Our first freeze this year came early--November 12. It wrecked my squash and the last of the tomato plants (why I hadn't pulled them, I cannot really say). It also destroyed most of my flowering plants, including of all things the golden pineapple sage, which was just beginning to send up beautiful red flowers.
The arugula survived, as did the radishes. And actually my little seedlings of cold-weather plants appear to still be alive, if not thriving.
The temperature below the stairs is now 58 degrees. It climbed briefly back up to 60 after the freeze, but is otherwise holding steady.
UPDATE: within a week, the temperature below the stairs was back up to 64 degrees. Again, holding steady.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Friday, November 1, 2013
The fingers, they burn...
Autumn is and will always be my favorite season. The weather turns cold. Jackets and sweaters make their way from the closet to the dresser. The heavy duvet comes out, and sleep is suddenly more inviting. And the harvests! A season of peppers. The last of the tomatoes. Crisp lettuce.
There is also the smell and the sound of Autumn. It is football on in the background. Chicken bones and onions in water reducing on the stove. Leaves turn in the crisp air, and crunch underfoot on evening walks. And it all came out in fine form this past Sunday. Chicken stock with a heavy clove and pepper spice reduced on the stovetop while we made up pumpkin muffins and jalapeno jelly. A nice end to fall!
Jalapeno recipe is as follows:
about 20 jalapenos. chopped then blended, with 1 cup cider vinegar. Turned mixture into pot with 1 more cup cider vinegar, then added 4-5 cups sugar (recipe called for six). Boiled for ten minutes, stirring constantly. Added 3 oz. liquid pectin, stirred for one more minute. Ladled into ball jars and let them self-seal.
In a second batch, I mixed red jalapenos and orange banana peppers and used dry pectin, although I forget how many tablespoons.
My fingers burned for two days straight. Mean peppers this year.
There is also the smell and the sound of Autumn. It is football on in the background. Chicken bones and onions in water reducing on the stove. Leaves turn in the crisp air, and crunch underfoot on evening walks. And it all came out in fine form this past Sunday. Chicken stock with a heavy clove and pepper spice reduced on the stovetop while we made up pumpkin muffins and jalapeno jelly. A nice end to fall!
Jalapeno recipe is as follows:
about 20 jalapenos. chopped then blended, with 1 cup cider vinegar. Turned mixture into pot with 1 more cup cider vinegar, then added 4-5 cups sugar (recipe called for six). Boiled for ten minutes, stirring constantly. Added 3 oz. liquid pectin, stirred for one more minute. Ladled into ball jars and let them self-seal.
In a second batch, I mixed red jalapenos and orange banana peppers and used dry pectin, although I forget how many tablespoons.
My fingers burned for two days straight. Mean peppers this year.
Viña Eguía Rioja Reserva, Tempranillo
Not a bad $10 wine that we found at Whole Foods. Worth a stock for weekday quaffing, and for foods that might take an earthy and mildly spicy companion.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)