Man on man is the garden booming!
I might actually be sick of cucumbers. Note to self: Plant less cucumbers next year.
Second note to self: more beans, we didn’t get enough beans this year. In previous years we had too many, this year too few. Finding balance is hard sometimes….
The garden is coming right along producing an abundance of turnips, beans, greens, and cucumbers. The tomatoes are just starting and we got our first eggplant. We are making our way into the height of the season, which is my favorite time of year. There isn’t a single trip out to the garden that doesn’t include an armful of produce.
I might actually be getting sick of cucumbers, but they are still coming so I’ve started to make pickles, lots and lots of pickles.
The cabbages are getting nice and fat. Sauerkraut is on the way!
A foggy picture of the tomatoes (my camera hasn’t liked the humidity we’ve had lately). A few orange ones are getting ready for harvest. As we move toward September I’m looking at planting some quick growing fall plants and reaping the benefits of what’s already planted.
How are your gardens doing?
While I don’t personally use Field Goods, (I have more veggies than I can handle from my garden most times) I often recommend it to people, and have known numerous people who have used it and love it. I was so happy to see Donna Williams standing up for companies like hers and for farmers. I will never understand the media, government, and Big Corporations issues with honest grown food, it seems they always have something negative to say.
I watched Cowspiracy recently (also available on netflix) and woah. Everyone should watch this.
And on that note check out the statistic below and read more here.
After all this time we find out that there is no scientific evidence to back flossing. Numerous studies of ancient bones, and indigenous hunter/gatherers who do not brush or floss have shown some pretty awesome teeth, so I’m not entirely surprised. I’m starting to think everything is tied to diet.
The first jumping off point in this article gives the idea that “food Media” is not important. Because diet, family connection, and sustainability aren’t important (just see above). Food is probably one of the most important things in any culture, just saying. Way to erk my tatters folks.
Another reason to love Patagonia.
And for the food.
Chips or veggies with dip is quite possibly the easiest appetizer possible and it is always a crowd pleaser. Who doesn’t like a simple serve yourself finger food? I mean really?…
A roux is a lovely thing. I’ve defined it before as a combination of fat (typically butter) and flour cooked over low heat used to thicken soups and sauces. While this description is accurate it does not give the roux the acclamation that it truly deserves, in my opinion.
Made with only a handful of ingredients a roux is something that not only thickens a dish but is something that brings the base flavor of the dish to the forefront. It is the jumping off place from which the rest of the dish will start. This makes the simple roux an integral part of numerous dishes.
The recipe for a basic roux is simple, it begins with some type of fat, often butter or in the case of gravy drippings from cooked meat. Many times a roux is made in conjunction with sauted vegetables such as in a mushroom gravy, or a soup. Over medium high heat the fat is melted and flour whisked in. It’s important to completely blend the flour into the fat so that a smooth paste forms, if it is not blended completely the sauce, gravy or soup will become lumpy. Allow the roux to cook for a minute or two to cook down the flour a bit. This step is also important because not allowing the flour to cook will cause the sauce to become paste like instead of smooth. However be sure to not overcook it, because that can change the flavor or burn.
To show how a roux can be used I decided to include one of my favorite macaroni and cheese recipes. I am a huge fan of macaroni and cheese in all its fashions but this one is an easy go to that I make all the time. It’s also a great kid pleaser if your wondering.
