lovebenton0

My digi-cam was on the charger so I just ate the smoked chicky leg I larbed for lunch without pics. I love this larb! I love this larb!

These are both too good -- handled with humor, style, and class. When I lived in Houston we had a lot of New York transplants. Just don't get that in Austin. Look at the drama we're missing here!

Since I am reading this way after the publication -- and a larb newbie, though addicted already . . . Does anyone recall this recipe -- are there any essential differences to larbing chix, or say salmon? Catfish is big on my food loves and I have some right now that would love to be larbed. Snowangel, as I have used your wonderful recipe, have you larbed catfish before?

Lamb larb. Lamb larb. Lamb larb! Love the way it feels on the tongue to say it -- love it more when I eat it! I finally did it. Have been waiting on all ingredients to fall in my lap simultaneously to larb for the first time. It was lamb, it was 'licious, it was luscious! We are larb addicts already! It was beautiful, rich, and so satisfying! (I have a pic but what happened to imageGullet? Am I missing something in this new transition here?) I used snowangel's basic recipe, and her wonderful help and guidance with ingredients. I had plenty (three quart-size baggies full) of our own dried hot Thai chilis ready so I ground one bag and filled a jar; used 4 tsp of those and a fresh one sliced very thin. Handful of Thai basil leaves. Being lamb I thought it would be nice to see how the addition of mint played out -- it was a nice touch. The lamb (leg of) was slow roasted in the smoker, all its crannies crammed with basil and garlic at the time. I had saved a hunk to larb. I pulse/ground the very rare lamb in the food processor -- I may never again buy already ground meat. Proceeded with recipe and we ate with gusto! Will add pic when I figure out what happened with imageGullet. edited to add line and photo: OK. Thanks to snowangel I found my photo head.

Oooh! My mouth is watering for some larb! That will be soon, I'm sure. Great to see your granite countertops after all the work you've done in that kitchen, Susan. Food looks great on granite. You picked some excellent pieces. *Perk up your venison sausage with more peppers, sage or garlic to taste, and juice it up by wrapping in bacon while pan frying/steaming or grilling to half done. Then slice through all into "coins" and add browning potatoes and onions for a quick dish. *Venison sausage, uncased and reground makes a great stuffing for bird with croutes and onions, sage and pepper to taste. Your cool summer up there has given us a much cooler one down here in central TX -- thanks! -- wish I were sharing my tomatoes with you. Blog on!

I was wrong about the tomatoes -- we still had about 5 dozen. But now the plants are blooming but not holding the blooms and we're going to give them a chance through Labor day to see if anything looks like it's going to produce. So probably next week the tomato plants will be gone which will open up a big area for some fall garden experimentation. The eggplants and peppers will hang on much longer. Tabascoes are always prolific here and the pulp jars are growing. Canteloupe has started new plants on its own and is trying to produce again. I have several hundred wild persimmon -- TX cherries -- on two trees out in the yard I need to start picking. I found a recipe for wild persimmon fudge -- that sounds odd enough I may have to try it. This bounty would make a helluva lot of damn good and ugly jammy. May need to expand my persimmon use to new ideas.

Thanks Jaymes.

Threadgill's on N Lamar (original) is worth a visit if you're in the area. A piece of Austin history. Their fried (or sauteed) chicken livers are the best -- a pile you won't forget. And once you start ordering a veg it doesn't stop. So go hungry. I don't know what their Monday night special is now. They change it up once in a blue moon. Tastes vary on which veg to order which to not, but their jalapeno salad dressing is just right. Don't know for sure if either location will be having music on this Monday night (tonight) or not. Check out the above link for more info on both locations if you're interested.

All my mr wanted for dinner last night was the rest of the biscuits with more gravy. We had that, but I did have to add some sauteed chicken breast strips and seared broccoli as sides. Skillet biscuits next on my list -- maybe a half recipe of those will go in the freezer for that experiment because a whole recipe doesn't fit in the skillet at once anyway. Results later. Great excuse to make more biscuits soon.

OK. I'll be the first to expose my TX biscuits for view. These were baked on a pan, not in my cast iron skillet, as that was in use. Butter-topped, light, fluffy, and about an inch and a quarter high. They retained that "independent character" that your Aunt Minnie was so fond of, fifi!

You probably hit on it, nessa. Pat lightly, don't smush the dough and leave it a good half inch thick, maybe a tad thicker. Now with all this biscuit talk I've gotta make some for dinner tonight. You all are making me hungry!

The red Umai looks delicious -- but the white Umai's presentation is beautiful and looks delicious! Thank you both for a great, interesting blog. Homemade congee is definitely in my future, as well as the Umai.

Boy, howdy. This was the year I planted nearly a dozen tomato plants of varying varieties. I think two tomatoes of the whole lot have ripened. At least the basil, sorrel and other herbs are flourishing. At least you *got* summer, and up north at that! I got a few days of summer here near Duluth, but then I trotted off to California for a visit and missed the rest of the heat. *Sigh* Fried green tomatoes, anyone? Since so many went without a real summer this year and seem to have a load of green tomatoes on hand you might want to check out this Peppery Green Tomato Corn Relish I posted in RG. Of course, I love fried green tomatoes, too!

Peppery Green Tomato Corn Relish This recipe is based on my childhood memories of grandma's green tomato/corn relish. But she lived on a corn farm in Ohio -- and I've been living and eating in TX for most of my life. So I've kicked it a couple notches on the heat scale. You can adjust that as you wish. Serve with almost any meat. Recipe can be divided easily based on your tomatoes. Enjoy! 4 ears corn/kernels cut from cob 1 large sweet yellow onion/diced 4 cloves garlic/minced 4 c green tomato/peeled and chopped 2 c vinegar 1-1/3 c sugar 1/2 c water 1 tsp each yellow and spicy mustard powder of your choice (or 1 Tbsp each if using prepared) 2 habanero peppers/remove seeds and mince fine (or hot red pepper of your choice) 4 hot banana peppers or jalapenoes/sliced thin and chopped (or your choice -- even milder peppers are OK if you want to tone it down -- about 1/2 cup) 1/2 tsp crushed dried red pepper 1-1/2 T pickling or kosher salt 2 T prepared horseradish (optional if you just can't stand it -- but it does add another layer to the relish) Combine all ingredients in large pot except horseradish. Bring to low boil over medium heat, occassionally stirring. Simmer for about 45 minutes, occassionally stirring. Add horseradish. Stir well to insure horseradish is distributed throughout. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Pack quickly into sterilized jars with sterile lids and bands. I recommend 8 oz. jars. Makes 6-8 half-pint jars. Water bath for 5 minutes. Cool and make sure the lids seal. Allow to set for a few weeks at least. Keywords: Condiment, Hot and Spicy, Vegan, American, Vegetables, Healthy Choices, Intermediate ( RG1151 )

Peppery Green Tomato Corn Relish This recipe is based on my childhood memories of grandma's green tomato/corn relish. But she lived on a corn farm in Ohio -- and I've been living and eating in TX for most of my life. So I've kicked it a couple notches on the heat scale. You can adjust that as you wish. Serve with almost any meat. Recipe can be divided easily based on your tomatoes. Enjoy! 4 ears corn/kernels cut from cob 1 large sweet yellow onion/diced 4 cloves garlic/minced 4 c green tomato/peeled and chopped 2 c vinegar 1-1/3 c sugar 1/2 c water 1 tsp each yellow and spicy mustard powder of your choice (or 1 Tbsp each if using prepared) 2 habanero peppers/remove seeds and mince fine (or hot red pepper of your choice) 4 hot banana peppers or jalapenoes/sliced thin and chopped (or your choice -- even milder peppers are OK if you want to tone it down -- about 1/2 cup) 1/2 tsp crushed dried red pepper 1-1/2 T pickling or kosher salt 2 T prepared horseradish (optional if you just can't stand it -- but it does add another layer to the relish) Combine all ingredients in large pot except horseradish. Bring to low boil over medium heat, occassionally stirring. Simmer for about 45 minutes, occassionally stirring. Add horseradish. Stir well to insure horseradish is distributed throughout. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Pack quickly into sterilized jars with sterile lids and bands. I recommend 8 oz. jars. Makes 6-8 half-pint jars. Water bath for 5 minutes. Cool and make sure the lids seal. Allow to set for a few weeks at least. Keywords: Condiment, Hot and Spicy, Vegan, American, Vegetables, Healthy Choices, Intermediate ( RG1151 )

Hang up your dervish hat for biscuits, fifi. After mixing dough I wash my measuring utensils in the sink, get the flour, spread some out on the board, flouring hands, and dipping cutter in flour, before I turn the spongey dough onto board to fold 2 or 3 times. That alone allows the sit time without feeling like you're just waiting on something to happen. Biscuits are instant gratification -- but not instantaneous gratification. Or you can just open a beer and admire your dough.

Looks about like what I used to have. Loved it!

Ok... That is a start. A couple of more details please. Is the dutch oven on a grate over the fire? For some dumb reason, I am remembering it sitting in the coals but that doesn't seem right. I would think that would be too hot. I have a reason for being so interested in this method even though I don't anticipate going camping any time soon. My nephew is a really good cook. During hunting season he gets invited to some pretty high toned deer leases if he will promise to do some of the cooking. Often they have a campfire thing at lease one night. (Must be a male bonding thing. ) Anyway... I have already promised to teach him about biscuits if I figure it all out. If he could pull off biscuits on the campfire that would be a real wowser. I plan to "charge him" a lot for the service. I wonder if it works to make and cut your biscuits and plop them into the freezer, thaw and bake later? I was thinking that he could put the pucks into the camp box and by the time he got to the lease, they would be just about fine for that evening. Then, as I think about it more, that would be a handy thing for me, too. The reason I don't do stuff like this more is because... who is going to eat all that stuff? But, if I could take a couple of pucks out of the freezer at a time and bake a couple of biscuits, I would be a happy woman. I promise that I am going to really make some biscuits... as soon as I get enough real work done to pay for the ingredients. OK, Linda, I'm actually going to try the freezer method for you. Because I can. But, my misgivings concerning this are that baking powder/buttermilk method of baking is an instant gratification thing. Best when baked soonest after building. Richard and Mabelline are very correct -- the proper Dutch oven for open fire cooking does have the legs. Wish I still had mine -- that's another story. However, for those who do have the flat bottom, which is what I have now, I have used it quite satisfactorily held above the coals a bit on a grate. The lid hooks on and also doubles as a shallow skillet -- perfect for holding coals in the top when top side down.

I'm with Aunt Minnie. I never roll out biscuits either -- always pat them out. Makes for a more interesting and fluffier rise and bake I think. But I never had anything as great as your auntie to say about it. Never fold/knead biscuit dough more than 2 or 3 times, pat out to 1/2 inch and cut decisively without twisting the cutter. I have a wooden biscuit cutter given to me by my grandmother about 30 years ago. I make biscuits both ways, on baking sheets and in my cast iron skillet. We enjoy the difference between the fully browned and crispier biscuits from the sheet and the softer pull-aparts that come out of the skillet. Sometimes I like them flour-topped, sometimes butter-brushed. Cast iron dutch oven works great for campfire biscuits. I heat oven first over coals, oil bottom and about two inches up the side, carefully lay in biscuits, return to fire for about 8-10 minutes. Sometimes I turn them after 5 or 6 minutes and the result is similar to a biscuit "English muffin."

Arright, so I overwatered the tomatoes and leggier herbs, said some heartfelt goodbyes, and then Wrenched them all out of the ground and tilled under the rest. Several hours later, I believe we have a fresh canvas for fall, including cukes, eggplant, pole beans and cauliflower. Think it's too late for okra and pumpkins? jess, we usually get eggplants from our summer growth through mid-Dec. Going by that I'm thinking that now is probably a good time for small pumpkins to be ready by Thanksgiving. Probably okra too -- which we just flat missed putting in this summer much to my disappointment. So we are going to try them, if that's any encouragement. I haven't grown cauliflower -- but would love to. And I think beets and cabbage may do well also. Tomatoes are starting to come to an end here although we'll still have another couple of dozen I think. Hopeful that the serranos are setting viable blooms again now -- rest of the peppers are still productive except the hot bananas. It may be time for hot b's to go to make room for something else in the small bed they are in. Maybe a few beets or cabbage would do well there.

OK, if you're looking for something a bit different, the Elite Cafe has been in Waco since 1920. And the place is pretty cool historically if you don't mind getting off I-35 and taking a spin around the Waco traffic circle. The last time I was there was a few years ago. Servings are not large, nor fancy, but the food was good, and you can eat comfort American or Tex-Mex simple fare. Their web site is being redesigned so couldn't get to that, but here is a pic and here is today's news story from Waco on the recently re-opened Elite Cafe.

Do you remember eating there about oh . . . . 30 years ago now when I was living in Houston? The food was good, not great but solid and satisfactory, the service was friendly -- it was one of my favorite places to indulge in an afternoon out for lunch because it was so close to home at the time. Good comfort food you could count on -- with as much of a kick as you asked for. Taken in context and appreciated for what Felix is . . . I have eaten there in the past many times, and it has been many years living far outside the big H that I have not had the pleasure. The chile con queso is worth it. Thanks, Linda for the memories.

Thanks, Mabelline. Informative site -- I had not found this one before. Good resource for NA recipes, traditional/authentic, and contemporary. Interesting if one wants to learn more about NA cooking than the ubiquitous fry bread. The traditional fish baked in clay would be a boon to all who are tired of scaling and cleaning/deboning the fish they catch.

You mean they were like guests who show up for dinner, but you just can't get them to go home? That is what I am thinking. There is a pile of oyster shells out here in the flower bed where I live. (Why, I don't know.) After a rain, there are all kinds of snails and slugs crawling around in there. That is why I am wondering if the assumption that the snails are a food source might be wrong. That is exactly the controversy I was referring to in my post. Also the main reason that archaeologists do not spend as much time counting and classifying snail shells as they once did. A simpler estimate and evaluation process has replaced that. However, there is still a good case to be made for the snails being a food source in areas where they are found on a lesser scale than similar shell middens, which can be quite large. Location is also important: When it can be judged that the snail shells have been taken a distance from where they likely would be habitating. Keeping in mind that these people would not likely forego an easy food source during times when it was plentiful. Think one sunflower seed at a time.

A river snail lives in or around a river, as in riverine environments. They are small -- nothing like our garden variety which would be pretty meaty in comparison. Much controversy was spouted about how they could be nutritionally beneficial. But when on a dig in a riverine environment anthropologists (archaeologists) were expected to count and classify snail shells found in a garbage area to evaluate the importance of the snails in the diet. Less of a general practice recently, but I have weighed in bagsful myself. Just a point -- how would you expect to get a recipe from finding the remains of raw ingredients -- no recipes there. Did they just suck them out of the shell, or use them in some other way? Thanks, jess, just making your point -- a very different area of research. And thanks also, Scott, for the acorns link. Yes there are recipes around for using acorns today. Just not ones I can identify as being "authentic" from . . . let's say . . . about 1500 AD back several thousand years. Makes you look at your old oak tree in a new light.