Too much to say and too few words to say it

Being busy has its advantages and it has its disadvantages as well. I can only think of the disadvantages, though, when I am set on complaining. For me one of the greatest catch 22's of the advantage/disadvantage conundrum is how it triggers creativity. On many occasions it lights a fire and then on an equal number of the same occasions it puts the fire out. So where am I now? I'll tell you. I have so many pictures and no words to go with them.


A couple of posts ago I had mentioned the wonderful people at Goose Valley and the delicious rice they had sent me, well I made some more and this did not disappoint. The grains had a definite strong tooth feel and the flavor was spectacular, this wild rice is the best.


The natural wild rice was served up with some European Soldier beans from MarxFoods, an egg and a little hot chile, if you are so inclined.


After braising some pork belly for a couple hours or so in five spice seasoning and rice vinegar and rice wine and brown sugar nothing seemed more perfect than having it on a nice warm tortilla.


The pork was so tender and so succulent and so rosy pink even after hours in the braising liquid in the oven - I am going to work on this a little and definitely make it again.



Catching up to this mornings breakfast enchiladas with eggs and mache.


Nothing makes me feel like I am back in New Mexico more than stacks of corn tortillas, cheese, beans, red chile and fried eggs - and for fun we threw a few little green leaves in there. So you see folks I am losing my whimsical edge, I need to swim in the ocean to get my mojo back. (the first photo is a little steam action we did over the weekend with some blue crabs, we also had some fish and oysters)...Tomorrow its the Share our Strength event called Taste of the Nation in Princeton, New Jersey, photos and info to follow.

1 tomato, 2 tomatoes..

First off my profile picture keeps disappearing so I replace it and it disappears again. Secondly I will post in not so greater detail as to who the occasional woman is in my posts. Thirdly its hotter than pistols. Fourthly its feeding time. Everyone, at least I think everyone, likes tomatoes, mozzarella and basil and this is how I like it. I have posted this version before but here it is again. Why make one when you can make three, after all what good is sharing when you can be a little piggy and have one to yourself? I scattered some balsamic vinager and some extra virgin olive oil along with fresh ground pepper and sea salt to liven it up a little more.



There were also deep fried smelts with a tomato, white peach, parsley and blueberry vinager salsa, followed by some gumbo.

This pot was seriously chock full. It had salmon, tilapia, whole smelts, crabs, shrimp, and mussels as well as okra summer peas carrots and potatoes and one jalapeno sliced in half for that little tiny kick. Why eat such a hot dish in this weather? I dunno.

Orange You Glad

Some days it just seems like the right thing to do is to eat sloppy food outside, especially since there is no way to avoid the heat and humidity. What made this even nicer is the shady garden we were in also protected us from the slight drizzle of rain - and its home to some Cardinals. Crab fest yesterday. Maryland Blue Crabs, fresh water shrimp and snow crab legs. The shrimp were big and sweet and lobster like, the blue crabs were succulent and the crab legs were just an extra layer of goodness.

We probably sat there for over two hours picking at the juicy meat while our fingers went raw and our tongues were tingling from the spicy crab boil.

This stuff is like pancakes and pasta to me, it seems like you get so full and then a little while later you just have to have a bit more.