First Snowshoe

Saturday the sky was blue and clear, and the temperature was about 12 degrees F.  My friend invited me to join her and her dogs for a snowshoe in the woods in Richmond.  Although it sounds cold, the air was still, and the sun was warm.  At times, the fresh snow and ice on the ground and the trees created an surreal dreamy effect as the sun came through the trees.  At the top of the hill Camel's Hump, Mt. Mansfield, and the Green Mountain range seemed so big and peaceful and close.  From our view point it no houses or roads were visible, it just seemed like us and the mountains, and the snow and the sun.  But there was evidence that we were not alone in the woods.  I saw deer tracks in the snow, and hunter's tracks in the snow.  I also saw some rabbit tracks, and then something interesting.  It looked like cat paws but bigger, and we were not near any house.  They seemed to small to be Bobcat paws though, and the feet had not broken through the crust.  I suppose they could have been Fisher Cat prints.  Why I left my camera in my pocket for this, I don't know.   I can't wait to get back out for another walk in the woods soon!!

J

Winter: It's official!!
Today is officially the first day of winter as far as I'm concerned. I woke up to about 6 inches of new snow on the ground. That is the most we have had in Burlington, or at least on Marble Ave. all season. The frigid air and insignificant dustings were not enough for me to say good bye to Fall. Having to lace up my boots and shovel off the steps, not to mention shovel my car out of a snow bank (thanks plow guy), means it's winter.

I probably could have gotten away with working from home today. I live within walking distance from work, but I need my car to go into the community and meet my clients. Although snowy, the roads seem o.k. today, and I'm going to give it a shot. To tell you the truth, i actually like driving in the snow. And, if I were to work from home, I can guarantee I would just end up watching a bunch of Netflix (did you know I can now watch instant Netflix on my Mac? death sentence).

Maybe this afternoon I'll be able to get some pictures up here for you to see.
Happy Winter, everyone!!!
JEFF

Thai Chicken Soup

Brrrr, it's cold outside.  Guess that means it's time for soup.  Here's one of my favorites.  The following recipe my own version of a few I've tried before, but I never hold on to recipes, so I end up having to re-create them.  I think I've done a good job.  O.K., let's get started.

What you need:

2lbs chicken (a little less is o.k.)

28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes

14oz can coconut milk

32oz of chicken broth

2 Tbs green curry paste.

4 (+/-) cloves garlic

8-10 Shallots

2 large rouset potatos

3 carrots (medium size)

1 stick lemon grass

1-2 small hot peppers

olive oil

1 small lime

some thai basil if you have it

1- 1 1/2 cups brown rice

Now, to put it all together:

First, most importantly, crank some tunes!!

Now that you are rocking, time to get cooking.   Mince the garlic, mince a little bit (2-3 inch section) of the lemon grass, and mix it together with the curry paste in a small dish.  Set aside.  Finely chop the challots, and set aside.  Cube the potatoes and chop the carrots and set aside.  In a large soup pot, heat 3-4Tbs of olive oil over medium high heat.  When oil is hot, add the curry paste mixture, stir around, and after 15+ seconds add the challots.  Mix up for a good minute + (enough time for the challots to soften), and then add the can of tomatoes.  Mix up and smash the tomatoes into smaller pieces.   Add the chicken broth, carrots, potatoes, and chilli's.  Cut the remaining lemon grass into 3-4 inch pieces and add to the pot.  Add the chicken.  Bring to simmer and reduce heat to medium low.  Cook on medium low for 30 minutes with a top half on.  Start the rice.  After 30 minutes add the coconut milk, basil and squeeze half a lime into it (use the other half for a Gin & Tonic).  Cook until carrots and potatoes are soft.

Put a scoop of rice in the bottom of a bowl and ladle in the soup.  Time to eat!!

I often make a big batch and freeze the leftovers (just dump excess rice into soup).  This works great!

Tom Waits: Closing Time

This week I have been listening to Closing Time, by Tom Waits.  

I really like Tom Waits a lot, and I think this is my favorite album of his.  I've been able to listen to this in the car, on my ipod when I am working, in the background when I am reading, and in the background when there is company.  My mood has a lot to do with my enthusiasm for this album right now.  I find it to be sincere, introspective, and very melo. In particular, I like I Hope I Don't Fall in Love With You, Martha, Ice Cream Man, Grapefruit Moon, and the album ends with Closing Time.  I have been playing it over and over.  Check it out.

J

The Lake

This is the story of the Tepper family, as recalled from a few family members at my Grandmother's memorial service a few weeks ago.

After the Revolutionary war, Janius Josselyn moved to Plymouth, Vermont to farm on a piece of land he received as compensation for his service.  He started a farm on 80 acres of land on Echo Lake.  At the time Revolutionary War veterans could choose to be compensated with land or money.  Many of the soldiers traveled through Vermont from Massachusetts on their way to battles in Upstate, NY.  The land was fertile and plentiful.

I am not sure where Janius lived, but I know that his son, my great great grandfather, Frank, was a carpenter, and he built this house and a barn at the head of the lake.  Although there have been some renovations, this is the same structure that was built in the middle- late 1800's.  Frank was a Civil War veteran, and the father of Charlie.  Charlie was raised on this farm, but as a man he owned a home in near by Ludlow where my Grandmother was raised.  The land and house was eventually passed down to my Grandmother.

Frank also built this church, and this inn (below).  The church was built in 1898, and my Grandmother was the first baby baptised there in 1910.  The church still hold services in the summer (for vacationers).  Plymouth/ Tyson is located between Ludlow and Killington, in southern VT, so it is a hot spot for summer and winter vacationers.  My grandmother moved to Massachusetts when she was married, but she spent every summer of her life in Vermont until she was too old to do it.  As a result, my mother and her siblings, as well as my grandmother's grandchildren, have spent millions of hours on this land.

My Grandmother passed away this spring at the age of 97 (a month shy of 98).  We had a memorial service for her at the church on Echo Lake where she was baptised.  We the traveled to the family burial site in Woodstock to lay her to rest with her husband, her brother, and countless generation of Josselyn's.  The land and the house remains in the family, although it is know as the Tepper compound today (that was my Grandmother's married name).  My Aunt converted the barn into a beautiful home, and my uncle has built a house in one of the back fields.  

As a kid I used to come to the lake with friends to swim, boat and fish.  We would boat to the island and camp over night, or camp in one of the back fields.  We would go swimming at midnight, and the bats would buzz our heads as we stood on the docks, or flirt with danger by swimming during thunderstorms.  I hope to have the chance to share this place with my friends, and my family, and give the next generation of kids the chance to have the same experiences (minus the swimming in lightning storm thing).

Here is most of the Tepper family today (some had already left for home when the picture was taken). 

JEFF

It's Time for Desert!!!

It's peach season, so I thought I'd whip some cream.

you need:

8 0z carton of whipping cream

1-2 TBS maple syrup

a few perfectly ripe peaches (or maybe some raspberries, or strawberries, or melon, or all of the above).

In a medium mixing bowl combine the cream and the maple syrup.  Take a wisk and wisk vigorously until the cream has thickened (you really want to get air into it, so your arm is going to get tired!).

Put fruit in a bowl, and top with the cream.

AWESOME.

caio, JEFF

I Love Lasagna!!!

Time to eat

Before and after

It's summer, and that means that it is hot out, so normally I try to avoid cooking in my stove, but tonight I had the impulse to make lasagna and garlic bread.  This is how I did it.

you need:

package lasagna noodles (I like organic whole wheat)

jar of sauce.

6 cloves Garlic

bunch of Kale

1 small yellow onion

2 medium carrots.

6-8 mushrooms

1 package Smart Ground (fake meat)

16oz Ricotta cheese

8oz shredded mozzarella

small bunch of parsley

some shredded parm.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

cook 9 lasagna noodles (leaving them al dente).

meanwhile, chop then saute garlic, onions, kale, carrots, and mushrooms.  Add Smart Ground at the end just to mix it in and warm it.  Set this aside.  Now, chop the parsley and put it in a large bowl.  Mix in ricotta cheese and mozzarella.  Still with me?  Okay, in a glass baking dish, put down a thin layer of sauce, and  place 3 lasagna noodles lengthwise.  Slather some of the cheese mixture on top of the noodle (about 1/3- 1/2).  evenly spread half of the veggie mixture.  Sprinkle some parm on that, and dump a little bit of sauce on top of that.  Add three more noodles, and make another layer like the first, using the rest of the ingredients.  Add the last three noodles on top of that, put a small layer of sauce on top of the noodle, sprinkle some parm on top of that and then a little ground black pepper.  Damn, this is gonna be good.  Now, cover the top with tin foil and put in the oven.  After 30 minutes take the foil off the top and keep cooking.  I think I'll let you figure out how to do your on garlic bread.  I'm hungry, and the lasagna has cooled just enough.

Ciao, JEFF