Requiem for an Immersion Blender

"Honey...should this be making this sound?"

Dearly Beloved,

We are gathered here to celebrate the brief but productive life of Kevin, the Kitchen Aid Immersion Blender.

I remember when we first met.  It was a beautiful fall Saturday afternoon, and I was mourning the loss of another dear friend, Steve - the Braun Hand-held Immersion Blender, with whom I had had a serious relationship for quite some time.  I was working through the rich tapestry of emotions oft accompanied with grief:  anger, confusion, denial.  How could you leave me this way?  Is there something I could have done to prevent this disaster?  If I use a different outlet, perhaps you will whir once more.  But, alas, Steve was gone.

And then I laid eyes on you.  Your nine speeds, your easily detachable wand for cleaning, your clever design for convenient storage were seductive and thrilling.  I was filled with excitement and feelings of betrayal.  Was it too soon after Steve to move on?  Will he understand?  Wiping a bittersweet tear of remembrance away from my glistening eye, I took Kevin in my arms and the rest became history.

Kevin stood by my side as we courageously created soups and dips and the pedestrian smoothies.  We were a great team: dazzling dinner guests and drawing an envious eye at the lunch table with our delectable culinary creations.  Like all perfect relationships, I knew it wouldn't last.  That it couldn't last.

But who knew you would go down in a blaze of glory while preparing avocados to enter a delicious bath of yogurt and cream before moving on to chilled perfection! 

To answer your question, J:  No. It should not make that sound.

I shall miss you, dear friend.

Forgive me if I meet another.

In honor of Kevin, please enjoy these soups and remember to cherish each moment with your loved one.  You never know if it will be your last.

Buster:  A Study in Grief

Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Soup

If you don't have a gas stove, you can roast the peppers in the oven with the eggplant.

1 large eggplant
4 red peppers
2 Tbl olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
6 cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 450. On a baking sheet, toss that eggplant into the oven...whole!  Roast for about 40 minutes until it looks kind of like a deflated balloon.  While eggplant roasts, turn on your burners and place peppers directly on the flame, turning frequently to char each side.  Once charred, transfer peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Once peppers are cool enough to handle, remove skin and seeds. 

Over medium high heat, saute onion until tender about 7 minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add garlic, cumin, and cayenne to the onions and stir to coat.  Cook for about one minute.  Add peppers and flesh scooped from the eggplant.  Cook one minute.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.

Using your *whimper* immersion blender, puree soup until smooth.  Serve warm with crostini and goat cheese.

Chilled Curried Carrot Soup

This is a great starter for lamb!

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 Tbl olive oil
2 Tbl curry powder
1 tsp salt
6 cups chicken stock
1 can of coconut milk
zest and juice of one lime

In a stock pot, heat oil and curry over medium heat, stirring for about one minute.  Add onions and saute until tender.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add carrots and stir to coat with curry infused oil.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Add stock and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

Using your perfectly functioning immersion blender, puree until smooth.  Pass soup through a sieve, discarding all of the solids.  Stir in coconut milk and lime juice and zest.  Chill completely.  Serve with a wedge of lime and chopped scallions on top.

In lieu of flowers, please send me money so I can buy a new immersion blender.