"The pungent odor of sauerkraut filled the butter yellow kitchen, carrying with it memories of Christmas at grandma's house, and a crockpot filled with kraut and Polish sausage. For my husband, it brought back recollections of Belgian kermis, with massive booyah pots, trippe, and Belgian pies. The older generation of ladies would cook up a storm and debate the merits of various meats being paired with the kraut." This week we packed up the sauerkraut we made in October for long term storage....
9 days ago • 2 min read
The brilliant sunlight promised warmth, but it was a false promise, as the temperature barely crept above zero, even at high noon. Inside, however, was a different matter indeed, with the kitchen filled with the aroma of gingerbread and family members gathered round, working together to create their "masterpiece". Growing up back on the family dairy farm as the youngest of six, Christmas season was cookie season. We poured over recipes, usually trying one or two new ones each year. We made up...
15 days ago • 2 min read
She wandered boldly into the yard in the waning late day sun, searching for a snack in the faded garden beds. Discovering the nubs of frozen cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli stems, she stopped to browse. The fawn was entering her first winter, and had not yet learned to be particularly wary of humans. Though the season was starting off cold, there should be ample browse available from the autumnberry shrubs, and the snow was light enough that ground forage could still be reached. It's not...
23 days ago • 3 min read
The Thanksgiving holiday followed a certain rhythm at Gram Irene's place. Tuesday was for baking kolache, tea rings, and sweet rolls. Wednesday was for the pies and other desserts, and meal prep that could be done ahead, like peeling potatoes and making cranberry sauce. Thursday started early with a big ham in the oven and a turkey in the Nesco roaster. Many hands made light work - and lots of food. Along with the bird and beast, there was Polish sausage and kraut, sweet potatoes, potato...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
The patchwork flock of ducks, no two exactly the same, raced excitedly out of the coop into the bright morning sun - and then promptly turned around back into and through the coop, out the opposite door leading into the greenhouse. It was chilly out, and they knew if they kept busy exploring all the corners of the greenhouse for while, it would give the sun time to work its magic and clear the heavy frost. They might even get some snacks from The Momma and Their Boy to help pass the time....
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
The gentle perc-perc-perc of the vintage percolator filled the kitchen, calling us back to a simpler time and memories of loved ones long gone. There was a little bit of magic in watching the transformation of clear water into comforting brew in the old Pyrex pot, and the resulting coffee was a smooth as butter. A little over a week ago my old drip coffee maker died, and I wasn't quite sure what to replace it with. We don't drink a lot of coffee, so I got by with a single cup French press for...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
The first snowflakes of the season whipped and raced through the air, while at ground level a wooly bear caterpillar made for cover. The wind was bracing, and there would be a rim of frost around the water buckets come evening. The duck patrol made for the big pond each morning now, as the small pond was low and already icing over. By days' end they gathered near the coop, fluffing into little duckie bundles and waiting for bedtime. The time change has a way of making me feel metaphorically...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Baskets, boxes, buckets, bottles, bins...the harvest season was drawing to a close, and the fruits of months of labor were carefully stored around the home, waiting to carry the family to the next harvest, and perhaps a bit beyond. It was a lifestyle that required dedication and determination, but the rewards were enjoyed daily with a bountiful table. We were gifted with empty canning jars from two different friends this year. One friend is elderly, and decided to stop canning because it's a...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Frost clung to the ground most mornings now, making early chores rather chilly, especially when the long, half-frozen grass soaked your socks through the holes of your garden clogs. (Note to self - it may be time for closed toe shoes.) Oddly, the trellised tomato plants still lingered, not thriving, but greeting each day with hope of returning warmth. The squash vines perished weeks ago, but the tomatoes are a stubborn lot this year. We've cleared the tomato plants twice now, anticipating...
2 months ago • 2 min read