Flying, folding and food!

One of our resident Carolina wrens is very chatty today. 

Perhaps it knows more about the weather than 

the local meteorologists! I've noticed how the garden birds

 act differently when inclement weather is on the way or has

 arrived. . . . . . . . . . . . . .especially snow!

Yes, our third weekend in a row with snow which started 

at midnight Friday. At 7 AM yesterday I awoke to just a dusting, 

nothing like they are experiencing north of us!

Stay safe all of you who live in the New York-Boston-New England

areas where unbelievable snow accumulation is breaking records!

Meanwhile, books of all types seem to be central to my life

this weekend, especially cook books - searching for new recipes to 

try on the cold days, such as 19F here this morning, and more

 very cold nights expected through the coming days.

Soups and veggie stews are best.

I prefer bright crinkled Savoy cabbage when making a soup

and, although you can't see them here, the carrots had their lovely

green feathery leaves attached. I usually add at least some of

 them for added nutrients - Vitamins C & K and Potassium.

It turned out well with layers of flavor not usual in a vegetable

soup, such as a splash of unfiltered apple cider vinegar to wake up

 and enhance the other flavors, a piece of Parmesan cheese rind

 to enrich the vegetable broth, (always keep those when you cut them 

off your wedge of cheese as they are very useful - just seal in a bag

 and keep in the fridge, or freezer). 

Cold nights - hot soup - a blazing fire on the hearth.

While doing a little dusting - and oh how dusty it gets in these

 winter months when burning wood in an open hearth - other books

 I've been observing are these that I 'folded' some years ago.

I enjoyed doing that with old hardcover books picked up for a

 dollar or so at thrift shops and used book stores.

 

This morning was bitter early on but the sun is out now and it going to warm 

up to 44F.  A few patches of snow remain and the birds are still hungry. 

Many are coming to feed and drink.The sweet female Eastern bluebird

visited the front porch, and and male Northern flicker spent at least 10 minutes

 on the suet block - his first visit to the garden in quite a while.

Hope everyone is safe during the stormy weather.

Stay warm and here's hoping February will be a better month!

Gathering. . . . . . .

Although I culled my cookbook collection a few months ago - sharing with 
a friend and a granddaughter who both love to cook - I always keep a little  
list of cookbooks I've made note of and would love to have. I suppose this means 
I will be forever adding to, and subtracting from, the rows of books that  fill up 
and spill out from two kitchen shelves.

This Christmas, I believe a little elf took a peek at my list and told my 

granddaughter Jasmin that this book was mentioned. Imagine my excitement when 
I opened my present on Christmas Eve and out popped Sunday Suppers in its 

lovely linen-look binding. Full of recipes and beautiful photos, the introduction tells

about the start and growth of a very special Brooklyn, NY idea where supper has 

turned into some amazing gatherings of families, friends and even
 invited strangers. I love cookbooks with personal stories and history, ones that read 
more like novels than just recipes. Looks like I will be spending time reading, 
then cooking, from this book. I love the idea of casual gatherings, kept simple, 
but delicious.

Do you enjoy collecting cookbooks?

Did you receive any exciting cookbooks as gifts?

Heavenly figs……………

Good morning dear friends. Come join me in the 

kitchen this morning where I'm cooking up fig and 

ginger jam……first of the season.

Yesterday we picked this first batch of beautiful fresh figs………..a little earlier than 

usual in the season.  We've been watching those hundreds of tiny fruits for a couple of 

months now, hard and bright green, tucked between the lovely huge hand-shaped leaves. 

Nothing bothered them, not a squirrel or bird took a peck. Now, within three short days,

all has changed, their cheeks are blushing pink, they droop a wee bit on their tiny stems, 

meaning they are ripe, ready for eating, cooking, preserving.

We discontinued filling the nearby bird feeder several weeks ago, however the birds 

are coming in droves, especially robins, and we take turns playing 'scarecrow', 

dashing outside shouting and hand clapping. The birds fly off but return as soon 

as the screen door slams shut. This morning I spied a squirrel on a branch……our

garden residents are nibbling the sweet, ripening figs like there's no tomorrow.

We can't throw netting over the trees, now about 15 feet tall, and it would be 

awkward picking the fruits, so we'll share Nature's bounty as we have other years. 

We feel blessed that those two tiny trees planted several years ago are healthy and 

now extremely productive. 

Bob is the official fig picker around here. We have two trees, one a 

Brown Turkey, the other a Celeste. Last year only the Celeste bore fruit, this 

year both trees are loaded. I am the jam maker/chef.  

This fabulous cook book was a gift last year from my friend Sara in 

Southern California - I will be using it constantly during the fig harvesting 

weeks ahead - and hope to share more great recipes with you.