I call a fig a fig, a spade a spade. Menander
It’s a ficus go figger! Figs have been found in archaeological sites dating back over 11,000 years, making them possibly the oldest cultivated crop, preceding wheat and rye by over 1000 years. They are related to the mulberry, the family Moraceae, mostly tropical flowering trees, which include breadfruit and banyans.
“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” Genesis 3:7
In the Bible Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves after committing the original sin; it is possible that the fig is the actual forbidden fruit. The Greeks held that the fig was given by Demeter to Dionysus, who used the many parts of it to symbolize fun and fertility. The fig tree is proclaimed as the Tree of Life and Knowledge from Central Africa to the Far East. The Bo tree under which Buddha meditated, was a variety of the fig tree, a cutting of which still grows in Ceylon. It is also a prominent food during Passover and Ramadan.
"Figs are restorative, and the best food that can be taken by those who are brought low by long sickness...professed wrestlers and champions were in times past fed with figs." Pliny
Not only the fruit with the highest amount of fiber, the fig is also high in cancer fighting antioxidants. They are high in potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese and contain more calcium than milk. Figs are among the most highly alkaline foods, making them useful in balancing the pH of the body. They are a good source of potassium, important in helping to regulate blood pressure.
"Shape is a good part of the fig's delight." Jane Grigson
The fig tree is native to the Mediterranean and does well in similar climates on all continents, save Antarctica.
There are basically three varieties of common figs:
Caducous (or Smyrna) figs require pollination by the fig wasp and caprifigs (other male and female fruiting trees) to develop crops. Some cultivars are Calimyrna, Marabout, and Zidi.
Persistent (or Common) figs do not need pollination; fruit develop through self-contained, parthenocarpic means and produce a seedless fruit. This is the variety of fig most commonly grown by home gardeners. Adriatic, Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Brunswick, and Celeste are some representative cultivars.
Intermediate (or San Pedro) figs do not need pollination to set the breva, or early, crop, but do need pollination, at least in some regions, for the main crop. Examples are Lampeira, King, and San Pedro.
"There was an Old Person of Ischia,
Whose conduct grew friskier and friskier;
He danced hornpipes and jigs,
and ate thousands of figs,
That lively Old Person of Ischia." Edward Lear
Festivals:
http://www.visit-montenegro.com/article-mne-9086.htm Budva, Montenegro
http://eventful.com/fresno/events/fig-fest-/E0-001-032326204-3 Fresno, CA
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Ain’t that just peachy?
"An apple is an excellent thing -- until you have tried a peach." George du Maurier
Ain’t that just peachy? On June 15, 1982, Ronald Reagan issued one of his most important proclamations: he decreed that July was to become "National Peach Month". Those of us who eat fresh peaches really must tend to agree; peaches harvested in July are more likely to be at their peak than at any other time. U.S. farmers harvested 1.25 million tons of peaches in July 2005.
"Chocolate's okay, but I prefer a really intense fruit taste. You know when a peach is absolutely perfect... it's sublime. I'd like to capture that and then use it in a dessert." Kathy Mattea
Peaches are the largest variety of stone fruits, which claim the apricot, cherry, plum, and nectarine among their family. This family has the rare distinction of having its fruit and seeds both being consumed; the almond and coffee bean both come from stone fruit pits.
"A Georgia peach, a real Georgia peach, a backyard great-grandmother's orchard peach, is as thickly furred as a sweater, and so fluent and sweet that once you bite through the flannel, it brings tears to your eyes."Melissa Fay Greene, 'Praying for Sheetrock'
The Chinese began domesticating the peach around 4000 years ago, just as metal tools were coming into widespread use in the Bronze Age Xia dynasty. With a climate similar to that of the southeastern U.S., it's no wonder some of the best peaches grow there. As traders followed the silk routes, the peach made its way to Persia, the Nile, the Mediterranean and Europe.
"One does a whole painting for one peach and people think just the opposite - that particular peach is but a detail." Pablo Picasso
Dame Nellie Melba, who sang like a bird and loved to dine, was feted by Escoffier with the immortal Peach Melba, which he created at the Savoy in 1893 to repay her for tickets to see her perform at London’s Covent Garden as Elsa in Wagner’s Lohengrin. At an intimate gathering of friends, the great chef sculpted an ice swan to commemorate an image from the opera and settled a bowl of vanilla ice cream, vanilla soaked peaches and raspberry puree between its wings: a real peach receiving her just dessert.
“Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring and because it has fresh peaches in it” Thomas Walker
Festivals
http://www.louisianapeachfestival.org/ Ruston, LA
http://www.scpeachfestival.org/ Gaffney, SC
http://www.gapeachfestival.com/ Peach County, GA
http://www.palisadepeachfest.com/ Palisade, CO
Ain’t that just peachy? On June 15, 1982, Ronald Reagan issued one of his most important proclamations: he decreed that July was to become "National Peach Month". Those of us who eat fresh peaches really must tend to agree; peaches harvested in July are more likely to be at their peak than at any other time. U.S. farmers harvested 1.25 million tons of peaches in July 2005.
"Chocolate's okay, but I prefer a really intense fruit taste. You know when a peach is absolutely perfect... it's sublime. I'd like to capture that and then use it in a dessert." Kathy Mattea
Peaches are the largest variety of stone fruits, which claim the apricot, cherry, plum, and nectarine among their family. This family has the rare distinction of having its fruit and seeds both being consumed; the almond and coffee bean both come from stone fruit pits.
"A Georgia peach, a real Georgia peach, a backyard great-grandmother's orchard peach, is as thickly furred as a sweater, and so fluent and sweet that once you bite through the flannel, it brings tears to your eyes."Melissa Fay Greene, 'Praying for Sheetrock'
The Chinese began domesticating the peach around 4000 years ago, just as metal tools were coming into widespread use in the Bronze Age Xia dynasty. With a climate similar to that of the southeastern U.S., it's no wonder some of the best peaches grow there. As traders followed the silk routes, the peach made its way to Persia, the Nile, the Mediterranean and Europe.
"One does a whole painting for one peach and people think just the opposite - that particular peach is but a detail." Pablo Picasso
Dame Nellie Melba, who sang like a bird and loved to dine, was feted by Escoffier with the immortal Peach Melba, which he created at the Savoy in 1893 to repay her for tickets to see her perform at London’s Covent Garden as Elsa in Wagner’s Lohengrin. At an intimate gathering of friends, the great chef sculpted an ice swan to commemorate an image from the opera and settled a bowl of vanilla ice cream, vanilla soaked peaches and raspberry puree between its wings: a real peach receiving her just dessert.
“Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring and because it has fresh peaches in it” Thomas Walker
Festivals
http://www.louisianapeachfestival.org/ Ruston, LA
http://www.scpeachfestival.org/ Gaffney, SC
http://www.gapeachfestival.com/ Peach County, GA
http://www.palisadepeachfest.com/ Palisade, CO
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Tomatoes won’t kill you…
Sonny, true love is the greatest thing in the world…except for a nice MLT – mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe…they're so perky, I love that. Miracle Max
Tomatoes won’t kill you…even though you might believe you’ve died and gone to heaven after biting into a perfect one.
"A number of rare or newly experienced foods have been claimed to be aphrodisiacs. At one time this quality was even ascribed to the tomato. Reflect on that when you are next preparing the family salad."Jane Grigson
Being a member of the “Deadly” Nightshade slowed its acceptance, but fortunately Colonel Robert Johnson ate a basket of them Salem, NJ in 1820, proving that the love apple was more delicious than deadly. Hernando Cortez brought the first seeds back to the old world in 1519; unfortunately at first this new fruit was merely a curiosity. Botanist Pietro Andrea Mattioli named them pomi d’oro “golden apple”; he also labeled them as “mala insana” meaning “bad crazy” which scared away diners for centuries, but when they finally came around the world was forever changed.
"Hunger makes you restless. You dream about food - not just any food, but perfect food, the best food, magical meals, famous and awe-inspiring, the one piece of meat, the exact taste of buttery corn, tomatoes so ripe they split and sweeten the air, beans so crisp they snap between the teeth, gravy like mother’s milk singing to your bloodstream." - Dorothy Allison, Bastard Out of Carolina
There are now several thousand cultivars of tomatoes grown in every corner of the world, in every shape and size. Quite popular today are heirloom varieties with over 600 varieties in the U.S! Heirloom tomatoes are a nostalgic attempt to bring back tomatoes that are bred for flavor rather than shape and durability. Many of these varieties are susceptible to disease, cracking, bugs and other varmints – after all, since they taste good to humans, why be surprised that they taste good to animals? Some popular varieties of heirloom tomatoes include: Big Rainbow – a sweet yellow and red striped variety; the Blaby Special of Leicestershire, which was England’s main cultivar through World War II; the big ol’ Brandywines, ranging from yellow to purple; the huge pink “Mortgage Lifters”.
The color palette can make the rainbow blush: crimson to indigo, with many patterns and striations. A rule of thumb is when it feels like a balloon full of fudge, it’s probably ripe. Try them at room temperature for the full bouquet of flavor. Also, enjoy the miniature varieties that are appearing.
You say potato and I say po-tah-to. You say tomato and I say to-mah-to. Tomato, to-mah-to, potato, po-tah-to! Let's call the whole thing off! Ira Gershwin
In 1893, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the tomato was a vegetable in order to tax it’s import; fruit was allowed duty free at the time. Botanically, the tomato is a berry, fruit of the vine and all. It is quite often cooked and eaten as a vegetable…even in ketchup, it is a vegetable, per Ronald Reagan - discussions of him are for another blog…
Though Andre Simon said in his, The Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy
"A cooked tomato is like a cooked oyster: ruined." I must take some exception to his pronouncement on the ‘mater. Cooking with tomatoes is also a great way to enjoy them. High in vitamin C which aids the immune systems to fight infections, strengthens connective tissues and helps the body absorb iron; beware, the citric acid will react with aluminum, so take care in choosing your utensils. Carrots, salt or sugar all tend to ameliorate the acidic bite: go for the carrot to add depth to the sauce. Tomatoes are also high in vitamin A, which promotes eye health, strong bones and tissues. Additional benefits include high in antioxidants, low in fats and calories, cholesterol and sodium free which all contribute to your healthy menu. For a different spin, try canning, oven-roasting or drying them for future use.
It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. Lewis Grizzard
Festivals
http://www.reynoldsburgtomatofestival.org/ Reynoldsburg, OH
http://www.graingercountytomatofestival.com/ Rutledge, TN
http://www.latomatina.org/ La Tomatina - tomato fight - Buñol , Valencia , Spain
http://www.kj.com/events/tomato-festival/ Santa Rosa, CA
http://www.pittstontomatofestival.com/ Pittston, PA
http://www.bradleypinktomato.com/ Warren, AR
Tomatoes won’t kill you…even though you might believe you’ve died and gone to heaven after biting into a perfect one.
"A number of rare or newly experienced foods have been claimed to be aphrodisiacs. At one time this quality was even ascribed to the tomato. Reflect on that when you are next preparing the family salad."Jane Grigson
Being a member of the “Deadly” Nightshade slowed its acceptance, but fortunately Colonel Robert Johnson ate a basket of them Salem, NJ in 1820, proving that the love apple was more delicious than deadly. Hernando Cortez brought the first seeds back to the old world in 1519; unfortunately at first this new fruit was merely a curiosity. Botanist Pietro Andrea Mattioli named them pomi d’oro “golden apple”; he also labeled them as “mala insana” meaning “bad crazy” which scared away diners for centuries, but when they finally came around the world was forever changed.
"Hunger makes you restless. You dream about food - not just any food, but perfect food, the best food, magical meals, famous and awe-inspiring, the one piece of meat, the exact taste of buttery corn, tomatoes so ripe they split and sweeten the air, beans so crisp they snap between the teeth, gravy like mother’s milk singing to your bloodstream." - Dorothy Allison, Bastard Out of Carolina
There are now several thousand cultivars of tomatoes grown in every corner of the world, in every shape and size. Quite popular today are heirloom varieties with over 600 varieties in the U.S! Heirloom tomatoes are a nostalgic attempt to bring back tomatoes that are bred for flavor rather than shape and durability. Many of these varieties are susceptible to disease, cracking, bugs and other varmints – after all, since they taste good to humans, why be surprised that they taste good to animals? Some popular varieties of heirloom tomatoes include: Big Rainbow – a sweet yellow and red striped variety; the Blaby Special of Leicestershire, which was England’s main cultivar through World War II; the big ol’ Brandywines, ranging from yellow to purple; the huge pink “Mortgage Lifters”.
The color palette can make the rainbow blush: crimson to indigo, with many patterns and striations. A rule of thumb is when it feels like a balloon full of fudge, it’s probably ripe. Try them at room temperature for the full bouquet of flavor. Also, enjoy the miniature varieties that are appearing.
You say potato and I say po-tah-to. You say tomato and I say to-mah-to. Tomato, to-mah-to, potato, po-tah-to! Let's call the whole thing off! Ira Gershwin
In 1893, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the tomato was a vegetable in order to tax it’s import; fruit was allowed duty free at the time. Botanically, the tomato is a berry, fruit of the vine and all. It is quite often cooked and eaten as a vegetable…even in ketchup, it is a vegetable, per Ronald Reagan - discussions of him are for another blog…
Though Andre Simon said in his, The Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy
"A cooked tomato is like a cooked oyster: ruined." I must take some exception to his pronouncement on the ‘mater. Cooking with tomatoes is also a great way to enjoy them. High in vitamin C which aids the immune systems to fight infections, strengthens connective tissues and helps the body absorb iron; beware, the citric acid will react with aluminum, so take care in choosing your utensils. Carrots, salt or sugar all tend to ameliorate the acidic bite: go for the carrot to add depth to the sauce. Tomatoes are also high in vitamin A, which promotes eye health, strong bones and tissues. Additional benefits include high in antioxidants, low in fats and calories, cholesterol and sodium free which all contribute to your healthy menu. For a different spin, try canning, oven-roasting or drying them for future use.
It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. Lewis Grizzard
Festivals
http://www.reynoldsburgtomatofestival.org/ Reynoldsburg, OH
http://www.graingercountytomatofestival.com/ Rutledge, TN
http://www.latomatina.org/ La Tomatina - tomato fight - Buñol , Valencia , Spain
http://www.kj.com/events/tomato-festival/ Santa Rosa, CA
http://www.pittstontomatofestival.com/ Pittston, PA
http://www.bradleypinktomato.com/ Warren, AR
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Lettuce pray...
"Man was put on this earth to eat meat – the Bible says so…who the hell ever heard of sacrificing a head of lettuce?" Archie Bunker
As with most foods, people have learned what is good to eat by observing and experimenting. The root of the Latin lactuca sativa (Old French laitue) means milk, implying that early varieties were moist and gooey when eaten. Paintings in Egyptian tombs show early varieties were prickly and had seeds, not unlike dandelions gone to seed. Something had to be done, and it was; we now have four major varieties that we eat today: crisphead, cos, loose-leaf and butterhead. This combination of cultivars has become the second favorite vegetable in the U.S. behind potatoes. Most of these lettuces now have rather mild flavors. A new breed is gaining steam: the field or mesclun mix of baby lettuces from the Provencal mescla, “mixture”. This item has been springing up on menus in the U.S. for a couple of decades, but has been known to foragers for eons. For me, the more colors, textures and flavors the better: select a rainbow in sweet, salty, peppery, sour and bitter for a full bouquet salad! Varieties often include these lettuces: Red & Green Oak, a dark red lettuce shaped like an oak leaf cultivated since the early 1800s it is tender, sweet, never bitter; Leaf lettuces grow in loose heads, crisp, full-flavored, easy to grow and harvest. Romaine is a firm, crisp, crunchy, fibrous, flat and broad-leafed cos variety; “Cos” is often believed to signify the island of Kos as the place of origin for the variety, but the name originates from the Arabic word for lettuce. Lollo Rosa is a beautiful magenta, mild, lightly crisp lettuce with curly red edges, and frilly, tender leaves. Bibb is a butterhead variety, with a soft, buttery texture; bibb is also known as Boston lettuce. Many spring mixes include greens that aren’t lettuces: chards, radicchios, spinaches, chicories and many Asian greens are also included, but these are all for other discussions. So enjoy your greens until your hearts are content.
"Lettuce is like conversation: It must be fresh and crisp, and so sparkling that you scarcely notice the bitter in it." C.D. Warner
http://www.yumalettucedays.com/ Yuma, AZ
http://thehollytree.blogspot.com/2007/04/13th-annual-artas-lettuce-festival.html Bethlehem, West Bank
As with most foods, people have learned what is good to eat by observing and experimenting. The root of the Latin lactuca sativa (Old French laitue) means milk, implying that early varieties were moist and gooey when eaten. Paintings in Egyptian tombs show early varieties were prickly and had seeds, not unlike dandelions gone to seed. Something had to be done, and it was; we now have four major varieties that we eat today: crisphead, cos, loose-leaf and butterhead. This combination of cultivars has become the second favorite vegetable in the U.S. behind potatoes. Most of these lettuces now have rather mild flavors. A new breed is gaining steam: the field or mesclun mix of baby lettuces from the Provencal mescla, “mixture”. This item has been springing up on menus in the U.S. for a couple of decades, but has been known to foragers for eons. For me, the more colors, textures and flavors the better: select a rainbow in sweet, salty, peppery, sour and bitter for a full bouquet salad! Varieties often include these lettuces: Red & Green Oak, a dark red lettuce shaped like an oak leaf cultivated since the early 1800s it is tender, sweet, never bitter; Leaf lettuces grow in loose heads, crisp, full-flavored, easy to grow and harvest. Romaine is a firm, crisp, crunchy, fibrous, flat and broad-leafed cos variety; “Cos” is often believed to signify the island of Kos as the place of origin for the variety, but the name originates from the Arabic word for lettuce. Lollo Rosa is a beautiful magenta, mild, lightly crisp lettuce with curly red edges, and frilly, tender leaves. Bibb is a butterhead variety, with a soft, buttery texture; bibb is also known as Boston lettuce. Many spring mixes include greens that aren’t lettuces: chards, radicchios, spinaches, chicories and many Asian greens are also included, but these are all for other discussions. So enjoy your greens until your hearts are content.
"Lettuce is like conversation: It must be fresh and crisp, and so sparkling that you scarcely notice the bitter in it." C.D. Warner
http://www.yumalettucedays.com/ Yuma, AZ
http://thehollytree.blogspot.com/2007/04/13th-annual-artas-lettuce-festival.html Bethlehem, West Bank
Sunday, June 20, 2010
I love to spit Wallamelon seeds!
“When one has tasted watermelon he knows what the angels eat!” Mark Twain
Melons are a marvelous contradiction. They are gourds, cousins of squash and pumpkins, which are wonderfully sweet when ripe. While they grow on vines, they are not really true berries, but are false berries because they have inferior ovaries, meaning that the flower and fruit can ripen independently. Though they are sweet, they are low in calories due to their high water content. The genus cucumis is the family of true melons and includes cantaloupes, muskmelons, honeydew, kiwanos, and cucumber varieties. These melons have been cultivated in Africa and the Middle East for over 4000 years. The watermelon is a relative with a more developed rind and seeds throughout the flesh. Watermelons probably originated over 5000 years ago in the Kalahari Desert and traveled up the Nile and spread to the rest of the world. Their 92% water content makes them an excellent diuretic; they are sometimes “plugged” with liquor to add life to parties. Speaking of getting pickled, the rind can be pickled and as such is popular in Asia and the Southern U.S.
"Watermelon – it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face." Enrico Caruso
Festivals:
http://www.wix.com/fjaycees/watermelonfestival Farmerville, LA
http://www.watermelonfest.com/ Winterville, NC
http://www.lionswatermelonfestival.com/ Sunland, CA
Melons are a marvelous contradiction. They are gourds, cousins of squash and pumpkins, which are wonderfully sweet when ripe. While they grow on vines, they are not really true berries, but are false berries because they have inferior ovaries, meaning that the flower and fruit can ripen independently. Though they are sweet, they are low in calories due to their high water content. The genus cucumis is the family of true melons and includes cantaloupes, muskmelons, honeydew, kiwanos, and cucumber varieties. These melons have been cultivated in Africa and the Middle East for over 4000 years. The watermelon is a relative with a more developed rind and seeds throughout the flesh. Watermelons probably originated over 5000 years ago in the Kalahari Desert and traveled up the Nile and spread to the rest of the world. Their 92% water content makes them an excellent diuretic; they are sometimes “plugged” with liquor to add life to parties. Speaking of getting pickled, the rind can be pickled and as such is popular in Asia and the Southern U.S.
"Watermelon – it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face." Enrico Caruso
Festivals:
http://www.wix.com/fjaycees/watermelonfestival Farmerville, LA
http://www.watermelonfest.com/ Winterville, NC
http://www.lionswatermelonfestival.com/ Sunland, CA
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Eggplant d’amour
“When I was alone, I lived on eggplant, the stove top cook’s strongest ally…. “ 'Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant' Laurie Colwin
This is one of the great under-appreciated vegetables. Though there may be marginal real nutritive needs satisfied by the eggplant, the fact that the meat willingly absorbs liquids, makes it a wonderful host for great flavors of stocks and sauces. You can add the texture of eggplant to your recipe for only 25 calories per 8-ounce portion making your recipes light and more filling.
There are great recipes with fantastic names in many cultures that pay homage to the eggplant: Baba Ghanoush, Moussaka, Escalivada, Melanzane alla Parmigiana and my personal favorite, Ratatouille. These dishes have been devoured for eons from their native Sri Lanka, after the collapse of the Guptas, appearing in the west with the growth of the Byzantine Empire and the spread of Islam. The eggplant grows on plants blooming out into two shapes: ovals and elongated. The ovals are preferred in the American South; the colors range from white to indigo: dyes from the pigment have been made to color teeth in ancient civilizations. Elongated varieties, such as Italian or Chinese, are popular in many throughout the world; colors range from white to pale green to deep purple. Baby hybrids of these shapes are readily available. So call it what you like: aubergine, brinjal, Guinea squash, metazoan, or mad apple, when you plan to serve it, just don’t call me late for dinner.
"How can people say they don’t eat eggplant when God loves the color and the French love the name?" Jeff Smith
Festivals:
http://www.loomischamber.com/eggplantfestival.cfm Loomis, CA
http://en.agrotravel.gr/agro/site/AgroTravel/t_docpage?sparam=prefecture_of_arkadia&doc=/Documents/Agrotravel/event/arcadia/giortimelitzanas&sub_nav=Lodgings Leonidio Greece
This is one of the great under-appreciated vegetables. Though there may be marginal real nutritive needs satisfied by the eggplant, the fact that the meat willingly absorbs liquids, makes it a wonderful host for great flavors of stocks and sauces. You can add the texture of eggplant to your recipe for only 25 calories per 8-ounce portion making your recipes light and more filling.
There are great recipes with fantastic names in many cultures that pay homage to the eggplant: Baba Ghanoush, Moussaka, Escalivada, Melanzane alla Parmigiana and my personal favorite, Ratatouille. These dishes have been devoured for eons from their native Sri Lanka, after the collapse of the Guptas, appearing in the west with the growth of the Byzantine Empire and the spread of Islam. The eggplant grows on plants blooming out into two shapes: ovals and elongated. The ovals are preferred in the American South; the colors range from white to indigo: dyes from the pigment have been made to color teeth in ancient civilizations. Elongated varieties, such as Italian or Chinese, are popular in many throughout the world; colors range from white to pale green to deep purple. Baby hybrids of these shapes are readily available. So call it what you like: aubergine, brinjal, Guinea squash, metazoan, or mad apple, when you plan to serve it, just don’t call me late for dinner.
"How can people say they don’t eat eggplant when God loves the color and the French love the name?" Jeff Smith
Festivals:
http://www.loomischamber.com/eggplantfestival.cfm Loomis, CA
http://en.agrotravel.gr/agro/site/AgroTravel/t_docpage?sparam=prefecture_of_arkadia&doc=/Documents/Agrotravel/event/arcadia/giortimelitzanas&sub_nav=Lodgings Leonidio Greece
Sunday, May 16, 2010
That's Cherry, Dude!
I want to do to you what spring does with the cherry trees. Pablo Neruda
If there is one fruit that personifies what is magical about the cornucopia of the plant world it is the cherry. Examine its seasonal nature: a short harvest, less than two months a year of edible fresh fruit on each side of the equator and that’s it! No September cherries, no April cherries, just June/July and December/January if imports make it. This is why “cherry” means pristine perfection. No other fruit conjures up quite such an image of quintessence. Wild sweet cherries were eaten in China over 4000 years ago in the form of wild mazzards, the name Cherry seems to have come from the Greek “kerasos” for horn, though romantics may claim the Sanskrit cheer of praise “karaza”. Lucullus, the conquering gourmet and Pliny the elder were fans; Charlemagne had them planted with blackberries (another immortal fruit). I think nowhere are they more revered than in Japan, where to the Samurai they symbolize destiny, and of course, death and war; the blossom is celebrated in fertility rites in scores of cities and villages throughout the island.
“If I could only have one food for the rest of my life? That's easy: Pez. Cherry flavored Pez.” Vern Tessio
Festivals
http://visit.cherryfestival.org/ National Cherry Festival Traverse City, Michigan
http://www.emmettidaho.com/emmett-cherry-festival Emmett, Idaho
If there is one fruit that personifies what is magical about the cornucopia of the plant world it is the cherry. Examine its seasonal nature: a short harvest, less than two months a year of edible fresh fruit on each side of the equator and that’s it! No September cherries, no April cherries, just June/July and December/January if imports make it. This is why “cherry” means pristine perfection. No other fruit conjures up quite such an image of quintessence. Wild sweet cherries were eaten in China over 4000 years ago in the form of wild mazzards, the name Cherry seems to have come from the Greek “kerasos” for horn, though romantics may claim the Sanskrit cheer of praise “karaza”. Lucullus, the conquering gourmet and Pliny the elder were fans; Charlemagne had them planted with blackberries (another immortal fruit). I think nowhere are they more revered than in Japan, where to the Samurai they symbolize destiny, and of course, death and war; the blossom is celebrated in fertility rites in scores of cities and villages throughout the island.
“If I could only have one food for the rest of my life? That's easy: Pez. Cherry flavored Pez.” Vern Tessio
Festivals
http://visit.cherryfestival.org/ National Cherry Festival Traverse City, Michigan
http://www.emmettidaho.com/emmett-cherry-festival Emmett, Idaho
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Amaizing isn’t it?
"Sex is good, but not as good as fresh sweet corn." Garrison Keillor
Amaizing isn’t it? Corn has become the second most important grain behind rice in the world; more acreage is planted in wheat, but corn results in heavier yields. Maize, beans and squash make up the Native American food trinity, staples in the diet of western hemisphere diets before its discovery by the Old World. This native cereal grain has evolved greatly from its wild form; indeed it cannot yet be traced directly back to a “wild” form. It is a species of grass, which relates it to wheat, but its modern form has its kernels completely covered by a husk, making it impossible for the plant to reproduce by itself since the seed cannot come into direct contact with the soil without some one to remove the husk and plant the seed. Fossil remains have been found in Mexican caves dating back 8500 years, making it one of the oldest domesticated crops. Maize “ears” always grow in an even number of rows, starting with prehistoric corns of two rows to 16 or more rows with 500+ kernels. When corn first spread to the old world a malnutrition problem known as pellagra arose: if alkali is not introduced to the plant, the B-vitamin niacin is not released and amino acids found in beans and meats are also necessary to balance the human diet.
“Kansas had better stop raising corn and begin raising hell.”
Mary Elizabeth Lease
Corn Festivals:
http://www.cornfestival.net/ Shippenburg, Pa.
http://www.westpointcornfestival.com/ Shuckfest West Point, Iowa
http://www.popcornfestival.com/ Marion, Ohio - Popcorn Festival
Amaizing isn’t it? Corn has become the second most important grain behind rice in the world; more acreage is planted in wheat, but corn results in heavier yields. Maize, beans and squash make up the Native American food trinity, staples in the diet of western hemisphere diets before its discovery by the Old World. This native cereal grain has evolved greatly from its wild form; indeed it cannot yet be traced directly back to a “wild” form. It is a species of grass, which relates it to wheat, but its modern form has its kernels completely covered by a husk, making it impossible for the plant to reproduce by itself since the seed cannot come into direct contact with the soil without some one to remove the husk and plant the seed. Fossil remains have been found in Mexican caves dating back 8500 years, making it one of the oldest domesticated crops. Maize “ears” always grow in an even number of rows, starting with prehistoric corns of two rows to 16 or more rows with 500+ kernels. When corn first spread to the old world a malnutrition problem known as pellagra arose: if alkali is not introduced to the plant, the B-vitamin niacin is not released and amino acids found in beans and meats are also necessary to balance the human diet.
“Kansas had better stop raising corn and begin raising hell.”
Mary Elizabeth Lease
Corn Festivals:
http://www.cornfestival.net/ Shippenburg, Pa.
http://www.westpointcornfestival.com/ Shuckfest West Point, Iowa
http://www.popcornfestival.com/ Marion, Ohio - Popcorn Festival
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Chard: Valedictorian of Vegetables
Swiss chard is one of those vegetables that can be quite daunting if you have never used it – what do you do with it? TreeHugger
Chard is the green that grows from the beet. The name Swiss chard helps to differentiate this plant from the French chardon, a term describing plants with thistle-like characteristics (Italian, cardoni). It is also a cousin of spinach as well as being one of the most nutrient-laden of all vegetables: low in calories, high in vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, calcium, vitamin K, iron, potassium, vitamin A, folate, zinc, copper, vitamin C, and vitamin E. It is also fiber-rich and an excellent source of protein.For these and other reasons, this delectable beauty is known by some as the "Valedictorian of Vegetables".
The Swiss botanist Karl Koch first classified chard in the 19th century; its origins are more likely the Mediterranean, where Aristotle described its medicinal properties in the 4th century B.C. Like spinach, chard has high levels of oxalic acid, which can be harmful in great amounts, but aid the body in the absorption of calcium at safe levels. Some chefs prefer the stalk while others prefer the leaves; both are quite edible. Depending on the beetroot, chard stalks grow red, white and yellow; when sold in mixed bunches, they are known as “Rainbow Chard”. Mildly bitter, try it in pestos, risottos or as a side dish all its own. It is also a wonderful addition to any braising greens mixture.
Reading sign, "Enjoy Winter Sports at Swiss Chard Lodge, Sunstroke Valley, Idaho.(40 Miles as the Crow Flies)”, “But Who Wants to Ride with an Old Crow?” Woody Woodpecker in “Ski for Two”
Chard is the green that grows from the beet. The name Swiss chard helps to differentiate this plant from the French chardon, a term describing plants with thistle-like characteristics (Italian, cardoni). It is also a cousin of spinach as well as being one of the most nutrient-laden of all vegetables: low in calories, high in vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, calcium, vitamin K, iron, potassium, vitamin A, folate, zinc, copper, vitamin C, and vitamin E. It is also fiber-rich and an excellent source of protein.For these and other reasons, this delectable beauty is known by some as the "Valedictorian of Vegetables".
The Swiss botanist Karl Koch first classified chard in the 19th century; its origins are more likely the Mediterranean, where Aristotle described its medicinal properties in the 4th century B.C. Like spinach, chard has high levels of oxalic acid, which can be harmful in great amounts, but aid the body in the absorption of calcium at safe levels. Some chefs prefer the stalk while others prefer the leaves; both are quite edible. Depending on the beetroot, chard stalks grow red, white and yellow; when sold in mixed bunches, they are known as “Rainbow Chard”. Mildly bitter, try it in pestos, risottos or as a side dish all its own. It is also a wonderful addition to any braising greens mixture.
Reading sign, "Enjoy Winter Sports at Swiss Chard Lodge, Sunstroke Valley, Idaho.(40 Miles as the Crow Flies)”, “But Who Wants to Ride with an Old Crow?” Woody Woodpecker in “Ski for Two”
Sunday, April 25, 2010
“Never rub another man's rhubarb”
“Never rub another man's rhubarb” The Joker
What the heck is a rhubarb? In baseball, it’s a big bench-clearing brawl. Throughout the ages, confusion has reigned about which part to utilize. In the 1940’s, U.S. Customs, didn’t know exactly what this stuff that people were importing from the old world was, so they decided it could be classed as fruit or veggie depending on how it was used. It is often classed as a vegetable, being a close relative of sorrel and looking like a blushing celery stalk. The roots were used as a purgative medicine, for which they are very capable. Later the leaves were eaten like spinach, but not too often since they contain high concentrates of oxalic acid and are deadly in much quantity.
As sugar became more readily available throughout the world, rhubarb came to be used more as a food, lending its tartness to pies and preserves. In the 19th century, the British finally discovered the tart piquancy of the stems and mixed them with ginger and baked them in a pie (instead of four and twenty blackbirds). Soon thereafter, the pie made its way to the American colonies and berries, most notably the strawberry, replaced the ginger; June 9 is National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day.
From whence cometh the rhubarb? The name is derived from “Rha of the barbarians”; the Rha is the river now called the Volga where barbarians first cultivated it. It will not grow from seeds, but only from root cuttings, like potatoes, which indicates that it is a hybrid. Rhubarb is grown in hothouses nearly year-round; field grown it is harvested in the spring and fall. It grows best in temperate zones and likes a good freeze to stimulate the buds.
So, why all the hubbub about rhubarb? Because, among other things, it is a prime ingredient in the world renowned "Bee-bop-a-ree-bop Rhubarb Pie", which Mama’s little baby loves.
Momma’s little baby loves rhubarb, rhubarb, Be-Bop-A-Re-Bop Rhubarb Pie! Garrison Keillor
June 9th is National Strawberry-Rhubarb Day International
Festivals:
http://www.savor-the-rhubarb.com/rhubarb-festivals.html Links to many Rhubarb Festivals, including: Kankakee Festival, Illinois; Kitchen Kettle Village Rhubarb Festival, Intercourse, Pennsylvania USA;
What the heck is a rhubarb? In baseball, it’s a big bench-clearing brawl. Throughout the ages, confusion has reigned about which part to utilize. In the 1940’s, U.S. Customs, didn’t know exactly what this stuff that people were importing from the old world was, so they decided it could be classed as fruit or veggie depending on how it was used. It is often classed as a vegetable, being a close relative of sorrel and looking like a blushing celery stalk. The roots were used as a purgative medicine, for which they are very capable. Later the leaves were eaten like spinach, but not too often since they contain high concentrates of oxalic acid and are deadly in much quantity.
As sugar became more readily available throughout the world, rhubarb came to be used more as a food, lending its tartness to pies and preserves. In the 19th century, the British finally discovered the tart piquancy of the stems and mixed them with ginger and baked them in a pie (instead of four and twenty blackbirds). Soon thereafter, the pie made its way to the American colonies and berries, most notably the strawberry, replaced the ginger; June 9 is National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day.
From whence cometh the rhubarb? The name is derived from “Rha of the barbarians”; the Rha is the river now called the Volga where barbarians first cultivated it. It will not grow from seeds, but only from root cuttings, like potatoes, which indicates that it is a hybrid. Rhubarb is grown in hothouses nearly year-round; field grown it is harvested in the spring and fall. It grows best in temperate zones and likes a good freeze to stimulate the buds.
So, why all the hubbub about rhubarb? Because, among other things, it is a prime ingredient in the world renowned "Bee-bop-a-ree-bop Rhubarb Pie", which Mama’s little baby loves.
Momma’s little baby loves rhubarb, rhubarb, Be-Bop-A-Re-Bop Rhubarb Pie! Garrison Keillor
June 9th is National Strawberry-Rhubarb Day International
Festivals:
http://www.savor-the-rhubarb.com/rhubarb-festivals.html Links to many Rhubarb Festivals, including: Kankakee Festival, Illinois; Kitchen Kettle Village Rhubarb Festival, Intercourse, Pennsylvania USA;
Sunday, April 18, 2010
...beat you with a warm squash...
"The first zucchini I ever saw I killed it with a hoe." John Gould
Summer Squash are among the many varieties of gourds that grace our plates all year long from the family Cucurbitaceae, which includes melons, cucumbers and squashes. Cucurbita pepo primarily deals with the species of squashes hard and soft; the summer squashes are primarily those we harvest when the rinds are soft enough to eat without peeling. Chief among these are the scalloped or Pattypan squashes of white, yellow, green and variegated – the baby versions are growing in popularity. The constricted or crookneck squashes have become ubiquitous with their high yields and low costs – pick ‘em young for flavor and texture. Cylindrical varieties, such as zucchini are as colorful as the pattypans and offer uniformity for portion control. These varieties were unknown in the Old World until the discovery of the New, but were likely the first cultivated crops of the Native Americans some 12,000 years ago, predating beans and maize cultivars by eons. The blossoms have become increasingly popular on the culinary scene, serving as a small vegetable shell for stuffing with meats, chesses, or dessert mixes. Both male and female flower are produced by summer squashes, but only the female bears fruit, so most commercially sold blooms are male.
“Women: You can't live with them, and you can't get them to dress up in a skimpy little Nazi costume and beat you with a warm squash or something…” Emo Philips
Festivals:
Hayward, CA Zucchini Festival - http://www.haywardzucchini.com/
Windsor, FL Zucchini Festival - http://www.afn.org/~windsor/page2.htm
Obetz, OH Zucchini Festival - http://www.obetzzucchini.com/
Summer Squash are among the many varieties of gourds that grace our plates all year long from the family Cucurbitaceae, which includes melons, cucumbers and squashes. Cucurbita pepo primarily deals with the species of squashes hard and soft; the summer squashes are primarily those we harvest when the rinds are soft enough to eat without peeling. Chief among these are the scalloped or Pattypan squashes of white, yellow, green and variegated – the baby versions are growing in popularity. The constricted or crookneck squashes have become ubiquitous with their high yields and low costs – pick ‘em young for flavor and texture. Cylindrical varieties, such as zucchini are as colorful as the pattypans and offer uniformity for portion control. These varieties were unknown in the Old World until the discovery of the New, but were likely the first cultivated crops of the Native Americans some 12,000 years ago, predating beans and maize cultivars by eons. The blossoms have become increasingly popular on the culinary scene, serving as a small vegetable shell for stuffing with meats, chesses, or dessert mixes. Both male and female flower are produced by summer squashes, but only the female bears fruit, so most commercially sold blooms are male.
“Women: You can't live with them, and you can't get them to dress up in a skimpy little Nazi costume and beat you with a warm squash or something…” Emo Philips
Festivals:
Hayward, CA Zucchini Festival - http://www.haywardzucchini.com/
Windsor, FL Zucchini Festival - http://www.afn.org/~windsor/page2.htm
Obetz, OH Zucchini Festival - http://www.obetzzucchini.com/
Sunday, April 04, 2010
If that don't beet all!?!?!?!?!?!
“Beet ever so onion there snow peas legume.” Margaret Thornley
If that don’t beet all! The beet has been an important food source since antiquity, adorning Egyptian temple walls circa 2000 B.C. Growing wild throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, it was generally more appreciated for what grew above the ground than below, giving us various chards and spinaches. Hippocrates used the leaves for binding wounds and its medicinal uses begat food recipes in Apicius, the fourth century book of Roman cookery. The root of the beet began to come into esteem in the 16th century as the “Roman” beet was developed, though the Britons knew only the red and long red until 1800. Napoleon was the champion of the beet: the English blockades of France successfully kept sugar off of French palates until 1811 when the Emperor was presented with two loaves of bread made with beet sugar; by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, nearly 300 mills were churning out beet sugar - beet Sugar accounts for nearly 30% of the world’s sugar and an astounding 90% of European sugar. Among the most popular varieties of beets are the red, gold and candy-striped varieties, both mature and “baby” beets adorn tables. Delicious hot or cold they are high in fiber, folic acid and antioxidants. So, if you can’t beet ‘em, join ‘em.
Fact. Bears eat beets. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica. Jim Halpert
Festivals:
http://www.sugarbeetdays.com/ Sterling, Colorado
http://www.meadfoundation.org/sugarbeet.html Mead, Colo.
If that don’t beet all! The beet has been an important food source since antiquity, adorning Egyptian temple walls circa 2000 B.C. Growing wild throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, it was generally more appreciated for what grew above the ground than below, giving us various chards and spinaches. Hippocrates used the leaves for binding wounds and its medicinal uses begat food recipes in Apicius, the fourth century book of Roman cookery. The root of the beet began to come into esteem in the 16th century as the “Roman” beet was developed, though the Britons knew only the red and long red until 1800. Napoleon was the champion of the beet: the English blockades of France successfully kept sugar off of French palates until 1811 when the Emperor was presented with two loaves of bread made with beet sugar; by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, nearly 300 mills were churning out beet sugar - beet Sugar accounts for nearly 30% of the world’s sugar and an astounding 90% of European sugar. Among the most popular varieties of beets are the red, gold and candy-striped varieties, both mature and “baby” beets adorn tables. Delicious hot or cold they are high in fiber, folic acid and antioxidants. So, if you can’t beet ‘em, join ‘em.
Fact. Bears eat beets. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica. Jim Halpert
Festivals:
http://www.sugarbeetdays.com/ Sterling, Colorado
http://www.meadfoundation.org/sugarbeet.html Mead, Colo.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
in Just- spring (onions)
I don't really like it, but I have to in the play because I'm a scallion.
C.J.
in Just- spring when the world is mudluscious some of the best onions begin to sprout from their bulbs and the chefs come dancing in from
far and wee
to use them in creations for us all to enjoy. They are all members of the perennial flowering family Alliaceae, genus allium, which includes onions, garlic, shallots, leeks and chives. The scallion seems to have originated in the Philistine town of Ascalon, modern day Ashkelon in Israel, written about as the askolonion by the Greek botanist and disciple of Plato and Aristotle, Theophrastus. In the Carolinas and up the Appalachians, we are blessed with wonderful wild ramps, their purple-tinged stalks, broad green leaves and garlicky pungency for robust flavor during the short spring season. There is a scallion/shallot controversy/parapraxis: I contend in the stage where the cook is not discerning any sprouted onion will do, then he will often say scallion meaning “green onion“, though there are many wonderful varieties and nuances among the plethora of magical shoots; when looking for a sweeter, milder, light purplish onion bulb, then you want. a shallot. Another great onion whose reputation for sprouted spring flavor is the sweet Vidalia onion from Georgia; some say the flavor is so mild it can be eaten like fruit so enjoy its tang in dishes that relish sweetness. A popular variety of spring onion in Europe, the “Welsh” onion, known as the ciboulette in French and the Schnittzwiebel in Germany, isn’t Welsh but actually derives from the Old English welisc or Old German welsche which both mean “foreign”. This onion ranges in size from large chives to small leeks and can grow to have a golden puff of a flower on top. Leeks, as most often devoured, generally mature after spring and form more of a sheath than a bulb - which I find more onionesque, bub.
“Russians will consume marinated mushrooms and vodka, salted herring and vodka, smoked salmon and vodka, salami and vodka, caviar on brown bread and vodka, pickled cucumbers and vodka, cold tongue and vodka, red beet salad and vodka, scallions and vodka-anything and everything and vodka.” Hedrick Smith
C.J.
in Just- spring when the world is mudluscious some of the best onions begin to sprout from their bulbs and the chefs come dancing in from
far and wee
to use them in creations for us all to enjoy. They are all members of the perennial flowering family Alliaceae, genus allium, which includes onions, garlic, shallots, leeks and chives. The scallion seems to have originated in the Philistine town of Ascalon, modern day Ashkelon in Israel, written about as the askolonion by the Greek botanist and disciple of Plato and Aristotle, Theophrastus. In the Carolinas and up the Appalachians, we are blessed with wonderful wild ramps, their purple-tinged stalks, broad green leaves and garlicky pungency for robust flavor during the short spring season. There is a scallion/shallot controversy/parapraxis: I contend in the stage where the cook is not discerning any sprouted onion will do, then he will often say scallion meaning “green onion“, though there are many wonderful varieties and nuances among the plethora of magical shoots; when looking for a sweeter, milder, light purplish onion bulb, then you want. a shallot. Another great onion whose reputation for sprouted spring flavor is the sweet Vidalia onion from Georgia; some say the flavor is so mild it can be eaten like fruit so enjoy its tang in dishes that relish sweetness. A popular variety of spring onion in Europe, the “Welsh” onion, known as the ciboulette in French and the Schnittzwiebel in Germany, isn’t Welsh but actually derives from the Old English welisc or Old German welsche which both mean “foreign”. This onion ranges in size from large chives to small leeks and can grow to have a golden puff of a flower on top. Leeks, as most often devoured, generally mature after spring and form more of a sheath than a bulb - which I find more onionesque, bub.
“Russians will consume marinated mushrooms and vodka, salted herring and vodka, smoked salmon and vodka, salami and vodka, caviar on brown bread and vodka, pickled cucumbers and vodka, cold tongue and vodka, red beet salad and vodka, scallions and vodka-anything and everything and vodka.” Hedrick Smith
Sunday, March 14, 2010
There’s a fungus among us...
Nature alone is antique and the oldest art a mushroom." Thomas Carlyle
There’s a fungus among us. We love ‘em, inexcusably so. And have since before the pharaoh’s declared that commoners were unfit to consume them. Hunting for and eating wild mushrooms is not unlike playing Russian Roulette: of the more than 2000 known species and cultivars, fewer than 5% are safe to consume, many are lethal to the touch.
They are neither plant nor animal, they are fungi, the root word has commonality with function – to perform. And perform they do. Many forms explode from nothingness to somethingness overnight. They host on other living or formerly living entities to decompose them by digesting their food externally and absorbing the nutrients through their cells. They are the subjects of mythology and lore: they impart superhuman powers and immortality to Mario and Luigi, are aphrodisiacs, home to Smurfs and are enjoyed by hobbits and humans alike. Among the most popular are the Agaricus, or button shaped, criminis, which grow into portabellas, shitakes, oysters, enokis, chanterelles, lobsters, morels, cepes or porcinis or boletus, depending on where you reside are but a few. The National Park Service makes some interesting distinctions: shelf fungi sprout from tree bark, mushrooms sprout up from the ground, and truffles bear fruit underground. Wherever they come from, it won’t kill you to try a new one, uh after some one else tries it first.
I’m just some lunatic macaroni mushroom, is that it? Tommy DeVito
Festivals:
The Mushroom Festival Chester Co. Pa. http://www.mushroomfestival.org/
Texas Mushroom Festival Madisonville, Tx. http://www.texasmushroomfestival.com/
Morel Festival Boyne City, Mi. http://www.morelfest.com/
There’s a fungus among us. We love ‘em, inexcusably so. And have since before the pharaoh’s declared that commoners were unfit to consume them. Hunting for and eating wild mushrooms is not unlike playing Russian Roulette: of the more than 2000 known species and cultivars, fewer than 5% are safe to consume, many are lethal to the touch.
They are neither plant nor animal, they are fungi, the root word has commonality with function – to perform. And perform they do. Many forms explode from nothingness to somethingness overnight. They host on other living or formerly living entities to decompose them by digesting their food externally and absorbing the nutrients through their cells. They are the subjects of mythology and lore: they impart superhuman powers and immortality to Mario and Luigi, are aphrodisiacs, home to Smurfs and are enjoyed by hobbits and humans alike. Among the most popular are the Agaricus, or button shaped, criminis, which grow into portabellas, shitakes, oysters, enokis, chanterelles, lobsters, morels, cepes or porcinis or boletus, depending on where you reside are but a few. The National Park Service makes some interesting distinctions: shelf fungi sprout from tree bark, mushrooms sprout up from the ground, and truffles bear fruit underground. Wherever they come from, it won’t kill you to try a new one, uh after some one else tries it first.
I’m just some lunatic macaroni mushroom, is that it? Tommy DeVito
Festivals:
The Mushroom Festival Chester Co. Pa. http://www.mushroomfestival.org/
Texas Mushroom Festival Madisonville, Tx. http://www.texasmushroomfestival.com/
Morel Festival Boyne City, Mi. http://www.morelfest.com/
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Alike as 2 peas in a pod...
How luscious lies the pea within the pod. Emily Dickinson
As alike as two peas in a pod… or are they? The Augustinian abbot Gregor Mendel utilized his garden peas to begin the scientific study of genetics, which helps us understand differences as well as similarities. Peas are among the oldest foods known to man, carbon dating of a find in the “Spirit Cave” on the Thai-Myanmar border have been carbon-dated to nearly 10,000 B.C. The word pea has Sanskrit origins and thrives in the cool mountain climates of the region. Most peas prefer cooler climates, though some like the chickpea don’t mind the heat. The pea must be replanted annually from its seeds for it has only a one-year life cycle. Most edible peas derive from the species pisum sativum or pisum hortensus - the garden pea - of which there are several hundred varieties. There are some that are so tender they can be eaten pod and all, such as sugar snaps and snow peas; others are best shelled like English peas. According to Waverly Root, the smaller and sleazier looking the peas, the sweeter and more delicious it will be. In the Southern U.S., we enjoy many types of “field peas” which are usually shelled and run the rainbow in colors and patterns, like black-eyed and Mississippi purple peas. At Monticello, Jefferson grew more than 30 varieties. In China, pea shoots are greatly appreciated, as is the wasabi in zesty sauce. Few curried dishes would be complete without peas. Nutritionally, peas are a good carbo energy source, low in fats and high in fiber.
“Being pretty on the inside means you don't hit your brother and you eat all your peas - that's what my grandma taught me.” Lord Chesterfield
Festivals:
Purple Hull and Tiller Race http://www.purplehull.com/
Black-eyed Pea Jamboree http://texaslesstraveled.com/blackeyedpea.htm
As alike as two peas in a pod… or are they? The Augustinian abbot Gregor Mendel utilized his garden peas to begin the scientific study of genetics, which helps us understand differences as well as similarities. Peas are among the oldest foods known to man, carbon dating of a find in the “Spirit Cave” on the Thai-Myanmar border have been carbon-dated to nearly 10,000 B.C. The word pea has Sanskrit origins and thrives in the cool mountain climates of the region. Most peas prefer cooler climates, though some like the chickpea don’t mind the heat. The pea must be replanted annually from its seeds for it has only a one-year life cycle. Most edible peas derive from the species pisum sativum or pisum hortensus - the garden pea - of which there are several hundred varieties. There are some that are so tender they can be eaten pod and all, such as sugar snaps and snow peas; others are best shelled like English peas. According to Waverly Root, the smaller and sleazier looking the peas, the sweeter and more delicious it will be. In the Southern U.S., we enjoy many types of “field peas” which are usually shelled and run the rainbow in colors and patterns, like black-eyed and Mississippi purple peas. At Monticello, Jefferson grew more than 30 varieties. In China, pea shoots are greatly appreciated, as is the wasabi in zesty sauce. Few curried dishes would be complete without peas. Nutritionally, peas are a good carbo energy source, low in fats and high in fiber.
“Being pretty on the inside means you don't hit your brother and you eat all your peas - that's what my grandma taught me.” Lord Chesterfield
Festivals:
Purple Hull and Tiller Race http://www.purplehull.com/
Black-eyed Pea Jamboree http://texaslesstraveled.com/blackeyedpea.htm
Sunday, February 28, 2010
There ain’t nothing better than a mess o’ ham hocks and collard greens
“There ain’t nothing better than a mess o’ ham hocks and collard greens” True Southerners
Collards are not for stuffed shirts...but many folks lose their heads over them. This member of the wild cabbage family Brassica oleracea is of the cultivar group acephala – Greek for headless, meaning this group does not for the tight ball or head of leaves that many of its cousins do. The species most likely originated in the Mediterranean and because they are so hearty and hard to kill, migrated out ward in all direction from there: into the British Isles by the 4th century B.C., out into Africa and to the New World in North and South America with the slave trade as collards fell out of fashion with nobility, they became fodder for the poor, the enslaved and the animals. But fortunately, much of the best cuisine has arisen from necessity. The lowland Scots have done wondrous things with potherbs and cornmeal cakes to stretch mutton and fowl through lean times; they are the standard side dish with the Portuguese/Brazilian Feijoada, a rich, slow-cooked stew of beans and all things pork; my experience is in the southeastern U.S., where the collards and other greens are transformed by slow simmering in “potlikker”, which was originally a stock, or liquor, from meat bones and scraps boiled down to become soft enough to become edible which created a flavor so rich that anything remotely edible was added to the pot to stretch the meal, especially things that the masters deemed unfit to eat, like weedy tough greens. This slow cooking actually makes the collards more nutritious, unlocking nutrients from the tough cellulose of the plant.
The idiot who invented instant grits also thought of frozen fried chicken, and they ought to lock him up before he tries to freeze-dry collards. Lewis Grizzard
Festivals:
http://www.epa.net/collardgreens/ East Palo Alto Ca. July
http://www.visitportwentworth.com/events-collard-greens.php Monteith, Port Wentworth, Ga. March
http://www.macarnold.com/collard_fest.html Cornbread& Collards Blues Festival Asheville, NC Greenville, Anderson, SC
Collards are not for stuffed shirts...but many folks lose their heads over them. This member of the wild cabbage family Brassica oleracea is of the cultivar group acephala – Greek for headless, meaning this group does not for the tight ball or head of leaves that many of its cousins do. The species most likely originated in the Mediterranean and because they are so hearty and hard to kill, migrated out ward in all direction from there: into the British Isles by the 4th century B.C., out into Africa and to the New World in North and South America with the slave trade as collards fell out of fashion with nobility, they became fodder for the poor, the enslaved and the animals. But fortunately, much of the best cuisine has arisen from necessity. The lowland Scots have done wondrous things with potherbs and cornmeal cakes to stretch mutton and fowl through lean times; they are the standard side dish with the Portuguese/Brazilian Feijoada, a rich, slow-cooked stew of beans and all things pork; my experience is in the southeastern U.S., where the collards and other greens are transformed by slow simmering in “potlikker”, which was originally a stock, or liquor, from meat bones and scraps boiled down to become soft enough to become edible which created a flavor so rich that anything remotely edible was added to the pot to stretch the meal, especially things that the masters deemed unfit to eat, like weedy tough greens. This slow cooking actually makes the collards more nutritious, unlocking nutrients from the tough cellulose of the plant.
The idiot who invented instant grits also thought of frozen fried chicken, and they ought to lock him up before he tries to freeze-dry collards. Lewis Grizzard
Festivals:
http://www.epa.net/collardgreens/ East Palo Alto Ca. July
http://www.visitportwentworth.com/events-collard-greens.php Monteith, Port Wentworth, Ga. March
http://www.macarnold.com/collard_fest.html Cornbread& Collards Blues Festival Asheville, NC Greenville, Anderson, SC
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Broccoli, broccoli, wherefore art thou broccoli?
"Mother: It's broccoli, dear. ---
Child: I say it's spinach, and I say the hell with it." James Thurber
Broccoli, broccoli, wherefore art thou broccoli? This cousin of the cabbage first came into popularity in the Roman Empire, probably brought back from campaigns to Asia Minor in the last few centuries B.C. and has been embraced and disdained the world over ever since: it once killed Homer Simpson; George H.W. Bush doesn’t like it, Newman calls it a “vile weed”; it was purportedly invented by Bond producer “Cubby” Broccoli; possibly cures cancer, but the secret’s not really out yet. Some things are known to be true about it: the name comes from brachium, which means arm. The stalks arise from cabbages that have gone to flower and the florets are harvested before they bloom. The most popular variety is the Calabrese, said to have been developed in the Calabria region of Italy; this popularity has recently mushroomed - it’s U.S. consumption has grown nearly 1000% in the last 30 years! It is high in vitamin C, fiber and contains an anti-cancer compound called sulforaphane which is found in many cabbage cousin cruciferous vegetables. It is also a fantastic source of vitamin K, which aids in healthy blood cell production and cardiovascular vitality. This crown of crudités prefers mild climates and wilts in hot summers, doing exceedingly well in southern California. Try one of its relatives, rapini or broccoli raab, which combine characteristics for broccoli heads and mustard leaves in the same plant. The popular broccolini is an hybrid of gai-lon, sort of an Asian version of rapini.
Newman, you wouldn't eat broccoli if it was deep fried in chocolate sauce! Jerry Seinfeld
Festivals:Greenfield Harvest Festival - http://www.ci.greenfield.ca.us/index.aspx?recordid=136&page=16
Child: I say it's spinach, and I say the hell with it." James Thurber
Broccoli, broccoli, wherefore art thou broccoli? This cousin of the cabbage first came into popularity in the Roman Empire, probably brought back from campaigns to Asia Minor in the last few centuries B.C. and has been embraced and disdained the world over ever since: it once killed Homer Simpson; George H.W. Bush doesn’t like it, Newman calls it a “vile weed”; it was purportedly invented by Bond producer “Cubby” Broccoli; possibly cures cancer, but the secret’s not really out yet. Some things are known to be true about it: the name comes from brachium, which means arm. The stalks arise from cabbages that have gone to flower and the florets are harvested before they bloom. The most popular variety is the Calabrese, said to have been developed in the Calabria region of Italy; this popularity has recently mushroomed - it’s U.S. consumption has grown nearly 1000% in the last 30 years! It is high in vitamin C, fiber and contains an anti-cancer compound called sulforaphane which is found in many cabbage cousin cruciferous vegetables. It is also a fantastic source of vitamin K, which aids in healthy blood cell production and cardiovascular vitality. This crown of crudités prefers mild climates and wilts in hot summers, doing exceedingly well in southern California. Try one of its relatives, rapini or broccoli raab, which combine characteristics for broccoli heads and mustard leaves in the same plant. The popular broccolini is an hybrid of gai-lon, sort of an Asian version of rapini.
Newman, you wouldn't eat broccoli if it was deep fried in chocolate sauce! Jerry Seinfeld
Festivals:Greenfield Harvest Festival - http://www.ci.greenfield.ca.us/index.aspx?recordid=136&page=16
Saturday, February 13, 2010
The root of all roots...
There are some oligarchs that make me want to bite them just as one crunches into a carrot or a radish. Evita Peron
Their name comes from the Latin radix means root, so the radish is obviously the root of all roots. Radishes are taproots as are carrots, turnips, beets, dandelions, parsnips and many trees; both the root and the greens are edible. They are members of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages and other hearty stemmed leafy greens that grow above the ground. Taproots have been domesticated in the Mediterranean since pre-Roman times - the ancient Egyptians used radish seed oil before olive oil was known - and can be found wild throughout Asia and Europe. The Spanish first brought radishes to Mexico in the 16th century. In Oaxaca, Mexico, Christmas Eve is also the Night of the Radishes, when large radishes are cut into animal shapes; the festival begins on December 23 in the city of Zocalo. In Japan, in December there are radish festivals; in April, the radish is carved to symbolize another festival.
Varieties of radishes can mature within a month of planting, so successive plantings can help maintain months of harvests. The main growing seasons range from April to October in the Northern Hemisphere, but many types store through the winter very well and are known as winter varieties, such as the black and icicle radishes. The pale pigmented Daikon, which has grown over 5 feet long and a foot in diameter, has more acreage planted in Japan than any other crop and is very popular when the size of a large Cuban cigar. There are many colors available: white, pink, red, purple, black, speckled and multi-colored rainbow varieties. Excellent sources of vitamin C and potassium, they also are low in calories and high in fiber.
What do I know of man's destiny? I could tell you more about radishes. Samuel Beckett
Festivals:
http://www.aboutoaxaca.com/oaxaca/night-radishes.asp
Their name comes from the Latin radix means root, so the radish is obviously the root of all roots. Radishes are taproots as are carrots, turnips, beets, dandelions, parsnips and many trees; both the root and the greens are edible. They are members of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages and other hearty stemmed leafy greens that grow above the ground. Taproots have been domesticated in the Mediterranean since pre-Roman times - the ancient Egyptians used radish seed oil before olive oil was known - and can be found wild throughout Asia and Europe. The Spanish first brought radishes to Mexico in the 16th century. In Oaxaca, Mexico, Christmas Eve is also the Night of the Radishes, when large radishes are cut into animal shapes; the festival begins on December 23 in the city of Zocalo. In Japan, in December there are radish festivals; in April, the radish is carved to symbolize another festival.
Varieties of radishes can mature within a month of planting, so successive plantings can help maintain months of harvests. The main growing seasons range from April to October in the Northern Hemisphere, but many types store through the winter very well and are known as winter varieties, such as the black and icicle radishes. The pale pigmented Daikon, which has grown over 5 feet long and a foot in diameter, has more acreage planted in Japan than any other crop and is very popular when the size of a large Cuban cigar. There are many colors available: white, pink, red, purple, black, speckled and multi-colored rainbow varieties. Excellent sources of vitamin C and potassium, they also are low in calories and high in fiber.
What do I know of man's destiny? I could tell you more about radishes. Samuel Beckett
Festivals:
http://www.aboutoaxaca.com/oaxaca/night-radishes.asp
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Are you casting asparagus on my cooking?
Are you casting asparagus on my cooking? Curly Howard
The asparagus is a member of the lily family, first cultivated in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor around 3000 years ago. In Rome for the Caesars, it was frozen in the Tiberian Alps and run by chariot to be served at the feast of Epicurus. The ancients prized it for its unique flavor, supple texture and medicinal qualities: it is especially useful as a diuretic for kidney and bladder health, as well as strengthening capillary walls to improve heart health. Its importance to cuisine began as far back as Alexander the Great; the Persian word asparag means sprout or shoot. By the time of Cato it was cultivated profitably; Roman emperors had slaves running ice from the mountains to keep it chilled then load it onto the fastest boats of their asparagus fleets for fetching it for feasts as well as trading purposes. It is still known as the food of kings – Louis XIV had special greenhouses erected so he could enjoy it year-round. In Europe it is most popular white, which is created by etiolation, the process of depriving the shoots of light. The stalks are covered by soil as they grow to keep out the light necessary to produce chlorophyll and keep the stalks pale and tender. Modern cultivars include violet, purple, pink and many shades of green. The shoots are usually first cut in the 3rd year of growth at about 6-10 inches, cut at ground level to insure the health of the plant and its successful harvest for years to come. Enjoy!
“You needn't tell me that a man who doesn't love oysters and asparagus and good wines has got a soul, or a stomach either. He's simply got the instinct for being unhappy highly developed.” H.H. Munro
Noted Festivals include:
http://www.asparagusfest.com/
http://www.nationalasparagusfestival.org/
http://www.empirechamber.com/
The asparagus is a member of the lily family, first cultivated in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor around 3000 years ago. In Rome for the Caesars, it was frozen in the Tiberian Alps and run by chariot to be served at the feast of Epicurus. The ancients prized it for its unique flavor, supple texture and medicinal qualities: it is especially useful as a diuretic for kidney and bladder health, as well as strengthening capillary walls to improve heart health. Its importance to cuisine began as far back as Alexander the Great; the Persian word asparag means sprout or shoot. By the time of Cato it was cultivated profitably; Roman emperors had slaves running ice from the mountains to keep it chilled then load it onto the fastest boats of their asparagus fleets for fetching it for feasts as well as trading purposes. It is still known as the food of kings – Louis XIV had special greenhouses erected so he could enjoy it year-round. In Europe it is most popular white, which is created by etiolation, the process of depriving the shoots of light. The stalks are covered by soil as they grow to keep out the light necessary to produce chlorophyll and keep the stalks pale and tender. Modern cultivars include violet, purple, pink and many shades of green. The shoots are usually first cut in the 3rd year of growth at about 6-10 inches, cut at ground level to insure the health of the plant and its successful harvest for years to come. Enjoy!
“You needn't tell me that a man who doesn't love oysters and asparagus and good wines has got a soul, or a stomach either. He's simply got the instinct for being unhappy highly developed.” H.H. Munro
Noted Festivals include:
http://www.asparagusfest.com/
http://www.nationalasparagusfestival.org/
http://www.empirechamber.com/
Sunday, January 24, 2010
If an onion rings...pick it up!
It is hard to imagine civilization without onions. Julia Child
Allium is the onion genus with over 1200 known species, making it one of the largest plant genera of the world. They are perennials that grow bulb clusters, usually at the root end, but some species grow bulbs at the flowering ends. The bulbs divide and multiply to form new plants, or can be separated to form more plants and increase yields. Among the many edible species of the allium are onions, shallots, leeks, garlic and chives. As winter passes its peak, shoots will appear from many of these plants we know as “spring onions”, whose flavors range from sweet and delicate to pungent and hot. Among the most popular is the “Welsh” onion, which doesn’t really develop bulbs, nor is it from Wales. The name comes from Old English and Old German words that mean “foreign”; the species likely developed in China or Siberia. These delightful greens are important to cuisines worldwide as some of the first greens to sprout after the harshness of winter and are used year-round. In the southeastern U.S., we particularly prize the ramp, with its broad leaves, purple shafts and flavors that evoke comparison to garlic, leeks and onions. Whichever are your favorites, feature them at their peak to enhance your menu.
“It's probably illegal to make soups, stews and casseroles without plenty of onions.” Maggie Waldron
Allium is the onion genus with over 1200 known species, making it one of the largest plant genera of the world. They are perennials that grow bulb clusters, usually at the root end, but some species grow bulbs at the flowering ends. The bulbs divide and multiply to form new plants, or can be separated to form more plants and increase yields. Among the many edible species of the allium are onions, shallots, leeks, garlic and chives. As winter passes its peak, shoots will appear from many of these plants we know as “spring onions”, whose flavors range from sweet and delicate to pungent and hot. Among the most popular is the “Welsh” onion, which doesn’t really develop bulbs, nor is it from Wales. The name comes from Old English and Old German words that mean “foreign”; the species likely developed in China or Siberia. These delightful greens are important to cuisines worldwide as some of the first greens to sprout after the harshness of winter and are used year-round. In the southeastern U.S., we particularly prize the ramp, with its broad leaves, purple shafts and flavors that evoke comparison to garlic, leeks and onions. Whichever are your favorites, feature them at their peak to enhance your menu.
“It's probably illegal to make soups, stews and casseroles without plenty of onions.” Maggie Waldron
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Parsnip? How do you cook that thang?
The play left a taste of lukewarm parsnip juice. Alexander Woollcott
Parsnip, the pale, yet powerful cousin of the carrot has long flown below the radar, but this was not always so. Prior to the introduction of the potato from the New World, the parsnip was one of the most popular vegetables in Europe. It was especially popular during religious fasting, when meats were eschewed, because it was hearty, heavy and filling and had a strong character of its own. This pungent character ultimately caused its decline in popularity; the white potato, with its neutral palate was able to take on the flavors of whatever it was combined with and superseded the regal parsnip in the 18th century. The parsnip does not grow best in warm climates; it needs frosts to really develop its characteristic flavor. It likely first developed in northern Eurasia; its wild descendants range from the across the Bering Strait into the northwestern U.S. to far into Europe, where its seeds have been found in Neolithic lake settlements of Switzerland and England. It is also quite nutritious, being high in fiber and low in calories, and contains more vitamins and minerals than the carrot, especially potassium.
Fine words butter no parsnips. Sir Walter Scott
Parsnip, the pale, yet powerful cousin of the carrot has long flown below the radar, but this was not always so. Prior to the introduction of the potato from the New World, the parsnip was one of the most popular vegetables in Europe. It was especially popular during religious fasting, when meats were eschewed, because it was hearty, heavy and filling and had a strong character of its own. This pungent character ultimately caused its decline in popularity; the white potato, with its neutral palate was able to take on the flavors of whatever it was combined with and superseded the regal parsnip in the 18th century. The parsnip does not grow best in warm climates; it needs frosts to really develop its characteristic flavor. It likely first developed in northern Eurasia; its wild descendants range from the across the Bering Strait into the northwestern U.S. to far into Europe, where its seeds have been found in Neolithic lake settlements of Switzerland and England. It is also quite nutritious, being high in fiber and low in calories, and contains more vitamins and minerals than the carrot, especially potassium.
Fine words butter no parsnips. Sir Walter Scott
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Honey, you’ve got a really nice pear!
"There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Pears are among the oldest of cultivated fruits – in 5000 B.C., Feng Li abandoned his diplomatic career to devote himself to cultivating pears, peaches, persimmons, apples and almonds as his road to fame and riches. Homer lauded them as a gift of the gods; their versatility and long storage life helped Odysseus survive his Odyssey. Painters have appreciated their rainbow of hues in their pallets and used their artistry to bring water to our palates throughout the ages. Likewise the wood is magnificent in art and music: during the Spring and Autumn period of the Zhou dynasty, Lu Ban of the 5th Century B.C. was crafting fine furniture, and Baroque musicians knew the virtue of pear for their reeds and early keyboard instruments. They are also quite nutritious as excellent sources of vitamin C for tissue health, potassium for heart health and blood pressure regulation, and fiber for other healthy regulation – apples ain’t the only fruits that keep the doctor away. Speaking of apples, some scholars also purport that the pears may have actually been the apples of Eden, since many early languages evolved that the favorite fruit was translated as “apple” for many cultures. You’ll always be the pear of my eye!
"I could peel you like a pear and god himself would see the justice in it."
Katherine Hepburn (Eleanor of Aquitaine) to Peter O’Toole (Henry II) in “Lion in Winter”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Pears are among the oldest of cultivated fruits – in 5000 B.C., Feng Li abandoned his diplomatic career to devote himself to cultivating pears, peaches, persimmons, apples and almonds as his road to fame and riches. Homer lauded them as a gift of the gods; their versatility and long storage life helped Odysseus survive his Odyssey. Painters have appreciated their rainbow of hues in their pallets and used their artistry to bring water to our palates throughout the ages. Likewise the wood is magnificent in art and music: during the Spring and Autumn period of the Zhou dynasty, Lu Ban of the 5th Century B.C. was crafting fine furniture, and Baroque musicians knew the virtue of pear for their reeds and early keyboard instruments. They are also quite nutritious as excellent sources of vitamin C for tissue health, potassium for heart health and blood pressure regulation, and fiber for other healthy regulation – apples ain’t the only fruits that keep the doctor away. Speaking of apples, some scholars also purport that the pears may have actually been the apples of Eden, since many early languages evolved that the favorite fruit was translated as “apple” for many cultures. You’ll always be the pear of my eye!
"I could peel you like a pear and god himself would see the justice in it."
Katherine Hepburn (Eleanor of Aquitaine) to Peter O’Toole (Henry II) in “Lion in Winter”
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Rosemary, Baby!
"Where Rosemary flourished, the woman ruled." Unknown
Rosemary, Baby! Rosmarinus, old Latin for “dew of the sea”, this cousin of mint does in fact love the salt spray of the coast, but who doesn’t? Fragrant and evergreen, it lends itself to meats, fish and game fowl or anything that has the character to break through the veneer of milder herbs. The fall holiday season sees potted rosemary as a wonderful gift and its tiny pale blue flowers can light up your garden in the morn’; speaking of gardens it will keep bugs away from your cabbage, beans and carrots as well as add the flavors of theses same veggies in your pot! The medicinal properties of this herb are legendary and powerful so be careful: it relaxes muscles as a tea, yet too much can cause cramps and intestinal turbulence; topical application of its oils shows positive effects on tumors and cancers, but ingesting it can be deadly. It is an antioxidant said to improve memory, the Bard’s Ophelia said, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance", but this could be a reference to the disastrously unforgettable experiences of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza when they nearly died from drinking the Don’s recipe for the balm of Fierabras rather than applying it to their wounds.
"As for rosemary, I let it run all over my garden walls, not only because my bees love it but because it is the herb sacred to remembrance and to friendship, whence a sprig of it hath a dumb language."Sir Thomas More
Rosemary, Baby! Rosmarinus, old Latin for “dew of the sea”, this cousin of mint does in fact love the salt spray of the coast, but who doesn’t? Fragrant and evergreen, it lends itself to meats, fish and game fowl or anything that has the character to break through the veneer of milder herbs. The fall holiday season sees potted rosemary as a wonderful gift and its tiny pale blue flowers can light up your garden in the morn’; speaking of gardens it will keep bugs away from your cabbage, beans and carrots as well as add the flavors of theses same veggies in your pot! The medicinal properties of this herb are legendary and powerful so be careful: it relaxes muscles as a tea, yet too much can cause cramps and intestinal turbulence; topical application of its oils shows positive effects on tumors and cancers, but ingesting it can be deadly. It is an antioxidant said to improve memory, the Bard’s Ophelia said, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance", but this could be a reference to the disastrously unforgettable experiences of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza when they nearly died from drinking the Don’s recipe for the balm of Fierabras rather than applying it to their wounds.
"As for rosemary, I let it run all over my garden walls, not only because my bees love it but because it is the herb sacred to remembrance and to friendship, whence a sprig of it hath a dumb language."Sir Thomas More
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
