I had a fabulous evening on Friday catching up with a long time friend who came to visit me in Denver. Last time we were together was back in 2010 when I had just moved to Denver from Houston, and though we keep in touch, it’s often few and far between and usually just a text here and there.

When I first moved to the US, I was at the mercy of my parents. This meant that for the first few years, I worked for them at subservient levels! There were no benefits, no sick pay, no sick days, no holidays off, no holiday pay, it pretty much was the worst job ever! I did, however, get to eat free food but there are only so many finger sandwiches and banana cream pies you can eat! I did get to experiment with some baking and learn catering experience, but as a college student interested in engineering, preparing 200 choux puffs wasn’t quite top priority. In hindsight, of course, I learned a lot; my catering experience, restaurant management, kitchen management, inventory control, all great lessons for when I open my place 🙂 Add to that, the opportunity to meet some of the commanders of the space shuttles ( we were close to NASA) and to see the Queen drive by on one of her US tours and wave to me, I guess it wasn’t so bad after all.

After a while though, working for your father gets old, very, very quickly. I needed a change of scene and to get out of the family business. A friend informed me about a retail electronic store that was hiring and told me to apply. If you live in the US, you will know Circuit City and it’s ultimate demise. But, even though it couldn’t manage it’s finances and housed some of the most incompetent corporate management, it allowed me to meet so many wonderful people that are my friends even today, and one in particular, my husband.

On and off, I worked for Circuit City for many years, and even transferred to Denver from Houston back in the 90’s. I was part of the opening of two stores and met my husband here when he transferred from California.

My friend, CK started at the second store and we became fast friends and have been friends for almost 18 years. I ended up moving back to Houston and she ended up moving to Louisiana few years later. We kept in touch and visited when we could.

So, when she told me she was in town, I knew we had to get together. I invited her to dinner and we enjoyed a Moroccan meal and an overdue catch up session. We chatted about old times, new times and upcoming hopes and desires. It was just a wonderful evening.

I made my Harissa Chicken Tagine with my homemade harissa, and this wonderfully refreshing Orange and Pomegranate Salad, with just a sprinkling of sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a drizzle of orange blossom water and olive oil. It was so good, and definitely seasonal. It can be a perfect light starter for Thanksgiving or even a quick side dish.

Like with any salad recipe, the quantities are open to taste and desire, as are additions. At this basic stage, it is quite perfect I think. The sweet oranges with the slight tart pomegranate arils along with the red onions, is a stellar combination and doesn’t need anything else. It can be left at room temperature until needed making the oranges sweeter and softer. The sea salt draws out the orange juice allowing the salad to make its own dressing. A drizzle of olive oil completes the dish.

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Orange and Pomegranate Salad

Serving size: 4

Calories: 178

Fat: 4g

Juicy oranges and sweet tart pomegranates combine to form a colourful, seasonal salad.

Ingredients

• 5 Navel oranges, sliced in rounds
• 1 large pomegranate, peeled and arils separated
• ½ small red onion, sliced thin
• spring/green onions, green parts only, sliced thin for garnishing
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water, optional

Instructions

1. Arrange the orange slices on a plate or platter.
2. Scatter the pomegranate arils all over.
3. Place the red onion slices all over and sprinkle the green onion tops.
4. Sprinkle sea salt and freshly ground pepper, drizzle with olive oil and if using orange blossom water, just sprinkle lightly all over the salad.

Notes

All the quantities are subject to taste and number of people. Add more oranges, less pomegranate and so on.

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Circuit City may not be around any longer but the friendships that formed during its time are still going strong (and many marriages too 🙂 ) It is also where I discovered my love of electronics, especially audio, that still burns strong (which means that I am that annoying person at the movie theatre who has to sit in the middle of theatre to get the complete surround sound and then only to complain that my own home theatre set up is so much better)

How about y’all? Do you keep in touch with old friends and how did you meet your other half?

I am quite excited today as my baby brother is coming to visit me from Houston. He’s staying for a week and I have a list of things planned to cook for him! The children are thrilled because they adore their uncle. I will be a bit busy but I will visit you all. Have a great week, and Happy Guy Fawkes Day to everyone in the UK! Twirl a sparkler for me xx