Orange-Grilled Baby Octopus

20201125, Baby Octopus No. 3 asked: "No. 1, is it time for us to take over Earth now-zz?" "No, not yet — we still need more time-zz." No. 2 chimed in: "But why? How much longer do we have to wait-zz?" No. 1 stared at the ground and calmly continued: "Starting next year, Earth time, humans will begin getting vaccinated against the coronavirus. We have to wait until then-zz." No. 3 asked again: "What does the coronavirus vaccine have to do with our conquest of Earth-zz?" No. 1 answered in a determined voice: "Listen closely, No. 2, No. 3. Once the vaccine comes out, humans will race to get it. But the vaccine contains a special something, shipped in from our home planet..." At that exact moment, the shadow of an enormous fork fell over Octopus No. 1's head, and No. 1 never got to finish. Plating today's #breakfast turned out so different from what I'd pictured that I was still reeling from the shock, which is apparently why I started talking nonsense first thing in the morning. Still, it tastes incredible. Peel an orange in a spiral and lay it down as a bed. Warm a little olive oil in a pan with cracked pepper and a scattering of parsley, then blanch the thawed #babyoctopus. Finish with a dressing of olive oil, white wine vinegar, and whole-grain mustard — #orangegrilledbabyoctopus, a great pairing for wine.