Sunday was a series of unfortunate food events for me. It started at a café with a spinach, mushroom and cheese omelet that was filled with grit from spinach not properly washed. I actually spit out a bite (discreetly, I’d like to think) because there was so much grit, my food was noisy.

From there I went to the L. A. Book Festival, saw a churro, wanted it, determined I didn’t need it, then decided if I wanted a churro, I should get one. So I did. I took one bite and realized I didn’t feel like a churro after all. But I hated the idea of throwing it away as much as I hated the fact I had to pay $3 for it in the first place, so I felt compelled to eat the whole $3 thing. (For those unfamiliar with churros, as I was before moving to California, a churro is basically a cinnamon/sugar-coated fritter stick.)

Next was a youth-themed 30th birthday party that included a cotton candy machine, addictive Guacamole-flavored Doritos, KFC popcorn chicken, a bouncy house and some children, which, evidently came with the bouncy house as far as I can tell since they didn’t come with anyone in our party. While a day bouncing then relaxing in Griffith Park was a wonderful way to spend one of the first warm Sundays of the spring, the cotton candy and popcorn chicken only heightened the slumpy feeling inside of me that emerges when I’ve eaten poorly all day long.

While the children repeatedly asked for soda and the adults lounged on blankets, I contemplated dinner, which had suddenly become very important–something healthy was essential and using the shrimp in the freezer preferred. I thought about Broiled Shrimp and Spinach Salad but discarded that idea when I recalled my fresh dill was now frozen from a little overzealous refrigeration. By the time I got home, I had decided on California Fish Stew, a dish that had impressed me a couple of years earlier, but, due to how rarely shrimp is stocked in my house, I had not revisited it since.

Everything went according to plan. I had my light, flavorful, quickly made stew and a salad to accompany it. I watched half of Good Night and Good Luck before falling asleep. I slept well. A good soup can do so much.

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Adjustments: Fresh oregano for the dried since that’s one of the few herbs in my garden I’ve managed not to kill, canned tomatoes for the fresh and only shrimp for the seafood—I don’t normally have fish and mussels around. Since my shrimp was cooked and frozen, I defrosted them in lukewarm water for fifteen minutes, then put them in a bowl and poured the soup when done over top to warm them without cooking them further.

Assessment: This soup actually turned my day around. It’s a nice combination of fresh herbs and pepper with a sharp kick from the wine. However, my previous efforts had better results since I didn’t use the ideal wine this time around—I used a somewhat fruity blend already opened and chilled in the refrigerator. A dryer white wine is better, and this is no place to toss in some Charles Shaw since wine is the main ingredient of your broth. I recommend Sterling Sauvignon Blanc, which is dry, affordable and good as an ingredient or drinking straight out of the wine glass.

I especially loved the warning that’s in italics at the top of this recipe: “Have the ingredients prepared and near the stove, because this fish stew cooks in just minutes.” I loved even more that this was true.