Have I mentioned how much I enjoy my work community? I enjoy my job itself, but it's really the environment that makes it that much better. It began in the winter three years ago when a coworker and I decided to start a ladies' soup group. It has grown since thing to include the occasional man or student and is rarely soup. The four women who teach in the department (coincidentally only on MWF) take turns on MWF to cook for the others. When the fare is vegetarian we extend the offer to our chair of the department. How can that hurt? The cooking is fantastic. We get to try new things and share favorite recipes. We get to bring foods that our own families are tired of or never really liked in the first place.
There's something wonderful about joining together with coworkers over a home cooked meal in the middle of the day that makes you feel like a part of another family. For that, I am very blessed.
For the most part we try very hard to keep shop talk away from the table. So the conversations take many turns. Often we talk about food. Today was no exception as the topics of buying locally grown beef and vegetables came up. I think I made a deal to swap some ground beef with one of the other ladies, her's is too lean for her taste and mine too fatty.
We talked about canning. Last summer my man bought me a bushel of tomatoes locally grown (and beautiful) for ten dollars a bushel. I said "I couldn't grow them for that." And I heard my dad saying those exact words.
It might be winter of 2011, and it might be very cold outside. And we might just see that huge snowstorm they keep promising. But inside is the memory of summer and warm days ahead. And tomatoes. Big beautiful juicy tomatoes. On toast with a little mayo. Someday soon.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Where did January go?
December came and went. It was a great month. Holiday parties and gatherings. We hosted our first (hope to be annual) cookie exchange party. Our friend Clare made the most amazing cherry macaroon cookies that I desperately want to make myself but considering the damage the first batch did to my waist line, I've held off. I'm not sure how much longer I can wait.
But that is not to say that the oven has not been put to good use. For the cookie swap I had Clare bake up some peppermint chocolate biscotti from a recipe in a magazine. They were so tasty I made a second batch a few weeks later. You see the recipe calls for crushed up peppermint candies. And what better way to use up all of those boxes of candy canes you can find for pennies at the stores these days.
And then came the bread. My man is a lover of bread. He's made so much bread in the last two months that I can't possibly really blame the cookies for the spike in the waistline.
So for a nice gift a few weeks ago I ordered him a book that promised artisan breads in only five minutes a day. It is fantastic and so easy. And now the breadline is expanding (like my waistline.) I think he plans on working through every recipe in the book. Where he'd get an idea like that is just beyond me.
Okay, it's not so inconceivable considering I've been going on about my favorite book for months. You see, back in October I ordered a book on canning. As I drooled over each page I realized it had to make it on my thirty in my thirties list to make the entire book.
I've made some good progress and post pictures to facebook every time. And after much encouragement, I've come back to my blog to share with you some of my culinary canning concoctions.
I do hope that you will enjoy reading, looking at, and possibly drooling over them as much as I enjoy making them.
This week has seen some spicy carrot pickles, cumin and paprika turnip pickles, and grapefruit marmalade. Stay tuned for more details and photos (and taste testing results!)
But that is not to say that the oven has not been put to good use. For the cookie swap I had Clare bake up some peppermint chocolate biscotti from a recipe in a magazine. They were so tasty I made a second batch a few weeks later. You see the recipe calls for crushed up peppermint candies. And what better way to use up all of those boxes of candy canes you can find for pennies at the stores these days.
And then came the bread. My man is a lover of bread. He's made so much bread in the last two months that I can't possibly really blame the cookies for the spike in the waistline.
So for a nice gift a few weeks ago I ordered him a book that promised artisan breads in only five minutes a day. It is fantastic and so easy. And now the breadline is expanding (like my waistline.) I think he plans on working through every recipe in the book. Where he'd get an idea like that is just beyond me.
Okay, it's not so inconceivable considering I've been going on about my favorite book for months. You see, back in October I ordered a book on canning. As I drooled over each page I realized it had to make it on my thirty in my thirties list to make the entire book.
I've made some good progress and post pictures to facebook every time. And after much encouragement, I've come back to my blog to share with you some of my culinary canning concoctions.
I do hope that you will enjoy reading, looking at, and possibly drooling over them as much as I enjoy making them.
This week has seen some spicy carrot pickles, cumin and paprika turnip pickles, and grapefruit marmalade. Stay tuned for more details and photos (and taste testing results!)
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