I've been avoiding my kitchen a bit, lately. Because it is that awful place that took my engagement ring, and all.

Monday, though, I'd had enough. I was going to make trout amandine and it was going to be beautiful and delicious and we would have a nice meal and talk about our days.

And we did. I even photographed the trout, it was so lovely. I'll post it once we get that roll developed, and you will see.

I did not, however, photograph last night's meal. My Pork Chop project continues, and, when Cook's Illustrated tells you a pork chop is not going to win any beauty prizes? They aren't kidding. These were the ugliest things in the world.

And I had my doubts about them- you start in a cold pan! And brown them, and then turn them, and then cover them and cook on low. And they aren't brined at all.

But they turned out great. Better than Jonathan Reynold's brined chops, even- a lot better. Jeff's still amazed by the existence of the center cut, bone in chop. He was raised on boneless Shake and Bake, and all. For my own part, I thought sprinkling a pork chop with Tony Chachere's and putting it on the Foreman was about all you could do up til a year or so ago. How far we have come.

I learned something about pan sauce, too, while making the mustard sage sauce for the chops. You know how they say, "Off heat, whisk in the butter (and/or whatever)?" If you actually take the pan off the burner, instead of just turning the heat off, which was my wont- it makes a difference. A delicious one.