Weekend on Georgia's Golden Isles

We spent the weekend visiting my Dad and his wife at their home on one of coastal Georgia's barrier islands. It's always nice to get away from the city for a couple days and do a few things outside the regular routine. Saturday we took a three hour kayak trip* that started on the beach and wound through the tidal marshes. Later in the day we visited the isolated and eery Driftwood Beach. Once a majestic forest of live oaks draped in Spanish moss it now feels more post apocalyptic then antebellum.  

*Half way through the kayak trip I realized  my camera's white balance was still set to "indoors". I was pretty bummed and have done my best to correct the photos. Even so, it may be obvious at which point the setting was corrected. More photos of the trip can be found on my flickr page.

Last but not least we enjoyed a six pack of IPA from Intuition Works located in nearby Jacksonville, Florida. Thanks to my Dad's wife for surprising us with some local beers! And now we're off to YDFM to our week's worth of grocery shopping...

CABBAGETIME!

We've got five awesome heads of cabbage quickly coming our way. Unlike the dozens of lettuce plants, I don't plan on pawning these darlings off on anyone. I've got plans for these leafy greens!


Foremost, I want to make kimchi! I've been looking up recipes. It seems like it may be a challenge but not impossible. If it goes well I'll be gifting jars of kimchi to my friends and family for the rest of the year.


Then I want to try sauerkraut. We don't have a fermenting crock but I've found a recipe or two that doesn't require one. 


And finally, my jalapeno coleslaw!

In other garden news: the eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, spinach and leeks are looking great! Although I'm at a loss at to what to put in the cabbages' place once they're gone. Needs to be short, must do well in 8 hours of direct sun and should be front yard/main intersection appropriate. Any suggestions?

  

Dinner from the pantry

Groceries are running low. Breakfast has been oatmeal. Lunch, stewed pinto beans. And dinner, a mish-mash of left overs and pantry staples. Tonight Oliver put together a tomato sauce, added the very last of our pork and served it over pasta. Quite the unusually carb-loaded treat for our household! We're not "pasta people" but every now and then it really hits the spot. 


In other news, FRIDAY!!! Hoping everyone has a kick-ass weekend.  

Weekend Eats

The leftover pork from last week's lettuce wraps was used in two more dinners. Once on a bed of homegrown lettuce with poached eggs. Another time as part of a stir fry with a side of aparagus and half a sweet potato. 


Sunday morning we walked down to the Grant Park Farmer's Market for a loaf of sourdough. Oliver needed it to make his extra amazing breakfast sandwich. Fried egg, homemade mayo, chili sauce (made for the lettuce wraps), homegrown spinach, bacon from YDFM and a few slices tomato (not quite in season yet). I ate every bite! YUM!

It's our first anniversary! Tonight we're out celebrating but we'll be back to regular posts soon. 

XO Cullen & Oliver

 

Photo © 2011 Jimmy Clemmons
End of the World as We Know it performed by LB Collective
Fact: Confetti cannons are awesome.

The ethics of meat eating

Six weeks ago the New York Times Magazine announced a contest asking readers to explain why eating meat is ethical. The winning essay by Jay Bost summarizes so many of my own beliefs. "...Eating meat raised in specific circumstances is ethical; eating meat raised in other circumstances is unethical. Just as eating vegetables, tofu or grain raised in certain circumstances is ethical and those produced in other ways is unethical." This opinion is one that I seek to advance yet I find I never have the words to do so. As a household that consciously eats ethically raised meat and grows our own vegetables I still fall back on blog posts featuring simple photos of meals and gardens. While in the back of my mind I'm wishing I had the ability to compose fiery diatribes that would convince even the most devoted CAFO eater to give up their factory raised, pink slime filled meats. Whether you agree with me or not, I hope that you will take 10 minutes to read Jay's response as well as the responses from the runners up. 

What's for breakfast? Oatmeal with apples and cinnamon

Steel cut oats with chunks of real, fresh apple, a dash of  cinnamon and a few grates of nutmeg. Hello Saturday!

Korean inspired dinner from the garden

For dinner tonight we enjoyed homegrown lettuce filled with dry brined, oven roasted, pork topped with Oliver's homemade sauces (sweet chili and ginger scallion). We ate in the backyard because it's quite hot in the house but it's also too early in the year to turn on the AC. Side note: On Facebook I keep seeing these photos of my Chicago and Boston friends bundled up in gloves and hoodies. It's hard to believe it's not already summertime all over the USA. To those people, enjoy the rest of your winter gardens! I believe this is the very last of ours. Onwards to summertime foods!