I did a little more weeding today. It took me over an hour just to do that one swath you see there. I sure would like to get it all cleared out before every weed reseeds. And maybe we could even till in some compost or mushroom compost or chicken shit or something. So many of you left such sweet comments about Lauren and I appreciate that. Thank you. She actually made it off of the floor last night and onto the couch and about eight this morning she was able to walk around a bit and get on the bed. This is huge progress! Why do these things always happen on weekends? I am hoping that our much-loved massage therapist can see her soon. And a doctor. I think though that time and continuing the muscle relaxers is what's going to help the most. Lauren is not one to want to lay about. She is a hard worker and almost never, ever calls into work but she has had to. She knew her back was bothering her some but, as we all do, she ignored it and decided to do a bunch of garden work on her day off and the next thing she knew, she was in agony.
I have not yet heard from the fishing duo this evening but I expect to soon as they should be back on land around seven or so.
I did get this picture this morning.
Two happy people! I know they will be worn out when they get in.
I've been just about useless today except for the little bit of weeding I did. I do not care. Well, I say that but if I hadn't done the weeding, I would be extremely unhappy with myself. I finished listening to "Demon Copperhead" and it got heavy, y'all. I mean, it was heavy from the get-go but then it got REALLY heavy. Kingsolver takes on issues that are dark and deep and important and this book was no different. Some of her books, I have felt lately, have been a little preachy but in most of them she manages to weave the issues into the story and the characters in a way that manages to get her point across without hitting us over the head but does touch us in the heart.
Not unlike Charles Dickens.
I am still so impressed with the way she draped her story over the bones of "David Copperfield." I guess we could call that a device but even so, it was done with such respect and ability that I can only admire it. And also enjoy it despite the grim reality of what she describes, just as "David Copperfield" can be loved and enjoyed despite its grim realities. If you would like to read the NYT's review of the book, you can go HERE.
Many of you also commented on the okra blossom I posted yesterday, saying that the flower was very pretty but that you'd never tried okra and had no desire to do so.
That makes me sad. Okra, to my mind and taste, is an excellent food. It has the reputation for being slimy but if it's cooked properly, there is no slime to it. I can't imagine gumbo without it, and cooked with tomatoes and onions it is a perfect side dish to go with fish or on its own with rice. I had some leftover from when I made gumbo last week and last night I air fried it and ate it for supper and then again for lunch today. Here's what it looked like.
Usually, fried okra is cut in rounds but I have found it is far easier to get the batter to stick if I cut them longwise. Some people serve fried okra with one fancy sauce or another to make this most plebeian southern dish into something gourmet and that is fine but to be honest, ketchup goes very, very well with it.
Another very southern thing I have made recently was Mrs. Matthew's peach "pie". That's what the recipe calls it, anyway.
It will not be hard for anyone going through my recipe box after I am dead to know that this was a beloved dish. It's basically the same recipe that Truvy says of in "Steel Magnolias" she eats with vanilla ice cream to cut the sweet.
Pretty much.
I did, however, use fresh peaches and did not add an extra cup of sugar so it's not traditionally sweet.
Here's what it looks like before you put it in the oven. The peaches go on top of the batter and then, magically, as it bakes, the batter rises up to cover the peaches to look like this.
Blueberries or any berries, for that matter can be added in. Or used on their own. It is a very fine dessert, no matter what you call it- pie, cobbler, buckle. I just call it damn good. And since it came from Granny Matthews, you know it is authentic. It can of course be served with ice cream, as Trudy recommended, or whipped cream if you'd rather. Plain is fine with me.
Let's see- what else? I sort of went through the refrigerator and threw some stuff out. That needed to be done. I did not do an actual cleaning because, well, I didn't want to. I pulled out the sourdough starter which I have not fed in a week or so and attended to that. After sitting out in the kitchen all day it is looking like this.
It smells deliciously sour and tangy and I think I will give it another feed either tonight or tomorrow. I have realized that my sourdough bread baking is very inadequate compared with that of a friend's whose loaves look like something in a magazine. I AM NOT KIDDING! They are true works of culinary art. I have just been so very meh about technique and rules and so forth, wanting to somehow magically create beautiful bread without doing the work. And don't get me wrong- my sourdough bread tastes lovely but it's just not...very impressive. I am going to work on this.
Here's an old picture of Levon that came up in my memories today.
Remember when he was obsessed with shovels, calling them "fa-fa's" and moving dirt from one place to another?
I guess I'll go cook something.
Love...Ms. Moon
Glad Lauren is even a tiny bit better.....back pain is SO debilitating.....when it's *that* bad. Poor dear. Yes...massage would probably do much more for her than a Doc unless she's had chronic issues. Your peach dessert looks like a pear *thing* I have made in the past...... the dough magically rises to the top to form a cake over the fruit...shoot- I'll have to go through my recipe box to try to find it. I think some people refer to that as a pandowdy? I'm not baking at all anymore since hubby doesn't eat ANY sugar....and I would eat it ALL if I made it...I miss baking...but am carrying on. And I like okra....but in Calif. is hard to find. If i ever use it........I have to buy it frozen......but fried or baked liked you do..I would eat each one with a dab of ketchup! sorry....too long of a comment....but also hope Mr Moon and Jessie will be a *happy tired* upon homecoming!
ReplyDeleteSusan M
Me too on Lauren. Bless her heart. This has been torture for her. I imagine that the recipe would work beautifully with pears. Oh yes! Perhaps it is called pandowdy. I have no idea.
DeleteYou are such a good wife to not bake due to your husband's dietary restrictions.
You can definitely use frozen okra in soups and stews and gumbo and with tomatoes and onions. I do that in winter sometimes.
Back pain is HORRIBLE. I had a bout of it this past week along with infected eczema on my feet, and let me tell you.....I was fucking MISERABLE. My doctor prescribed muscle relaxers too, and also a time release anti-inflammatory called Diclofenac and that last one really helped a lot.
ReplyDeleteI like okra but hardly ever eat it. In fact, I should go by the farm stand this week and buy some. I can't let a whole summer get past without having okra! Some fried yellow squash would be delicious, too.
Huh! I've never heard of Diclofenac. I am so glad to hear it helped you.
DeleteYes. Get you some okra, girl! And Jessie made us the best yellow squash when we were in NC. She sliced it (not thin) and lightly brushed it with olive oil, put a little freshly grated parm on to of each one and baked it. It was delicious! But I do love fried squash.
I have to try that Peach Thing! Meanwhile, when you talk about feeding your sourdough starter, what the heck are you doing? You say it very casually then move on, and finally I've remembered to ask you what you feed to it and how, and why.
ReplyDeleteOh my! A culinary question that I can answer? I am floored! You have to regularly dump part of your sourdough starter and add flour and water to it to give the natural yeast something new to eat. Otherwise they just lose interest in raising your bread. But it's not that picky. As long as you do it before you use some to bake with, you're good.
DeleteI like okra! I had a couple of plants years ago, just to see how it grew. We don’t cook it very often, though- probably because we were never served it at home. Thanks for sharing that peach cake recipe, I definitely want to try it! Xo, Rigmor
ReplyDeleteOkra is one of the reasons I am glad I have grown up and live in the south. If you try the peach cake/pie/whatever recipe, tell me how it goes. I think it would be lovely with cherries or figs or...whatever.
DeleteThat pie seems more like a cake but delicious nonetheless. I have made something similar using fresh apples. I love the nonchalant throw away response you gave Boud re feeding your sourdough starter. I am still none the wiser!! And I might try an okra when they appear in the supermarket.
ReplyDeleteWell, how I feed my sourdough is that I take out a cup of the starter that's in the container I keep it in and either throw it away or use it for something else and then I had a cup of flour and a half cup of water back to the container and mix it all up with the starter that's already in there and pretty soon, it starts bubbling away.
DeleteI'm glad Lauren feels a bit better!
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteIs that pie baking temperature 350*? and are the peaches drained of their juice before adding to the batter? Because I really want to try this.
ReplyDeleteLevon looks so cute "gardening". Very glad to hear Lauren is improving and hope she takes things easy for a few weeks.
Nope. You can dump in all the juice, too!
DeleteLevon has always been a hard worker!
As is Lauren.
Just a few questions.....what is it 3 tsp of, can't read it! How much butter is a " stick"? As long as you use the same cup, does the size of it matter?
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that Lauren is a bit more mobile.
Mary's nosy assistant butting in here. It's baking powder. A stick of butter is quarter of a pound/ 8 tablespoons. Wrapped butter often comes in four sticks to the pound. A cup is a specific measurement, 250 ml, 8 oz. Yes, it matters in baking. Good luck. I'm going to try this too. Maybe blueberries.
DeleteThank you, Liz! Perfect!
DeleteI'm glad Lauren is feeling better. I would hate to be immobilized with back pain. My back gets sore, often, but never to the point that I can't move. My husband and I just had a nice early morning fight about his aches and pains, and chronic sinus infections which lay him out on the couch on a regular basis and how he refuses to see a doctor until he stops smoking, which he never will. What a lovely way to start the day.
ReplyDeleteOh dear. Marriage can be tricky. I am so sorry.
DeleteHa! I'd forgotten about "fa-fa's." Wonder where he got that name?
ReplyDeleteNone of us has any idea!
Deletewe like to roast okra. split them lengthwise with some green onions also cut lengthwise coat it all in olive oil, single layer on a sheet pan, roast about 20 minutes turning about halfway. I'm still thinking about buying an air fryer. I should just do it.
ReplyDeleteMmmm.... That sounds so good.
DeleteI love this air fryer. It also toasts, bakes, and broils. If it broke tomorrow I'd consider it money well spent and go buy another. I love it that much. I often bake little casseroles in it and I make my morning toast in it. It's great for heating up leftovers on the air-fry function.
Fried Okra and peach "smush", it doesn't get any better than that!!
ReplyDeleteI cannot disagree with you.
Delete