Farewell My Computer - Roasted Pork with Tomato Peach Compote

Tragedy has struck Dear Readers: Last week I quite clumsily and accidentally knocked a glass of water onto my beloved laptop. I quickly snatched a dish towel, turned the computer upside down and mopped up the liquid as best I could. It whirred a bit, flickered dimly, and then seemed to be fine. I thought (quite incorrectly) that I had averted disaster. Alas. It was not so.

Do you know what Apple charges for "advanced liquid damage" Dear Readers?

I do.

So much that it's not worth fixing. Especially if your beloved laptop is no longer under warranty.

"Sigh".

And so the search begins for a replacement for a new, trusty companion. And until it is found, postings might be a bit sparse. You see, it's not that I can't turn my computer on and access the Internet. I can, in fact. It's just that more half my keyboard doesn't work (including almost all the vowels) so if I tried to write a blog on that computer, it would look something like this...

llllwwwffrrrrsssssxxnmkghdkkkkkkkkmmmmfffjjrrrjj

The Spacebar is also broken. As is delete.

So let this be a lesson to you all. Keep all liquids far away from your computers (duh.) On a related note, I was told by a friend who used to work in customer support at Microsoft that I would be shocked SHOCKED by the mass amount of people who would call in and complain about their "cup holders" being broken. These people were all shocked SHOCKED to learn that that was not actually a cup holder in their computer, but a place to hold CDs and DVDs for software and such, and that they should not be using it as a cup holder. And in fact, that might be the reason it was broken in the first place.

Kind of makes you rethink any faith you might place in humanity.





Roasted Pork with Tomato Peach Compote
Gourmet, July 2009

For the Pork:

2 (3/4-pound) pork tenderloins
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon chopped peeled ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the Compote:
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 pound tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 peach, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and pre-heat to 425.

Mash garlic, ginger, curry powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a paste using mortar and pestle or a fork and a small bowl. I used a garlic press for the ginger and the garlic to extract more liquid. Rub all over pork.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown pork on one side, about 5 minutes, then turn over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 145 to 150°F for juicy meat, 10 to 12 minutes. Let pork rest, uncovered, on a cutting board while making compote.

Add onion to skillet (handle will be very hot) and sauté over medium-high heat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and peach and sauté until just softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thyme and, if desired, sugar.

Slice pork and serve with compote.