Monday, February 28, 2005

Our New Home - Our first Dinner

Cheers!

Tonight we had our first home cooked dinner in our new rented apartment. We moved in here on Saturday. Today is the last day of the month and we're surrounded by unopened packing boxes. What better way to celebrate our new abode than by cracking open a carton of eggs and making an omelet. That would be a Gruyere cheese omelet with toasted Pain au Levain on the side. Jeanne of Cook Sister and Anthony of Spiceblog will be very proud of us.



Eggs are the perfect standby to have in the fridge. A delicious and easy meal can be created in just a few minutes. Just the thing when you are tired and pushed for time. I was particularly exhausted tonight because I'd spent the whole evening making an oven that looked like this...



into an oven that looks like this...



Phew, that was hard work.

PS - thanks to everyone who joined in with my quiz over the weekend. Most of the questions were answered correctly by one, or more, poster. Check back to see which ones you got right!

18 comments:

  1. Man...congrats for the oven, I hate doing that, and your head stuck in there makes you look kind of suicidal, really.

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  2. Welcome to your new home! I must admit, you're braver than me for dealing with that oven...! And yes, I am imensely proud that your first meal in your new home was an Egg on Toast extravaganza! The picture reminds me of the book I'm reading at the moment - "An omelette and a glass of wine" by ELizabeth David (whom I'd never heard of but who was apparently a well-known food writer in England in the 1950s and 1960s - a bit before your and my time!!). The book and, I believe, the EoMEoTE celebrates the joy of a few simple ingredients well cooked. Can't think of a better first dinner in your new home.

    Check back at mine for the EoMEoTE round-up at the weekend!

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  3. An honour and may good things always be in your new home.

    Omlettes too, my white whale.

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  4. Anonymous1/3/05 08:07

    wait. the oven looked like that when you moved in? Oh, hell no.

    ~molly

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  5. Anonymous1/3/05 11:12

    Welcome home. If you're ever in the mood to tackle another oven we do deep cleaning in the kitchen every Monday. I'll even supply the gloves.

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  6. WOW! Great job on the oven Sam - I for one would have bought a new one.. Or, would have wanted to, anyways! Enjoy your new home!

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  7. Anonymous1/3/05 12:29

    Congrats on the new pad, Sam. I sure do hate that first cleaning in a new place...how can people move and leave a mess like that? Arrgh!

    Moira

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  8. Congrats for your new home and a brand new oven! You did a good job!!

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  9. Leeloreya
    I grew up with an electric oven. When I was a teenager I still didn't know about gas. When I read that Sylvia Plath committed suicide in an oven, I was thinking to myself "That's crazy - she baked herself to death?"

    Jeanne
    Although I can safely say Elizabeth David, indeed, is before our time, I had heard of her years ago because she is always quoted as an influence by other British chefs. I haven't read her, though, maybe I should - because an omelette and a glass of wine sounds like a perfectly simple me, to me :)

    Anthony - ok - the whale, you've confused me there

    Molly. I think that would be: Hell? Yes!

    Haddock - I'm not sure I could do it again, at least for another few years. Not even for money.

    Zarah Maria
    Well - I did ask - the landlord is looking into gas oven options for me. He did joke (when I pointed out the guesomeness of the oven's interior) that he should get it straight away so I wouldn't have to clean the oven!

    Fatemeh - yes it sucked, but it sure felt satisfying after the fact!

    Moira -
    Yes indeed - but I tell you - at the end of the tenancy I aint cleaning anything. It's going to be in writing.

    Alder - well from where I sit right now I can see down towards an industrial part of the bay with large boats and cranes. From the back we can see West toward Potrero Hill and from the end of the deck we can see the top of the Bay Bridge. It's certainly not my best view to date (in my first SF flat I could see Alcatraz from my bed), but it's an interesting one.

    Sheta - thank you - making the oven that clean made me fell proud, but I did have a little help from the "Heavy Duty Easy Off". I think it made my job a bit easier. I am sure it is full of evil chemicals, but on this occasion, it was the only way.

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  10. Mazel tov on the new digs, Sam! How on earth did you get your oven to look brand new? I've been living in my apartment for a year already and our oven has never looked ANYTHING like that, no matter how much I scrubbed. OK, truth be told, I stopped trying months ago...

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  11. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  12. HEY !!!

    Dang stupid Blogger, wouldn't let me post a comment fer hours. Says it couldn't find nuthin'. Pleah.

    Congrats on the new digs and congrats on being able to move. We moved in to this place five years ago and I swore it would be my LAST. No MORE !!! I don't care how small this house is. Ain't movin'.

    I gots a gas oven. Natural gas when it burns gives off moisture. Anything kept warm in the oven turns to moosh. Fried chicken, waffles & toast. Which is why you'll find fancy ranges have a gas cook top and an electric oven. Mines? A 1952 Wedgewood, wouldn't trade it for anything. I got in to the guts and yanked up my burner output. My largest dutch oven has flames coming up the sides, YEAH !!!

    Oh wait, where was I?

    I like ham.

    Senior Biggles

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  13. Anonymous3/3/05 03:15

    Hi Sam - You did a great job on the oven... I look forward to seeing your gorgeous food from it!
    Best wishes in your new home.

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  14. Hmm - to think a post about cleaning ovens has generated more posts than I've ever recieved!! This post now officially overtakes my previous top comment post, Turkish Delight Debbie - try the "Heavy Duty Easy Off". It is a miracle worker - believe me.

    Dr B and Fatemeh - I will remember your advice about the oven. The landlord has asked me for input so this is great info, thanks.

    Keiko - I am excited about my first baking experiment in the new oven, for sure!

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  15. Hello there...I've heard of your blog for some time, but this is my first visit. Thank the EoTEoME!

    What a simple, but lovely, dish. Eggs are wonderful, and add Gruyere? Heavenly! I will definitely try this, if I can ever find good bread again.
    One of the many things we miss about the Bay area; access to fabulous foods like cheese, bread...and sushi!
    Darn small-town Tennessee.

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  16. Anonymous9/5/06 04:15

    Great Recipe !!!
    Thanks

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  17. Anonymous9/5/06 04:16

    Thanks to be here
    great resource

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  18. thanks for this post. Got interested after reading this, i suggest that you must use a Dutch oven in your cooking.

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