The Gouda Life

I hate goodbyes. I’ve never been very good at them. They fill me with dread and anxiety when I know they’re looming in the shadows waiting for me. But as hard as knowing they are near is, a departure without warning stings a heck of a lot more. 

We said a sudden goodbye to our cat, May, last night. It seems her little heart just wasn’t working like it should. I held her little blanket-bundled body and planted a long kiss on her soft, leathery head before she was gone. Our hearts are a little broken but we know she lived a life ripe with joy-filled things. 

If May were a child rather than cat, she would have embodied the term “Bon-vivant”. Each moment of every day was filled with decadence and joy. From tipping our garbage over and feasting on leftovers, which happened regularly, to finding that perfect sun-spot blanketing the hardwood in warmth and spreading out like warm taffy all over it. She lived to sit on Allan’s lap or sleep on his tummy while he watched football or hockey. She and I had a tumultuous relationship as I didn’t sit still long enough for her to get any enjoyment out of my time. But the odd time I did happen to find myself on the couch for longer than 10 minutes, she and I luxuriated in each others company. We love and will miss you, little May. Your zest for life made us smile every day and we’ll do our best to luxuriate a little longer, indulge a little deeper, and sleep a little later for you. 

        

Today I want deviled eggs. And today I have had deviled eggs. I love them - I have since I was a kid. My mom makes them rich and creamy with just a little kick from paprika. Despite my undying love for them, I can’t recall the last time I ever made them for myself. If I die next week, which is unlikely but hey, you never know, I want to be damned certain that I made and consumed an entire batch of deviled eggs. That’s a small thing to ask for and with May’s passing last night, I feel like a treat is well deserved. And so today I made Creole Deviled Eggs and they made me feel just a little bit happier. If they made me feel happier on a rough day, I think they’ll make YOU feel amazing any day. 



Creole Deviled Eggs with Pickled Okra
makes 8 deviled eggs 

I received some incredible pickled okra from Chris at The Wellington Gastropub, but if you can’t find any to purchase, you can certainly make your own. 

4 large eggs
3 tbsp plain greek yogurt
1 tsp hot prepared mustard (like Keen’s)
1/2 tbsp creole seasoning (recipe to come) 
1 tsp fresh chives, minced
1 -2 pickled okra, minced
1 tsp okra or sweet pickle juice
2 pickled jalapeno rings, minced
paprika or cayenne pepper, to garnish 
pickled okra rings, to garnish 

Place 4 whole eggs in a pot of boiling water (gently lower them using a slotted spoon), they should be covered by the water. Lower the water to a simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove to an ice bath or run under cold water until they can be handled. Peel and slice each egg in half. Scoop the hard-boiled yolk into a medium sized mixing bowl. 

Using a fork, mush all the yolks until smooth. Add the next 7 ingredients, all but the garnish, and stir until combined. It’s ok if it has a bit of texture to it. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or sweet pickled juice if needed. 

To fill the yolks, you can either spoon it in (which can be a bit messy and sloppy looking), or you can fill a piping bag or plastic produce bag, squeeze all the filling down to one corner and snip the tip of the corner off. Squeeze from the top of the filling to pipe into egg whites. 

 

You can eat the eggs right away, but I like to pop them in the fridge for a little while. 

  

Creole Seasoning
adapted from Martha Stewart

2 1/2  tbsp sweet paprika
2  tbsp sea salt
2  tbsp garlic powder
1  tbsp black pepper, fresh ground
1  tbsp onion powder
1  tbsp cayenne pepper
1  tbsp dried or ground oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme

Stir all ingredients together until well combined. Store in air-tight container up to 3 months.