Well, folks, living in Michigan has many benefits, not the least of which is the spectacular annual asparagus crop.
Of course, the season doesn't last terribly long, so it's a challenge to find some variety in the ways one prepares those tasty spears. In addition, when two people shop for groceries, the vegetable drawer can end up with more asparagus than might seem reasonable.
So ...
Roasted, steamed, with and without Hollandaise or Bearnaise sauce;
Soups and vegetable stocks;
et cetera;
but ...
why not pickle some? It was actually quite simple to make some refrigerator asparagus pickles. Here's basically what I did:
1/4 - 1/2 C sugar
1/4 - 1/2 C salt
1 C white vinegar
1 C water
1 t dill weed (seed might be good too)
2 t peppercorns (whatever mixture you like)
2 t coriander seeds
Bring that brine to a boil, then let it cool a bit.
Blanch the asparagus, shocking with an ice bath or cold water to stop the cooking.
Cover the spears with the brine and refrigerate overnight.
Transfer to a jar, topping off with what brine will fit.
I imagine this would keep quite a while in the fridge, but it's unlikely that you'll have it around long enough to find out - these things are tasty!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Donovan is the Man
Wow.
Even FIFA couldn't deny Landon Donovan his winning goal.
On to the next round, folks.
USA! USA! USA!
Even FIFA couldn't deny Landon Donovan his winning goal.
On to the next round, folks.
USA! USA! USA!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
RIP Sydney Williams
We got the sad news that our good friend Sydney passed away on Thursday last.
Thanks to all who've prayed for him and his family - it's not time to stop, though.
We're missing a good friend, but more importantly:
Dorothy is missing a good husband.
The whole Williams family are missing a good father / grandfather / etc.
- They all still need and appreciate your prayers.
The congregation at the Avenue Church are missing a tireless worker and brother.
Christian Aid and the folks in Africa are missing a helper - a man who raised money and dug wells to help others to have a brighter present and future.
The world is missing a good man, but there is rejoicing in Heaven.
Oh yes, Sydney is missed here and now, but we know we'll see him again.
Thanks to all who've prayed for him and his family - it's not time to stop, though.
We're missing a good friend, but more importantly:
Dorothy is missing a good husband.
The whole Williams family are missing a good father / grandfather / etc.
- They all still need and appreciate your prayers.
The congregation at the Avenue Church are missing a tireless worker and brother.
Christian Aid and the folks in Africa are missing a helper - a man who raised money and dug wells to help others to have a brighter present and future.
The world is missing a good man, but there is rejoicing in Heaven.
Oh yes, Sydney is missed here and now, but we know we'll see him again.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Shameless Self-Promotion
Well, not totally self, really.
I've just finished the editing process on the new edition (3rd) of a book by my great-great-grandfather.
Titled "Reminiscences - 1861 to 1865, An Adventure With Guerrillas," it's the story of his Civil War encounter with Confederate Guerrillas and his escape from their attempt at his execution.
It's quite a cool little story, really, and it's even available for sale at my lulu.com store (www.lulu.com/grandteuton), but if you want to wait a while, it will also be available through Amazon (not sure how long that process takes) so you can take advantage of Amazon prime or whatever other options you have there.
Pretty nice to be able to bring it back to print after so long - the 2nd edition was in 1899. You have to like some of the technology we can access these days.
I've just finished the editing process on the new edition (3rd) of a book by my great-great-grandfather.
Titled "Reminiscences - 1861 to 1865, An Adventure With Guerrillas," it's the story of his Civil War encounter with Confederate Guerrillas and his escape from their attempt at his execution.
It's quite a cool little story, really, and it's even available for sale at my lulu.com store (www.lulu.com/grandteuton), but if you want to wait a while, it will also be available through Amazon (not sure how long that process takes) so you can take advantage of Amazon prime or whatever other options you have there.
Pretty nice to be able to bring it back to print after so long - the 2nd edition was in 1899. You have to like some of the technology we can access these days.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
A Cool Thing I Made Once
I don't really know what brought this to mind recently, but I think one of the cooler things I've ever made was a present for my Dad.
I can't even remember if it was a Christmas, Birthday, or even Father's Day present, but that doesn't matter a whole lot.
At any rate, Dad collects buffaloes of all descriptions. (I may explain why in another post, but the reason isn't all that important right now.)
If you want to be zoologically precise, they're really American Bison, but no one outside the zoological community ever really calls them bison, and a buffalo by any other name would still make chips ... but I digress.
He has stuffed buffaloes, stone buffaloes, a specially-commissioned bronze buffalo (which is quite spectacular), terracotta buffaloes, plastic, ... well, you get the idea, I hope.
Whenever this was, I decided that he needed a more formal herd of buffaloes to roam the open range. Of course, then he'd also need an open range, wouldn't he? Naturally.
Enter memories of childhood and those spectacular Electric Football sets. You may remember them - the little men sat on metal brush kinds of things, and you set them in formation on a metal football field. When the switch was thrown (assuming it was plugged in), the field would vibrate - with a very satisfyingly electric hum - and the men would move. They would move mostly in the direction they faced when you set them in formation, but as they bumped and jostled one another, the whole thing looked more like a rugby scrum than a proper football play. [I wonder if they ever sold these as Electric Rugby sets anywhere ....]
So - a little copy/paste action on the computer and I could print out a sheet of properly-sized buffaloes for the little football players. A bit of scissoring and gluing turned those teams of footballers into a herd of buffaloes, and now the milling, jostling action was actually appropriate.
[I'll see if I can find a photo to upload, but that's semi-doubtful.]
What's the coolest present you ever made for someone?
I can't even remember if it was a Christmas, Birthday, or even Father's Day present, but that doesn't matter a whole lot.
At any rate, Dad collects buffaloes of all descriptions. (I may explain why in another post, but the reason isn't all that important right now.)
If you want to be zoologically precise, they're really American Bison, but no one outside the zoological community ever really calls them bison, and a buffalo by any other name would still make chips ... but I digress.
He has stuffed buffaloes, stone buffaloes, a specially-commissioned bronze buffalo (which is quite spectacular), terracotta buffaloes, plastic, ... well, you get the idea, I hope.
Whenever this was, I decided that he needed a more formal herd of buffaloes to roam the open range. Of course, then he'd also need an open range, wouldn't he? Naturally.
Enter memories of childhood and those spectacular Electric Football sets. You may remember them - the little men sat on metal brush kinds of things, and you set them in formation on a metal football field. When the switch was thrown (assuming it was plugged in), the field would vibrate - with a very satisfyingly electric hum - and the men would move. They would move mostly in the direction they faced when you set them in formation, but as they bumped and jostled one another, the whole thing looked more like a rugby scrum than a proper football play. [I wonder if they ever sold these as Electric Rugby sets anywhere ....]
So - a little copy/paste action on the computer and I could print out a sheet of properly-sized buffaloes for the little football players. A bit of scissoring and gluing turned those teams of footballers into a herd of buffaloes, and now the milling, jostling action was actually appropriate.
[I'll see if I can find a photo to upload, but that's semi-doubtful.]
What's the coolest present you ever made for someone?
Thursday, May 27, 2010
RIP Art Linkletter
You know, obits say the darndest things, don't they?
Seriously, here's another of the pioneers of TV gone, and how many of you ever even saw his House Party programme? It probably couldn't fly in today's schedule, as no bleeping would be required, nor would any bouncers be needed to prevent fisticuffs.
Ah well, he'll be missed by some (including your humble blogger).
Seriously, here's another of the pioneers of TV gone, and how many of you ever even saw his House Party programme? It probably couldn't fly in today's schedule, as no bleeping would be required, nor would any bouncers be needed to prevent fisticuffs.
Ah well, he'll be missed by some (including your humble blogger).
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Coinage du Jour - 18 May 2010
RELIMINARY - adj
def. - revised, but still guessed-at
sample - "After further analysis, our reliminary estimate is 10% higher than the preliminary estimate released some time ago. At some future date, we will replace these estimates with actual data."
def. - revised, but still guessed-at
sample - "After further analysis, our reliminary estimate is 10% higher than the preliminary estimate released some time ago. At some future date, we will replace these estimates with actual data."
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