Thumper and Bambi

Living in Dripping Springs on a couple of acres, there never ceases to be some wildlife activity that completely entrances me.

There is no way I can describe what I witnessed last night so that it will be in any way as charming and sweet and unbelievable as what happened, but here is my abbreviated version.

One of my dogs was looking at the front window and barking. So, I went to check it out and there was a little cottontail bunny hopping around in the front yard. I had seen him a few days before and he's just adorable, so I grabbed my camera and attempted a shot. It was getting dark, so shot isn't great at all, but you can see Thumper here. After I took 2 pictures the camera died, so I retired to the couch.

A few minutes later my dog is at the front window again, now crying and looking and me and crying, so I go to check it out again. This time, it's Thumper and a fawn in the front yard. The fawn, we'll call Bambi, was following Thumper around the yard. Thumper would hop-hop-hop about 4 feet and Bambi would follow. Then Thumper would hop-hop-hop again and Bambi would follow. Bambi would follow in the exact same pattern that Thumper hopped (so if Thumper hopped to the left and then the right, Bambi would follow to the left and then the right). This was repeated approximately 5 times until after the last hop-hop-hop, Thumper just sat there for a long time. Bambi watched and waited, but Thumper was over the game, so Bambi turned and left. Naturally, my camera is dead, but I did attempt a photo with my camera phone. You can't see anything, but I have circled the blobs that are Thumper (small circle) and Bambi (larger circle).

It was just about the cutest thing I've ever seen. And, I swear it's true, there was a blue bird sitting on a tree branch above it all at the same time. Seriously.

Note: Tacky trash can in the photo because we got rain earlier in the day and I try to catch what rainwater I can in whatever I can.

Mahi-Mahi, Hahi-Hahi

I've kept this food "review" on Epicurious.com for Mahi-Mahi with Blood Orange, Avocado, and Red Onion Salsa in my favorites for months now and refer to it whenever I need a laugh. This is for anyone who has lost their mind reading a recipe review where the reviewer completely changed the recipe and then gives it a bad review. "A Cook from Cabbagetown, Ontario" is not only my recipe review hero, he/she is a comic genius. Note: Read bottom entry first.

Do the Dewgarita

On the heels of my recent Dewbellini success I decided it was time to try a Dewgarita. I've kept my harvested dewberries (similar to a blackberry, dewberries grow wild here in the Texas Hill Country) in the freezer and mete out required amounts as warranted. Thusly, I whipped up another round of dewberry puree* and mixed it with tequila and my favorite margarita mixer. Just a couple of spoonfuls of the puree gave the margarita a great color and just a hint of dewberry flavor. And, yes, I used a mixer, but there is only one I will use: Freshies Fresh Lime Margarita Mix. I am a freak for making things myself but this particular margarita mix really does taste fresh, I haven't been able to make my own any better and, most importantly, there is no nuclear green glow.

*I put a handful of dewberries in a pan with water just to cover and sugar to taste. Brought to a boil then turned down the heat and let the berries stew just until the berries were soft and the liquid had thickened some. Cooled for a bit (so the top of the blender wouldn't blow off), tossed all in the blender, pressed a button (insert whirring sound) and, voila, dewberry puree.

It's Microwave Hot

We broke another temperature record yesterday (great). 102. Painful. With the weather this ridiculously hot this ridiculously early, I am not inclined to stand over a hot stove every night. Instead, I've been cooking larger quantities on just one night, then divvying up and freezing for the rest of the week, which brings me to the microwave. For a couple of years I lived without one because I believed it a wicked, evil thing whose heat-producing was equally health-reducing , but when it's still 100 degrees outside at 7pm I am now grateful for those bouncing waves keeping my kitchen cool. With increased usage, however, comes increased splatters, especially with anything tomato-saucey. Sometimes the splatters won't wipe up with just water, and the thought of applying anything chemical-based just disturbs me (I can just envision little toxic chemical atoms bouncing around the next time I hit "Start"). A while back my mom cut out a tip from the Dallas Morning News on how to clean your microwave with just water and lemon and I am here to testify! I don't remember their exact instructions, but here is what has proved tried and true for me: Just place a few slices lemon in a soup bowl of water and nuke it for a couple of minutes. Remove the bowl and wipe your microwave clean with just a (water) dampened clean cloth. Works like a charm!

Note: Lemon slices need to be placed in the bowl with the water. Accent slice in photo is just for dramatic effect.

Eggplant Chips and Dewbellinis

For the season finale of "Lost", I had my mother and sister over for dinner and confusion. My goal was to use only local ingredients, from my own little Hill Country island. For starters, I made Eggplant Chips using the organic eggplant purchased the day before at the Wimberley Farmers' Market which I paired with Dewbellinis -- bellinis made with dewberry puree from dewberries picked on my property. I had to fight back a polar bear just to get to the patches! (Or maybe that was just my big white dog wanting to play ball). Anywho, the Dewbellini was simple enough, just pour a little dewberry puree* in the bottom of a champagne glass and top with your favorite prosecco/cava/champagne/sparkline wine -- my necessary nod to non-local. Let's just agree that there was a stray bottle that washed up on the island. For my cocktails -- as my car is in the shop (cost to repair TBD), my lawnmower is in the shop (cost to repair painful), my digital camera died (cost to replace an absolute), and I just received a letter informing me that my health insurance company (the one proud to provide me affordable health care) is raising my premiums -- I used Frexeinet. The price is always right and Frexeinet has always been a great, inexpensive choice for mimosas and the like (although, no shame, I like it straight up as well).

For the chips, I used the "Crisp Eggplant Chips" recipe from Epicurious.com with the only alteration to the recipe being I used peanut oil (after having fantastic luck with peanut oil for french fries). The chips got rave reviews. We couldn't stop eating them. They really are crispy and the savory-sweet combination was addictive. My only tip is, when preparing the chips, don't let the sliced eggplant sit out too long. The natural moisture evaporates, leaving them too dried out for the coating to stick. If they do dry out, a quick, light spritz of water should solve the problem.

*I put a handful of dewberries in a pan with water just to cover on the stove. Once it began to boil, I added sugar to taste. I let the berries stew for a bit and the liquid cook off until the the concoction was thicker. Once cooled, I blended all in, surprisingly, a blender and, voila, dewberry puree.

Taking time to stop and smell the (garlic) roses

Just down the road from Dripping Springs, Texas is the "village" of Wimberley where every Wednesday a farmer's market is held from 3-6pm, rain or shine, in the Lion's Club parking lot. And every Wednesday from 3-6pm I feel like I'm just too busy with work to go to the farmer's market, but yesterday, with a kindly push from my mom who lives nearby, we set off down Ranch Road 12 with empty canvas bags. We returned bearing loaded bags brimming with organic beets, blackberries, onions, tomatoes, japanese eggplant, squash, greens, and elephant garlic, still clutching its bridal bouquet of tiny lavender flowers, and destined to be deflowered this evening by a handsome fish curry.

While this will not be my last time going to the Wimberley farmer's market (indeed, next Wednesday can not get here fast enough), this will be my first time cooking with elepant garlic. Word on the street is that it has a milder, sweeter flavor, the "Charlotte" of garlics, if you will. And, on that note, I can put "Sex and the City" in my labels now.

Dewberry Sounds

If a tree falls in the woods and no one has a camera to take a picture, does it make a sound? Or something like that.

My camera has gone on the fritz so I have been unable to take photos of the glorious dewberries making themselves in patchy homes across my property. I picked enough the other night to make a simple sauce to drizzle over angel food cake and ice cream.

The color was so rich and vibrant and no camera to prove its existence. Perhaps the dewberries never existed.