Is That All The Stuffing?

2011-07-21T21:38:00.001-05:00

Just so you know, the tart cherries soaked in maraschino liqueur are not as tasty as the sweet cherries.

That is all.

What Not To Do During A Heatwave

2011-07-20T11:41:00.004-05:00

Harvest garlic.

It was certainly a chore, but I pulled the rest of the garlic. The leaves were looking so brown and dried out, I was certain that if I left them in the ground much longer, there wouldn't be any wrappers left to protect the cloves. Because I have today off and this is the only day in the next week & 1/2 that I could possibly get the job done, I knuckled down and did it.

I planted 10 different varieties this year. I'm not sure how many bulbs I have--somewhere just under 100. They're all drying in the basement. Smells incredible in here!

Man, I'm exhausted.

Good n Fruity

2011-07-17T16:26:00.006-05:00

Since the heat chased me out of the garden at about noon, I've been at a loss as to what to do with myself.

We have an almost embarrassing amount of fruit on hand, and I figured I'd better use some of it up before it becomes compost. This afternoon, I've made:

More Luxardo maraschino-soaked cherries

A delicious cherry cobbler

A refreshing raspberry-thyme beverage

Garden Update

2011-07-17T14:03:00.007-05:00

It's waaaay too hot for me to work in the garden any longer today, so I'll just talk about it.

I finally weeded & mulched the corn. I'm hoping there's enough mulch to keep the soil damp and to ward off the weeds while we're gone on vacation.

Yesterday, I picked the first of the green beans. I picked another fistful today. Soon we'll have enough to feed the entire neighborhood. Oh yeah, I picked the first cucumber today. There are dozens of little fruits on the plants. Soon they'll be plentiful as green beans.

No tomatoes yet. A few of the Egg Yolk cherries looks as if they're almost ripe. Might be ready by the end of the week.

I've pulled up a baker's dozen garlic plants thus far. The bulbs are looking very good. I'm both afraid to pull up the rest because I'm not sure they're ready and afraid to leave them in the ground because they might not hold until we get back from the cabin. What a dilemma! Anyway, here's a photo of some I pulled yesterday:

Inchelium Red, Simonetti, and Chesnok Red

Something has been nibbling on the edamame and green bean plants. Yesterday, I found not one but two little bunnies in the garden, so I guess that mystery is solved. Next spring we'll have to reinforce the (not-so) bunny-proof fence.

What other critters are messing with our goodies? The squirrels and/or chipmunks have been taking bites out of the young zucchini fruit. You'd think by now they'd remember they don't like it. And something--probably one of those damn raccoons--checking an ear for ripeness, has already pulled down and ruined one corn plant. Man, I really hate those raccoons. Maybe we should get a dog, feed it nothing but raccoon meat, and then leave it in the garden.

Cherry Picking

2011-07-16T21:19:00.005-05:00

I made homemade maraschino cherries. Home run! I have no words for how delicious they are.

Homemade maraschino cherries are shamefully easy to make: Put cherries in jar. Cover with (Luxardo) maraschino liqueur. Wait at least 3 days.

I made these about a week ago. I used sweet cherries--although I understand tart are preferred by some--and I left the pits and stems alone. (I had wanted to pit them and leave the stems intact, but I made a mess of the cherries, so I gave up.) I've used them in a few bar drinks--just now had a few in a rye & ginger--but they're good all by themselves or in plain ginger ale. I almost wish they didn't have liquor, 'cause they're so delicious that I could eat them all the time! I'd love to be able to snack on them at work--but I'll have to settle for the unboozed Door County sweet cherries that I so adore.

Next cocktail attempt? Maybe homemade creme de violette. (To make Aviation cocktails for my Dearest O.)

Kanpai!

It All Started With a Radish

2011-07-10T07:23:00.037-05:00

Doesn't this look good?

It's not my own creation, I'm afraid. I was looking for something to make with some of the daikon radish in the garden, and I found a recipe for miso-marinated salmon with cucumber-daikon relish on Epicurious. I liked it right off the bat, and I had all the ingredients on hand except the salmon.

I didn't tweak the recipe much. I didn't have enough fresh ginger-don't know how that happened--so I used what I had, and I skipped the green onions. Still, it turned out very well. I think the leftover rice-edamame and relish will make for a decent work lunch, too.

Daikon is one of the vegetables I grow "just 'cause." In the case of daikon, I grow them just 'cause they remind me so much of Japan. (Daikon is ubiquitous in Japan and Japanese cooking.) I've been growing them for 3 or 4 years now, but this is the first year I've gotten to harvest any worth eating--skip this next part if you don't want a gross image in your mind--because the root maggots usually get to them first. (I warned you!) The ones I harvested are still small--in Japan the grow them the size of small children--but I pulled them early both to thin out the row and to make sure I got some before the bugs ruined them all.

It's almost 8:00, and there's a lot of tomato-pruning, weed-pulling, bean-staking and whatnot to do today, so that's all for now.

Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T08:17:00.005-05:00

I am enjoying the heck out of the long weekend. Hope you are too.

I spent a few hours on Saturday and most of yesterday in the garden. It's a slow process, but I feel I'm finally making progress clearing the weeds & tidying everything up a bit. I'll take some new photos today & post them later.

Here's what I picked for breakfast:

My favorite way to eat raspberries is in the garden as I pick them. Those that make it in the house (and aren't eaten plain) usually end up stirred in to vanilla yogurt & topped with granola. Yum!

Where to Start?

2011-06-25T12:40:00.004-05:00

Today's top priority is tending to the tomato beds. Weeding, mulching, pruning and staking. That should take all day.

The Good Old Summertime

2011-06-25T11:57:00.006-05:00

I just finished lunch, which consisted of fresh peas from the garden and garden radish slices on crackers. I love summer and should move someplace where it never ends.

I LOVE PEAS! Love them! Some people think they don't like peas. I'm convinced they do; they've just never had peas prepared correctly. Good peas are as fresh as possible, preferably picked minutes before out of one's own garden. After shelling, saute peas for just a minute or so in butter. (No need to worry about the butter, you'll burn all the butter calories just shelling them.) Don't overcook--they shouldn't be mushy and should still "pop" when you bite into them. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, if desired. Devour.

I like radishes okay, but I don't LOVE them. I do love what radishes mean: Good things to come! Radishes are usually the first veggie ready to harvest in my garden and are one of the first veggies that show up at the farmers' markets. When you see radishes, you know peas and strawberries--and then tomatoes, corn, peppers, etc.--are on the way. Other reasons for a gardener to like radishes is that they're easy to grow and they're ready to harvest within about 28 days of planting seed, making them perfect vegetable to plant with kids.

I prepare radishes as simply as possible. I use (very thin) raw slices to top crackers smeared with cream cheese. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of salt & pepper. That's it. (I didn't have any cream cheese today, so I used butter instead and liked it just fine.)

I've never cooked radishes, but keep reading they're good that way. For dinner tonight, I'm going to saute some in butter and top with chives. I'll let you know what we think.

Books

2010-12-31T14:33:00.003-06:00

Reading:

Read:

Recommend!

Meh.

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T14:32:00.001-06:00

Well, 2010 went by quickly, didn't it? Maybe I'll try to actually blog more in 2011. If you ask nicely, that is.

Reading

2010-12-04T16:14:00.003-06:00

Gardening = Heartbreak

2010-08-21T14:26:00.003-05:00

That does it. I'm going to give up the garden and spend next summer relaxing at a villa in Italy.

Vacation, Day One Continues

2010-07-15T07:13:00.005-05:00

The day started out great (in the garden) and just got better.

Late morning, Dave, Sean and I headed out for Milwaukee. Our destination?: Growing Power, a 2-1/2 acre urban community farm. Having heard and read a lot about Growing Power and its founder Will Allen, I've wanted to visit for a very long time. GP lived up to my expectations.

We took the daily tour, given by the very knowledgeable and personable Mike. (I had secretly hope that this would be one of the days Will Allen was giving the tour, but because Mike was such an excellent guide, I quickly got over my disappointment.) Mike led us through greenhouses and hoophouses and fish tanks and worm bins all working together and laid out in a sensible and aesthetically pleasing way. Outside, he introduced us to goats and chickens and turkeys, and he showed off what appeared to be his pride and joy, the largest compost pile imaginable.

Whatever I write won't do Growing Power justice. I'm not a good enough writer* to describe how cleverly these folks use (and reuse) all the resources they have in order to grow enough food on this small piece of crappy urban land**, smack-dab in the middle of an economically depressed neighborhood, to feed 10,000 people. Even so, I've read about it and heard it described but couldn't quite envision how GP does what they do.

In a word: Skip Disneyland. Take the kids to Growing Power.

* Check My Dearest O's Drivel for a writeup. He's a much better (and more disciplined) writer than I am.
**They make ALL their own soil, so don't worry about the farm being on crappy land.

Vacation, Day One Begins

2010-07-14T07:59:00.003-05:00

It's not yet 8:00am, and My Dearest O and I have already polished off the first pot of coffee. Ah, life is good...

I was out in the garden before breakfast. Here's what I picked:

Summer of Spuds

2010-07-11T09:20:00.006-05:00

First, the torrential rains we had a few weeks ago battered the poor potato plants. Then, just as they were starting to look as if they might recover, someone (yes, B) forgot to turn off the soaker hose, watering them for about 8 hours yesterday while we partied with our favorite aunt and uncle. Yikes!

Disappointment

2010-07-10T13:19:00.002-05:00

I spent the entire morning weeding the sweet potato bed, only to find in the afternoon's mail my returned check and a letter from the sweet potato company saying they couldn't fill my order... (Although earlier in the season they said they could.)

Bummer.

June

2010-06-30T20:21:00.002-05:00

30 days
Not one post
Now it's gone

It's Here! It's Here!

2010-05-20T08:26:00.005-05:00

My four-day Annual Birthday and Gardening Extravaganza Weekend (Day One). Yippee!

What to do? What to do?

1. Sit around in pajamas. Check.
2. Drink a lot of coffee. Check.
3. Plant corn (22 seeds; 1st crop). Check.
4. Plant drying beans. Check.
5. Nap.
6. Tango lesson with sweetie. Check.

So...

2010-05-16T13:13:00.001-05:00

Maybe I will post some photos of the garden later today.

Maybe.

Luck of the (People Who Have Ancestors Who Were) Irish

2010-05-02T14:33:00.003-05:00

'Twas a good day today.

My Dearest O and I got in line at Star Liquor* just in time to ensure we'd get a pair (and an extra pair for Auntie Susan and Uncle Jim, if they want them) of tickets to this year's Great Taste of the Midwest beer festival. There's not a better way to spend a hot August afternoon, with or without beer.

But wait! There's more. I won the Star Liquor* and Futhermore Beer** raffle for a 1/6 barrel*** of our choice of delicious, refreshing Furthermore beer**. What shall I choose? Proper? Knot Stock? Oscura?

*We LOVE you, Star Liquor!

**We LOVE you too, Furthermore Beer!

***Approximately 65 12-oz servings, according to Adam, Star's* wine and beer guru extraordinaire.

Everybody's Working for the Weekend

2010-04-24T13:24:00.002-05:00

Sure wish I could check my brain at the door when I leave work for the weekend. Even on Saturday, I think too much.

Enough!

Since you can't garden, here's a good way to start a rainy Saturday: Plaka's* sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich and a big spicy Bloody Mary. Yum!

More later. Maybe I'll even finish my WiFF reviews.

Cheers-
b

*I still miss Cleveland's Diner

Films #5, #6, #7, and #8: Friday Four for Four? (Continued)

2010-04-18T13:40:00.006-05:00

After Last Train Home, Friday's second documentary, Human Terrain, was a bit of a disappointment. The end result of trying to blend (at least) three subjects into one was disjointed. I would have appreciated a film that more fully investigated the military's Human Terrain System*, wherein soldiers are trained to understand the language and culture of Iraq's and Afghanistan's citizens. (You decide whether the goal is to reduce casualties and "win hearts and minds," or to gather intelligence. Or both.) I also would've appreciated a film that more fully investigated the controversial role of anthropologists and other social scientists in the program. However, the film veered off to focus on a particular scholar-humanitarian embedded with U.S forces, Michael Bhatia, and the allotted 75 minutes didn't do justice to the subject matter or to the memory of Bhatia.

I was expecting a much better film than Human Terrain. It could've easily been a four-star movie; I was being generous to give it three stars.

Suffering from a severe case of self-pity after having been dumped by his girlfriend, the title character in Harmony and Me just sorta floats along from one daily situation (work, piano lessons, a wedding, a funeral, etc.) to another. Mostly, these situations, and the film itself, serve as a vehicle to highlight the quirky characters, including Harmony's obligatory dysfunctional family. It worked for me. Four stars.

Our first from the "Wisconsin's Own" series, Feed the Fish, followed a best-selling children's author in a writing slump and his best friend from sunny California to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for the annual Polar Bear Plunge. We encounter yet more quirky characters--who seemed like real Wisconsinites to me ;)--in this heartwarming fish-out-of-water, buddy/male-bonding, and romantic comedy combination. I left the theater with a smile. Four stars.

*Especially if the film had spent more time talking with and filming the troops, rather than the military mucky-mucks touting the program.

Friday's Film Ratings (outta 5):
Last Train Home ****
Human Terrain ***
Harmony and Me ****
Feed the Fish ****

Films #5, #6, #7, and #8: Friday Four for Four?

2010-04-18T09:21:00.014-05:00

I wasn't sure we'd be able make it, but four movies in one day wasn't hard at all. Filmwise, it was a great day, with three out of the four films earning a solid 4 stars from me.

Adults: Is life hard? Does your job suck? Do your kids not understand you? Are they ungrateful?
Young people: Is life hard? Does school suck? Do your parents not understand you? Are they unloving and distant?

For a little perspective, anyone who answers "yes" to any of those questions should see Last Train Home, a documentary focusing on one family during the annual exodus of most of China's 130 million migrant workers back to their home villages and farms. I don't have words to describe the working and living conditions of Mom and Dad, who toil in a city factory night and day to make oversized clothing for export.

Train starts with a most effective opening scene, in which thousands of migrant workers mob a train station in the rain. Shot from above, the scene is dark and gloomy; everything is in somber shades of black and gray, except for a smattering of umbrellas in vibrant Crayola colors. Lucky migrant workers wait days for a train home. Unlucky workers wait a week. Even unluckier ones try for weeks to get tickets and never make it home. Desperate to get home, the workers push, yell, cry, faint, and swear, while the police, also shoulder to shoulder, try to keep order.

When the parents finally make it home after days of train, bus, boat ferry, and foot travel, it's no surprise that they're strangers to their kids, and interactions with them are strained. After all, they left their infant children to be raised by Grandma and Grandpa, and they only make if home once a year. (Again, if they're lucky.)

I could go on, but I'm not going to. I'm tired and still have a lot more movies to think about and watch. Train is a thoughtful, powerful documentary. See it.

Friday's Film Ratings (outta 5):
Last Train Home ****
Human Terrain ***
Harmony and Me ****
Feed the Fish ****

Films #3 and #4: Mixed Bag, Part II

2010-04-17T15:58:00.008-05:00

With The Host, we hit the first sour note of the festival. According to the festival film guide, this monster movie "juggles sci-fi thrills, slapstick comedy, and subtle political critiques." Although there are hints of all those elements, the film doesn't really deliver on them.

It wasn't really bad--by which I mean we didn’t walk out of it (last year’s RR) or wish we had (Idiots and Angels). Mostly, I was let down because of my own expectations. I was expecting a funny monster movie--one along the lines of Tremors, perhaps--and while there were some funny moments, especially at the beginning, the movie got dark early and stayed dark. As for the "political critique," the U.S. government poisoning the world and butting into another country's business has been done better, as has government-created public hysteria and paranoia.

The film works best as a sci-fi monster flick. Resembling a giant catfish with legs and a long whip-like tail, the monster's quick, acrobatic, and quite frightening. It runs, dives, swims, and swings from bridges. The opening crowd chase scene, during which the monster snatches a middle-school girl with his tail and dives into the Han River with her, is one of the best I've ever seen. After this event, the authorities evacuate the area, and the girl's squabbling, dysfunctional family--father, grandpa, aunt, and uncles--who believes she's still alive, breaks into the quarantined area in search of her.

The Host worked for me up to a point. As a comedy, briefly. As a monster flick, a little longer. I'm not sure where or how it lost me.

SPOILER-SPOILER-SPOILER-SPOILER-SPOILER-SPOILER-SPOILER-SPOILER

Maybe it was when the grandfather died. Maybe it was because it went on too long. For sure, it lost me when the brave little girl was killed. Bad idea. You just can't kill a child in a movie, especially toward the end when we're sure she's gonna make it, and expect not to lose a star.

END SPOILER

Could've been a solid "3" for a monster flick, but it lost 1/2 a star. And you know why.

Thursday's Film Ratings (outta 5):
The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls ****
The Host **1/2

I've Declared a Winner

2010-04-17T15:47:00.001-05:00

We just got out of A Matter of Size. There's no way we'll see a better film before the end of the festival.

Neglectful Parenting

2010-04-16T10:11:00.001-05:00

Uh oh. Somebody was too busy traipsing around town at the hoity-toity film festival to keep an eye on her seedlings downstairs, and it appears they might have died from dehydration.

Films #3 and #4: Mixed Bag, Part I

2010-04-16T08:52:00.011-05:00

For the second--but "opening" night--of the WI Film Festival, we teamed up with Auntie Susan and Uncle Jim to dine, drink, talk, and watch two very different movies, a New Zealand documentary and a South Korean horror film.

The official kickoff to the festival, The Top Twins: Untouchable Girls, is funny, sweet, and inspiring... I could throw in a lot of other adjectives, but I'll spare you. I'm still trying to figure out how to describe the film, and why I liked it so much*.

Linda and Jools have spent (literally, Dave) their whole lives living, working, and playing together, and they have a special relationship that most of us can only dream of. Although their bond is so strong, it's not to the exclusion of others--they also form close relationships with lovers, family members, and friends. The twins' lives would seem to be hectic and disjointed--they're singers, farmers, comedians, and activists--but they have found a rare, calm balance to life. Watching them--and the people who know them--love, peace, joy, and good humor radiates from the screen.

Susan's reaction to the movie was "I want a twin, a twin just like one of them." I can't imagine anyone walking out of the theater who didn't feel the same way. I was charmed. I fell in love with the twins. You will too.

Today's films: Last Train Home, Human Terrain, Harmony and Me, and Feed the Fish.

Thursday's Film Ratings (outta 5):
The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls ****
The Host **1/2

*The only bad thing I have to say about the film--and I'm reluctant to do so--is that I missed quite a bit of the dialogue (and song lyrics) because of the New Zealand accents. The fault is mine, not the film's or the twins'. I could've used subtitles.

Films #1 and #2: Rire

2010-04-15T08:04:00.015-05:00

Last night kicked off the four day 2010 Wisconsin Film Festival, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday. If you can count, you'll note that's five days, not four. The festival has been so popular that the organizers decided to screen more movies, so although tonight is the official opening night, last night was added as a "bonus" night. And are My Dearest O and I ever lucky it was.

Rire means "to laugh" in French, and laugh we did. (In English, not French.) After dinner at Coopers Tavern with my co-worker, Carolyn, we all headed over to the Orpheum main theater for a double-feature, Fathers and Guns (De pere en flic) and OSS 117: Lost In Rio (OSS 117: Rio Ne Répond Plus), two ridiculously funny French language films. If you think the words "ridiculously," "funny," "French language" and "film" don't belong in the same sentence, you're dead wrong.

The first film, Fathers, is a Canadian buddy cop movie, the buddy cops being father & son. Dad Cop is an impulsive, overbearing instant-hero-in-any-situation, whereas Son Copy is the thoughtful touchy-feely nerd who chokes when it's most important. In the pursuit of the bad guys, they go undercover, infiltrating a father/son reconnection therapy group in the great outdoors. There were a lot of ridiculous goings-on with the fathers and sons, and I don't think there was a scene in the whole movie that fell flat. Dad Cop and Son Cop are both complete smart-asses, with funny, witty dialogue, which made the movie for me. Check this one out.

The second film, OSS 117, kept us laughing way past our bedtime. If you've seen the first OSS film, Cairo, Nest of Spies*, you'll know what to expect. (If you haven't, go rent it. Now! You might even be able to get it free at the library.) In this spoof of 60's spy movies, the hero, Hubert de la Bath, bears a great resemblance to a vain, clumsy Sean Connery Bond**. There's one gag after another, each funnier than the one before. OOS achieves what I suppose "Austin Powers" was trying to achieve. The audience laughed, laughed, laughed. Who knew the French could be so funny?

Tonight's films: The opening night special presentation, The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls, a documentary about the New Zealand yodeling lesbian twin comedy duo, and The Host, a South Korean Toxic-Chemical-Created-Monster-a la-Godzilla movie from the festival's featured director, Bong Joon-ho.

Cheers,
-b

*I don't remember Cairo being anywhere near this funny.

*Beware, you sensitive folks who might be offended by some of the terribly inappropriate politically incorrect humour, which serves to highlight what a self-centered jerk de la Bath is.

Wednesday's film ratings (outta 5):

Fathers and Sons ****
OSS 117: Lost in Rio ***1/2

Peas in the Ground, Peas in the Ground

2010-04-04T14:27:00.003-05:00

Dancing like a fool 'cause your peas in the ground.

Planted more peas (Cascadia, Green Arrow, Waverex) along about 20 feet of the garden fenceline. Also planted some microgreen and arugula seeds before the rain chased me in.

I didn't get through my entire To Do List this weekend, but at least I got a good start on it.

Yes, Peas!

2010-04-03T11:47:00.005-05:00

First peas have sprouted and are happy to see rain.

Why Vampires Hate Me

2010-04-02T11:10:00.002-05:00

GARLIC, BABY!

Happy Furlough Friday!

2010-04-02T08:53:00.002-05:00

I couldn’t have asked for a nicer day! It promises to be sunny and warm, with a bit of a breeze. Just perfect for working in the garden. Here’s what I hope to get done today:

1. Plant arugula and onion seeds and more peas, lettuce, spinach, and radish seeds.
2. Rototill onion/leek bed.
3. Transplant onion seedling from basement to garden.
4. Rototill beds closest to garden gates. (To increase size of beds/decrease size of grass strip between beds.)
5. Cover/mulch area between garden gates to kill grass strip.
6. Clean up dead daylilies.
7. Divide/transplant a few daylilies.
8. Rake leaves.
9. Shred/chip/mulch leaves and brush.
10. Clean out & organize garden shed.
11. Turn compost piles.
12. Clean birdfeeders.
13. Not think about work.
14. Play with cats.
15. Nap. Maybe with cats.

Wait’ll you see the garlic bed! It’s looking great. I’ll snap a photo and post it later today. Boy-oh-boy do we heart garlic!

Sometimes Publicity Works

2010-03-22T21:09:00.002-05:00

I wonder if I were to complain on my blog about my ASUS EeePC 1005HA and the problems I've had with customer service if I'd get some attention. It worked for My Dearest O on a few occasions.

(I never spell occasion correctly the first time. Thank you, Spell Check.)

Germination Station Update

2010-03-22T20:39:00.003-05:00

Today's newcomers to the sprouting team:

First pepper! Miniature Chocolate pepper
Pacific Pearl onion
Cumin
Perfection fennel
Tomatoes: Amish Paste, Gold Rush currant, Black Cherry, Sweet Pea currant

No photos tonight.

Cheers,
B

Sunny Sunday Snaps

2010-03-21T11:27:00.010-05:00

Her Booness basks in the last patch of morning sunlight in the kitchen.

Fresh growth on one of the catnip plants. Bonkers and Boo are pleased.

Our three Migonette alpine strawberry plants weathered the winter just fine. I'm looking forward to their teensy bits of sweetness.

Behold a few rows of garlic for cooking next fall & winter!

Enough dawdling. Time for chores.

Cheers,
B

New Book Review Rule

2010-03-21T10:38:00.002-05:00

After discussing The Time Traveler's Wife* with My Dearest O, I have decided that I'm going to automatically deduct a star for any book about rich, beautiful people.

*Which I dislike more and more as I think about it.

Good Thing My Shelves Are Overflowing

2010-03-20T22:15:00.001-05:00

I just put in a request for The Help from the library. I'm #1083 in line...

More Good Things A-Growin'

2010-03-20T21:06:00.010-05:00

Newly sprouted today:

Sucrine Romaine lettuce
Beatrice eggplant
Chocolate Stripes tomato
Red Brandywine tomato
Green Grape tomato
Purple Russian tomato

'Cause everyone likes baby photos:

You know how people like to joke about garden squash? Well, look at this patty pan squash. Planted less than a week ago, and it's already out of control.

Tomatoes! Clockwise from 12:00: Opalka paste, Peacevine cherry, San Marzano, Purple Russian

All 15 of the Yellow Borettana (cipollini) onions have sprouted.

I'm not happy without cilantro!

More tomorrow. Maybe we'll have peppers!

Cheers,
B

Lucky Day

2010-03-20T12:55:00.010-05:00

It took about 40 minutes of patient struggling with the overloaded server, but in the end My Dearest O and I scored tickets for all 14* of the films we want to see at this year's Wisconsin Film Festival. Here's what we'll be watching over the course of the 5-day festival:

Fathers and Guns, Canada (French), narrative; buddy-cop comedy

OOS117: Lost in Rio, France, narrative; spy-action spoof

The Topp Twins, New Zealand, documentary; popular New Zealand yodeling, lesbian twin comedy act

The Host, South Korea, narrative; crowd-pleasing giant monster slapstick

Last Train Home, Canada (Mandarin), documentary; Chinese migrant workers return home for the New Year holiday

Human Terrain, USA, documentary; Marines prepare for Iraqi operations at the Urban Operation Training Environment in the Mojave Desert

Harmony and Me, USA, narrative; comedy about a jilted sadsack (Dave calls this one a "chick flick")

Feed the Fish, USA, narrative; buddies from California venture to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for a bit of winter sport (Tony Shiloub plays a quirky sheriff. We were very lucky to get tickets for this one; it sold out within 2 hours.)

A Matter of Size, Israel (Hebrew & Japanese), narrative; a comedy in which a hefty restaurant worker and his buddies, looking for acceptance, take up the Japanese art of sumo wrestling

Chega de Saudade, Brazil (Portuguese), narrative; everyone's looking for something at a San Paulo dance hall

Baraboo, USA, narrative; life and love in small-town Wisconsin (Another one for which we were very lucky. This also sold out within 2 hours.)

Typeface (with Growing in Knowing: The Gateway to Midvale Gardens), USA, documentary; something about "letterpress" and stuff--not sure what this is; My Dearest O picked it

Cell 211, Spain, narrative; newby prison guard finds himself locked in with the nutcase inmates--sounds scary

Mother, South Korea, narrative; Mom stands by dimwit son wrongly convicted of murder in this whodunit

Whew! Is that 14? I sure hope so, 'cause I'm not gonna go back and check.

I'm very excited about our picks for the festival, but now we have to wait an entire month!

Cheers.
b

*We want to see a lot more than 14 films, but there are too many interesting ones that play at the same time.

Change of Plans

2010-03-20T09:03:00.003-05:00

We woke up to find a layer of snow on the ground. Guess I won't be tilling & planting lettuce today. Think I'll pout instead.

That's Not Okay

2010-03-19T21:16:00.002-05:00

100% chance of snow tonight, says NOAA.

The weather all week was sunny & in the 60's. Come the weekend, it snows. No fair! I wanted to plant!

Little Sprouts

2010-03-19T21:01:00.004-05:00

Arrived home to the first signs of germination today. Here's what sprouted:

Tomatoes (Black Plum, Japanese Trifle, Opalka paste, Peacevine cherry, Pineapple, San Marzano, Sweet Orange, Yellow Pear)
Tomatillos, purple & green
Patty Pan squash (Peter Pan, Starship, Sunburst)
Yellow Borettana onion
Sherwood leek
Eggplant (Nadia & Rosa Bianca)
Strawberry Spinach
Cilantro

Book Review: One to Skip

2010-03-15T23:38:00.002-05:00

Just finished The Time Traveler's Wife. I want my 8 days and 546 pages back.

Sayonara, Vitamin D Deficiency!

2010-03-15T16:09:00.003-05:00

I completed my project in the cold, dark basement with enough time left to spend an hour in the garden--planting peas, pulling weeds, and just playing in the dirt. (I'd still be there if I didn't have to pick up My Dearest O.) After enjoying the sunshine, fresh air, and cool soil, I feel like a new person.

I wasn't alone. There are a lot of worms (yeah, earthworms!) and other creeping, crawling bugs working the soil. I haven't spotted any bunnies yet, but I know they're there.

Now We Wait

2010-03-15T14:16:00.003-05:00

Started seeds for the following plants:

57 tomato
30 onion
25 pepper
5 each Migonette alpine strawberry, eggplant, leek, cumin
4 each tomatillo, Patty Pan squash, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, strawberry spinach, celery, fennel
3 each cilantro, Romaine lettuce
2 each basil, macha

Break Time

2010-03-15T12:36:00.002-05:00

Geez, it's cold in the basement. My butt is freezing. I had to come upstairs to thaw out.

It's a gorgeous warm, sunny day out there. I'm going outside as soon as I finish up with the seeds.

It's My Annual Day of Leave to Start Seeds in the Basement!

2010-03-15T08:37:00.003-05:00

Yep, it's that time again. Eight weeks before last frost. Time to start seeds in the basement. If all goes according to plan, by the end of the day I'll have trays full of a couple hundred potential plants. This year, I'm starting a lot of leafy greens, 26 varieties of tomatoes, 9 varieties of peppers, tomatillos, onions, leeks, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, and herbs galore. If I have time, I'll start some flowers too.

Spring, Ready to Be Sprung

2010-03-14T10:25:00.004-05:00

Yep, I'm still here. I just haven't been blogging. No one's reading, anyway. If you are, raise your hand. See, told ya.

Today I've gotta clean up the mess in the basement that is my seed-starting operation. That should take all day. I intended to do that yesterday and start planting today, but I had to shake off a sinus headache yesterday. Oh well, best laid plans and all.

There's life in the garden: new growth on the catnip; green onions, leeks, thyme, and alpine strawberries overwintered well; and a bonus oregano plant lived to tell the story. Also, in the fall I had forgotten to pull some of the Romeo carrots that I'd planted along the fenceline. I discovered them, still fresh and perfect, as I scouted the garden yesterday. I think I'll slice 'em up for lunch. I'll have to check around the rest of the fenceline for other forgotten carrots (or radishes).

Photos later.

Cheers-
b

What's Like Candy, Only Better?

2010-02-28T14:51:00.004-06:00

Onions! Yep, you heard me right. Not just any old onions, though. Caramelized onions. Onions that've been sliced and then cooked slowly in butter until reduced about 90% into a sweet, gooey mess. Ooh, how I love me some caramelized onions.

Caramelized onions have a very high satisfaction/low complication ratio. You don't need a recipe. Melt butter on medium heat in an enormous skillet. Add slice onions. Cook, stirring often, until browned. Be careful not to burn them. This can take awhile, from 30-90 minutes, depending on how you like them, so be patient.

I'd bought a 5 lb. bag of onions a few weeks ago for just this purpose, but put it off until this morning. I used 3/4 stick butter to about 4 pounds of sliced onions. The yield is only about 2 cups, but that goes a long way.

My favorite use for these onions is pizza with gorgonzola cheese. It's heavenly! Add some rosemary or thyme and chopped, cooked chicken, if you like, but don't add any sauce. 'cause you don't need it.

You can also use the onions to top sandwiches, as a relish for meat, with cream cheese on top of crackers or crostini, in broth for a quick onion soup... Epicurious has a recipe for baked brie w/ caramelized onions that sounds fabulous.

Now, what are you gonna do with your caramelized onions?

You Say Christmas; I Say Underpants

2010-02-22T19:23:00.002-06:00

Here's something that bugs

When speaking about Umar Abdulmutallab, the radio & print media* often say something such as "commonly referred to as The (alleged) Christmas Day bomber." Not one real person I know refers to Abdulmutallab as "the Christmas Day Bomber." Everyone refers to him as "The Underpants (or Underwear) Bomber," just as they refer to Richard Reid as "The Shoe Bomber" rather than "The National Date Nut Bread Day Bomber."

If I didn't know better, I'd think the media trying to make this part of The War on Christmas.

*I assume TV news is the same. Don't know; don't have TV.

Annual Three Day Tax Weekend, 3rd & Final Day

2010-02-22T07:45:00.002-06:00

It's here! My Annual Vacation Day to Work on Income Taxes. Started bright & early this morning with my sharpened pencils, stacks of papers and forms, and a lot of coffee. In case you're dying to hear the results: We owe the feds; the state owes us. It's pretty much a wash.

I really really need a nap now.

Dogfish Head Revisited

2010-02-21T18:05:00.003-06:00

I've been drinking the contents of a bottle of Palo Santo Marron for about 2 hours, and there's still about 1/3 left. Told you it was for slowly sipping...

Like Saturday Night Repeated!

2010-02-21T17:19:00.004-06:00

I love 3-day weekends! A bonus night to stay up late & a bonus morning to sleep in late. Sweet!

Dave scored The Hurt Locker from Bongo Video. Hope we get a chance to watch it tonight.

Wonkette : BBC Mourns ‘Great American’ Alexander Haig

2010-02-21T11:25:00.001-06:00

Wonkette : BBC Mourns ‘Great American’ Alexander Haig

Posted using ShareThis

Annual Three Day Tax Weekend, Day 2

2010-02-21T10:12:00.002-06:00

Started today off right with a bottomless cup of coffee and this week's airing of Says You. Too bad I gotta get off my butt soon to clean the house. Yuck.

Oh well, at least I have tonight to look forward to. Tim's joining us for dinner, my improvisation of Coq au Vin. I hope the mushrooms don't freak him out.

Life, etc. Part 2 (with Movie Review)

2010-02-21T09:12:00.009-06:00

I got so carried away with the beer post that I didn't have the energy to write about yesterday.

Wanna see a photo of my delicious Dane County Farmers' Market breakfast? Of course you do!

Most days I have a banana and a cup of coffee for breakfast. (Yeah, BOh-RING.) Sometimes on the weekend, though, My Dearest O and I go out for breakfast. After the winter farmers' market moves to the Madison Senior Center at the beginning of the year, we usually have breakfast at the market on Saturdays. The breakfasts are planned and prepared by volunteers and local chefs--including celebrities like L'Etoile's incomparable Tory Miller, whom I both envy and idolize--using ingredients produced and sold by market vendors.

With the help of Mermaid Cafe's David McKercher, UW Madison Dietetic and Nutrition students planned and prepared yesterday's breakfast: Potato and trout pancakes, bacon, poached egg, and Mermaid's hollandaise sauce served a top a crispy slice of sourdough; maple roasted carrot and fresh spinach salad; cinnamon baked apples; and a berry mini scone with a dollop of preserves. Kudos to the students for a fabulous breakfast! O and I agreed it was this year's best market breakfast thus far. (And it carried us all the way through dinner.)

I have no idea where the time went after we came home from the market. I futzed around with this & that--swept the floor, had a nap, surfed the web, etc--until the next thing I knew it was time to make dinner, a simple pasta dish w/ ham & veggies, spinach salad, and mulberry buckle (made with frozen mulberries from our very own tree and a week's butter ration) for dessert. After dinner, I somehow managed to get our temperamental DVD player to work, so we could watch Talk to Her, a Spanish film one of my Spanish bilingual co-workers loves and loaned to us.

It's a very good movie, but I'm still not sure how I feel about Talk to Her, which centers around two men who form an unlikely friendship and their love interests, both of whom are comatose in hospital. The characters are damaged, sad, and at least a little crazy, but they somehow manage to be hopeful and uplifting at the same time. The characters--and the movie--grew on me until something happens that I just don't want to believe and don't know how to process. I know that's cryptic, but I wouldn't want to spoil it for you if you're thinking of watching it. If thoughtful movies with more than a hint of moral ambiguity bother you, skip this one. But if you do watch it, then please Talk to Me.

Life's Been Good to Me So Far...

2010-02-20T15:55:00.011-06:00

Yep, it's another three day weekend! (Last weekend was 3-day because Monday was a furlough day.) I'm taking this coming Monday off for my Annual Vacation Day to Work on Income Taxes. I know it doesn't sound like much fun, but it sure beats doing taxes on a Sunday!

The weekend started last night with a stop on the way home at our beloved Star Liquor for the almost-weekly beer tasting. Last night the host was from Dogfish Head Brewery from Lewes, Delaware. It wouldn't be polite to let this nice young fella come all that way for nothing, so the Madison craft beer lovers came out in droves.

Again, not wanting to be impolite, I tried just about all of the 9 or so brews offered. My favorite was the Palo Santo Marron, a smooth, smoky caramel-vanilla brown ale aged in wood, packing a 12% abv wallop. Loved loved loved it! This is one to sip--not gulp--both because of the high alcohol content and the high price tag ($14/4-pack). We brought a 4-pack home, along with a 6er or my second choice, the Chicory Stout, which has a yummy roasty toasty coffee flavor you can almost chew.

Hard to pass up--but we had to 'cause we only have so much money and storage space--were the Indian Brown Ale and the Raison D'Etre, two more dark, yummy ales. The Midas Touch, a slightly sweet mead-like beer, was tasty but not something I was in the mood for. (These dull winter days require bold, hearty ales.) The Red & White was something of a letdown--I'm not sure what it was, it just seemed odd to me somehow. The brewer's description of the Red & White was much more appetizing than the drink itself.

Lastly, at the prodding of My Dearest O, who assured me it "wasn't too hoppy," I tried the 60 Minute IPA. Umm, no thanks. I couldn't finish it, so I gave it to O. (You think he really just wanted another sample?) After the 60 Minute, there was no way I was going to try the 90 Minute IPA on offer. Of course, O loved it.

We usually stick with the local brews--we're fortunate to have A LOT of good ones to choose from--but these guys can come back anyime. We'll make sure we're just as hospitable next visit.

And Now with Colbert & US Olympic Team!

2010-02-15T11:07:00.003-06:00

Olympic Tribute for JoCo Fans

2010-02-15T10:58:00.001-06:00

Say Cheese

2010-02-13T23:28:00.001-06:00

Check it out: A different mac & cheese recipe for every day of the month.

Dilemma: Beer or Cheese?

2010-01-30T08:17:00.004-06:00

I've been trying to decide what to do today: Eat cheese or drink beer?

I know, why not both?

Join the O-folk at the Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest in beautiful Madison, Wisconsin. More than 80 of the best Wisconsin brews and more than 80 of the best Wisconsin cheese varieties, Who'd want to miss that?

She's No Sandra Dee

2010-01-28T21:09:00.002-06:00

After all these years, I still think Stockard Channing steals the show.

Set Your Tivo

2010-01-27T18:42:00.005-06:00

Too bad I don't have cable (or tv, for that matter). Tomorrow night, History Channel airs Modern Marvels: The Potato. Man, I'm so jealous of those of you with cable...

That's A LOT of Salami...

2010-01-25T20:28:00.006-06:00

1,240,000 pounds of meat recalled* due to Salmonella Montevideo (makes you sick/can kill you) contamination.

*USDA Class I Recall: "...a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death."

Making Dinner with Ella and Frank and Dean and Nat and...

2010-01-23T19:47:00.002-06:00

How's Crab Etouffee sound? Yeah, I thought so...

Pandora's pretty cool. I typed in "Dean Martin," and it's playing nothing but Martin, Sinatra, Cole, Ella, Armstrong, Michael Buble, Harry Connick Jr., etc.

You Gotta Have Goals

2010-01-23T09:08:00.005-06:00

My plan for this weekend is to finish John Irving's Last Night in Twisted River, of which I'm on page 279 or 554. Think I'll make it? I'd like to finish it and return it to the library before or on the due date (1/25).

Returning a book before it's overdue is a novel idea for me. (For the rest of the Monona Ofolks, too, for that matter. Number Two Son is now afraid to go to the library because he's had a book out since his sophomore year.) To prove my point, I'm once again banned from checking anything out or renewing anything until I pay my current fines--$14.80. That might sound like a lot to you, but it's nothing here at O-Central. One time the fines for My Dearest O and I totaled about $50.00. No joke. I think the last time I paid my own fines, just a month or two ago, the total was over $20.00. I suppose if we had less than 40 unread, unlistened to, and unwacthed* checked-out items laying around the house at any one time we might have so many fines. We don't care, though, 'cause we know it's our own fault and we like to give our money to a good cause*.

Cheers,
-b

*It's the DVDs that'll kill you. The late fines are something like $1.00 a day. I can't seem to remember that fact when I have a DVD checked out.

**Once again, a shout out to Monona Public Library, Madison Public Library, and all the libraries in the South Central Library System. I consider this the best investment of my tax dollars (and fines).

Dinner Tonight: Low Key

2010-01-09T13:47:00.008-06:00

Tonight I'm making Sausage Sweet Potato Bake. We had this for dinner a few weeks ago while Sean was here. (This was a night that Tim wasn't joining us for dinner. As a rule, Tim doesn't do veggies--and certainly not sweet potatoes and apples together.) It was surprisingly tasty and disappeared in a flash.

Here's the recipe, lifted from Willy Street Coop that lifted it from More with Less Cookbook:

1 lb. bulk sausage, browned & fat drained
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & sliced
3 medium apples, peeled & sliced
2 T sugar (or brown sugar)
1 T flour
1/4 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1/2 c water

Heat oven to 375. Layer sausage, sweet potato slices, & apple slices in 2 quart casserole. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over casserole. Bake until potato & apples are tender, about 50-60 minutes. Serve with a leafy green salad & crusty bread.

Recap: Easy, cheap, healthy, and yummy. Leftovers heat well for work lunches.

Bonus: All major ingredients local & seasonal. (Are pigs seasonal

Update (1/10): The first time I used Italian sausage; last night I used savory sage. Both are good. If I make it again, which I probably will because it's an easy crowd-pleaser with ingredients we usually have on hand, I'll reduce the sugar by half or elimate it altogether.

Huh?

2010-01-07T20:25:00.003-06:00

We're only a week into the new year, but it'll be hard to top the story in which security officials planted plastic explosives* in a guy's luggage without his knowledge and sorta somehow didn't remove them before he boarded his international flight and flew all the way to another country.

*Stable and "harmless" without a detonator, but still...

Tonight's Sumptious Repast: Individual Crustless Carrot Quiche & Tomato, Cheese & Pesto Panini

2010-01-03T18:56:00.004-06:00

Recipe for Crustless Carrot Quiche, adapted from Epicurious.com:

butter
1/2 cup onion, minced
1 clove garlic (or to taste), minced
2 cups+ carrots, finely shredded* (about 2 large carrots)
6 eggs, very fresth
1-1/4 cup 1/2 & 1/2
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp pepper
1-1-/4 cup shredded cheese, your choice (I used Rote Kase Grand Cru Gruyere Swiss)

Melt butter (maybe 1 TB?) in skillet. Saute onion about 5 minutes. Add garlic. Saute a minute. Add carrots, carefully saute for a minute or two. Don't saute vegetable too much; they should still be crunchy. As a matter of fact, I think I'll skip this step next time, at least with the carrots. Cool.

Heat oven to 350 degree.

Mix eggs, 1/2 & 1/2, and seasonings well. Add cheese & cooled carrot mixture. Whatever you do, don't add hot veggies (or anything else hot) to egg mixture. I'm sure you're too smart to do that, though, aren't you. (I'm not; I've done it before. Duh.)

Fill 4" tart pans. Cook about 20 minutes, or until set. Serve warm

Very yummy. Variations: Add any herbs, seasonings, or vegetables you like. Wine pairing: Gewurztraminer. It works.

*The Epicurious recipe directs you to boil the carrots. Don't. I tried that and didn't like the results. The carrots were mushy, and you lose a lot of the nutrients. I added the boiled mess to my vegetable stock trimmings in the freezer and started over.

Movie Reviews: "Christmas" Movies, Part 1

2010-01-02T21:07:00.011-06:00

Usually around the holidays we watch all our old Christmas favorites*, but for some reason we haven't gotten around to it this year. Although for weeks we've had them piled up in the living room along with a dozen or so that I'd checked out of the library, we only watched three (library) movies, and I'm not so sure they meet most folks' idea of "Christmas" or "holiday" movies. (There are no depictions of Jesus' birth, no Santas or elves or reindeer, no little children awakening to Christmas morning miracles.) Another thing worth noting is that they're all foreign--one Japanese and two French--which is odd because we don't watch many foreign films.

Tokyo Godfathers: Maybe you guessed that this is the Japanese film. Tokyo Godfathers, which we watched with Sean, earned three thumbs up, one (mine) somewhat lukewarm. Three homeless people--a drunken gambler Gin), a transvestite (Hana), and a teenage runaway girl (Miyuki)--find an abandoned baby girl on Christmas. Hana believes the baby is a gift from God, and refuses to turn her over to the authorities. The three attempt to care for the baby until, realizing the danger that poses to the baby, they embark on a search for her parents. I don't think I've spoiled anything, because you learn all that just from reading the dvd jacket, but that's all I'm going to say about the plot.

Now I'll explain my lukewarmness. You probably know that we lived in Japan. (I'd move back today if I were guaranteed a job that'd keep My Dearest O and me out of poverty.) I love Japan and all things Japanese--the people, the language**, the history, the culture... One thing I never grew to like very much is anime, and Tokyo Godfathers is anime. The film's city scenes are beautiful, but, like a lot of anime, the exaggerated depictions of the people are rather alarming. Hysterical Hana, with her bugged out eyes and gaping mouth and her sobbing and screeching, particularly freaked me out.

Other than that, I liked it okay. The story wasn't bad. Most of the non-human animation was very good. I guess I'll give it 3 out of 5 stars.

*It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the real one with Boris Karloff), Love Actually, Elf, Charlie Brown Christmas, and A Christmas Story.

**I understood almost none of the spoken Japanese in this film. Guess the 20-something credit hours in class and oodles of money on language materials were well spent!

Movie Review: The Real Dirt on Farmer John

2010-01-02T20:20:00.008-06:00

I beg you forgive my lack of detail in the following review. After all, I watched htis documentary a few weeks ago, and I can barely remember what I did this morning.

As she looked over my selection of chicken-raising related books, the kindly Monona librarian recommended I check out this film. I promptly put in a request for it as soon as I got home.

The Monona librarian had warned me that the film started slowly but also had urged me to stick with it through the first 20 minutes or so. I don't necessarily agree that the beginning is slow; it's meant to give some background on the early family and farm life of John Peterson (aka Farmer John). (For those who don't know, Farmer John is the famous celebrity-farmer/proprietor of Angelic Organics in Northern Illinois.)

John came from a family in which everyone--grandparents, parents, aunts & uncles--farmed. John was raised on his family's farm, for which he took over most of the responsibility while still a teenager. While in college during the late 60's, John hooked up with a group of what used to be known as hippies--you know, dope-smoking artists and other free spirit types--who came to live and work on the farm with him. The rural northern Illinois farming community neighbors did not approve, and soon wild rumours abound concerning John--who himself is a bit of a character by most standards--and the goings-on at the farm.

I don't want to spoil this for those who might be interested in it, so I'll stop there. Let's just say that the film is about much more that John's personal story. It's about the loss of family farms/the rise of big agriculture and how that has affected our land and how and what we eat. It's about reclaiming the overworked, poisoned land with a healthier and smarter, albeit often more demanding, way of farming. It's about the farmer reconnecting with the people for whom he's producing, and those people in return learning not just about where their food comes from and how it's grown but also how they can give back to the farmer.

4/5 stars. I say rent it. It'll make you think. And, there's plenty of eye candy for farm junkies such as I.

Favorite part: (Probably) the bit where John explains the "salad" of the fallow field.

Heartbreaking: The auction of a family's farm equipment, an entire family's farming history sold for peanuts.

Hi. I'm B, and I Have a Reading Problem

2010-01-01T11:26:00.008-06:00

Although I have 30+ items checked out (a dozen don't count!--they're videos!) and I'm actively reading about 1/2 dozen books, I couldn't resist checking out this little book.

I ask you: Who could resist a title like this?

Words to Live By

2010-01-01T10:38:00.004-06:00

My favorite of the many socialist stickers on the basement door at Harmony Bar & Grill.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T01:02:00.001-06:00

Promises Kept

2009-12-31T15:10:00.003-06:00

As I sat here having a snack, a little bowlful of Sevillian Marinated Carrots, I realized that I had promised to post the recipe adapted from Anya von Bremzen's The New Spanish Table. Here it is:

* 1 pound carrots, peeled, cooked until crisp-tender (The author boils 'em; I steam 'em.)
* 3 - 4 cloves chopped garlic (or to taste--I use 4 or more)
* 1-1/2 - 2 tsp cumin seeds
* 2 tsp dried oregano
* pinch red pepper flakes
* 1 TB fresh parsley, chopped; more for garnish if desired (There have been times I didn't have any fresh parsley and left it out. I don't think the dish suffered at all.)
* 1 tsp coarse salt (I use sea salt; kosher works too.)
* 1/2 cup (I usually use less, about 1 cup) + 1 tsp olive oil
* 1/2 cup lemon juice (Use fresh if you've got it; bottled is just fine.)
* 1-1/2 TB red wine vinegar (Start with 1 TB or less and add more to taste.)

Slice carrots into 1/4" slices. Mash garlic, cumin seeds, oregano, red pepper, salt, and 1 TB olive oil into a paste. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, and vinegar with the paste. Toss the carrots with the mixture. Refrigerate at least several hours, overnight if you can. (The longer these sit, the better they are. Serve at room temperature.) Makes a lot, but not enough. Double the recipe if you want to eat carrots all week.

More Fun Kitchen Stuff

2009-12-31T10:09:00.003-06:00

Transparent toasters!

Apropos of Nothing

2009-12-31T10:01:00.002-06:00

I really dislike the word "tweet" when used as a verb to indicate what one does on Twitter.

Child's Play

2009-12-31T09:55:00.002-06:00

My Dearest O and I have been making plans to remodel the kitchen. You've gotta check out this awesome countertop I just stumbled across.

Wonder if I can talk O into a kitchen made of Legos?

Spoiled Brat

2009-12-31T08:53:00.004-06:00

The combination of holiday/vacation time off I've had in the last few weeks is going to either spoil me rotten or kill me. Last week I worked only Wednesday. (I'm not far enough up the seniority ladder to get Wednesday off, too.) This week today and tomorrow are holidays, and because 'm taking a vacation day next Monday, I'll end up with a 5-day weekend. Hoo hoo!

Not everyone is as thrilled about this as I. Especially some of my customers, the tax-paying residents of my dear state, who think that I--and my coworkers--should be available around the clock. I hope that they--and you--aren't too resentful or jealous. If they only knew that, perverse as it is, I spend a lot of my down time trying very hard not to think about work--the thick pile of applications, callbacks, and cases to research sitting on my desk--and what I can do to solve all the problems of the many individual customers that my pile represents.

Enough of that kinda talk! Now I'll bore you with the non-work stuff. Sean spent last week with us, and we have a fabulous time. We went out exactly once, to shop downtown and then meet Uncle Jim & Auntie Susan for dinner at the Old Fashioned. The rest of the time we spent doing not much of anything--reading, talking, eating, drinking... It was fabulous.

I started this long weekend off right, I think, by sleeping in until 8:15. 8:15! I can't remember the last time I slept in that late. Sure, starting at 5:00 I work up several times, but I just kept rolling over and going back to sleep. Bliss!

After getting up, the first thing I did was rush in my jammies to take the trash & recycling to the curb, 'cause I was afraid if I didn't get it out right away the collectors would miss us. Then I sat down on the sofa on the radio, with my coffee, morning banana, and sparkly new pink netbook* to surf the net and listen to WPR on the radio. I haven't moved since.

It's not all about being a layabout today. Whenever I decide to rise from the sofa, I'm going to clean my messy, dirty house and put away the Christmas decorations, so we can start the year with a clean and tidy house. It'll probably be time for a nap after that.

****NEWS FLASH***

My Dearest O and I are going out tonight! Yep, we're gonna party like it's 1999--like we're thirtysomethings instead of fortysomethings, that is. I'm not sure what came over us. We usually stay home, struggling to stay up until midnight, on New Year's Eve. A few weeks ago we stopped for dinner at Harmony Bar, where they were advertising their New Year's Eve celebration, which includes The World Famous Harmony Bar New Year's Eve Buffet, midnight toast, goofy hats, and music by The Jimmys. We bought two tickets, so now we're committed. To ensure we can stay up, we plan on taking a several-hour nap after My Dearest O gets home. Gee, we must be getting old.

I just hope there's no ice storm or anything else that'll keep the always-open Madison taxis from running tonight. I'm not going to be in the mood to walk home after midnight.

Enough for now. I need a coffee refill.

Cheers, and may you all enjoy a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!

-b

*Yep, cheap as I am I bought myself a prezzie. My laptop has been broken for years, and the guys have been harassing me to buy a new one. I finally put a crowbar in my wallet and ordered a Eee PC for Christmas. So far, I love it!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T13:25:00.001-06:00

My Merry Christmas toes:

HO HO HO!

Got a Minute?

2009-12-24T08:28:00.002-06:00

Check out this interesting article from the New York Times

Sorry, Vegans: Brussels Sprouts Like to Live, Too by Natalie Angier

Happy Do Nothing But Read Day!

2009-12-20T07:22:00.003-06:00

Yep, for reals. I heard it on WPR, so it must be true.

I'm going to do nothing but read, and so should you!

First, I'll finish The Invisible Kingdom, Then, I think I'll read some more of Nobody's Fool, which I probably can't finish, or I'll finally finish The Restless Sleep, which I'll probably have to re-read most of to figure out who everyone is again.

Three cheers for books!

M-E-A-T

2009-12-15T20:55:00.004-06:00

Last week's theme was soup; this week it looks like it's gonna be meat sandwiches.

On Sunday, I made a big batch of pulled pork*. Although Tim** joined us for dinner and consumed two huge servings, we barely made a dent in it. We ate pulled pork sandwiches for dinner again last night and for lunch today, and we'll have them tomorrow for lunch, and there's still enough left to freeze for about a week's worth of lunches.

Tonight I made meatloaf sandwiches. There are no photos, 'cause the O-folk were very hungry and tucked into them too quickly. Here's the "recipe":

1. The night before, get frozen meatloaf out of freezer to thaw in the frig. (You don't have frozen meatloaf? Better make some meatloaf for dinner tonight and freeze the leftovers for about a month.)
2. Thinly slice a medium onion. Fry in a leetle oil & butter until beginning to caramelize. Use sugar & water, wine, or beer to help the process along.
3. Shred or slice some smoked provolone cheese--or whatever cheese you prefer & have on hand.
4. Heat up some leftover marinara sauce. (You should also have this in the freezer.)
5. Slice meatloaf into thick slabs. Heat up the slabs.
6. Lightly butter hoagie buns. Grill or toast. Top with cheese just before serving & return to the oven/grill until cheese is melted.
7. Assemble ingredients as desired.
8. Dig in.

*I use this recipe, with few changes. I cook a smaller (3-1/2 lb.) roast. I usually double the bbq sauce, 'cause I like things saucy, but I forgot to do it this time. If you make it, I encourage you to try it topped with cole slaw at least once.

**Tim called this the "best meat dish ever."

A Shout Out to...

2009-12-15T20:35:00.006-06:00

the Monona Public Library!

On the way home, My Dearest O and I stopped at the library because there were three books I'd requested that were being held for me. When I got there, though, I found an additional 2 books and about a dozen videos/DVDs waiting for me as well. The new items were those I had requested only yesterday afternoon, and they had arrived at my convenient local library from locations all over the South Central Library System.

Kudos to the South Central Library System! You have my undying love and gratitude.

Really, is there possibly a better government service than your local public library? Support it. (Many will take donations.)

Whatcha Got Cookin'?

2009-12-14T13:40:00.019-06:00

Peanut brittle, based on this recipe.

I used unsalted nuts, 'cause that's what I had, and added a splash of vanilla extract.

I don't have much of a sweet tooth, thank goodness, but I absolutely
LOVE peanut brittle.

B's Peppermint Bark

Spread 4 oz. melted dark (bittersweet) chocolate on cookie sheet lined w/ parchment paper or silpat. Cover w/ foil. Chill outside in the snow. Watch for critters.

Melt 8 oz. white chocolate in double boiler. Add 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract. Let cool, but don't let it harden. Spread over dark chocolate. Sprinkle w/ crushed candy canes or hard peppermint candy. Do the chilling thing again.

Break into pieces. Store in covered glass container hidden in garage.

B's Stuffed Pepper Soup*

Chicken cashew, based on this recipe

I used extra peppers, onions, and cashews. I minced some ginger instead of using slices. I replaced the oyster sauce, which I didn't have, with fish sauce, which I did.

If you make this, DON'T skip the step that says marinate in baking soda. I don't know if that's what did it, but the chicken was oh so tender.

This was delicious, but it lacks some oomph. Next time I'll add garlic and maybe a dash of something else--I'm not sure what.

Pecan tarts, using corn syrup-free filling made from this recipe.

Absolutely delicious. (And there was enough filling for a 9" pie!)

B's Spaghetti and Meatballs*

B's Bolognese Sauce w Linguini*

Black Bean & Pumpkin Soup, based on this recipe, and served in a pumpkin bowl made from a homely, warty farmers' market pumpkin.

Sorry, I don't remember what changes I made. I see that I used bacon instead of ham.

Some Sorta Frittata B Made Up*

I'm not even sure what kind this is. Looks like it has gorgonzola (ooh, do I loves me some gorgonzola), caramelized onion (ditto), potatoes, and maybe sausage. I suspect herbs from the garden were also involved.

B's Sweet Potato Quesadilla*

Try mashing up a baked sweet potato. Add cumin and lime juice until it tastes just right. A minced chipotle or two doesn't hurt. Throw in some black beans and onions. Maybe cilantro (which you're also going to throw on top, aren't you?) Sprinkle tortillas w/ cheese--quesadilla cheese if you can find it--and top with all the goodies before frying these puppies up, using little or no oil.

Serve with spicy rice, which I also don't use a recipe for, and both green & red salsa. Mmm.

Sevillian Marinated Carrots

From The New Spanish Table, a gorgeous cookbook by Anya von Bremzen.

These are fabulous. I'll post the recipe someday.

*Sorry, no links and no recipes. These are dishes I make up as I go along, and I never make them the same way twice.

More Winter Wonderland

2009-12-14T12:55:00.003-06:00

I didn't realize there was a forecast for more snow today, until I looked out and saw these big, fluffy chunks falling.

If you look closely to the left of the shed, you can see our poor lilac bush that was flattened during last week's blizzard.

Afterthought: Obligatory Disclaimer

2009-12-12T10:48:00.002-06:00

I neither endorse nor condone illegal drug use or the abuse or misuse of legal drugs.

Missouri One-ups Colorado!

2009-12-12T10:45:00.003-06:00

This just in:
A meth restaurant in Missouri.

Take that, Denver!

Would You Like Some Weed With That?

2009-12-12T10:28:00.003-06:00

My crack news sources report that the first of its kind (medical) marijuana restaurant has opened. (Don't you just love how the "servers" are wearing tie-dye?)

In Denver. (What? Not Boulder?)

Just one more thing Denver-based #1 Son will rub our faces in when expounding the greatness of Colorado over Wisconsin ;)

Real Action Hero: (Almost) Live Photos

2009-12-09T11:11:00.006-06:00

My very own hero.

A Nice Bowl of Hot Soup

2009-12-09T10:42:00.003-06:00

How 'bout it? It's certainly soup weather around these parts. We've had homemade soup* for dinner all week: Pasta Fagioli on Saturday, Stuffed Green Pepper Soup on Sunday & Monday, and Bean Soup last night. We've also had leftover soup for lunch every day.

I had planned on making a quick soup, Mexican Vermicelli Soup, tonight for dinner, but staying home for the Wisconsin Weather Emergency, I had time both to daydream about my favorite Wynkoop's Gorzonzola Ale Soup and to make the soup, including the homemade chicken/turkey stock base.

Yum. I can almost taste it already. And, the simmering stock is making the whole house smell like roasted turkey.

But for now, it's back to cleaning the kitchen. I figured I should do something productive today. If I finish my work this morning, maybe I can play all afternoon.

*Recipes and photos later, IF I finish cleaning the kitchen and folding laundry.

Snow Day!

2009-12-09T07:31:00.011-06:00

It's unbelievable! I dreamed of this day, but the chances of it happening were about as good as winning the big lottery (or a little worse).

Our offices are closed for the day! After shoveling the 60 feet of 1-1/2 ft. snow to clear the driveway to the street, I called to tell my boss that I'd make it in after the plows cleared our street. Her answering machine message said "State offices are closed today. If this is a staff member"--and then the message cut off! I then called my other Emergency Backup Boss, but there was nothing on his message about being closed. Next, I called my bosses' boss, and her message said that state offices are closed, but left no details for staff.

"This can't be true," I thought. So, I called my boss' line again. This time, her entire message played, and sure enough it said for staff to stay home! Yippee!

Even better, we just found out the bank's closed too, so My Dearest O and I can both stay home today.

Thank goodness, that makes two fewer idiots on the street getting themselves in trouble.

We'll just stay home and shovel instead.

Wherever you are, I hope you stay warm and safe today.

Cheers,
b

One for My Dearest O

2009-11-27T11:22:00.000-06:00

2009-11-27T10:12:00.000-06:00

Happy Furlough Friday/Black Friday!

2009-11-27T08:48:00.007-06:00

How are you enjoying your State Employee Unpaid Furlough Friday/Black Friday? I'm using my Furlough Friday* to extend my holiday weekend into 5 straight days full of reading, napping, eating, drinking coffee, and other lazy and relaxing activities**.

One thing I enjoy on my days off is listen to the radio. I'm very excited about a double-header program that'll be on Science Friday from 2:00-3:00 this afternoon: The Cheese Chronicles and They Might Be Giants: Here Comes Science. Who'd want to miss out on that? Set your alarm--you wouldn't want to be late!

*No, I am NOT shopping today. I'm not a shopping-at-four-in-the-morning kinda gal. I didn't even get up until 8:00, having stayed up until late last night reading.

**When we found out we'd be taking 16 unpaid days over two years, I vowed I would spend my furlough days doing as I wanted, NOT anything productive; I've done a darn good job keeping my promise to myself thus far!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T08:20:00.003-06:00

Here's hoping you have much to be thankful for and have more with each passing year.

What Else Smells Good?

2009-11-25T15:58:00.004-06:00

Beef stock simmering on the stovetop. Roasted the beef bones & veggies (onion, carrot, celery, garlic) in the oven this morning; then moved them to the stockpot, where I added water, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns. The whole mess'll simmer away until I'm satisfied with the results. Should make for some yummy gravy to serve with over our mashed potatoes tomorrow (with enough leftover for onion soup later on, I hope).

What Smells So Darn Good?

2009-11-25T15:01:00.005-06:00

Pecan tarts baking in the oven, that's what. They smell so good, they're distracting me from my nap.

I made these individual serving size tarts based on a recipe for pecan pie made without corn syrup. I'll let you know how they turn out.

'Tis The Season

2009-11-25T12:04:00.004-06:00

for dead animals. I'm sure that you already knew it's deer hunting season in Wisconsin.

Sometimes I think I'm the only person in Wisconsin who doesn't hunt. Hunting news is all over the papers and on the radio. At work, water cooler talk is all about deer hunting--who shot what, who knows where someone else shot what, who's not shooting anything, etc. As I sat here on the sofa staring out the window while pondering the day's tasks, my neighbor drove his red pickup covered in snow up to his house, pausing just long enough before he sped away for a young hunting gear-laden family member to leap into the truck. (Where's it snowing? It's rainy here in Madison, and not all that cold.) A gray pickup just pulled into another neighbor's driveway. My neighbor met the driver, who was carrying just a deer head, in the driveway and escorted him into the garage. (This is not an uncommon sight; my neighbor is a taxidermist.)

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against hunting or killing animals you're going to eat. (That's not entirely true, but I'll save that for another day.) Also, I do love venison, when I'm lucky enough to get some. But I don't get the appeal of sitting around for hours, days on end, usually in the cold, hoping for a chanceto kill one of these beasts.

I don't think I'll ever feel part of this particular bit of local culture.