Roundabouts are a marvelous thing that one sees all over Europe but rarely in the US.
They keep traffic flowing without the need for traffic lights or traffic cops.
If you're lost you can simply drive round and round, looking at your options, until you figure out which way to go.
They can be an effective means of protest with minimum effort and manpower:
There was a complete traffic blockage in protest of something or other in a country that shall remain nameless, affected by 4 cars driving continually round the roundabout.
Because no one exited, no one could get on, thus no one could proceed.
Ahem…..
My personal favorite benefit of the roundabout is when I see something I want a photo of…. I make mon mari circle until I get the right shot.
Or at least, a fairly decent one.
When was the last time anyone saw a McDonald's that looked like this:
Look at those Arches – there not 100 ft tall!
I'm not even certain there was even a McDrive!
I think there might have been a McWalk-Up-Window though.
Don't you love the stripes?
Don't you love green garlic?
Oh, wait…. that has nothing to do with McDonald's….
The first time I ever had green garlic was in scrambled eggs. I may have told that story a few times – to anyone who'll listen and some that would rather not. (It's the one about lunch in the mountains in Spain on a wine buying trip.)
This is not about the green garlic.
This is about the scrambled eggs.
(You may skip to the next post, Elizabeth)
Good scrambled eggs should be creamy, smooth, soft, fluffy and almost melt in your mouth.
They should not be dry, overcooked, or have oodles of obvious fat floating on top in an effort to make them resemble properly cooked scrambled eggs.
Here is the key: don't scramble them in a frying pan; scramble them in a double boiler.
Don't cook them until they're cooked through. Take them off heat a little underdone. They'll finish cooking by the time you get the first forkful to your lips.
And a little green garlic never hurt…..
Perfect Scrambled Eggs with Green Garlic, for two
3 eggs
3 green garlic
2 tbs (1 oz, 25ml) Greek yogurt
1 tsp cold, hard butter
2 tsp butter – any temperature
salt and pepper to taste
The Green Garlic: Cut the stem ends off the green garlic and remove the outer layer. Slice about 1/8" (.3cm) thick including green tops. In medium nonstick skillet melt 1 tsp of butter over medium heat. Add green garlic and sauté just until starting to come apart, about 2 minutes. They should keep a bit of crunch. Remove from heat.
The Eggs: In medium bowl whisk eggs. Add yogurt, salt, pepper and whisk. With a knife cut the 1 tsp of cold butter into tiny pieces and add to eggs. This will melt as the eggs cook making them really creamy. Heat water in the bottom of a double boiler until it is at a slow simmer. Melt remaining 1 tsp of butter in the top of the double boiler, swirling to coat. Add eggs and stir gently with a wooden spoon. As soon as the eggs start to cook add the green garlic. Continue stirring gently until the eggs are almost, but not quite, set, 3 – 4 minutes total. Divide them and put on plates. Quickly garnish with a bit of avocado and a few cherry tomatoes and serve.
We serve this as a first course but it would be perfect for a Mother's Day Brunch – with a glass of bubbly, sitting on a terrace overlooking the…….
I’m now eager to find green garlic. I’m not sure it’s even sold here!
Roundabouts: we’re getting more and more of them in Indy. 15 years ago, there were something like 3 in the area. Two downtown and one or two north of the outer inter-state (that almost sounds like an oxymoron, but is saved by a ‘t’). Now they’re all over the place. As they’re put in new areas, drivers that have never seen one before experience them for the first time, and then you get someone stopping when they should be going. So people don’t just zoom through them, knowing the person in front of them might just come to a dead halt even though no one is on the roundabout or approaching it from another direction. But when you have a line of people who know how to use them, it really cuts down on traffic backups!
Also? Scrambled eggs with green garlic and fresh spinach is lovely.
Oh, I’d never have thought of a double boiler! Cool idea. I just put them on super-low flame, like my Dad always did, and practice patience.
What’s wrong here … I have my warm plate and fork at the ready and nothings coming through … please pass the scrambled eggs HERE …
I bought green garlic at the farmer’s market last summer and bought too much and didn’t know what to do with half of it. Now you have given me some ideas. I thank you. Now I must try scrambling eggs in a double boiler. In Julia Child’s “My Life in France” she describes how an instructor at Cordon Bleu added the cream at the last minute to stop the cooking, another idea that intrigued me.
The McDonalds of my childhood looked like that. It was red and white bricks with big golden arches and only a counter with no tables for eating there. They eventually tore it down and put in a more modernized eat-in place.
I can’t wait to try these, they sound so smooth and delicious looking….thanks for this awesome info who would have known without your post thank you 🙂
I am always surprised when I see McDonalds in other countries. I never eat there at home but when I travel I find myself drawn to “what might be different”. Like cooking their fries in olive oil and having Greek salad on the menu in Greece or serving spicy ketchup and mayonnaise for your fries in Holland. They are always evolving. As far as the green garlic…I have never tried it or even seen it at the market. Perhaps I will have to put a bug in the farmers ears just like I have for zucchini flowers.
I’ll have you know that I stayed to the bitter end, Katie – I even looked at the (shudder) photograph of the scrambled eggs, and can’t help thinking that they’d be so much more perfect if they had been formed into an omelette or had some flour added to them to change them into biscuits.
I’ve GOT to get hold of some green garlic!
mmmm they do look perfect!what exactly is green garlic?
Yummy…there is nothing better than toast and scrambled eggs. Thank you for your detailed instructions; my scrambled eggs will be much improved this weekend.
Tracey, roundabouts are great – but one does have to be careful…. some people are too hesitant about the other cars – and some are waaaayyyyy to confident!
Amy, oh, yes, fresh spinach would be great!!! Next time!
Zoomie, it was that patience thing that always did me in. I’m learning, and good eggs are worth it!
Tanna, um, due to the internet time delay – I ate it all…. sorry….
Rachel, one cannot have too much green garlic… Really. Cream – that would be good ;-))
Pegasuslegend, you are so very welcome…
Val, I remember the first time I saw one (Germany, I think) that served beer…. I was amazed. Do bug your farmers…
Elizabeth…. Brave girl. You eat omelets? Probably not mine – I like them a bit runny ;-))
CookNg Sisters, green garlic is immature garlic, pulled before the cloves form. It looks like a green onion – but with a bit of purple (at least, on mine) It’s much milder than mature, regular garlic.
Monet, I hope you love them! Make a plate and curl up with they Sunday paper…..
There are now some roundabouts in Olympia, WA and they were the cause of much consternation and harrumphing when they were set up. But they are working out fine.
You’re probably right, Katie. Are your omelettes loose with slightly translucent whites? (I just can’t quite understand the obsession with making an entirely blonde omelette; a little caramelization is nice, don’t you think?)
Betty, when we lived in Andorra there were traffic cops at every intersection. They are now being replaced with roundabouts. I kend of miss the cops….
Elizabeth, I like them a bit crisp on the bottom but still moist on the inside….