Dog Years

A second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience.

— Samuel Johnson

Today Ju-boy and I have been married for five years.  A mere seven years ago, if you had told me we would be celebrating this auspicious event, I would have asked you what did you smoke for breakfast?  Seven years ago I was married to a different husband, living in a different part of the county and I intended to continue doing so for the rest of my life.

All together now:  man plans, God laughs.

I have recently begun to think that one should count second marriages in dog years.

When Ju-boy stepped on the glass under the chuppah on that brilliant Friday morning five years ago the world changed for both of us.  Instantly we each acquired four step-children, a step-dog, an elderly parent-in-law (sadly both are no longer with us), brand new siblings, nieces, nephews, friends, mortgages and baggage.  Lots of baggage.

Enter my dog years theory.  Of course, it goes without saying that we are happy together, thrilled at being able to find “The One” a second time.  I’m not saying that each year drags on and feels like seven.  What I am trying to say is that because of our (for want of a better word) previous lives, each year is now filled with seven years worth of life. 

Warning:  Ahhhhhhh moment approaching.  Those allergic to corn please avert your eyes.

I am  infinitely grateful that in this instance, God did laugh at my plans.  I could not have found a better person to love, hate, adore, get up my nose… in short, spend the next 50 years of my life together with him.  Which, if you follow my dog years theory, amounts to 350 years.  Buckle your seat belt, Ju-boy, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

In my Chapter 2 I have been blessed with a husband who not only appreciates my cooking, but is an amazing cook in his own right.  When we were dating he once returned from abroad bearing the gift of, no, not jewelry, no, not perfume, he proudly gave me a blowtorch.  One friend asked me if I would now be breaking up with this wierd present giving geek, but those who know my fondness for kitchen toys could already predict a merging of cooking techniques in the near future.

Ju-boy, never one to embrace the mundane, even in the kitchen, uses my (now our) blow torch to brown his beef before roasting.  It really works, the meat is moist, the juices sealed in wonderfully.  The man can really cook a cow.

 

Torched Roast Beef

Here in the Miriyummy household we use the #6 cut of meat, falshe fillet.  My buddies at israel-food told me that the American equivalent is called chuck calachel.  Use whatever works best for you when making roast beef.

1 1/2 kilos (3 pounds) roasting beef

Freshly ground black pepper

• Brown the meat by using a blow torch. 
• Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Roast at 200 degrees C (400  degrees F) for 45 minutes.

This produces what Ju-boy calls the perfect roast, moist, delicious and red all the way through.