harp
Could it be that autumn, fall is here at last - - yesterday this time was cool enough that I had breakfast outside on 7H porch, until the contractors arrived to continue installation of our new sliding glass doors. We have two sliders onto the porch, one set from the living room and one from the bedroom. And I was wrong: the old ones were (past tense because they're gone) six and a half feet; the new ones are (yep) just over eight feet. Can't go outside on 7H porch this morning because the new sliders are set in place but not yet screwed to the walls.
But, back to autumn, I earlier went out the front door onto our level 7 sidewalk into a lovely fall morning with clear skies, cool temperature, and, up this high, a stiff breeze. We have a little "personal" space for a "front porch" at our entryway, with chairs and a table there, but it was, welcome, too cool to sit out comfortably. As well, the contractors are already (it's 6:47 am) on site and may be at our door shortly.
For those who eagerly consume my breakfast notes, another favorite this morning. Cup of black; these particular beans yield a brew that's a bit strong (another yep) or maybe it's my aging tastebuds, so yesterday instead of punching "2 coffees" I punched "large coffee" and it was a bit weak, not too weak but just a bit; so this morning I have the perfect combo for this particular cannister of TJ's coffee beans, "large coffee" and "small coffee" and it's perfect. The next can of beans may require a different formula.
And with the coffee another lifelong favorite breakfast. On the Good Seeds toast, one slice so it gives a half-sandwich, which is enough for an only low-to-moderately active octogenarian, of buttered (and salted, butter nearly always needs a quick pass of the salt shaker, and this butter even more so, which I'll come back to shortly) toast with thick-sliced liver pate from TJ's. Short, I suppose, of French gooseliver pate, this is the best I've found. Called "truffle Mouse Pate" it's made with chicken liver, sherry wine, truffles & mushrooms, and a brandy aspic. For my taste, it's perfect unless somehow I end up going to France for oysters, which there's no train so I'm not going. Two people close to me have told me the best oysters they've ever had were in France, and while I believe that, I have had oysters in Colchester, England and in Sydney, Australia. And I've had Apalachicola's best, from the lagoon.
But the picture. Enjoying salmon recently, Linda commented that it's been years since we had Aunt Penny's hollandaise sauce and maybe it's no longer available. So online I go. Find it available at reasonable price per ounce if order a carton of twelve 6 oz tins. I order a carton. Then, I go back to make sure I gave the correct address and, correcting the address, seeing that I've cancelled my order, I order again. Turns out not, but okay: yesterday arrived two cartons of 12 tins, so we have 24 little cans of Aunt Penny's. For sample, I also ordered a couple small jars of French and a couple small jars of English hollandaise just for comparison. Doubtless the ingredients have changed over the years, as instead of butter, egg yolk and lemon as I would have made it, a first ingredient is the ubiquitous soybean oil.
Finally, last evening at Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, a soothing, comforting, assuring worship service with much music that my soul earnestly needed. Even vitally. For me, all of it, but most especially the harp.
Friday blog: a temporary shift from my constant grousing about the gardenia hurricane.
Oh and P.S. the butter. Recently we read about marvelous cultured butter from New England, so started looking for it in grocery stores. Supposedly better flavor, and healthy because it has the same live bugs in it as yogurt. Found it, cultured butter, or close, but unsalted. I think I found it at Fresh Market. My habit of long years is to buy the cheapest butter possible, usually at the Commissary or at Grocery Outlet. This gardenia butter was $8 a pound, but I said okay, ONCE. It's fine, but to me butter is butter, it's all cow juice grease, and it all needs a sprinkle of salt. So I'm sticking with this once for cultured salt.
RSF&PTL
T+
But, back to autumn, I earlier went out the front door onto our level 7 sidewalk into a lovely fall morning with clear skies, cool temperature, and, up this high, a stiff breeze. We have a little "personal" space for a "front porch" at our entryway, with chairs and a table there, but it was, welcome, too cool to sit out comfortably. As well, the contractors are already (it's 6:47 am) on site and may be at our door shortly.
For those who eagerly consume my breakfast notes, another favorite this morning. Cup of black; these particular beans yield a brew that's a bit strong (another yep) or maybe it's my aging tastebuds, so yesterday instead of punching "2 coffees" I punched "large coffee" and it was a bit weak, not too weak but just a bit; so this morning I have the perfect combo for this particular cannister of TJ's coffee beans, "large coffee" and "small coffee" and it's perfect. The next can of beans may require a different formula.
And with the coffee another lifelong favorite breakfast. On the Good Seeds toast, one slice so it gives a half-sandwich, which is enough for an only low-to-moderately active octogenarian, of buttered (and salted, butter nearly always needs a quick pass of the salt shaker, and this butter even more so, which I'll come back to shortly) toast with thick-sliced liver pate from TJ's. Short, I suppose, of French gooseliver pate, this is the best I've found. Called "truffle Mouse Pate" it's made with chicken liver, sherry wine, truffles & mushrooms, and a brandy aspic. For my taste, it's perfect unless somehow I end up going to France for oysters, which there's no train so I'm not going. Two people close to me have told me the best oysters they've ever had were in France, and while I believe that, I have had oysters in Colchester, England and in Sydney, Australia. And I've had Apalachicola's best, from the lagoon.
But the picture. Enjoying salmon recently, Linda commented that it's been years since we had Aunt Penny's hollandaise sauce and maybe it's no longer available. So online I go. Find it available at reasonable price per ounce if order a carton of twelve 6 oz tins. I order a carton. Then, I go back to make sure I gave the correct address and, correcting the address, seeing that I've cancelled my order, I order again. Turns out not, but okay: yesterday arrived two cartons of 12 tins, so we have 24 little cans of Aunt Penny's. For sample, I also ordered a couple small jars of French and a couple small jars of English hollandaise just for comparison. Doubtless the ingredients have changed over the years, as instead of butter, egg yolk and lemon as I would have made it, a first ingredient is the ubiquitous soybean oil.
Finally, last evening at Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, a soothing, comforting, assuring worship service with much music that my soul earnestly needed. Even vitally. For me, all of it, but most especially the harp.
Friday blog: a temporary shift from my constant grousing about the gardenia hurricane.
Oh and P.S. the butter. Recently we read about marvelous cultured butter from New England, so started looking for it in grocery stores. Supposedly better flavor, and healthy because it has the same live bugs in it as yogurt. Found it, cultured butter, or close, but unsalted. I think I found it at Fresh Market. My habit of long years is to buy the cheapest butter possible, usually at the Commissary or at Grocery Outlet. This gardenia butter was $8 a pound, but I said okay, ONCE. It's fine, but to me butter is butter, it's all cow juice grease, and it all needs a sprinkle of salt. So I'm sticking with this once for cultured salt.
RSF&PTL
T+