About a Week Late

Given recent health issues I guess I'm glad to be only a week behind in my seed starting. The flat of eggplants, peppers and small/cherry tomatoes is looking good except for the Slim Jim eggplant for some reason.

Christmas in April

Castagnaccio in March

This is a perfect example of how much of the past nine months I lost due to dental problems and pneumonia. I finally made the castagnaccio that's usually part of Thanksgiving. I didn't even get it made for St. Patrick's Day, the 17th of March also being the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, if I have that right.

But I kept my chestnut flour in the refrigerator; it seems to be fine and the cake was as good as ever.

The URI From Hell

I have not been sick like this since I had hepatitis A thirty years ago. I don't remember the last time I took an antibiotic other than on two occasions for dental work, but even with the clarithromycin it's taking a long time to kick this, apparently an indication that the URI had progressed to pneumonia.

So I'm eating more yogurt in an effort to avoid any side effects from the antibiotic. To cheer myself up a little I made a batch of matcha marshmallows, one little bit of green for St. Patrick's Day.

There Are No Words

Another Lost Week

Last weekend brought a melt-off of all but the largest piles of snow. Then, in the blink of an eye, everything was white again in one of the biggest dumps of the season. The official measure was 13 inches at the airport but that was the western edge of the system and here at the house we got another 12 at least.

Digging out on Monday and some strenuous snowshoeing on Tuesday apparently gave the upper respiratory infection that had been lurking in my sinuses, an opportunity to move to my chest in what I'm diagnosing as tracheitis. The congestion seems to be breaking up today but if it persists on Monday I will trying to score some antibiotics.

I really don't want to lose another week.

"Black Swan"

After digging out from under more than 2 feet of snow yesterday we had dinner at Dominick's and went up to The Palace to see "Black Swan". I have absolutely no idea what people see in this film. It has been described as "melodramatic" but it is so much more heavy-handed than that term would suggest.

I found absolutely no reason to care about Portman's character or any of the others so it became tedious to watch. There isn't much dialog, the film is largely dependent on Portman's face in various expressions of madness.

The dancing wasn't even good and I found the angles and the editing that were required to give even the pretense of good dancing annoying.

Best. Game. Ever.

...or at least one of the best games I've ever seen as Syracuse beat Virginia yesterday evening, 12-10. I think this may be a photo of Tim Desko as he made an absolutely phenomenal goal, one of five.

Dick Blume / The Post-Standard

Ramapos Are Back!!

I was leafing through a catalog from The Natural Gardening Company (a lovely catalog but why anyone would think I'd be likely to order plants from California is a mystery) and I felt disoriented for a moment when I saw Ramapo tomatoes listed. But it's true! After I'd given up looking for them a couple of years ago it seems more persistent gardeners persuaded Rutgers to reintroduce them.

After years of growing some perfectly wonderful tomatoes we still remember the Ramapos I grew in Somerville, NJ in the 70's as the best tomatoes we've ever eaten. Even if they don't meet our fuzzy recollections I'm going to enjoy growing them again.

http://njfarmfresh.rutgers.edu/RamapoTomato.htm

A New Visitor

photo posted by dypepper on Weather Underground

What a treat, a lovely Carolina wren poking around the wood pile this afternoon. I just hope it sticks around for awhile and maybe even vocalizes a bit...

An Evening With Harry Belafonte

Michelle Gabel/ The Post-Standard

He spoke for almost an hour, no notes, he held the attention of his audience the entire time. Eighty-three years old and the fire burns as brightly as ever. He told stories, some funny, some poignant, he talked about his friends and connections in Syracuse and the Onondaga Nation, he talked about his life of activism and his disappointment in the changes of the past thirty years.

Tomatoes 2011

A Cooking Life

Jaune Flammé
Babywine
Stupice
Carmello
Chianti Rose
Mortgage Lifter
Paul Robeson
Black Zebra
San Marzano 3
Brown Berry and Brown Cherry
Isis Candy and Bi-Color Cherry
Sundrop
Miribelle
Sun Gold
Super Snow White
Green Grape
Sugar Sweetie

The first seeds have arrived and they are of course, tomato seeds. The fresh seeds, the new (for me) varieties make me believe that I might just rekindle my enthusiasm for the garden.

I'm finally going to try Stupice and Mortgage Lifter along with Paul Robeson and Chianti Rose, Sun Gold and a different brown cherry, Brown Berry. It seems strange not to be growing Brandywine and Black Krim after all these years but they are more available at the Farmers' Market so I may as well grow something different.

additional varieties as of 2/18: Marmande, Costoluto Fiorentino, Ramapo, Power's Heirloom, Djena Lee's Golden Girl, Tigerella

Fenced Garden Plan 2011

While I was curled up under a quilt yesterday, trying to keep the thermostat low so my mucous membranes wouldn't turn to dust during the 24 hours of frigid temps, I started going through seed catalogs. I quickly discovered that some seeds have already sold out for the season. I decided it was time to get the garden plotted.

I think this year I will resize the beds. I originally planned to use landscaping timbers to contain the beds but I never found what I wanted at a reasonable price. At this point I think inexpensive, rough-cut boards will be just fine and the smaller dimensions will make it possible to add another bed on each side.

Now I'm just hoping that the spring weather will give me a chance to get the prep work done in time to do an early planting of favas, rapa, radishes and such.

Meanwhile the flying squirrel made another appearance downstairs a couple weeks ago. It found the sunflower seed jug and I was able to get very close and watch it before I finally scooped it up into the jug and took it back to the attic. Now I'm leaving some seeds in the attic in the hope that the squirrels will be more likely to stay up there until spring. I can see the last years of my life looking like a scene from "Grey Gardens".

The problem is that I know the last dog we had would have torn the house apart if a squirrel had gotten in so we haven't gone any further in adopting a dog. I'm so disappointed that I haven't even been able to check the website to see if Candy is still available.

2/14 Candy was adopted a week ago. I hope she has a wonderful new home.

We're Approved

Our application to adopt a dog from Chow Chow Rescue of CNY has been approved. A gorgeous black male puppy, Moose, has been placed but an older female, Candy, the dog who finally motivated me to apply is still available. I plan to meet her next week. After almost twelve years without one, something I can't really identify has shifted and now I'm ready for another dog. Or at least very close to it...

Cheap Entertainment on Two Acres

photo by Linsey Boland

A Conversation with Flying Squirrel Foster Peggy Popp

Sunday night I dozed off in front of the fire to be awakened shortly after midnight by a flying squirrel doing laps around the downstairs. I went up to bed but slept with one ear/eye open so to speak.

Last night as we were about to eat dinner the little critter reappeared, still looking for a way out. Actually it was more fun than we'd had in awhile and after a few rounds we were finally able to shoo it out the front door. They are cute but I hope they stay in the attic until spring when we can get someone up on the roof to work on the chimneys.

Too Much Too Soon

We are buried in lake effect snow that continues unabated. It's beautiful but it's also another thing that adds to my growing sense of unease.

Beer Week!

EMPIRE-FARMSTEAD BEER PAIRING

Monday 6:30pm-9:00pm

station #1

The Imaginary Farmer (Hamilton, NY)

food: Elm Oyster Mushroom Bisque

Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY)

beer: Hennepin

station #2

Critz Farms (Cazenovia, NY)

food: Pumpkin Spatzel with Beurre Noir

Empire Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: Critz’s Pumpkin Ale

station #3

Back Forty Elk Farm (Deruyter, NY)

food: Elk Chili

Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)

beer: Local One

station #4

Meadows Kobe Beef Farm (Cazenovia, NY)

Open Roast Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches

Empire Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: Downtown Brown Ale

station #5

Emmi’s Farm (Syracuse, NY)

food: Root Vegetable, Fresh Herb & Sheep Milk Cheese Empanadillas

Empire Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: Deep Purple

staion #6

Brick Farm (Cazenovia, NY)

food: Creole Deviled Eggs

Southern Tier Brewing Company (Lakewood, NY)

beer: Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale

station #7

Meadowood Farms (Cazenovia, NY)

Foot Hill Hops Farm (Munnsville, NY)

food: Grilled Lamb Sausage w/ Hop Mustard

Empire Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: Empire State Pale Ale

station #8

e-Garden (Cazenovia, NY)

food: Grilled Caribbean Jerk Chicken

Empire Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: IPA (India Pale Ale)

station #9

Drover Hill Farm (Earlville, NY)

food: Smoked Bacon wrapped Medallions of Pork

Empire Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: Cream Ale

station #10

Kimberly’s Ice Cream (Cazenovia, NY)

food: Belgian Chocolate, Stout, Beer Nuts & Chocolate Covered Pretzel Ice Cream

Empire Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: Black Magic Stout

station #11

Jewett’s Cheese (Earlville, NY)

food: Selection of Aged Cheddar Cheese

Primo & Mary’s Heritage Products (Cazenovia, NY)

food: Chips & Salsa

Ithaca Beer Company (Ithaca, NY)

beer: Cold Front

station #12

Thorpe’s Apiary (Cazenovia, NY)

food: Sliced Apple, Walnut & Wild Flower Honey

Empire Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: Skinny Atlas Kölsch

station #13

Meadowood Farm (Cazenovia, NY)

e-Garden (Cazenovia, NY)

food: Belted Galloway Slider w/ Heirloom Tomato Ketchup & Pretzel Roll

Empire Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: Amber Ale

station #14

Sweet On Chocolate (Syracuse, NY)

food: Hefe-Weizen Chocolate Truffle

Empire Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: Empire Hefe-weizen

Sweet On Chocolate (Syracuse, NY)

food: Wailing Wench Dark Chocolate Truffle

Middle Ages Brewing Company (Syracuse, NY)

beer: Wailing Wench

eat where you live™

Round Lake, Green Lakes State Park, October 16, 2010

10.10.10 and 10

Thirsty Owl Winery on the western shore of Cayuga Lake

An Irish Lass

We did part of the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail yesterday and one of our first stops was the Finger Lakes Dexter Cheese Creamery.

I would so love to have a Dexter cow.