The Tale of Peta Rabbit

Freely adapted from a story by Andrew Galarneau, Food Editor of the Buffalo News and with apologies to Beatrix Potter.  Are you sitting comfortably?

Once upon a time, upon a time there
were four little Rabbits,
and their names were--
               Breakfast,
          Brunch,
    Lunch,
and Peta.

Much Ado About Nothing

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.- William Shakespeare.

Our long regional nightmare is over. After literally minutes of painstaking deliberation, the Common Council of the City of Buffalo has at last issued rules and regulations governing local Food Trucks. Those valiant brick and mortar operation (let's call them BM's) have succeeded in winning almost precisely what was offered to them by the food truck operators from the beginning.
The fears of these BM’s have been assuaged and the city is safe from the twin perils of mass littering and public urination. I am certain that these BM’s are raking in record profits with their success.

A Return To Blogging

Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions.  Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.  ~Mark Twain

I’d call myself a procrastinator if I ever got around to it. Look at the picture. This was supposed to be a New Year's resolution and I am just finishing it.

The fact of the matter is that took a break from blogging. There are a lot of reasons, but sometimes you just need to refresh your batteries. After a while I discovered that I really missed it. I also found that one big impediment to my blogging that my mind was getting bogged down with and a lot of other thoughts that either work too short to require a blog post, or were not suited to something that is dedicated to food as a subject.

So I decided to start a second blog called Mental Floss to rid my brain of that accumulated detritus. There is also more in the works you may find interesting. Stop by. I look forward to seeing you!

Packets of Experimentation

No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong. - Albert Einstein

 
Most of you have a container like this someplace in your home.  A collection of condiments from fast food joints. Those cute, unopened bottles purloined from discarded room service trays. Ketchup, mustard, hot sauce and soy. Lemon juice and vinegar. Jelly and honey. Ready for any emergency.

We have a tiny set of plastic drawers in the trunk of the car for those impromptu picnics, and this bin in the basement, which was overfloating as my kids used to say.

So Alison and I decided on a challenge yesterday. Other than oil and some onion, we would construct a tomato based BBQ sauce for our chicken dinner.  Other than a few ketchup packets way past the sell  by date, the stuff was in good condition. Not a bad sauce at the end - though my friend Kevin Weeks disowned me over the tomato base. Tennessean.

We had fun though.

CSA Report

This week's haul included more baby turnips, lettuces and field greens, plus rainbow swiss chard, baby zucchini, and bok choy - both grown (right) and baby.  Lo Mein tonight!

Through the Looking Glass

I am not kvetching.

I am 53 years old.  I take medication to treat hypertension and high cholesterol. I am not overweight, but I have a beer gut. I have arthritis in my hands. I have hyperopia - farsightedness.

If I were 30 years older, 4 inches taller, and 50 pounds heavier I would be my father. In fact, other than the male pattern baldness, I inherited everything I am from him. He is also the Optometrist who prescribed my first pair of reading glasses in 1980.

They were +1.00 then, and they still are in use by my wife. As for me, I am up to +2.50. At some point, as my vision deteriorated, my Dad (who at 83 is still doing the Optometrist gig full time) told me to skip him and just get them at a dollar store.  My Culinary Comrade Fred said the same thing. It's a good thing - I go through glasses at a rapid pace. The temples pop off when I take them off - I have pairs with the temple glued in place like a permanent erection. I had one pair that just perched on my nose like Dorothy Malone in The Big Sleep.

The gift of 8 pairs (including two tinted pairs for reading outdoors) is worth noting.  I don't only need the for reading, I need them to eat (I like to see what I am eating) and I need them to cook (I really like the tips of my fingers).  I have both stir and deep-fried them.  I have had them fall off my face and stepped on them. Now I have a bunch more at various places around the house for any necessity.

I still won't find them when I need them :)

Thanks Georg and Ted!

CSA Report

Meet Steve and Erin, the couple (they are getting married this fall) who operate Root Down Farm a new CSA we are shareholders in. I met them face to face for the first time today and I think we made the right choice. They are friendly and energetic, committed to their product, and skipping the organic label.

The latter is what made me take the gamble with them.  Everything they do would qualify, but I'd rather they plow their money back into the ground than pay a 3rd party to put a Seal of Approval on their stuff.

We were late getting started.  Considering the wet Spring (no Spring?) we had, I wouldn't have been surprised if the start had been delayed even more. But it started today.

Today's haul was 3 types of lettuce (Romaine, Butterhead and Red Leaf.  An over-stuffed bag of  field greens (I passed on the purslane - doing quite well wild in my own garden space).  Some young turnips and radishes.  Yes, salad. But more.

The greens from the turnips and radishes, will be nice sauteed with my pancetta, some garlic and good olive oil.  I think some of the lettuces and roots are destined to be quick kimchee.  I might even share it with Steve and Erin.

I will keep you apprised!

It all tastes great, by the way.