August 2015 archive

Be Careful What You Ask For…

You just might get it. This is one of my favorite proverbs by way of one of my favorite movies, The Big Chill. It has been a record dry summer here in the Northwest, and a record summer for wildfires. However, it was pouring when I woke up today. The five-day forecast calls for more …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/08/29/be-careful-what-you-ask-for/

Swimming as a Social Activity

At first glance, swimming is the ultimate introvert exercise. It’s just you, the water, and the clock (or your waterproof digital activity monitor). For most of us, swimming means sharing a lane in a public pool with other people and showering in a shared locker room. This is where the socializing comes in. When I …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/08/29/swimming-as-a-social-activity/

Figgy Goodness!

We managed to score some fresh figs at a reasonable price last week. This is no mean feat. Fresh figs are quite perishable. This is why they’re usually $6 per pint box in Seattle, whereas you can rarely find them in the Northeast or Midwest. Other than devouring them at one sitting, what can you …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/08/22/figgy-goodness/

More Words to Live by

Life is too short to eat bland food. I didn’t come to this conclusion early in life. My upbringing was strictly meat and potatoes. It was only when I moved to Dallas and got exposed to Mexican and spicy Asian cuisines that my palate was piqued by peppers. Luckily, Julian is also fond of spicy …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/08/16/more-words-to-live-by/

Today’s Harvest

My padron pepper plant is working overtime. This is what I picked off it today. These are destined to be pan-roasted as a tapa tonight. Padron peppers are a Spanish variety. They are sweet, although random ones will pack a little heat. I bought the plant at the Spanish Table at Pike Place Market in …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/08/09/todays-harvest/

It’s a Miracle!

I’m not sure what I did right, but this is the formerly green tomato from last week: I’ve already harvested about 10 cherry tomatoes off the other plant. Moving the plants may have helped. It also cooled down a little from last weekend. (According to the Burpee website, tomatoes don’t like really hot temperatures.)

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/08/08/its-a-miracle/

The Votes Are In…

And there was a whole lot of crack-smoking by those ten candidates in Cleveland, based on their answers. My second hypothesis was correct: The average score for each candidate was closer to 4 on my scale. Nobody had a 1 in his column, and only two candidates uttered anything that merited a 2. Only one …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/08/06/the-votes-are-in/

The Debate Dance Card

Friends, the die is cast for tomorrow night. Thanks to being on the West Coast, I’ll be at work when the also-ran forum is broadcast. However, I’ll be home for the main event. Here’s my dance card:On the X axis I put the 10 candidates in order of their poll numbers. On the Y axis …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/08/05/the-debate-dance-card/

Okra on the Menu

Okra gets a bad rap. It’s usually cooked beyond dead, and the result is a mucilaginous mess. When I lived in Texas and North Carolina, I developed a taste for okra in its many forms: Fried, pickled, in gumbos, and stir-fried. The latter is what I did for dinner tonight, as a Cajun dish called …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/08/02/okra-on-the-menu/

Yakima Apricots

Not only does the Yakima area grow good peaches, its apricots are awesome. Alas, the season is coming to an end. I bought a bunch of them today at the fruit stand for our regular potluck with friends. I poached them in sweet white wine, and received rave reviews. This is what I did: Open …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/08/01/yakima-apricots/

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