Day 27: Birth of Frankenstein

Mary scarcely looked out of the window anymore. It was the summer of 1816, which would go down in history as the "year without a summer". Weeks had passed since their arrival at the Villa Diodati by Lake Geneva, and still the air carried a lonely chill and a gray haze covered the world outside. She no longer changed out of her morning dress, which was black and flowed from the empire waist. Instead, she spent the days sitting by the fire, her hair loosely tied leaning in to Percy whom she knew that she would one day marry.

He spoke of things she always felt but never reached her world in any socially acceptable way. He presented her with vegetarianism, and the naturalist movement, and he told stories of his wild nudist friends. The things he spoke of were unthinkable, and yet his courage and his wit were both captivating and convincing. With him she felt valuable. He saw something precious in her, and she wanted desperately to embody his vision. Together they would change the world.

As she leaned into Percy, the cloth on her dress brought the cool fabric to the skin on her wrist and provided relief from the heat of the fire, which showered her entire right side with gold.

"I've just the plan for us to pass these dreary hours." Lord Byron addressed the group as though he were on a stage. "We'll have a contest. Everybody must contribute. Mr. Polidori, you are educated in medicine, surely you must have written something during your years of schooling. Mr. Shelley, and the soon to be Mrs. Shelley, you are both brilliant writers, and Claire you too must contribute something to the challenge."

Lord Byron paced around the room as he spoke, and gestured wildly with his hands as though he were plagued with hysterical inspiration. "A frightful tale to fit the frightful mood of this dark, wet, sunless summer." They all agreed, and as the evening went on, Mary felt herself get pulled out of the conversation and into the crackling fire. Words from their earlier discussion about galvanism and the supernatural haunted her. Could it be possible to return a body back to life?

She often would lay awake at night to wish that she had the power to awaken the dead. She would bring back her mother. She would channel the thunder and the lightning, harness the power of the universe, and watch as her mother breathe life again. She imagined herself seeing her mother, and then not being able to get over the invisible barrier of fear that would be built into her ghoulish exterior.

She saw the story, and all the pieces of it. They fell like ashes, one by one, into her lap. She would make the creature gentle, but hideous. She would make the scientist well meaning, but human. A typical portrait of a Christian soldier trying to impose God's will on the natural world. She could see the creature lying on the table, she could taste the dampness of the lab, she could see the pale scientist, weary from his work.

Percy shook her arm, "Darling, it is time for dinner." She heard her sweet poet say. "mmm, yes I will join you." She said.

Barbecued tofu
Heat oven to 375. Drain 1 block of extra firm tofu by wrapping it in a paper towel and placing a plate on top (to press the water out). Slice the tofu into squares and lay flat on an oiled cookie sheet. Bake for 15 min.

Barbecue sauce
heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and add 1 diced vidalia onion, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 cloves minced garlic. Add 1/4 tsp chili powder and 1/4 tsp chipoltle chili powder. Cook until the onions are brown and sweet, then add 6 oz tomato paste and 8 oz water. Whisk in 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 sprinkle cayenne, 1 tsp black pepper. Adjust to taste.

Mix 1 Tbsp BBQ sauce with 2 beaten egg whites. In a separate bowl, add 1 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Coat the tofu in the egg mixture and then bread with the flour and put in a frying pan with hot oil (mix grapeseed and olive oil). Brown on all sides, remove and drain on a paper towel. Place the tofu back on the tray, and top with BBQ sauce. Broil on high for 7 min on each side.

Quinoa and amaranth side
Cook amaranth by boiling 1 cup of grain in 3 cups of water, reduce heat and simmer for 25 min. Heat 1 tsp black truffle olive oil and 1/2 Tbsp olive oil with 1/4 tsp salt in a saucepan and add 1 diced yellow onion. Add 1 1/2 cups diced mushrooms. When the mushrooms are cooked, mix in 1 large scoop of the amaranth and about 2 cups cooked quinoa (leftovers). Heat through and serve with a little butter on top.

Toasted lemon ume kale
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and add 4 small cloves minced garlic and 1 bunch rinsed kale. Cook covered, stirring often. When the kale is cooked, add fresh lemon zest and 1 tsp ume plum vinegar.

Christina's vote: "This dinner made me want to do some boot scootin' at the burning man"