Kitchen inhalations
Sunday, 24 December 2023
Redolent with cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice, that is. Mmmm.
Musings
Not perm curls
Sunday, 10 December 2023
The household part-time hunter-gather brought in steaming hot pizzas for us this evening [not plucked from a pizza tree!]. While he was out I grated these parm curls for…accessorizing?!
This was one of those funny-weather days when the temp dropped steadily all day—seems like it’s against nature. I hear we’re under or suffering an atmospheric river….
Coming events
Thursday, 26 October 2023
We went to the park to stroll in the lovely sunshine, and discovered preparations underway to host a music-fest over the weekend. We saw many food trailers and whole zones of porta-potties, and two stages being assembled. This is the north one.
This was the main ingredient in the pile behind the mini-donut truck. Note that the open kettle recipe requires more water than automatic equipment. I cannot figure out why.
Ethnic cuisine confusion
Sunday, 8 October 2023
Turkish? Not sure, guessing the beets are, or possibly are, while the burrata is definitely Italian, although it may have a Turkish equivalent? Still, the dish came from a Turkish restaurant, or a place that claims it’s a Turkish restaurant.
No doubt, the confusion is all mine.
OTOH, totally yummy.
Two times yum
Friday, 6 October 2023
The pattern of this frond enthralled me.
We did the kind of food shopping that’s not available in the UP, and made salmon and veg. The salmon is dressed with ginger, orange and lime zest, plus black pepper.
Variety all day
Friday, 29 September 2023
We arose to dense fog. By the time we came across these wind turbines, just the up-tips were obscured.
Part of our route was along the present interstate incarnation of Route 66, and we found lovely displays in a rest area that included many metal logos.
The crowning event was socializing with a bride and groom and their loved ones at a pre-wedding barbecue at a brewery. Great combination! The B&G are both scientists, geneticists in fact. Perfect cupcake decoration, ¿no?
These three images are just a sample of the variety in our interesting experiences this day.
Assorted recharging
Thursday, 28 September 2023
On the road recharging—watch, phone, us (fabulous garden carrot amuse-bouche; “bar” entrée).
Scattered chipmunks
Tuesday, 5 September 2023
I stepped outside this evening to try to figure out odd vehicle noises out on the road, and by my feet heard stampeding chipmunks…two, running like I broke up a party.
Meanwhile, here’s a tiny cucumber. The species is native to Asia, and now very widely planted and consumed.
Visuals
Monday, 28 August 2023
Dew on a rhubarb leaf in low-angle morning light. Rain is expected after midnight, so it’ll be wet again tomorrow morning.
Grocery store report: I sometimes eyeball the varieties of B_sh’s beans. I hadn’t seen this one before. Well, I thought, looking at that “zero” that had been altered to include a…zero…standing in for an “o.” So clever.
But, how can it be baked beans with no “sugar added,” I thought, so what’s the sweetener…’cause baked beans have a sweet element. I checked the ingredients, and the second-to-the-last ingredient is sucralose. No molasses, no maple syrup, nothing else sweet. Sucralose is chemically altered sugar, that the food folk don’t consider as sugar. So that cute blue label is right by them.
Also in the fine print, the third ingredient is “soluble corn fiber.” What’s that? Modified cornstalk? And the first ingredient, as I’m sure you’ve anticipated, is beans, but “prepared navy beans.” And what does that mean? Ones who’ve been to test prep classes? Ones in full makeup? Or ones ready for the anesthesiologist?
That was the last label I read in today’s grocery store visit. I was exhausted, and almost ready to cook my own beans.