muckefuck | Rosenmontag

My cardiac saga isn't over, it's just moved from the exciting "Sudden death?" opening to the Twin Towers-esque middle act filled with lots of walking and only occasional thrills. Today I spent an hour and a half in transit for a ten-minute appointment to get fitted with a heart monitor. Only after the sticky pads were on did she break it to me that I won't be able to shower for two days. Should I tell my coworkers that as well or just let them figure it out?

When I was casting about on Google Maps for a lunch place nearby, I happened to notice Paulina Meat Market within easy walking distance and plotted a visit. My route there took me right past Dinkel's Bakery, but sadly they were closed; it will be up to someone else to supply the hot cross buns bzw. pącki for tomorrow. It was a heady feeling to browse those aisles nearly empty and fill my knapsack with smoked meat.

The map had also showed the proximity of Café Meinl and though--to my infinite sorrow--my visit coincided with exactly the wrong part of the day for me to stop for Kaffee und Kuchen, I did manage to score some sweets for later before charging over to Clark Street to catch the bus so I could get the drop on the GWO before he made it home to start reheating dinner.

Because when I saw that magnificent hunk of smoked loin, all I could think about was a choucroute garnie done right for a change. As the Old Man walked in, I was just adding the rinsed and drained kraut to the mix of sautéed onions, chopped apples, and lightly-bruised caraway. I layered in the chops, added more kraut, threw in a handful of juniper berries, and topped it off with browned thüringer before pouring in half a bottle of Rhinehessian Riesling.

For a side,

monshu made a sweet-sour celery seed dressing for last night's asparagus spears as he radiated pleasure of being otherwise relieved of kitchen duty for a change. Afterwards, I had part of an Eszterházy-Schnitte and he devoured a chocolate-covered macaroon while we sipped Tokay and once again marveled at our incredible good fortune to be living this sort of life with each other.