end of the kitchen series...

when i embarked on my kitchen series at the beginning of the month...the only thing i knew for certain is that all of my photos would be taken in the kitchen.

i never imagined some of the kitchen gadgets i would discover...and i certainly didn't know i shoot a series of photos of milk being poured onto fruit.

i've contemplated the popcorn photo a few times this month...but always ended up posting something else instead.

so...for the final photo of the series...i decided to make a batch of popcorn this morning before going into the office...so that i could get my popcorn photo.

i hope you've enjoyed the series.

yolo basin...

The 16,000-acre Yolo Wildlife Area is one of the largest public/private restoration projects with 3,700-acres of land in the Yolo Bypass floodway restored to wetlands and other associated habitats, with more restoration in the works.

The California Department of Fish and Game manages the Yolo Wildlife Area to promote an increase in waterfowl and other bird populations.

peaches n cream...

i don't really 'do' milk. i put only enough milk in my cereal to dampen it. so the idea that someone (my father) would pour milk over a bowl of perfectly good peaches...escapes me.

but...as you see in the photos...that is exactly what he did.

i came downstairs this morning & saw the sliced fruit in the bowl. i told him i was going to get my camera to photograph it. he watched me take a few photos...all the while shaking his head and commenting how "i'll photograph anything".

he then stated that "he was ready to eat"...and removed the milk from the refrigerator.

as he poured...i continued to snap.

peachy...

spigot...

attached to a large pot (for our seafood boils) that my parents purchased after one of our summer trips to georgia.

when i visit georgia in the summer...a low country boil is on the menu. when my uncle's brother (mike) sees me...he knows that i'm a willing participant.

when i was there in february for my uncle's funeral...we didn't have the usual seafood boil party...but mike did bring a few dozen crab over to the house...and a shrimp plate that also had rutabagas on it (which i really didn't think i liked)...but were so good...one of my cousins and i (the same one with me on the pecan trip) were driving from one seafood place to the other...asking if they cooked rutabagas in with their shrimp. of course...when we finally found the right place...they were out. :(

***

Seafood boil is the generic term for any number of different kinds of social events in which shellfish is the central element. Regional variations dictate the kinds of seafood, the accompaniments and side dishes, and the preparation techniques (boiling, steaming, baking, or raw).

In some cases, a boil may be sponsored by a community organization as a fund-raiser or a mixer. In this way, they are like a fish fry, barbecue, or church potluck supper. But boils are also held by individuals for their friends and family for weekend get-togethers and on the summer holidays of Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. There are also companies that can cater a boil for large and small events.

While boils and bakes are traditionally associated with coastal regions of the United States, there are notable exceptions. For example, the Fiesta Oyster Bake ^[1] (San Antonio) began in 1916 as an alumni fund raiser for St. Mary's University^[2]. It is now attended by over 70,000 people during its two day run and is a major music and cultural event in the city.

the nutcracker...

when i was looking around my parents' kitchen for today's photo project...i spotted a bowl of pecans and the nutcrackers. the silver one in the background reminds me of the type we had when i was growing up. i don't know when they acquired the fancy-looking one on the right...as i'd never seen it before. my parents have acquired some pretty neat gadgets...and i must explore more often.

***

i love pecans! i prefer them to look like the ones in the photo...instead of the pretty shiny ones in the stores during the holidays.

when i was growing up...my grandfather would send us a box of them every october. he would go into his backyard...and gather them to ship to us. my brother and i always looked forward to receiving it.

when i was in georgia earlier this year...and i was out with one of my cousins...i purchased a bag of pecans and brought them back to california with me.

when i see them...in a bowl on my desk...nutcracker resting next to it...it takes me back to that time...long ago.

hot....

today i went home for a few hours to take care of some things around my house...and to check on my garden. yes...we have sprinklers...but i like to go out in the yard with the hose and water everything by hand in the evenings.

i picked quite a few herbs & the peppers pictured above.

***
speaking of hot...when i walked into the house...i discovered a puddle of water on the kitchen floor. in my haste to leave on friday...i was putting some food into the freezer so that it wouldn't spoil...and the freezer did not close fully. :(

so...mrchazman is cleaning the floor...and i'm pulling items out of the freezer. melted ice cream. thawed veggies. popsicles.

i'm grateful that the inside freezer mainly holds ice cream...bread...and leftovers.

apple corer...

when my daughter was little...i would slice apples for her...and then peel and core them. well...this gadget makes easy work of two of those tasks.

when she comes home to visit...sometimes i will still slice fruit for her. only now...there will also be cheese and crackers on the tray...and a bottle of wine to go with it.

ricer...

i discovered this in one of the cabinets when i was looking around my parent's kitchen to see what i wanted to photograph for today. it's a gadget i didn't know she had...as i'd never seen it before.

with the advent of the frozen or refrigerated mashed potatoes...i don't think i'll be needing one of these.

hmmmmm...i wonder if it will process a whole bulb of garlic. i'll let you know!

the pantry...

a pantry is a room where food, provisions or dishes are stored and served in an ancillary capacity to the kitchen. the derivation of the word is from the same source as the Old French term paneterie; that is from pain, the French form of the Latin pan for bread. *wikipedia

one of the things i like in my parent's kitchen is their pantry door. this morning when i was walking around their kitchen...contemplating today's photo...as soon as i saw the door...i knew what it would be.

homegrown...

from my father's topsy turvy plant.

random acts...

i took these preserved lemons into co-workers today...along with a recipe for moroccan chicken.

so that they would know how to use the lemons...i printed out this photo & the linked recipe for moroccan chicken...and glued the recipe onto the back of the photo.

they loved them.

no short straws...

Drawing straws is a selection method used by a group to choose one person to do a task when no one has volunteered for it. The same practice could also be used to choose one of several volunteers should an agreement not be reached.

The group leader takes a number of straws or similar long cylindrical objects, and makes sure one of them is physically shorter than the rest. He then grabs all the straws in his fist such that all of them appear to be of the same length.

The leader then offers the clenched fist to the group. Each member of the group draws a straw from the fist. At the end of the offering, the person with the shortest straw is the one who must do the task.

This practice is immortalized in the cliché "drawing the short straw," meaning to be randomly, unluckily, or unfairly selected to perform a task or suffer some penalty.

*definition from wikipedia.

with room...

my fave cookie...

who makes peanut butter cookies right after starting on ww?

i do! i do!

crazy right?

well...they are my favorite kind of cookie...but...i'd much prefer a potato chip.

yes...i will take a cookie in my lunch tomorrow...but tonight...i'm eating one of my other fave snacks...popcorn.

dirty ~ clean...

since we run the dishwasher at night...while we're sleeping...it doesn't stay on clean for long. in the morning...it gets emptied...and we start putting the dirty dishes in there again.

***

speaking of dirty...

when i interviewed for my current position...one of the people that interviewed me (there were nine in all) said...we already know you're qualified...we're just trying to see if we can all get along. so...tell me a joke.

i said...ok...but it's a dirty joke.

his eyebrows raised.

i said...two white horses fell in the mud.

he chuckled.

i said...yeah...it's lame...but...you laughed....and...isn't that the point of a joke. i mean...i know you're laughing at me...but hey...you laughed.

***

his name is joe...and he was our IT tech. he also told me to keep my hands off the server, etc., but...he soon learned that i was a geek at heart...and knew what i was doing...and he could either give me the access & let me handle it...or get over to the office and solve the problem.

watermelon mint ice...

a fabulous foods' recipe inspired my watermelon mint ice.

1/2 small watermelon
2 tbsp simple syrup
pinch of salt
juice of 1/2 lemon
mint leaves



place all ingredients into blender. blend until smooth. pour into a bowl & chill for one hour.



pour into ice cream freezer. process.



serve.

burger lunch...

ground beef
onion
cilantro
chili pepper
bbq sauce
spicy mustard
salt
pepper

mixed together. formed into four patties. cooked on my george forman. served on a toasted orowheat sandwich thin.

no cook thursday...

it's been a long week...the weather's hot & i'm not cooking.



kinda reminds me of this lou rawls song.



i love lou! my parents have the lou rawls live album...and i was able to purchase a cd for $1 on lala a few years ago.

anticipation...

after last night's champagne party...i am ready for my coffee!!!

stewing...

wanting to make something 'different' for dinner...and since it was a fall-like day...i broke out the crock pot.

pot roast. potatoes. onions. mushrooms. red wine. herbs.

taco pockets...

today i wanted something different for dinner...so i made tacos.

and to really keep it different...instead of taco shells or tortillas...i used pita pockets. tomorrow i'll turn the leftovers into a taco salad for my lunch.

magnetic...

i'm a collector.

i collect magnets. spoons. shot glasses.



between those three collections...every place i've ever lived or visited is represented.

pizza salad...

salad ~ lettuce. cherry tomatoes. green onions. black olives. mozarella cheese. pepperoni. black pepper salame. red bell pepper. parmesean cheese.

homemade vinaigrette ~ olive oil. blackberry vinegar. lemon juice. garlic. oregano. salt.

served w/garlic herb breadsticks.

tea time...

i saw a photo of a pitcher of iced tea in a magazine...and thought it looked very refreshing, and wanted to recreate it.

the pitcher was very tall and there were ice cubes and mint leaves in the tea. and that's the only thing my tea has in common with the one in the magazine.

i have plenty of mint in the backyard...and many different types of tea in the cupboard...so...i'll try again another day.

today...i present...my flowerpot cup of tea.

cheers!

dehydrating blueberries...

yesterday i was at trader joe's...and saw & wanted the dried blueberries. i started to get them...and then realized...i could make my own... so...that is exactly what i'm doing.

i eat them...as well as add them to pancakes & salads.

when my tomatoes start going crazy...i'll dehydrate some of them also...for my own version of sun-dried tomatoes.

gadgetry...

i love kitchen gadgets! i have a drawer full of them. ok...more than one!

i also have them on the counters, and in the cupboards.

and not just the usual blenders & mixers & food processors.

i've got a mortar & pestal. a countertop wine opener. and tons of other things that people have bought for me...or i've gotten for myself because i thought it was 'cute'.

the cuteness factor carries a lot of weight in my kitchen. cute & functional...i'm buying it!

***

i also love techie gadgets...and a former co-worker calls me inspector gadget.

sea salt...

i picked up this cute marble salt box at tyler florence's store in mill valley. it holds kosher salt on one side, and sea salt on the other.

adding my salt to recipes from the salt box vs. the original packaging or a salt shaker...adds to my chefiness.

*i know...i got issues!

chop chop...

since i hadn't planned on us being home tonight...i didn't take anything out for today's dinner. my mother's surgery was post-poned because her doctor has the flu...so...here we are. what to make? what to make? pasta!





i picked one 8-ball zucchini and a few peppers from the garden...added some garlic, onions & panchetta. lightly saute & add to pasta w/homemade pesto to taste. finely diced preserved lemons & pecans to garnish.

dinner!

fresh...

peas...



peaches...



radishes...



blackberries...



strawberries...



blueberries...

inspired by...

a radish!

crazy...but true! i bought some french radishes at the farmer's market today...with a salad in mind...but i had no idea just how far i would take it!

it was delish!!!

new month ~ new project...

this month...my photos will be of things in the kitchen.

gadgets.

people.

food.