Most Commented Food Blogs (315)

I often wonder if we change as we age, or we just find our true core values and follow those instead of trying to please others? I was brought up as an urbanite with the focus being on how much stuff you had determined how successful you were.

Somewhere along life's paths, I've either developed a penchant for living in farming communities, or it's always been there and I'm just following my natural tendencies. I'm not sure which it is, but I love living in an agricultural area (well, maybe not the smell of freshly spread manure, but everything has it's ups and downs).

The wet, cold June we had morphed into a hot, sweltering July and between the two, the fruit, berries, and nut trees flourished. The abundance of apples on the trees has branches breaking from the weight of it's fruit. All the fruit seemed to be ready at the same time, and one simply could not eat as much as was available.

The only thing I've noticed lately is that there are numerous houses and areas of apple, pear, and nut trees, laden with their harvest, dropping their fruit on the ground to rot. I just don't understand that. If you can't, or don't want to pick your fruit, why not ask if someone would like to come and pick it? We have a fb page for our community that you can mention something like that and whoever answers first would be the one you'd give your contact info to, so you're not inundated with people.

Along the trails in the US I noted the same thing, apple trees sagging under the weight of the fruit - and the fruit just going to waste. I noted one house in the community next to me has bags of pears and apples they sell out front of their house. Sure, they had to pick it, but at least it's not going to waste. In fact, I'm going to drive by there today and pick some up.

I think the most unfortunate part is that there are people that would willingly pick the fruit to can or whatever they do with it, to help feed their family in the winter. Many of these same people will give the owner of the tree some of what they've made as a thank you. Seems like a heck of a deal to me, so I wonder what kind of circumstances people have that they don't utilize the harvest nature provides for them?

It's just an observation, as I grew up with fruit trees in our back yard, and picking and canning the fruit (along with eating it fresh), was all part and parcel of owning these trees. It helped feed us over the winter, especially when money was tight.

I might be tempted to just go and pick some of the fruit I see going to waste, but not before checking with the homeowner. Unless it's on a boulevard - then permission isn't necessary.

Waste not - want not.

I use a fair amount of pure virgin olive oil in salads and for cooking. Usually purchased in small bottles, organic whenever there is a sale. A few weeks ago while shopping at the local farmers market I saw 3 liter cans of olive oil on sale. I would pass this at the normal price and the special sale caught my attention. But... who needs 3 liters?

I held on to one empty bottle waiting for this and last night I finished off another small bottle. It was time and I decided to open the 3 liter can.
Unable to find a funnel, I poured from the can into an 8 ounce plastic cup.

Glug, glug, glug... I had to squeeze the can and back off as it wasn't pouring smoothly. The spout was small and the oil too thick for air to come into the can while the oil came out. It reminded me of motor oil... heavy viscosity and if you pour too fast it splatters.

I pinched the end of the plastic cup into a V-shape and started pouring into one of the small bottles. Going as slow as possible it's was similar to coming out of the can. Too much oil flow and it clogged the opening and spilled over the top of the bottle!

What a stinking mess I had made. 20 paper towels later and filling the cup several times, I was able to refill both small bottles, wipe up and move on to other things.

Rethinking for the next episode. this could easily be enough oil to last me for 2 years...
The next time I do this I'll be better prepared with a funnel or turkey baster or something more efficient in transferring from a can to a small bottle.

Last year, I blogged about a $10 toaster I bought and put it in the powder room (where the toilet was wrapped in plastic and not being used) only because there was a vent fan in the ceiling. The new appliance emitted a plastic smell that needed to be used a few times for the smell to go away. The kitchen is tiny and I don't often make toast so, months later, it's there next to the Waterpik.
A few days ago, I wanted to toast some sliced Italian bread. The bread was much wider than sandwich bread so I have to switch the slices to get both ends toasted. It's an acquired skill not to burn your fingers flipping the bread. The setting is 'just right' so I don't need to make any adjustments and actually get evenly toasted bread.
I started the toaster and my phone rang. It was a contractor with questions about a recent order that required 2 minutes for me to open a drawing to answer his question. The fan was on so I didn't smell anything, but when I hung up and when back to check, the room was filled with smoke and first part was severely burned.
What was strange is hidden in the ceiling, the vent pipe is connected to the other bathroom with a "T" fitting so both exhaust to the roof in the shared pipe. Somehow the smoke was filling the other bathroom too!
They are on either side of a hallway where I have a smoke alarm. I closed both bathroom doors and turned on the window fan. Thankfully the alarm didn't go off panicking my neighbors.
The bread was so charred there wasn't anything worth salvaging and I had to toast two more slices. The bathroom wreaked of burned (burnt if you're across the pond) for a few days and now all is well.


Speaking of toast. I see Donald Trump Jr. appeared in court for a second time. He and his father's attorneys were unable to explain how a Trump building listed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and architectural plans as 63 floors is advertised as 72 floors.

A few news services mentioned 'Trump is toast' and that they may want to consider getting new lawyers, as his team seems to continually blow up his defenses in his various legal disputes.

Hold on to your seats kiddies... because MANGO SEASON is just around the bend.
Grocery shopping today and mangoes from Central America around $1 each.
I found a different variety from Mexico that's $2 each.

My tree bears over 300 per season... so many I have to give most of them away!

The photo is what's coming up this season from my place.

1. Buy bagged coleslaw mix. 2. Leave unopened bag at room temp 4-7 days. 3. Open the bag.
That last step is crucial... DO NOT EAT THE BAG!

I discovered this by accident ... neglected to refrigerate a bag of coleslaw mix and realized my neglect about 4 days later.

The contents had Noticeably changed and I was about to toss it.

My son makes kraut and describes the process as achieving desired fermentation and avoiding a moldy mess.

I noticed that my bag of coleslaw mix was NOT Moldy.
Before tossing it, I gave it a cautious taste and ... EUREKA!! Sauerkraut!!

Main benefit of making one's own kraut ... MONEY.
Store bought probiotic kraut costs 2-3× bagged cabbage.

I was at work today, and me and a co worker were in a disagreement about whether a meal at 5pm is called dinner or supper. I say dinner, and he refers to it as supper. I know a lot of country folk use the word supper, but us city slickers refer to it as dinner.

Most of my meals are cooked with thin slices of ginger. I'm okay with powdered ginger, but my wife insists on cooking with fresh ginger and that's much healthier.

Pan fried meats cooked with a minimum of olive oil make the ginger take on a terrific flavor... especially when cooked with salmon.

I cannot say if it's from an age-old traditional Chinese recipe, but I do look forward to fried ginger at dinner!

Note, that's fried ginger, not to be confused with Fred and Ginger...

What foods do you mix together that you love but other people think it's terrible? For me it's chicken and chocolate pudding. It happened about a month ago when I was eating a TV dinner and my piece of chicken fell off my fork into the pudding dessert. I said oh well and ate it. It was great!

Is it possible for us to survive with no food and water? Doctors are trying to determine that as they are baffled by an Indian man who claims not to have eaten or drank anything for the last 70 years. What is even more shocking? He is in perfect health.

Prahlad Jani is a local to the Indian city of Ahmedabad and is claiming he has not consumed any food or liquids since he was 8-years old. He also claims to have been blessed at the age of 8 by a goddess. This allows him to survive without sustenance except for that which he derives from the practice of meditation.

From April 22nd until May 6th 2010 in the private hospital Sterling Hospital, Prahlad Jani was observed and tested by Sudhir Shah and a team of 35 researchers all from the Indian Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) and other organizations.

The large team studied Jani daily using clinical examinations, blood tests, and scans. 24 hour CCTV surveillance was used to ensure the maximum observation of Jani’s actions during the testing period. According to researchers, the only time Jani was taken out of his sealed room was for tests and exposure to sun. During these times, continuous video recording was done to ensure authenticity of results. Jani only had contact with any form of liquid when he had an occasional bathing session, which first took place on day 5, and when he would gargle some water. It is important to note that his toilet was sealed to test his claims that he did not urinate or defecate.

After the fifteen days of intensive observation during which Jani did not eat, drink or go to the toilet, all medical test results came back as normal and doctors described his health as being better than someone half his age. Interestingly, doctors reported that although the amount of liquid in Jani’s bladder fluctuated and that Jani appeared “able to generate urine in his bladder”, he did not pass any urine. The reported levels of Jani’ leptin and ghrelin, two appetite-related hormones, suggested that Jani may be demonstrating an extreme form of adaptation to starvation and water restriction.

Even after the 15 day examination, DIPAS is still interested in running tests on Jani to determine how metabolic waste material is eliminated from his body, where he gets his energy for sustenance, and how he maintains his hydration status.

The director of DIPAS believes that the results of Jani’s observations could “tremendously benefit mankind.” Professor Anil Gupta of SRISTI, involved in monitoring the tests, described the team as being “intrigued” by Jani’s kriyas apparently allowing him to control his body’s physiological functions.

Most people can live without food for several weeks, with the body drawing on its fat and protein stores. But the average human can survive for only three to four days without water. How is Jani able to achieve what he is achieving? Some believe that his access to bathing allowed him to store liquid in the body. Since the observation did not go on for longer than 15 days, some believe he might have eaten or drank after.

But Jani is not the first person to be tested with such claims. HRM, another Indian man, was tested for 411 days intensively after he claimed that he did not eat any food. While HRM did consume boiled water, during his 411 day observation it was confirmed that he did not eat during the period and yet his health was perfect.

It's evening... Time for a spicy crispy mouth watering evening snack !!!
I am missing Fuchka soooooo much !!