The Good Old Days (refrigerators)

Last evening, Glenn and I (and Jake and Buddy - like always) went to the pond.  The days continue to be  hot with the evenings/nights cooling to chilly.  The water temperature reflected that cooling, but is still tolerable.  As we swam, we would call out, "warm spot" or "cold spot".

 

Does this look like a refrigerator ready to go out to the proverbial 'pasture'?

What should be  a  cold spot is our refrigerator; it was not.  Our refrigerator died on Thursday.

So, we spent the entire day of Friday looking for a replacement. 

I went with a list of my specifics:  black; textured; exterior ice/water dispenser (Glenn constantly uses this feature); adequate interior cubic footage; inexpensive; and most important, will last 20+ years.

I was told by the salesperson that no refrigerator is made to last 20 years any more, it is more like 7- 10 tops (at least he was honest); and that texture is passe, finishes are now upgraded to smooth. Smooth is great new and unused, but add a dent or everyday fingerprints, and it becomes an eye magnet with each passing.  Also,  I am not one who will constantly be wiping those finger smudges.  Glenn is notorious for opening up the refrigerator with wet or grimy hands.  He insists his hands are clean, but I have proof otherwise.

After spending/wasting the entire day (way too much time) looking, we returned home without a purchase.  After reviewing the options, from memory, in our kitchen, we finally did decide to purchase  the only black, textured refrigerator available. It was also the least expensive.  The next choice was twice the money.  In conclusion,  if this refrigerator lasts 5 years, we should be satisfied. 

our new 'Black Beauty'

I made a phone call, near closing time, to order the refrigerator, and was asked to be called back as B, our salesperson, was with a customer.  B called back after closing, took our order, and guaranteed next day delivery.  The refrigerator was to be delivered on Saturday between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM.  The refrigerator was delivered promptly at 1:00 PM.   I give an A+ for service.  And, I will also be calling the store manager with positive comments. I want to make sure I give credit for  this exceptional service - it is so rare these days.

When I was growing up, I remember hearing people comment about refrigerators lasting 20-50 years. (Yes, it was relevant talk back then - a big deal)  A down grade to 10 years is progress? 

Why are we accepting less when we know more is possible?  Why, as consumers, do we not demand more?  Why have our standards decreased with increasing regulations?

I remember when doing good work was praised, providing good service was the norm, and a dollar spent actually resulted in a dollar's worth of goods. 

I guess that is one reason those days are referred to as 'the good old days'.  

Homemade Potato Rolls

I am baking again!

Glenn's favorite bread is actually my homemade potato rolls. 

The first time I made them, we (the two of us) ate the entire batch - 32 to be exact.  They are soooo good.  Using our homegrown potatoes and fresh eggs must be the secret.  At least, I hope it is.  In any case, once out of the oven, the rolls do not last long as they are soft, fluffy, and just down right tasty.

 

straight from the oven,  potato rolls cooling on wire racks

This recipe is made quite frequently!

Depending on the amount of potato and flour (never the same measurement from batch to batch) used,  the resulting number made varies from 32 to 38 - that is a lot of potato rolls.  But, we manage to eat them in short order, before any go stale or mold (no preservatives here).

Today, we had them with a halibut sandwich filling I made.  Glenn enjoyed five, Becky (who is not a fan of halibut) ate four, then took leftovers home.

Me?  I did not count.....

Harvest 2011 - Pole (green) Beans

Generally speaking, growing your own vegetables is a boost to your budget and to your taste buds.

We have undeniably planted an adequate amount of pole beans.  We have been eating the beans fresh for weeks, freezing every bit of surplus, and eating more beans.   Our bean budget is in good shape.

Personally, I do not even like beans.  As a vegetable, beans are one step above the cucumber in terms of my taste  satisfaction.  I have to admit, they have more flavor than a cucumber, but one that is about as gratifying.  Remember, I am a sweet corn enthusiast.

Glenn, on the other hand, likes beans; so we plant beans. 

And, when you plant beans, you usually harvest quite a colossal amount - you cannot avoid it, unless you do not plant beans at all.  We try to slow the harvest down by checking the vines every other day rather than daily as is essential.  This practice results in a bucket of beans suitable for the chickens, but it does not slow down the production. The beans are over-mature (you  can see the bean seeds developing inside the pod) and not fit for human consumption.  All I can say is that our chickens must be super healthy with all the vegetables they eat per diem.  And, they do not complain.  They seem to flourish on their diet supplemented with veggies.

What I do like about the freezing process is that it is very easy - clean the beans, snap off the ends (to chickens), snap the beans into 1-2" pieces, blanch in boiling water, bag and freeze.  The blanching treatment turns the beans from their dull garden green at picking to a brilliant emerald green as they come out the water - oh, so pretty and if I do say so myself, appetizing.

I will admit, I have eaten some very good fresh bean-based dishes. The latest was just last week when Glenn saw a recipe on a bread crumb container - Good Value brand (continuing the budget-minded theme).  It was simple.  Two pounds of green beans (cooked until tender), butter, bread crumbs and seasoning. For a non-bean lover, this recipe was tasty.  The only downside was that two pounds of beans makes enough beans for at least a week's worth of dinners for two. Fortunately, the leftovers were just as good, if not better, than the dish prepared fresh.

But, next time, I will certainly cut the recipe in half.  Three straight days of beans is quite enough for me, thank you.

Harvest 2011 - Apples = Pie

The apples have been growing all summer.  The trees have been stressed by cicadas and drought.  As a result, the fruit is smaller in both size and quantity than in past years; but I use what I get and I am happy.

We have two Yellow Delicious trees and one Stayman (the pollinator).  The amount of actual fruit each tree  produces varies from one year to the next, but there is always enough to provide and satisfy our needs.  In addition, the apples (usually the damaged, soft, decayed) are shared with the chickens, the horse, the llama, and the cattle.  Bees, birds, and once I even saw a squirrel scurrying away with a large, green apple held tight in its mouth - maybe thinking it was a walnut (Buddy thinks the small apples are tennis balls for his games); partake. Remember my mantra, "Nothing goes to waste on the farm."

At the moment, the windfall/free fall apples are being harvested. There are so many apples on the ground, the trees almost look bare, of fruit that is.

Birds have a unscrupulous habit of taking only a peck or two, just enough to start the rotting process on a firm apple.  This creates the opening the bees need to enjoy the juicy flesh.  If I collect these particular apples early enough, exerting care not to get stung while gathering,  I can still utilize them in my baking by cutting away the spoiled parts.  The ruined parts are, again, treats the chickens.

Did I just mention baking?  Ripe, Yellow Delicious (as the name implies) are so delicious eaten fresh, but what is even more delicious is an apple pie - yep, there goes my mouth - a bit of drool sliding out the side.

I grew up on apple pie, thus; it has been on my favorites list for many, many years.

Last year, we had such a huge apple harvest that it seemed like I was baking a pie daily as I tried to keep up with the supply of fallen apples.  And, of course, once baked, we felt obligated to eat the entire pie the same day.  After all, fresh is fresh.

Now, when I say pie I do not mean pie baked in one of those skimpy 8" glass pie plates.  No, not me.  I make a real apple pie.  I use a 9" X 13" x 2" Pyrex baking dish and prepare a recipe for three crusts, not the typical two.  If I am going to take the time to make a pie, it might as well be a generous pie. 

I peel the apples and the peels go directly to the chickens, of course; or in some years,  I use them to make jelly.  Then, the resulting mash goes to the chickens.  Can you imagine, I even reuse parts of the apple.  (insert mantra here)

This season, I ran into a slight problem.  My pastry cloth, which I have been using to roll out pie crust for over 30 years, needed to be replaced as it was no longer possible to remove the embedded 'lard' - not with any amount of detergent.  So,  off to the store on a simple task - not!  I guess I am old school, but pastry cloths were not to be found anywhere.  They have been replaced by a large piece of plastic that rolls up for storage.  I had no choice, no matter how buying such a new tech gadget was against my traditional baking habits, I had to make my pie.

Well,....this high tech plastic sheet is amazing!    The ease of rolling, no sticking of the dough, faster clean-up.   What took me so long???  I guess new sometimes does mean better.  But, I am still using my Mother's rolling pin.  Some habits, some baking tools are not meant to be changed, improved.  As for the pastry cloth - retired!

As I make the pie, I hold back a cupful of the sliced and spiced apples to place in the leftover trimmings of crust, making what I call a small, test tart.  The tart cools before the pie, so it is eaten first.  If the tart tastes good, so will the pie. The tart is eaten in seconds, the pie is close behind.

As  I enjoy an ample piece of freshly baked, apple pie; I think about all the pleasure those trees have given  me over the course of a year. 

The sight of beautiful bare, gnarled branches etched in the winter sky; the deep pink buds opening up to fragrant, white petals floating on the breezes of spring; the lush green foliage providing a bird's stick nest its privacy; and the pea-sized fruits developing into the firm, sweet, flesh of a fully-mature apple.

The simple apple tree tenders so much joy.

Harvest 2011 - Sweet Corn

Tassels are parching. Silk is browning.  The sweet corn is starting to ripen. 

Since we planted successional crops, we should be eating sweet corn on a regular basis from now through September.  No complaints from me.

Glenn (6'2") harvesting sweet corn

Sweet corn is difficult to harvest; not in terms of actually picking the ears off the stalks, but in terms of determining its maturity.  Sweet corn is not forgiving.  The ears must be picked when the kernels are just mature, not under mature and not overly mature, otherwise; the corn taste is just OK, so-so.

I want my sweet corn to be perfect - firm, milky, sweet, melt-in-my mouth flavor with the added butter dripping down from the sides of my mouth as I methodically eat the rows of the golden kernels off the cob - that is the only way sweet corn should be eaten.

Mealy, over-mature - a treat for Ember or the buck sheep, but not for me!

The shucks are fed to the animals.  I have said it before, I will keep saying it, " Nothing goes to waste on the farm!"

If there is a surplus, and there will not be much this year;  the sweet corn is blanched on the cob, the kernels cut off and packaged into freezer bags.  No canning for this veggie; the flavor is lost. Come winter, eating this corn will be a bit like revisiting summer in January.

Fresh, tender sweet corn is, by far, my favorite vegetable.  Bring on the corn!

Harvest 2011 - Onions, Cucumbers

The vegetable harvest of 2011 is coming into full swing at Mountain Glen Farm.  The vegetables are maturing not every few days, not daily, but what seems like every hour - no exaggeration. Those of you who have vegetable gardens can relate - the kitchen counters fill with piles of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash and the like; friends duck from view as they see you coming loaded down with heavy paper grocery sacks, knowing that the sacks contain vegetable surplus (they, too, have zucchini up the kazoo) and fruit flies have become the fly du jour not only in the kitchen, but throughout the house.  Yep, the produce is accumulating fast!

Like always, though; the harvest is unpredictable.  This year's harvest is, generally, on the light side due to the drought at the height of the growing period. 

The onions, three varieties - white, yellow, red;  are out of the ground and on a drying table.  Here, the onions will hang out until they are put to use or until the air temperatures drop below freezing.  This year's crop are a bit small, but will still serve our needs adequately.  My favorites are the reds because they add a dimension of color to any recipe.

Onions are a must in many of the dishes we prepare.  Glenn loves onions.  So, onions go into salads -  chef, macaroni, potato; stews; omelets; sauces; fried potatoes; pizza; and more.  He might even be thinking of using them as an ice cream topping one day....naw.  Well, maybe.

The cucumber vines have been producing well since early summer and are continuing to produce abundantly.

Last year, the cucumber vines died before any cukes developed - not a one.    This year, we are gathering cucumbers daily, our table is overflowing.  Two people can only eat a certain amount of fresh cucumbers.  This is one veggie that I do not put up.  We eat it fresh, and that's that.  The large ones that were initially overlooked when small, the huge green leaves are a fabulous cover for green fruit, are fed to the chickens - a real treat.  Nothing goes to waste on the farm. 

We eat the small to mid-sized fruits diced into salads or sliced, as a side, when combined with a sour cream dressing.  I have several Gladys Taber recipes for stuffed, baked cucumbers (even using those giant ones that have turned yellow - the ones that normally do go to the chickens) that I need to try.  This would be the year to experiment - maybe tonight.....

Personally, cucumbers do nothing for me as they taste rather bland, almost no taste at all.  Basically, with a cucumber, I am getting crunch.  Crunch is OK.

Then, there's the burp...

Little Ol' Bread Maker - Me (focaccia)

I really like to bake my own bread from scratch.

Over the years, I have devised a few personal techniques that aid in the success of my bread-making.  Don't get me wrong...I still have failures - working with yeast is tricky, but I have learned to keep those failures to a minimum because nothing tastes better than a flavorful slice(s) of homemade bread.  Usually, no one in this house can stop at only one slice.  The norm...the loaf is gone, as is eaten, by bedtime.  Now, that's the sign of a good loaf of bread.

Yesterday, I made a pasta casserole for dinner.  I used only fresh vegetables from my garden to make the sauce.  That, in itself, was yummy!  What goes better with Italian than a fabulous focaccia.  And,  I make a lip-smacking one - the herbs, the cheeses, the pepperoni. May I repeat, yummy!  Do not take my word for it, ask my husband Glenn or daughter Becky if you can get them to answer between  bites.

The recipe is not my original; it is my version of a recipe from allrecipes.com combined with an idea I gleaned from a restaurant.

When I knead the dough, I already know whether the bread is going to be good, or not.  My touch lets me know. So, even before the loaves go into the oven, I know if I should be salivating or not.  If the sensation is absolute,  the result is a focaccia that is delicious when served with tomato-based meals or that is delicious when eaten alone - no butter necessary.

My helpful hints to my successful bread-making?  Well......for a start, my best tip is to use Rapid Rise yeast as it saves a lot of time and makes the entire process easier.  Another....shape the loaves, cover, and place in a 145 degree oven for 30 minutes to rise, then bake.  Two risings are not necessary.

More tips?  Try making bread yourself.   You will find out what works best for you, and you will have a scrumptious reward  for your efforts. 

Excuse me while I go get another slice of that fabulous focaccia before Glenn devours it all...