Quartz Crystals and Quesadillas

Today at lunch, I was an interloper.

I went to this tiny coffee shop near my apartment on my lunch break to sample some of their famous (and astonishingly good) sandwiches. This is one of those oh-so-Richmond establishments where everyone is a regular, the staff is spacy but effective, and the soundtrack is comprised of equal parts local indie and Radiohead. When I walked in the door, two guys (we'll call them Ian and Dan, because that's what they looked like), around my age, were leading a conversation with everyone (no exaggeration, every person in the shop was participating) about geometric formations found in pre-World War I quartz crystals.

Ian: So there's this theory that, since at that time, I mean this was like 1910, so at that time there was really nothing that could make these shapes. We can't really even make these shapes now. And yeah, this theory is on the web that these aliens were flying through space and hit a meteorite, which sent it on a tragectory toward Earth. So apparently, and this theory is not mine, but apparently they sacrificed themselves for the greater good of our pretty blue planet and bumped the meteor again.

Dan: So how does this explain the geometrically strange quartz crystals?

Ian: Oh, I left that part out. They're the navigation system for the alien ship.

*loaded pause*

Dan: Man, we're lucky that wasn't me. I mean, if I was out playing intergalactic bumper cars with a meteor in my space ship, I think it'd be a little more like the Kroger parking lot. "Whoops, hope no one saw that..."
Ladies and gentlemen, these are my neighbors.

For some reason, my experience in the coffee shop has me thinking about cheese. Their sandwich menu had a pretty impressive sampling -mozzarella, havarti, gorgonzola, and brie- and frankly, cheese is my weakness. Some people have a sweet tooth. Some people have an irresistable affinity for salty snacks. I have a friend who has never met a potato she didn't like. For me, though, it is cheese. Since I have cheese on the brain, I think I'll make quesadillas for dinner. As quesadillas are essentially just grilled cheese sandwiches on tortillas instead of bread, you can use just about any cheese under the sun. Most people use cheddar or monteray jack. I use farmer's cheese, this gloriously mild, smooth, and fantastically melty cheese you can find in wheels in just about any self-respecting grocery store.

Shrimp quesadillas

1 lb 31-40 count shrimp, peeled and tailed
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tsp chili paste
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 wheel farmer's cheese, grated
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
4 burrito-size tortillas

Optional: onions, avocado, tomato, bell pepper, pico de gallo, lettuce, you name it

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside for 20-30 minutes. Remove shrimp from marinade and saute over medium-high heat until just pink. Set aside.

Cover 1/2 of each tortilla with 1/2 of the cheese. Load with shrimp and any fillings you desire. Cover with the remaining cheese and cilantro, then fold burrito like an omelet. Fry over high heat until cheese is melted and tortilla is golden brown.

Serve hot with sour cream or guacamole.

Enjoy!