Tag Archives: food

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Burgeoning Bounty

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Last evening when I went to check on the squash and do some weeding I was greeted by the pleasant discovery of one fresh zuke ready to pick and the rest of the squash plants exploding.

My little pickling cucumbers are still very tiny but are promising plenty of yummy refrigerator pickles in the coming weeks.

Butternut squash!!!

I’m super psyched to see my Jack Be Little Pumpkins are well on their way.  They’re just about the right size but they need to darken up a bit before they’re picked and dried for fall.

Then there’s the tomatoes we’re salivating over.  I have roughly 18 tomato plants starting to fruit right now.  They’re all heirloom varieties: Bloody Butcher, Money Maker, Tigerella, and Amish Paste.  The bulk of them will be slow roasted and then frozen to provide us with a taste of summer all year.  Many more will be eaten straight off the vine.

I am so hungry right now.

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Another Solstice

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It’s the summer solstice today.  The first official day of summer. The longest day of the year. The day after which all days will begin to shorten.

This is a day we enjoy celebrating.  There’s no commercial or familial obligations; most people barely acknowledge it.  It’s a day for us to celebrate something more basic – the change of seasons.  More specifically, today we celebrate the best parts of summer.

Traditionally, this is best done outside.  Swimming all day, or peach – picking like last year.  Eating all our meals outside, the last one under a growing canopy of night, the starts just beginning to twinkle and the fireflies and bats just beginning to show.  Later on, a campfire with marshmallows and games or stories.  Maybe even singing.

This year, the weather wasn’t that cooperative.

We tried swimming, but as today was the first day over 80 degrees in a week or two the pool water was decidedly too cold.  Besides that, various thunderstorms rattling through the area kept us inside as well. There won’t be any eating outside tonight (too muggy and buggy), no fireflies, no bats.  (Well, there might be, but between the clouds and mist, and whatnot, you know).

So we’ve tried out more of the quiet, unsung sweet parts of summer.

Making blueberry muffins (and eating them all before even one picture could be taken).

Quietly watching the approach of a summer storm (a non – threatening, no – tornado kind of storm) from the safety of the front porch.

Making a round of Butterbeer for the kids.

Reading (Emily is working on the 4th Harry Potter book, Neve the first.  I am reading the 3rd book of The Hunger Games trilogy.  Riveting!)

Napping (okay, that was just me).

And enjoying our favorite two summer foods for dinner: corn on the cob, and pesto.

We feel pretty good about this low- key solstice.  We’ll be back to our favorite summer activities soon enough.

Happy Solstice to you all!

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Cherries Hit the Sauce!

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I made two different cherry concoctions to preserve our substantial harvest from last week.

The first was the impetus for my wild over – picking and buying, and that was Local Kitchen’s Drunken Cherries.  This “Cherries Meet Booze” idea just begged to be re-created in my kitchen, and I made a few jars which are now sitting and waiting to be enjoyed.

At least one jar of these lovelies will be accompanying me on the annual Book Club Virginia Beach Weekend in August.

Once I had these done I still had plenty of cherries and I figured Cherry Preserves was the way to go……but what recipe?

Luckily, my friend Tanya gave me an idea – Brandied Cherry Preserves.

More booze.

Duh.

And the upside is, the alcohol in this recipe cooks off so the kids can enjoy it, too!

I didn’t actually use a recipe with this.  Rather, I employed a method I found here and then tweaked a bit.

The basic idea, is that you stem and pit as many cherries as you want.  (Hint: Get a cherry stoner!!!!  You’ll thank the heavens you did!)

Wash them well, chop them up good and chunky (leave some big pieces) and put them in a big non – reactive pot and cook them until they are nice and juicy.

When they appear soft and juicy, measure the fruit and juices together.  However much it is, you’ll add three – quarters that amount of sugar to the pot.

Then continue to cook it all together.  It will get pretty foamy.

You’ll want to put a clean plate in the freezer while you’re doing this.

After quite a bit of stirring and foaming the cherries and juice and sugar will start to thicken.  It will still be kind of thin and liquidy, but when you think it’s a little less so, drop a dab onto that plate that you put in the freezer.

Put it back in the freezer for a few minutes and then push it a bit with your finger.  If it gels up as you push it, it’s ready (check the pics on the site I linked to for this – they are quite good).

Remove it from the heat, and you’re ready to add the brandy.

I added a small amount at a time and used a clean spoon to put taste – test sized globs onto a plate.

I could snort the result, truly.

Personally, I did not process the resulting jam jars in a hot bath, because I decided to keep them in the fridge instead.  Believe it or not I did not have an overwhelming amount of jam, and after giving several jars away, we have enough in the fridge to keep us through fall, which is about how long it’s supposed to be good.

If you want to can it in true fashion, check out Ball’s Fresh Preserving site for instructions.  You’ll basically just pour the jam into hot sterilized jars, put on the lids and boil them for probably ten minutes or so.

Happy Preserving!

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Cherry Picking

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I’ve been trying to post this for a few days now, but I’ve had technical difficulties.  You know, the kind where your computer develops a nasty case of I hate you and I refuse to do your bidding.

But we’ve solved (fingers crossed anyway) our glitch and I can tell you that we went cherry picking at Spring Valley Orchard and brought home TWENTY POUNDS of cherries.  Sweet, dark, delicious juicy cherries.

You know, at first I thought maybe twenty pounds was a lot. Too much, even.  But you know what?  It takes an hour to get to this place, and it takes a whole lotta cherries to make pie, make preserves, make drunken cherries (more on these to come), give some to friends and family and still have plenty left for just plain snacking.  It makes me wish I could grow my own.

We lucked out that they opened on a day that was not too hot or humid, or too sunny either.  In years past we’ve finished up at the orchard red, hot, thirsty and grumpy.

Not this year.

Of course, stopping at Starbucks on the way and picking up a giant Mocha – Coconut Frappuccino didn’t hurt.

We also didn’t sample them this time.  We realized that they spray the bejeebers out of these trees to ensure decent yields, so we washed them thoroughly before using them.  It was very,very hard to wait.  It would be nice for there to be an organic orchard here, but I don’t honestly think it’s feasible in these parts on a commercial scale.

When I got home with my 20 lbs of cherries I had the idea that they should sell cherry stoners at the check – out stand.  I ended up going into Charlottesville to buy one.

It was hard tearing the girls away from the trees – they would have kept on picking all day if we’d let them.  And I might have, if not for the cost (cherries aren’t cheap!).

It’s quite a remote spot, this orchard.  You feel as though you’re heading further and further into nowhere (though it’s beautiful).  There’s a quaint old cemetery behind the stand surrounded by a stone wall, giving the impression that it may have been an old homestead at one point.

It felt remote and somewhat lonesome, but what a view!

As soon as we got home we ate at least two big bowls full of cherries.  Then I began the arduous task of washing, drying and freezing several bags.  One bag went to Juniper Moon Farm and two bags went to my parents as an early Father’s Day and a Happy Birthday to my mother. Yet another bag became a cherry pie.  The pie barely lasted a day.  Even my husband, who professed a deep dislike for cherry pie all his life, devoured it.  I believe he may have eaten half that pie himself.

And that’s when it hit me.

Twenty pounds of cherries is nowhere near enough.

 

 

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You’ll Be Hungry Now

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This is the post where I show you two delectable treats over the weekend.

Breakfast on Sunday was inspired yet again by a picture on Pinterest.  You’re not on Pinerest, are you?  What a time suck.  But by golly, have I gotten some grand ideas from it!

Anyway this is french toast made with angel food cake rather than bread, topped with strawberries and maple syrup, along with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.  On the side are Vermont Maple breakfast sausage links.

As soon as Oona saw her plate she said “Oh I am going to finish this!!”

And it certainly was finish – worthy,

For dessert later in the day I made a Raspberry – Pistachio Tart.

The first time I ever had a Raspberry – Pistachio Tart was at Mrs. London’s Bakery in Saratoga, NY.  Everything at Mrs. London’s is to die for, but all of us particularly took to the Raspberry Pistachio Tart.

I’ve spent years trying to re-create it at home.  We don’t live anywhere near Saratoga, or I’d simply go buy one whenever the craving hits.

However, after several years of trying various things, I think I’ve got it.

The tart has a pistachio cream filling and fresh raspberries on top.

SO YUM.

Also, so very close.

Either way, if you’re ever in Saratoga, GOOD LORD go to Mrs. London’s!

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Your Yummy For the Day

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Today I made one of my favoritest things that I have ever made.

That is saying quite a lot.

I made Lemon Meringue Cupcakes.

Yeah, you heard me.

I bought a box of Betty Crocker yellow cake mix and made cupcakes according to the directions.

Then I hollowed out the tops a bit and added a dollop of store – bought lemon curd (I used Mackays brand that I found at Food Lion).

Then I whipped up a batch of Martha Stewart’s Seven – Minute Frosting (which, by the way, took WAY longer than 7 minutes.  It’s really yummy, but I’m just sayin’.  Badly named).

So.Very.Good.

They’ll be gone by morning.

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Honey Bee Cake

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A certain wonderful friend of mine recently gave me a new Honey Bee cake pan and a mix to go with.

I salivated over it for about a day and a half and couldn’t take the temptation anymore.

Into the oven it went.

And then into my belly.

Is that gorgeous, or what?  It’s a pull – apart cake.  But it was almost too beautiful to eat.

Almost.

Check out the detail.

What’s that?  The taste, you ask?

Well, let me tell you.  There’s honey in the mix AND the glaze.

And we made pigs of ourselves.

If you haven’t been keeping an eye on the Lambcams over at Juniper Moon Farm, be sure to check them out Thursday evening – I am taking on night duty with the always adorable and hard – working Caroline while Susan gets some much – needed rest.  If we have any lambs born,  we’ll be sure you get to see them!

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Where Oh Where Has My Little Blog Gone…

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Spring was supposed to have sprung, and we have indeed gotten blooms all over, but we are also expecting up to two inches of snow by the end of the weekend.  So today was cold and overcast and that made conditions ripe for two things: napping and cooking.

Maddie and Gulliver are frequently snuggled up together.

Have you met Gulliver?

He’s not reeeaally our dog, but….

He actually belongs to Susie.  Susie left him with us awhile back when she was away for a long week of meetings with yarn company designers and whatnot.  Then there were various people staying at the farm for a few days here and there and Gulliver is not actually the kind of dog that does well with lots of different people.  SO…..since he seems to like us so much, he has stayed.  And since there are a lot of farm stay guests still in and out and April promises to be very busy (lambing starts!!)…..you get the idea.

Plus Paul is in very much taken with the little guy.

The point is, Gulliver likes napping.  That makes him very popular with us.  Especially on a lazy, cold late – winter / not-quite-spring day.

But it wasn’t ALL napping.

Maddie made Chocolate Irish Cream Cookies and I made some Ham and Cheese Pretzel Bites.

Both were a smashing success.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have to figure out how to work off the bajillion calories I stuffed myself with today.

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A Week of Being Irish

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St. Patrick’s Day is a bit of a big deal around here.  Paul and I were married on March 17 waaaaay back in 1996.

I got a bunch of books from the library for the girls to learn about Ireland and about the holiday itself.   They’ve been telling lame leprechaun – related jokes  (What kind of music do leprechauns like??  Sham-Rock!) and listening to Irish bands (Enya, U2, Black 47).

Last night we made Shamrock cookies.

Afterwards we stuffed our faces and watched Darby O’Gill and the Little People.

Tomorrow we’re going to make some Irish Soda Bread and Beef & Guinness stew.  Then we’ll settle in for a 4 hour Destination Truth live from Ireland, where they’re going to investigate the legend of the Banshee.  Should be fun (especially with that bottle of Bailey’s I bought)!

Slainte!

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Nashville Puppy Whirlwind

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On Thursday I left the chaos of the household behind to drive 10 hours to Nashville with Susie and Jenny and two giant puppies.

The puppies were from the pairing of two of Susie’s Livestock Guard Dogs and were born this past December.  At ten weeks old, these two are HUGE.

Because they are a fairly rare breed (Maremma) there is no shortage of farms looking for them.  Susie’s friend Cindy in Texas was thrilled to take in both puppies, and proposed meeting us halfway between here and her farm.  That turned out to be Nashville.

Our bestest friend Jenny came along to help with puppy transport and we were off to Music City!

It’s a ten hour drive from here to Nashville but those sweet little pups gave us no trouble.

We met Cindy at the hotel along with friends Mary and Karen and the pups were handed over.  I think they were a little shocked at just how big these 10 week old “babies” are.

The next morning we had an excellent recommendation from the hotel staff for a great breakfast spot – The Pancake Pantry. We ate the best pancakes of our lives, and trust me, we know from pancakes.

After we ate we decided to check out some of the little shops nearby before heading back to the hotel.  We wandered into A Thousand Faces, a cute little shop right next door.  None of us had been to Nashville before, and this was shaping up to be an incredible trip.

They certainly did not fail to deliver a plethora of neat stuff!

From there the day got better and better.  At one point we found a small pub and had coffee and tea and the waiter refused to allow us to pay.  This was after we’d spent almost two hours in another shop talking to the owners about all manner of things.

The people in Nashville have to be some of the friendliest people anywhere.  I don’t know why this surprised me so much, but I can tell you it is true.

I think perhaps our favorite part of our entire stay, however, may have been breakfast the next morning, before we left to head home.  Some of the locals had told us to check out The Pfunky Griddle.  Nashvillians know how to eat!  This great little restaurant has griddles in the center of every table, and when you order what you want it is brought to your table in raw form so that you can cook it yourself. Sounds crazy, no?  But, we ordered omelets and french toast and it was AMAZING.

(Um, this pic was taken with my ipod, but you get the idea!)

We cracked our own eggs and added our own toppings and griddled it up!

We were all three very sorry to leave Music City.  I promise we’ll be back.  My only regret is not taking more pictures.  Susan had some really great ones – check out her blog post about our trip!

This Weekend in Pictures – Nashville Edition