Plantains

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that Stephen grabbed some plaintains and other goodies at the Indian grocery store in Chattanooga. We actually did buy them, but they didn't ripen until a couple of days ago.

I was worn out from round two of bagel boiling, so Joe decided to make this dessert from a recipe he found on the food network. I don't remember it exactly-- but it involved 2 plantains, butter, sugar and cinnamon. It was delish!

Fresh strawberry

Munchie and I took a drive down 41A today in search of some home-grown strawberries. We missed the first turn off by the flea market and so we kept on driving until we got to another handmade sign near Novadell. A narrow road took us to an even narrower road where we met a half dozen Clidesdales pulling Mennonites on farm equipment. They pointed me to keep going and the road gave way to gravel as I weaved around piles of machinery and horse poop until we got to a little house, several coal burning stoves for sale and a bustling purple martin hotel. A young girl popped out the door when she hear us pull up.

I'm happy to say the berries are sweet, red all the way through and very tender!
Also, they make an awesome sandwich with my new Kroger version of nutella on white bread. It tastes like a pastry!

Borders Farm berry picking

I wanted to do a column on strawberry picking...and so while dad and Joe were off fishing with Ricky, Mom and I went out to Elkton to get U-pick strawberries for 75 cents a quart.

We decided it's a lot of work picking strawberries in the hot sun if you're a)29 weeks pregnant or b)in your fifties. But we came home with lots and lots and lots of strawberries.

Persimmons

I know if I ever had any regular visitors, I've probably lost them by now. So sorry for my 2-week absence from blogging. It wasn't intentional. I just have been entirely swamped with my new job and my old job. Tonight is the first night I've decided to just ignore the dishes and the 15 pages of interview notes that need transcribing and just sit down and blog. And boy do I have a lot of things I've been storing up for The Moody Foodie. Take persimmons for example. I bought these lovely little tomato-looking fruits on our Korean grocery shopping trip two weeks ago. This picture is almost as old. If you've never had a persimmon, it's like a cross between a cantaloupe and a peach with the slipperyness of a concord grape. There's no discernable seeds, but you must remove the peel, which is slightly thicker than tomato skin. The cute, cartoon-like leaves also must be cut or pulled off.

The first time I ever ate persimmon was 7 years ago when I lived in California. I was staying with a family who welcomed me into their home and cupboards. One highlight of my visit was a tea party complete with fancy china and homemade scones. But I'm digressing. In the cupboard was a huge ziplock bag of sliced and dehydrated persimmons and figs. My mouth fell in love. I found myself visiting that ziplock bag frequently. I now know how expensive dehydrated persimmons can be and feel bad for plundering their store. Walworth family, if you ever read this, please know that week of recuperation was one of the fonder memories of my year in SoCal.

Hiking Hood, huckleberry ducks at Trillium Lake

Wednesday morning, Joe and I hiked past the treeline up Mt. Hood. Here's a pretty handsome shot of my huz. The view of snow, rock and wildflowers was breath taking, as was the elevation. After a winded walk at 7,000 ft. above sea level, we drove down to Trillium Lake. That hike was equally gorgeous, but much greener. Near the end of the loop trail, we heard the soft whistle of a duck. She waddled toward us and looked at me from one eye. Joe pretended to give her something and she bobbed forward, hopeful, but confused. Huckleberry bushes lined the lake, and though Joe and I found them a little tart, I thought maybe the duck would appreciate them more than the imaginary food. I was right. Soon about five ducks gathered around me, edging closer and closer to snap up the round berries.

Blackberries, banana slugs and sweetpeas

Rocky Butte, the hill on which the City Bible College sits, wears a mantle of wild blackberry bushes. I saw them on my morning walks to the lookout point and on a short but steep and sweaty hike to the reservoir with Shirley, my roomie on the trip.We didn't pick too many because some were on the sour side... the ones that were ripe were very good though.
Wild sweetpeas lined the road up to the top of Rocky Butte.
And I also saw several banana slugs on the wall... this one has a particularly terrified look in its little eye stalk. I guess I got a little close.