightly more eventful as I tunneled down a back road I wasn't immediately familiar with but I got close enough home to swing by Smart and Final to grab some ingredients for cauliflower pasta. When I got home I unpacked and got to work on it. I made half a batch just to try out the recipe, though in retrospect using the big stainless steel pan may have been a bit more unwieldy than needed. (It worked tremendously well, however.) I toasted some panko and melted some Parmesan on it per the breadcrumb topping and then got to work sauteing the cauliflower, onion, and garlic. I think I stirred too much as the fond didn't show until the very end, about 14 or 15 minutes, but it showed and it looked fabulous. Also near the end I added in half a tablespoon of the roasted garlic oil mixture we've had, which I think was also essential, though Roman doesn't mention it on her recipe. With the fond built, in went the heavy cream, half a cup of it, and the cauliflower and onion it turned a very very comforting tan color as it deglazed the pan. I wish I took some photos of the cooking process but I was a bit busy so you'll have to make do with my descriptions. Soon after the heavy cream I added some more salt, and then grated a bit of cheese and lemon zest right into the mixture. I have a habit of under-seasoning my food so I made it a goal to try to add salt at every (other) step and I can confidently say it brought out more flavors, though with regards to some the upper or ideal bound of salting I really don't know. "Salt to taste" probably applies. The cheese and the lemon zest was absolutely essential, almost supporting the sweetness of the cauliflower (a cultivated flower!) with savory and floral notes. I served a bowl for myself, added the breadcrumb topping and, phew. Just delicious. So creamy.
"[Growing up] is hard and nobody understands." // https://www.homestuck.com/story/2391