eG Foodblog: suzilightning

[suzilightning]

Two months of raptor rapture. Oh my!

Your yard is beautiful.

What kind of lunches do you take with you when counting birds?

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DANG!! I'm working from home now and my ancient and cranky cow(Gateway) and less than high-speed dial up are not letting me do this the way I want to.

It's actually 3 months but by the time that third month rolls around you are really ready to hang it up. Standing outside in 35mph NW winds and snow squalls because you MIGHT get a Golden Eagle and you are in 5 layers on the top, two layers on your hands, 4 layers on the bottom and 3 on your feet for 6 to 8 hours a day can be a bit much - but iI love it. As I explain it to people I was destined to be a hawk counter though I didn't realize my destiny until I was 39. I was very sick as a child(asthma) and my grandmother believed in the fresh air cure. If it wasn't raining cats and dogs or snowing I was bundled up in hat, coat and blankets and set out in the side garden. What else did I have but to observe. Of course I am also a Red Sox fan so we are used to not seeing somethin(happen) but ecstatic when it does (102 migrating Bald Eagles for a record last year).

Food... during the peak of the Broadwing Hawk migration we may be on the site for 8-12 hours and we have to totally self sustained. WATER!!! I freeze half filled pint containers then each morning fill the other half with water. On a hot day I will go through close to a gallon. Both John and I have insulated carriers and ice packs. For me a typical days ration is: cottage cheese with fruit for breakfast, 3 slices of bread toasted, a container of my beloved Miracle Whip, a container of sliced tomatoes at this time of year, crackers, Laughing Cow cheese thingys or a few Bon Bel, maybe a container of chicken Waldorf salad to munch on for dinner. John prefers and egg sandwich for breakfast, plain chicken salad or a wrap or pita for lunch as well as his highly watered tea or vitamin water. He will tolerate fruit but the one thing we have is CHOCOLATE. Following the example of the crew at Hazel Bazemore State Park in Corpus Christi there is chocolate at our hawkwatch always. If it is hot it is kept cold; if it is cold it warms us up. For some reason the chocolate draws the birds. One year we put this to the test. John made a large poster showing NJ in the uppper right hand corner. He drew an arrow pointing to a map of Texas with Corpus starred in the lower left hand corner and wrote in bold letters CHOCOLATE . Within 30 minutes we started a counting barrage that lasted 2 hours and produced some 5000+ Broadwing Hawks, Osprey and Bald Eagles. And we didn't have to break out our supplies! Our chocolate of choice is the Fudgy Bourbon Brownies that I have posted in Recipe Gullet.

As the seasons change so do our foods but all must NOT be messy and MUST be easily eaten with fork or held in one hand since the other hand is busily engaged with your bins.

[suzilightning]

As you may have noticed there was no mention of lunch. That's becaue there was no lunch for me. It was very hot here with high humidity and, though it isn't healthy for me, when it is this hot I just can't eat. When I got back from the gym I steamed some shrimp, took a shower, started a load of laundry and went next door to take care of our neighbor's kitties while they are on vaca. When I got back home made a light salad dinner for both John and I (shrimp and avacado with a lime mayo for him; chicken breast with avacado and Jersey tomatoes for me). I have pictures but will up load them when I stop by the library to empty the bookdrop. We are closed on Sundays until after American Labor Day and the drop gets bollocksed up if it isn't emptied.

Now it's downstairs to finish drying my workout gear so I will have it tomorrow.

[Carrot Top]

I seem to remember some hot drink recipe you provided, suzi, with applejack or apple brandy?

Can one drink these sorts of things while hawkwatching?

(The library bookdrop thing I really understand. Once I got my arm stuck in one of those things while trying to return books to one that was overfull that got jammed. I thought I was going to be there forever till someone would come rescue me by calling the fire department to cut the thing open. Scary. Ten minutes of terror and pain. Finally I wedged my arm out somehow, bruised but still there. A hot applejack drink -or even a few quick hot applejack drinks- would definitely have been useful in that moment. )

[suzilightning]

I seem to remember some hot drink recipe you provided, suzi, with applejack or apple brandy?

Can one drink these sorts of things while hawkwatching?

(The library bookdrop thing I really understand. Once I got my arm stuck in one of those things while trying to return books to one that was overfull that got jammed. I thought I was going to be there forever till someone would come rescue me by calling the fire department to cut the thing open. Scary. Ten minutes of terror and pain.  Finally I wedged my arm out somehow, bruised but still there. A hot applejack drink -or even a few quick hot applejack drinks- would definitely have been useful in that moment.  )

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sorry, darlin' after 30 August I am on the wagon for 3 months. Especially as you age if you drink (especially to excess) you lose your "eyes" or the ability to see raptors - especially in blue skies. Sooooo many think that hawkgawkers are negative since we may have bumper stickers that say "Blue Skies S*%K" and really mean it. We can lose a freakin bird that has a 6-7' wingspan in blue skies for lack of contrast. Course we check every white puffy for birds.

You are thinking of Buttershots, a butterscotch liquer that you add apple cider mulled with some cloves and a cinnamon stick to. Succulent and dangerous....

Funny you said that about the jammed drop. The boss got called 3 weeks ago by the local police. Seems the drop was jammed and people weren't happy. I was on vaca in northern Vt and no one thought to make arrangements for pick ups.....

[suzilightning]

For those of you wondering about what we are talking about check out the teaser photos. I will elaborate about the clues in photo #2.

Please be patient with me. I have only been doing photos for the last 2 weeks. Before that we were dealing with the hordes of the Summer Reading Program. Now, since my specialties(profesionally that is)are teachers and children I swung over to the Circulation side and dealing with the multitudes of bored teenagers and adults trying to find jobs.

John has informed me that while I was trying to cool off downstairs( we are an old fashioned household with no air but with fans and a below grade basement with dehumidifiers) he partook of the last of his shrimp and avacado salad, baked Lays potato chips, several cookies and something else...he doesn't remember. I always try to have snacks available for John since it is important he eats on a regular basis. We will deal with this concern during the week....

I have just finished a glass of iced Cointreau.

Tomorrow brings the gym, Farmers Market and maybe some better pictures of the area.

"night all.

[snowangel]

a container of my beloved Miracle Whip,

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Born Mid-Western? IME (in my experience), Miracle Whip is a midwestern thing, only precluded by Spin Blend (which is actually much better) which used to be a Hellman's brand. Hellman's sold it off to someone, so it seems to be only available in non-chain grocery stores.

[Smithy]

Greetings from Hawk Ridge, Minnesota!

Actually, I just live near Hawk Ridge and have never participated in a count, but I have friends who do. Just tonight I learned that a young friend will be volunteering this year for the next 6 - 8 weeks. For myself, I've figured out that the migration has started, simply by the much-heightened number of kestrels I'm seeing, as well as (broad-wing?) hawks and, I swear, more peregrines than I remember seeing in a long time. I'm a casual observer, but I do not think the kestrel count is down around here.

Food and librarians, eh? I never realized that! However, my only librarian friend (who lives near Princeton) is someone I met on another food forum. She could even be lurking here now. I just thought the food-library connection was random.

I'm looking forward to this week, and to toast dope, and to making the most of summer produce. Here in Duluth we're nearing the end of summer already. Blog on, Suzi!

[MarketStEl]

Our full service kitchen and fridge photos for Sandy.

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Nice shots, though it looks like you reduced these a bit overmuch. Your library kitchen looks more like a home kitchen -- I guess from this and other posts here that this librarian-foodie connection is serious!

But not serious enough, it appears, for that fridge looks like it could use more condiments.

How's your home fridge and pantry stack up by comparison?

We all must eat to live, but for most of us, skipping a meal or a snack isn't a life-or-death affair. You've now posted twice to the effect that for you and your husband, it matters if you don't eat. I am most curious to learn why this is so and how this may or may not affect your everyday routines, which you've said you'd get to in the course of this blog.

[suzilightning]

Greetings from Hawk Ridge, Minnesota!

Actually, I just live near Hawk Ridge and have never participated in a count, but I have friends who do.  Just tonight I learned that a young friend will be volunteering this year for the next 6 - 8 weeks.  For myself, I've figured out that the migration has started, simply by the much-heightened number of kestrels I'm seeing, as well as (broad-wing?) hawks and, I swear, more peregrines than I remember seeing in a long time.  I'm a casual observer, but I do not think the kestrel count is down around here.

Food and librarians, eh?  I never realized that!  However, my only librarian friend (who lives near Princeton) is someone I met on another food forum.  She could even be lurking here now.  I just thought the food-library connection was random.

I'm looking forward to this week, and to toast dope, and to making the most of summer produce.  Here in Duluth we're nearing the end of summer already. Blog on, Suzi!

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OOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!! Hawk Ridge and Frank Nicoletti. The mecca of one and all in the Western Hemisphere - along with Veracruz and Corpus Christi. I may be hooking up with you in about 5 years, Nancy, because John will be retiring and we want to spend a season there. John used to travel to the Twin Cities for business so, when he had a two week stretch there, he took a flying trip up there and said it was so incredible for a hawkwatcher - eye level raptors who might, just might, dain to turn their heads and look at you. I can't wait.

[suzilightning]

ice shots, though it looks like you reduced these a bit overmuch. Your library kitchen looks more like a home kitchen -- I guess from this and other posts here that this librarian-foodie connection is serious!

But not serious enough, it appears, for that fridge looks like it could use more condiments. [wink.gif]

How's your home fridge and pantry stack up by comparison?

We all must eat to live, but for most of us, skipping a meal or a snack isn't a life-or-death affair. You've now posted twice to the effect that for you and your husband, it matters if you don't eat. I am most curious to learn why this is so and how this may or may not affect your everyday routines, which you've said you'd get to in the course of this blog.

Well, Sandy I have been shooting and photshopping for exactly two weeks now. I was afraid of posting the pictures whole and taking up too much space. I'll take pictures of the home fridge and freezers when I get back from the farmer's market later. They are much more filled, believe me. Sincs so much of my time will be taken up in other things for the next few months and we DO have to eat, I have been restocking the freezer especially. When I buy beans or fruit at the farmers market I will buy a bit more and freeze in serving size portions. I've been buying extra meat from Pittingers (a local guy who has free range beef and pork that if he has to supplement feed gives them certified organic only. It's neat going out to the farm and meeting dinner.)and stocking that away as well. It's so much easier to be able to pull a healthy meal together if you think ahead.

John has a problem with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. We know some of his triggers: stress, too much fat, too much food at any time. Consequently he really needs to eat on a semi-regular schedule. Unfortunately he is a Senior Technical Lead Safety Engineer working for the Department of the Army. His job is to make sure the materiel that our troops use is safe for them to use. Stress? What Stress? Most of his day is taken up in reviewing documents or in meetings that he east breakfast and lunch either at his desk or in a meeting room. I try to make sure that he has things that will fit his food needs but can be eaten while working.

For me - in the past I was a yo-yo dieter and it affects your body. I could easily go several days without eating but that just isn't healthy so I'm trying to correct how I eat.

[suzilightning]

Born Mid-Western? IME (in my experience), Miracle Whip is a midwestern thing, only precluded by Spin Blend (which is actually much better) which used to be a Hellman's brand. Hellman's sold it off to someone, so it seems to be only available in non-chain grocery stores.

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[llc45]

#1 was so I could take you to the Farmer's Market in Lafayette, NJ tomorrow morning.

.

I love this place too and actually made friends with a farmer who lives just down the road from me. Now I can just call and they will pick fresh kale or whatever I am looking for before I stop by. It just doesn't get better than that!

We will be going out to dinner to celebrate, though, at a little restaurant close to our house calledZoe's by the Lake.  We like it because John can have two drinks and still be able to drive home.

Although I only recently registered on egullet, I have been lurking since I first moved to NJ 5 yrs ago - specifically to find out where to go to eat. We love Zoe's, which I know I learned about through egullet, and probably specifically from your posts. We were just there last weekend.

Now I have learned about Pittengers too! Am really enjoying this.

[Kouign Aman]

Suze, in the summers and spring, when its cool enough, do you guys eat in 'the back room' often? Are there special challenges to dining in your yard?

(bugs, wind, heat, leafdrop, whatever?) Would you be able to post the teaser photo in this thread, to give some context to my babble in this post?

My aunt does badger watches. Y'all are sooooo patient!

I know that feeling about 'too hot to eat'. Especially if its humid.

[suzilightning]

Suze, in the summers and spring, when its cool enough, do you guys eat in 'the back room' often?  Are there special challenges to dining in your yard?

(bugs, wind, heat, leafdrop, whatever?) Would you be able to post the teaser photo in this thread, to give some context to my babble in this post?

My aunt does badger watches. Y'all are sooooo patient!

I know that feeling about 'too hot to eat'. Especially if its humid.

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Michelle - yes we do eat out side and don't have much of a problem at all. I blew the teaser away but - IF we ever get any sun around here I was going to take pictures of the back yard from down on ground level. In the meantime here's one of our "lake" - puddle more like it- that is the headwaters of Lake Hopatcong, the largest manmade lake contained within the state of New Jersey.

[suzilightning]

So this morning John tells me I must be getting my period because I'm grumpy. No, I'm grumpy because I have seen 15 minutes of sun in 8 days and we had a doozy of a thunderstorm last night.

Anyway breakfast first:

Arnie Palmer. My sister-in-law, Julie gave me the carafe. It hasn't seen a drop of wine but plenty of iced tea.

Then my quark and the last of the peaches.

Time to go next door and check on the kids. I have been without a pet in the house since I had to have my cat, Allie, put to sleep 2 years ago. Luckily our neighbors, Carol and John, have a brother and sister who I get to take care of when they are on vaca. Our routine is breakfast and fresh water first thing in the morning. While they eat I clean the litter boxes then 1/2 hour of pets. I go back later in the evening for some rousing games of "Fetch the Day Glow Mouse" or "Who's in the Paper Bag". So here they are Sinder and Smudge

Smudge is the one with the yellow collar and serious rhinestones which is why I call him Bling Boy. He used to have a lovely blue collar similar to Sinder's but he would bite it until he got it off - then take her collar off, too. Now all black cats in a dark house is not a good thing. His human mama, Carol, told him if it did that one more time she was going to trick him out - and she did.

[suzilightning]

Oh, I forgot dinner last night. I stopped here

I have been going to Jerry's for years, now. He hits Fulton - or I guess the new Fulton - Fish Market on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They also know me well enough that they will do special things for me: saving bones for fumet, saving the tail of the halibut so I can have a filet instead of a steak.

Picked up 20 large shrimp. Split the shell backs and cleaned them out then steamed them over a mix of water, peppercorns and lime juice. Chopped them into pieces when cool and mixed with cubed avacado, shallot, mayo mixed with lime juice and a touch of Pinot Grigio vinegar. Piled back into the shell and served with the last of the Brandywine tomatoes and salad for John's supper.

Form me I cubed the other half of the avocado and plated it over greens with the tomatoes and half a chopped chicken breast with Green Goddess dressing. Perfect for a hot and humid night

Later had my nightcap in our most irreplaceable glassware

[suzilightning]

The Lafayette Farmer's Market. I have been going here for about 4 years now. I love it. Since I seem to have a talent for killing things I always appreciate those who don't. I grew up with farmstands and potato fields. My family shared about a 1/2 acre plot with "Aunt Belle" who ran The Bowditch House across the street from us. I remember hoeing and weeding and picking beans until my arms thought they'd break. I also remember once when something went wrong and a whole slew of bottles with those same green beans in the exploded in the cellar.

Now I'm happy to support some of Sussex County's farmers.

First thing I do is case the market from one end to another with my trusty basket at my side. This is usually my first stop

Great peaches and the apples are just starting to come in. Today was Apple pie or Peach Blueberry pie and of course their apple cider doughnuts.

For you, Sandy, my cheese guy from Pennsylvania.

Next another small farmer who is organic.

Danaray Farms featured in Garden Plate Magazine's latest issue is a bio-dynamic farm and recently hosted a New Jersey Audubon tour. Almost all of their product goes to their CSA but they usually have eggs, the goat soap, flowers and Dana's preserves.

Meat next so that means Pittingers.

Today some sweet Italian sausages and ground beef. No pork chops.

Last but not least ValleyView Farms.

So back home with my basket filled to overflowing

[Smithy]

OOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!! Hawk Ridge and  Frank Nicoletti. The mecca of one and all in the Western Hemisphere - along with Veracruz and Corpus Christi.  I may be hooking up with you in about 5 years, Nancy, because John will be retiring and we want to spend a season there.  John used to travel to the Twin Cities for business so, when he had a two week stretch there, he took a flying trip up there and said it was so incredible for a hawkwatcher - eye level raptors who might, just might, dain to turn their heads and look at you.  I can't wait.

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That must have been quite a sight. I usually try to fly through the prime area as expeditiously as possible, to avoid a high-speed collision. Gliders are a bit slower, and on the occasions I've used raptors or gulls to help me find thermals they've usually vacated quickly. Something about a white bird with a 55' wingspan unnerved them, I suppose. John must have had a fine view. And yes, you really should look me up when the time comes.

Regarding your further posts - something is strange with my formatting, so I won't quote the others:

1. What is a bio-dynamic farm?

2. Do you make your own Green Goddess dressing? If so - care to share the recipe? If not - which brand do you prefer?

3. (comment) I'm from California, and Miracle Whip was a staple around our household. At some point my tastes changed and I'm a mayonnaise fan now, but that doesn't change the beginning. It isn't a Midwestern Thang.

4. I'm sure others will be as interested as I in the specific adjustments to food that y'all have to make to keep your physiques on an even keel.

You're off to a great start, and I'm looking forward to more!

Finally, as to the full, overloaded bag with wonderful goodies: I can relate. I looove the farmer's market, with all its perils.

[suzilightning]

That must have been quite a sight. I usually try to fly through the prime area as expeditiously as possible, to avoid a high-speed collision. Gliders are a bit slower, and on the occasions I've used raptors or gulls to help me find thermals they've usually vacated quickly. Something about a white bird with a 55' wingspan unnerved them, I suppose. John must have had a fine view. And yes, you really should look me up when the time comes.

Regarding your further posts - something is strange with my formatting, so I won't quote the others:

1. What is a bio-dynamic farm?

2. Do you make your own Green Goddess dressing? If so - care to share the recipe? If not - which brand do you prefer?

3. (comment) I'm from California, and Miracle Whip was a staple around our household. At some point my tastes changed and I'm a mayonnaise fan now, but that doesn't change the beginning. It isn't a Midwestern Thang.

4. I'm sure others will be as interested as I in the specific adjustments to food that y'all have to make to keep your physiques on an even keel.

You're off to a great start, and I'm looking forward to more!

Finally, as to the full, overloaded bag with wonderful goodies: I can relate. I looove the farmer's market, with all its perils.

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[suzilightning]

#1 was so I could take you to the Farmer's Market in Lafayette, NJ tomorrow morning.

.

I love this place too and actually made friends with a farmer who lives just down the road from me. Now I can just call and they will pick fresh kale or whatever I am looking for before I stop by. It just doesn't get better than that!

We will be going out to dinner to celebrate, though, at a little restaurant close to our house calledZoe's by the Lake.  We like it because John can have two drinks and still be able to drive home.

Although I only recently registered on egullet, I have been lurking since I first moved to NJ 5 yrs ago - specifically to find out where to go to eat. We love Zoe's, which I know I learned about through egullet, and probably specifically from your posts. We were just there last weekend.

Now I have learned about Pittengers too! Am really enjoying this.

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llc45

Hope you found some friendly faces in the pictures. I love the market and all that it represents. I think you are thinking of Rosie Saferstein who used to manage the New Jersey Board and brought some of us over from first nj.com/forums and then Rosie's Food Bytes. I love the fact that I can get good American /European food and NOT Italo-American the same thing after the same thing.

For those of you not in this section of New Jersey or in the Lasagna Belt of the Eastern Catskills to find something other than an Italo-American restaurant is a cause for celebration. Most serve the same thing - lasagne with dry noodles, pizza, salads of mozzarella,basil and tomato in the dead of winter. The propritors of a lately closed restaurant in my town, Casa Bianca, were really from Croatia. Can we really see good regional food or is it being dumbed down for the "American " palate?

[MarketStEl]

Thanks for the cheese shot! I've got a standing invitation from Trent Hendricks to pay his farm in Telford a visit to experience cheese that will make me forget Pennsylvania Noble. (I've had Hendricks Farms' Telford Tomme and believe he can make good on this challenge.) Telford being inaccessible via SEPTA, I'm going to have to rely on a fellow Pennsylvania board denizen to ferry me up soon.

Pennsylvania appears to be developing -- make that has developed -- a first-rate artisanal cheese industry! Any dairy farms producing cheese in New Jersey?

[demiglace]

Where did you get that basket..love it.

[suzilightning]

Pennsylvania appears to be developing -- make that has developed -- a first-rate artisanal cheese industry! Any dairy farms producing cheese in New Jersey?

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Yes. About 10 miles up the road is

Bobolink Dairywhere they do artisinal cheese as well as bread. There have been two New Jersey gatherings there.

[suzilightning]

Where did you get that basket..love it.

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That was a gift from someone you will meet probably Tuesday named Maria. I believe she got it at Marshalls.

[Kouign Aman]

Pittingers.

Today some sweet Italian sausages and ground beef.  No pork chops.

Last but not least ValleyView Farms.

5028_718847.jpg

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Oh! I havent seen purple stringbeans since we grew them when I was a child! What FUN!

(small photos, middle shot.)

That was a grand tour of the market. Thanks!