Sunday, August 9, 2020
Sunday, August 2, 2020
LARDO DI COLONNATA : A Tuscan Delicacy
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| Lardo di Colonnata (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Lardo di Colonnata, to give it its full name, is a delicacy produced from pork fat in and around the Tuscan mountain town of Colonnata. Happily, for fans of cured meat, it's not only a frugal way of preserving pork fat over winter - it's delicious too!
It's made in large vats known as conche, fashioned from marble quarried at the nearby 'white mountain' of Cararra, which are first liberally rubbed with garlic. Next, layers of pork fat, salt, and a special mix of herbs and spices are added until the vats are full. The conche are then sealed with a wooden lid and left in cool mountain caves for 6 months or longer to mature in the clean air.
After the maturation time is over, the conche are opened to reveal a silky-smooth, meltingly tender 'meat' which can be eaten in much the same way as Parma Ham or other prosciutto.
While Lardo is often used to keep roasted meats moist by placing a thin layer over the skin, it is also delicious simply sliced thinly and eaten with bread, olives, and a good extra virgin olive oil as part of an antipasto course. It is not at all tough or greasy, and is well worth trying even if the idea of eating pure fat leaves you a little apprehensive!
Despite the long years of making Lardo in the traditional way, most of the examples that you may find in your local deli or store will have been made in a much more industrial setting, mainly as a result of modern hygiene laws taking precedence over customs and heritage. Gone are the marble conche and the mountain air, replaced by stainless steel and air conditioning.
However, visitors to the area around Colonnata may still be lucky and get hold of Lardo made in the old way that has been proven over the centuries - just don't tell the authorities if you do!
Sunday, July 26, 2020
A Garden of Your Own - Making Use of WILD FLOWERS
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| Some beautiful wildflowers (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
A wildflower garden is something you would not dismiss for being just-another-creation of the wild. No. Wildflowers are not your typical leaves-petals-roots-stem creatures; they are things that give glory to even the humblest patches of land.
So there is no reason actually for not wanting to put up a wildflower garden of your own- except of course when you really don’t want to. So here are some of the tips we could give to help you establish your own wildflower garden.
Remember that wildflowers are very tough creatures, they could survive in almost all living conditions- literally, from the harshest to well-nurtured settings. So to be able to maximize the growth and beauty of the species of wildflowers you want to grow in your garden, it is bets to research first on what conditions they could best adapt and the conditions that they would barely sustain with.
The best option really is to know what specific environment a wildflower is normally found. This is to say that you should look for its natural environment, metaphorically its roots. This way, you will no longer have to bother how to perfectly maintain a species. All you need to do is to help it settle in your garden, give some shower of love and watch it bloom into maturity.
Some wildflowers could live year after year while others would only take a while to grow. So if the seeds you spread in the garden don't bloom yet, it doesn’t mean that it would never bloom. Maybe the seeds are just waiting for their own season to come.
As you might remember, wildflowers are well suited to the wild where there is obviously no one to tend for them. This is the main reason why they are very low-cost and needs minimum maintenance. You only have to make the garden very suitable for their survival and voila! - You will readily have a self-supporting garden.
You have to establish them though, especially so when they are not in their native setting. Also, if you want to eliminate the weeds and the grass- though they sometimes make good additions if you really want a garden that features the simplest and most natural setting- you have to strategically work on some preparations. While some wildflowers could live alongside weeds and other vegetations, others would are not well-suited for competition. Thus, it is best o learn which wildflowers should be grown in appropriate distance from weed growths.
An ideal wildflower garden requires a basic mixture of wildflower species and native grasses. There is wisdom in incorporating the natural components of their real settings since these are where wildflowers are most well adapted.
While a wildflower garden is not as visually striking than other more sophisticated choices of species, wildflowers are more diverse which makes them a lot more intriguing and beautiful than the refined beauties.
Sunday, July 19, 2020
Six SALMON RECIPES
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| Salmon intended for consumption as food (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Ingredients:-
6 oz. of salt to each gallon of water, sufficient water to cover the fish.
Mode:-
Scale and clean the fish, and be particular that no blood is left inside; lay it in the fish-kettle with sufficient cold water to cover it, adding salt in the above proportion. Bring it quickly to a boil, take off all the scum, and let it simmer gently till the fish is done, which will be when the meat separates easily from the bone. Experience alone can teach the cook to fix the time for boiling fish; but it is especially to be remembered, that it should never be underdressed, as then nothing is more unwholesome. Neither let it remain in the kettle after it is sufficiently cooked, as that would render it insipid, watery, and colourless. Drain it, and if not wanted for a few minutes, keep it warm by means of warm cloths laid over it. Serve on a hot napkin, garnish with cut lemon and parsley, and send lobster or shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter to table with it. A dish of dressed cucumber usually accompanies this fish.
Time. 8 minutes to each lb. for large thick salmon; 6 minutes for thin fish.
Note. Cut lemon should be put on the table with this fish, and a little of the juice squeezed over it is considered by many persons a most agreeable addition. Boiled peas are also, by some connoisseurs, considered especially adapted to be served with salmon.
Salmon and caper sauce.
Ingredients:-
2 slices of salmon, 1/4 lb. butter, 1/2 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, 1 shallot; salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste.
Mode:-
Lay the salmon in a baking dish, place pieces of butter over it, and add the other ingredients, rubbing a little of the seasoning into the fish; baste it frequently; when done, take it out and drain for a minute or two; lay it in a dish, pour caper sauce over it, and serve. Salmon dressed in this way, with tomato sauce, is very delicious.
Time. About 3/4 hour.
Collared salmon.
Ingredients:-
A piece of salmon, say 3 lbs., a high seasoning of salt, pounded mace, and pepper; water and vinegar, 3 bay leaves.
Mode:-
Split the fish; scale, bone, and wash it thoroughly clean; wipe it, and rub in the seasoning inside and out; roll it up, and bind firmly; lay it in a kettle, cover it with vinegar and water (1/3 vinegar, in proportion to the water); add the bay leaves and a good seasoning of salt and whole pepper, and simmer till done. Do not remove the lid. Serve with melted butter or anchovy sauce. For preserving the collared fish, boil up the liquor in which it was cooked, and add a little more vinegar. Pour over when cold.
Time. 3/4 hour, or rather more.
Curried salmon.
Ingredients:-
Any remains of boiled salmon, 3/4 pint of strong or medium stock, 1 onion, 1 tablespoonful of curry powder, 1 teaspoonful of Harvey's sauce, 1 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, 1 oz. of butter, the juice of 1/2 lemon, cayenne and salt to taste.
Mode:-
Cut up the onions into small pieces, and fry them of a pale brown in the butter; add all the ingredients but the salmon, and simmer gently till the onion is tender, occasionally stirring the contents; cut the salmon into small square pieces, carefully take away all skin and bone, lay it in the stewpan, and let it gradually heat through; but do not allow it to boil long.
Time. 3/4 hour.
Salmon cutlets.
Cut the slices 1 inch thick, and season them with pepper and salt; butter a sheet of white paper, lay each slice on a separate piece, with their ends twisted; broil gently over a clear fire, and serve with anchovy or caper sauce. When the higher seasoning is required, add a few chopped herbs and a little spice.
Time. 5 to 10 minutes.
Salmon a la genevese.
Ingredients:-
2 slices of salmon, 2 chopped shallots, a little parsley, a small bunch of herbs, 2 bay-leaves, 2 carrots, pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, 4 tablespoonfuls of Madeira, 1/2 pint of white stock, thickening of butter and flour, 1 teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, the juice of 1 lemon, cayenne and salt to taste.
Mode:-
Rub the bottom of a stewpan over with butter, and put in the shallots, herbs, bay leaves, carrots, mace, and seasoning; stir them for 10 minutes over a clear fire, and add the Madeira or sherry; simmer gently for 1/2 hour, and strain through a sieve over the fish, which stew in this gravy. As soon as the fish is sufficiently cooked, take away all the liquor, except a little to keep the salmon moist, and put it into another stewpan; add the stock, thicken with butter and flour, and put in the anchovies, lemon juice, cayenne, and salt; lay the salmon on a hot dish, pour over it part of the sauce, and serve the remainder in a tureen.
Time. 1-1/4 hour.
Sunday, July 12, 2020
Advantages Of A Petrol Powered LAWN MOWER
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| A Victa lawnmower. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The Problems with Electric Lawn Mowers
These come in two forms, one with a cord and one that is cordless. Corded versions might not be feasible for people with a medium or large-sized lawn because of the limited range that the cord will extend: usually around 100 to 150 feet. Some people consider electric mowers with a cord to be a hazard because of the risk of possibly running over the electric cord while the mower is running, which could put the user at risk of being electrocuted. The cordless electric lawn mower doesn't suffer from this issue. Instead, it runs on 12-volt batteries that can be recharged via a conventional household plug socket. If the keen lawn-smith goes with an electric lawnmower, a cordless one would be a serious option to consider if they were concerned by the potential hazards and limitations that come with a corded lawnmower.
Push Mowers Only for the Fit and Healthy
Push mowers are also common, requiring only man's power as the power source. By pushing the lawnmower, the blades turn as the wheels turn, cutting the grass or weeds. However, push mowers aren't as effective on overgrown weeds and dandelions because of the tall stalks and the speed of the rotating blades. Push mowers use a cylinder or reel system while other powered lawn mowers more commonly use a rotary mower with a vertical axis. A rotary mower cuts the grass shorter than a reel system with the added benefit that the grass is cut in a way that allows it to heal faster and thus, grow faster. With a push mower, the user would find himself or herself having to mow more frequently than with an electric or gasoline-powered mower which is perfect for those looking for a workout but less so for the rest of us!
Ride-on Mowers for Large Lawns
Ride-one can be fun for some people who have a bigger area to mow. Surprisingly, they carry a potential risk for the homeowners who have lawns that have some dips or others who have rolling lawns. Ride-on lawnmowers can tip over if they are on very uneven ground and can't go places where other lawnmowers might into the much tighter parts and close up to in-lawn obstacles such as shrubs and around the base of trees requiring additional work. They are, however, invaluable for cutting large areas of flatter lawn in the lowest possible time.
The Pros and Cons
Petrol power is one of the more common types of mowers. They can be noisy but are very effective and can get to places where a ride-on lawnmower or lawn tractor wouldn't be able to reach as previously discussed. If part of the lawn is downhill and the ground isn't even, that wouldn't be much trouble with a petrol lawnmower because, with the user's help, the mower can get to grass in a dip. Some powered lawn mowers come with throttle control, taking off some of the strain on the user's pushing ability. To work the throttle control on these self-propelled mowers, the user only needs to either press down on the throttle or ease up to either increase or decrease the speed of the mower and this throttle control allows the user to mow his or her lawn easily, almost like a ride-on except with more accessibility.
Owners of a petrol-powered mower also don't have to worry about running over a cord by accident and reduces the risk of other garden lovers tripping over the cord. Users with electrics that run on battery power eventually run out of power and need to be recharged which could take several hours. Imagine this: A beautiful, sunny day with a weather forecast that says the rest of the week will be rainy. It's time to mow the lawn but wait, whoever mowed the lawn last time realized the battery had run out and forgot to recharge it. Recharging a 12-volt battery takes a bit of time as opposed to just pulling the starter cord of your powered mower. If the petrol runs out, all one needs to do is make a quick trip to the fuel station to get a refill and the blades of grass can once more quiver in fear.
Just like any mower, there also are downsides to petrol-powered lawnmowers. Noise is one of those downsides, with many places, specifically in the US and parts of Europe, having a noise ordinance which means that they cannot be fired up outside specific times of the day. It also might be a disturbance to nearby neighbors who don't appreciate the noise of a petrol engine in addition to the usual mower sounds. Another potential downside to petrol-powered lawn mowers is the fuel. With petrol prices on the rise, people are trying to avoid using too much petrol and are often aiming to reduce their fuel intake. Depending on the lawn size and type of mower, the average tank may get 3 to 4 mowed lawns before needing more fuel.
Summary
Petrol lawnmowers are efficient and one of the most flexible mowers to choose from. The gardener can choose whether they want a rotary blade or a cylinder or reel blade and they won't have to worry about the distance they can go, whether extension cords might be required in order to mow the entire lawn or whether they are going to run over the trailing cable. The efficiency of time and fuel or key when looking at total cost of ownership and petrol lawnmowers can pay both of these back in spades.
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Sunday, July 5, 2020
Best Meat for TACOS
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| Hard-shell taco with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Beef
More than likely the most common type of meat used for tacos is beef. Ground beef is a staple for most restaurants including the popular Taco Bell. Ground beef is fairly inexpensive and only takes a few minutes to brown. Many beginners also like using this because you don’t have to worry about it becoming too tough or other texture issues you might have with other meat choices.
Another form of beef that is used in tacos is steak. Choosing the right part of the meat is what will be most important. Most experts say to use strip steak, or other thin pieces that cook fairly quickly and also are easy to cut into smaller pieces. When cooking steak however you have to make sure that it is well done without being tough. Tough taco meat means messy eating which no one wants to deal with.
Chicken
Another option is chicken. For those who are not lovers of red meat or simply want to try something different adding chicken is a great idea. When purchasing chicken from the store be sure to get boneless skinless chicken breast to avoid the hassle of removing bones, fat, and skin. Chicken can be shredded fairly easily and also cooks rather quickly.
Pork
Common in Hispanic and Mexican dishes is the use of pulled pork. Adding this to your taco for a change is a great way to spice things up. However, keep in mind that pork is naturally salty and therefore you don’t want to overdo it on the seasonings.
Seafood
Believe it or not, becoming increasingly popular is the idea to use seafood such as shrimp and fish in your tacos. Both are excellent choices and can easily transition this staple recipe into something new and exciting. When choosing the seafood you wish to use in your tacos there are some things to keep in mind. This includes remembering to avoid shrimp with shells to cut down on cooking time and to avoid fish that have scaly skin still on it or bones on the inside as this will not make for a great taco dish.
Any of these meat choices listed above would be great to improve upon your taco recipe. If you’re not sure what your guests will enjoy, you can always make a little bit of each type of meat and place it on the table and let them decide. Who knows, they may have fun mixing and matching the sort of the different meat of like a sample tray. But as long as you have a good recipe to follow, any of these meats will work great and taste even better.
Sunday, June 28, 2020
A Waste of Packaged Gold
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| Harvest - Photo: Pixabay |
As we drove by the plush residential homes, some recently covered with a fresh coating of paint and with the variously landscaped yards displaying their beautiful spired shrubs, flowering gardens, and well-watered green lawns, it could not be helped but to notice the evenly placed lawn bags filled to the brim with yard waste, just waiting to be carried away by the scheduled garbage pickup. So much labor must have gone into neatly and carefully packing each one of them so they wouldn't be torn open by a stiff twig or two. Each fall and spring a similar scene is reenacted by most of us who seasonally do our traditional yard cleanup.
Having been a fairly devout organic gardener in the 1980s and traditionally would save every bit of waste clippings from our yard that would then go into a 4x4 foot by 4 feet high loosely constructed wooden bin for later processing and churning into a fine mulch, it was difficult to see virtually truckloads of "Organic Gold Plant Food" just waiting to be carted away to some landfill, or just possibly be used for fuel in some local utility supplier's furnace. It is beyond my understanding of how this "fuel" for plants can be placed on the discard list.
With this fresh on my mind, I recollect a book written by Ruth Stout, an avid gardener, who appropriately called her book..."The No-Work Garden" which showed how she only used bales of hay in the 1950s and earlier to build her garden, spread the hay in the fall and after being well compressed through the winter, she would then simply place the vegetable seed into a small clump of soil at the proper planting time, pressed it firmly and watered to get the seed to germinate. Thereafter, her garden was never watered again. She did this year after year ...for thirty years. The soil was perfectly PH level balanced and so were all the required nutrients to sustain all the plants. Sounds like the perfect scenario, but this example is only to show what can be done with most of anyone's yard
refuse...if properly processed.
Now, to step back to my 4-foot cube of diverse organic refuse and having filled the bin to about the 3/4 mark by eye, placing a shovelful of topsoil in between 3-4 inch layers of the material, we simply add worms, which can be purchased at a local farm store, or mail ordered through a garden supplier. Usually, they come in a few hundred in quantity and are newborns, but you can also use local worms, picked from the decayed leaf. Once placed in your compost bin and watered occasionally, they will quickly multiply and digest the organic material aerating your compost in the process. This process is carried out...automatically without energy expended on anyone's part, except for the original placement of the material and bin construction.
After 3 or 4 weeks, given proper rainfall and a little watering, your "pot of gold" should be ready to use. Then, simply place a handful of this composted material in a small hole 6 inches deep, for pre-started tomato plants several inches tall, where you plan to plant your vegetable garden. Pack some of this compost mixed with some topsoil around the sides and also dress around the top of each plant. Given the proper rain, sunshine, and warmth, your tomatoes will give you a very early harvest, mainly because you did not discard the "hidden gold".
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