Sometimes I realize what Tom Waits is actually singing about, and then I let out this forlorn "Oh."

The title of this post really has nothing to do with anything other than the fact that I just paid attention to the lyrics of "Pasties and a G String" for the first time since maybe fifth grade when I really had no idea what any of those phrases meant, and I let out a forlorn "Oh." In my head. Because I was walking down 3rd Avenue at the time. Okay, back to reality:

Patricia Wells and Jacques Collet have versions of this recipe for a Mediterranean semolina bread with fennel and saffron in it. I'm loving having semolina flour on hand; breads made from it have an incredible texture. Next time, I'm trying semolina pancakes! But perhaps without the fennel... I used half the amount dictated by the recipe, and it was still very, very assertive.

This loaf (even with the fennel dialed down somewhat) went very well with a kale salad with orange balsamic vinaigrette and olives, orange segments, a smattering of raw almonds, and kidney beans on top.

Oh, and Ferdydurke is pretty fantastic. It reminds me of Petersburg in some ways and The Trial in others and everything Beckett ever wrote in others, mixed with a lot of its own thoroughly unique character. I highly recommend picking it up... after I've returned it to the library, of course.