I Say Clematis...

Clematis, with the 'a' spoken like the 'a' in apple, is the Midwestern pronunciation. I planted this Jackmanii next to an orange Trumpet Vine in anticipation that the Clematis would weave in and out of the trumpets.

The Clematis though likes to weave itself to the driveway side of the fence and display itself there. Of course that's where the sun first shows it face....and I'm wondering if all my flowers lean toward the East?


The trumpets are in bud, but look like their a week away from blooming. The other day, I spotted a returning hummingbird checking for blooms.

Off Topic Tuesday

Tuscany shawl knitted in Berger du Nord Belle (silk, 5 skeins). Given to a friend in need of comfort. Soaked, blocked, and ironed.

Simply the Best Dad

One of the most important things I've learned in life is the ability to smile. 

I'm not quite sure where I learned it - but on this - Father's Day - I think I need to give some credit to my Dad.

Always remember to smile - a good lesson

Again - smiling.  How can one person be so happy.....?

but that's Dad!

Dad loves a good pint - and perhaps going to Ireland was the supreme pilgrimage....

Dad loves a good brew - in fact he loves one.  Now he's a hip-ster, toting an iPod, a Blackberry, and a laptop.  But lets grab a snapshot in 2001 - when technology puzzled him.  Interested - Curious - Clueless.

i

WDC = Washington DC - the Smithsonian.  Dad  is an American, thru and Thru.  

But he loves a quick pint - and so we oblige.

Foreign countries don't phase him - bring on the Canadians - in Niagara Falls.  Does it phase him?  Nope - he's still smiling.

And there they are - Mom and Dad.  They got married nearly sixty years ago -  bursting with the passion of youth.  What do they do as an encore, when their children are all grown?  

My friends, I fret and hem and haw, but I can truly say when they meet, it's hard for me to describe - but my parents are In Love.  Still Crazy After All these Years........

So today, on Fathers' Day - I give thanks and praise - and love - to Mom, and of course, Dad - still together, and still crazy, after all these years......

And sadly, we bid farewell to the Dad of Dad this year - a man who passed with no regrets.  At this end - I thank both of them - my grandfather (who I'll never see again) and my father (may many moons pass) - 

To All Our Fathers

Happy Father's Day to all the dads in the world! Do any of us really know our effect on our offspring? How often do we--as parents thank our children for being themselves and thus model to them what we would like to hear in return. What have we yet to say to our parents and hope our children say to us in return? A contrived social holiday offers me the chance to gather my thoughts and express my thanks to my Dad who always stood beside me. I knew if worse came to worse Dad would be there--how lucky is that? And I am grateful that my children feel the same about their father. Celebrate the moment!

Not Quite Spice

Not quite a Saturday Spice.... but this incipient pepper is growing in a pot on my deck. It is surrounded by baby parsley plants. Like many others, I'm trying to lessen my carbon footprint on this planet. And like many others, I was heartened by Michael Pollan's article about growing even a little of one's own food as a way to keep green.

In the past my yard did have a vegetable garden, but the growth of neighboring shrubs and trees (planted in anticipation of global warming) keeps the yard in light shade most of the day. My deck though probably gets about 6 hours of sunlight. So...I'm trying veggies in pots--I even found a book at the library: Crops in Pots by Bob Purnell. The book details an assortment of planting combinations that make your veggie plantings look as good as pots of flowers.

Along with the peppers and parsley combo, I'm trying beets with bush cucumbers, tomatoes with bush basil, and separate pots of carrots, mesclun, rainbow swiss chard, fennel, and pattypan squash. At the farmer's market I even found a hanging pot of Tiny Tim tomatoes which now hangs on the fence.
Here's the rainbow chard.


And the Tiny Tim tomatoes.

Trying to keep Green!

Lemons Again!

Lemons! Lemons are a common ingredient here in the USA. Lemons are not really that prevalent in the rest of the world. The rest of the world uses limes. I actually like limes ALOT!--because lime is so good with rum. But back to lemons.... last night I marinated my pork-loin kabobs in the...

juice of 1 lemon

1 smashed garlic clove

splash olive oil

good shake of Mrs. Dash

1 1/2 Tbs of pestle ground rosemary (next time I'll try fresh rosemary).

a shake of salt and pepper

( Next time I'll add a TBS+ of honey).

Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Grill 12-18 minutes.

Serve with veggies of choice.

The Saucy Husband was impressed....always a good thing!

A Summer Smile

New camera: Canon SX100. The macro setting is fabulous. Now to work on keeping the hands steady. Summer heat is building here in central Ohio. Lucy is on the lookout for the first signs of chipmunks.

And we here on the deck are enjoying a mojito.

Watching the flowers grow.

Celebrate!

The House of Saucy
is in celebration mode today.

This recipe came to me from a SaucySister and her SpicySpouse. SaucySister#5 labeled it Celebration Biscotti, and might of been commenting on her (then) soon to be wedding to her SpicySpouse. Beng a SpicyMama myself--I knew what she was referring to... I've probably had this recipe (typed and written from her hand) over 18 years. The paper folds are yellowed, and the spots are probably brandy residue. I often make this recipe as part of my Christmas cookie repertoire. Its a nice big batch that will serve any crowd....

SpicySister Celebration Biscotti

2 C Sugar
1 C Butter
4 TBS Pernod, or Anisette, or Amaretto
1 1/2 TBS Cognac, or Brandy
2 Tsp vanilla extract
2 Tsp almond extract
2 C coarsely chopped toasted almonds
2 eggs
4 C unsifted all-purpose flour
1 TBS baking powder (Martha Tip: make sure its fresh, because it can wear out)

Toast nuts for 5 minutes in 400º oven or until lightly browned. Let cool to touch. Mix sugar with butter, Pernod, cognac, extracts and nuts.
Beat in the eggs.
Mix flour and baking powder and stir into mixture--blend thoroughly.
Cover and chill the dough for at least 2 hours.

Shape dough directly on greased baking sheets (without sides) with your hands.
Form flat loaves that are about 1/2 thick and 2 inches wide, and as long as the baking sheet.
Place no more that 2 loaves, parallel and well apart on a pan.
Bake at 375º for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let loaves cool on pans until you can touch them (if the loaves crumble, let cool longer).

Cut into diagonal slices about 1/2-3/4" thick.
Lay slices on cut sides, close together on the baking sheets, and return to the 375º oven for 15 minutes more, or until lightly toasted.
Cool on wire racks.
Store in airtight containers.
Makes about 9 dozen.

Italian Tradition calls for Vin Santo, but we are not. I like my cookies with cappuccino, although the SpiceQueen and the PepperPrince would choose tea.

Saturday's Spice: Bay Leaf

THE LOVELY BAY LAUREL

My first memory of hearing about herbs and spices is linked to the bay leaf. It was probably the wonderful beef stew made by the SpiceQueen. Before this, I just ate--never thinking about the flavoring that was done to food. I'm guessing I was 9 or 10 years old, and had spooned out of my stew a bay leaf, thinking it was a sibling joke. What followed was my first lesson in food flavorings. Later sometime in school, I found it hard to believe that those dried bay leaves were the laurel wreaths of ancient Greek and Roman heroes. The words baccalaureate and poet laureate, as well as the name Laurence owe homage to the ideas that surround the bay laurel.

Bay leaf was one of my kitchen start-up herbs when I began my married life, and so it has flavored my numerous stews and soups, and broths along the way. Lately, I've begun to sniff my spices like I sniff my wine looking for the aromatic elements that make them individuals. I noticed that the smell of bay leaf is mildly reminiscent of rosemary, although rosemary is stronger and more piney when crushed. Bay leaf is also part of that fragrant mix we call pickling spice.

In looking to stretch the boundaries of how I cook with ingredients, I discovered this most adventuresome cook who has opened my MiddleNorthernEastern European cooking eyes to the baking side of bay leaf. Scroll down to September 17th '07 for a pistachio tart flavored with bay leaf. I don't have a bay leaf recipe to share yet, but I'm now thinking in a new direction.

Habaneros: How Hot is Hot?

I've always found it interesting that the word for Hot can mean both full-of-heat, and spicy.

Today's post focuses on the Spicy side of Hot.  Specifically, the Habanero pepper.  This hot little number scores a 500,000 on the Scoville scale.  By contrast, that "hot" jalapeno clicks in at about 5000.  So its hot.  Of course, those Pepper Sprays have something like 1,500,000 units of Scoville, so I don't think I'm stepping into permanently damaging behavior zone...

But how hot? Today I put that to the test.   To see how many Habaneros I could eat without drinking a glass of water.

So I went to the store and grabbed a 6-pack of Corona cervezas.  These are the best thirst quencher for a hot bite to eat.  Spicy foods go best with Mexican-type beers.

Along side of that, I bought 24 Habanero peppers.  

I must have been some sight at the checkout lane, me with my 6 beers and 24 habanero peppers.  Oh what did the cashier think I was up to?  

Anyway, I chopped about 5 of the peppers in half, thinking that if I can't get to five, I might have to settle with halves.  So, say, I might get to  3.5  But once you get over 5, well, its whole number time, no halfzies.  Although I guess I could save the last cut-in-half ones for the final half, if I could stand it.  

Ok, so I settled down to begin my insanity.  Perhaps first, I should describe the rules I allowed myself.

1)  No water or other liquid to drown the taste

2)  At least three chews of the pepper.  

3)  If I spit it out, it doesn't count.  I must ingest the pepper.

4)  I don't need to eat the stems

5)  No eating of other food.

6)  I can drink as much Corona as I want when I'm done.

So I tossed in the first pepper.  Whooooo - it was hot!  Too hot.  I eyed the trusty half-cut pepper thinking I might not make it to 2.  Would 1.5 be respectable?  I took more than a few chews....munching the pepper into my mouth.  I didn't chew too hard, as I didn't want to release the spice in the seeds.  Everyone says the seeds are the spiciest part.  Well, let me tell you, seeds or not, this is one HOT PEPPER.

My mouth was on fire, burning.  I tried not to touch my lips because I know that the spice on the lips really hurts.  And my tongue?  Oh my, as they say in Spanish, En Fuego!

After awhile, a silly numbness settled on me.  I tossed in a second pepper.  And the burn was back.  They talk about getting addicted to spice, and I like spice, but this was too much.  I had set the Corona to chill in an icy water bath.  They looked very good.  I had put the bottle opener far away though, to prevent me from an impulse beer opening.  

I had looked for the Habanero world record, and couldn't find it.  No doubt, if you can eat one, you can eat as many as you want....so that record probably has a time limit.  Or maybe not.  As the spice eats away at your stomach and intestinal lining, perhaps it makes you stop.  We'll find out.  I hadn't consulted medical advise, but was beginning to think perhaps I should have.

In went pepper 5.  Mouth on fire.  Stomach on fire.  Beer looking cold and neglected.  I couldn't just leave it there, could I?  It was lonely.  I looked at the peppers, there were 10 slices and then another 10 or so while ones.  They seemed happy, shiny, sitting there with friends, but the poor beer was all cold in the ice.  I reached for the beer.  Grabbed it, and placed it against my sweaty forehead.  In fact my forehead was so sweaty that the drops were running down my nose and mixing with the tears pouring out of my eyes.  It was painful, but tolerable.  But barely.  Each movement of my jaw brought new waves of pain.  I didn't think I could manage the three chews that I had required of myself.  Each chew invited more pain.  I decided I would do 3 more, so I would end on 8.  It was 2008.  The year of the Rat and all.  

I ate number 6.  Ouch.  Each bite was pain.  Three chews isn't enough to eat something, of course.  How many is?  Well, I'll tell you, its 12.  12 bites.  And the effort it took to bite, well, took effort.  Strong effort, such that any attempt not to chew seeds was right out.  I am sure I mashed them up.  So much for strategy.  I reached for the bottle opener.  Put it by the bottle.  I was beginning to feel like you feel when you have to take a leak so bad, but you're still 10 minutes from home.  Your legs cross, and you envision pulling into the driveway, before fighting with your keys to get the door open to run into the house and into the toilet. 

So it was as I popped in pepper number seven and started chewing.  It was too much, and the next thing I heard was the POP of the bottle-cap, severed from the top of the bottle in one swift practiced motion, as if I'd been practicing my entire life for this one moment.  And no time for a lime, the Corona touched my lips, filling my mouth, already half full with Habanero, and woosh, gulp, down went pepper number 7.  A gasp of air, one last jolt of pain, and then the Corona again, swoosh swoosh swoosh, until my mouth was cold as ice.  No feeling.  And no more beer.

I relaxed.

Then feeling returned to my mouth and I wished it hadn't.  The burn.  And burn.  The burn snuck in, but became a raging inferno almost instantly, coming out of nowhere.  It was there all along, but you couldn't feel it.

Minutes turned to hours.  The Corona disappeared, leaving only clear glass bottles with squeezed limes in the bottom.  And finally, normalcy returned to my mouth.  

I suspect I won't eat anything spicy again for a long time.  

And yes, I'm counting that last pepper.  It counts when you chew it.  If you don't believe me, go ahead, try it yourself.

Saturday's Spice: Mustard

Mustard Fields Bloom In Napa.

The mustard that grows in Napa is a wild flower (Brassica rapa). It is closely related to green cabbage-like vegetables such as bok choy, napa cabbage, and turnips. Wild blooming mustard signals the beginning of spring in California, and is celebrated in the Napa Valley with the Mustard Festival.

The wider Brassica family is one of the world's agricultural work horses, and is said to include the greatest number of useful edibles. These vegetables go by the name cruciferous and we eat its roots (rutabagas, turnips), stems (kohlrabi), leaves (cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, collard greens), flowers (cauliflower, broccoli), and seeds (mustards, condiments). Rapeseed oil, and canola oil are also products of Brassica seeds. And maybe sooner rather than latter, we will all be driving cars filled with such biodiesel .

Various mustards sit in my fridge. I'm partial to Dijon in my salad dressings, and my egg casserole. I use honey mustard as a quick and easy rub for grilled pork tenderloin, and nothing says childhood like the spicy brown mustard we used on brats, and ham and rye sandwiches. This site provides a nice listing of the many different kinds of mustards and then there's the Mustard museum.
With just a touch of tang from the Dijon mustard this cheese and egg casserole makes a great entree for brunch.

Touch of Tang Cheese and Egg Casserole

• 1/2# grated Swiss cheese (Gruyer is a nice alternative)
  4 TBS butter (Less does not hurt the dish)
  1 cup milk (Over the years I've used many different milk combinations, from 2% with half and half, to all half and half--basically the richer the milk the richer the dish).

1/2 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
1-2 TBS prepared Dijon mustard

• 12 slightly beaten eggs (I use a fork to break the yolks and swirl with the whites--do not beat).
• Butter 13x9 casserole dish ( I think glass works best)
• Spread cheese on bottom of dish
• Dot with butter
  
• Mix Milk/Cream with seasoning + mustard
  Pour 1/2 of liquid mix over cheese
  Pour beaten eggs over cheese/milk mixture
• Pour rest of milk mix over eggs (The milk mixture will not completely cover the eggs, and I usually pour it on in a zigzag fashion)
  
• Bake at 325 for 35 mins. or until eggs set (no longer than another 10 mins.).
  Serve immediately.
  

• Champagne is always a good choice with brunch and reminds many in my family of the great Easter A'la Carte Breakfast of the early 80's. The restaurant seated us in a remote part of the restaurant, setting several bottles of champagne on the table, and them promptly forgot about us. We managed to snag the champagne server several more times before a waiter ever showed up.....can I say that by then food was simply an afterthought .

Mike

My father-in-law died yesterday. He was 90 years old. The man was known for planting potatoes in the spring in his suburban backyard. As an Irishman, (really only 1/2 because his mother was 100% German), growing potatoes was Mike's way of participating in ancestral traditions. I've often wondered if the love of potatoes is in part genetic. Mike died with 12 of his 13 children around him. How lucky is that! I married son #4. I salute Mike's passing with a shot of brandy (because that's what he drank)...and will always remember his light polka steps on the dance floor.

The Pulse of Spring

Spring now more warm sun
teases tulips daffodils
still hints frost ice snow
(rla)

Well the sun showed up today, but not the spring temperatures you would expect. Complaints about the spring season are numerous. But here in the midwest, what others call spring doesn't show up till May. British author Frances Trollope expresses our human impatience with this season in the yearly cycle:

The American spring is by no means so agreeable as the American autumn; both move with faltering step, and slow; but this lingering pace, which is delicious in autumn, is most tormenting in the spring. (Domestic Manners of the Americans 1832)

Thoreau, who lived in a candle-light age, suggests a different rhythm to our interaction with the natural world.

Measure your health by your sympathy with morning and spring.
If there is no response in you to the awakening of nature—
If the prospect of an early morning walk does not banish sleep,
If the warble of the first bluebird does not thrill you—
Know that the morning and spring of your life are past.
Thus may you feel your pulse.
(Henry David Thoreau, Journal entry February 25, 1859).

I wonder how difficult it was to be an insomniac before electricity, TV, and now the instant internet. More recently, lack of sleep was viewed as an element of individual prowess and stamina. Now its just plain unhealthy, and linked to obesity, increasing glucose intolerance, and blood pressure problems. This all makes me think its time to open a bottle of evening antioxidents and toast the arrival of Spring...

A Salute To All Things Green

SpicyPapa's paternal family left the Emerald Isle during the famine times, and somehow found their way to Wisconsin. In the summer, Wisconsin does have much in common with the greenness of Ireland, and the scene below from our own trip to Eire in 2001 shows what could easily pass for the shores of Lake Michigan. The winter months are quite dissimilar!


When the Spicy Sidekicks were young their SpicyPapa served up hot green cereal and milk for breakfast. Now days they can toast each other by phone as they down the real mother's milk of Ireland.

Why do Americans need to celebrate St. Paddy's Day? Well, its the middle of gray gloomy March here in the midwest, and usually there's nothing going on--this year excepted with an earlier Easter than usual. Its no wonder that the biggest St. Paddy's celebration belongs to Chicago. The last real national party was January 1st. They say in Ireland that St Patrick's Day tends to be a little more sedate and linked to the curious notion of Bank Holidays. We Americans do suffer when banks have off--case in point Bear Stearns, but we don't call them Bank Holidays.

In honor of the American trait for some kind of universal syncretism I dedicate this song to any St. Paddy's Day celebration....

Need to know more about bagpipes? See here and here.

Saturday's Spice: Green and Gold Coriander

Coriander (Coriandrum Sativum) is what we call the ground seeds of the green herb Cilantro. I didn't know this till I fell in love with the flavor of cilantro on a vacation trip with a college-aged sister.

Imagine a sunny California afternoon in 1980--we stopped at some fresh food vegetarian outdoor cafe...she was the vegetarian. It might have been somewhere in Sonoma, but I don't really remember. What I still recall with sunlight clarity is the taste of the finely chopped carrot, onion, and tomato salsa generously flecked with the greenness of cilantro. It was the very first time I thought I have to make this at home. The Food Lover's Companion suggests that cilantro is the world's most used herb.

Poor 1st cousin coriander, I generally consigned it to Christmas cooking until I discovered its role in Indian food. Even Wikipedia notes that coriander is underused in European cooking traditions except for flavoring sausages and sometimes rye bread--both part of my food heritage. In an attempt to use more of what's in the spice drawer, I now sprinkle ground coriander on peeled, cubed, and olive oiled butternut squash. Roasted at 350º for 45-60 mins. It's an easy side dish for roasted meats of any persuasion.



Sunny Cilantro Salsa
1 Medium Carrot
1 Medium Red or White Onion
Fresh Garden Tomatoes
Cilantro to Taste (I start with 1/2 bunch)

Use the food processor, or finely chop with a knife
Thin with tomato juice, or pure tomato sauce

Sometimes a squeeze of lemon or lime
SpicyBBQ would probably add a jalapeno

Serve With Chips while humming....

Tea Time With Teacups

Tea Time 4:00 pm

Boil pour steep enjoy

sit sip nibble Chocolate

snacks with evening chats.

SaucyMama's Mom, the SpiceQueen, informed her way back in 1990 that tea was the healthful beverage of choice for her and the PepperPrince. Yes, they would still do coffee in the morning, but the 4:00 o'clock hour would now be called Tea Time. This coincided with the SpiceQueen informing SaucyMama that at their age, the SpiceQueen and the PepperPrince would now be eating their main dinner at lunch time--another healthful choice. Amazingly, I don't know what she read, or how she came to this, but the SpiceQueen was prescient in the extreme about the healthfulness of tea. Let me say that the SpiceQueen was an early adopter of yogurt as a healthful breakfast alternative to cold cereal. SpiceQueen even made her own yogurt in those early days before Dannon and Yoplait. The healthfulness of tea is now being researched and documented.

The PepperPrince is partial to the Classic Lipton, while the SpiceQueen is a bit more adventuresome. While not an endorsement, this site has a fun little virtual tea leaf reader. I myself consider tea the daytime wine.

Is it still good to eat? Because its been in my fridge a long time!

Well, if you're a bachelor like me, you have a wide variety of things in your fridge. And no idea when they arrived there!

A quick glance inside my fridge shows things like:

• Strawberry Jam (certainly old)
  
• Sriracha (likely old)
  
• Worcestershire sauce (don't know where this came from)
  
• Butter (from last thanksgiving)
• Tobasco Chipotle sauce (this stuff is good!)
• Several Mustards (Newish)
  
• Maple Syrup (I know I didn't buy this...!)
  

Ever wonder how long this stuff lasts? I sure do! All these little condiments get picked up gradually over time and never seem to get finished.

If you are interested, this link to the North Dakota Ag Department has some guidelines. Be sure to click on the [[MORE]] on the bottom to see all the pages.

I've never had any problem using these old condiments. Most are oil and vinegar based, which lasts a long time without going bad. No doubt the preservatives put in there by the Big Food Companies keep it fresher longer!

According to the logic of the esteemed North Dakota Agricultural Department, which I assume is a good once since what else happens in North Dakota, I should stock my fridge with these:

• Lemon/Lime juice (12 months in fridge)
• Eggs (3 weeks)
• Parmesan Cheese (2 months, yuck, I hate this stuff! Isn't cheese already rotten?)
• Salad Dressings (3 months)
• Cabbage, carrots, celery (2 weeks)
• Mustard (6-8 month)
• Tabasco (2 years, guess I'm OK there!)
• Pickles/Olives (2 months once opened)
  

And get rid of these things that I once thought were invincible (ie, don't ever go bad)

• Asparagus (2 days! I keep this stuff for 2 weeks and it seems ok...)
• Ketchup (1 month!)
• Tomato/Pasta Sauce (5 days, I've started freezing leftover pasta sauce recently, works well. Reserve an ice cube tray for freezing leftover liquids, then put in ziplok's for use whenver you need some sauce or broth or whatever!)
• Potatoes and Onions (Only 2-4 weeks! I keep these around forever, oh no!)
• Ground Meat or Stew meat (1-2 days. More and more, I avoid any ground meat, except for my beloved sausages...)
• Lunch Meat (3-5 days once opened)

One thing I've never understood is the aging of meat. First, you read that you shouldn't keep meat for more than 5 days in your fridge. Then you wonder, was it really shipped to you in no time? And they also talk about "Aging". You can Dry and Wet age meat, and some fancy places do it for up to 28 days. I just don't get how this differs from the 5 day max in my fridge.

It seems beef aging is a big focus of the Ag departments., no surprise. The University of Minnesota has a good link on it. Sounds like another "not recommended for home use" activity - I'll have to give it a try! :)

Happy and Healthy Eating

Saturday's Spice: Cinnamon

This spice is nice. This spice is my favorite. This spice is now on my kitchen counter at all times. DO NOT STORE in a cool dry place--You know, out of sight is out of mind. For me cinnamon was a baking spice; a spice most often associated with Christmas, and apple pie, and the comfort foods of childhood like cinnamon toast. How do the food habits of childhood become so ingrained? Why did it take me so long to find out that cinnamon is not just for baked goods? Is cinnamon such a special spice that it should be reserved for unique occasions? Its not that expensive.

With the introduction of the wok in the ‘70s or early ‘80’s, many of us explored Chinese cuisine. But I didn’t find Indian cuisine, which uses cinnamon and other sweet spices with lentils and meat, till the late late’80s. And even then, I really didn’t attempt to cook Indian at home till the ‘90’s. Later still, SpicyBBQ showed me that sprinkling cinnamon on a piece of salmon, or pork tenderloin before grilling really enhanced their smoky rich flavors.

Today cinnamon is getting much more attention as a healthful ingredient, and Saucy Mama has found it to be a helpful component in her skirmishes with glucose. Somehow cinnamon helps slow down food digestion and this helps insulin do its job with out getting out of hand. Saucy Mama now delightfully adds cinnamon to her oatmeal along with a handful of walnuts or pecans. She adds cinnamon to her toast and tea. And she wonders for all the sliced apples she’s had in her life, why only now does she think to sprinkle them with cinnamon?

I Grok Trees...A Memory Lament

I'm working hard to be pollutically correct, but....

Forgive me Oak and Pine and Beech
And Maple too
And also Yew (paper bags)

Your surrogates sit ready at the door
To carry home food stuffs galore
Yet memory glitches caused decline as...
I again commit envirocide.

I think I'll try hanging the bags on the door knob.

Grok is a word coined by Robert Heinlein in his book Stranger In A Strange Land. As a verb, its general sense concerns knowing and understanding something or someone.

Saturday's Spice: Garlic

I have to admit I'm not quite the fresh garlic fan as is SpicyBBQ. Oh, I think its very useful, but speed cooking often requires time saving ingredients such as (read in a very whispered voice) a jar of chopped garlic. In an attempt to add more authentic freshness to my meals I did buy a nice head of garlic last month, and placed it in a charming little pottery bowl on the counter as a hint to use. Last week in a mini-fit of counter-re-efficiency I found my fresh head of garlic. My little pottery bowl had been lost among the coffee pot, coffee beans, tea tins, colander, Christmas nuts, can goods, and wine bottles that are always going in and out of my pantry. I was pleasantly surprised on that gray snowy day to find my garlic head obeying a call of nature that I probably won't be hearing till April....it was sprouting green.

I didn't resist the urge and potted the cloves up right then and there, and added some bottom heat by way of a heat vent. I've tried growing garlic in the garden several times without much luck. I'll see if they like my pot culture. These tiny green serendipitous sprouts make me smile. And now I'm thinking that green garlic sprouts are the perfect antidote to those gray vampire days of winter. Check out these links if you need to know more about "spear leek" history, or its healthful properties, or its cultivation, or its celebration.

Spice Queen's Winter Fruit Salad

One of Saucy Mama's favorite food memories includes the Winter Fruit Salad that Saucy Mama's mom made. My mom, aka the Spice Queen was a fresh food fan long before it was fashionable. Stores in the 50's and '60's were not stocked with the vast assortment of Mexican or South American fruit and vegetables as today. The idea of eating what was in season was not a politically correct choice; it was reality. This salad has served me and my family well through the years. Spice Queen peeled these fruits the old fashion way, avoiding any waste. As a time constrained modern, I use a knife to cut the rind off the citrus fruit as professional chiefs do on TV, then slice out the citrus segments leaving behind the fibrous casings. I feel guilty about this (is guilt becoming a theme?) because fiber is one of those things we should all eat more of.







Winter Fruit Salad

Classic or Modern: Adjust to Family Size

In A Bowl Mix

• 1-3 oranges, sectioned (Tennis Ball or Softball Size)
• 1-2 grapefruits, sectioned (Classic: White; Modern: Pink River)
• 1-2 apples (Classic: Red Delicious; Modern: Granny Smith)
• 1-2 cups shredded lettuce (Classic: Iceberg; Modern: Romaine)

Dressing

• 1 to 5 Tbs Miracle Whip (Classic is Classic)
• 3 Tbs Orange Juice (Modern: Rice Wine Vinegar plus A Little Balsamic)
• Big Splash of Milk
• Blend Together (Classic Technique: Fork; Modern: Whisk)
• Dress, Mix, Serve

Fancy: Sprinkle With Chopped Walnuts Or Pecans

And hear in your head Spice Queen's story about her first Waldorf Salad.

Things in my Kitchen I Can't Live Without (Part I):

Barlean's Flaxseed Oil: First of all, flaxseed oil is one of the best treats for your body. Like Fish Oil, it is a strong anti-inflammatory that helps with looking younger and speeds hair growth. Unlike Fish Oil, it's really good!! Choosing the right brand, however, is also extremely important....if you try the wrong one you might be scared away forever.

I won't buy anything other that Barlean's (stores that sell it are listed on their website). They have a great nutty flavor and the bottles are freshness dated so you know when it was pressed and when it's no longer good. I use flaxseed oil in protein shakes, salad dressings, or just drizzled on potatoes or veggies after they're cooked. Another excellent way to use it is to drizzle it on toast or dip bread in it.

Note: You can't actually cook with flaxseed oil....it can't withstand the heat....just add it afterwards. You'll be amazed by how little it changes the flavor of things, yet, how healthy you'll feel knowing you're eating it. Aim for 1-2 Tablespoons/day.

Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar: The benefits of using Apple Cider Vinegar are so numerous there are actually books written about it. It helps with digestion...your skin...it even helps you when you have a cold. Make sure you buy the kind with the "mother". That's the foggy kind. This type has more anti-oxidants than the filtered kind.....leading to more goodness for your body.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes that use Flaxseed Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar so you can try them on your own.

Broccoli/Apple Slaw:
1 Cup broccoli (chopped)
1 Small Gala Apple (cubed)
1 Tablespoon Barlean's Flaxseed Oil
2-3 Tablespoons Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

Mix all ingredients together. You may want to use a food processor for the broccoli....it can make a big mess in your kitchen otherwise. Let sit for 15 minutes before you serve.












Amazingly Healthy Salad Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Barlean's Flaxseed Oil
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (Did I mention lemon juice is a fantastic liver cleanser?)
2-3 Tablespoons of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

Fruity Protein Shake
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (Designer Whey is my favorite here....it's sweetened with stevia, not artificial sweeteners and low in carbs)
1 Cup Frozen Fruit (Any Kind)
1 Cup Water
1 Tablespoon Flaxseed Oil
1 Tablespoon Ground Flaxseeds (Optional)
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar (Optional)

Just blend together and enjoy.

The Veggies Can't Handle The Smoke But The NY. Strip Can!

The weather cracked the 70F mark the past few days, and we know what that means here in Sunny San Diego: BBQ Time.

Lori picked up some really nice thick steaks @ Costco. They were a good inch thick.

Tasty.

New York Strips.

First ingredient needed: FIRE.

In this case, it is my Weber Performer grill, with Kingsford charcoal.

Ok, so that's part one.

Part II: Smoke!

Smoke is what separates the average steak from the transcendent steak. If you aren't going to use charcoal and smoke, you might as well do my magic-stove-oven steak. Easy: In an oven-proof pan, place on the stove on HOT. Preheat oven to 425. Toss steak on pan, it should sizzle greatly. Oil as necessary to keep from sticking. Wait one minute. Flip steak. Toss in oven for 8 minutes. Perfect steak.

Only way to beat a steak like that, is the smoke, or the schmoke. Tonight we used Hickory.

Soaked these guys for 30 mins. Meanwhile I coated the NY Strips with fresh ground pepper and salt.

These guys are around an inch think. Good little bit of fat on the edges. If you don't like your steaks coated in pepper, you can't handle the spice, and so you shouldn't be reading the Chronicles of Spiciness!

(This Guy can handle the spice)

Okay, so some of us have been trying to eat less meat and more veggies. Sometimes this works, other times, well, when you buy 1-pound steaks, what are you do to?

But grilled veggies are great, and even greater with some smoke. Tonight we went after grilled onions, grilled peppers and grilled asparagus. Whacked the onions into 1.5 wedges and topped with olive oil and some of that Monterrey Seasoning. Peppers and asparagus were tossed in Newman's Own Basalmic Dressing. Tasty. And all the profits go to charity....Even if he didn't have a great name, he's still be on my fav ingredient list.

Ah there is the feast, ready for the fire.

A few notes on grilled veggies. By putting a little oil/dressing on them, it helps the veggies to pick up a little of the smoke flavor.

How to Grill:

Heat up charcoal and keep coals on one side of grill.

When coals are all nice and toasty, toss the wet chips on top of the coals. Put the grill on.

Cover, and let it get smokey for a minute or two.

Toss on the onions on the non-fire side, and definately not over the fire. They take the longest to cook.

After 4 minutes, add the peppers, again, not over the fire.

Toss on the steaks over the fire.

The coals should be hot and smokey but not firey. If you have fire, you can cut down the airflow in the grill. Or you can pour beer (an essential grilling tool) on the coals. Try not to do this while the food is there....the steam can send ash on the food.

Cover.

Cook the steaks ~8 mins.

Add asparagus half way thru side one of steaks

Flip steaks.

Cook steaks another ~8 mins. You can tap for doneness. See here for an idiot's (no offense:) guide to doneness

Pull steaks from the grill and wrap in tin-foil. Let sit 5 mins. before eating.

Ah there we go! Steaks had just been pulled, and you can see the grill itself was on fire! In Spanish, they say En Fuego. Si, en fuego, la parilla!

The flaming grill in the background with our nice patio heater going. I know I said it was in the 70's but the ocean drops temps down to a brisk 55 or 60. I burn 2 gallons of gas to and fro work a day, so this little extra propane doesn't hurt my eco-conscience.

Alas, there was a mishap! The steaks were tremendous, full of spice and smoke and more smoke and perfectly cooked. But alas, the veggies...

The veggies tho, wow, I have never cooked such veggies before. From a al-dente perspective, they were great, but they were over-smoked in a mushroom-cloud-of-smoke-way. The asparagus was so oversmoked it caused my mouth to go numb from the bitterness of the burnt hickory! I've never had this problem before. I guess I had too much smoke. Different woods impart different flavors, and the hickory went well with the beef, but hickory might be too bitter for veggies. You'll need to sort this out for yourself. The onions turned out nice, while the peppers were a bit oversmoked too, altho less than the asparagus.

Lastly, lets write about Smoking Loon! Oh, the Grilling Gods bestowed such a worthy name to this winery. I was near to adopt them as an Honorary Grillmaster, quite a feat for a mere bottle, when I came across the problem.

Last Saturday we also grilled, and Lori and I partook in a fantastic bottle of Smoking Loon: Cabernet. Lori is Canadian, the national bird there is the Loon, or it's on their dollars anyway, so we were doubly happy. Well, the wine was so fine.

So for Steak Night, there needed to be a replay. And the price was right at 6.99 for a bottle.

I dropped into the dive liquor store down the street to grab another bottle, and when I got home and popped the cork, the taste just wasn't the same.

Well, of course not!

I bought the Merlot! Take a look at the two bottles....how are you to tell? Except for some tiny print, the Merlot and Cabernet look exactly the same! How about a small identification? A different color? Maybe a big letter "C", a giant "Don't buy this it's a Merlot" sticker? Anything! The merlot was terrible, in comparison. Who drinks merlot anyway?

What's next on the BBQ list? I have a whole Organic Chicken that needs doing. Perhaps a tatziki chicken? Juli and I are also planning a "Mussel cookoff" and I've got some good recipes for mussels on the grill. I also have some ideas for grilled SpicyBBQ-style sushi. Stay tuned....

Mystery Meat

Who doesn't like a mystery? I searched the freezer today looking for Monday night dinner. Two pounds of pork tenderloin...no there's just the two of us. A packet of chicken breasts...looks like at least 6, frozen nice and snuggly together (long defrost). Big solid hunk of red meat...guessing its a least a 2# sirloin tip roast. One interesting plastic quart size freezer bag of something in a marianade...a piece of pork? I keep meaning to label these things before they go into the Arctic zone that resides in Saucy's kitchen. I thawed the mystery hunk in room temperature water changing H2O 2x; it took about 1 hr. After poking it several times, I'm thinking that it is 1/2 of a store-bought marianated turkey breast, that was a grill item in October (mmm...November, December, January...still looks good, no freezer burn)!

Now Saucy Mama and Mr. AllSpice are trying to eat low carb (not no carb) in order to keep their BMI in the legal range. Saucy Mama is also concerned about her glucose levels, and is trying to cook with the glycemic index in mind. See this link for a more indepth discussion. Oh...Saucy still treats herself on occasion to Fat Tuesday Popovers, or a baked Idaho potato, but she seriously tries to bean and lentil it up during the week.

Its cold here in the Midwest today, so there are no thoughts of grilling this mystery hunk of meat. Stove top braising will have to do.

First Assumption: Turkey

• Sprinkle Meat with Thyme and Marjoram
• Yes, also a little Mrs. Dash.
• An Extra Sprinkle of Dried Garlic.
• (I seem to be our of powdered sage)
• Brown Meat in Olive Oil.
• Deglaze with 1/2C wine (1/4C red; 1/4C white).
• I was out of chicken broth so I added 1 mug of brewed regular tea.
• (layer on those flavors).
• Throw in 2 bay leaves (this makes up for the lack of sage).
• A Good +1TBS of Dried Parsley.
• (Dried Parsley is an Underused Spice With Lemony Hints).
• Braise at Medium Heat for 10 minutes.

• Add
• 1/2 Cup Dried Green Lentils, rinsed.
• Continue to Braise for 20 minutes.
• Add
• 1/3 can of Adzuki Beans (high in protein and fiber).
• Continue braising on low till you've finished watching the evening news, or chatting with your dinner partner.
• Liquid is always adjustable.
• Serve: Slice meat and surround with lentils and beans, spoon over with the sauce.
• Feel healthy!
• If I was teaching late, I'd thow it all in a crock pot.

Family consensus on mystery meat: mmm...turkey, but maybe pork tenderloin?

Why don't you...Blag

Saucy Mama has jumped head-first into the Blogosphere, with awesome results.

The combination of tasty recipes and I-didn't-know-that factoids makes for one of my favorite daily reads.

Saucy Papa, however, finds all this blogging to be a bit excessive. I'm sure once March Madness kicks in, he won't care much.

I found this cartoon, and I dedicate it to Saucy Papa. I can see this being a conversation over dinner at the The House of Saucy.

Virtual Heartburn...

Mr. AllSpice.....now I know why my shows never Tivo.

Saturday's Spice: Rosemary

I use this easy recipe as an hors d'oeuvre. It often brings raves because Rosemary is not a spice that we use very often in standard American cooking. And Yes, I had to look up the spelling of hors d' oeuvre. I also looked up all those other words that kind of mean the same thing: appetizer, mezze, tapas, pinchos, and canape. I don't know if the Chinese dim sum quite embraces the same appetizer idea, but I find Chinese concepts to be very pleasing and poetic--who can argue with something that touches the heart. In many instances having a tatooed dot over one's heart means that you have had life saving radiation for breast cancer.

I find it fascinating that the word tapas translates to a food cover or lid for a drink, while a canape translates as a couch or sofa for some food bit. I've always thought of sofa as such an old-fashion genteel type of word. I actually grew up with a davenport--but that's another story. I also wonder about the plain and simple straight forward appetizer. No poetry here for the brusque American appetite, but it too has roots in desire.

Roasted Rosemary Mushrooms

• 8 ounces of White Button Shrooms, DeStemmed.
• Juice of at least 1/2 Lemon.
• 1-2 TBS of Olive Oil.
• 1-ish TBS of Butter
• Mix Juice, Oil, and Butter.
• Microwave Mix Till Butter is Melted.
• Dress Mushrooms, Use Spatula/Hands to Distribute Oil Mix.
• Sprinkle with Powdered Rosemary.
• I Pulverize 2 TBS of Rosemary in a Mortar and Pestle.
• Roast at 425º for 35-40 Minute Till Nicely Browned. Give 'Em a Turn Halfway Through.
• Serve Immediately.

I've never grilled these. Perhaps SpicyBBQ would research this and also reprise us of his marinated Portabellas...first served to me on a rooftop overlooking one of the many cities know as the Queen City.

Irony....Or Just Peverse Parental Humor

Well I don't iron........Its the end of the week, and while I no longer have children at home-- I still teach children. I laughed out loud on seeing this poster. We humans probably only progress with real object lessons....myself included.

Fat Tuesday Popovers

With a nod to the notion of excess that now marks this day (certainly my German cultural heritage did not allow for such a frivolity as Mardi Gras), I post one of the recipes I feel most guilty making. Not that the ingredients are that sinful. No...No, it is the rich butter and honey I slather and drench them with rather all too freely, and without regard for my cholesterol and glucose levels. So easy and impressive!

Fat Tuesday Popovers
3 eggs
1 C of Milk (I usually use what's in the fridge 2%)
1 C of Flour
1/2 tsp Salt

• Lightly mix (not scramble) the eggs with the milk
• Then simply wisk in the salt/flour mixture till smooth.
• As most recipes say: Do not over mix.
• Let batter rest for 10 mins.
• Fill oiled Jumbo Muffin Pan (6 slot) (I'm using one of those new silicon ones)

Bake 450º for 30 mins.
Eat immediately slathered with butter and honey!

(Posted by SaucyMama logged in accidentally as SaucyBBQ)

More Than a Bloody Mary Condiment...

........Who knew that Worcestershire Sauce was good for more than that ubiquitous morning after hangover relief drink? Is it possible that I didn't use this tangy substance because I didn't know how to pronounce it correctly? Sidekick Lil' Saucy spent sometime in London and was the first to explain to me that some of those inner letters (ce) are in effect silent. This leaves us with an easily pronouncible 3 syllable word--Wor/ster/shire. This pronounciation trick can be applied to other often mispronounced English place names such as Leicester Square in London. While Lil' Saucy is no longer in London, I occasionally visit the web cam there because it was one of the first I encountered on the WWW.

Cooking more with lemons and limes is another addition to the family recipe legacy we are trying to document here. Sidekick SpicyBBQ, on return from several worldly travels, encouraged us to explore those tangy Indian-South East Asian flavors which include Lemon Grass, Lime Leaves , Fish Sauce, and different kinds of spicy peppers. The Tom Yum Soup SpicyBBQ made upon return from traveling opened my eyes and tastebuds to the wonderful lemonylimeyness of these flavors (and doesn't that sound just like Nigella). This Marinated Roasted Chicken makes my mouth water with Umami anticipation.

Marinated Roasted Chicken

• Juice of 2 Lemons ( 1/2 Cup liquid)
• 1/4 Cup--1/3 Cup of Worcestershire Sauce
• Splash to 1/8 Cup white wine
• Splash to 1/8 Cup Chicken Broth
• (Splashes not necessary but add layers to flavor)
• 1 TBS of melted butter (OK oil is permissible)


• 1 cut up chicken with skin still on (You know you love it)
• Sprinkle chicken pieces with Mrs Dash, or your favorite No-Salt spice blend
• Place chicken pieces in oiled 13x9 glass dish (easier cleanup)


• Pour on Marinade
• Bake 350' for 1-1 1/2 Hrs
• Sometimes I start out at 400' for the first 20 Mins
• Baste every 20 Mins (Yes! I love to baste, its why my T-giving Turkey is so great)


• Serve with crispy baked potatoes and tart cole slaw.
• A grassy Sauvingnon Blanc would be my preference, but one of the Spicy Sidekicks might choose beer.

How tasty grilled? I leave that to the grill expert--SpicyBBQ.

In Search Of The Affordable Quaff:

• Recently Tasted: 2006, 120 Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc
• Screw Top (can you say picnic/beach wine). Nice grassy nose and flavor with the usual hints of crisp apple fruit (a tiny hint of peach if you close your eyes really tight while sniffing), nice mouth feel, although what annoys me is that the 13.5% alcohol is in part responsible for that mouth feel. Why Oh Why does an inexpensive white wine need to have the alcohol content of an almost Cabernet Bomb? Wouldn't some of this alcohol be better used in ethanol??
• Will buy again in sufficient party quantities