New Grill!

We finally caved and bought a snappy new grill. The decision was made easier when my folks decided that a new gas grill would be the perfect Christmas gift. So, thanks, Mom and Dad! You've opened up a whole new section of the cookbook for us to experiment!

It's been a great gift so far. I'm actually surprised that we never missed having one before, especially since most anything on the grill tastes DELICIOUS (the exception being veggie dogs - still gross). I finally have a vessel where my skills for preparing food very well-done are appreciated.

The grill also works when we receive an overabundance of our CSA crop-share. When in doubt, we just slice it and grill it, which has been a much more palatable option for all the eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash.

BTW, drop us a line if anyone knows what the white gourd-looking veggie is, below, and whether it is edible or decorative. Otherwise, I suppose we'll find out soon enough, although we'll give TJ the first bite.

Let's Talk About Strega

I came across this liqueur when Nicole bought me a pineapple on Friday. The cocktail which used the pinapple as its vessel required an unfamiliar ingredient called Strega. It took trips to three different liquor stores before we found it.

What is Strega?

"Strega (or Liquore Strega), is an Italian herbal liqueur produced since 1860 by the S. A. Distilleria Liquore Strega in Benevento,Campania, Italy. Its yellow color comes from the presence of saffron in its recipe. Liquore Strega is 80 proof (40%) and among its approximately 70 herbal ingredients are mint and fennel." - Thanks Wikipedia!!!

Strega is good. Very good. Good with vodka, rum, or just ice. You must try it.

Josiah's Bay Float

Liqueur Store

As explained previously, Nicole and I found our way into a currant patch at Rush River Produce in Wisconsin. We nearly missed out on the currants since we were there to pick blueberries and were running late for the start of the Twins game, but thankfully we took the time to fight the sparrows and stain our fingers. If you have never had a black currant, you really must try them. They are one of those dynamic foods like brussel sprouts or squash that have numerous flavors and the first time you taste them they create new neuron connections in your brain to help you never forget the fireworks in your mouth.

Of course, the first logical thing to do with a lot of black currants is to make booze. We received a good tip from the Rush River Produce owners that you can make a liqueur from the berries. Here is the recipe that I found online.

1/3 quart fresh black currants

Sugar

A cinnamon stick

2 cloves

Vodka

Put some fresh black currants in a glass bottle until it is about one-third full. Each berry should have the skin pierced with a needle before inserting in the bottle. Do not wash the berries- they should have their bloom of natural yeast on the skins. Using a funnel, cover the berries with sugar. How much is a matter of taste.

Add a cinnamon stick and two cloves.

Fill the bottle with any good quality clear spirit such as vodka. The spirit should be at least 40% by volume alcoholic strength. Seal and store in a warm cupboard for about three months.
About three months? Three months?

Man, that sucks.

Blueberries!

We traveled to near Maiden Rock, Wisconsin last weekend for some tasty blueberries and delicious views. Wisconsin - being a bit ahead of the curve, weather-wise - readied our roads with a scenic autumn show.

Following the recommendation of our neighbors, we selected Rush River Produce near Lake Pepin. The blueberry harvest was winding down, but we collected more than enough to bake a few desserts - with extra berries to freeze for later - even after we ate half our supply in the fields.

Adam really hit it off with the black currants, even though they had a flavor another picker described as tasting like wild game. I thought they tasted more like the pine trees of the Black Hills, or rather, tasted like the smell of the pines. I managed to sneak a cup of the currants into some scones before Adam stockpiled the rest into a secret old-style currant cordial that we will experience in approximately 2-3 months.

We got out of there with enough antioxidants and blue-stained tongues to keep us safe for at least a month, but we'll be back next year. The scones were that good.

Get Big In '09

I know you have always wondered what our great room looked like from a really high ladder. Well, grip your loved ones and get ready for a mindblowing time. We will start with the north side.

Now we will ease you towards the south.

Ok, you can breathe now.
Remember to tip your guide. They went to a private college and are still paying student loans.

Coneflowers

Our plan to attract bees and butterflies to the yard is working. We have one coneflower plant that has started blooming, and it's been a hot spot with the beneficial insects group.