Menu of the week

I've started something a little new this week, well at least I think I have (we'll see how it goes)and that's helping promote the local farmer's market I participate in. I'm planning to come up with a market menu of the week, along with how much to buy tips and a recipe of the week. I'm devoting a new page to this and will update it every Friday with my ideas...so I've been a little preoccupied this week. However, I've not been so busy that I can't fill the Alpaca Pool with fresh water every day!

June's Garden

Today I've been digging and planting the June garden. This year I'm staggering my plantings a little bit more in the hopes of a longer harvest! I just planted the last eggplant ( I kid you not , the last one I'm planting this year and the last one at the garden center!) another Bonnies Best Tomato, and 3 more pots full of cucumber, squash and zucchini seeds! So far everything I planted in May is doing great and we've had eggplant, tomatoes and hopefully squash this week, the garlic and potatoes have been harvested (I have a large basketful of those blue potatoes) and will soon be braiding the garlic.

The alpacas are dealing with the heat as they have primitive air conditioning - a frozen container in front of a fan and a new kiddies pool - They don't know quite what to think of the pool yet but Henri feels it is his and stands with his 2 front feet in it to cool off.

Jake is the proud rooster father of one adorable chick we've named Crumpet ( we only let one egg incubate-)

And the rabbits are in my air conditioned studio growing long luxurious fiber for me to spin.

Me? I'm about as hot as the jalapeno in the photo after working on the deck garden...

Tonight it's Baked Japanese Eggplant with Herbs, fresh baked bread, tomato mozzarella salad and a glass of wine.

Baked Japanese eggplants w/ herbs ( adapted from The Cuisine of California by D. Rossen Worthington)

4 Japanese eggplants halved

1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 red onion chopped, 2 large cloves garlic minced, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil,1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper.

preheat oven to 350.

Place eggplants in greased roasting pan and prick top so herbs penetrate.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix to a smooth paste, spread on eggplants

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.

Picky, picky picky....

.......yesterday I went to the weekly afternoon farmers market with a friend ( this is not the one I participate in , but the one I've gone to for the past 10 years or so ) I usually just walk around and visit the vendors and run into people I know while my friend does a little shopping~ although I must confess there is a lady there that has great plants so on occasion I bring some of these home ~ back to the story, as we were standing in line for fresh tomatoes I couldn't help but begin to smile, it seemed as if everyone was picking up the tomatoes ( and all the other vegetables for that matter ) and inspecting them and then getting the perfect one meant for them....and I just thought to myself when you grow your own you are proud as a peacock of whatever comes off your plants or vines..heaven forbid it should ever be misshapen but if one is you just say to yourself look what this plant did!(and everyone else) and will rarely cast something you have grown to the side ( no matter what it looks like ) unless it truly is bad...picky, picky, picky....I'll let you know what happens to this tomato.

Process Matters

To quote the folks at Cooks Illustrated "Over the years at Cooks Illustrated we have found that process matters, that when compared side by side, one method is actually better than another...." and Friday I realized just how true this is. I had a busy morning as it was the day to take the meat birds to Roberto for processing. A friend told me about him, he processes chickens cheaper than the areas small operations USDA place, so off I went. I arrived with my 8 birds and found Roberto. The small facility he processes in was very clean and there was no odor, so I felt comfortable leaving my birds. Now I was prepared to return in a couple of hours with cooler and ice but Roberto said he'd be done in 1/2 hour so I quickly went to the store to get my ice! It wasn't until I got home and was rinsing and preparing the poultry for the freezer that I realized just how valuable Roberto is! He takes care of each bird individually even hand plucking them. This means my birds are tender and unbruised as they haven't been beaten by a commercial plucker. Their skin is soft and undamaged, and I understood why in part our Turkey last Thanksgiving was so deliciously tender...Roberto had been a a part of the process...

We had grilled chicken on Friday night and it was absolutely delicious so naturally I'm already looking forward to this years turkey ( Blue Slate Heritage breed raised by one of my friends) and I'm thankful Roberto will be part of the process...