Boo Columbia Gas of Ohio

I have no cooking or family news at this point because I am fighting with Columbia Gas of Ohio, except they are not fighting, they are silent.  So I have written a detailed letter to: Customer Service at Columbia Gas of Ohio, no response at all;  Clinton Township Trustees one of whom acknowledged he was passing the letter on to the members; The Columbus Dispatch editor whose Business Editor contacted me within thirty minutes; and the Public Utilities Commission just an hour ago.  I waited a couple of days in between letter sending to allow Columbia Gas to respond (we have had no gas for over a week; physically, one might consider that a good thing  but in this case...not so much.) Phone calls are not even picked up and the few that are causes us to be in a loop being sent here, then back, then to another and no one has any paper work for this address or any answers to the problem.  It is just as bad as dealing with the city. The TV channels are next, 10 and 6.  They always like a good fight even if it is one sided. Thank God it is summer and we don't need the heat.  There is always a silver lining.
I hope your week is better than ours.

Cabbage

When ever I want to lure Beth home I say cabbage.  She and I like it anyway it is presented.  A new favorite is pepper bacon, peppers, and vegetables from the garden.  Sliced tomatoes, corn on the cob and yippie dinner is served to the two of us but not the other three. (This picture is from the English Kitchen, with thanks.)  She does such a good job with her recipes and pictures.

 Then there is peach cobbler for dessert.  Every Saturday during the summer Andy comes home with a basket of peaches.  We have them every way except in cabbage.  There we draw the line.There is also two dozen ears of corn in the bag and this time it is white.  Little sweet pearls march up and down the cob and when tasted squirts of deliciousness pop and drip.  Not a pretty sight, but there you go; it's summer.

Can you believe it is the 23rd of July?  It seems the summer has just begun and now on TV they are selling Christmas.  Makes me uncomfortable.  Why can't we just enjoy one event at a time instead of looking ahead while missing every essence of the here and now? Well, I for one will not be putting up a tree anytime soon.

Fish, corn on the cob, sliced tomato salad, and peach cobbler...that's today's menu. Have a great week ahead.  Hopefully, our lawn will be torn up by Columbia Gas this week.  We have had it with the cold showers although they have been refreshing (don't tell them that or we will never get the job done.)

Pickled okra...yum

I love potato chips but a close second is now pickled okra.  I can eat it straight from the jar, chopped up in eggs and bacon, on a starter tray,  in corn off the cob, there is no place in savory food where pickled okra would not be welcome as far as I am concerned.

I am off to fight Columbis Gas today.  I thought my battles were over, but noooooo.  When you own property you own trouble. Even pickled okra won't make me happy right now.

Another summer favorite:

Shades of Paris markets

  Black berry cobbler.           

                   
We have two really good outdoor markets that I know about.  The one in Worthington is very large and diverse and very well attended.+  The one in Clintonville will find Andy standing in the peach line because he is a peach to do it and because the peach man grows really good peaches.  Good enough for a line which is the envy of all the other stall holders.  However, while Andy stood in the peach line the picture shows what I was doing...I really went to town on the fresh produce and fruit that was offered on this spectacular Saturday.  I won't do it in the muggy heat, but the breeze and the sun made the crowded affair worth every step.  I took my Paris red cart and shopped while Andy waited for his turn at the peaches.  He will be there every Saturday until they are gone. I will be there when the weather is just right, like today.  The blackberries were thimble sized and they are now in a cobbler in the oven.  The sweet corn was perfect and there a dozen ears ready for the taker.  We have used four dozen ears so far this season and all have been tasty.

I thought of the outdoor markets in Paris as soon as I stepped from the shaded car into the fray.  Carts, and dogs, and babies, and hand holders--it's an event as the couples stroll with their coffees through the crowded market. The cut flowers were glorious and the sunflowers were as big as luncheon plates...had to have a bouquet to mix with my mop head hydrangeas.

This place won't let me put a picture on now...But there is one in the post before this one. Just scroll down after this post.

Saturday market finds

He's a fruit cake...lover

Have you even known a man who loves fruitcake?  Well, I have one.  It may be his German heritage, or the memories of his mother's stollen, I don't know.  It is just that he will pick up that fruitcake at the Dollar Store if he sees it! It sends shivers down my spine when I see that in the grocery bag thinking what on earth holds it together and how does it keep so long?  SCARY.

Today I received one of the Australian Women's Weekly magazines that I ordered from Amazon.  I wondered how they were still publishing that glossy wonder every week money wise.  I think I have received part of the answer.  They cut the size down to pocketbook size but kept the glossy, rich look and content.  Andy was thrilled to see the issue, reprinted in a small size, of Christmas Cakes and Puddings.  It is filled with the most luscious fruitcake pictures and recipes that simply make me want to rush Christmas...and I NEVER want to rush Christmas. In the back of all their issues is a chart for conversion of dry, liquid, and helpful measures so that we can have the success of these lovely delights. I adore this 'cookbook' as they call it.  Chuck full of wonders.

I am devouring Mariah Stewart. She can write those beach novels where you know exactly what is going to happen but still wait with anticipation, and then she can write the most hair-raising crime novels that you have seen in print. I have read 20 of her books so far and there are probably 20 or more left.  I will be so sad when I reach the end of her offerings.  I love my Kindle and it is so refreshing not to have to wonder how to get rid of the books that are read.  The library is overflowing here, so it is pleasant to have found a solution and Kindle Paperwhite is it. (And, it leaves more room in my cookbook library for more cookbooks.)

Have a great week-end.  It is one of those gentle rain days here that make me want to bake.  I leave the kitchen door open and move around the kitchen in a bubble of contentment.  Life is good.

Beth is away this week end to Brooks' Ranger School graduation in Georgia.  What a man to have gone through the rigors they put the men and women through to achieve this goal in the preparation of keeping our nation safe. Bless his heart.

Plans-a-poppin

Booked, scheduled and assigned.  All seven northern women are ready for the frivolity in New Orleans the second long weekend of November. ( Now all I have to do is stay on foot and alive to enjoy it.)  We are looking forward to a non-stop flight to Nola and comfort in the luxury of the  Claiborne Mansion. Cleo, the owner, has given us 'birthday rates' because she liked Andy, Mike, Adam and me when we stayed there one November and she is also looking forward to meeting more of our family.  We have most of the main house and are secretly hoping we are her only booking for this time because sometimes we are a bit game-time loud but not reckless. I am looking forward to those Meyer lemons that are as big as softballs and sweeter than any lemon that I have tasted.  Her tree is loaded with them and she sent me home with a large bag of citrus delight.

This is a really busy summer with Stacy and Matt's wedding and the holiday celebration here at Many Branches the day after.  Matt and Stacy will be well on their way to a honeymoon, but the family will celebrate the occasion and Labor Day the day after the wedding.  There will be more showers and events before the wedding so there is no lacking of events in our lives this summer. The Cincinnati Lechlers have booked hotel rooms to stay over the night of the wedding (because all of our beds will be full) so they can zoom into Cooke Rd. for an all day affair.  Mike and Beth are hosting the rehearsal dinner and those plans are perking at the moment.

Writing about lemons, I noted David Lebovitz's recipe for ginger tea and thought it might be good in a gin and tonic as well.  I'll try that this week. Thank you, David.

Fresh Ginger Lemonade

1 quart (1l), about 4 servings

I like mine with lots of ginger so I use the larger amount indicated, but feel free to use either. If you think you'd like it less-sweet (although I don't find this too sweet), you could reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup (65g). If you wish to use a liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar in place of the sugar, I'd try starting off using 1/3 cup then tasting it, adding more if you wish.

2 to 3 ounces (55-85g) fresh ginger, unpeeled

3 cups (750ml) water

1/2 cup (100g) sugar

1 cup (250ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1. Cut the ginger into thin slices (no need to peel). In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar, and ginger slices to a boil.

2. Remove from heat and cover. Steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Strain the ginger pieces from the sugar syrup and mix the ginger-infused syrup with the fresh lemon juice in a pitcher. Chill thoroughly. Serve with plenty of ice.

Ode to corn on the cob

The last of the 4th of July festivities and the events thereafter are now in the distance and corn on the cob is on my mind.  Pam gave me a de-stringer for corn which works very well.  It's a simple brush that is well constructed and with no fuss does the job with a little elbow grease.  There are several corn recipes in Cook's Corner today and some I have made variations of and some seem interesting enough to try.  We have gone through about four dozen ears of corn since the season started and we are finding it delicious this summer.  However, I have rarely found an ear of corn that I didn't like.  Some used to say if you are walking from the field with a load of corn and an ear falls to the ground, leave it, just rush to husk the bounty and leave the droppers because by the time you go to pick it up it won't be fresh enough. As haughty as we are about food and recipes nowadays, that seems even more extreme to me.

We had a summer place on the river in my hometown.  It was a wreck when my parents first bought it many years ago.  So bad that there was a handled pump in the front yard which was not discovered for several weeks as the area was cleared.  My mother, Elizabeth, was a master at fixing up and decorating a place.  I remember going with her to Zanesville to the wallpaper store, yes, a store just for wallpaper, go figure.  We got into the odds and ends bin and bought nearly the entire bin to decorate the Spook House...called the Spook House because Pearl and her sister Edna were known to still keep house there even though they had long departed the planet. Paint was a must and so all the trim in the house was white and all the rooms were wallpapered.  I was teaching at the time and Andy and I and our boys would go down on weekends to get the place ready and to sit in the sun to tan.  One day I asked Mother if I could bring my class down for the weekend and of course, she agreed that would be fun for the kids.  I had talked about the Spook House so the kids were prepared for something dark and spooky but were surprised to find a cozy ,pretty, old house on the river to enjoy a weekend of fun and fun we had!

Another adventure at the Spook House took place every summer for four or five years.  Andy worked with a man who grew corn in a big way.  Once a summer he allowed Andy to take our station wagon to the field and fill it with corn on the cob.  We loaded the family and off we would go to the Spook House where Mother would have a fire going outside with pots of boiling water and tables covered in paper, and knives for getting the corn from the cob, and bags and coolers--it was a big production with everyone getting their fill of corn on the cob before the work took over.  We froze the bounty and lived the experience all winter long as we consumed the corn. (We did the same in cherry season and the Cincinnati Lechlers were a part of that adventure.)

Great holiday with family

Ready for the 4th~

Writing this post is about all I am good for today.  Thank God for Beth and the Cincinnati ladies who did a bang up job clearing everything away and leaving lovely surprises here and there for me to discover as I move around today...a coconut pie in the frig, a bottle of Bourbon Cream for my coffee,  a destringer for corn, hand towels for the powder room. The gang also brought lots of good things to eat!

 The big red egg got a real working out with Tom as the griller.  I re-love that grill and intend to use it more.  It keeps the heat for hours and the food is so tasty.  I've missed the charcoal infusion. While everyone was still eating I put several ears of corn on the grill and was it good! But since everyone finished eating I have a ton of it left over and just now discovered a good recipe for creamy corn soup which I intend to use when I can once again face the kitchen.

Wow! It was hot on the 4th.  Most guests stayed in the pool for the day.  There were games of cards and dominoes going on and a few men shooting golf balls, but nothing too strenuous. It was a full day with two full meals and we sent them home with leftovers so they do not have to cook.

We had such a good time with Joe and Glenda who came three days early before the party.  We love having them visit.  Tomorrow my niece, Nancy, and her husband come for the night because their granddaughter is playing ball in Columbus. Never a dull moment around here.  Also, Andy's class at OSU resumes tomorrow.

If the corn soup turns out, I will send the recipe.  It's the one on The English Kitchen today, so I haven't tried it yet.

Note:  Forget the corn soup; While taking off the roasted kernels I could not wait so I tossed them in a skillet with onions and butter, salt and pepper and a bit of siracha, slapped the skillet on the stove for a couple of minutes and Andy and I polished it off before lunch!  Yes, it was that good. ROAST YOUR CORN ON THE COB.

Chocolate cake at its finest and easiest~

People who read my posts know that chocolate is not my favorite thing, so why I tried this simple cake is beyond me.  Maybe it is because there are four ingredients and no mixer involved.  Maybe it's because it has a can of cherry pie filling coupled with chocolate.  It is NOT a dump cake which I do not care for at all.  It is a silky delicious simple no named cake.  It is 3:00 am and I am writing you about this cake that I baked for the second time yesterday.  Joe and Glenda are coming for a few days through July 4th and I can't wait for them to try it, if there is any left.  If not, I can throw it together in minutes. I found it on the internet Feb. 8th, 2013 and marked the recipe outstanding, so here it is.

For the cake with no name:
1  2-layer size devils food cake mix
1 tin of cherry pie filling
1 tsp almond extract
3 large free range eggs beaten

Oven 350; buttered 13x9 inch baking tin and lightly dusted with flour tapping out any extra. Put all cake ingredients into a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until they are well blended.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the optional frosting:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
5 TBS butter
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine the sugar, milk, and butter for the frosting in a saucepan.  Bring to boil.  Boil for one-minute stirring constantly.  Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips, stirring until they are completely melted and the mix is smooth.  Pour and spread over the warm cake and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.

You can use a tub of store icing instead of the above, but I would not.

Women's Weekly Cookbooks

I read a cooking blog from the UK this morning and it triggered memories from my many, many trips to England in search of antiques.  I stayed at the Barkston and across the street was a bookstore.  Now these were not leisurely trips with tea and crumpets (unless you had them in hand and on the run or standing up in a field.) These were totally working trips and if I saw the sites it was in passing and on the move.  However, some Sundays there was little to do in the way of shopping so I would calm and sooth myself at the bookshop across the street. It was a chain bookshop and really well staffed and stocked.  One lucky day I saw a pile of sleek, thick, lovely what I called magazines but what was really called weekly cookbooks from Australia.  They were glorious and as it happens they still are.  Yes, this company is still producing WEEKLY these lovely cookbooks and they are just stunning in color, in correctness (each recipe having been tested three times before publication)  And, the good news is, you can still buy them.  I have maybe thirty or so back as early as the 1980's and I am sure they were producing far before I found them. Today the box was ticked again and I got on Amazon and started buying those that I thought I didn't have.  Now Amazon won't let you buy what you have already bought because they shoot a warning at the top and it reads the date you previously purchased the item, saving me some money.  I do love Amazon and I love these Women's Weekly cookbooks. So google and enjoy.  I know in the 500 posts I've made I wrote about this before, but I am certain people have forgotten this subject with all the recipes floating the Internet. The picture of the clafouti at the top of each of my posts came from the Women's Weekly cookbooks.