Let's get on with it!

It is time to get back to my life. The whole knee thing has been taking way too long. A knee replacement is just a lot more than I thought it would be. It took much longer to get my strength back, to get my knee working again and to start living my life again, than I thought it would.


I haven't completely recovered, I still have days when nothing works right, but then we all have those days, don't we. So, as I plow through to the end, I plan to pretend my body is in perfect working order, and pretty soon it will be. If I seem to be channeling Polly Anna, don't worry, I really should be back to normal soon. See "Thoughts" at the right.

Here is a quick synopsis of the garden. Amazingly everything seems to be doing just fine without my help. (That is just a little too humbling.) I am picking Swiss chard, broccoli, bok choy and black kale. The peas have plenty of blossoms but find only a few very tiny pea pods which brings me to suspect there are some of those "cute" raccoons out there enjoying midnight snacks.






There was one rather strange thing in the garden. We had two successive nights when the temperature dropped to 20 degrees. After the first night I opened the shade in my bedroom and saw all the fava beans plants were bent about three inches from the top. They looked as if the preacher had just said "now let us bow our heads" and the congregation did, all in the same direction. The following night it was 20 again. Again I did the morning check. This time they were all bent at the waist.

Again the congregation all faced in the same direction. Now I was sure they were finished. But not so fast; a few days past, a little rain fell, and they were all back to normal and blooming nicely. (see picture at the top) As you see here, the favas are flourishing but are knee deep in weeds Well, we can't have everything.





















Most of my seeds have been ordered. A few have been started. This is what has sprouted so far.



Chives
ordinary, from Seeds of Change

garlic (Chinese) from Lake Valley seeds

Onion
Ailsa Craig Exhibition from Johnny's Selected Seeds. (It is said to be sweet, mild, yellow and very, very large.)

Red Marble Cippolini (photo above right) from Pinetree Garden Seeds


Tomato
San Marzano, from same

Kellogg's Breakfast, from same

Tumbling Tom Red, from same

Oxheart "Giantissimo" from Nichols Garden Nursery


Lettuce
Red Salad bowl from same

Pepper
Anaheim, from same

Gypsy, from same


Herbs
Summer Savory, from same

English Lavender from same


The latter is residing in my refrigerator and will be there until some time in March.

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While I was reading Yummy, that San Francisco based newsletter, I came across a sad note. this is what GraceAnn wrote in her newsletter.

"Late last month, Merle Ellis, butcher, cookbook author and broadcaster, passed away at the age of 76, in Tiburon. I learned more about butchering from Merle's book, "cutting Up in the Kitchen." than I did in cooking school.

In his honor, here is one of his recipes:

Merle Ellis' Pan-Broiled Steak with Whiskey sauce

(serves 4)

2 pound, 2 inch thick porterhouse or 4 small 1-inch thick strip steaks

1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely crushed

2 or 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher or rock salt

Whiskey Sauce

1/4 pound unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons whiskey (I like Jack Daniels*)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

dash of Tabasco

(*ed note: I think the Jack Daniels is GraceAnn's note)

Trim away any excess fat from the steak or steaks. Press the crushed peppercorns and garlic onto both sides of the steak and let it stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Heat a heavy iron skillet over high heat. Grease the skillet with a piece of the fat trimmed from the steak. Toss in about half the salt. Sear the steaks quickly on one side, then lift out" add the remaining salt to the skillet, turn the steak and sear the other side. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook the steaks as desired. Remove to a warmed platter.

Make the sauce. Pour off fat from the skillet. Melt the butter in the skillet over low heat: add the onion and garlic and cook slowly until soft, stirring often. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour over the steak or steaks and serve."

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Any one remember Merle Ellis? Let us hear from you. He was an talented butcher who wrote a book, had a column in the San Francisco Chronicle and appeared on TV shows like the Ross McGowan/Ann Fraser programs. He taught us all how to handle any cut of beef, pork or lamb that could be found in the butcher shop. It was eye opening for me. I remember, when there were still young ones in the house to be fed, picking up a thick chuck roast, carving out the stew meat, carving out a couple of delightful little steaks, all for the cost of a chuck roast. He was the one who told us we could also toss the whole thing on the outdoor grill and feed everyone sliced steak for the cost of hamburger.


The book, Cutting Up in the Kitchen, is a paperback and out of print. However, if you can find a used copy somewhere, I suggest you latch on to it. It will serve you well.

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Thanks to GraceAnn for letting us use her bit on Ellis. And, by the way, should you have visitors who want to see San Francisco, one of the best ways would be to let GraceAnn show them the City. Her tours are varied, and quite remarkable. You and your friends would enjoy the history, the tasting and the fun adventure. You can contact her at GAW @ sbcglobal.net and you could ask her to send you a copy of Yummy which will keep you updated on the food scene in the SF bay area.