Monday, July 25, 2011

Pizza keeps me grounded

Five weeks apart.

It didn't seem like so long in April when we were just excited about the prospect of being in Milan for the summer! Then June flew by and it was time for me to go home...and for E to stay in Italy.

The first week felt fine - I kept busy, was really comfortable at home again, and time passed quickly.

The second week was a lot tougher.

The third week downright sucked.

After hitting the three week mark, I am feeling on the verge of a breakdown. I'm not just bored - I've actually found plenty of things to do, and I have really enjoyed my "Secret Single Behavior" time. But I'm lonely. Oh, so lonely.

I used to think people were big babies when they complained about being apart. I had been in a long, long-distance relationship. (E and I spent half of our dating relationship, and our entire engagment 2,000 miles apart.) But that was before we got married. And now, it's SO different.

During a particularly lonely and sobby weekend, I decided that the only thing that could cheer me up was to cook. (that, and a 10-days-left countdown calender)

So I opened up my fridge and started gathering an assortment of toppings.

Leftover capocollo (a cured meat) from dinner with my family last weekend, a couple different kinds of tomatoes, onion, basil, and sheep cheese (has a distinct flavor like goat cheese, but different - slightly more like feta). A local grocery store sells pre-made dough, which is just perfect for me.

A couple tips i've picked up in pizza-making.
  1. Try stretching the dough. It's quicker, easier and more even than rolling out the dough. Plus it makes you feel like a real Italian.
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  3. Pizza doesn't require sauce!
  4. Always, always, always cook on a stone
  5. Spray the baking stone with olive oil spray, then sprinkle with cornmeal. perfect non-stick solution, plus you get the crunchy cornmeal on the crust - classic.
  6. Drizzling olive oil on the pizza before baking is always a good idea.
  7. If you're going to use onions, carmelize them. There is no excuse!
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pizza, pizza!

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enjoy with a homemade strawberry margarita-ish
(juice of 1 grapefruit, 2 limes, and 8 strawberries blended with ice, triple sec and tequila)
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and then pop in a drama [season finale of Parenthood for me] and pine away.

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and ps. please read all about Secret Single Behavior from the blog posts linked above. They're fun and hilarious.

7 comments:

Amanda said...

Yum! Cooking always makes me feel better, and that pizza looks delish!

The Less Than Domestic Goddess said...

That pizza looks amazing! :) I'm so sorry you are lonely and missing E. :( L and I were also in a long distance relationship for years, but I agree, it's different after you get married. Hang in there, hon! <3

Jessica Lynn said...

Cooking is definitely how I pass the time while my husband's gone...hence the new(ish) food blog! You're doing great though and keeping busy is the best thing to do.

that pizza looks wonderful. I'm longing for a wood-fire oven so bad!

Katie said...

Oh that pizza looks SO awesome!!! I'm a goat cheese addict, so I will definitely have to explore sheep cheese!

steph c said...

This looks so good! And it's embarrassing, but I never would have thought to make pizza without a sauce or base of some kind :X And the caramelized onions? Genius!

Katie said...

Yum yum yum! I totally agree with your pizza making tips - cornmeal on the bottom of the pan is a MUST! And you definitely don't need sauce...I actually think I prefer it without sauce and instead with fresh sliced tomatoes. Ok...now I want pizza...

Carolynn Cecilia said...

I didn't realize how hungry I was until I read this post. tummy grumble...

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