Self-quarantine, day 112048

A bunch of fresh-picked dok kae pa, or jungle vegetable hummingbird

I have not used the time while in self-imposed isolation to do anything of any use or benefit to anybody. I have not read anything big or smart, written anything big or smart, or learned anything big or smart. I have been busy imagining how it would be to escape my little prison, and when I say “prison”, I don’t mean like Ellen Degeneres in her big airy living room like the lobby of an Aman resort while her producer is lurking in the plants outside. I mean prison like my actual body. I sometimes want to literally jump out of my skin. To forget that feeling, I have been playing countless hours of Candy Crush or watching “Breaking Bad” for the first time, despite really, really disliking Walter White — even more than I disliked Don Draper, which I thought was not possible. Proved me wrong!

I have been on the occasional walk, and on one of these walks came across what I thought were called “dok gang” (curry flower) but are actually called “dok kae pa”. I do not believe they have anything in common with the vegetable hummingbird (or sesbania grandiflora) but when the blossoms are blanched, the flavor is similar: bittersweet, with a pleasant crunch. It’s great with a nice spicy chili shrimp paste dip.

And that has been my check-in from the other side. For more mentally balanced content during lockdown, maybe check out my friends Chris and Eddie at https://planestrainsandanchovies.com.