Lex Kramer, http://www.funnytimes.com/
When I was growing up, every time I would go to my mother with a problem or angst, she would always say, after hearing my complaint, “If that’s the worst thing that ever happens to you, you’ll be lucky.”
Undoubtedly she was correct but since the difficulty at hand was rocking my world, it’s not what I needed to hear. However, her words recently landed squarely in my sink full of dirty bowls, pots and utensils, the tangible results of my failed attempt at this week’s FFWD recipe.
Cod and Spinach Roulades. Dorie describes this dish as ‘a light, elegant fish mousse filled with lemony spinach, rolled into a chubby sausage shape and steamed.‘
My effort? Not even close.
Photo, www.bbc.co.uk
To be honest, at first I was terribly disappointed, stressed and, yes, even embarrassed. That’s when I thought of my dear mother. In a week of untold tragedy coupled with the inability to pass watered-down gun safety legislation, this failure wasn’t worth a whine or a wallow.
It was, I decided, an opportune time for me to pull Mark Kurlansky’s award-winning book, “Cod: The Fish that Changed the World” off my shelf. If I couldn’t cook cod properly, I could at least learn more about it. Having won a 1999 James Beard Book Award as well as a glowing recommendation by book reviewer Molly Benjamin**, this fish tale deserved my attention.
The Library Journal writes, “In this engaging history of a “1000-year fishing spree”, Kurlansky traces the relationship of cod fishery to such historical eras and events as medieval Christianity and Christian observances; international conflicts between England and Germany over Icelandic cod; slavery, the molasses trade, and the dismantling of the British Empire; and, the evolution of a sophisticated fishing industry in New England.”
Admittedly I am just beginning this 306-page book but I gotta tell you, it’s a gee-whiz-I-didn’t-know-that page turner. That the Atlantic cod has been fished almost to extinction is alarming. But already there are two things I know for sure:
1) In its 1,000 years of history as related in this book, Cod has never won. I’m no longer upset that this humble little creature laid me low.
2) I’ll never eat fish-and-chips again. Just wouldn’t seem right.
With apologies. Not the Cod and Spinach Roulades that Dorie envisioned.
To see the roulade results of my FFWD colleagues who are more skillful than I, please go here. If your brave enough to sink or swim with this recipe, here’s a recipe link.
** “This eminently readable book is a new tool for scanning world history. It leads to a vastly different perception of why folks did what they did…. Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World is history filtered through the gills of the fish trade.” The New York Times Book Review, Molly Benjamin
This book has been on my ‘read’ list for several years. Not sure why it never makes it to the top. But if its made you not want to eat fish and chips again maybe I should skip it. Very clever post, Mary! Happy weekend!
Oh well. You gave it a good shot! Who knew that there was a history of cod? You did. I didn’t, though. Interesting!
Delightful post Mary. Love the way you connect all the dots in your life. The recipe sounds GREAT…however…are you really supposed to cook things in plastic wrap?
Glad to get the COD book recommendation. Will add it to my list.
I would call yours a chubby sausage shape…
Great posting. Love your ability to merge your writing and cooking with your life stories Putting that book on my list. I always thought cod was a generic white fish that could be one of many small flat white fish…hence the name cod..”catch of the day”…fact or fiction?
Oh, Mary, my dear friend. First of all, your roulade does not look like it laid you low. I think you are being too hard on yourself…
Secondly, you are on a roll with the cartoons this week, aren’t you? 🙂
Finally, I am intrigued by that book. I hope my library has it. For some insane reason, I renewed “Dearie” on my Kindle. I still don’t like the writing style (he really needed a good editor), but I just can’t get over reader’s guilt. I am 43% done – 12 days left to finish it. It’s getting finished come hell or high water now…
As Dori, the blue fish in the movie “Finding Nemo” says, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”
It really doesn’t look that bad 😉 And thanks for the education about cod – glad you made the best of an unfortunate dish..
Mary, I agree with Cher!! Don’t be so hard on yourself! I think your roulade looks just fine! Mine was difficult to cut while it was hot…but it did taste good! Great post…my mom used to say the same thing to me! Funny how moms always have those little sayings rolling around there heads! I think I used to say it to my daughter!
Have a great weekend!
I read that book… I think he wrote one about Salt too that I meant to get to also. It was that kind of week wasn’t it. The gun legislation really dishearten me too and now Boston is in lock down… way too much drama here in the NorthEast these days.
I’m glad I went with my instinct about the cod… it did seem that some had success with it, but it sounded pretty chancy to me. Our moms sound pretty similar. She would say, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
LOL thanks for adding another book to my “must-read” list!! This isnt going on your “cook again” list is it? … Happy Friday!
This was NOT a photogenic dish…that said, yours looks just FINE! Always love your posts…I take away more than just a recipe 🙂
Hey, your cod doesn’t look any worse than mine! 😉 This one did me in, it was definitely not a dish meant for me. And I think that’s okay!
you are too hard on yourself,, It’s not at all a photogenic dish. I put the tomato sauce and pesto as well as a drizzle of oil to make mine look better. you should have seen the other three roulades of mine lol.. I think it is Mary 1 cod delicious!
I reckon your roulade looks just fine Mary. And kudos to you for researching the history of cod.
OK, Mary, that cartoon cracks me up. Hilarious! I love all the Mark Kurlansky books I’ve ready, though I haven’t read Cod. I’ve been doing well with your recommendations, so I’ll add it to “the list”. Your fish looks much better than you might think. I made mine plain, no underlying sauce, but that’s a lovely presentation.
The evening is ending on a good note with a suspect in custody. While I wish we could make progress on the gun control, at least we might get some answers on why Monday’s tragedy came to be. Have a great weekend, my friend.
Thanks for the book tip and your mom was right, we gave it a whirl, who cares if it didn’t turn out? At least you tried to eat yours and you took a photo of it. Better luck next week, yes?
Kudos for your dish sustaining its roulade shape! I’m so not trying this again either.
Mary, I think your fish roulades as you placed them in that lovely fresh tomato sauce look very nice – they indeed posed a challenge as far as the photos were concerned but I enjoyed learning a new technique by prparing this dish – not my personal favorite either, I think I prefer fish in its “natural state”.
Have a good Monday – the sun is shining here, it looks like it is going to be a nice spring day!
I like your style, Mary – in the face of disappointment, reach for a book.