Tue 31 Jan 2012
…You Get What You Need
Posted by Clare under Expats in Dublin, Irish economy, Irish Food Celebrities, Los Angeles to Ireland
[14] Comments
The lobby of my old LA apartment building
I was at a shopping centre the other day when I witnessed a little girl – probably about 10 years old – throw herself at a pile of fuzzy, stuffed animals for sale while simultaneously begging her mother to buy one. “Pleeeeeease, I need one!” she squealed, clinging for dear life to one particularly pink panda.
Unconvinced, the mother firmly tugged her daughter away from the cuddly temptation and I could hear the whine slowly fade in the distance as the pair disappeared in a sea of shoppers. Though I can’t say for certain, I’m guessing that the little panda was likely forgotten by the end of that day. Out of sight, out of mind.
When I lived in Los Angeles, I was surrounded by shiny toys. Of course they were of the adult variety: high-end cars, expensive footwear, designer clothes and opulent restaurants with over-the-top menu offerings (and prices to match!). The more I was exposed to these things, the more I felt I needed them.
Every time I’d get a lift in a friend’s wood grain interior-ed Mercedes Benz, my Honda Accord started to feel like a hunk of junk. Whenever I’d dine among the privileged elite at a Hollywood hot spot, I’d long for the freedom that an inflated salary afforded them; instead of dining there once every blue moon, I could go as often as I’d want. Even the gym wasn’t safe; working out next to the ladies-who-gym in all their designer workout gear would make my ratty t-shirt/tracksuit bottoms combo look like something from a charity shop reject pile.
I was raised by relatively frugal and financially-responsible parents of modest incomes; they never owned new cars (waste of money) or taken extravagant holidays. Even their worst enemy (not that they have any) would never call them “materialistic.” Yet all that sense failed to convince me that I didn’t need a better car or bigger apartment or a more impressive shoe collection when I was immersed in a culture that put such emphasis on these things. Luckily for my credit rating, I rarely caved to temptation but that didn’t mean I didn’t dream of having the money for better, bigger, more. It didn’t manifest itself as an outward tantrum but rather a quiet, albeit sulky, internal monologue. Keeping up with the Jonses in Los Angeles means steadily acquiring more and better things – it’s only human to get caught up in the frenzy.
Since moving to Ireland almost two years ago, I never feel such yearnings. Perhaps it’s because the country is in a major recession and everyone I know has cut back; I don’t know a single person with a luxury car or an over-the-top house. My friends enjoy shopping but they’re not designer divas, and Mountaineering Man is incredibly sensible and would be as happy with a used book from Chapters than with a swank designer watch.
Don’t get me wrong; my friends in LA are not jet-setters. But the city is home to thousands of wealthy and pretend-to-be-wealthy types and they’re everywhere, showing off their bling and leading people to believe that they’re happier because they have more. I’m sure those people exist in Ireland but they’re less obvious these days, what with all the lessons of the Celtic Tiger. People here look down on those who flaunt excess – it’s just plain gauche considering the current economic climate.
These days, I’m content and happy with what I’ve got. Some would even say happy-go-lucky. 🙂
Caramelized Onion Tart with Spelt Herb Crust
This is the cheapest but most impressive main course you’ll ever make – the main ingredient is the humble, oh-so-versatile onion which are, as they say here in Ireland, as cheap as chips (cheaper, even)! I’ve featured a variation on this recipe here before but this is version features a spelt crust.
Spelt Crust
250 grams of spelt flour
Pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon dried basil or whatever herb you like
4 tablespoons olive oil
A few tablespoons or more of very cold water
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt and basil until combined. Now add the olive oil, and using a fork work into the dry mix. Eventually the mixture will start to form into little pebble-like balls – this is basically similar to working cold butter into dough except this will be a bit more crumbly, almost like sand. Slowly drizzle the cold water into the mixture and stir with a spatula until the mixture starts to form a dough. Once it pulls away from the edges of the bowl, it’s ready to roll. Literally!
Roll the crust out on a spelt-floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness, then lay carefully over a 9 or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Prick all over with a fork and put into the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more, while you prepare the filling.
Onion Filling
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium white onions, peeled and sliced thin
Sea salt for seasoning
250 ml heavy cream, or light cooking cream
1 egg, beaten
Pinch of nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 170C. In a large saute pan, heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Put the sliced onions in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally and seasoning with a pinch of salt, for about 20 minutes or until they are caramelized and golden brown. Set aside and let cook for 5 minutes.
Put the onions in a large mixing bowl. Add in the cream, beaten egg and pinch of nutmeg and stir until incorporated. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and pour the filling into the pan. Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the center is firm. Cool for about 5 minutes and then serve.
Ah, yes, LA materialism. It’s SO easy to get sucked into it. And SO refreshing to get out of it…being a NorCal kid, I was happy to move back to a (slightly) more grounded perspective.
(oh and the tart looks SO GOOD!)
You had a Honda Accord? I drove a 20+ year old one during the year I spent in NZ and loved it! Perfect for long distances. And I owned it outright – much better than getting a car on the never-never and paying out as much on interest as insurance.
I like having nonmaterialistic friends. None of them care about having bigger cars or houses. It’s really nice, because everywhere in tv, on the streets everything screams – you need more, you want more, but the more things you have, or the more shopping you do, you have less time for what is important in life.
There was plenty of materialism during the Celtic Tiger years – I used to play Count the BMWs whenever I was in a Dublin car park, only to quickly lose count – but even then I still never felt like Ireland had the rat race culture of the US in terms of work and materialism. Of course, never watching TV and not reading magazines, living out in the sticks and working from home means I’m not as susceptible to it anyway. Here’s to secondhand books and good food instead!
Katie: Yes the excesses are sometimes overwhelming!
Caroline: I actually really LOVED that Accord, and was so sad to have to sell it before moving here. It was only the odd time when I’d be in a *really* super nice car that I’d find myself wanting a BMW or Mercedes. Honestly though that Honda was the nicest car I’ve ever owned, and I wish I could’ve brought it with me. Sigh.
Magda: Yes my friends both here and in LA are very down to earth; and the ones who do have nicer cars work hard for them and do not show them off at all.
Kristin: I’ll take good, homecooked food over a fancy-pants dinner any day. My sister and I used to love fine dining but in the last few years have pretty much stuck to local bistros and the like; the food is as good and the atmosphere much more comfy.
Loved this post. Also feeling the need to make that tart. Onions are gods gift to cooking. Yum!
Americans are so materialistic, and it’s refreshing when you can get away from it for a while. I grew up in the country and wasn’t exposed to nearly as much of that sort of thing growing up as I am now. I live in Nashville and work in a swanky area where it’s not uncommon to see a Maserati roaming the streets. It’s hard to say no, but the older I get, the easier it gets.
Great post, Clare.
Thanks for the recipe–I made this for friends last night (and ate the leftovers for breakfast)! The crust was absolutely perfect. I’m curious, though: if I wanted to give it a bit of a kick next time to change it up, would you have any suggestions?
Sarah: Agree with you 100%!! Is there any smell better than that of onions cooking? I think not! 🙂
Jen: Thank you. Yes I guess a big part of the American Dream means being wealthy financially. Starting to learn it’s more about being wealthy in spirit! 🙂
Katie: You’re so welcome. I sometimes do a mix of onions and another veg, like kohlrabi or even Napa (Chinese) cabbage, or perhaps some thinly sliced red bell peppers. I think a few very thinly sliced jalapenos and maybe a bit of sharp cheddar cheese would go great in this recipe too.
That tart looks amazing! As for the materialism, one wouldn’t think that in Paris I would see the same phenomenon as you, but after having left the Upper East Side of Manhattan and becoming friends with, generally, people of modest means who work really hard to be poor in Paris (as opposed to middle/upper middle class at home), I get it. We have one another over for dinner instead of going out, and I, for one, like it better that way. And like MM, I love me a used book 🙂
I admit to riding the tiger along with most of the country, even those who are too ashamed to admit it today. One of my redeeming features must be my love of second hand book shopping. I even drove my Beemer into town to visit Chapters while riding the tiger. some trick.
Great post,
Conor
Made this last nite, well, a slightly less healthy version as I used lazy store-bought shortcrust but it was delish none the less! Thanks!
Congrats. I’m so happy for you both.
Hi Clare,
I hope you don’t mind another question about the recipe…? I was wondering if the crust could be made with regular flour instead of spelt?
Great post about the differences between LA and Ireland, I too, have noticed the same thing when it comes to materialism/consumerism since being here.