Musings

Okay, here’s the hyacinth that was blooming outdoors, flanking the jar of almost-Mexico that we found, also, at TJ’s. I dolled it up with extra onions and garlic and simmered it for another hour before ladling it over the chicken, and it reminded me that it’s been quite a while since I’ve been south of the frontera. Sigh.

Recommended as an easy, inexpensive twinge for the palate, rather like a mole coloradito or mole poblano. Should you want to try making some of these wonderful sauces from scratch, you might try Iliana de la Vega’s recipes.

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Mole memories

We’re still awaiting our neighborhood Trader Joe’s—or in this case: José’s (the latest we’ve heard is: not ’til March!), so we had to trek up to Sandy Springs to get our fix of chocolate and wine and other goodies. This label is John’s current “house” favorite, special for all you physics specialists ;)….

Posted at 6:42 PM | 3 Comments »

Since the WOW new Apple Phone Plus Everything (no link ’cause the site’s swamped) won’t be available until this summer, I’m digging into the past, recommending instead you visit Michigan State’s on-line archive of old American cookbooks and 3D images of antique cooking implements, which begin (alphabetically) with the aebelskiver pan, a specialized cast iron cook-pan. Download a cookbook and think about how things USED TO BE, including this 1857 title….

Please pardon me for the hiatus over the last few days—too busy, too overwhelmed, and too distracted to bring my attention to bear on this lil’ ol’ blahg. Now I’m back to reading about Intermediate Elites (thank you, Bob!) and ceramic exchange territories (sorry, not available unless you have top-secret clearance!) and otherwise trying to remember what my life was like back here in ol’ ATL. Weather’s great; glad to be home….

Posted at 2:29 PM | Comments Off on …Jiggety jog

I am so grateful to jcb’s bro and his family for making bourbon balls this year; my schedule didn’t leave me time to do so, and I would have missed them.

The small things can matter so much!

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Special foods

Carol vastly improved my turkey soup by making noodles!

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Turkey soup

Betcha those folks on “Survivor” wish they had a few of these! The trick is in the pre-cutting, between the “r” and the “e” on this example….

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Modernizing food

You can see that the light frost knocked the peppers back, but they’ve yet to be finished off. The red bells are so very sweet, and a boost to our nightly salad!

Rain today and we’re all feeling rather oppressed by the grey, and missing the sun. On balance, though, healing continues.

Access to all three necessities for posting—energy, laptop, and wifi—remains spotty, but we’re working on it!

Posted at 4:50 PM | 2 Comments »

Yesterday morning we awoke to naturally grayed-out vegetation, not quite a hard frost, but cold enough to coax the plants into a solid turn toward winter torpor. Nevertheless, the cold wasn’t intense enough or of sufficient duration to put the kibosh on the raspberries.

Meanwhile, indoors, the slow process of healing and recovery continues, aided by a fresh pot of white bean soup!

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on First frost

I have warmed to the section of the NYTimes where they explore “claims�? that are really popular myths. Here we learn that an oak’s annual acorn production does not predict the severity of the coming winter, but reflects the abundance of the previous spring and summer—including whether the weather was good for flowering and pollination, too.

Was this also true in the Hundred Acre Wood? Scientific logic says yes, but perhaps that’s just a myth….

Posted at 5:43 PM | 3 Comments »

I wish. This is from the archives….

It’s all in a word. Pluto is still as much or as little as it was yesterday, last week, and when it was identified decades ago. Science is evaluative and reevaluative. It also strives to be consistent. So, Pluto hasn’t changed; merely our terminology has. As a result, those of us who normally keep some distance from astronomical issues, have learned more about the complexity of way out there. This is perhaps the best poor Pluto can offer us layfolk at this point, and it’s not trivial….

Ok, if that doesn’t satisfy you, maybe this will: to make your coffee taste like you expect it to taste, although “the characteristics of the bean partly determine taste and aroma, naturally occurring fungi also put the zing in your favourite brew.�? (from Judy Skatssoon and ABC Science Online, via News in Science). Also, different places/regions have different fungi, helping give their beans distinctive flavors. (Many of you are aware that I must be tongue in cheek including this, as I “quit�? coffee years ago, much to my spouse’s dismay.)

So, Pluto is/is not whatever you want to believe (including “it’s a planet�?), and remember that fungus is your friend (sometimes).

Posted at 10:22 PM | 5 Comments »