Note from a Friend

Hi Tammy:  

I am on vacation and want you to know there are people

tearing up lawns to grow food up here!  

Love your blog,

Jill

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Laughter

“I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.” The quote from Woody Allen describes the condition that triggers the release of endorphins, our natural feel-good chemicals that promote a sense of well-being and have also been shown to relieve pain. It also triggers the release of milk from one’s nostrils but never mind.

flickr.cc.2.0/photos/chrishuggins

Paletas

One of the greatest benefits of eating seasonally is that foods begin to speak of the seasons themselves. I only need to hear the words rhubarb crisp or see a photo and I’m instantly cast into mid-July. Peaches, berries, and sweet corn do something similar to me. But here in the desert where it’s so brutally hot, it’s hard to contemplate a dish that will require us firing up the oven. Conversely, there’s nothing so welcome as a cool refreshment.

Paletas de Pepino - okay the sticks are a little off-center!

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The Way to a Man’s Heart

My friend confided in me that her husband will never leave her for another woman. Rather, she might lose him to a good Osso Bucco. I’m certain that you’ve heard the old adage, that the stomach is the pathway to a man’s heart but over the last few years there is growing evidence that the true path to the heart is through one’s teeth.

Showing the Pearly Whites

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Tumbling the Pyramid

I actually expected to see it happen last year. With Michelle Obama’s focus on childhood obesity, I knew it we were in for a revision. Online the USDA claimed a planned update in 2010. Then I got word from a wonderful blog, The Table of Promise, the new American eating plan had been unveiled.

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Waste Not, Want Not

The elaborate meaning is that if we don’t waste anything, then we won’t want anything. I’m not certain if it’s  true but it’s definitely a saying that was common in my home as a child. It came from my depression era grandmother who in her farm upbringing learned to use more parts of a chicken that I wish to acknowledge. And we know this is true of other cultures such as the Chinese and the Native Americans.

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Salt of the Earth

Salt is the new black. But then black salt might refer to sea salt that is mixed with activated charcoal or to Kala Namak, the deep purple salt from India with an odor telling of its sulfur content. Whether it’s pink salt from the Himalayas or matcha green tea salt, recently I’ve seen a number of recipes that call for a specific salt pedigree.

Peruvian Salt in the Sacred Valley Ogwen.flickr.cc.2.0

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Yes, No or Not Right Now

The interaction was nearly silent. My son was hunched over the carrying case to his laptop. I could see his hand plunging deeply in each pocket. With mother’s intuition I knew instantly that he was searching for the mouse. He grimaced and the pace picked up. He was frantically moving his fingers from corner to corner of his bag. Silently and without notice I thought, “please let him find his mouse.”

If You Teach a Boy to Fish

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Getting Back on the Turnip Truck

I have no idea where the phrase, “didn’t just fall off the turnip turnip truck” originates. In fact, if you talk with my 93 year old grandmother, she’ll tell you that the milk truck was actually more hazardous. Evan Morris believes it is an example of a catch phrase based upon urban-rural rivalry.

3 lb Turnip in my CSA (egg for scale)

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Say Cheese!

Yellow, blue, green, stinky, and with holes – while that might sound like a description of my teenager’s sock drawer, it’s much better suited to one of my greatest food weaknesses – cheese. I can honestly say that I’ve not encountered a variety that I don’t love. Eaten alone, on crackers or with fruit, cheese is something that always satisfies.

flickr.com/cc2.0/photos/ladymissmarquis

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