Things not to do when hungry...

We've all heard that one of the worst situations is grocery shopping when hungry...and it's true...it can be catastrophic to the pocket-book, and wasteful (if buying a bunch of stuff one doesn't even need). I think working, though, is the worst place to be when hungry...

I don't eat breakfast. I know that makes me a monster, but there it is. I'm never hungry in the morning. So, because I'm always trying to be quiet in the morning as to not wake up my household, I don't make lunch to bring to work (and I don't make it the night before because I always forget). In addition to that, there is no fridge at work...and most of the things that I would bring for lunch (left-overs, meat/cheese sandwich, salad) are things I am uncomfortable leaving unrefrigerated....so that, essentially, leaves me with peanut butter......and as much as I adore it, I don't want it everyday.....and I would have no place to keep the milk I would have to have with it.

So, usually, it isn't a huge deal...I work through the day foodless without any problems...that is, until I am bored at work....like today...

There are "down days" on the stock market...days when the majority of stocks are down because that exchange is down, or correcting...days like today. The TSX is down because of lowering commodity prices, and disappointing quarterly results from Alcoa...get the drift? So these are good days to buy because the majority of stocks will bounce back, and will allow me to make some nice cashola for the boss. On "up days", it is a much busier time here...there are more constant buying/selling opportunities as the stocks fluctuate in an upward motion...not the case for down days....so once I have spent the money on the stock picks of the day, there is nothing to do but wait. I try to stay as busy as possible, but when the accounting is already done, there is little to do but, say, write my blog...

So, I started thinking about what I would write about today...it was going to start off with how I slacked again last night, and didn't look at my cookbooks...but I thought I would do some looking at recipes online to make up for it (at least, in my mind). Sadly, I started at the place I always start: braised lamb shanks. There is a blog out there called "Souperior" which features one of the most delicious pictures I've ever seen (and other fabulous recipes). I attach that picture here:

Can't you just imagine how syrupy the surface of that lamb shank is, covered in fond? So, then I hit YouTube for some instructional videos on braising lamb shanks...then, it happened.......I realized that I was starving...and all I have at work in case of emergency is some oatmeal.

Now, if you can eat oatmeal and be satisfied after seeing that lamb shank, you're a better woman than I am. Sadly, I am nowhere near a place that serves lamb shanks for lunch, nor do I think that if there was, they would look nearly as good as the one in the photo...but the onslaught of hunger made me realize a couple of things:

1. I am not about to eat that lamb shank...nor can I smell it. It was, in fact, cooked over 4 years ago...but I desperately want it. This speaks volumes to the power of presentation. Nothing on that plate is difficult to make (store-bought baguette, lamb's lettuce in a simple vinegrette, and a slow-braised lamb shank that basically takes care of itself in the oven), but it has been presented in such a way that makes it seem like a work of art, and a culinary miracle. We do eat with our eyes, it seems...

2. I have been doing myself a disservice by not having lunch here, or not having something better in the "emergency" cupboard aside from oatmeal. Luckily, there is a Subway restaurant close by, so a sandwich and bowl of soup are easily attainable....but I'm cheap, and don't want to buy my lunch everyday. Maybe my thrify side can take over on this....

3. I am going to have to find some lamb shanks, and attempt this recipe...easier said that done in this town. There are local farmers who raise sheep, and yet all of the lamb in all of our stores is from New Zealand...I wouldn't call that fresh obsessed!!

On to the second place I go.....risotto...

Hmm....braised lamb shank on a bed of mushroom risotto.....methinks I may be on to something...