If it ain't got that zing

 Life, as all of us have been noting, is a tad wanting at the moment. I've been struggling with work, for no reason other than existential gloom and making several mistakes too close together. Possibly due to existential doom. Meanwhile, Melinda Messenger is on House of Games, which means my post-work downtime is full of distracting "No points there for Melinda" phrases (a curse of having an unusual name is you always do notice when people say it). 

But I'm trying to zhuzh up life by at least noticing the good bits amidst the downs. My first book from Confined Bookswap is helping - Victory in the Kitchen, very readable and giving me some ideas for Heritage Kitchen cookalong on 6th. (I'm really grateful to Maria for this one; I've tended to avoid Churchilliana but this is fascinating social history with a lot of archives and good storytelling). I also thanks to Yay Advent have a pompom-topped biro that I can boop myself on the nose with when feeling exceptionally down* (look, I've been alone for 10 months, this is a coping strategy).

And then there's citrus. Citrus is our January friend. (Not you, two lemons that went dramatically bad in the salad drawer today. You are not helping. All the other citrus instead.) I have sorted the Sevilles into the freezer as so many of us have, following Stef's wise counsel. I have blood oranges for eating on their own, or sloshed with Campari or Aperol for a very cheering winter fruit salad. And today, I am eating Chicken Sours (New Kitchen Basics, you never fail), full of orange and lime. At the very least, I should have some decent vitaminning this week

This isn't a marinade job, it's simply seasoning meat - in theory wings and drumsticks but thighs is what I had - and then pouring a glaze over (orange zest and juice, lime juice, honey, oil, chilli). 

 

A bit of basting, an oven at 200deg for 45 mins or so, with a few orange slices to keep things juicy.

And it's a very decent plateful of zing. One of those where the juices are at least as tasty as the main dish, so do not waste. Recommended serving with rice, I baked some mini potatoes, for I am a rebel (=> quite bored with rice this week).

Not only was this good, I ate early due to having a wine tasting tonight. That's not too shabby. The wines looked a smidge medical sample when they arrived by post, but they were delicious (mostly), and it was the most fun I've had on Zoom for a while. They're repeating tonight's tasting in late February if you need a distraction and a date to look forward to.

*Sample emergency boop (this photograph may have been staged for illustrative purposes)