Risotto and Priorat wine for the win

Last night, being a Monday, was my pre-chemo have a great dinner night. I have been exhausted from a hideous bout of TMJ— worst stress induced pain I can imagine, but otherwise I was feeling pretty good so wanted to have a special evening. I have yet to use my Instant Pot for anything but risotto, but I have to tell you, if that’s all I use it for it is so worth having. Risotto in six minutes? Yes, please. Well six minutes of pressure cooking, though prepping it really doesn’t take that long. Jerry worked with me because I’ve been kind of weak and tired, and he, as usual, was an excellent sous chef. He chopped and sautéed an onion in the pot, while I grated Parmesan in the food processor. Then in went the rice and white wine. Once that was absorbed, the ridiculously easy part— added the broth, closed the lid and let her rip! Meanwhile Jerry sautéed chicken sausage and mushrooms. Once the rice was done we threw that in. Yup. Done. I went downstairs to pick a wine and thought a lovely Priorat inky red would be wonderful. And it was. Some people don’t like the granite elements of Priorat wine. I love them. I said to Jerry sometimes it makes me think I am locking a rock. Drinking it took me back to this fall and our lovely day in Gratallops tasting young, but exuberant wines. The wineries are so small they sell everything immediately. I have some bottles laid in and hope to leave them there for a few years. Delicious now, but they will be magnificent down the road. Knowing what to expect the next day, dinner was not fraught with anxiety. I slowly savored the risotto and the wine. I had maybe a glass, but it did go right to my head. Pleasantly buzzed, i headed upstairs to lie around and go to sleep early. Today’s infusion was only one chemo drug— Taxol. Carboplatin seems to inflict the worst side effects, so I am cautiously optimistic this week will be better than last. I will still take anti-nausea medication prophylactically and try to move more. We were at the infusion center longer than I anticipated, around three hours, but much better than last week’s close to 12hour session. Tonight’s dinner will be leftover risotto, and maybe even a little more of that delicious Priorat red.