In our current neighborhood here in D.C. we are dependent and lucky to be doing most of our shopping at El Progresso International Grocery (or something like that), a presumably El Salvadorian market with above all an excellent and petite meat counter. On a recent evening, I approached the always friendly staff at El Progesso to buy a chicken for a simple dinner of baked chicken pieces. After asking for a chicken, I was faced with a question no one had ever asked. "Hard or soft chicken?" The butcher explained that the yellow toned chickens were softer than the white ones. But, I had been told yeas ago that white chickens are better than yellow chickens. Without analyzing the situation too closely, I went for the white "hard" chicken. Then he cut it up into lil' pieces with a band saw. It was awesome.
Once home, I briefly marinated the chicken in a paste of garlic, paprika a pinch of cumin, and lime juice and baked it up. Not thrown by our previous
orzo disaster, Molly made an incredibly good farro salad from
smitten kitchen with roast squash, pepitas, feta, and quick-pickled red onion. It came out wonderful, very rich and light at the same time.
Dinner was finished off with fresh tortillas, the fat homemade Central American kind that are basically just wonderful and comforting in any climate, and especially in the deep cold we are all experiencing this Winter.
Supprise! Hard chicken is really hard. Molly's hand quickly bounced back as her tiny arm couldnot overcome the strength of this little ole' hard chicken. The meat was tasty, but damn, was getting to it hard. Next time, soft chicken for sure.
The night was topped off with our first game of Settlers of Catan as Husband and Wife. We entered as equal simple settlers, but only I left as the Lord of Catan!
Of course you did. No one gets into this family without being aces at board games. Or cheating. Either way.
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