What's Cooking (Take Four)

[Jenise]

Yesterday I happened to check the outside freezer which I haven't peeked inside of in months. Found, of all things, a 1 pound lobster tail that's been there at least a year. I poached it in the shell at a simmer and then removed it, cut it into chunks and tossed it with avocado and tomato chunks, fresh lemon juice and tarragon from my garden. Wow was that a great dinner on a sweltering hot day. After dinner, what else: cherries!!

Tonight I'm making Thai stir-fried minced chicken with chiles and holy basil. Well, almost holy basil. Ordinary Thai basil leaves (bai horapa) with some dried holy basil to give it that distinctive flavor. Unfortunately holy basil starts to wilt the moment it's picked. It's very hard to find fresh holy basil for sale because of its negligible shelf life.

-Paul W.