Camping, Princess Style

[Smithy]

13 hours ago, Porthos said:

My FIL's orange tree is blossoming, and I'm afraid that it is too early and not much fruit will appear. But for now, it's filling our noses with the intoxication scent of those blossoms.

 

 

 

You and I are of one mind on that smell.  Then again there was the late, great H.L. Mencken, who reported upon visiting the L.A. area, "The whole place stank of orange blossoms." 

 

10 hours ago, heidih said:

Well citrus are winter producers so maybe you are experiencing a global warming quirk. The ripe fruit should be now and flowering/fruit setting much later. Oh my....

 

Our hosts' trees were putting out sporadic blossoms - enough for me to enjoy that smell also - but not as thickly as Porthos' FIL's tree.  It is worrisome - and yes, I think it's a result of an unusually warm winter.  Probably a sign of times to come.

Edited February 21, 2018 by Smithy
Added Mencken quote (log)

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I don't care for navel oranges much myself, but have never had the pleasure of fresh harvest off a backyard tree. I have enjoyed California apricots off a tree though, and can attest that the supermarket shipped ones are a pale, pale ghost of that wondrous flavor and aroma.

 

I was lucky enough to acquire a few cara caras and a blood orange along with some pink grapefruit, but haven't sampled any yet. I have to shop when I can few and far between so I'm eating the strawberries and cantaloupe that are more perishable. I'm looking forward to the citrus, which I like. We had a lemon tree in CA, but no orange or others. Probably a good thing, because I really like citrus, and would hate to just not eat it anymore like I don't apricots after being spoiled by the backyard tree. Well I do eat canned, which are hard to even find, but still a substitute for the full flavor and fragrance of heavenly tree ripened ones.

 

You are so lucky, Nancy, to be in the fruitful place you are. I'm so enjoying it when you share your experiences with us here!

[Smithy]

We have had some beautiful sunsets here.  

 

 

For reasons I don't fully understand - health issues described earlier?  Age?  - we haven't been making as much use of the campfire as we did last spring, or even last fall at the beginning of this trip.  We did get out a couple of nights ago, however, when it was calm.  We enjoyed the campfire...

 

 

...and then went inside to make hash.  His favorite.

 

 

I've been using the avocado pulp in various dishes.  If I ever have reason to freeze it again, I'll follow @Nancy in Pátzcuaro's advice and puree it with a bit of salt and possibly lime juice.  Most of this stuff is bland.  It's possible the loss of flavor is because the fruit was already fading before I saved it.  It's certainly edible.  This morning I used some in a kick-over-the-traces breakfast: 

 

 

Quesadilla with shredded cheddar and avocado, warmed just enough to melt the cheese and stiffen the tortilla.

 

 

Stiff enough to hold, gooey with melted cheese, avocado enhanced by the cheese.  Good stuff.  But I think a squeeze of lime in the puree would have helped.

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

One thing about avocados--they require adequate salt (and some lime juice, IMO) so they don't taste bland. Sometimes a surprising amount of salt, but make sure you taste as you go along.

 

Nancy in Pátzcuaro

[kayb]

Forgot, until I was reminded, I was going to repost the pictures that didn't come through of the more tomato-ey tomato cobbler. Here they are:

 

 

 

You can see these are significantly more tomato-ey than the one posted upthread (on Feb. 20, and I'm not sure how to link to the specific post).

 

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Smithy]

What great timing! I was just perusing your earlier post with the method, as well as the post with the missing photos.  I have the onions and garlic chopped and the cornbread ingredients out on the counter for tonight's dinner using your method. Oh, and I've already fried up a bunch of bacon, and the gold* is in the skillet.

 

 

*aka bacon grease

[kayb]

Oooh, I can taste it now. I've wondered how it would be with canned tomatoes. I may have to try it!

 

Please let us know how yours turns out  and how you like it. I made one for a church potluck and it was all gone, and three or four people came by and wanted the recipe. (You gotta love a little church where people know you by the container your dish is in....) I'm not sure why I grew up in a world where cornbread and tomatoes were staples, and no one ever put them together in a single dish. I think this is one of the best summertime dishes going.

 

[Smithy]

14 hours ago, kayb said:

Oooh, I can taste it now. I've wondered how it would be with canned tomatoes. I may have to try it!

 

Please let us know how yours turns out  and how you like it. I made one for a church potluck and it was all gone, and three or four people came by and wanted the recipe. (You gotta love a little church where people know you by the container your dish is in....) I'm not sure why I grew up in a world where cornbread and tomatoes were staples, and no one ever put them together in a single dish. I think this is one of the best summertime dishes going.

 

 

I believe you that, properly executed, it must be one of the best summertime dishes going. Your church sounds just the right size, too.   However, after last night I think I need to practice taxiing a bit more before trying to fly.

 

 

The fillings seem like an unbeatable combination.  Unfortunately I made too much batter for the skillet. (Its stiffness may have also been a problem; I was shooting for a casserole texture.) The result was that the outer portions were done long before the inner portion, and the center never properly cooked through.  The base was tough.  I saved the uneaten innards - with all the good stuff and a fair amount of cornmeal mush - to repurpose elsewhere. Mix and bake with scrambled eggs?  Skillet fry like hash browns? I'm open to suggestions.  It might make a good enchilada stuffing.  Hmm.

 

 

There was also something bitter in the mix.  I suspect the frozen avocado.  I'll check that pulp later today, and may end up discarding the rest of it.

 

It's a shame it didn't work out as well as it should have.  I'll get the fisheye from my darling the next time I try it...but if I get a good grip on making cornbread alone first, I'm more likely to succeed the next time I try this.  Meanwhile, the mix of salted drained tomato, crispy bacon, onion, garlic, avocado, cheese and jalapeño will be great to embellish beans, a salad or soup...or in a cornbread salad.  We both liked that salad the first time around, and that means making more cornbread. 

[kayb]

I'm sorry it didn't work out well. The batter needs to be REAL thin; much thinner than you'd make for regular cornbread. Maybe just a little thinner than pancake batter. And you need at least as much or more tomato mixture as you have cornbread batter. The original recipe, which is included in my blog post about it here, calls for equal parts milk and cornbread mix (or combo meal and flour).

 

FWIW, I like it better without the chile powder/cumin combo; I prefer just salt, black pepper, bacon and cheese.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2018 by kayb
to fix link. (log)

[Smithy]

By the way, my best friend says she "used to think even a monkey could make cornbread".  She's had a couple of fails lately, but is nonetheless mystified that cornbread, so far, is such a Big Deal to me.  If anyone reading this thinks so too, you're in good company. 

[heidih]

Well - what if you risked the purchase of some Jiffy cornbread mix  (image attached - just happened to be veg version in my pantry)- about 75 cents tops for a box and needing only an egg and 1/3rd cup milk.  It is a middle of the road kinda cake one but not overly sweet and highly forgiving of additions. I usually add an extra egg white and use all manner of liquids from yogurt to roasted winter squash or lots of grated zucchini or masses of herbs. It is most definitely not Southern cornbread but it might give you a taste reference to go from and as noted - foolproof.  I often bake it in a larger pan so it is low to the ground and has more crunch and then when re-crisping in big cubes in toaster oven makes lovely croutons or a nibble snack.  Linking from

my eG blog  

 

Edited March 7, 2018 by heidih (log)

[kayb]

1 hour ago, heidih said:

Well - what if you risked the purchase of some Jiffy cornbread mix  (image attached - just happened to be veg version in my pantry)- about 75 cents tops for a box and needing only an egg and 1/3rd cup milk.  It is a middle of the road kinda cake one but not overly sweet and highly forgiving of additions. I usually add an extra egg white and use all manner of liquids from yogurt to roasted winter squash or lots of grated zucchini or masses of herbs. It is most definitely not Southern cornbread but it might give you a taste reference to go from and as noted - foolproof.  I often bake it in a larger pan so it is low to the ground and has more crunch and then when re-crisping in big cubes in toaster oven makes lovely croutons or a nibble snack.  Linking from

my eG blog  

 

 

 

There are (at least down here in God's country) both sweet and unsweetened versions of Jiffy. One might could use it. I get the same results with Martha White Self-Rising Corn Meal Mix.

 

Except for the sweetened, of which I keep two or three boxes on hand at all times, because one needs it to make corn pudding. Which will be coming upon the menu for Easter, which, like Thanksgiving, is all about traditional foods -- ham, corn pudding, asparagus, deviled eggs, green peas. (Yes, I know those bear no resemblance whatsoever to traditional Passover foods. Go figure.)

[Smithy]

On 3/6/2018 at 4:36 PM, heidih said:

Well - what if you risked the purchase of some Jiffy cornbread mix  (image attached - just happened to be veg version in my pantry)- about 75 cents tops for a box and needing only an egg and 1/3rd cup milk.  It is a middle of the road kinda cake one but not overly sweet and highly forgiving of additions. I usually add an extra egg white and use all manner of liquids from yogurt to roasted winter squash or lots of grated zucchini or masses of herbs. It is most definitely not Southern cornbread but it might give you a taste reference to go from and as noted - foolproof.  I often bake it in a larger pan so it is low to the ground and has more crunch and then when re-crisping in big cubes in toaster oven makes lovely croutons or a nibble snack.  Linking from

my eG blog  

 

I think the larger pan so the cornbread is "lower to the ground" is a key issue.  Thanks for the suggestion about the cornbread mix. That may be a way to fine-tune things and see which way to take it.  My darling has made it clear that he doesn't want cornbread for its own sake (I tried to make kayb's cobbler as a stand-alone dish) so I'll need to wait until I'm ready to do beans or soup again. Otherwise, he's likely to bludgeon me with the hash skillet. 

[Smithy]

On 3/6/2018 at 1:58 PM, kayb said:

I'm sorry it didn't work out well. The batter needs to be REAL thin; much thinner than you'd make for regular cornbread. Maybe just a little thinner than pancake batter. And you need at least as much or more tomato mixture as you have cornbread batter. The original recipe, which is included in my blog post about it here, calls for equal parts milk and cornbread mix (or combo meal and flour).

 

FWIW, I like it better without the chile powder/cumin combo; I prefer just salt, black pepper, bacon and cheese.

 

 

 

 

I can see now where I went wrong.  Thank you for the link to the blog post - which is excellent reading, by the way - with its recipe for this novice. 

[Smithy]

We moved back to (mostly) more familiar culinary ground and cooked over the campfire after the tomato cobbler debacle.  I do love chicken thighs, rubbed with seasonings of my choice and then grilled over the fire.  In this case the rub was berbere spice augmented with smoked paprika, cumin, and possibly a touch of salt. 

 

 

While they grilled, I had parsnips steaming. The parsnips were the adventure of the evening.  We liked them.  I'll be doing more with parsnips.

 

 

 

I remembered yesterday, when we went grocery shopping, to check the source of the oversized shallots.  Sorry, @JoNorvelleWalker - the grocery store sign simply said "Grown in the U.S.A." without further elucidation.

 

 

At least now I know they aren't from Brobdingnag.

 

 

[Okanagancook]

That is an enormous shallot. 

Parsnip purée is really good by the way.  Trick is to steam cook the parsnips then purée with butter and lay a nicely cooked lamb chop over it.

[gfweb]

On 3/6/2018 at 9:20 PM, kayb said:

 (Yes, I know those bear no resemblance whatsoever to traditional Passover foods. Go figure.)

That's OK, Easter isn't Passover. 

[Smithy]

 

What with one thing and another

people bother.

With a third thing and a fourth it

isn't worth it.

 --Piet Hein, from among his Grooks.

 

That hole you see may make more sense in this larger context.

 

We arrived at a recent stop to find that the door between the garage/dining room and the main living area was jammed. The knob wouldn't turn. Fortunately for us the trailer has a front and back door, and by working from opposite sides we were able to get the knob to turn. We had no trouble during the time we stayed in one place. The next time we moved the trailer to a new stop, it happened again. This time no amount of prying and turning and muscling would get the knob to turn. We removed it. It's toast. We'll worry about a replacement when we get home. 

 

Then there was another move, during which the freezer door came unlatched. I opened the kitchen to find half the freezer contents on the floor, thawing. Several plastic containers had fractured and were leaking: nothing as innocuous as water, of course; the principle ooze was a mix of chicken broth and persimmon puree. The genius who put carpet in front of the refrigerator must not have had much imagination. Don't ever, if you can help it, put carpet in front of a refrigerator!

 

Distractions notwithstanding, there have been some successes, fun finds and flops worth recounting. There may also be a swell event or two ahead. I'd rather wind down this season's travelogue deliberately than let it die of neglect. With your indulgence I'll work at it a bit longer, as other non-culinary but pressing duties allow.

 

Grab a favorite snack, and help me enjoy the last of this spring's trip!

 

[heidih]

What is the dip? I limit my Frito consumption to a yearly nursery tour bus trip otherwise it could be Fritos & dip for dinner every night

Oh the unlatchd fridge... We had one of those little 6 pack campers that sit in a truck bed. The labrador was back there when the beer bottles came flying out and opened the caps just enough to turn it into a geyser situation.. We didn't hear anything but Murphy was in complete panic; practically tried to squeeze himself through the little connector window to the cab. 

[suzilightning]

Don't rush back toooooooo early.  The weather hasn't quite decided if it is spring yet.

 

[Smithy]

4 hours ago, heidih said:

What is the dip? I limit my Frito consumption to a yearly nursery tour bus trip otherwise it could be Fritos & dip for dinner every night

Oh the unlatchd fridge... We had one of those little 6 pack campers that sit in a truck bed. The labrador was back there when the beer bottles came flying out and opened the caps just enough to turn it into a geyser situation.. We didn't hear anything but Murphy was in complete panic; practically tried to squeeze himself through the little connector window to the cab. 

 

I feel so much better, knowing the catastrophe could have been worse!  Actually, I remember hearing about more than one time my mother forgot to latch the refrigerator doors, and everything was on the floor when they opened up in the evening. It happened at least twice. My beloved mother, bless her, could be very absent-minded.

 

The dip is Pimiento cheese. It's one of the things I experimented with when we were hooked up to electricity again, because I could use the food processor and other gizmos with great abandon. I based the recipe on Food Shark's Pimiento Cheese, but as I review the recipe I see I took more liberties with it than I remembered. I used American cheese instead of the Havarti they specified, because that American cheese needed to be used up. I added dried herbs instead of fresh. Their recipe doesn't call for Pimientos at all! According to the Pimento Cheese topic, some folks claim that's a normal substitution whereas others think it's heresy. I had forgotten that discussion. I used roasted red peppers (another jar emptied!) AND a jar of pimientos because I thought there must have been a mistake in the recipe. What I especially liked about this recipe was the addition of pepperoncini and ther juices.

 

"What do you think?" I asked my darling about the spread. He kept dipping into it and eating more, and indicated that the answer should be obvious.  We don't often indulge in Fritos either, but these scoops were perfect with it. It was also perfect with celery sticks, and Ritz crackers, and gluten-free nut crackers. We eventually resorted to a spatula to make sure we got every last bit of residue.

[Smithy]

We found some wonderful new breads along the way.

 

I read in a Tucson publication about Sonoran white wheat, a southwestern heirloom grain that is supposed to be especially great for bread-baking. I wanted to try some. I went to the Food Conspiracy Co-op, which supposedly had it, and learned that they only carried the wheat berries. I bought some. I haven't done anything with them yet because I've been off bread-baking lately. Ideas will be welcome. The Co-op was fun, but so similar in style and vibe to our co-ops at home that I didn't try taking any photos.

 

The bread that I picked up there was a sourdough loaf made by Barrio Bread in Tucson. They had been featured in the same article because they bake with the Sonoran white wheat. I picked up a loaf.  It was beautiful! You can see more patterns on their web site.

 

 

Once back at the trailer, I sampled some. Then I ate more. The flavors were complex and delicious, taking sourdough to a higher level than I generally experience - and I am a sourdough lover. The texture was also excellent.

 

 

I wished I had bought more bread! It was 25 miles or so to the co-op. I knew I wouldn't get there again this trip. We delighted in the sandwiches we made using this bread (of which there seem to be no pictures). I highly recommend Barrio Bread if you're around in Tucson.

 

We also discovered Dave's Killer Bread somewhere along the way. At first I thought it odd that an Arizona grocery would carry an Oregon-made bread, but according to their web site they have a pretty broad distribution. Dave's Killer Bread makes a variety of loaf styles and sizes - 21 seeds, whole wheat, white and so on, in large-format slices and smaller loaves as well.

 

 

It's our new favorite sandwich-loaf bread. My sandwich photos so far have been lackluster, but here's the money shot of the crumb:

 

 

 

Oh yeah - and then there's this mystery bread. I picked it up at a deli in Texas, having a hankering for rosemary sourdough and not having the time right then to make it. A take-and-bake loaf looked just right!

 

 

After we were back on the road I reread the package. "Shelf-stable"?? I must admit I've been afraid to open it yet. The ingredient list looks good. It is carefully vacuum-packed, and you'll note that the package includes a desiccant. Still...a shelf-stable bread?

 

I promise to report on it when I open and bake it.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

9 hours ago, Smithy said:

We found some wonderful new breads along the way.

 

I read in a Tucson publication about Sonoran white wheat, a southwestern heirloom grain that is supposed to be especially great for bread-baking. I wanted to try some. I went to the Food Conspiracy Co-op, which supposedly had it, and learned that they only carried the wheat berries. I bought some. I haven't done anything with them yet because I've been off bread-baking lately. Ideas will be welcome. The Co-op was fun, but so similar in style and vibe to our co-ops at home that I didn't try taking any photos.

 

The bread that I picked up there was a sourdough loaf made by Barrio Bread in Tucson. They had been featured in the same article because they bake with the Sonoran white wheat. I picked up a loaf.  It was beautiful! You can see more patterns on their web site.

 

 

Once back at the trailer, I sampled some. Then I ate more. The flavors were complex and delicious, taking sourdough to a higher level than I generally experience - and I am a sourdough lover. The texture was also excellent.

 

 

I wished I had bought more bread! It was 25 miles or so to the co-op. I knew I wouldn't get there again this trip. We delighted in the sandwiches we made using this bread (of which there seem to be no pictures). I highly recommend Barrio Bread if you're around in Tucson.

 

We also discovered Dave's Killer Bread somewhere along the way. At first I thought it odd that an Arizona grocery would carry an Oregon-made bread, but according to their web site they have a pretty broad distribution. Dave's Killer Bread makes a variety of loaf styles and sizes - 21 seeds, whole wheat, white and so on, in large-format slices and smaller loaves as well.

 

 

It's our new favorite sandwich-loaf bread. My sandwich photos so far have been lackluster, but here's the money shot of the crumb:

 

 

 

Oh yeah - and then there's this mystery bread. I picked it up at a deli in Texas, having a hankering for rosemary sourdough and not having the time right then to make it. A take-and-bake loaf looked just right!

 

 

After we were back on the road I reread the package. "Shelf-stable"?? I must admit I've been afraid to open it yet. The ingredient list looks good. It is carefully vacuum-packed, and you'll note that the package includes a desiccant. Still...a shelf-stable bread?

 

I promise to report on it when I open and bake it.

 

I notice the packaging asserts "Patent Pending".

 

Perhaps about to be baked with patent flour.

 

[Porthos]

Dave's Killer Bread is in at least one local market I regularly shop. Since I have my go-to bread I have been ignoring it. I may just have to pick up a loaf and give it a whirl.

[Smithy]

9 hours ago, Porthos said:

Dave's Killer Bread is in at least one local market I regularly shop. Since I have my go-to bread I have been ignoring it. I may just have to pick up a loaf and give it a whirl.

 

Let me know what you think, if you try it. What's your current go-to bread?