French Fridays with Dorie - spiced butter-glazed carrots

I love when I learn something new.  I also love when I cook with a new ingredient.  Dorie's recipe for spiced butter-glazed carrots introduced me to cardamom seeds.  I've never cooked with them before.  I'm sure I've eaten lots of things with cardamom, just nothing that came out of my own kitchen.

What I learned is that cardamom comes in pods and when you crack them open (they have a similar texture to pumpkin seeds) they reveal lots of tiny little black seeds.  Very cool!

OK, I will admit that when the recipe said to "bruise" the seeds, I first "bruised" the pods.  It was only after that tender bruising that I discovered that the pods popped open and there were seeds inside.

Then, I bruised those too!  I haven't used my mortar and pestle in forever (in fact, upon examination, it appears I may have never used this particular mortar and pestle), so it was nice pull it out from the back of a cupboard.

When I thought about bruising the seeds, my mind led me all sorts of places.  Like, how this year has left me slightly bruised.  And, it's funny, but the bruising that I endured this year has opened up new things in me.  Much like my bruising the cardamom pod revealed the seeds inside.  After bruising the seeds, the seeds revealed their aromatic secrets...I think some of my "aromatic" secrets have been revealed this year too.  However, I will say, I've had enough bruising for awhile and am hoping that 2011 is all about enjoying the new revelations.  We'll leave the ongoing bruising for another year, I hope.

All this over cooking a simple carrot dish.  Yep, it's the end of the year and I tend to get reflective, melancholy and hopeful.  What is it about a new year that makes everything seem possible again?  I love it...new beginnings...saying goodbye to the past...moving forward.  I hope that 2011 brings much love, good health, and all that you wish for to you and yours.  Thanks for reading my ramblings.  I'm looking forward to many more in the coming year.

Oh, by the way...the carrots were delicious and I ate them all myself.  This was a test run for New Year's Day (when I always make corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots).  I'll actually let the rest of the family taste the carrots on the 1st.  To see how the rest of our French Fridays with Dorie participants are handling the end of the year, click here.