The COVID-19 outlook here in Ireland continues to look grim… the headlines today suggest that restrictions (at least in some form) may last 6 months. Today I just came across Ireland’s official COVID-19 data hub; usually when looking up statistics I’ve just used Google or the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. After wrestling with various tools/apps, I created this sped-up, time-lapsed animation of the past 14 day COVID-19 infection rate per 100K across Ireland from August to present (GIF files seem to work easiest on the blog, but they turn out kinda fuzzy):
Yesterday evening, a friend in the SF Bay Area texted to catch up. Apparently he’s already received his first dose of the Moderna vaccine, because he works with the homeless. Another friend says that California has already run out of vaccine doses, while everyone in Alaska has been vaccinated. I’m still curious whether I’ll be able to get a vaccine here in Ireland earlier than I would have had I stayed in SF. It’s also not entirely clear if the newer variants might have some resistance to the current vaccines. Regardless there’s still a long way to go in the pandemic.
I decide it’s time to wash the duvet cover and sheets from my bed. Each cycle takes 3+ hours in the European washing machine, so it turns out to be an all day affair. Thankfully the apartment came with a dryer or it would take even longer! Right before Christmas, I finally got another set of sheets ordered off of Amazon UK that fit the bed well and feel good against the skin, so I’m waiting for them to be done before making the bed.
My cooking hasn’t been very adventurous this past week, but today I’m reprising the slow-cooker chili recipe I did not long after arriving to Dublin. It calls for 1 lbs of ground beef (or turkey), chopped yellow onion, 2 cans red kidney beans, 1 can black beans, 2 cans tomato soup, and spices (chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, and a dash of allspice). I just happen to come across a cooking tip that says to add some baking soda to ground beef when browning it, so I decide to try that out. According to this LifeHacker article: “The baking soda (which is very basic) raises the pH of the meat, preventing the proteins from bonding excessively (and thus squeezing water out); this keeps everything nice and tender, and prevents that pool of liquid from forming.” When I browned the ground beef with some baking soda mixed into it, it did seem to retain more of its liquid with very little pooled up in the pan afterwards. Later on when the chili is almost done, I also make some buttermilk cheddar cornbread muffins that turn out great.
It’s been clear out today but very cold. I want to get out for a walk but I wait for the washing machine cycle to finish so I can throw in the sheets. By the time it’s done, the daylight is fading but I am determined to get out anyway. On the stairs I run into my older neighbor Irene, whom I haven’t seen since before the holidays. She is hauling a large wheeled bag full of groceries and has paused after the first flight of stairs. I offer to carry it up the rest of the way to our level, and she gladly accepts. We chat for a few moments, then I continue on my way. There’s a fog in the sky that looks distinctly different from clouds, perhaps it’s from the cold? I head towards St. Patrick’s Cathedral, but the park is already locked up for the day. On the way back to the apartment, I stop into the Lidl’s grocery store to browse… I don’t really need anything but they have some specialty products so I might find something there I can’t find elsewhere, and they’re known for being inexpensive. And as it turns out, they have a small jar of tartar sauce — perfect since I’m thinking of doing crab cakes sometime soon. I pick up some toffee popcorn on impulse and a couple of other random items. The total comes to under €5, including €0.40 for a shopping bag, since I didn’t bring one on my walk.
