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Green Bean Ninjas: Attack of the Famished Bulldogs

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My English bulldogs, Boz and Gracie play leading roles in my daily life. Whether begging, farting, drooling, eating, pining, playing or napping, their antics are always nearby if not underfoot. So when none of the aforementioned distractions were within earshot or viewpoint, I began to worry. I called. I whistled (well, attempted to whistle). I trudged upstairs, steamed downstairs. I feverishly cased the joint and the grounds for my favorite furballs. Just as I began to furrow my brow in worry and send out a search party, I could see movement in the front field, a swaying of the pole bean trellis. The tall maple whips gently quivered, shaking the attached pole bean pods like delicate pinatas. When I headed down there for a closer inspection, this is what I saw.

Boz inspects my beans
Boz: Green Bean Quality Control Inspector

Video: Early September Garden Tour

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Garden Tour, Front Field

garden tour front field
My front flower field in bloom

It’s been about a month (a very dry month) since my last garden tour video. Here’s the latest look at my vegetable garden in early September. Cameo appearances by Boz and Gracie. (Special thanks to Richele at Lumika Creative)

Related: Earlier Tour – Part I (August)

Peaches and Cream Pie: Happiness by the Slice

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Peaches and Cream Pie I have stars in my eye for peach pie.

Let me be forthright; I have very broad standards when it comes to peach pies. Any homemade and completely baked (or half-baked for that matter) peach pie is a good peach pie. If there’s a crust and peach in the thing, I’ll gladly eat it, and chirp, “That was awesome!”  Serve it a la mode, I may just tremble. Don’t get me wrong, I can certainly ascertain a great peach pie from a lesser tart, but I would be remiss if I missed an opportunity to sample peach pie merely on the supposition that it might (yes, ‘might’) be mediocre. When it comes to peach pies (and pies in general) I’m a risk taker.

peaches and cream pie ready for the ovenPie dough is my friend.

That said, there is one peach pie that holds court in a pie plate like no other (at least for me) a crust-bound,  peaches-and-cream construct that serves up happiness in every slice.  When dairy makes out with summer sweet fruit in a tent of dough, good things happen.

peaches and cream pie

RECIPE: Peaches ‘n Cream Pie

  • Pie dough, double crust
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup cream
  • 5 cups peach slices
  • 3/4 cups sugar + 2 Tablespoons for dusting top crust
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract or amaretto (optional)

Preparation:

Pie Dough

  1. I usually make one of these two pie doughs: butter-lard pie crust or no-fail pie crust.

Filling

  1. Preheat oven to 4oo degrees
  2. Prepare dough, one part for pie plate, one part for top crust
  3. Slice peaches (skin-on works for me), place in mixing bowl.
  4. In separate bowl, whisk egg, cream, sugar, nutmeg, extract and flour
  5. Pour cream mixture over peaches, mix well
  6. Put peach mixture in pie plate of well-chilled dough.
  7. Dot with butter.
  8. Use slotted spoon in case too much liquid.
  9. Use all your peaches, and all liquid unless the amount would over fill the pie dish.
  10. Cover with vented top dough, crimp edges
  11. Brush top with a little leftover cream, and dust with 2 tablespoons sugar
  12. Bake on middle shelf for 15 minutes
  13. Reduce heat to 375, bake for another 30-40 minutes or until center bubbles and top crust is firm.

peaches and cream pieLet the pie cool until slightly warm (and set firm), then serve up your own plate of happiness.

A Banner Day for Phoebe

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At my dear neighbor-turned-friend Phoebe’s birthday party, I toasted her citing my good fortune to select a home within walking distance of hers. Had the realtor known of her, I have no doubt the asking price would have doubled. Before the evening’s celebration, I was pondering a way to celebrate this gem of woman’s birthday.

For the last month, I’d been tripping over a drop cloth for the paint project that never began. (Color me sidetracked.) Then as I began to fold it to finally put the thing away, I thought, “Eureka, I’ll paint a Happy Birthday banner to attach to my fence for the world and Phoebe to see. Brilliant! If I wasn’t going to paint the walls, better that I at least paint the drop cloth.

Around 6:30 a.m., I stretched and nailed the cloth between fence posts for my makeshift easel. Collecting my Krylon satin colors, I shook the cans vigorously like a two-fisted, albeit skilled, bartender. I practiced and practiced air writing my cursive message before committing to the canvas. Sunshine yellow in hand, Oxford blue on deck, my fluid aerosol artistry began. Worried that there would not be enough room for the entire message, I was relieved to see that letter spacing wasn’t an issue at all; the message as written, fit.

Banner, zip ties and loppers in hand, all I had to do was prune back some intrusive brambles and Scotch broom from the roadside deer fence, attached said sign to fence, and await Phoebe’s response. Phoebe being a private person, I was hoping her return message would be one of delight, not chagrin.

Banner up, taut, bold, celebratory, I walked across the road to bask in my proud pronouncement for Phoebe. And then, a voice in my head, channeling a cartoon dog, said, “Ruh-row.”

I believe the banner speaks for itself…or at the painter.

Perhaps the best birthday gift is laughter, and if that’s the case this banner was a great success. Happy Birtday Birthday Phoebe!

Figs in a Jam… Fig and Ginger Jam

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Happy Couple: Fig and Ginger Jamfig and ginger jam recipeFig and ginger jam: too delicious and simple not to make

I’ve had a life of traveling. Some voluntary (Buon giorno, Firenze!) Some involuntary. (“Tommy, get in the car.”) No matter where the destination, I do try to find delight in the differences of what I’m used to or familiar with. Years ago, when I stepped foot in Australia for the first time, I discovered a local (Barossa Valley) preserve that has stuck to my butter knife ever since: fig-ginger jam. I likened the combo to the marriage of strawberry and rhubarb: flavor pairing perfection.  In the case of fig and ginger, the figs provide syrupy, honey-like sweetness, and a playful crunch from the wee seeds, while the ginger ambushes your tastebuds with surprise bursts of spicy heat and chewy texture.

Start with the freshest, ripest figs (variety: Desert King)

When I returned to the states, I set off to locate a neighborhood fig tree and to recreate this melting marvel of ooey-gooey goodness for myself. (Let me tell you how I really feel.) As jams go, Fig-Ginger is relatively easy to make, thanks to the low moisture content of most figs and the ready availability of crystallized or candied ginger.  So get out your thick-bottomed stock pot or preserving pan and follow me to the kitchen; your g’day is about to begin.

Figs in a skillet, awaiting a little sugar and ginger

RECIPE:  Fresh Fig and Ginger Jam

Makes 6-7 half-pints

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds of fresh figs
  • 3.5 cups of sugar
  • juice of one lemon or lime
  • 2/3 cup of crystallized or candied ginger

Preparation

  1. Wash figs and remove any fleshy, woody stems.
  2. Quarter figs.
  3. Dice ginger.
  4. Add figs, sugar, lemon juice and ginger to stock or preserving pan.
  5. Leave it for an hour or two to macerate, and dissolve sugar
  6. Stir mixture thoroughly.
  7. Simmer on low heat.
  8. This jam can scorch due to low moisture, so keep stirring and watching.
  9. Simmer for about 15 minutes and remove from heat.
  10. Let it sit uncovered and cool down.
  11. Reheat when later convenient, and simmer again.
  12. Stir until thickens, 15-25 minutes.
  13. Again, be aware of scorching, keep a close eye on this jam pot, or this could happen.
  14. When thick enough to heavily coat a spoon, remove from heat, seal, water bath, 10 minutes. (Instructions here.)

main ingredients fig and ginger jamHoneymoon couple: fresh fig and diced candied ginger

Left: Figs and ginger macerating in sugar  Right: fig jam beginning to firm up after first simmer

My kingdom for a buttered scone!

The Best Way to Cut Corn Off the Cob

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The best way to cut corn off the cob begins with a cake pan.

best way to cut fresh corn off the cob

Fresh corn kernels, good as gold in my book.

Even as I child I loved fresh corn. Commandeered by my grubby little hands, the ear was destined for a spinning log roll on the butter stick and to be eaten as I saw fit. Finger licking was a must, chin wiping optional. At one backyard cookout, a family friend bristled at this American practice, and furthermore cited corn was pig food in her home country of Italy.  I thought, wow, lucky pigs.

best way to cut corn off the cob - with an angel food cake panWhen it comes to removing corn from the cob, the task can morph into a messy and dangerous counter encounter where pearl round kernels roll onto the floor, juice forms puddles and ponds, and fingers cope with sharp knifes and surface slippage. This is where we say (in unison), “There has to be a better way!” I’m here to tell you and show that there is. Click on the image below to launch my how-to video on an easy and ingenious way to remove the kernels from the cob.

Video Demo: The Best Way to Cut Corn Off the Cob

(fast forward to 2:00 on video for actual instruction, I do tend to ramble prior to that)


whole roasted ears of bicolored cornBetter suggestions? I’m all ears!

Peach Cake Recipe: A Peachy Version of Apple Cake

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Peach Cake Recipe: moist, flavorful slices of summersliced peaches peach cake recipeMost cooks have a go-to recipe, one that never fails, one that they can make in their sleep, and one that garners rousing boo-yahs from the dinner guests (or at least happy sighs and polite acknowledgements).  For me, Teddie’s Apple Cake is a kudo-worthy dessert that never fails to impress on all levels.

peach and almonds in a great cake recipeSpeaking of apples…I, like Sir Issac Newton had an epiphany brought on by falling fruit. Why not adapt the apple cake to another fruit, say a summer version featuring stone fruit. And so the peach cake was born, a dense, flavorful crumb punctuated with crunchy almonds that captures the season and the diner’s need to ask for a second slice.

creamy reach batter peach cake recipeWhipped farm-fresh eggs, oil and sugar form a sunny golden slurry, step one in an easy cake recipe.

I discovered the recipe Teddie’s Apple Cake in The New York Times years ago and have been making it ever since. If you’re not good at making cakes, give this one a try; it may mark your return to the land of frosting and batter, though this is truly one cake that stands on its own and does fine without a blanket of icing.

fresh peach cake sliced on a plateSummer Peach Cake Recipe 
Adapted from Jean Hewitt’s, Teddie’s Apple Cake, The New York Times

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 cups chopped peaches (I don’t peel them.)
  • 1 cup slivered toasted almonds
  • 1 cup golden raisins (or chopped dried apricots)

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Butter and flour a 9-inch tube (angel food cake) pan
  3. Beat the oil and sugar together in a mixer for 5 minutes
  4. Add farm-fresh eggs
  5. Beat until the mixture is creamy, say 2-3 minutes
  6. Dry ingredients: Sift together 3 cups of flour, the salt, cinnamon and baking soda.
  7. Stir into the batter, mix on low.
  8. Add the Almond extract, vanilla, peaches and raisins.
  9. Mix on low briefly (don’t want to mash the peaches)
  10. Transfer stiff batter to tube pan.
  11. Bake for 1 – 1.5 hour depending on moisture of peaches (updated 9/21)
  12. Check with satay stick or toothpick to see if done, make it reaches the middle of the cake pan.
  13. When stick is clean of batter, remove from oven.
  14. Cool in the pan, run knife around outside of tube of pan.
  15. Once cool turn over and plate.
  16. Invite friends to enjoy with you, or you may likely eat the whole thing.

Recipe: My Favorite Garden Fresh Summer Gratin

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Too much zucchini…crookneck squash?
Do I have a recipe for you!

crookneck squash recipe One of my favorite summer dishes, a garden-fresh gratin, is an adaptable recipe based on what vegetables are readily available and preferred by you and yours.

sauteed summer squash in a cast iron panSimply saute what you like, for me that’s yellow crookneck squash, Lebanese squash and onions, and add rice, eggs, milk and cheese to the mix. The summer gratin recipe is a framework for the veggies you have to work with (zucchini growers, may I please hear an “Amen!” here).

best summer vegetable recipeThe result is a main dish or side dish that seems to satisfy even the pickiest vegetable-eater. In late summer, I’ll add eggplant and sweet peppers to the mix, or maybe corn, crookneck and a handful of chopped kale. The options and combos are pretty endless.

Garden Fresh Summer Gratin

Recipe by Martha Rose Shulman (adapted and adopted by me)

Ingredient:

  • 2 pounds or so summer squash, red pepper and onion
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 2-3 cranks of freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1 cup cooked rice  (Arborio works nicely)
  • 1 teaspoon chopped thyme (I use basil, sometimes)
  • 1/2 cup  Gruyère cheese (or another melting, flavorful white cheese)
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degree (F).
  2. Chop, and season vegetables to taste.
  3. Saute in olive oil until onions are translucent and veggies still firm, but colorful.
  4. Set aside, drain excess liquid if present.
  5. In separate bowl beat eggs, add remaining ingredients.
  6. Combine both mixtures, incorporate thoroughly.
  7. Add to a buttered or oil baking dish (2-quart).
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes until brown and bubbling.
  9. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

eating fresh pesto pasta and summer squash gratin

Leslie’s smile says it all: a glorious summer evening, a plate of fresh pesto pasta, gratin and dressed tomatoes…oh yes, and the promise of pie for dessert.

On the other hand, Boz (single-minded dog that he is) is focused solely on the gratin.

VIDEO: Summer Squash Gratin in the Making


Homemade Pickles: A Cucumber of Worthy Intent

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Homemade Pickles cucumbers

homemade pickles cukes, a great choice for homegrown pickling cucumbersA good pickle is worth its weight in apricot jam (another favorite of mine), but it takes a great cucumber to make a good pickle. After years of trying every pickling cucumber seed known to home gardeners, I finally discovered a cuke worthy of its name and purpose. Say hello to the Homemade Pickles cucumber. Yep that’s its name, Homemade Pickles.

Homemade pickles, a cucumber varietyCucumbers can be a fussy lot, needing the right everything to produce a good crop of high quality and uniform fruit. Homemade Pickle fits the bill and then some, topping my list for firmness, flavor, vigor, productivity and general awesomeness. Whether grown for bread-and-butter, sweet slices, kosher dills or relish, Homemade Pickles is at home in the garden, the canning jar, lunch box or sidled up to a mile-high Reuben.

Update 9/27/2012: Check here for information on growing non-bitter cucumbers:

homemade pickles: crisp, crunchy, flavorful pickling cucumber

Video: Up Close and Personal With My Favorite Cucumber

Seed Sources: Botanical Interests, Heirloom Seeds, Peaceful Valley Organics, Territorial Seed, Victory Seeds,

 

Fifty-Something Fashion Sense: A Socks-and-Sandals Guy

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My kind of hipster: socks and sandalsAs I set down my morning coffee in disbelief, the ugly truth came to light. There on my callused, bramble-scarred, sandal-clad  feet were socks, white ankle socks. The kind of socks folks over fifty wear. Wait, I’m over fifty. When did this happen? How did this happen? Had I fallen into the abyss of the unfashionable never to return to fitted clothes and handsome footwear? Apparently so, for the next words to leave my mouth said it all: “These socks sure are comfortable.”