Cauliflower Cake

"This is really good," my backup dancers said of Yotam Ottolenghi's Cauliflower Cake, which I found on Serious Eats. Was it just me, or did they sound a little surprised?

It IS really good and entirely straightforward - none of the "but how long should I let it simmer" or "should it be mixed smooth" or similar questions that a person often has when attempting a recipe.

Add it to your repertoire of dishes in support of your goal to eat less meat for the sake of slowing climate change.

I made that a couple nights ago, but of course we also went vegetarian for Valentine's Day last night, sending our love to Planet Earth. We had mushroom ravioli and heart-shaped spinach pasta and tomato sauce from Nicola's Pasta Fresca. I am in love with the ravioli and sauce on Feb. 14 and every day of the year.

Naturally, we dressed for the occasion. We decorated the living room, and made heart-shaped sugar cookies, too.

I am afraid that after basking in the love yesterday, we're back to reality today with a message from my small backup dancer's school district. As they did on Aug. 14, Oct. 27, and Jan. 12, they announced they are postponing allowing her grade to go back to school part-time in person. This time, the potential new return date is Apr. 19. We have felt conflicted each time about whether to send her or keep her in "virtual" school, but being forced to consider the decision and then having the option taken away, over and over, is grueling.

The school agony has nothing to do with food or the environment, but this is my platform for recording how things are, so I'm recording it: things are lousy. From online learning to the stubborn foot of snow that is still blanketing my neighborhood, from the cold temperatures to the sameness of everything all the time, from the concerns about mutating coronavirus to questions about why is vaccine rollout so inefficient... it's all defeating, and I am defeated. I am bored. Bored! I can't remember another time in my life when I didn't feel like reading books or watching shows or tackling some creative project. These dark days, I'm forcing myself to do whatever I do, and often I'm going to bed early. I am, as always, compelled to disclaim that I am relatively lucky, and it's not like there aren't some pleasures here and there, but. But. BUT. It feels like a shadow of an existence.