Grilled Salmon with Citrus Sauce

Tim made the most delicious salmon tonight  with a classic cucumber recipe and sauteed green beans - delicious!

Grilled Salmon

• 4 skinless salmon fillets, (6 ounces each)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• Coarse salt and ground pepper.

1. Heat grill to medium-high. Rub 4 skinless salmon fillets (6 ounces each) with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. 
2. Lightly oil grates; place salmon, skinned side up, on grill. Cover grill; cook 5 minutes. Turn fillets; cover, and cook until opaque throughout and flaky, about 4 minutes more. Serve salmon drizzled with Citrus Sauce.

Citrus Sauce

• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

1. In a small skillet over high heat, boil 1/2 cup fresh orange juice and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice until reduced to 1/2 cup, 8 to 12 minutes. 
2. Remove from heat; whisk in 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.

White Trash Hot Tub

We had been looking to put in a hot tub upstate because our pond being spring fed is just far too cold to swim.  However, the maintenance on hot tubs is a pain and then there is the cost. I went online to look for alternative options. I came across any number of solutions, so we combined some ideas and came up with a truly inexpensive but not so glamorous solution.  We went to Tractor Supply and bought a Rubbermaid cattle trough - $150.00 .  It is smallish but accommodates two people.  We fill it with water and then bought a couple trough heaters and put them in a galvanized metal bucket that we set in the tub water.  We set it out for the day and after a long exhausting day of working in the garden - by 4 in the afternoon , the water is hot and with a couple cocktails absolute perfection.  We take out the trough heaters and hop in and enjoy a sunset or a late evening watching the stars come out.  The tub has a removable spigot and we drain the water back into the yard.  You can build a deck around the tub and make it more attractive but we like the portability of the tub and put it back in the basement when not in use.  Although unconventional and bordering on white trash - it was perfect for this weekend.

Happy Memorial Day!

This morning as we started to get our day started. I turned on my IPod to put in the window with speakers so we can listen to music while we did yardwork.  The first song to play was Audra McDonald singing Summertime from the production of Porgy and Bess.  Great way to start the day.

Flew home from San Antonio early on Friday, got home switched out my suitcases and Tim and I caught the 3:15 train and were at the house by 7:30.  Could not wait for the weekend.  My middle name is stress right now with work, and taking care of my Mom and dealing with my family.

Saturday, was the first day in weeks that I could honestly say I didn't have a stress headache or pain in my neck and shoulders.  We spent the entire day in the yard, painting fences, planting, mowing, and cleaning.  Afterwards, Tim and I sat in the side yard on our chaises with cocktails in the shade and I could finally feel that I was tired but in a good way and not thinking about anything but ourselves and how beautiful the day had been.

Sunday, much of the same thing, but we hired two guys to come do work for us in the yard because it's too much to manage with all the things that are going on in my life and prep for our annual July party.  With all the heat and little rain, everything is blooming early.  The bleeding hearts were particularly beautiful.  We invited our new neighbors over for cocktails and it's so great meeting and spending time with Jeff and Gisella.  Marni and Mel had us over for dinner and there was fresh radishes, asparagus and rhubarb with our dinner which was delicious.  Today, we just relax and enjoy the day.

Fried Olives from Balaboosta

Last Friday, we met for lunch on Mulberry for Tim's mother's birthday at a restaurant called Balaboosta.  The food was delicious and one of our favorite things we ate were the fried olives.  Tim bought the cookbook and made them for dinner, Sunday night.  They were delicious.  Despite the difference in panko quality - we have to try putting it through the blender to make it finer. It was delicious.  I am not fond of heat but the Harissa oil was really good.  Tim may switch now from Sciracha to Harissa because it's hotter.  Such a great appetizer!  I found the recipe online and reposted.

BALABOOSTA RECIPES

February 23, 2015

World’s Best Harissa — Recipe from Chef Einat

Makes about 2 ½ Cups

10 garlic cloves

1 large roasted red bell pepper, peeled, cored and seeded

1¼ cups canola oil

¼ cup tomato paste

½ cup ground cumin

⅓ cup cayenne

⅓ cup sweet Hungarian paprika

¼ cup ground caraway

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Directions-

Combine garlic, bell pepper, tomato paste and 3/4 of the oil in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is almost pureed.

Add cumin, cayenne, paprika, caraway and salt. Slowly drizzle in the remaining ¼ cup oil while the machine is running. Keep processing until the harissa is completely pureed and all ingredients are combined thoroughly.

Store the harissa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Fried Olives with Labneh

Serves 2 to 4

Canola oil for deep frying

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 large eggs, beaten

3 cups fine panko

2 cups pitted Kalamata olives

Labneh — find recipe here

Harissa — see recipe above

Directions-

Line up three large bowls and fill one with flour, another with eggs and the third with panko.

Using a slotted spoon, throw handfuls of olives (no more than 8 to 10 at a time) into the flour. Take them out, shaking off excess flour and quickly dip them in the egg. Then place them in the panko and shake off any excess powder before dipping them in the egg mixture again. Move them back to the panko and shake them around to coat evenly. If you notice the panko getting gooey or chunky, strain it of any clumps. Remove excess crumbs with your slotted spoon and place in an airtight container until ready to use.  This can be done up to a day in advance as long as you keep the olives in the refrigerator.

Heat enough oil in a skillet or medium pot to deep-fry the olives. When the oil reaches about 375˚F, carefully place a handful of olives in the oil using your slotted spoon. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer the fried olives to paper towels to absorb excess oil.

To serve, dollop labne evenly across the bottom of a shallow serving bowl. Add olives in the middle. Carefully pour harissa oil around the circumference of the bowl.

Sun Dial Gift

Our friend, Mary Ann, bought me a sundial for my birthday and I am trying to figure out how it works and be able to actually use it.  I didn't know how complicated It was and it may not be understandable but it looks good - thanks Mary Ann.  Love you!

Garden sundials are used as a clock that works via sun time, not clock time. Mathmeticians and historians love the concept of sundials and sun time. Positioning a Garden Sundial to read the time of day as accurately as possible requires some research and study. To make it easier for our customers, we've done all the research.

Armillary Sundial in Garden

There are two different types of garden sundials. Horizontal Garden Sundials which lay flat on the ground or can be placed on a pedestal and Armillary sundials that are a bit more detailed in design and have a larger Gnomon.

• Horizontal sundials have many diffent designs and styles of gnomons.
• You can place a horizontal garden sundial either in flower beds or on pedestals near the garden or walkway, depending on where the best sun and shadow combo are.
• Although the time of horizontal sundials isn't quite as accurate as Armillary sundials, they are much easier to position and are very easily moved.
• Horizontal garden sundials only need to be angled if they were designed for a latitude other than where they are being used.
• The Armillary sundial takes a little more work on proper placement to see the most accurate time.
• The Armillary sundial operates basically the same way as the horizontal sundial does.
• Armillary sundials keep track of time more accurately than a standard garden sundial.
• Most Armillary sundials have a fixed gnomon aligned with the Earth's rotational axis, as well as a shadow-receiving surface symmetrical to the axis.

Direction of True North 

Horizontal Garden Sundial

Sundials need to point in the direction of True North, and the style (either a sharp straight edge or thin rod, often located at the edge or tip of the gnomon) must be aligned with the Earth's rotational axis. The direction of True North is not the same as the north magnetic pole, but instead is marked by the north celestial pole.

• True North is found at latitude 90N, and is the direction along Earth's surface towards the North Pole.
• A compass will work for small garden sundials, but is not very accurate. A compass only helps to locate the magnetic north, but this will serve the typical garden sundial perfectly well.
• Garden sundials are designed for function, but many owners are happy just to have a sundial that is close enough to being accurate.
• You can also position a true vertical object at exactly local noon and mark the shadow. You will want to find a reliable method of marking the shadow at the instant of local noon.
• You can also position your sundial so that there is no shadow shown at high noon. The shadow should appear to the left in the morning, and to the right in the afternoon.

Sun Time vs Clock Time 

The sun will appear at times to be faster and slower than our watches read, again because sun time and clock time are not the same. The sun appears "fast" from mid-April through mid-June, and early September through late December. When the sun appears "fast" it will reach sun-noon (be directly overhead) not at 12:00:00 by your watch, but a few minutes earlier. When you are setting up your horizontal sundial, you want to know the time the sun is directly overhead. There are certainly more advanced methods of determining True North, and setting sundials for accuracy, but our horizontal garden sundials can be set using the methods above. You will enjoy watching how the shadows on your sundial change through the seasons and how sun time really works.

The Angle of the Gnomon 

Brass Armillary Sundial

Garden and Armillary Sundials are often bought as gifts, and when traveling. Bringing home a sundial that was produced outside of your area of longitude will require that you check the angle of the gnomon. The gnomon is a bar or stretched wire parallel to the celestial axis, and the face is a semi-circle. A sundial made for the south of Spain will have an angle of 37 and will not tell the correct time if it is set up with the horizontal dial plate in Birmingham, Alabama where latitude is 52.5N. You should check the angle of your gnomon regardless of where it was purchased and is set up, just to be certain your sundial is ready to tell sun-time.

• A common method for checking the angle of the gnomon is to measure the angle with a protractor, and then crosscheck your measurement to ensure that the hour lines have been laid out correctly.
• You can back-calculate the gnomon angle from the angles of the hour lines.
• For example, the angle of the 9am and 3pm hour lines from the noon line is 2624 at 30N, 2950 at 35N, 3244 at 40N, 3516 at 45N, 3727 at 50N, and 3920 at 55N.
• Additional information can be found through research for more complicated sundials and gnomons.
• If your gnomon is indeed angled incorrectly for your geographical location, you can use a wedge to bring the gnomon parallel to the earth's axis.
• Armillary sundials are equiangular with straight hour lines that are equally spaced apart.
• To correct for longitude with an armillary sundial, rotate the dial surface by the difference in longitude without changing the gnomon.

The research above should be able to set up a garden sundial as accurately as possible. Enjoying the beauty and function of your sundial will be a different kind of experience after learning about sun time vs. clock time, the direction of true north, and how to angle your gnomon correctly.

Honey Bee Cake

I love cake molds and I ordered this latest one from William Sonoma.  It's a bee hive mold and you can order these separate candy bees that you attach with buttercream to the outside of the cake.  We wanted to use it for July 4th this year and make a bunch of bee hives but this weekend gave us an opportunity to test the new recipe which we downloaded from WS and the mold itself.  It works beautifully and the recipe is quite good.

Honey Bee Cake

Shaped like a hive and adorned with bees made of royal icing, this whimsical cake will be all the buzz at your next gathering. A drizzle of honey, added right before serving, is the perfect finish for the cake.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 2 3/4 cups (15 oz./460 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) (8 oz./250 g) unsalted butter
• 1 2/3 cups (13 oz./410 g) granulated sugar
• 3 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup (5 fl. oz./160 ml) milk
• 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) fresh lemon juice

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) honey
• 1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt

For the quick buttercream:

• 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) (2 oz./60 g) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups (6 oz./180 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 Tbs. milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 
  Honey for drizzling (optional)
• Royal Icing Bee Shapes for decorating (optional)

Directions:

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour a beehive cake pan; tap out excess flour.

To make the cake, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla just until incorporated, about 30 seconds.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon juice and beat for 30 seconds.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are higher than the center. Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the honey, lemon juice and salt and bring just to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Tap the cake pan gently on a work surface to loosen the cake. Set the rack over a sheet of waxed paper, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the warm cake with the glaze. Let the cake cool completely, at least 2 hours, before assembling and decorating.

To make the buttercream, in a small bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt and continue beating until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Stand one half of the cooled cake vertically on its base. Using a serrated knife, level the flat side of the cake by trimming off 1/8 to 1/4 inch (3 to 6 mm) from the edge. Repeat with the other cake half.

Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of buttercream, about 1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g), on the cut side of one of the cake halves. Place the cut side of the other cake half against the frosted side and gently press to secure the two halves; using the spatula, smooth the buttercream at the seam.

Using a large spatula, carefully transfer the cake to a serving platter. Immediately before serving, drizzle with honey, making sure to cover the frosted seams of the beehive. Decorate with the royal icing honeybees and serve. Serves 16.

Happy Birthday To Me

With everything that is going on with my Mom, it's been hard to plan any type of travel or personal time away.  For my birthday, I wanted quiet, the house and garden and just a small little dinner party. We invited our best friends, Marni and Mel, and Tim made an incredible meal and it was a nice relaxing evening.  Sometimes, little quiet things mean the most.  I set the table today with vintage transferware and depression glassware that we have collected over the years, good Sferra linens, vintage mix and match silverplate, white vintage ceramicware pieces  and a beautiful vase that I bought in Paris so many years ago.  The white double blossom daffodils looked so pretty.  Thanks Tim for a lovely meal and a lovely weekend!

Happy Mother's Day!

This has been such a rough year for Mom so far.  She has been in and out of the hospital and continues to have problems .  I just want her to know how much  I love her and she has always been my best friend.  I love you Mom!

Finally ....It's Spring

After what felt was the longest, snowiest, most disastrous winters ever, spring is finally here.  And with it comes promise of positive things to come.  The first 3 months of this year has been unbelievable.  My Mom's health has been poor, numerous legal and family issues, ongoing knee problems and a crazy work schedule has me longing for spring to start.  Now that it is here, there is so much to do - I don't know what is worse?  Just have to make lots of lists and jump in and get started.  Good things to note ... our forsythia hedge is in full bloom this weekend which we typically never get to see and finally mature enough that we can go out and clip as little or as much as we want for the house.  Forsythia is one of my favorite flowering shrubs and it reminds me of my years living in North Carolina and cutting armfuls of the stuff to put in your house and a clear sign of spring.  Our chore list begins:

1. Donations
2. Putting up new bird feeders
3. Painting existing birdhouses and getting them out early this year.
4. Getting out the water barrels for storing water
5. Taking down the deer fencing
6. Removing all the burlap covering
7. Taking off the tarps that are covering stacks of pots
8. Getting out the wood chipper
9. Putting out all the garden ornament
10. Raking all the leaves out of every crevice in the yard
11. Spray painting the pergola
12. Spring house cleaning
13. Planting potatoes and early veggies
14. Clearing all tree limbs and branches from winter

... and the list will continue...