Final plaster layer and HOT fire!

Seriously...a VERY hot fire!

900+ degrees is BIG TIME HOT. Loving it and used it for dinner on Sunday.

Sculpting the Oven and First Plaster Layer

Once again, RAIN. But that didn't stop me from working on the oven. Before we went out for breakfast I added to the chimney, making it taller and wider in order to allow it to accept the stove pipe. Then we left for breakfast. While we were gone it actually dried...well a bit. The next step was to cook up some wheat/rice paste to add to the sand/clay/wood chip mix. This makes it "sticky" enough to sculpt it. I decided to make a Sun/Moon/Stars design. Wayne's an amateur astronomer, we are always aware of where the stars and planets are along with the equinox and solstice. Seemed fitting AND it I like it!

OK, the sculpting is done...adding the plaster

  So, you can kind of see what it looks like from here. I'm actually adding the first plaster layer here.

Further along in the plastering

The actual plaster layer consisted of VERY fine silica sand, clay, wheat paste, and of course water. I mixed it up with a drill mixer until the drill couldn't take it any more. :). Last step...adding poly fiber for added strength. The consistency is like POI. Yes, that gluey starch from Hawaii.

I took handfuls into my handled bowl and started smearing it on the layer before. It went on nicely! Perfectly sticky by hand. No gloves here...nothing but fingers and hands. Kind of like pudding.

Evening update: Even though it's raining....looks like it's drying.....S-L-O-W-L-Y....which again....it's a good thing.

Weather forecast is that the sun will come out tomorrow. Yaaaay! 
Tomorrow....second layer of plaster and then even possibly the third. WITH COLOR!

Top of the Oven

First Fires in the Oven

It's VERY important to not fire the oven very hot to begin with. In the first place, the oven is still quite wet. When you get it too hot too fast what do you get???? Steam! What does steam do under pressure? Explode!
The very first fire needs to be mostly paper with just a bit of small wood slivers right inside the door. This first fire is sooo exciting. All that hard work and you finally get to build a fire!
Believe me....all I wanted to do was LET IT GO! But....hold on....be patient, small fires. So I built the first little fire as soon as I emptied the sand form. Here's a pic of the smoke coming out of the chimney:

VERY FIRST FIRE IN THE OVEN

Why are there bricks in front of the door, you ask? Because I want to make sure the HEAT stays inside the oven. Remember, this is a DRYING fire...not a cooking fire.
The outside dome of the oven got nice and toasty warm. OOOO felt sooo nice! Wonderful for drying.....not so good for baking. Remember, you want the heat to stay IN the oven for baking.
The sun actually came out a bit on Sunday.

adding the insulation layer

The next step was the insulation layer:
Notice the blue canopy.....it was raining....again. See the grills and the bag of clay (Lincoln Fire Clay) and the level? Looks like I know what I'm doing....right? Sooo professional. Actually it's JUST like making mud pies.


The insulation layer consists of clay, sand, pearlite, water (of course) and wood shavings. (I got a large bale of pine shavings from PetCo....yeah....I know. But it works beautifully! Under $10.00). You can see the back of the oven and where the grill is going to be.

Me, coaxing the little fire to burn. Burn, baby, Burn!

Go...little fire....you can DO IT!

The next step was building a small fire....mostly paper and some wood sticks. NOT an easy job. Remember...everything is W-E-T. This is the little fire that COULD.....but it barely made it.
I pushed it back to the back of the stove once it got going and warmed/dried out the back.
Notice the bricks around the outside? Those are to support the wet insulation mix so it doesn't slump and keep the sides vertical. Plus, the bricks act as a good wick to evaporate water. They'll come off as the outside dries.

The good news, the chimney works, the oven is drying....although S-L-O-W-L-Y and by this weekend we should be cooking!

Built another fire (#3) tonight when we got home tonight. Bigger with bigger pieces of wood. Burned nicely! Pushed the coals to the back of the oven, placed some relatively wet but seasoned wood (remember...it RAINS here this time of year) near the door then blocked the entrance with brick. This will allow the wet wood to dry out overnight making it easier to start and maintain the fire tomorrow when I get home. Temperature goal for tomorrow....400 degrees F.

I'll also add to the chimney, widening the base and making it taller to accept a stove pipe in the future.

I went outside to check on it later.....guess what???? It was really going! There was very little smoke and the little fire that could had become the little fire that DID!. It was dark, no pictures. All was well....See, I just have to be patient. (life lesson for me?)
The last of the support bricks around the outside came off tonight....things are drying nicely. Cross your fingers for sun tomorrow.

Next Steps:
1. Earthen Plaster layer.....you know what this means.....?  Manure.......from cows or horses..... along with clay, very fine (sifted) sand, fiber of some kind, and wheat paste. This is made by cooking flour in water...about 6 cups. Some people call it GRAVY! Plasterers call it wheat paste. We'll see....this one is going to be hard for me. Pooo!
2. Building the grill. Design still undergoing modification in my head. Stay tuned. I'm thinking about expanding.
3. Cooking the first pizza! (this weekend?)

Door Arch is COMPLETE!

It is raining and raining and raining today. BUMMER! BUT... Because I have a canopy over the oven I can work on the arch. I built a sand arch to support the bricks and used my clay/sand mix as mortar. I also created a hole for the chimney using a plastic pot as a place holder. (that's the black thing at the top of the door. The bricks at the front of the door are just there to keep the wet sand form in place. They'll go away once things are dry those fire brick will be used to build the grill after the oven is done. The sand form stays until its dry. That might take a while due to the wet weather. BUT that's not a bad thing. Clay likes to dry slowly. It doesn't crack as much. So, I need to stop whining and let nature do its thing.
See pics:

The next steps for the oven...

The first layer is complete and the weather is cooperating to allow it to dry enough that I could cut the door out last night. I did not take it out since the very bottom of the oven was still a bit soft. The plan today is to take out the door when I get home and start taking out the sand form and then build the brick door arch.
Pics:

More on the Wood Oven:

OOO, I can hardly go to work! I just want to work on the oven. The fire brick is almost all down. Just need to cut the brick to fit in the small spaces left around the edge.
Today I pick up the refractory mortar to make the walls for the grill, another big bag of clay just to make sure I have enough, a large tarp to mix the clay/sand mix, and more sand for the some form.
I laid out the outline of the oven on the firebrick. All is good to go.
See the pics below:
:-)

Grilled Pineapple, Tenderloin, Sauté Carrots with Shallot

A PERFECT DINNERAgain....it's been a while since blogging has happened. I'be been gone at a conference for a week, NOT cooking, all eating out. Poor Wayne has had to fend for himself.BUT last night I got to cook again! I got a most beautiful pineapple in a gift bag (also from speaking at a conference) ripe, sweet and just waiting to be grilled along with steaks.I peeled it and then split into quarters, cutting out the core. Then concocted a marinade of honey, ground hazel nuts, orange juice and chili powder, oh...and butter.I had some tenderloin steaks, just the right size. Defrosted, dried, rubbed a mix of herbs from the garden that included chive, rosemary, lavender, and salt and pepper. Then I put them on a grate and put them in the freezer to dry just a bit. Why? Any meat will not get nice and brown-crispy with perfect grill marks if it wet in anyway. The wetness absorbs all the heat when it hits the grill by making steam. Steaks in particular need to be DRY. The slightly frozen outside is perfect because the freezing also drys the outside. It also allows the outside to heat up and cook/brown while the inside stays rare to medium rare. JUST PERFECT!Here's a pic of the grill.
I put the marinated pineapple on first, turning to brown all sides then put them up on the warming rack while I put on the steaks. Then went inside to sauté the carrots. Get a nice sizzle on the steaks, then turn 90 degrees for grill marks. Go inside, shake and stir the carrots, go outside... Flip the steaks... Go inside, stir the carrots....go outside rotate steaks 90 degrees (grill marks again).....go inside...add spinach leaves to Vegies....go outside...take off steaks...THEY ARE DONE. cover steaks with foil to rest 5 min. Retrieve pineapple from grill, plate. Plate the vegies, plate your steaks, pour wine (red), EAT! Ahhhhhhh, bliss!Ideally, outside on the deck....BUT it's still so freaking cool here we went inside to watch six Mariner pitchers throw a NO HITTER against the Dodgers!PRICELESS!

The Wood Oven, The Next Chapter

Its been so long since I worked on the oven! But today, finally, I got to work on it. No schedule for work, fun, bad nasty weather etc. Just work on the oven.

The plinth was finished late last fall. Then the center had to be filled with...fill. Yeah, gravel, rocks, dirt, etc. The next step was a layer of empty bottles. THAT was a lot of work as I needed a LOT of wine bottles for a layer that covered the whole inside.:-). That was completed during the winter.

The next step was a layer of clay-wood chips-perlite-sand-and I added some mortar mix. I used our handy dandy electric cement mixer. It took 3 batches. Did this today. It was nice and sunny and warm, all necessary to work with this sloppy mess. Now it gets to sit for a day or so to set up and dry.

The NEXT step is a row of regular bricks all around the outside mortared in and then a nice layer of sand. On top of that the FIREBRICK and then I can start building the sand form of the dome of the oven.

Thank you Betty Bell for all your nice clay pot trimmings!

As I was working I kept thinking of all the fun we're going to have cooking in the oven. WOW!

Here are sims pics.

Stay tuned!

Basil pasta with leftover steak, tomato, broccoli, and green garlic

Just a bit of steak leftover from last night. There wasn't enough STEAK but there was just the right amount for a very tasty pasta dish. Also had some tomatoes that needed to be used, one floret of broccoli, one small scallion section, and then I picked some very early garlic from the garden. This is actually called "green garlic" they look like bulby green onion but have a very mild garlicky flavor. I love it early in the growing season.
So sauté the scallion and broccoli, then add the steak (sliced VERY THIN). Add tomatoes and tomato paste. While doing this cook your pasta. It DO NOT OVER COOK! I use my fresh pasta that's been in the freezer. This one is one I made about a month ago using basil. Which reminds me....I need to make more. My stores are depleted. All that's left is the lemon pasta which I use for fish - SO GOOD!
Salt the boiling water and cook your pasta, do not over cook!
To the sauté, add about a 1/2 cup of white wine. Now add your pasta and finish it in the sauce. When it's done sprinkle with grated parm and serve. I bring the pan to the table but if you want to plate it for the table it's very nice to make a "nest" by twisting the pasta with tongs. Spoon extra sauce into the nest
I added a simple green salad with some blueberry vinaigrette. YES, it was awesome. Served with a wonderful pinot noir (2007) from Barrister Winery I've been saving (mmmmmy) It's our anniversary on Monday :-). 35 years.

Serger update

Just got my serger back. I signed up for a class to learn how to do the most simple things. Set up, threading, when to use various stitches? BASIC stuff. Good thing too...I found out during the class that the 5 thread basic stitch was not working...AND it wasn't MY fault! The machine needed adjustment. Whew....if I'd tried this at home I simply would have beat my head on the table and said "I made a BIG mistake!"Instead, I was in a clas and a very serious expert took over and told me....."We need to adjust your serger. Let me take it, send to the service department and get it back to you by next week. Is that OK?" WHAT? OF COURSE! Fix it now before I really need it!So today I got it back. I know how to thread it and do basic stuff. I plan to take more classes (Monday). I have two patterns cut out waiting for me to get started. Tonight, I had homework....so didn't get to use it and tomorrow we are dancing. But FRIDAY???? !!! WATCH OUT! Skirt and jacket for dancing!

Macadamia Nuts? Here's an idea!

I bought some macadamia nuts the other day. Other than just eat them, how do you use them? You know I have this awesome new food processor....it's got a 1.5 HP motor! Almost as big as the engine in my MINI Cooper. It's a Robo-Coup, made in France. Any way... I had some very nice large chicken breasts that needed a cooking method that didn't turn them into chicken jerky. WHY NOT USE THE NUTS AS A COATING? HERE WE GO! Take about a cup of nuts. Now macadamia nuts are FULL of oil and sweet, so don't add any. Put them in the processor (small bowl) with pepper spice, salt, one garlic clove, a table spoon of flour. I actually wanted a meal-like consistency but because of all the oil in the nuts (and the power of my processor), it turned into a paste. Hmmmm, now what? USE IT of course! Put this paste into a bowl and added a bit more flour and mixed by hand. This was more like a meal but still quite paste-y. Ok, I'd marinated the breasts earlier in the day in a ziplock bag with sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, pepper, salt....basically a vinegrette. Took the breasts out and packed them with the paste. As I coated the breasts my trusty cast iron skillet warmed on the stove with olive oil and butter. I also pre heated the oven to 350 degrees. When the pan was hot enough I laid the breasts in the pan to sear, turning when the coating was brown. When the second side was browned nicely I added a cup of white wine and the marinade and put the pan in the oven to finish. Bake until breasts are about 130 degrees, take out the pan and put the breasts on a plate and cover with foil. The breasts will continue to cook. Don't worry. Heat what's left in the pan to a hot boil and add sliced mushrooms. Reduce the sauce and add a 1/4 cup of cream if you want. It's really not necessary though. Since its spring and asparagus is here....I added some to the sauce. Conyinue to cook until done. While this is cooking, cook some pasta. Now I use my own, previously home made pasta but you can use store bought. Seriously.....make your own. It's sooooo much better! (see earlier posts) I used a mix of spinach and basil pasta. Very pretty. Plate the chicken breast and pasta and spoon the sauce over both. Add grated parm if you'd like and add a pretty green salad. The chicken breasts and pasta was more than enough for just the two of us. We'll use the leftovers for dinner again tonight. More than enough! The breasts were sooooo moist and tender. Definitely NOT chicken jerky! The coating actually tasted a bit sweet but spicy at the same time. The coating was crisp but the chicken....oh my! I lost count of how many times Wayne said how good it was. (Big Smiles from me) No pics....sorry. We were hungry after a long day working in the yard. We just dug in!

The Perfect Poached Egg

I love poached egg on toast. They are simple and can be simply difficult at the same time. The perfect poached egg has soft fluffy white and creamy yolk.

How to Poach an Egg

There are about as many methods to poaching eggs as there are eggs on this earth, from plastic wrap (sorry, ew) to poaching cups to cupcake liners. The good news.... It's really not that hard.
First, heat a pot with a few inches of water in it.
Put a splash of vinegar in the water. This helps tighten up the egg.
Now here is the first of the two Very Most Important Things I Will Tell You About Poaching Eggs: You don’t want boiling water. You don’t want simmering water. You want very hot water at the point right before it simmers, like you see here. Once it gets there, turn the temperature down a bit so it doesn’t bubble. If your water has already begun boiling, bring the temperature down to below the boiling point.
Break an egg into a small dish. It is always easier to slide the egg in from a dish. I’ve tried it the other way a million times and it never comes together as well in the pot.
Don't try to drop it from the shell. It just causes a mess and then you'll say... "see, I told you I can't poach eggs!" when really it just this one little step you neglected.
Now, take a spoon and make a whirlpool in the water in the pan. This makes it so the white swirls into itself making a nice compact nest of yummy.
Slide your egg gently into the swirling water.
The reason for the whirlpool is that it really helps the egg stay together, wrapping the white around the yolk. However, you can help it along too with your spatula or spoon by gently pushing it all in as it initially sets. If your egg has stuck to the bottom of the pot, just slide the spatula very very gently underneath after 30 seconds or so of cooking.
Don't PANIC!
A few minutes later, your mostly-perfect egg should be ready. (I look for an egg that wobbles, but just a little, when nudged with the spoon, about 3 to 4 minutes of cooking time.) Scoop it out with a slotted spoon.
While its still in the spoon let it drain on a folded paper towel. Now let’s say you’re having company and you’ve been insane enough to think you want to poach eggs for all of them. The cool thing is, at this point you can save them for a little later. To reheat them, put them back in hot (but not boiling) water for a minute. YES, it's TRUE!
Time to toast your bread and butter it. Gently place your egg on the toast. Pepper and salt to taste. I like to make a little slice in my yolk and let it run over the toast. Don't lose any of it. !
Mmmm, getting hungry for one now, just writing about it.

The SERGER!!!!

I DID it! I've been looking, looking looking for a serger for a while. My mom had 2 but all I remember is how she'd cuss every time a thread would break and she'd have to re-thread.
I go into the shops, look around, look dumb, ask for help, ask for a demo, make myself a pest....think about it and then walk out.

Keep in mind...they are NOT cheap! PLUS it's not like I don't already have LOTS of projects to work on in my ever shrinking spare time. Cooking, building, clay tile, oven, beads, jewelry, mosaics, of my own. Then add in the projects of the boys and girls. I could start whining about my job too, but I don't want to start.

Yesterday after a WSHA meeting I went to SouthCenter in Tukwilla. I did my non-shopping that I always do. No- wait...I bought a cook book. (Dine Out Seattle - Past and Present) Wonderful book! All the awesome beautiful recipes from the best restaurants in Seattle from yesteryear and now.   (I digress)

Back to the SERGER.....As I was heading to Kent to connect with Wayne and get some dinner....out of the corner of my eye....I saw a sign..."Sewing Machine Outlet Store"!!! I nearly crossed the center line. Whipped little Miss REDSHIFT Mini Cooper around and went in. The sign said "closed at 5pm" it was 5:05 but the door was open.

One young lady was there...."are you open?" I asked. "Sure! For you, come on in!" she said. So began me buying the top of the line Baby Lock Serger. OMG! 8 threads! Now I need to take some classes to learn how to use it. (they're free!)

my serger - but mine is still in the box

I couldn't even take it out of the box last night. I got it from Quality Sewing and Vacuum - Outlet store. They made me a screaming deal I couldn't refuse. The great news....It has an easy air-threading contraption to make the threading soooo easy AND there're no tension hassles!

Expect some posts about learning how to use it and hopefully, eventually some things I've made.

In flight WiFi

Flying with WiFi, really! So, as I' on an Alaska Airline flight to Dallas, I see a card in the seat in front of me......it says "WiFi-in flight". WHAT? Internet while flying? EMAIL, google, searching, Blogger, Facebook, etc, etc???? YES! How awesome is this? I know I've heard of it but this is my FIRST experience! IN FACT...... It's what I'm using RIGHT NOW! (on my new iPad....by the way) It's not perfect...can't connect to Netflix, but it IS downloading a movie from iTunes. It's NOT FREE but it is only $5.00. Not too bad. The wine cost more $6.00. Both totally worth it. The pilot just announced we are flying by Pocatello, Idaho. Seriously! Can't see it..... Too many clouds. More good news... I got row 6 on the isle...loads of legroom at no extra charge! Love you Alaska! Stay tuned, more info to follow. Jeanette

Breakfast tart

breakfast tart with creame fraise, bacon, cheese and two eggsI saw this while I was cruising the Internet this morning on the Williams and Sonoma site. It was excellent!Here's the recipe:Ingredients1 sheet puff pastry dough1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp. water3 oz. crème fraîche2 oz. shredded Gruyère cheeseSalt and freshly ground pepper, to taste8 bacon slices, cooked until crisp3 eggs (I only used 2 eggs)10 fresh chives, cut on the bias into 1/2-inch lengthsDirectionsThaw the puff pastry dough according to the package instructions.Preheat an oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.On lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into a 10-by-8-inch rectangle. Place the pastry on the prepared baking sheet. Using a paring knife, score a border 1/2 inch in from the edge of the pastry. Using a fork, prick the center of the pastry. Brush the border with the egg wash and refrigerate for 15 minutes.In a small bowl, stir together the crème fraîche and cheese, and season with salt and pepper.Spread the crème fraîche mixture on the pastry, keeping the border clean. Lay the bacon on top, slightly overlapping the slices. Bake the tart for 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on a level heatproof surface. Using a fork, prick any large air pockets in the pastry. Crack the eggs onto the tart, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still soft, 7 to 10 minutes.Transfer the tart to a platter, garnish with the chives and serve immediately. Serves 4.With the left over pastry I added a bit of brushed on creame and then sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. As long as the oven was hot.......

IPad arrived today!!! Posting with it RIGHT NOW

My new iPad3 or iPadR or what ever they want to call it arrived this afternoon and I LOVE IT! Still learning how it works. Stay tuned!

POPCORN!

POPCORN
I was in World Market 2-3 days ago and found this small bag of rainbow popcorn. It was only $1.99! Totally impulse shopping.

It's been so long since I either had or made popcorn I thought what a FUN thing to make one of these evenings. So here it is! It's called Amish Country Popcorn. There's a website: http://www.amishcountrypopcorn.com
They have all kinds of colored popcorn, popcorn oil, HULL-LESS popcorn (?), and it's all GMO free.

I put enough oil in the bottom of a pan to cover the bottom, let it get hot, added just enough popcorn to cover the bottom and left the lid ajar to let the steam out.

Then it started popping! VERY fun and smelled just like my dad used to make! Funny how a smell can bring back memories.

The popped corn was a bit pastel-like in color. Melted a bit of butter (not too much), poured it over then added sea salt and pepper.
Digit liked it too.

Digit eating popcorn

(he's a weird cat, he likes bread too).

It was great and sure didn't last long.


Popcorn has an interesting history. It was used by Native Americans for thousands of years. There is evidence of popcorn from 3600 BC in New Mexico and 4700 BC in Peru. Popcorn was the variety that saved the pilgrims. It's easy to store and is very nutritious.

This is from Wikipedia:

Popping mechanism

The process of a kernel popping

Each kernel of popcorn contains a certain amount of moisture and oil. Unlike most other grains, the outer hull of the popcorn kernel is both strong and impervious to moisture, and the starch inside consists almost entirely of a hard, dense type.^[7]
As the oil and the water are heated past the boiling point, they turn the moisture in the kernel, which has a moisture-proof hull, into a superheated pressurized steam. Under these conditions, the starch inside the kernel gelatinizes, softens and becomes pliable. The pressure continues to increase until the breaking point of the hull is reached: a pressure of about 135 psi (930 kPa) and a temperature of 180 °C (356 °F). The hull ruptures rapidly, causing a sudden drop in pressure inside the kernel and a corresponding rapid expansion of the steam, which expands the starch and proteins of the endosperm into airy foam. As the foam rapidly cools, the starch and protein polymers set into the familiar crispy puff.
Special varieties are grown to give improved popping yield. Some wild types will pop, but the cultivated strain is Zea mays averta, which is a special kind of flint corn.

Very Cool! Chemistry, Physics AND good food all rolled into one.

Get ready for it.....Pi (Pie) Day

March 14th is not just an ordinary day, it's Pi-Day!

What's this mean?

Make PIES! Take them to work, give them away! Have a PIE pot luck!
Did you know there's a website? http://www.piday.org there are shirts, caps, etc.

There's a Wikipedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_Day

So, organize a PI day pot luck at work!

PI day!

I'm going to make mini-pies..... I call them "3 bite pies"

First...Start with a great crust. That starts with a great flour. I LOVE King Arthur flour.
I usually use a tablespoon of vodka our of the freezer. Why? colder than cold water....and all the alcohol evaporates...making for a VERY flaky crust.
Here's a GREAT recipe:

• 2 ½ cups King Arthur Perfect Pastry Blend
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk powder
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening
• 10 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vinegar, cider or white
• 6 to 10 tablespoons ice water, don't forget to add the vodka!

Let the dough sit for at least 30 min in the refrigerator. Roll it out between parchment paper.

Cut out the small pie bottoms and tops. Make some filling. It's ALMOST spring. Rhubarb anyone? But you can make apple, pear or blueberry filling almost anytime now.

Enjoy.....make some whipped cream.....

MMMMMMMM

Current influenza update - Washington State

The CDC announced 2 weeks ago the beginning of the flu season. It's a bit late this year but we're seeing typical case numbers in Washington State. The good news: it's not too late to get vaccinated! You can see in this chart that most of the flu so far has been an influenza A (H3).It's pretty much a mixed bag.

Flu types 2-27-12

More good news: We haven't seen much resistance to tamiflu. This is routine testing done at the CDC to keep track of what's going on, not for treatment. From the CDC:

All viruses tested for the 2011-2012 season since October 1, 2011 have been susceptible to the neuraminidase inhibitor antiviral medications oseltamivir and zanamivir as were the majority of viruses tested last season; however, rare sporadic cases of oseltamivir resistant 2009 influenza A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) viruses have been detected worldwide. Antiviral treatment with oseltamivir or zanamivir is recommended as early as possible for patients with confirmed or suspected influenza who have severe, complicated, or progressive illness; who require hospitalization; or who are at greater risk for influenza-related complications

 Here's a map of flu activity by state:

flu activity by state

The following influenza activity was reported:

• Widespread influenza activity was reported by 2 states (California and Colorado).
• Regional influenza activity was reported by 13 states (Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Virginia).
• Local influenza activity was reported by 20 states (Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Washington, and Wyoming).
• Sporadic influenza activity was reported by the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 15 states (Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin).
• No influenza activity was reported by Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Cheese, yogurt, cultured butter....oh MY!

I haven't posted in soooo long! Where has the time gone?
It's not that I haven't been doing anything!

Here's some pics and discussion about cheese, cheese caves, yogurt and something I've JUST discovered.....cultured butter!

Cheese cave

This, believe it or not....is my cheese cave! It's actually the small dorm refrigerator we bought for the boys about 10 years ago. It's been sitting in the studio, unused. Then I thought....as I try to move my cheeses around in the top shelf (=warmest area) of my kitchen refrigerator....WAIT>>>>> I have a little frig just sitting, doing nothing!
So, we brought it in, I cleaned it up. We set it on the table (to save my back) in the laundry room and I set it for a temp between 50F and 55F.
PERFECT!
It's running around 57-58 degrees. Juuuuuussst right!

Inside the cheese cave

Also, see the pic of the inside!

Camenbert wrapped

These are the two little Camembert cheeses from whole cow milk.

Roquefort

Camenbert unwrapped

They're JUST about ready!

Here's also a picture of my Roquefort....a very blue cheese. It IS ready!
Mmmmmmm, smells lovely too. These cheese have been described as smelling "like the feet of angels".
True.

Cultured butter

This is something I just discovered....it's cultured butter!
This is what floats to the top of whole, unpasteurized milk. Cream!
Then you culture it with regular yogurt culture or a teaspoon of yogurt. Leave it in a warm spot in your kitchen for about 24 hours.
Next, beat it into butter!
It has SUCH a wonderful flavor! Not the bland stuff you get at the store.
I used it on french toast this morning.

MMmmmmmmmm!

With that in mind.....I'll be posting more regularly..... Stay tuned.