Saturday, October 20, 2012

i am up in the middle of the night - might as well make a post eh?

of course we will start the post with an amazing sky pic for my sweetest of sweets, otherwise known as Helga.


is that a beautiful pic or what? sometimes, after taking a sky pic for my beautiful Helga, i just stand in a trance, staring at the sky. and i feel tiny. and insignificant. but i also feel purpose. and i also feel that one day i will go home to the sky. am i rambling? i'm tired and it's the middle of the night.

below - 3 big jars and one little jar of fermented beets and daikon radish - we love those! and 2 jars of shredded, fermented daikon radish, a type of korean kimchi, one done only with vinegar and salt, one done with vinegar, salt, ginger and garlic - yummeh! fermented food that is made in your own natural environment, using the naturally-occurring bacteria in your environment is soooo very good for you!


woops - slipped off into one of my trances again...more beautiful sky for Helga.


and more. but you can probably understand why i take so many pics of the sky for Helga. we have beautiful and amazing sky here. and beautiful clouds.


like these beauties.


speaking of beautiful...how about 4 jars of kimchi??? made from scratch and made the traditional way. they lived under my bed for a week, i shook them and watched them bubble everyday, now they live in the basement...in the cool and the dark. these should last about a month if we eat it sparingly...which we don't - bahahahahahah!



yummeh - local sausage, homegrown roasted potatoes, fermented beets, fermented carrots and ginger and fermented daikon radish - this was a definitely delicious meal! jambaloney grills those locally-sourced sausage to perfection. we love these sausage and they come from the NS mainland!


you would think that after attending 3 Thanksgiving dinners in a row last weekend that we would be sick of thanksgiving-like meals. i am sorry but you would be very wrong! i was craving some stuffing, smashed and gravy. here is some home-made croutons, wild rice, celery, apple and dried apricot stuffing.


and here is where it got stuffed.


and here is what it looked like when it was time to eat. these little chickens that jambaloney got on sale last year are divine. grass-fed, free-range and antibiotic-free. oh and local!



love on a plate! mashed turnip with butter and maple syrup, steamed rainbow carrots, stuffing, chicken, smashed and gravy....love on a plate!


want more love? red-pepper infused olive oil. this is after i first made it and it had a nice peppery bite. 4 days later the stuff is so hot and peppery...let's just say a little goes a long way!!! we pour this on our home-made hummus...it is so lovely!



being that autumn really is upon us we will pick the last of the nasturtiums, put some in oil to make a deliciously-peppery oil for hummus and a variety of things, as well as dry some to put into soups and stews over the winter. nasturtium flowers are delicious!!

one last pic for Helga...can you blame me?

55 comments:

  1. That first sky picture is spectacular. We are getting dust from Colorado and the Rockies that should be here tomorrow, so I am afraid that our blue skies will be gone. There was not one cloud in the sky today. I do like clouds lots, but the blue sky was lovely.

    Infusing oil with herbs grows toxins, not a good thing to pour bacteria over your food.

    That chicken looks delicious! Hey, on the first plate at 5 o'clock what is the white fuzzy stuff? I KNOW it is not the wad of gauze it looks like.

    Why are you up in the middle of the might?

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    1. PP - i have so many sky pics that i am filling my computer up - bahahahah! i love taking pics and i am not exaggerating when i say that i have millions of sky pics! ugh - i am sorry about the dust from Colorado - how long will that last??? i infuse oils all the time with a variety of herbs, i have several books on how to do it, people have been doing that for thousands of years....not sure why you think it grows toxins???? that was the last of those little chickens...jambaloney grabbed 8 of them last year as they were on sale - my goodness, every one of them was sooo delicious. the stuff on the plate that looks like gauze is fermented, shredded Daikon radish - it is delicious. it is another form of korean kimchi - we love it! i was up in the middle of the night because i have trouble sleeping, always have. and i hate to take anything for it. some nights are good, some nights not so much.

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    2. Thanks for the answer. I just found out I have cataracts, so I was desperately trying to make it out as something familiar.

      Read daisyduckworth's comment. These facts are all over the internet.

      http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/herbs/msg1017583026950.html

      I did not think it up.

      I read that a period of waking in the middle of the night is a more natural way to sleep than sleeping straight through the night. People were meant, according to the article, to sleep for a few hours, get up, and then go back to sleep.

      But, we can read so much about sleep studies that it is confusing. I take melatonin so that I can go to sleep. I refuse to take medication, also. I, too, have good and bad nights.

      All your fermented vegetables boggles my mind. I may eat a tbsp of sauerkraut every six months. I cannot handle any more than that.

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    3. PracticalP - wow - that forum and the people on it discussing infused oils are quite mistaken, herb-infused oils have been around for thousands of years!!! reading that forum and the info on it is causing me to do a post about it! watch for it - your name will be in the title!

      i have also read that if we lived in the natural world without jobs, appointments and artificial lights, etc. that we would normally sleep in 4-5 hr periods, with 4-5 hr periods of waking.

      i have tried melatonin many times, praying for it to work but it doesn't. neither does lavender under my pillow.

      i love fermented food - it is a bit of an acquired taste but it is how our ancestors preserved food for thousands of years. there are 2 really good books out there is you are interested - on is Nourishing Traditions and the other is Wild Fermentation.

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    4. oh...i forgot to say that i love saurkraut....and if you make your own, it is so much crunchier and healthier.

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  2. Every photo looks wonderful! Thanks so much for taking the time to post that! The food? Looks yummy! Sad that I would have to whip a passport out to see it for real.

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    1. thanks so much Keads and i am glad that you enjoyed the pics! it is so sad but true, but yes, you need a passport to come and visit. if you ever did, i would cook up whatever your favourite meals are!

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  3. Everything looks wonderful! Those *wide open* sky photo's are stunning. Loving the big fluffy clouds

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    1. thanks so much Katidids! i love the wide open sky pics and the fluffy clouds. to be honest, the pics just don't do the sky justice! they look nice...but the feeling of standing under such beautiful skies is breathtaking! wish you could see it for real!

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  4. Hope you're sleeping NOW, little girl. lol Say, have you ever fermented green beans? I'm dying to try some...picked a gallon of beans today.

    Been rainy here a couple of days...but your skies look bee-oo-ti-full !! Supposed to be nice tomorrow and the Irishman is going on an all day fishing trip. Yum!! (Hopefully).

    Your friend, Annie

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    1. Annie...i finally crawled back in bed at 4:30...it's now 8am - not a very good night's sleep at all - bahahahah! i haven't ever fermented green beans myself, but do a google search and you will find a million different ways to do it. i love fermented food!!!! good luck to the Irishman and i sure do hope that he gets some fish! what is he fishing for? where is he fishing - lake/river? make sure to do a post about any fish that he catches - we loooooove fish here!

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    2. He brought home 2 beautiful rainbow trout, Kymber...and it's a state park about 12 miles form us that has a big lake... I'm off to google fermented green beans NOW! lol

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    3. oh yummeh - we love rainbow trout here (as you already know - bahahahahah!). yes, yes - ferment your beans and let us know how they turn out - i am sure they will be delicious!

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  5. Chickie looks delicious :) Now, when are you going to get your solar oven sorted, so that you can make the most delicious roast chickie ever...? :)

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    1. Dani - my plans for serious solar will start this winter/next spring/fall. i just didn't get a chance this year to do anything more than just play around and try and learn the basics. we get some really sunny days during the winter - it's freezing out - but clear skies and really sunny. THAT'S when i'd really like to practice and perfect. expect many questions - bahahahahah!

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  6. Looking good. More fermented stuff than I eat in a year but looks good none-the-less. MMMMM Chicken.

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    1. ya...mmmm chicken! i loved those chickens and i sure do hope that jambaloney can find some more from the same farm - they were deelish! we eat fermented food every single day - it is very good for you! you need to eat more of it buddy!

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  7. Oh hon - The first pic is out freakin standing ! I keep enlarging it and stare at it, as you did from the ground. It automatically keeps you in a trance - just look at that beautiful bright ball in the sky with those illuminating rays of such grandeur !

    The whole scene has such an angelic feel. I also see a huge sparkly diamond in the sky. I could rattle on forever about what I feel is your BEST shot to date. And they have all been the best - but this one is TOPS ! Thank you for all of them - very nice !

    Now the chicken dinner is awesome - and who could ever tire of
    that !?!? Love on a plate for sure ! Great scenery, great food , great people !

    I suddenly feel like singing " Knock Knock Knocking on Heaven's Door" - or better yet, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds !"

    Picture yourself in a boat on a river, with tangerine trees and marmalade skies - somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly ... a girl with kaleidoscope eyes ! There I did - that's you and me with those kaleidoscope eyes.

    I hope you get some sleep now that I've just sung you a lullaby ! Bahahahahah !

    Love you sis - Always, forever and a day !
    xoxoxoxoxoxo

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    1. teehee....i knew that you would love those pics! zzzz...huh? zzzzzz....the lullabye worked....always, forever and a day, sis...zzzzzzz!

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  8. could use a barbaque sauce for free range texans....

    Wildflower

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    1. Wildflower - did you say you saw Mayberry around here? huh? bahahahahahah!

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    2. is canada in texas?

      Wildflower

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    3. Wildflower - Canada is in the Arctic. poor Texas is in Mexico. North Mexico!

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  9. Just checking in, We are hanging in there. Hugs to you both.

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    1. Rob buddy - so nice to hear from you! i miss your posting! i wish you would start again! but even if you only check in here every now and again, that is better than not hearing from you! i miss you buddy!

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    2. I have been...http://aircorpminuteman.blogspot.com/

      New blog & new name...Rob's Conservative Ramblings

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    3. Rob, i had that new site bookmarked and i only ever saw a few posts. then i checked it one day and it said "this blog is no longer available" or whatever it said?!?!?!? i checked a few more times with no luck and thought you had just decided to quit blogging. i just checked now and it is there???? heck - i must have bookmarked it wrong or something - sorry buddy - will head over and catch up on posts when i finish here.

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  10. Replies
    1. dear sweet one - visit. get all the food you want. went to bed.

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    2. dear sweet one - visit. get all the food you want. went to bed.

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  11. Such lovely sky photos! Your food photos always make me hungry-methinks I need some breakfast! :)

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    1. Donna - the sky here is breath-taking. i have a normal digital camera and i have never changed the factory settings. all i do is point and click. a real photographer could really take some beautiful pics of our sky! i am glad you enjoy those and the food pics - thank you!

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  12. Your sky pictures are beautiful, and you food looks delish!!!

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  13. Sweet Kymber,
    Talk about vibrant blue, and puffy white. I love your pictures of the sky from your place, Framboise Manor. The beets, radish and kimchi I bet will be gone sooner than you think. Everything looks so yummy, you're making us hungry. The red pepper infused oil is a great idea, have you tried infusing garlic with oil before? I can imagine the red pepper flakes make the oil hotter as each day passes. The taste of a chicken that is grass-fed, free-range and antibiotic-free is so amazing. I will only buy chickens like this now. Hopefully you were able to get to bed and sleep soundly after posting on your blog. Take care and give Jambaloney a hug.
    Your Friend,
    Sandy

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    1. sweet Sandy - i love the sky here too! and you are right - we'll tear through the kimchi and beets/radish in no time - we love it! the red pepper oil is delicious and yes, each day it gets stronger...i am gonna let it go a few more days and then strain out the flakes. i have done garlic-infused oil and love it as well as many other infused-oils...we love our infused oils! i was finally able to go to bed, thank you. jambaloney gives a hug back, as always!

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  14. Good pictures. Food looks really good as I am sitting here eating my toast and rhubarb preserves!

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    1. thanks John. mmmmm - rhubarb preserves on toast is sounding pretty good to me!

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  15. WOW! That first sky pic is amazing! You captured a really nice sun flare (is that what it's called?)

    Do you ever leave the kitchen? :-) All your food looks delicious as always but it wouldn't be the same without your yummy descriptions.

    I looked for your kim chi recipe on your good eats page a few days ago, but it wasn't there :-( Cabbage is on sale now at our favourite family farm...$12.00 for 50 lbs! I just HAVE to learn to make some good cabbage recipes.

    That reminds me, our spare room is going to start filling up with our over-winter produce soon so you better come quick while there's still room for humans! :-)

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    1. Sue - i am not sure if i caught the sunflare or if the camera made it come out like that?!?!?? i was out taking pics and the sun peaked out of that cloud and for just a second it looked like a big star - i caught the pic just in time!

      teehee - i try to stay out of this cramped little kitchen as much as possible!!! i do all of the prepping for meals on the table as there is absolutely no space - arghghghgh!

      i will send you the kimchi recipe through email...also make your own sauerkraut with the cabbage. and turmeric stir-fried cabbage is to die for. as well, if you keep the cabbage in a box in the basement covered with a blanket they will last all winter. i love cabbage and for that price i would 300lbs - bahahahahah! but i love cabbage.

      teehee - we CURRENTLY sleep with produce, it will be no biggee for us - bahahahahaha!

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  16. Here I sit wondering what the hell I'm going to fix for our meals. Before leaving, I made sure the fridge was devoid of food that might go bad. Now what? Store bought crap does not compare to your available items.

    As for the sky: I used to LOVE my mountains and hate this Florida flatland, but I'd never truly seen the entire sky in Indiana due to the hills blocking the views.

    Now, we stare at the sky a LOT and marvel at the colors we never saw before due to the haze and pollution hanging over the Ohio Valley where we lived.

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    1. lotta - good call on cleaning out the fridge before going on your trip. sorry about the store-bought crap!

      i am glad that you guys sit out every evening and catch the sunset - we do the same. being able to really see the sky is a wonderful feeling!

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  17. So glad you are back. I was worried. I only comment from time to time but I love reading your posts. I understand your love of a beautiful sky; our High Desert skies can be amazing too. They seem to go on forever. And last but not least, I can almost taste your delicious meals. Thanks for sharing the pictures of them.

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    1. gmv - please feel free to comment as often as you wish...or feel free not to...i am glad that you enjoy the posts and just knowing that you are reading them is important to me. i can only imagine what a High Desert sky looks like in real life, i have seen pics and movies and whatnot....but i have seen pics of the Cape Breton sky but the real thing is so much more impressive! i am glad that you think my meals are delicious - thank you. i love cooking and i love it when people share food pics and recipes on their blogs!

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  18. Those meals look divine. I will make some pickles up the weekend after next when I'm not on call. The recipe I emailed you.

    enjoy!

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    1. Brigid - i haven't tried your recipe yet so let me know how they turn out when you make yours, k?

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  19. About a month into taking LDN, I started having the most restful sleep EVER in my life. I'm on my 18th month now and still sleep like a log and feel awesome the minute I open my eyes. It's made a huge difference. LOL...this is sounding like a commercial. Sorry, but people won't know LDN unless I talk about it once in a while.

    Your yummies look awesome as ever. I think on Tuesday I'll go to the market and get about 5 pounds of turkey necks. I feel like meat and gravy. :)

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    1. Tango - i need to get some LDN!!! i tried but somehow the place i ordered it from ended going out of business before shipping ours?!?!?!?!? then i plain out-right forgot about it! thanks for reminding me and sharing your experience!

      you're like jambaloney - he loves the turkey necks too! i think it's way too much work for how little meat you get - i'd rather a big-ass leg - bahahahahah! i love meat and gravy!!!! and smashed. ya gotta have smashed!

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  20. Yum yum! I want to come for dinner! And breakfast. And lunch. And a snack. Oh wait, I'm repeating myself.

    Nicely done!

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    1. you and 2nd Man have life-long, year round, 24/7 open ended invitations!!!!

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  21. chicken looks yummy! Your sky is looking like our sky. Only no puffy clouds here. Temperatures are low, We have all the windows open and enjoying a nice breeze.

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  22. ..don't send that kimchi recipe via email, post it up here! I can get all kinds of recipes of the interweb but with the food you cook I trust yours more!! looks great and A* is always complaining that she wants kimchi!

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  23. Ha, you must have put turkey meat on my brain. I just smothered/backed a shit load of turkey wings. (they were out of necks :( )
    If you are serious about giving LDN a try, email me and I will help you out.
    Hugs,
    Tango

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