Mellowing in Manitoulin.

[Wayne]

6 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

When were you up?

 

Sept. 24th to Sept. 30th.

I wasn't on Manitoulin but about 30-40 km. due east on the north shore of Phillip Edward Island.

 

 

[rotuts]

I always look forward to these trips.

 

sorry its so short this time.

[Kerry Beal]

3 minutes ago, Wayne said:

 

Sept. 24th to Sept. 30th.

I wasn't on Manitoulin but about 30-40 km. due east on the north shore of Phillip Edward Island.

 

 

Work? Play? Being posh at the Killarney Mountain Lodge?

[Kerry Beal]

14 minutes ago, rotuts said:

I always look forward to these trips.

 

sorry its so short this time.

Worst part of the so short is the packing and unpacking everything in such short order.

 

I've got about half the closet removed from the closet - the CSO is now in place. The knife block is out on the counter - the other implements in their pottery utensil holder. The oven mitts have been found. 

 

The booze is still in the closet - too early to face this morning.

 

The little Big Green Egg is still outside in the outside closet.

 

I'm getting too old for this shit! Need a sherpa.

 

 

Edited October 4, 2016 by Kerry Beal
to change my strong, young personal assistant into a sherpa (log)

[Wayne]

20 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Work? Play? Being posh at the Killarney Mountain Lodge?

 

Play but not posh. A backcountry trip due east from Killarney Village.

A photo of our 'resort': Great view with minimal amenities.

 

[Kerry Beal]

Just now, Wayne said:

 

Play but not posh. A backcountry trip due east from Killarney Village.

A photo of our 'resort': Great view with minimal amenities.

 

That picture reminds me of the west side of my friends island (her family owns the largest single family owned island on Georgian Bay) - it was a Thanksgiving weekend camping out in tents - snow fell - there was not enough booze to keep us all warm!

[Anna N]

Breakfast this morning:  Chewbacca and cheese. Before you think I am still not awake, let me explain. Kerry went to the grocery store alone last evening. I had asked for some English muffins but Kerry texted me that she could only find Wonder brand which I think are awful so I said no thanks. She then asked if I would have an Ace bakery bread.  She was obviously dictating into her phone and the message I received was:  would you prefer Chewbacca?  She quickly sent an amendment reading "ciabatta". Too, too late. It will be Chewbacca forever. Apologies to Italy and all Italians.

 

Back to the cheese. As is pretty routine  before we come north, Kerry dropped into Micky McGuire's cheese shop in Dundas, ON.  They are super at offering a taste of any cheese you might fancy and Kerry does a great job of choosing cheese we have never tried before. 

 

Above you see Oro Rosso and Brebis Rousse D'Argentil. 

 

[Wayne]

17 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

That picture reminds me of the west side of my friends island (her family owns the largest single family owned island on Georgian Bay) - it was a Thanksgiving weekend camping out in tents - snow fell - there was not enough booze to keep us all warm!

 

Lots of good food and plenty of wine can make even rotten weather and minimal amenities enjoyable .

 

 

[Shelby]

Excited to see what trouble you guys get in to  

 

[Kerry Beal]

 

Shirred eggs in CSO.

 

 

[ElsieD]

6 hours ago, sartoric said:

Oh dear, hornets nest stirred here. There is a difference between Australia and New Zealand ya know. 

I'd have fried potatoes any way they come as long as there's salt to go with

 

And ketchup.

[Anna N]

 

 It would be nice to keep this blog interactive and so I am sending you your first challenge.   This is the beast that attacked me last night as I was trying to put it into the refrigerator.

 

 

Here is a close-up of its "weapons" -- nasty, bristly hairs. It was part of a "pickage" given to Kerry Beal by another eG member just before we headed north.  I will show you the rest of the pickage shortly. 

 

 I am fairly certain I have identified it correctly as fuzzy melon/hairy gourd/winter melon.   Neither Kerry nor I have ever dealt with it before.  My understanding is that it is mostly used in soups in Asian cuisine. I would love to attempt a soup with it if you have a recipe. Bear in mind  there are no Asian stores on the island, no Asian stores in Sudbury!   We have or can get such things as soy sauce, hoisin sauce but red dates, which I noticed were used in some recipes, are probably a 5 hour drive away.  Bonus points if your recipe can be made or adapted to be made in the Instant Pot. 

 

 

 

[FauxPas]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

Shirred eggs in CSO.

 

Any tips? Do you add cream? Cheese? 

[Anna N]

 Now for the rest of the pickage.  Not being a gardener I am clueless as to some of these things and their uses.  I recognize their main families (peppers and tomatoes) of course not sure what place they have in those families.

 

[Shelby]

5 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 

 It would be nice to keep this blog interactive and so I am sending you your first challenge.   This is the beast that attacked me last night as I was trying to put it into the refrigerator.

 

 

Here is a close-up of its "weapons" -- nasty, bristly hairs. It was part of a "pickage" given to Kerry Beal by another eG member just before we headed north.  I will show you the rest of the pickage shortly. 

 

 I am fairly certain I have identified it correctly as fuzzy melon/hairy gourd/winter melon.   Neither Kerry nor I have ever dealt with it before.  My understanding is that it is mostly used in soups in Asian cuisine. I would love to attempt a soup with it if you have a recipe. Bear in mind  there are no Asian stores on the island, no Asian stores in Sudbury!   We have or can get such things as soy sauce, hoisin sauce but red dates, which I noticed were used in some recipes, are probably a 5 hour drive away.  Bonus points if your recipe can be made or adapted to be made in the Instant Pot. 

 

 

 

Instead of a recipe, I'm tempted to send you a razor 

 

This recipe is in the book that came with the IP,  I think. 

 

I think stuffed bitter melon sounds good.

 

I've never eaten it....I assume it's, well...bitter?

 

 

[Shelby]

2 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 Now for the rest of the pickage.  Not being a gardener I am clueless as to some of these things and their uses.  I recognize their main families (peppers and tomatoes) of course not sure what place they have in those families.

 

The yellowish ones on the right are banana peppers.  Very mild and sweet.  The green long ones on the left look like anaheim peppers to me.  And then bell peppers in the middle.  I know how you love your green bell peppers.

[Anna N]

@Shelby

 

Thanks.  The winter melon and tofu soup seems very doable. I never thought to look for a recipe in a booklet that came with the Instant Pot. The stuffed bitter melon also looks interesting but this is certainly not a bitter melon.  Will need to add tofu to our shopping list.

[Beebs]

Yay! Another Anna & Kerry blog! Looking forward to all the mischief you two are getting up to!

 

Yup, that's a hairy melon. It's been awhile since I've had it, haven't cooked it myself (those hairs......). IIRC, mom just chucks cut-up pieces in a chicken/pork based soup.  I don't remember her adding red dates, but maybe there were dried goji berries.  You can also stir-fry it with ginger & a bit of garlic. 

 

And as I'm sure you found out when it attacked you - wear gloves when you peel it!

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

Years ago, I cooked and enjoyed a hairy melon dish stuffed with pork, following a recipe from a Chinese friend.  It was similar to this one for Steamed Hairy Gourd Stuffed with Minced Pork and should adapt well to the IP.

Edited to add that my friend's recipe used a mixture of pork and shrimp to stuff the melon and she used the same mixture on green bell pepper squares (I know, I know) and steamed them.

 

Or, give it to Kerry to turn into a baked good for her rounds:  Hairy Gourd Bread 

Edited October 4, 2016 by blue_dolphin (log)

[Beebs]

Winter melon is often used for sweets, like dessert soups and candied.  I suppose one could do the same with hairy melon.  Not sure if there would be any texture issues - hairy melon is more like a zucchini than a melon, I think.

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, FauxPas said:

 

Any tips? Do you add cream? Cheese? 

Sautéed a couple of mushrooms, added some green onions, stock, cream - reduced - salt and pepper. Into the ramekins, egg, bit of cheese on top - CSO 350 Steam bake for 6 minutes for soft yolks.  

 

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

19 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Barrel aged Negroni which was waiting for us in the closet. 

 

 

 

 

Barrel aged or (Absolut) bottle aged?  

 

Edited October 4, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
added links (log)

[Kerry Beal]

34 minutes ago, FrogPrincesse said:

 

Barrel aged or (Absolut) bottle aged?  

 

 

There's a big chunk of barrel in the bottle!

[Kerry Beal]

 

Widow's Kiss for Anna. SFA for me (actually not true - cup of tea for me).

[Anna N]

 We were minutes away from sitting down to dinner when the phone rang.  Kerry left with a bowl of whatever was ready at the moment. I am very sad. After she made me a delightful cocktail which I thoroughly enjoyed, and had to go teetotal herself, and can only look forward to a warmed over dinner,  I am devastated. But not quite devastated enough not to enjoy my own dinner!