I’ve told that story – the onion story – too many times, so I won’t repeat it in full here. Short version – Fiona and Grant were two of the best people / bosses you could know or work for. Met them in Istanbul. They were South African. They both cooked. I’m a terrible cook and have always envied people who know their way around a kitchen.

Grant had this awesome Afrikans / South African accent, especially after a few beers. “Scott, Scott…there’s nothing to it. Just remember, always start with an onion.”

I made a point of buying an onion at my last grocery outing. If it’s the end of days, hell, I’m cooking up another damn onion. So I set about firing up what was meant to be a base that I could add to other things throughout the week. A little bit of a fail – I’ve eaten a good chunk of it already.

Chopped up that onion and some garlic. My knife skills are awful. Cooked some rice. About 1/2 way through on the rice I fired up the pan for the onion. Man the apartment smelled good. Then I added in the garlic. Man the apartment smelled good. I tend to overcook things, so I intentionally dialed it back some. I really haven’t got any idea how long you should sauté onions or garlic. I don’t think you can get salmonella from either, right?

Combined the rice, onions, oxford comma, and garlic. Heated up some black eyed peas. I dumped a ton of Yellowbird Habanero something or other and Sriracha into the rice, onions, and garlic mix. Added the black eyed peas to the whole concoction. Crushed red pepper flakes and a little bit of olive oil to finish it off.

Voila. Quarantine kitchen.

I watched The Irishman yesterday and today. Hadn’t really had much interest in seeing it. Scorcese, De Niro, Pesci, Pacino – they’re incredible, but I feel like I’ve seen them in a mob movie or two (hundred). The Irishman was really good. Long, probably too long, but you don’t have to watch it all in one sitting. I think it’s got to be one of Pesci’s best performances, a side of him you don’t see often. It also seemed like it could be a farewell to the genre letter from all of them. It’d be a great way to go out.

Always start with an onion...