When we go shopping, we have a very fancy system. Our shopping list is a voice-controlled list in a shared digital document. Whenever I realize that we’re running out of something, or I think of an ingredient that I’d like to use, I tell one of our devices to add the thing to the shopping list. Then when we get to the store, we can each access the list on our phones. That way we can go our separate ways in the store and whenever I cross off an item, it will be removed from Paulus’ list, too, and vice versa. Now, that is technology at its best, improving our shopping efficiency. At least that was the idea.

What in fact happens is that we arrive at the store, I start collecting things, most of which are actually not on the list, while Paulus is still getting his phone. Then I return to the entrance some 5-10 minutes later only to find Paulus rooted to the spot, reading some news article on his phone. Then I remind him why we’re in the store, and send him to get cheese and meat. Making him get the vegetables is a whole other level of the game, and we’re still entry level players. But he’s excellent at picking cheeses. And I like to be surprised be the selection of meat we end up with.

Once in a while, Paulus will get pork chops and he’ll mention that he wants to make schnitzel. Which I think is great. It’s just that he never volunteers to cook – not infrequently because I volunteer first. So you can probably guess who ends generally ends up cooking the pork. And not as schnitzel.

Such an occasion occurred not long ago. I noticed some pork chops in the fridge, got inspired, and made them into pan fried pork chops with roasted cauliflower and pomegranate salsa. A friend had kindly left some pomegranates at our house after a dinner, and although I’d been snacking away most of them, I saved one to cook something with. And I did not regret turning it into a salsa with lemon juice, garlic, parsley and olive oil (recipe below).

But perhaps I should make an effort in the future to leave a pork chop or two for Paulus, so he can cook schnitzel instead of pasta. We’ll see….