Market Fresh Chef Blog

On The Road, again

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:59:58 -0500

I know that's cliche', but we're heading south, this time to Lexington Virginia. There is a fourth of July celebration there involving hot air balloons, BBQ chicken, and a kids bicycle parade. Sounds like good old-fashioned fun to me, and it's mostly free! I have emptied all the camera cards and charged the batteries, so I'll be taking lots of photos. Plan on catching, grilling and eating a few trout (Bob will do the cleaning) and enjoying some nice Virginia wine, too. The three of us will be staying here. That's the house on a pond in the mountains. That's where the fish are, too, I hope. Most of the fun takes place on the grounds of VMI and WLU. Maybe the tween will attend in a few years....keep dreaming!

If a Tree Falls...

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 08:56:50 -0500

...and you're taking a nap, do you hear it? The answer is a resounding "yes". Especially when it lands about 200 feet from where you lay. Five pm yesterday, high winds brought some sideways rain, hail and many trees down in my neighborhood. I had been napping soundly and sat bolt upright for an unknown reason. The storm had begun. As I dashed around the house closing windows, I noticed something wrong with the view to the north. Brigit and I collected hailstones off the back porch in our palms just as the storm passed on. A short stroll around the yard to survey the damage solved the mystery. This one used to grow along the sidewalk and the next door neighbors' property line. At the trees' base, there was only one thigh-sized living root, the rest was rotten, like damp sawdust. The entire trunk was covered in green lichen, going at least 30 feet up. The fallen diseased maple completely filled the yard of an apartment building, but missed an abandoned house; it's unfortunate the winds were not blowing a bit more southerly. We've been trying to get the Village to condemn the place for a few years. Yes, there really is a once-lovely Sears style home behind those overgrown weeds.

San Francicso Memories

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:40:53 -0500

Having a previous career history in the criminal justice field, I was enthralled by Alcatraz. Alas, it was far too windy the week we were in San Francisco to get off the tour boat (for us), but I got some nice photos none-the-less. Sunsets abound on the west coast, and here's one as seen from Greens Restaurant with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background (& some sailboat masts in between). The church where Marilyn Monroe illegally wed Joe DiMaggio is pristine and beautiful. The boat tour out to and under the GGB was terribly windy and cold, but that didn't keep me inside the cabin. I love feeling the sea breeze and mist on my face. The sailboats seemed to benefit as well...

San Francisco Here We come!

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:32:05 -0500

I'll be riding a rented bicycle on the Golden Gate Bridge soon, and I hope I make it all the way over without injury. I have not been on a bike in two years. Last summer was spent in physical therapy for a broken ankle. While it feels much better 10 months later, any change in weather is broadcast not by the weatherman on TV, but by the sudden ache around my left foot. Sensible shoes abound! (yuk) Other health issues have poked their nasty heads out of the sand lately, as well. Esophageal testing has me on medication for the first time. More tests lie in wait, but they are on hold while the West Coast beckons. BP is shaky, cholesterols and blood sugars excellent. I guess this "almost 50" thing does not get easier. One or two other tests will be redone (after the trip). Welcome to middle-age. On a positive note, San Francisco looks like a fine place to visit. I've convinced the family to join me on Alcatraz, too. Wine country is waiting. Trail riding some horses to the hilltops for fine coastal views sounds really good. Any pain I feel in my foot will most certainly be remedied by the hot-tub on the deck (overlooking the beach, of course) with a glass of Willamette valley wine in hand. I'll send you some pictures.

blog overkill

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:48:35 -0500

What's a lame blogger to do when she can't keep up with one blog? Start another one, silly wabbit! What kind of stupid idea is that? Well, it's mine, and I did it. I've been encouraged to check out blogspot, and here's the result.

an entry about nothing

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:57:35 -0500

I have not posted an entry in 2 months. I'm not really posting one now, either. This is about nothing at all. Just a test. I hope it passes muster. I have inserted a photo of the chocolate fountain from The Chocolate Moose, which was invited to setup a table at the New York State Museum Chocolate Expo in December. It was fun serving 5000 chocoholics. Our table was in the Adirondacks. But we should have been setup under the stuffed moose.

Right out of Hitchcock Flick

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 09:30:59 -0500

I was just disturbed from my work by a huge shadow overhead, visible through the window directly to my right. And the noise...a screeching, squeaking, screening sound from above as well. I looked out and up, and there had to be quite a few hundred black birds swarming around the tops of the tall maple trees. I think they were starlings. As they moved closely through the neighborhood, blocking the sun, half the flock would try to settle on one particular tree, the other half still suspended, circling, searching for a better perch. I had just enough time to head downstairs and out onto the back porch. I wanted a better view and I needed to hear the sounds of the flock. It was surreal. They continued to consider the trees: in my yard, the neighbors' yards, never all in the air at once, never all quite settled together. On one of their passes over head, I could hear random drops of poop landing on the leaves or the porch roof above me. I was glad to be standing on it's edge, hanging onto the post, leaning out while looking up. I bet I would have had quite a bit of bird droppings on me if I had been out in the open. I considered for a moment how often that many birds would naturally poop while flying around like that. Perhaps they were frightened of something, causing this swooping over my yard. Then, as quickly as they arrived, they were gone, heading west over Smith's pond. But before I got to the back door to go in I heard the familiar cawing of a pair of crows. Looking up, there they were, flocking a hawk, right on her tail, while she easily outmaneuvered them, annoyed none-the-less by their relentless badgering. This trio was following the trail of the starlings. Was this what had unsettled the huge flock? Was some larger creature of the sky to follow? Was I in a horror movie and didn't know it? Where is Tippi Hedren? I think I'll go look for Rod Taylor in the attic.

Chocolate is like Clay

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:24:12 -0500

It just tastes alot better! You can make practically anything using chocolate. Suzanne proves that fact to me time after time. Just look at this masterpiece:

The haunted house is made of dark chocolate and nearly two feet tall. The Chocolate Moose created this for a special Halloween party order. I wonder if anybody ate it?

Am I getting Old, or What?

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 10:19:52 -0500

I'm quite sure that 20 years ago my ankle injury would have healed in 6 to 8 weeks. This time it's going to need 6 to 8 months. Or better. I have to say it is discouraging. I have done everything the experts recommend, and worn "sensible shoes" till I'm sick of them. And yes, it is still getting better, but I have to measure the improvements by weeks, not days. For now I am finished with Physical Therapy. Although I am positive I would benefit from more, our insurance ran out. Coverage is per year, not per injury. Plus the co-pay almost tripled a few months ago when Mr.'s contract was renegotiated and passed. It's all about money right now. And being able to forget about my left foot while I go about my daily business. Still, no high heels in my future. Boo-hoo.

Dark Side of the Yellow Brick Road

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:58:46 -0500

How do you explain the essence of "Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon played to The Wizard of Oz" phenomenon to a 12-year-old? She wants to understand it, she has great rhythym, a hearty sense of humor, and sits before the computer, watching this.

The idea of revealing that a person can become screwed-up by intoxicants which allows an altered state of reality has come to bear down on my mothering skills. Am I supposed to explain this to her now? She's too young, I answer. I remember reading (and believeing by experience) that children cannot understand concepts which they are not ready to understand. This often comes up when parents ask themselves: "what do we tell Jonnie when he walks in on us?" In other words, the story of the birds and the bees is just that, about small flying garden creatures, not about what happens in real life, in a childs' eyes, until the time that they can grasp the concept, no matter how clear and/or medical the language used becomes.

Reenter my tween, closely watching Dorothy and listening to David Gilmour yelling while she falls into the pigpen on the computer monitor. "I don't get it Mommy, how does this go together?" She wants to load the Floyd cd onto her ipod. That's a good thing. She goes off to dig out our ancient VHS movie of OZ, another good thing.

I would love to sit back and listen to these two perfect productions played together, and let my mind wander to a place where nothing interrupts, where I don't have to ask how or why they work in unison. But then I'd still need to consider her question. Wait, she saw some shiny keys, no, a butterfly passed by the window... and now she's off to other pursuits, and I am, gratefully, off the hook. The question has been answered. She's not ready to undersatand it. Phew!

Wanna' Be

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 15:39:25 -0500

You know, I guess I'd better own up to the truth. I wanna be a Seattlite. But I'm not. I picked this header because it makes me think of where I wanna' be. I live in the Hudson Valley, not the Pacific Northwest. And until MT offers better choices or variety in their style library for "decorating" my blog, this is as attractive and meaningful as it's going to get.

Yoo Hoo Yogi

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:34:04 -0500

When you come to a fork in the road, take it. Yogi Berra I met this guy when I was about 5. My father arranged for him to come to my brother's little league (Westland Hills, in Albany, NY) -- a promotional event for the YooHoo drink. My Godfather's bottling plant had just started selling the beverage, and in those days, Yogi was big. We're talking 1965. My brother was a catcher, and we drove to NYC many times each season for ballgames. My Father always had one playing on the radio. I still prefer to hear them rather than watch. But really, I just love the quotes. They comepltely describe a personality. If you've got one of his good ones, send it my way, please... We're lost, but we're making good time. Yogi Berra

The words have changed but the melody is the same...

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 13:29:06 -0500

MT upgrade, first entry, can see it by the dashboard lights... Let's try a photo: It is sad that Babu's lovely baby blues don't appear. Guess I need a better camera? He did hop into the guitar case the moment it was placed open on the hickory floor of the kitchen. He likes to get inside suitcases- the smaller the better. He also prefers dark fabric. Perfect to collect his fur and aggravate the humans.

Well, this is fun, no need for playing with html at all, if you don't want to!

A Fine Chef in her Own Right

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 17:29:19 -0500

Boy was I tongue-tied this afternoon when TV celebrity chef Sara Moulton from Gourmet Magazine stepped up to the candy counter at The Chocolate Moose. I usually can't bear to admit I recognize television personalities to their faces. I get very embarrassed and can't think of a single original thing to say. But Sara appeared so laid back and normal, I had no trouble admitting I was a fan and was a bit nervous. She ended up having some coffee and picking out a small box of truffles and our most popular chocolate dipped dried fruit to take home. I hope she likes them and comes back for more. Sara said she's about to go to a new network and is excited for a change in venue. She also complained about the demise of what she called "educational" cooking shows. I agree with her 100 percent. There are so many zany cooking shows on tv right now, I would have to watch the screen 24 hours a day to see them all. And who can possibly try that many recipes in one lifetime? I'd rather let a pro like Sara Moulton help me perfect the skills I already have with the recipe collection I know and love.

whats for to eat?

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:11:43 -0500

That's his usual query. It means he's hungry. I'm used to it; our 15th anniversary is coming in a month, and we spent another 5 years together before then. As we spend our last night at the beach on Topsail Island, dinner was not my problem this night. We ate out. Now I have to choose what to throw out from the cupboards and refrigerator tomorrow morning before we begin our 16 hour road trip home. It will be punctuated by a stay in very lovely Fredericksburg, Virginia. But we cant take any perishable prisoners. I do not like throwing out food at all. I would really like to see these vacation communities collaborate with the local churches and food banks to set up food drop off stations on the roadsides as people swarm off these densely inhabited rental property islands each weekend. But how do such good thoughts become realized? I don't know where to start. Instead, I pass on my goodies to the neighbors whom I feel would appreciate them without insult. that's the best contribution I can make at the end of a peaceful well fed vacation. Here's a sunset beach photo I took yesterday: