Mourning appetite

There is nothing as discombobulating as losing either/or your interest (obsession) in food and alcohol. I got quite depressed in my first trimester as nothing was palatable. Nothing. Not even a dry SAO. The thing that pushed me over the edge, was I lost my desire to drink as well. In a previous life, a bottle of sparkling shiraz would be lucky to get across the threshold unopened in this house, now, there are two bottles that have been sitting there for the better part of s.e.v.e.n. months. Second trimester was marginally better, although the palate went a bit down-market in that nothing was really as delectable as a toasted cheese (plastic) and spaghetti (tinned) sandwich. There was also a love of pasta, but that is something pretty normal in my world. Third trimester has expanded upon and relished the love of this pregnancy - spice. I'm talking hot curries, spicy Singapore noodles, chilli in anything. Oscar's incubation was dairy focused, Felix was salt, this one is spice. Weird. Anyway, it's all gone south once more as I can't eat anything without horrendous heartburn making me spew. but, last week, on one of Jamie Oliver's myriad programs, was a dish of marinated buffalo mozzarella - marinated in marscapone, with lemon rind, chilli and thyme. I begged Chef to go and buy the ingredients then and there, but to no avail. The next night I made it, and its been reproduced three times since. In one week. It goes a little bit like this: Ciabatta bread - cut into slices, brushed with oil and toasted One container bocconcini (or if you live in non-whitebread/skippy territory, then buffalo mozzarella) one tub marscapone a couple of lemons - juiced and zested bunch of thyme one long red chilli (not the birdseye ones and not the banana ones, the middle sized ones) de-seeded and finely chopped Mix marscapone w/ lemon juice, salt and pepper, until it tastes really good and lemony - and is quite runny. Tear the bocconcini into smaller pieces - smear over the marscapone Top with chilli, lemon zest and thyme sprinkled over it Lug over some extra virgin olive oil before serving, then put on the bruschetta-style toasted ciabatta and eat. I should note here, that there is SO MUCH I could write on the rise of the conservative right religious movement in Australia, what the result of Hurricane Katrina says about the moral fibre (or lack thereof) of the US and its government's contempt for the poor - and how telling it is that this city sits on the edge of America's bible belt and yet, where is the Christian spirit now? and a whole lot more, but its so much nicer to write about food and the small things in life. Not brave I know, but my arms barely reach the keyboard now so really, anything is good.