tart and tangy

apricot chutney and morbier on toast

Whoever claims that the paths of friendship run straight and smooth obviously has no idea. How could it? We all have our own obscurities and oddities, biases and beliefs, which often color not only our perceptions, but our temper as well.

A brisk weekend, filled to the brim with poor communication and bad timing and rampant selfishness -- frustrating and comical in retrospect. I sit and eat my piece of toast and laugh quietly to myself about it.

toasted hazelnuts and candied blood oranges

With that, a quick and easy apricot chutney, three ingredients, four if you count water. Makes either a great sauce, thinned out, over a nutty tofu and rice scramble (lamb roast if you're non-veg), or a good spread on freshly buttered toast. The tang of apricot jam, the warmth of ginger, and the surprisingly refreshing crunch of whole mustard seeds: three boldly flavored components which, unlike people, harmoniously co-exist all the time.

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Easy Apricot Chutney

1/2 cup apricot preserves

1 Tbsp seedy brown mustard

1 tsp grated/finely chopped fresh ginger

water

Combine preserves, mustard, and ginger in a pot and bring to a simmer. Add a few teaspoons of water to thin out the texture. Simmer until chutney thickens (~5 minutes). Adjust water content to suit your tastes.