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Thinking Carrots

I have a bag of carrots sitting in the fridge for a while and every time I consider it when thinking about what to cook, inspiration fails to strike. My search for something interesting to do with these carrots took to this recipe which seems quite perfect. As I read this, memories of dinner with my young friend P and her then boyfriend L came to mind. L was the one with the creative ideas and the patience to cooking complicated dishes. 

When they visited us, they came with all the supplies they needed to prepare one of L's signature dishes. This included any special salts, peppers, oils, spices, cooking and serving utensils that might be needed. My job was to give them the workspace in the kitchen and ofcourse I was welcome to help or just watch. One of L's dishes involved carrot, goat-cheese and some Moroccan spices. It made for the most perfect balance. It disappeared fast once it landed on the dinner table - a crowd pleaser for sure. L and P have since broken up. 

L had become my friend too and still is but its no longer possible to have him over and cook dinner with us - it feels awkward. I felt an impulse to share this carrot recipe with him and say, I thought of the way he cooked them and how well they paired with the Andalusian wine he had brought along. We liked L and we miss him as a friend, someone who we know only through P. As much as he knows we wish him the best and enjoy his company, it is no longer the same. It was interesting that a carrot recipe triggered thoughts of P and L in love as they were in at the time. I can't deny I imagined they would be married some day and have babies - they looked so comfortable together that it was hard to believe that they might part ways one day. 

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