Tzatziki with Pita Bread
Right away you need to know that according to a recent British study, this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe is numero uno of the top twenty foods we cannot pronounce. Tzatziki, a classic Greek cucumber-yogurt mix, even beats out Dauphinois, Gruyere and Mascarpone. My personal favorites, Gnocchi and Hors d’oeuvre, came in thirteenth and fourteenth.
Zat-ZEE-key. Pronouncing this word correctly has left me befuddled this week. That’s not all that’s left me befuddled, but let’s take one thing at a time……….
Although Tzatziki is easily thrown together, here are a few essential tips for its success. Use thick, creamy Greek yogurt, now easily found in your grocery store. After chopping, lightly salting your cucumbers and setting them aside for 30 minutes, drain, drain, drain. Dorie then suggests: Mixture – Towel – Twist – Squeeze. Tzatziki should NOT be zoupy!
Mise-en-Place for the Greek classic, Tzatziki
After letting the flavors blend for a few hours or overnight, serve it cold. Although I used this as a dip with pita bread, sharing with the kids at the front desk, Tzatziki is versatile and dances with many partners. I know the other Doristas will have some great ideas this week but whether a spread, side, embellishment for meat and fish, or dip with crudities, this recipe is delicious.
Now let’s return to this befuddle business. Of the many adjectives which could be used to describe Me, flaky, distracted, flustered, addled and befuddled are not even in the mix. That’s what has me worried. People, it’s not good.
Tzatziki, with an embellishment of dill
Last week, I went to my ophthalmologist appointment on a Friday morning only to be told I was scheduled for the following Monday. (And, yes, I asked, but the doctor was on vacation.) No big deal…… but his office is in Glenwood Springs, forty miles away. When I did return last Monday and parked my raincoat on the office coat rack, I left two hours later without it.
The next day I stopped at Colorado Mountain College to register for Fall classes. When I left the Registrar’s office, I also left behind my red leather calendar and notebook. My Life cannot function without my red leather calendar and notebook which, luckily, I retrieved the next day.
Wait, there’s more. I joined two friends for a wildflower hike this week. Because of our late-Spring rains, the flowers are gorgeous. As we were completing the hike, I pulled my car keys from my backpack and had them in hand. When we stopped to examine one last flower, pulling out our hand lens for a closer look, I obviously tossed my keys on the ground. And, didn’t retrieve them. Although the keys were quickly found, I was shaken. Losing car keys in the wilderness is a no-no.
This received an all-thumbs up from the crew at the front desk. They really, really enjoyed Dorie’s version of Tzatziki. Clean plate club.
Throw in two pair of forgotten glasses and this week has been a blockbuster. Unfortunately, this is not an anomaly. What makes me uncomfortable and, admittedly, embarrassed, is I don’t know when this wackiness will end? To my mind, I survived the past ten years. I did my best. Now I’ve luckily returned to this beautiful place that I call home where I’m safe and comfortable and surrounded by friends. Why go all dingy now?
My doctor recently cautioned me, “Mary, it may take two to three years.”
When she saw the look of sheer panic on my face, she quickly revised her prediction, “For you, I’m sure it will be quicker.”
Oh, yes, I’ve read Joan Didion’s Pulitzer Prize winning memoir, “The Year of Magical Thinking”, about her grief after the sudden loss of her husband. But Michael’s death wasn’t sudden. It was a decade-long, slow, heartbreaking, hopeless slog. And, therein may be the answer. When I returned to Colorado in April I resolved to be happy. Period. I embraced my passions and interests and was embraced, in turn, by my friends. It’s all working. But subconsciously, the grief and stress and fatigue of it all have decided to do their own jig and I can’t control their timeline.
This crazy part of myself has never surfaced before, so my solution, I’ve finally decided, is to laugh, keep calm and carry on. If it worked for the Brits, it might work for me.
Does it make you feel any better that I left my SUITCASE at Lake Okoboji? My suitcase for heavens sake!!!
PS Those folks at the front desk must love you!
YES. YES. YES. I can always count on you, Gaylie, to come through. Thank you.
I love that you have friends who comment about Lake Okoboji!!! Feels like home when I visit. I am AMAZED at how well you’ve done with all the changes you’ve dealt with over these past months/years. You are truly my idol. If you only knew how many recipes I lose in my own kitchen each day, you’d feel much better…the printer works overtime :/
PS…I loved the pronunciation lessons 🙂
PPS…glad you and the Gant crew enjoyed the tzatziki.
You Ladies are making me feel almost normal. Goodness.
Isn’t it amazing how easy & delicious this is?
You are going through such a huge life change. Sometimes, when we can finally relax, we just do! Luckily all of these things are inconvenient, but none of them was harmful. Give yourself a break as I know you would all of us! I like to say, “Sometimes, we’re abruptly reminded that we’re human.”
I can’t tell you how much your support and friendship mean to me! I’m really enjoying the travel writing, and people seem to enjoy reading it. Who knows?
Hang in there! xoxo
Mary, cut yourself some slack – you’ve done an amazing job over the past year with such big changes, you’re bound to hit a wall sometime. Be kind to yourself, ok? XO
PS: your fresh dill is lovely on the tzatziki.
The pronunciation issue is funny, if you read it phonetically in spanish you pronounce it just right. Will that make me learn greek faster?jaja. I love you empty plate pic, and I once drove 45 minutes to board a plane without my ticket…
Mary, you´re doing fine, it´s just life making you aware of your own feelings. We expect our grief to happen right after a person dies, but it doesn´t always work that way. Two years and a few months after my brother died, I had the worst meltdown. I didn´t expect it of course, more than two years had passed. But it turned out that when my life slowed down and I had free time I crashed. And I´m of the opinion that we´re never ready for the death of a close one, unless they die of very old age.
Have a great weekend surrounded by your friends!
Oh Mary, don’t stress. One day last week, I kept walking into the wrong office (two doors down from mine) all day long. Fortunately, my coworker was more amused than annoyed. The body and mind heal in their own sweet time, don’t they? Hugs
Mary life is just one big bowl of wackiness. Don’t be hard on yourself, just do what is best for you. Loss is so hard, even when you know it is coming.
If it is any consolation last year I nearly sliced my middle finger off while washing the dishes and sous chef wouldn’t let me back in the kitchen with a knife for two months since he had to take me to the ER. And then, once I gained his confidence back that I could be left unsupervised in the kitchen I promptly poured boiling hot pasta water over my hand while trying to drain the water.
Yes, Christy, this does make me feel better. And, I realize that’s sorta mean-spirited of me!
The front desk crew eats very well courtesy of you, Mary! I want to tell you that you are a role model. Your happy approach to life is so inspiring to me. A few absent-minded slips is just part of your healing. Keep that smile on your face, my friend.
Love the tzatziki served with pita bread. I think we all need to deal with grief in our own way, and I admire how you have been dealing with yours. Have a lovely weekend.
hang in there! There are too many good and happy things surrounding you to keep you blue for too long! And we all get to meet our extended Dorista family in a few short weeks! 🙂
Your dish is beautiful btw… I might need to “borrow” some of your dishes sometime… LOL!
I bet your colleagues are glad you cook!
I’m surprised Gyro didn’t make the list. It’s pronounced yeer-oh… My kids drive me crazy because they say Motz- arella for mozzarella where is the t in the word?
What a week you had… well, mercury is no longer retrograde… which I use as an excuse when I can’t move forward in life and lose things… it can’t be easy Mary, I watched my mom go through this when my dad died. I read The Year of Magical Thinking I found it insightful… good writing always helps me I hope it’s good for you.
Mary, if it is any comfort at all, I will tell you that I have broken more precious dishes and plates this week than I ever have and I just dropped my very favorite tea pot yeterday, that was not any old tea pot…it is hot here and no vacation in sight anywhere on the horizon, so I keep losing and dropping and breaking things…I am not really sure that that makes you feel any better but I can certainly relate to the stress factor thing and you know that I am in awe of all your achievements, your dedication, strength and courage and love and although, unfortunately we did not have a chance to get to know each other in person, I feel as if we are friends and I love visiting your blog and seeing what you are up to – it always amazes me and I am grateful that we have met through the FFwD group.
By the way, your tzatziki looks so perfect and fresh and uetterly delicious – love your English blue serving dish too.
Big fat hugs and kisses,
Andrea
Wasn’t able to make this one, but yours turned out wonderful looking!
Mary, the “little” job from Ikea is best saved for a winter project when you are snowed in.
Your tzatziki looks delicious with the pita. I ended up loving it and just made another batch
to go with sliced chicken in a pita sandwich. Can’t wait for lunch…
Have a great weekend.
Mary, please be kinder and more gentle to yourself. You are doing fantastic compared to how so many would have handled all this (including me). I don’t know you personally but just via your blog and comments I can tell you are a bright, vibrant, thoughtful and fun person. Grief is a long slow process and has to have ways of surfacing.
Your Tzatzike is so pretty and I’m like you, I can never spell or say it right, maybe now 🙂
Hello Mary,
I’ve been horrible about reading the blogs I’ve subscribed to, but for some reason I sat down at the computer this morning to catchup over (several) cups of coffee (yeah, I know it’s dangerous to do this so close to the keyboard!) So I’m glad I caught this one in a somewhat timely fashion. I just want you to know how important your presence has been to me, and I’m sending a virtual hug back! I plan to be in the North Fork Valley a lot this September, so I hope I can give you a real one then. Thinking of you, my friend!
Mary- you are a rock star. No two ways about it. I honestly don’t know how you do all you do- leaving the most detailed and personable comments for everyone each week, helping as the admin and even organizing the Dorista convention West. Your energy, enthusiasm, care for others and sense of humor are amazing. I would tell you to do what we say in the office – “coffee during the day, beer at night” but I would like you to have a much healthier life 🙂 Keep laughing, give yourself permission to tune out because somewhere in your psyche- you need to- and know that we are all there rooting for you. “Recalculating”….as the GPS says……
I don’t think I can add to what the rest of our AMAZING group has posted, so I just send you a big sriracha hug.
Your blog commenters meld together like a greek chorus of wise women. You are inspiring to all of us Mary and I agree with everyone that you should let up on your flagellation.
As you know, the Grauer’s have had their share of calendar crises this week..
BTW, on the food front, I love tzakziki (I am sure I spelled that wrong)….with Ottenlenghi’s Mehedra. YUMMY.
I love your Tzatziki!
I grew up on the stuff so no probs here with pronunciation, however I did sit down at my office desk and pointed my remote control car key thingy at my filing cabinet and expected it to open.
So totally with you on “wackiness”!
Made it this week for make up. But also ate it by the dollop on some garden tomatoes a coworker gave me and I think it was the best dish ever. EVER. Hugs love. Can’t wait to give you one in person!
Same back to you.
That’s the thing isn’t it, our bodies have a way of reminding (forcing) us to admit the reality sometimes. Only time can heal, I’ve yet to hear of another remedy for grief. Those of us who consider patience to be a virtue better left to others, do not like to hear it. Which doesn’t mean that we should just sit back and let time pass us by, but, as someone above has already said, don’t forget to cut yourself some slack.