Love and Patience!!!

If you have ever disagreed with the saying "dogs are good practice for children" you should try gardening. Most gardening fatalities, when caused by dogs and children can be avoided. After the initial rage subsides you see that it really is all your fault. Yelling and screaming will do nothing, except make you look like a bad pet owner/parent. I can assure you it will not keep them from going in, only a sturdy fence will deture both. They don't see beautiful flowers and tidy rows of veggies. They see fun and easy diggable dirt, something to put in their mouth, touch, explore and my favorite, beat with sticks/tails. You never know, there may be wild Bubba Bears (their favorite toy) and mystical creatures hiding amongst the lupines and peonies or in the rows of radishes and beets.

All which have been the fatalities of the week. I didn't close the garden gate, then the peonies and lupines bloomed. Henri romped through the garden, defecated on the peonies and tried to cover up the lupines. The fragrance we all love moved something deep inside Henri. Matthew said, "Henri must have misunderstood and thought we were saying pee-on-these." It is a very common mistake, I must admit. Brody however took to sampling my herbs, deciding that the flat leaf parsley was most desirable. Again, my fault and I must purchase some edging fence. My sister very kindly gave me enough for our herbs and Brody no longer grazes in them. My perennial beds are left vulnerable and remain a place for mischief.

A little pee never hurt anyone and I was able to salvage some peonies for the dining room table. The lupines will make it I think. Thank goodness I caught them this morning. Their roots were very moist and happy so I put them back in the ground with plenty of compost.

I had called Matthew about deciduous azaleas on sale this week at Nature Works when I saw the destruction. I must admit I had to get off the phone fast to save myself any embarrassment. Some tears were shed, but I did not yell!!! Henri, knowingly guilty went straight into his box and stayed there the rest of the morning. He took no chances on coming out.

Henri loves to dig: flower beds, newly planted grass seed, container plants even in the living room...
Brody is a true Lab and wants to eat everything: morning lilies, herbs, lemon grass...

I should have been better prepared this spring!!!

Shepherd's Pie

On this rainy day I'm heading out with my friend Marie and hitting some of my favorite farms. We are going to Four Mile River for beef and pork, Scott's for strawberries, White Gate Farm for produce and eggs and Beaver Brook for lamb, cheese, raw milk and yogurt!!!

This spring I came up with a tasty variation of an old classic. I didn't have any milk or butter, but I had lamb, potatoes, carrots and parsnips. So I made the Shepherd's Pie without mashed potatoes. The horror of such an invention rang loud and clear throughout my family. Then to boot I brought it to Easter, but much to my family's surprise it was very good. They were actually fighting over who got to take home the leftovers. So here is the recipe!!!

2-3# ground lamb
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3-4 large onions, small dice
3-4 large parsnips, peeled and small diced
6 carrots, peeled and small diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 t dried rosemary (fresh if you have it)
2-3 T ap flour
2-3qt favorite stock (we always have home-made in the freezer, I used beef for mine)
1-2 cups favorite red wine (use what you like to drink!!!!)
salt and pepper, to taste

3-4 large potatoes (do not peel)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In an 3-4qt oven/stove proof casserole (I love Le Creuset) brown your lamb in olive oil. Once browned strain fat from lamb and set aside. Now cook veggies in the same pan, you made need to add more olive oil. Cook veggies until slightly caramelized and add back the lamb, dust with flour and cook a few more minutes. Deglaze with your red wine and then add the stock. You may have stock left over, make sure to save room for potatoes. (I didn't have my large Le Creuset when I first made this and if you don't either do what I did!!! Prepare in the pan you have for the stove top and then transfer to a oven proof casserole and cover with foil instead if the lid.)
Let lamb mixture simmer on the stove while you prep your potatoes. Wash potatoes well because we won't be peeling them. Slice potatoes thin on a mandolin if you have one. Be careful of your fingers!!!! I have sliced them by hand using a sharp knife-this takes just a few more minutes. Now arrange slices on top of casserole and cover and bake (on a foil lined sheet pan, juices may run over) for 45 minutes, remove cover and bake another 15 minute (this will help brown the potatoes.)

If you have potato slices left, make some potato chips! You went to the trouble to slice them -don't just throw them away!!!

I hope you find this as tasty as we did. I know my ingredient amounts may look vague, but use your discretion. Remember, this started as a peasant dish to use up leftovers!!!!

What to buy for Father's Day?

While checking my email this morning I received one from D'Artagnan. They are a supplier of specialty food and they also send mail order to foodies everywhere. This email was for the Dad's, starting with The Shameless Carnivore's Feast!!! It sounds great with all free range meats: bison, wild boar, venison, veal, fois gras.... Yes, there are some humane/free range fois gras farms, I have been to one in the Hudson Valley. People are right by saying "know your food" and that starts from the beginning. Knowing the gardener and the farmer, if you trust these people you can only hope to trust those down the line (growers, harvesters, butchers, etc...) For more on this there are a ton of books that have said this much more eloquently then I (a very good place to start: http://www.michaelpollan.com/.)
My dad is easy, this would be a perfectly suitable gift and as a matter of fact for almost all the fathers I know. Every retailer that send emails for Father's Day sends things about food and mostly things for cooking meat! Even Brookstone; with the electronic meat thermometer that beeps when your meat is ready!!! This isn't entirely fair but this may be the most affordable option. I don't think any of us are going to be buying a Bose for our father's this year. I can think of a handful that deserve one, but it's a pretty penny! Hopefully most will have the pleasure of knowing their father as well as I do and this won't be a problem.
But remember there are grilled veggies, tofu, temphe patties, etc... These are all very yummy alternatives that these grilling tools can be used for. Even the thermometer for those who eat fish and poultry. If your dad is a vegan dress them up with a balsamic reduction, pesto (leave out the parmesan and use tofu) and salsa. Not a vegan add a sprinkle of feta or his favorite cheese and a runny farm raised egg is always great over veggies. Also any marinade you love on fish, poultry or beef can be used with meat alternatives. The best way to serve these items to your carnivores is do not lie!!!! Don't you dare call them sausage, burgers, bacon, etc... Even turkey or chicken burgers, if they are not beef you better make that clear!!! I think you catch my drift, nobody likes a liar!!!!
My father is a good man and he will try most everything I make. Sometimes I don't always like the criticism, but he tried it and that is what counts!

Quiet Day!

Sunday mornings start off my week for catering. Strategies has been having me cater their seminars now for three years. We have a great relationship and things have always run smoothly. They call me the Friday before, let me know the count and any dietary restrictions and I have free creative license. Today's lunch was yummy. I made a delicious baked ziti with feta, mozzarella, Parmesan and broccoli in a very simple cream sauce. With just a sauce of cream the cheeses are able to shine through while not over powering the broccoli florets. They also had a green salad with a balsamic vinaigrette, wild mushroom puffs and homemade oatmeal cookies with butterscotch chips. I always make sure they have a tasty snack and dessert. Catering lunches like this are the best, because now I have the rest of the day to myself!!!
Matthew and I are spending a quiet day at home with the dogs. They are very upset I didn't mention them in my profile, considering they are also two very trustful companions. Brody is
our Black Lab and Henri is our Sealyham Terrier. They are quite a dynamic duo; they pretend to despise one another, but I know better. I surprised them one day coming home early from a walk and caught them snuggled up together on Brody's bed! I didn't make a big deal of it so not to make them feel conspicuous.

I have been enjoying this laid back day, the week of yard work has caught up with me. I don't expect much sympathy because it's all self inflicted but landscaping is back breaking work. I don't know how people do it day in and day out. Those darn weeds don't know it's Sunday!!! I'm hoping to get a good grip on things this summer to make next summer much easier. I did do some container planting so the day hasn't been a total waste, but I can hear the Bittersweet laughing as it's choking the life out of trees!!!