Augustation

[Coyote]

Well thank you darlin'.

I've made lobster sausage so at least I know the basics.

Had a grilled shark steak and garden salad last night. If someone told me it was swordfish I wouldn't have known the difference.

A little Chardonnay to help it go down.

[Feather]

I've had smoked sword fish, it was really good.

[Coyote]

Earlier this week I set out to smoke some Mako steaks. I made a maple/habanaro/soy sauce/garlic marinade and let them sit for four hours. Then I hot smoked them @ around 250* +/- for a couple hours using apple wood for smoke.

Very nice. For a guy who doesn't really know what he's doing, I really lucked out on this one.

Seeing that Christine (who had borrowed my Jeep a couple of weeks ago to go to Montreal for the weekend) finally showed back up, I was inspired.

Sooo, last night...

I made a smoked Mako and wild mushroom risotto with a garden salad. Cold Pinto Gri to wash is down.

We ate by candlelight, out on the porch, while a tropical downpour beat time on the roof.

Today, it's just been garden tomatoes and mayo on homemade bread. The rest of the wine to help it along.

It's summertime.

[blue gecko]

Fresh tomato sandwiches with mayo are one of my favorite sandwiches. They are a seasonal treat available only when garden fresh tomatoes are available. I don't buy tomatoes from the store so its a real treat when the first tomatoes ripen.

Last night we had pork steak with mashed potatoes and gravy and buttered peas. The night before it was smoked jerk chicken, buttered new potatoes and fresh tomatoes seasoned with our Ranch Dressing mix. Max did a marvelous job with the chicken!!

[flourbug]

I love tomato sandwiches too. Sliced thin, salt and pepper, thick mayo, on good bread. Yum.

[Catbird]

I think we'll be eating the last of the Brandywines this evening.

It's still summer but only for a few more weeks.

[lilly]

Flounder crusted with panko, chives, spices and parmesan cheese cooked over a thin bacon slice last nite. Perfect, much like the Sea Scallops the day before. I love seafood when it is fresh. Hate it when it isn't.

Am stopping buying salmon as it is farm raised, and I really don't like it anyway. I thought they had wild salmon but see it isn't Black Pearl. they had a whole fish on display and it looks great, but after reading about the perils of farm raised salmon, I'm going with my taste buds. Only fresh, only wild.
I was eating small amounts a few times a week, because it is supposed to be so good for your skin and health in general. It isn't. Maybe good for your skin but not your health if the new studies are true.


I too have been eating plain heirloom tomato sandwhiches with different breads and mayonaisse. Plus potato salads. Summer is almost over. Bought my first mums which signal fall is on its way. They hare already featuring halloween pumpkin items. 2 months till halloween and soom it will be pumpkin pie. Apples are out, and apple cider will be on sale soon.

Still hacking slivers (very thin slices) off of the frozen key lime pie. Also good Raspberries or ripe peaches drizzled with honey and Greek yoghurt for desert. On thin slivers of Madelaines which were on sale.

Tonite Cream of Asparagus soup. Thin asparagus from Peru I couldn't resist, so perfect.

[lilly]

Next week sliders and hamburgers of every kind, fat, thin, three kinds of meat, different fat contents, mixed with all kinds of things like cheese inside the burger, might try some buffalo. Have been looking at the chopped meats in three different supermarkets, waiting for the prices to go down.

I like to wait till I have a definate and very strong yen for a particular item, and then indulge. Also when a food is in season or is very well priced, or looks especially yummy.

A combination of a good price for the item, availability, and inspiration.

Or maybe it was all those magazines with their juicy illustrated burgers and sliders.

I'm still in my fresh seafood mode. So will alternate with the slider and burgers..

[blue gecko]

Last night we had a florentine sauce made with sauteed mushrooms, onions, garlic and spinach with diced chicken over bowtie pasta seasoned with butter and garlic.

Tonight and tomorrow night we're not cooking but I hear the menu is Greek one night and Thai Curry the other. Yum!

[CanadaSue]

Rice, stir fried veggies & shrimp tonight.

They can make their own supper tomorrow. Hey - they can make ME supper!

[Catbird]

We're getting into the "End of Summer" meals, enjoying (mostly) the last of what is coming out of the garden and the produce market.

Tonight was scrambled eggs with peppers and onions, and sliced tomatoes, green beans and cantaloupe on the side.

Did I mention on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and yesterday that we had green beans for supper? Fortunately, my MIL knows that I don't care for okra so I'm off the hook and DH is fully responsible for eating the fried okra that she keeps bringing us.


And oh yes, did I mention the green beans?

[Feather]

I forgot to take anything out of the freezer so we had cereal for dinner.

[CanadaSue]

Well, they didn't make me supper but they bought me a sub... no complaints here.

[blue gecko]

We spent a full day and a couple of nights away from home! A much needed break with lots of friends, music and fine food. The lodge was atop Petit Jean Mountain check out some pics here:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationP..._Arkansas.html

We got home early Sunday afternoon grateful that everything went well with the sitter and my dad. After a nap and a few chores we make shrimp scampi with a few fried oysters and shrimp on the side and Max's wonderful cocktail sauce.

[flourbug]

Glorious, bg... the end of summer has a beauty all it's own.

[Coyote]

...we make shrimp scampi with a few fried oysters and shrimp on the side and Max's wonderful cocktail sauce.

That sounds very nice and your trip away from home was well earned I'm sure.

We're getting into the part of the summer that I like the best. Late summer. The daytime temps are moderating with most days in the high seventies and low eighties. Low humidity. Hardly any bugs. Night time temps in the fifties.

There's a hint of change in the air.

My buddy is back from his first year commercial tuna fishing and wanted to go out today for a little recreational fishing. We were fishing for cod, haddock or pollack but came up empty handed.

On the way home we stop at a little Italian restaurant that we know.

Sooo... today it was a late lunch of shrimp and mushroom ravioli in a tomato sauce and way to much wine (don't tell anyone).

[blue gecko]

Last night we had homegrown fried chicken, roasted new potatoes with roasted garlic and green onions and corn on the cob. Lovely!

Tonight its chicken vegie soup with pasta (it smells wonderful and reminds me of Italian Wedding Soup without the meatballs)