Smokin'

As I find with so much of our life at this stage, things tend to fall into patterns and cycles. Now is the smoking season when I fire up the Yoder and smoke the meat and fowl we will enjoy throughout the year.

I have commented in past posts that the decision to have purchased a smoker that can easily handle enough food to feed a small platoon, a very hungry girl's volleyball team or your family of hungry stoats has influenced how I use it. Initially part of the reluctance to use it was because it was a bit of a pain to clean and set up. But like so much else, I have got that figured out. No, the reason is that we just don't eat that much meat or fowl. And it seems a waste to crank it up for something small....it uses the same effort and fuel whether there is a two pounds being smoked or 30 pounds. It is also something that you can't use in cold weather as it works at a very output of heat and when the cast iron unit itself is ice cold there is no way it can get heated up to temperature

This means I use it maybe four to six times during the summer and when I do, I make a lot of whatever I am making and then freeze small portions or the rest of the year. A couple of weekends ago I made ribs. This weekend was pulled pork (12 pounds of it). Next week I am doing poultry - most likely 6 bone-in whole chicken breasts (we use the meat for salads and sandwiches) and 2 ducks. I experimented with duck last year and was quite pleased. I will use the meat for cooking, will turn all the skin into cracklings and will make a broth from all the bones. I actually have entertainment coming up in October with this in mind.  I am planning to make a smoked duck risotto using both broth and meat with the cracklings sprinkled on top of the finished dish.

Things Progressing But No Major Breakthroughs

I am in one of those frequent periods between trips. Working at my sustainable post-transition level and bringing in the bucks. Thinking about the next adventures. Enjoying the regularity of daily life. The garden is in full harvest. Tomatoes and Green Chile are coming in steadily so each weekend I process some but it is never overwhelming. Daily cooking is an enjoyment still. Not all days are a success but many dishes are. The Ghana projects move along at a steady pace. Obstacles pop up and are dealt with. The ultimate outcome is still very grey but the energy moving it forward continues. I will be going back in September. I have jury duty for the next three weeks so I will be in enforced schedule slow down.

More Of The Same

Not a whole lot has changed since my last post.

The garden is coming into fullness. We have eaten our first peaches. It is a fine year for them. They are large and sweet. The tomatoes are coming in as well with equally good flavor. And the green chile is just starting and will pick up steam through the summer. My basil plants are nice and full promising pesto in the future.

Theodora Project continues to move forward. The first contacts to people for fundraising have been made. This is going to be nervewracking no matter how you cut it. After all the emotional investment and work plus knowing it has such potential the specter of failure to achieve the goal looms large in my consciousness. But as the cliche goes, you miss a hundred percent of the shots you don't take. And all around me seem to feel that it will all turn out fine.

For pay work is really going well. Hard to believe that 30 days ago we were bemoaning the lack of cash, income and clients. I have a number of projects that are very stimulating with plenty of assets and motivation by my clients to stimulate my professional interests.

And we have Granddaughter 1.1 visiting us. She is 14 and going into her Freshman year of high school. I have always had more affinity for children as they grow older and 1.1 is at a perfect age where her mental capabilities are such that conversation is very stimulating. PLUS from a culinary standpoint, she has become pescaterian...she only eats fish among the animal proteins. Well this is fine and dandy with us because we love fish. We cooked salmon steaks one night and then roasted whole Golden Pompano the next. Tomorrow we are going to make a mayonnaise-based salad from the leftover fish. 1.1 is an enthusiastic eater and is a joy to cook for.

So the the great ship transitioned life contines its voyage.