Mike Avery's Sourdough Passion

Love doesn't just sit there like a stone; it has to be made, like bread. remade all the time, made new.
- Ursula K. LeGuin

Make do with bread and butter till God brings the jam.
- Berber saying

It isn't bread that feeds you; it is life and the spirit that feed you through bread.
- Angelus Silesius, in Der Cherubinische Wandersmann

And we feel there is no better bread than bread made with sourdough. As Dr. Ed Wood summed it up: "10,000 years later, and there's no better way to raise bread!"

We have learned to see in bread an instrument of community between men - the flavor of bread shared has no equal.
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

source

Improvisation

I never know what I am doing or where I'm headed when I paint, write, or cook. Today I was reheating some whole wheat elbow macaroni and ended up slicing some black radishes and green cabbage and onion and I was off and running expanding into larger and larger pots on the stove. I ended up with a huge and delicious pot au feu. I used everything in the fridge! I used the leftover whey from yogurt cheese, cubed rutabaga, thin sliced cabbage, home made yogurt, garlic, shallots, onion, red chili flakes, salt, black pepper, splashes of soy sauce, gloops of peanut butter, sesame oil, Adobo and salt. It tastes like Hungarian meets Asian. It's fabulous!

Cafe Mocha

I just made this in a small mug and it was delicious.

A teaspoon of dried unsweetened cocoa and a teaspoon cane sugar dissolved in heated evaporated milk and blended with hot coffee.

Enjoy!

Histamine High

A few years ago our doctor told me I had a histamine high. Today I found an article about it. read here.

The Circus of Lost Dreams

by Nin Andrews & Emily Lisker. View the announcement on my painting blog here.

Spring Seasoning

Every Spring I take out my vast collection of cast iron frying pans and Dutch ovens and rub them down with Price Rite brand generic Crisco. I bake them (stacked up) for an hour at 300 degrees F. When they cool I wipe out the excess oil. They are gorgeous and sexy, and they behave like Teflon! The house smells weird from the baking grease, so I bake bread afterward.

Martín Espada

The Republic of Poetry: Hampshire College Commencement Address
read here.

Topping off the Toast

Yesterday I made home-grown yogurt. Then I strained it through a white cone coffee filter to make yogurt cheese and separate the whey to use later in soup or bread. I sliced green pimento olives and added them and a few twists of fresh black pepper. It was a great topping on sourdough toast.

When I stepped outside there was a camera crew filming the latest drug raid. I say blame the plethora of slumlords! They are the ones who turn a blind eye to the drugs, pit-bull breeding and automotive title scrubbing going on daily in our beloved city neighborhood.

Lat: 42.0° N Lon: 71.5° W

Home sweet home.

Monster Corporations!

CVS is telling its employees they need to reveal their height, weight, body fat percent and other personal information for health insurance purposes.

In CVS's case, workers not comfortable getting the review done will have to pay a $600 annual penalty.

source.

Leo Tolstoy

Running into the marsh among the familiar scents of roots, marsh plants, and slime, and the extraneous smell of horse dung, Laska detected at once a smell that pervaded the whole marsh, the scent of that strong-smelling bird that always excited her more than any other.
-Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Just Out!

The Circus of Lost Dreams by Nin Andrews & Emily Lisker
link here.

Woody Allen

I'm not a drinker, my body won't tolerate...eh...spirits, really. I had two martinis New Years Eve and I tried to hi-jack an elevator and fly it to Cuba.
-Woody Allen

Asthma and Running

Tips:
Take Your Meds

Asthma medications work by relaxing the muscles around your airways. It's when these muscles constrict (an occurrence known as bronchospasm) that asthmatics experience wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing.

Quick-relief asthma medications such as Albuterol, which are often prescribed as rescue inhalers—so called because they are designed to ease symptoms within minutes—can also be used as prophylactic or preventive medication, says Roberts. So, runners with asthma can take a dose as directed a few minutes before a run to help manage symptoms.

If you have chronic asthma (that is, your symptoms aren't triggered solely by physical exertion), you'll probably need to be on a daily control medication, like an inhaled steroid, in addition to having a rescue inhaler.

Protect Against Pollen

Pollen allergies can trigger asthma symptoms for some sufferers of exercise-induced asthma, so it's smart to run when pollen counts are at their lowest, which is usually in the early morning. Roberts also recommends checking your local pollen count online (try weatherunderground.com or pollen.com) and running on the days when the count is lowest. Afterward, shower as soon as possible to get the pollen off your hair and skin, and toss your workout clothes directly into the hamper.

If the pollen count is high even in the morning, do what Roberts does: Consider substituting an indoor activity for running, or doing something outdoors that doesn't make you breathe as hard, such as kayaking, biking, or walking.

Cover Your Face

Even people without asthma find themselves coughing during runs in cold temperatures. Why? Breathing cold, dry air results in cold, dry airways—a trigger for bronchospasm.

Roberts suggests covering your nose and mouth while running so the moist air you exhale will help humidify the air you inhale. Stay away from cotton bandanas, which can freeze against your face in cold temperatures. "Fleece balaclavas or neck gaiters are probably the best," Roberts says. "They maintain a fair amount of warmth even when they're wet, and they'll stay thawed pretty easily."

Be Smart

* Always carry your rescue inhaler. And not just while running. "There's no reason not to have it," Roberts says. "You can slip it in a lot of places, like the pockets in running shorts." You may never need to use your rescue, but if you do, you'll be very glad you have it.

* Have a game plan. Confirm with your doctor the steps you should take if you have an asthma attack. Should you call the doctor's office so they can determine the severity of the attack? Or should you see if you can get relief from your rescue inhaler? Create an action plan that both you and your doctor are comfortable with.

Roberts' advice for when you get into trouble: "You want to clear this with your physician, but what I tell my patients to do is to take as many puffs of your inhaler as it requires to stop the attack, or until you start to shake so much [a side effect of the medication] that you can't hold your inhaler. For some people, that's four to six puffs every five minutes for several minutes. I start shaking after two puffs."

* Consider wearing a medical alert tag. A bracelet or tag that indicates you have asthma can save first responders valuable time. "Giving the right medication quickly could be lifesaving," says Roberts.

* Take extra precautions if you have severe asthma. If you've ever had what Roberts calls a "flash attack," in which you quickly go from feeling good to being in severe distress, you should either run with a friend or carry your cell phone—or both.

source

Slow-Baked Whole Chicken in a Dutch Oven

2 teaspoons paprika (we like Hungarian)
Kosher salt sprinkled everywhere!!
1 teaspoon dried thyme, fresh if you have it
garlic powder or a whole bulb of garlic unpeeled--just thrown into the chicken cavity
sprinkles of cayenne (red) pepper
twists of freshly ground (black) pepper
1 chopped onion
1 large chicken rinsed and patted dry.
Combine the dried spices in a small bowl - or not. I prefer to wing it-- free-form style
Chop the onion in rough chunks. Add a chopped carrot if there's room!
Remove any giblets from the chicken and then rub the spice mixture all over--even under the skin. If you have one, put prepared chicken on ovenproof trivet inside the Dutch oven. The chicken fat will melt and fall below. Add the onions to the pot and cover and bake in a 225 degree oven for hours. There is no need to add any liquid.
Check and baste occasionally. Throw in half a lemon or lime--into chicken cavity-- if you have them on hand. Cook until chicken is falling off the bone.

Dancing Cows

Cows belong in fields. We have known it for a long time. And the cows agree!

In March 2012, we visited a farm in the UK to film cows being released from their indoor winter housing to their fresh pasture for spring and summer grazing.

Some dairy cows never get to leave the confines of their sheds, but instead are kept indoors all year round in intensive zero-grazing systems.

Zero-grazing is already common in the USA and we do not want to see this practice become commonplace in Europe or anywhere else.

We believe that all cows should be given access to pasture and want to see an end to the practice of zero-grazing.

source

Vanilla Coconut

I am a soap freak and a plush washcloth nut. Joblot sells vanilla coconut soap in bath sized bars. Taking a bath feels like swimming in a luscious dessert.

Lily's Birthday

It was Lily's birthday yesterday! She turned 6. Rather than having our walk, I was home shoveling snow that was as heavy as a wet rug.

We are now in the last hour of winter.

Goodbye winter.

I will miss you!

Urban Farm

Link

Lazy Man's Pretzel

Part of spring joy means less sleep, more baking and more vacuuming.

I set up dough in the afternoon and it has a slow cold rise in our 45 degree shop. I bake it the following morning.

My whole wheat sourdough boules baked in greased King Arthur hamburger bun bread pans. When eaten fresh out of the oven they are hot and moist - and best with cheap yellow mustard and honey! Just like a pretzel!

Just the Chillies

Nin's poem: Just the Chillies,
read with my painting, Embrace.
Here.

Hungarian Soup

The allergy season has me making soothing soups to fend off the agony. Today I simmered chick peas after soaking them overnight. Then I added all of the white onions we had and chopped them in quarters. I added a bulb of garlic peeled. I chopped half a head of cabbage into shreds and chopped half a dozen stalks of celery. I poured in a quart of buttermilk and added turmeric, cumin, salt, pepper, paprika, and red chili flakes. I also added water and whey from my homemade yogurt. It reminds me of Hungarian Mushroom soup a friend made me in college--but without the mushrooms! It is delicious. I ate it for breakfast!

Obituary for Harry Stamps

Harry Weathersby Stamps, ladies’ man, foodie, natty dresser, and accomplished traveler, died on Saturday, March 9, 2013.
Harry was locally sourcing his food years before chefs in California starting using cilantro and arugula (both of which he hated). For his signature bacon and tomato sandwich, he procured 100% all white Bunny Bread from Georgia, Blue Plate mayonnaise from New Orleans, Sauer’s black pepper from Virginia, home grown tomatoes from outside Oxford, and Tennessee’s Benton bacon from his bacon-of-the-month subscription. As a point of pride, he purported to remember every meal he had eaten in his 80 years of life.
The women in his life were numerous. He particularly fancied smart women. He loved his mom Wilma Hartzog (deceased), who with the help of her sisters and cousins in New Hebron reared Harry after his father Walter’s death when Harry was 12. He worshipped his older sister Lynn Stamps Garner (deceased), a character in her own right, and her daughter Lynda Lightsey of Hattiesburg. He married his main squeeze Ann Moore, a home economics teacher, almost 50 years ago, with whom they had two girls Amanda Lewis of Dallas, and Alison of Starkville. He taught them to fish, to select a quality hammer, to love nature, and to just be thankful. He took great pride in stocking their tool boxes. One of his regrets was not seeing his girl, Hillary Clinton, elected President.
He had a life-long love affair with deviled eggs, Lane cakes, boiled peanuts, Vienna [Vi-e-na] sausages on saltines, his homemade canned fig preserves, pork chops, turnip greens, and buttermilk served in martini glasses garnished with cornbread.
He excelled at growing camellias, rebuilding houses after hurricanes, rocking, eradicating mole crickets from his front yard, composting pine needles, living within his means, outsmarting squirrels, never losing a game of competitive sickness, and reading any history book he could get his hands on. He loved to use his oversized “old man” remote control, which thankfully survived Hurricane Katrina, to flip between watching The Barefoot Contessa and anything on The History Channel. He took extreme pride in his two grandchildren Harper Lewis (8) and William Stamps Lewis (6) of Dallas for whom he would crow like a rooster on their phone calls. As a former government and sociology professor for Gulf Coast Community College, Harry was thoroughly interested in politics and religion and enjoyed watching politicians act like preachers and preachers act like politicians. He was fond of saying a phrase he coined “I am not running for political office or trying to get married” when he was “speaking the truth.” He also took pride in his service during the Korean conflict, serving the rank of corporal--just like Napolean, as he would say.
Harry took fashion cues from no one. His signature every day look was all his: a plain pocketed T-shirt designed by the fashion house Fruit of the Loom, his black-label elastic waist shorts worn above the navel and sold exclusively at the Sam’s on Highway 49, and a pair of old school Wallabees (who can even remember where he got those?) that were always paired with a grass-stained MSU baseball cap.
Harry traveled extensively. He only stayed in the finest quality AAA-rated campgrounds, his favorite being Indian Creek outside Cherokee, North Carolina. He always spent the extra money to upgrade to a creek view for his tent. Many years later he purchased a used pop-up camper for his family to travel in style, which spoiled his daughters for life.
He despised phonies, his 1969 Volvo (which he also loved), know-it-all Yankees, Southerners who used the words “veranda” and “porte cochere” to put on airs, eating grape leaves, Law and Order (all franchises), cats, and Martha Stewart. In reverse order. He particularly hated Day Light Saving Time, which he referred to as The Devil’s Time. It is not lost on his family that he died the very day that he would have had to spring his clock forward. This can only be viewed as his final protest.
Because of his irrational fear that his family would throw him a golf-themed funeral despite his hatred for the sport, his family will hold a private, family only service free of any type of “theme.” Visitation will be held at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport on Monday, March 11, 2013 from 6-8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (Jeff Davis Campus) for their library. Harry retired as Dean there and was very proud of his friends and the faculty. He taught thousands and thousands of Mississippians during his life. The family would also like to thank the Gulfport Railroad Center dialysis staff who took great care of him and his caretaker Jameka Stribling.
Finally, the family asks that in honor of Harry that you write your Congressman and ask for the repeal of Day Light Saving Time. Harry wanted everyone to get back on the Lord’s Time.

Pollen Alert

Today's allergy levels for WOONSOCKET, RI:
Saturday - 5.1/Medium

Today's predominant pollen:
Cedar/Juniper, Elm and Poplar/Aspen/Cottonwood.

Sop

A sop is a piece of bread or toast that is soaked in liquid food and then eaten. In medieval cuisine, sops were very common. Sops were served with wine, soup or broth, and then picked apart into smaller pieces to soak in the liquid. At elaborate feasts, bread was often pre-cut into finger-sized pieces rather than broken off by the diners themselves. French onion soup, originating in its current form in the 18th century, can be considered a modern-day sop.

The word "soup" is a cognate of "sop", both stemming ultimately from the same Germanic source. The word is mentioned prominently in the Bible, King James Version:

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. ( John 13:21-26 )
-Wikipedia