Fresh from the Garden Archives

Summer Meals That Won’t Heat Up the Kitchen

August 10, 2026 Amy

Followup To The Last Post

In the discussion of Oliver Henry, the UK guy who ended up doing a weeks-long US road trip, I forgot to post the link to his extensive YouTube channel. His Instagram videos are listed under Shorts, and he has longer videos under the Live section. He’s back in the UK, and bought himself a vehicle for UK road trips like the did in the US. He plans to show Americans all about his homeland while he misses ours.

Summer Garden Pesto

Yes, I’m still making pesto, and have made three batches so far this year. I use the same recipe as I have for many years (I know, I need to fix that link) and it turns out perfect every time. However, after the previous batch of basil pesto with walnuts a couple of weeks ago, I noticed the basil was growing back nicely. The parsley and mint were getting big, too. I’m always glad to make more before summer ends.

Several years ago, Giada de Laurentiis published a blog article titled, “How To Make Pesto Out Of Anything.” Okay, not LITERALLY anything, but similar ingredients that will get you to the place of pesto. Knowing this, I decided it was time to cut basil and mint and parsley to make more magic in the kitchen. I’ve done this before, too, to use up whatever’s growing in the garden.

Make It

Instead of two packed cups of basil leaves, I used two packed cups of an assortment of basil, parsley, and mint, with the rest of the recipe the same:

1 garlic clove
Half teaspoon salt
Quarter teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
2/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

After picking the leaves from the stems, wash and drain your herbs well, then add them into the blender. Toss in the garlic clove, toasted nuts, salt and pepper. Put the lid on, start the motor, and carefully remove the center insert if yours has one. Slowly pour in the olive oil. You may need to stop the blender and move around the herbs to get it all going. Put the entire top back on, and turn on the blender until it “catches” and begins pureeing. Once everything is incorporated, let it all blend for a minute or so.

Turn the blender off, and pour the pesto into a dish and mix in the Parm cheese. Carefully scrape out the rest from the blender jar into the bowl, and mix it well. Then refrigerate, if you’re going to use it in the next day or so, or freeze until you’re ready to use.

He Still Doesn’t Like Pesto

This mixture SMELLS amazing. Well, I think it smells amazing and delicious.

James, on the other hand, disagrees. He does not see this as making magic in the kitchen. He sees it as a big, green, oily mess to clean up. (Like he’s the one cleaning it!)

Walking into the living room with the blender jar, I offered him the opportunity to experience this delicious aroma. Instead, he recoiled as if I had offered him mustard gas.

This is what he considers “lunch.”

Yes, this is his height of luxury.

With bread. Look–it’s America’s Favorite!

America's Favorite image on side of Goober jar

I wonder if the folks from the World Cup got ahold of some of this delicacy.

UGH. It’s all his. I told him that he’d given me express permission to call him “Goober.”

Anyway. . .I need to use pesto more often, too. Something like this. Or on corn on the cob. I’m trying to remember to use it rather than “save” it for something.

We opened up the big freezer and did a little reorg last week, including all the little square glass containers of pesto. I have plenty of this wonderful sauce frozen, and need to take more opportunities to use it in my cooking, especially when James isn’t around.

When the summer garden is but a memory, the pesto will live on to remind us. Right now I have pesto dating back to 2020. I made a lot of pesto in 2020, too.

It’s Just Too Hot To Cook

Summer is great until it’s time to make dinner.

It’s 90-something degrees outside, the air conditioner is working overtime, and the last thing you want to do is turn on a 400°F oven and make your kitchen even hotter. Standing over a stovetop burner isn’t exactly appealing, either.

Fortunately, summer meals don’t have to mean living on salads, sandwiches, and cereal until September.

There are plenty of ways to make a real dinner without heating up the entire kitchen. Small appliances such as air fryers, slow cookers, Instant Pots, and countertop ovens can handle much of the work, while no-cook meals and a little advance planning can make hot-weather cooking considerably easier.

Here are some ways to keep dinner on the table without turning your kitchen into a sauna.

Let the Slow Cooker Do the Cooking

The slow cooker might seem like a winter appliance, but it’s actually one of my favorite ways to cook during the summer. I wrote about this in 2015 in a blog called Summer Simmer: The Crock Pot. (I just did some updates to that post to make it easier to read, and improve its SEO.)

The biggest advantage is that you can put dinner together earlier in the day, when the house is cooler, and let the slow cooker handle the rest. You don’t have to stand over a hot stove at dinnertime, and you don’t have to turn on the oven.

Image Source: ChatGPT

Slow cookers are especially useful for making things like:

Pulled pork
Shredded chicken
Chicken taco filling
Meatballs
Beef
Chicken thighs
Stuffed peppers
Large batches of protein for meal prep

And there’s another advantage: one cooking session can provide several meals. I used to do this when I lived in Houston and worked 40+ hours a week. But at the time, nobody called it “meal prep.”

Make a batch of pulled chicken, for example, and serve it hot one night. The leftovers can become chicken salad, lettuce wraps, tacos, or a cold salad topping the next day.

For a delicious hot dinner, check out this James-approved Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Chipotle Chili. And then there’s dessert, a Chocolate Fudge Custard that you can make the night before and cool it overnight. I’ve got more recipes here, even though the post is all about Christmas. And slow cooker guru Stephanie O’Dea’s recipes are all indexed here so you can do a search for whatever you like or to get new ideas.

The Instant Pot: Not Just for Winter

If you think of your Instant Pot primarily as a tool for making soup and stew, summer is a good time to expand its résumé.

An electric pressure cooker can cook meat and other foods quickly while keeping most of the heat contained inside the appliance rather than filling your kitchen with heat from a burner or oven.

Image Source: GROK AI

It’s particularly handy for:

Shredded chicken
Pulled pork
Beef
Hard-boiled eggs
Potatoes
Beans
Large batches of meat for meal prep

One of my favorite summer strategies is to cook a large batch of chicken or pork once and then use it in several different meals. That means you get the convenience of cooking without having to cook from scratch every evening.

And another thing: that saute function can also be used for many things that are generally done on the stovetop, like browning meats. It’s 110 vs. 220, and how much heat it will dissipate if you use the Instant Pot like a pot on a stove.

Pot Roast in August? Well, why not? With the Instant Pot, it’s totally doable, and in a lot less time. So is a little cheesecake if you start it early in the day, or the night before.

You can find lots of pressure cooker recipes from Corrie Cooks and Jen Fisch’s website Keto In the City. Pressure Cooking Today even has a section just for popular summer meals including sides.

Turn on the Air Fryer, Not the Oven

The air fryer has become one of the most useful small appliances for hot-weather cooking. James became an Escoffier of the Air Fryer when his manager brought one into work a few years ago. He’s been known to get a steak or other cut of meat from the grocery store next door and cook it up in the air fryer at work rather than just microwave a frozen meal. People get curious when the place begins to smell like a steakhouse.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, air frying is essentially a small and upright convection oven.

Image Source: GROK AI

However, you aren’t heating a full-size oven every time you want to cook a couple of chicken thighs or a small batch of vegetables.

Air fryers are particularly good for smaller portions of:

Chicken
Burgers
Salmon
Shrimp
Sausage
Bacon
Vegetables
Potatoes

They’re also great for reheating leftovers. A few minutes in the air fryer can make leftover chicken, vegetables, or other foods taste much better than they do after a trip through the microwave.

And because the cooking chamber is small, you don’t have to wait for a huge oven to preheat.

Conversely, larger air fryers can make larger portions, or even an entire family-sized meal, depending on its size.

This is my previous blog post where I discussed a few recipes for chicken wings, other recipes, a big cookie, and other desserts. Pinterest, and even a Google search are also great for finding new air fryer recipes.

Give the Countertop Oven a Summer Job

Sometimes you really do need an oven. But it doesn’t have to be your big one.

Source: GROK AI

Maybe you’re making roasted vegetables, baking chicken, or preparing something that simply doesn’t work in an air fryer. That’s where a countertop convection or toaster oven can come in handy. Some even have “air fryer” settings, like this Hamilton Beach model that we now have. (My Cuisinart bit the dust a couple of years ago.)

You’re still producing heat, but you’re heating a much smaller cooking chamber rather than a full-size oven.

Longtime readers know I’m a huge fan of this sometimes overlooked appliance. A countertop oven is especially useful when you’re cooking for one or two people. There’s no reason to heat a large oven to cook two chicken breasts or a small casserole. It also helps when you’re baking something smaller like a single cake or brownies. Remember: 110 vs. 220 volts.

It’s also handy for small batches of baked foods, roasted vegetables, fish, and other dishes that would normally require the big oven.

Don’t Underestimate the Microwave

The microwave has a bit of a reputation as the appliance responsible for reheating yesterday’s leftovers.

That’s a shame because it’s actually a useful summer cooking tool.

Image source: GROK AI

You can use a microwave to steam vegetables, cook bacon, prepare eggs, reheat cooked meat, melt butter, make sauces, and handle plenty of other small cooking jobs.

If you like eggs like we do, Amazon carries a myriad of microwave egg cooking utensils. Years ago I bought this Casabella microwave egg cooker that cooks one or two square just for egg sandwiches. Casabella doesn’t make them anymore (they only have cleaning supplies now) but I still have mine and use it every now and again.

A microwave is particularly useful when you’re cooking for one or two people and don’t need to fire up an entire appliance for a small amount of food. Even baked potatoes don’t take long.

And let’s be honest: on a brutally hot summer afternoon, there is nothing wrong with letting the microwave do some of the work.

What About an Electric Skillet?

An electric skillet won’t make your kitchen magically cool. You’re still cooking with heat.

AI generated image of electric skillet with lid

Image Source: GROK AI

But it does move the cooking surface away from your stovetop, which can be useful if your range generates a lot of heat.

Electric skillets are good for cooking foods that normally require a skillet or frying pan, including burgers, chicken, vegetables, eggs, and other quick meals.

They’re especially handy if you can set them up somewhere with good ventilation or in another suitable area rather than standing directly over the stove.

I don’t have one of these, but I used to. We had one growing up, and I bought one when I lived in Metairie. Dash has a few versions of this appliance for both small and large capacity cooking. Their mini-maker grill and mini-maker griddle are great for cooking small, while the others can handle more for a crowd.

Bonus: you can plug one of these into a generator during a power outage.

And Yes, You Can Cook Outside

Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of your grill when the weather’s good. Texans grill nearly all year long, so we’re used to it.

Grilling moves the heat completely outside. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish anyway.

Chicken, burgers, steak, shrimp, sausages, and vegetables are obvious choices, but don’t overlook foil packets and other simple grill meals.

Image of an outdoor grill with meat and vegetables.

(Image source: ChatGPT)

And just like with the slow cooker and Instant Pot, think beyond dinner tonight. We’ve done this many times.

Grill extra chicken tonight and use it cold in tomorrow’s salad. Grill extra vegetables and add them to eggs, wraps, or bowls. Make extra burgers and reheat them later instead of cooking from scratch.

The less often you have to cook, the less often you have to heat up the kitchen.

No-Cook Meals Are Your Friend

Of course, the most effective way to avoid heating the kitchen is not to cook at all.

Summer is the perfect time for meals that can be assembled straight from the refrigerator.

Think:

Chicken salad
Tuna salad
Egg salad
Shrimp salad
Lettuce wraps
Deli meat and cheese roll-ups
Cold chicken salads
Big dinner salads
Cheese, vegetables, and other snack-style meals

And don’t confuse a dinner salad with a bowl of lettuce.

A substantial salad needs protein and fat if it’s going to keep you satisfied. Add chicken, tuna, shrimp, eggs, cheese, avocado, olives, nuts, seeds, or whatever combination works for you.

A good dressing helps, too. I recommend ranch.

Alternately, you could make my favorite White Bean And Olive Salad, which takes about ten minutes. Just make sure nobody dislikes olives, onions, Dijon mustard, or white beans. It’s a great side dish, or one of those “I don’t feel making like anything else” salads.

Want something a little more interesting? This Mango Lentil Salad from Gimme Some Oven is really tasty. I added some grilled shrimp to it because I could, and because James was working that night. Time to revisit that one for sure.

Cook Once, Eat Twice—or Three Times

One of the best summer cooking strategies isn’t an appliance at all.

It’s not cooking every day. I did this for many years when I worked in Corporate America. Cooked several dishes on Sunday and packed them up for the week. Sometimes I also made food using the slow cooker during the week. Add the food to the crock in the morning, and I came home and dinner was ready. That meant I could spend more time with my cats and my sewing.

If you’re going to turn on the slow cooker, Instant Pot, air fryer, grill, or countertop oven, consider making enough food for more than one meal. For example:

Air fryer chicken → dinner tonight → cold chicken salad tomorrow.

Slow cooker pulled pork → dinner tonight → tacos or lettuce wraps tomorrow → salad topping the next day.

Instant Pot shredded chicken → dinner → meal-prep bowls → omelets or wraps.

This saves time, saves energy, and means you don’t have to stand in a hot kitchen every evening.

Cooking ahead can also save money, because you’re more likely to use the food you’ve already bought instead of deciding that cooking is too much trouble and ordering takeout. It’s right there, ready for you anytime.

Summer Cooking Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

You don’t need to completely stop cooking during the summer. You just need to change how you do it.

Use the slow cooker when you want dinner waiting for you. Use the Instant Pot when you need something cooked quickly. Pull out the air fryer when you want crispy food without heating a full-size oven. Use a countertop oven for smaller baking jobs, and let the microwave handle the little things.

And when it’s simply too hot to cook?

Don’t.

Make a cold meal, eat leftovers, or put together a big salad and call it dinner. Check out my previous post on Lazy Keto Meals You Can Make in Under 10 Minutes Without A Recipe.

After I published that blog, I made some of those Deli Meat & Cheese Roll Ups and then went for the Rotisserie Chicken + Bagged Salad option. Later this week there might be some cottage cheese in my Aldi run, or another Microwave Keto Bowl on my menu. Maybe next time I should add some pesto to the bowl.

You’re not cooking, you’re just assembling.

I’ve made so many egg scrambles over the years I’ve lost count. I’ve made them in the microwave, sometimes in a mug, on top the stove (when it’s not so hot) and in a couple of Dash appliances, too. Don’t under-estimate the rice cooker for more than just rice.

There will be plenty of time for turning on the oven when the weather cools down.

Much as I love cooking, I’m also enjoying *not* cooking, too. For now, keep the kitchen cool, keep dinner easy, and save yourself from standing over a hot stove in the middle of August.

Caveat–Don’t Buy New Stuff!

This is not to say that you should run out and buy a bunch of new countertop appliances. That’s not the point–use what you have. No air fryer? That’s OK. You may already have at least one or two other appliances that can help. Most people have microwaves in their kitchens. Many people have air fryers now, as well as Instant Pots and other appliances, but I’m not suggesting you need to buy one, either.

If you don’t have or want something, take stock of what you have available first. For instance, if have a slow cooker you haven’t used in a long time, dust it off, rinse it out, and start using it regularly. There’s no reason why it should sit there collecting dust when it can make your dinner for you and your family. Your countertop oven can make more than just toast–some are big enough to roast a whole chicken. Countertop grills and even waffle makers can do much the same thing. Just look at what you have and go from there.

And if something doesn’t work anymore and can’t be fixed, maybe it’s time to send it on its way to the junkyard.

Fall Will Be Here Soon. . .Eventually

In the northern states, they’ll feel those crisp fall mornings in the next month or so, and happily sip piping hot Pumpkin Spice Lattes. But here in the south, we’ll get them later, so we stick with our iced PSLs a little longer.

Until next April or May, we’ll have what Texans call “typical Texas weather.” That is, freezing today, warming up tomorrow, and turning the AC back on by the end of the week. It happens frequently during fall and winter months. So we’re enjoying the summer as long as it lasts.

I’m thinking about the next blog post, and will have a confab with my BFF and maybe James in the next few days for ideas.

Until next time,

Happy Dining!

Air Fryer,Considered opinions,Fresh from the Garden,Grocery Shopping,Ingredients,Instant Pot,Slow Cooker,What's for Dinner? summer

AI generated image of organic vs. conventional with blog title

The Price of Organic: When Food Labels Cross the Legal Line

October 13, 2025 Amy

Do you buy organic, or do you think it’s just marketing hype? It’s a big deal, and not the same as calling something “healthy” or “natural.” Organic food labeling laws are specific. Know the difference before you walk into the grocery store, so you know what you’re getting.

Find me on Bloglovin’

Hi, again, Dear Readers:

So I’m back with another “joint” blog post about an issue you may or may not think much about: organics. What is it, and why does it cost more?

Sometimes I buy organic things for one reason or another, especially if they’re on sale. Even though Aldi and Walmart have a fair selection of organic foods, they’re not something people buy often here. In Houston and other big cities, you’ll find more organic devotees. Over time, we’ve found some favorites, and a few happen to be organic. James, of course, is not impressed when I get anything organic, even if it’s something he will be consuming.

I’ve talked about organics before, but now I can’t find that blog. But never mind, let’s delve into this issue a little with some help from my new BFF.

Going Organic

Walk down nearly any grocery aisle and you’ll see it: that smug little green label whispering, I’m better than you.

AI generated image of several food labels, including organic, natural and non-GMO

Source: ChatGPT

“Organic” food has become the status symbol of the shopping cart. But what’s really behind that label—and what happens when brands stretch the truth? Spoiler: sometimes it ends with a lawsuit and a lot of PR damage control.

What “Organic” Really Means, Legally

Let’s start with the facts. “Organic” isn’t just a marketing term someone slapped on a granola bar after meditating. It’s defined and regulated by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP).

AI Generated image of an organic dairy farm including big red barn, silo, cows, and a sign that says "Organic dairy farm"

Source: ChatGPT

To legally carry that USDA Organic seal, a product must:

Be grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides
Avoid GMOs (genetically modified organisms) entirely
Use organic feed and humane practices for livestock
Be verified by a certified organic inspector

And the rules go deep—even the soil, seed sources, and processing methods are part of the certification process. This can include all manner of agricultural products, including plants and seeds. My plant-based hair color is also certified organic, but that’s not the main reason I buy it. The USDA has a series on its website called “Organic 101,” where the agency offers a wealth of information if you want to know more.

Organic farming is also not as sustainable or practical as conventional farming. Buying from local farmers is one of the best ways to get more organic foods, along with growing your own.

For products labeled “Made with Organic Ingredients,” the bar is lower (at least 70% organic content), but the claim still has legal teeth. So yes, there’s real meaning and real oversight behind that little green label.

Why People Pay More for Organic

I used to know someone in Houston who was more into organic than I was. She invited me (along with the guy I was seeing at the time) to a Sunday dinner with her parents, nice folks I’d met before. We were talking about something related to food related when her father said, “I don’t understand why you girls will pay an extra dollar for a can of cr*p because it says ‘organic’ on the label!” I didn’t know what to say, frankly, but our hostess, his daughter, just smiled at him. (We were in our late 40’s at the time.) Otherwise, it was a nice visit.

The late Suzanne Somers became a devotee of organic food after her original cancer diagnosis. After her passing in 2023, her husband, Alan Hamel, said that her adoption of organic food and a non-toxic lifestyle gave her many more years of life than she would have had otherwise.

AI generated image of crops growing in a field

Source: ChatGPT

Not everyone has that kind of situation. However, there are some legitimate reasons to spend extra on organic:

Reduced exposure to pesticides: This is especially important for children and pregnant women.
Environmental impact: Organic farming tends to improve soil health and biodiversity.
Animal welfare: Organic livestock receive more humane treatment, and routine antibiotics are not allowed.
Taste and freshness: Some people insist that organic produce tastes better, especially local or seasonal crops. That’s an individual preference, but people who have enjoyed something truly home-grown and not laden with synthetic pesticides know what that is.

In other words, you’re not just buying food, but also a philosophy. That philosophy comes at a premium, and that’s when things can get legally complicated.

The Gray Areas: “Natural,” “Healthy,” and “Clean”

Here’s where the halo slips. Terms like “natural,” “clean,” and “healthy” are basically the Wild West of food labeling.

“Natural” has no consistent FDA definition. It doesn’t mean organic, non-GMO, or chemical-free—only that the product didn’t magically appear in a lab.
“Healthy” is being redefined, but has historically been based on outdated fat/sugar ratios. Today, it could mean sugar-free, gluten-free, allergy-free, or free of a specific allergen like eggs, nuts, or corn.
“Clean” isn’t regulated at all. It’s marketing poetry, not science. Like “healthy,” it could mean the absence of a specific substance or ingredient.

And when those words get plastered across packaging, consumers often assume legal weight where none exists. (I’ve been stung a few times by stuff that had no business in my shopping cart.) That confusion has led to a line of class-action lawsuits that read like your pantry’s lineup.

Famous Food Label Lawsuits

A few big names learned the hard way that “creative labeling” can backfire:

Kashi (Kellogg’s): Sued for calling cereals “All Natural” despite containing synthetic and genetically modified ingredients. Settled for $4 million.
Wesson Oil: Claimed “100% Natural” while allegedly using genetically modified corn. The case dragged on for years before a settlement. (It ended in 2023.)
Kind Bars: Faced scrutiny for the word “healthy” due to fat content (mostly from nuts, but still a no-go under the old rules). In 2022, the company prevailed in a lawsuit over “natural” ingredients, and an appellate court agreed with the company. I have bought some of them primarily because they were gluten-free, but they do have some sugar.

None of these companies went to trial, but the settlements and bad press were a wake-up call. There’s a fine line between clever marketing and consumer deception. I’m all for free trade and capitalism, but not at the expense of truth in advertising. That’s why it’s important to understand what’s in the food you buy that you might believe to be healthier. Start by reading the labels (no matter what your significant other says).

How to Read Between the Labels

A few practical takeaways for your next grocery run:

“Organic” = USDA certified and inspected
“Made with organic ingredients” = still has standards, just looser
“Natural” = legally meaningless
“Clean” = just vibes, intending to indicate ingredients without toxins, wheat, gluten, or other undesirable additives.

Read the list of ingredients because they’ll tell you more than the buzzwords ever will. Like calling something “gluten-free,” which also has federal requirements, you should know what you’re getting with no surprises.

One Final Bite

Buying organic can be worth it, for your health, your family, and peace of mind. But don’t let a label do your thinking for you. “Organic” has legal standards, while “natural” has a marketing department.

Next time a product screams “All Natural!” in fancy script, remember, so are tobacco and arsenic.

Looking for a more fun topic for my next blog post. Until then:

Happy Dining!

Considered opinions,Fresh from the Garden,Grocery Shopping,Health & Wellness,Ingredients,Organic,Special considerations healthy,natural,Non-GMO,organic,Suzanne Somers

Sign for Fleur De Lis Tea Farm sign on North Cooper Road

Fleur De Lis Tea Company & Farm

November 13, 2023 Amy

Tea is a favorite drink worldwide with multiple types, formulations, and flavors. And in our little region of Louisiana, there’s a tea farm, too. Tour a local tea farm with me on a beautiful October Saturday morning.

Find me on Bloglovin’

Hi, again, Dear Readers:

No, three tea blogs this year weren’t enough. I had to blog again about tea. But this isn’t the stuff in the grocery store–it’s locally grown here, no kidding, and incredible. And no, I’m not growing it myself–yet.

The weather has been particularly bipolar this year. It was cool when I went to the farm on the Saturday morning before my birthday. I was wearing summer clothes on my birthday and bundled up a few days later on Halloween. It’s like that sometimes this time of year. Last week news came that El Niňo will be giving us some snow in the South this winter, but how much snow is anyone’s guess. BF has not forgotten being cold nearly three years ago, and the news didn’t make him feel better.

Let’s take a ride to a tea farm.

Finding New Local Things

As a copywriter, I do a lot of research. It’s nothing for me to open a search engine and look for something anytime I’m online. At any given point, I may be researching from case law to telecom to AI and everything in between. I usually go between two or three browsers if I’m having a hard time finding additional information or the exact same thing on all the websites.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I was bored and looking for something. I think it was for local attractions and “things to do.” All of a sudden, I found in the search results a place called Fleur De Lis Tea Company located in the nebulous area between Amite and Loranger, Louisiana.

Source: Fleur De Lis Tea Company website

There’s a tea farm? Around here? And they grow tea? SAY WHAT?? I had to check this out for myself.

First Stop: Website

Naturally, the first thing I did was check out their website and their social media. They have both a Facebook and Instagram account for the place along with a YouTube channel. You can see a short minute-and-a-half tour of the place. (Or you can look at the pictures I took while I was there.)

David Barron is the farm’s owner, who began growing tea from gifted plants in the area in 2017. He has a woodworking shop on the premises, and the products of that shop are in the following pictures.

The gazebo, outside on the grounds, usually used for weddings.

Guess what happened in 2017 in this area? That’s right, it snowed–six inches, to be exact. While Houston, Galveston, New Orleans, and other close-to-the-coast cities were reveling in a half-inch dusting of snow, we had half a foot, and so did the farm. But the tea plants survived.

Fleur De Lis’ website has plenty of great pictures of the place that really do it justice. Their blog also has plenty of information about them, including Scottish tea expert Beverly Wainwright, who came over to work with the team on their teas and bring them to market.

And then I saw it–book a tea tour! This weekend! (It was October 21, and the next one will be November 25, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.) You can buy a ticket to a public tour or book your own. The ticket wasn’t expensive, and I was going it alone anyway since BF had to work (and wasn’t interested, of course.) So, I took myself out on a little birthday excursion.

The Tea Tour

On a beautiful and slightly cool October morning, I drove out to the tea Farm for the tour.

There it is!

I’ve been in this area before, but I did not remember seeing the sign. It’s a long rural drive once you get past the farms and residences. Turn right at the motor shop on the left. The farm and the tea house are nestled in the woods, literally. The very nice Hans Marchese, the manager, greeted us when we drove up.

That’s him, both effervescent and knowledgeable.

He’s the tea harvesting and processing guy who works hard every day picking and processing the leaves. Hans is also a vocal proponent of the place that will tell you anything you want to know. I was surprised to see so many people there. About 30 or 40 attendees arrived for the tour, including several who drove up from the New Orleans area. (The drive from there is about 90 minutes one way.) I had no idea that so many people knew about the place. But there we were, walking around and looking at tea plants about two feet high.

The Plants

The tea is grown from nursery-grade Camellia Sinensis plants. They are a variety from Georgia in the old USSR. Russia had a wish to have its own variety of teas. This type grows at low elevations, so it grows nicely in Louisiana, just like the rice that grows here.

Aren’t they pretty? And the little flowers were growing, too.

Hans carefully cultivates and cares for the tea plants and prunes them regularly. He explained that the soil’s acidity must be 4.5 to 5.4 for an ideal growing medium. Deep pine needles in the area offer acidity and mulch to the ground. They’re planted under the tall pine trees so they don’t grow too fast. If that happens, the aromatics in the tea plants will dissipate.

These tea plants need just the right amount of water and copious amounts of nitrogen. Too much water and the plants drown. Fortunately, they have have a great irrigation system for years like this one where we had so little rain.

Just right for a tea farm.

Everything made it through the summer!

Someone in the group asked about organic growing. Hans explained that they use inorganic fertilizer out of necessity. Growing organic results in a 40% reduction in production, so it’s not feasible. Organic is fine for home gardeners like myself. But organic isn’t really suitable for larger-scale farms. The good news is that they have no need for pesticides or herbicides.

There are also beehives and bees on the farm.

I think we saw one or two bees, but I wasn’t looking much.

The flowers offer supplemental food for the little pollinators, especially during the winter months. They also dehydrate the flowers and blend them into the teas.

Not all the fields are mature yet, so Fleur De Lis’ output has varied. In 2022, they’ve harvested 50 pounds, and so far in 2023, they’ve harvested 150 pounds. So a harvest in 2024 could be equal, more, or less than previous years. The amount depends on several factors, primarily the weather.

Fleur De Lis Tea Farm also harvests their own seeds for themselves and other suppliers. The Camellia flowers grow only from seed, not from cuttings. The seeds offer biodiversity in case of a future hazard that can wipe out all the plants. That’s why Tabasco has its signature peppers growing in different parts of the world, not just on Avery Island.

Processing Tea

Hans explained the four-step process for the tea leaves. Everything is time-dependent, he explains, and one must pay complete attention to the process. He even showed us the equipment:

I think this was for sorting after the harvest.

I think these were for drying after sorting.

This presses the leaves and gets all the liquid out

Three weeks on, I don’t remember what this was for, but I’m guessing it’s drying or another process:

I should have written it all down!

Everything has to be absolutely dry before packaging, or the tea will turn moldy. That’s why they seal the tea packages packages tightly. Once opened, use it soon or reseal it tightly.

Hans will tell you that although they can’t compete with Lipton on quantity, they are better on quality. As an artisan tea, nearly everything is done by hand. So, it takes much longer than the automated processes Lipton and others use.

The Tea House Venue

I know I’m very late on the blog post from our Houston trip last year. (Happy Anniversary to them, yes, it’s been a year.) The trip will be split into two blogs, not just one. There was the wedding of Rafael and Carmen as well as the rest of the trip. I mention that because Fleur de Lis Tea Farm looks very much like the venue where they got married, The Springs of Magnolia. That’s not a bad thing of course. Not everybody wants a large venue. Let’s face it, everything is bigger in Texas, right?

View from the driver’s seat

As gorgeous as it is, Fleur de Lis Tea Farm is similar in style but smaller, and you won’t mind, either.

Nice.

Plenty of trees are everywhere, outside of the city, and it is just a beautiful place to be in nature. One difference is the presence of fleur de lis shapes decorating throughout the place, but you knew that, right?

Lovely, isn’t it?

The land is not as developed as The Springs, like the little bridges over the creeks on the grounds. The whole farm and tea house is as nice as The Springs–and they grow tea there, too.

Inside the tea house, tables and chairs set for tea

Yup. Nice. And set just for us.

Fleur de Lis’ tea house has only been open since July, and only open for events.

It’s not open every day like PJ’s. The tea house’s capacity is about 50 people, and the place is available for private gatherings like parties, small weddings, corporate events, and of course, tea tours. The farm recently hosted a 1920s-style evening called SpeakTEAsy. I wanted to go, but couldn’t get BF interested.

The Woodwork Part

Remember when I said the owner David Barron has a woodworking shop on the grounds? They do all of the woodwork in the onsite workshop. Much of it is from locally harvested cypress. Take a look at the wood features–and incredible detail–he and his partner, Jessie Marsh, built in the tea house. This little awning–indoors–is reminiscent of the Morning Call in the French Quarter:

Cute, yes?

There is a small mezannine upstairs. I thought I got a picture of it, but I didn’t. Here is a wider view of that area:

Very nice. We weren’t invited to go behind the screen and I didn’t ask. I guess it’s a stockroom.

The highly detailed French Quarter mural:

Wallpaper mural of a French Quarter balcony

The feel of the French Quarter

Now, not to harp on this, but this is the door and entrance to the restroom, made from cypress:

Ornate bathroom door with fleur de lis design

And it’s even more elegant inside!

With swirled glass that looks like wood:

It’s totally opaque

See what I mean about the incredible details? Oh, wait, you haven’t seen the best part–the bar:

Now that’s a bar!

That’s the very nice Alex, who served us our tea and also answered a few questions.

What’s that blue thing, you ask? Well, it’s a “river bar,” representative of the multitude of rivers that run throughout the Pelican State:

Isn’t that interesting?

The little shells are actual shells that came off the locally and ethically sourced cypress wood from underwater prior to harvesting. They removed the shells, cleaned them, and then added them to the wood before filling and finishing with plenty of epoxy. And in this table off to the side, another one just like it:

One of the most interesting features of the Tea House

You won’t find that at Wayfair.

Let’s have a drink!

After the oohs and ahhs inside the tea house, we sat at the tables as Hans had more to tell. (Hans’ girlfriend handles their marketing and social media.) The very nice Alex served everyone their signature Friendship Tea tea in beautiful china cups while Hans continued his talk. The tea house was so nicely done for the tour that I felt under-dressed. But it was a walking tour, not a party, and everyone dressed comfortably and casually.

I sat with Debbie, who also attended by herself:

No, I haven’t used the Beautify app on this one.

And I met some nice people.

Hans says, “it’s OK to slurp your tea!” My grandmother would disagree, but she’s not here. I don’t slurp, especially when the tea is rather hot.

The first bit of advice: when making good loose-leaf tea, you shouldn’t use boiling water, only water off the boil. If you boil it, leave it to sit for 30 seconds, or your tea will become bitter. The same happens if you steep it too long. Three to five minutes is tops, and you can steep this tea up to three times. The caffeine is strongest in the first pot and mostly gone by the third.

If you don’t drink it all at once, refrigerate what’s left, or it will mold.

How Was It?

In a word, delicious. It’s not like drinking grocery store tea, that’s for sure. I think I had all three cups from the first steeping.

Tea plain in pink rose china cup and saucer

Very fancy!

Oh, BOY was I feeling good! Hans called it “tea drunk.” Then I had a headache–way too much caffeine, then a drop-off, and on a Saturday morning, too. We all had a great time, and I’m glad I went.

Hans also says that good tea like this is good on its own, without milk, sugar, or lemon (if you’re British.) I had the first few sips fresh from the pot (in my cup). Later, I acquiesced to the habit and added stevia and milk.

It’s OK, I drink it this way all the time.

Two Types

Fleur de Lis’ has only two types of tea, their Friendship Blend and their Big Easy Black Tea, available on their website. I brought home a 5G bag of each.

The ingredients:

The shop also has some lovely teapots and other accessories, including the cups and saucers they use.

I haven’t opened either packet of tea since I got home. BF isn’t touching it (if it’s not Coca-Cola, he doesn’t want any.) I’m saving it for a special occasion, I suppose, even though I can get more tea easily. It is pretty strong but very delicious–and nothing like the tea you get at the grocery store. (Sorry, HEB!)

Where should I go next?

I had a great time at Fleur De Lis. If I can drag BF out there, maybe we’ll go for one of their tea house events. The biggest objection is that he doesn’t drink tea. No kidding. He goes into a coffee shop and buys a carton of milk (or Coke) and a pastry. Sometimes, he will go with me to PJ’s, but only if I don’t stay. BF believes “there’s nothing there for me.” It was a stretch when I was out one day while he was at work, and he asked me to bring him a sandwich. So I bought him a nice one from PJ’s since I was in Hammond already.

I’ll look again and see what other places I can find to visit in the area. Fleur De Lis also carries locally grown honey and elderberry products from Cockeyed Farms in Folsom, so that might be my next excursion.

I would like to go to the Tabasco factory again one day and take lots of pictures for the blog. That means BF probably won’t be going with me. . .oh, well. We went to the wedding last year. And I need to do those blogs and publish them.

Until next time,

Enjoy!

Fresh from the Garden,tea Fleur de Lis,locally grown,locally produced,shop local,Tea

Zucchini and Suzanne Somers

October 23, 2023 Amy

Zucchini is one of those plants that overloads gardens. I was gifted some recently, and didn’t make zucchini bread. Plus a tribute to the late Suzanne Somers, RIP.

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Hello again, Dear Readers:

It’s been a month, and I apologize. I’ve got several things to tell you, but I’ll have to limit that in this blog.

Finally, fall has arrived, and the temperatures have gone below 100 degrees every day. So far, our highs have been in the mid-80s, but we’ve had some chillier weather than that. It doesn’t last too long, but it’s enough to make us turn the heater at night sometimes.

Following last month’s trip to Trader Joe’s, one of my copywriting clients’ project managers BN told me that she was able to get some of Trader Joe’s coveted pumpkin spice body butter. She lives in coastal Florida, and apparently near a Trader Joe’s that’s not near LSU or other place with college students. I am so jealous! Well, OK, just a little jealous. I am enjoying the body scrub, though.

Much has happened since my last post.

Come and Knock On Our Door. . . .

By now, you’ve heard the sad news that Suzanne Somers has passed away from an aggressive form of breast cancer. She was an actress, author, gourmet cook, health advocate, entrepreneur, and businesswoman. I was a huge fan, and I still am, but did not know the lady personally. Long-time readers know that I have and love all her cookbooks, along with several of her other books. I know there are a few of her books that I don’t have, but I should probably get and read. We don’t have Half Price Books here, so I can’t get them cheap anymore.

She passed one day before her 77^th birthday, holding her husband’s hand. Her family was at the house to celebrate her birthday with her. They had a beautiful heart-shaped purple cake made for her with lots of white piping.

Her husband and business partner of more than 50 years, Alan Hamel, and her son, Bruce, along with family members, lit candles and blew them out in a short video posted to Instagram on her birthday (Monday October 16^th. ) Just prior to the birthday cake video, Alan and Bruce did a 14-minute interview with Entertainment Tonight about her passing, her legacy, her love of cake, and how they will move forward and keep her legacy going. If you have a few minutes, give it a watch.

The Legacy

Many people only know Suzanne Somers as an actress, primarily as Chrissy Snow from Three’s Company. The show is still in reruns, and there is currently a channel on streaming service Pluto TV that runs the show 24/7. I’ve watched a few of them this week. If you’re interested, you don’t have to register, you can start watching either live TV or on-demand on your smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop, smart TV, or Roku. (You may be able to watch it on an Amazon Fire Stick, but I don’t know.)

Note: Pluto has plenty of classic TV shows to watch, including a channel of The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson. Hint: He’s still funny, especially if you remember the events he’s talking about in his monologue. I haven’t seen one yet where Suzanne Somers is on, but there are three on YouTube, plus a number of more recent clips.

Of course, there were more acting roles later, plus stints in Las Vegas, a Broadway show called The Blonde in the Thunderbird, and most recently, a stint on Dancing With The Stars in 2015. Never mind that she was a headliner in Las Vegas, danced and sang on TV and in USO shows, not to mention the legions of her longtime fans like me who repeat-dial voted for her on the show. She was voted off rather quickly, which I thought was, well, not nice. But her performances are all on YouTube, and her partner on the show, Tony Dovolani, also spoke with ET after she passed.

The Business of Suzanne Somers

Beyond her acting, She was also an author of 27 books, many of them best sellers. The last one I have was her book called Two’s Company, on her 50-plus year long relationship with her husband, Canadian talk show host Alan Hamel. She discusses a wide range of topics related to their relationship, including the business side of being “Suzanne Somers.” It’s truly a family business with nearly everyone involved in some fashion.

Over the years Suzanne sold a wide range of products on her website besides the obvious. For several years she had some lovely violet serving dishes named after her granddaughter Violet. She had small kitchen appliances, including a bread maker, a hand mixer (I still have mine and it works great), an ice cream maker, a small countertop convection rotisserie oven, a stovetop pressure cooker (this was before the Instant Pot) a deep fryer, an ice shaver, and several other things I can’t remember now. They are well-made, of course, but they still remind me of Suzy Homemaker appliances.

The books, the famous (or infamous) Thighmaster (yes, I have one), the 3Way Poncho (I have a few, and they are still available from some vendors as well as resellers eBay and Mercari) and a wide range of food, supplements and other products on her own website, SuzanneSomers.com. Her products aren’t cheap, but they aren’t rubbish, either. I was a big fan of SomerSweet, but as I wrote about several years ago, that’s gone now, and Swerve can be used in its place.

I’ll be making my birthday cake from Suzanne’s Desserts book this week. Instead of SomerSweet, of course, I’ll be using Swerve. And we’ll have a slice to celebrate the lady who did it all with grace, right up to the end.

The Zucchini

So, last week, BF came home with a bag full of great big zucchini and two crookneck squash, and said, “T says hi.” That’s one of his car guy friends, and apparently knew I would appreciate them. Because BF doesn’t eat anything called squash, including zucchini, spaghetti, or acorn, my favorites, and will let me know about it immediately.

I can only wish I had such an abundance of zucchini that I had to give it away. But I’m happy to accept the wonderful gift of excess from those fortunate enough to have such a nice garden surplus. One of these days, I keep telling BF, we’re going to have a fantastic garden from which we enjoy a great harvest.

Here’s how it ties into the late Suzanne Somers.

Zucchini Ribbons

My first thought was to make some zucchini noodles from Suzanne Somers’ Fast & Easy book (the purple one.) I haven’t made that in a very long time, and it’s simple. Cut the ends off the zucchini, then use a vegetable peeler to make long, thin ribbons. When you get too far in to keep using the peeler, just thinly slice the remainder with a sharp knife on a cutting board until you’re done. Cook in a skillet with a little olive oil, salt and pepper until they’re just done. Delicious.

You can cook as many zucchinis this way as you like at once. Eat them as is, or add them to any kind of pasta sauce you like. Fast & Easy was published before the veggie noodle makers became popular, and in a later book she uses zucchini “noodles” made from her own Su-Chef appliance. It wasn’t available for long, apparently, and it isn’t even available on eBay or Mercari, but I did find a picture.

I Thought About Her

As I took the book off the shelf, I wondered how Suzanne was doing. I remembered that she’d been ill again, but I was sure she would be getting better. Is she writing a new book? There probably won’t be any more cookbooks, I thought, but an important topic, for sure. But I knew it would be an interesting subject, well-researched and well-written, like Tox-Sick. Admittedly, I didn’t get her last book but will source it for my shelves soon.

The next day, BF sent me a message on Facebook Messenger that she’d passed away, one day before her 77^th birthday. The breast cancer she’d been fighting for more than 20 years finally overtook her.

The next night, I made a Cappuccino Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake from Get Skinny on Fabulous Food, page 246.

For breakfast one day last week, I made some of Alan’s Fried Eggs In Onion Nests on page 115 for us to enjoy with breakfast. Hint: open the windows and turn on your exhaust fan before you get started cooking the onions.

I also want to purchase Served By Caroline Somers, Suzanne’s daughter-in-law, chief chef, and right-hand-gal in the business for thirty-plus years. Her stepdaughter, Leslie Hamel, is a fashion designer who designed the 3Way Poncho, as well as hundreds of Suzanne’s red-carpet items and many pieces of her clothing lines. I own a few 3Way Ponchos and made some from a Simplicity pattern published shortly after the released. There’s some fabric in my stash that will be perfect to make a couple more.

The Rest: Zucchini Sotolio

I only cooked that one zucchini on Saturday night, because I had a plan for the rest of them. I’ve done this before, but just never quite got around to posting the recipe. This recipe is *not* from Suzanne Somers, but from TV chef Giada de Laurentiis. It’s on page 226 of Giada’s Italy: My Recipes For La Dolce Vita, called Zucchini Sotolio. It’s not difficult, and it’s a great way to make those garden extras last a bit longer.

First, you cut the zucchini into 1/3” rounds. Drop them in the colander, sprinkle salt over them, and let them sit for ten minutes.

There were a couple of yellow zucchini in the bag.

But because I was sitting with BF, it ended up more like 30 minutes. But the salt seasons them nicely.

While that’s going on, boil up 1½ cups of water and 1½ cups of apple cider vinegar in a big pot.

Now, open up a window, (or turn on the exhaust fan) because it’s going to smell in your kitchen and your house if you don’t. Trust me on this, I speak from experience here. Especially with someone around like BF who can’t stand the smell of vinegar at all.

Add in your sliced zucchini and turn the heat down to a simmer:

Yes, there were some yellow ones, and they tasted the same.

Cook the slices for about five minutes, until they’re cooked but not mushy and overdone.

If you have as much as I was given, you’ll need to cook them in batches.

Then take them out:

And put them into a bowl.

You may find they’re still kind of watery, so you might want to drain that off too. Add in the mint leaves, basil leaves, chopped garlic:

And a tablespoon more of apple cider vinegar:

Toss the zucchini to mix in the rest of the ingredients. Leave them to cool for a little while.

And here comes the fun part: cover them with olive oil:

The recipe calls for extra-virgin olive oil, but I didn’t have enough. So, I just used regular olive oil.

When you have enough oil, pack them in jars or just store them in the fridge in a tightly sealed container:

This is a container I like to use for the freezer, with a rubber gasket in the lid and snapping closure tabs.

This delicious recipe will stay in your fridge for about three weeks. Serve them at room temperature. Giada says that having a jar or two of this around means you’ll always have a “quick side.” It’s also good as a starter or part of an antipasto spread. Got eggplant? It works here too, just grill the eggplant first. (No, I still hate eggplant.)

Here’s the recipe if this looks like something you’d like to try soon.

Amy

Zucchini Sottolio

From Giada's Italy, page 226. This recipe has bold, tangy flavors that make the zucchini really shine.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 5 cups

Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1¼ pounds zucchini sliced into ⅓ inch rounds (about 3 small zucchini)
1¼ tsp kosher salt
1½ cups apple cider vinegar plus one tablespoon for the end
10 fresh mint leaves
10 fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (Amy's note: optional)
2 to 3 cups extra-virgin olive oil (Amy's note: I used regular this time)

Method

Place the sliced zucchini in a colander that is set over a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and toss well to combine. Allow the zucchini to sit for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine 1½ cups of water with 1½ cups of apple cider vinegar and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the salted zucchini to the pot and return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is cooked through but still has a little texture. Drain the zucchini and place it in a large bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, the mint, basil, garlic and red pepper flakes to the zucchini, and toss well. Add enough olive oil to cover the zucchini and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Pack the zucchini in jars or a storage container with a tight-fitting lid, making sure the zucchini is fully covered with the oil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Serve at room temperature.

Fancy another cuppa?

I’ve got another tea blog coming, but I’m not saying anything just yet. But it will be interesting—and very strong.

Enjoy!

Chocolate,Cookbooks,Desserts,Fresh from the Garden,Health & Wellness,Ingredients,Low Carb,Special considerations Giada,Giada de Laurentiis,SomerSweet,Suzanne Somers,Zucchini

Horse with his head sticking out of a horse trailer

The Catchup Post

July 25, 2023 Amy

Hi, Again, Dear Readers:

Well, it’s happened again: an unintentional and accidental hiatus, hence a catchup post. I was doing good but became OBE, or overwhelmed by events. My apologies. I had some new work from new clients and just got swamped. It’s a long one, so settle in with a cuppa before you begin reading.

BF has had to step up and make dinner more than once, and we’ve had frozen pizzas too. I’m way overdue for last year’s wedding trip posts, as well as a few others. I have a couple of posts that are in progress as well.

I’d love to say we won the lottery. Well, we have, and winning $4 with both the PowerBall and MegaMillions drawings is a confidence booster. If we won the bigger pots, we’d be new anonymous people overnight.

This blog site has some issues going on too, and I need to get Raf to help me fix those. If you’ve signed up for emails, that’s one of the issues I can’t seem to fix. The other is the missing table of contents that I can’t seem to get back in place—none of the seven plugins seem to work. Plus, we have a couple of business things to start on both my side and his, and Carmen may be involved.

This is the catchup that I’ve been writing here and there for a while.

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Artificial Intelligence In Everyday Life

So if you haven’t caught the AI bug yet, here’s one good use of it: keeping ice cream in stock.

No kidding, the Unilever company owns over 3 million freezers worldwide and they’re adding little cameras to each one of them to make sure the ice cream never runs out. From the article:

“The camera fitted inside our cabinet takes a photo periodically, sends it into the cloud, and it’s analyzed using AI to let shopkeepers know what to restock and submit orders in a frictionless way,” explains Berty Jacob, an R&D cold chain specialist with Unilever, in a blog post.

They’re also adding this exclusive technology <cough, cough> to vending machines and their supply chain, too.

What’s next—AI-enabled slow cookers and Instant Pots? I don’t put it past anyone, really, after they started with the Wi-Fi-connected slow cookers. “Alexa, turn on the CrockPot on low heat for seven hours.” Big no from me, and BF concurs.

If you say, “Alexa” around this little cabin in the woods, you’ll be talking to yourself. Not having that here. ChatGPT is a tool, nothing more, and if you use it, be cautious of copyright infringement.

Illness And Injury

Back in February, we got sick again, with my convalescence spanning two weeks and requiring an inhaler for bronchitis. BF got over it quickly, but my sore throat moved down into my lungs. I thought I’d never quit coughing.

But while BF recovered from the sore throat, he managed to get a bit of metal from a brush grater stuck under the skin on the back of his right hand. It hurt like any splinter, but of course, it was also rusty. It began swelling badly and hurt him when the infection took hold.

I’m not putting any pictures of that awfulness up for you to see.

The full treatment took two trips to the local urgent care center and one to a local emergency room, along with antibiotics, minor surgery, a tetanus shot, and a couple of sick days from work. Then he had to put large bandages over the wound to protect it and keep it from view during the healing process. It took a while to completely heal, and it was awful to look at for a time. But BF is fine now, thank heavens, and back immersed in his car guy activities.

Veterinary Matters

Concurrently, Tab E. Cat had an urgent medical matter, a ruptured blood vessel in his ear that was swollen and painful. A trip to the vet resolved the problem—it involved surgery to drain the blood and stitch it back flat. They literally quilted his ear with stitches. He is all healed up now, and his ear will be forever wonky. Otherwise, he’s still the same fussy old boss cat.

There he is, waiting to be fed.

Unfortunately, during Tab E. Cat’s situation, we didn’t realize that our beloved 10-year-old pit bull, Titan, was in distress.

He’s just sleeping here, back in the office area.

He passed away before we could get him to the vet, and with lots of tears, we buried him near Spencer on a chilly Monday morning.

BF took selfies with Titan sometimes.

We called Titan the “pussycat of pit bulls.” While he was a loyal and protective animal with a deep, throaty bark, he wasn’t vicious or dangerous. Obviously, we are still heartbroken, and not looking for another dog just yet.

Titan with Buddy the puppy on his favorite cushion.

Titan looked after Buddy until he got bigger

We miss our sweet pooch, all 82 pounds of him. He enjoyed hanging out with me in the back room and listening to jazz music. Maybe one day there will be another “velvet hippo.” But for now, Buddy, aka Broccoli Stirfry, has only us and the cats to hang out with.

My Turn

While everything was going on, I was on my feet taking care of BF and the animals—all while doing client work. But that sore throat wasn’t getting better. The day after we buried Titan, I just collapsed. Then I discovered that the same local urgent care center offered telemedicine visits, so I scheduled one.

I met with a doctor via video link at their Mandeville clinic, where they handle the telemedicine calls. He prescribed an inhaler and the antibiotic Z-Pack, which I ultimately didn’t need. The antibiotic was a just-in-case thing. They called the prescriptions into the local Winn-Dixie, I went and got them, and a week later I was much better. I’ll do that again any day of the week.

Speaking of Broccoli Stirfry

He’s now just over 18 months old, and weighs about 75 pounds.

Buddy on the grass with a stick looking regal

There he is, not a thought in his head

A couple of weeks ago he began furiously barking at what turned out to be two bulls on the neighbor’s property.

There they are. Dangerous threats to life, limb, and property.

Obviously a threat to everyone, right? They did get out one day and were wandering around outside the house, but the neighbor came and rounded them up.

Buddy is still chewing on anything he can find, and acting a fool frequently.

There he is as he normally appears, rolling over in the grass as only he can

To date, he’s destroyed two remote controls, more papers, towels and other textiles, a wooden handle, several plastic things from the kitchen, and an Otterbox case for an iPhone. We discovered that he also likes the taste of the iPhone 12, which belonged to BF’s brother.

While BF was in bed after his ER visit, his brother dropped by, bringing several boxes of Girl Scout cookies for BF. He went into the bedroom to talk with BF but set his phone down by the easy chair.

That’s all this dog needs. He saw it as something left for him because it was within his reach.

Buddy standing in the kitchen looking for food

We get this look a lot from him.

Thirty minutes after he left, (if that long) BF’s brother came back to ask if he’d left his phone at the Casa de Rurale. We didn’t see it, so we rang it. The dog had the iPhone IN the bedding of his kennel, where he’d chewed the Otterbox case off the phone and started in on the iPhone. The glass encasement was shattered but the phone still worked fine. BF and his brother were both shocked, but I wasn’t.

It’s normal for this dog, but nobody listens. No word on whether he’s repaired or replaced his iPhone.

The Thwarted Berry Season

This was a bummer, but Mother Nature does whatever she wants.

Our early and long-term spring weather brought out fresh greenery and began the process of budding blackberries. They were everywhere, and I was anticipating a huge harvest. If Broccoli Stirfy the dog didn’t eat them all first.

That’s all I got whenever I went out to pick.

Then, just like that, we had another short but hard freeze in mid-March. The early berries didn’t make it, but there were more flowers that turned into berries that slowly began ripening.

Unfortunately, because of that freeze, the newer berries didn’t have a chance to ripen before the vines turned brown as they normally do at the end of their season.

Once the season is over, they’re done.

So once again, the berries are gone. We only got a handful of ripe ones to eat, which I shared with the dog, while I waited for the fruitless harvest. (Get it? Fruitless?) The few we could reach and enjoy were delicious.

BF was asking for another “non-healthy” blackberry dessert. I reminded him of last year’s Blackberry Cheesecake Galette, which he loved. I’ll be happy to make him something again this summer. But anything made with blackberries will have to be from prior years’ harvests in the freezer or bought from a grocery store.

Summer

After a cold winter, summer is here, and a hot one. Texas has been experiencing temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and we’ve had some as well. Several memes let transplants from other states know that this only Texas’ “preheating.” The bad news is that the Texas electrical grid is again at risk of failure or at least not keeping up with increasing demand. This may mean brownouts, blackouts, and anyone with a smart thermostat to lose control of it until the demand lessens. Many people found that out the hard way last year and quickly learned how to “opt-out” of that.

Our friend Beverly in central Georgia has had the same 100+ degree heat. She’s staying inside building little dollhouse things for now.

Houston has also had some significant rainstorms like we have. But I haven’t forgotten the spring/summer of 2011, when drought conditions developed in H-Town. It was my third or fourth year gardening behind the condo, and I had plants both in the ground and in pots. But even with watering twice daily before and after work, many of those lovely plants in the little back patio garden, especially zucchini, cantaloupe, and cucumber, dried up in the heat.

We’ve had hot temperatures, with only occasional rain, including some intense storms, too. I’ve been watering the plants myself in the morning and occasionally in the evening except when it rains. April and May have been the usual months for heavy rains, but we didn’t have as much this time around. I’m still planning to make a sturdy, utilitarian raincoat for our colder rainy periods. I’ve got all the supplies and cut the fabric, just need to start stitching. Those lovely lightweight designer raincoats I made for office work don’t cut it here.

And of course, hurricane season began on June 1.

The HeatCageKitchen 2023 Garden Catchup

As he did last year, BF wouldn’t give me a commitment on where to put our garden. So, once again, the garden is in 5-gallon buckets at the edge of the patio. I need to get more. Some are a bit broken but still serviceable.

I kept buying plants and putting them in the kitchen window by the sink where they would get sunlight. The chilly nights kept coming back, so I was reluctant to put anything outside, especially tomatoes and peppers. Finally, I did, mostly because BF was complaining about the “science experiments” in the kitchen window. He says that about anything I’m doing that he doesn’t understand.

One cherry tomato plant was about two feet tall before I put it outside, and now it’s about four feet high with branches and leaves. I’ve harvested many tomatoes so far, and only a few remain in the window to ripen. It’s tied to three stakes to keep it upright, and I trimmed off the brown parts. Hoping for some more new growth with more tomatoes before the end of the season.

Cherry tomatoes on a towel in a window of different degrees of ripeness

Enjoying the last of them soon.

A smaller golden cherry tomato plant with a couple of flowers is not yet flourishing like the bigger one. I’ve been using Garden Safe botanical insecticides because a couple of Mother Nature’s hungry creatures found it and were enjoying both leaves and tomatoes. I found it at Tractor Supply, but you can also buy it on Amazon.

Peppers, Sage, And More

So far, I’ve harvested two little Poblano peppers, one tiny red bell pepper, and two small Anaheim/Hatch chili peppers. More flowers and buds are developing.

Surprisingly, Tractor Supply had Shishito pepper plants again, and I bought two. I’ve harvested one batch and cooked them, then clipped the three smallish peppers to cook for Miss Alice. That’s all I had available for her. If her visit was later we might have had more.

The plants are full of buds and flowers, and I’m anticipating a bumper crop soon. On a recent jaunt to Baton Rouge, (keep reading) I bought a bag at Trader Joe’s to cook up before my garden ones were ripe:

Bag of Trader Joe's Shishito Peppers for $2.29

They are so tasty.

The green onions are growing nicely with one flowering, and I also got a sage plant again. My huge mint plant died in the last freeze, so I bought another one. It’s coming along, and I’ve already used some mint for a Corsican omelette.

Basil, BF’s nemesis, is also growing well. The two original plants were strong before I put them out, then I cut them to propagate more. Those cuttings are well-rooted and planted but still tiny. I’m waiting to see how many will turn into more basil for pesto. I had a hard time finding the 1 cup small square glass type containers with the tight lids, but I finally went to Pyrex’s website and found them on sale. They arrive this week, and I’ll make my first batch soon.

Grocery Shopping

I also made it back to Aldi about a month ago. Got another cauliflower pizza, and lots more delicious things. A couple of weeks before that I headed to Baton Rouge for a Joann/Trader Joe’s run. In addition to the Shishito peppers, I also met this nice lady named Brittani at TJ’s:

She was ever so nice, and let me have two bites.

Who was sampling this wonderful blueberry cheese:

Wedge of blueberry cheese from Trader Joe's

It’s so delicious!

Yes, blueberry cheese, and a piece came home with me. It’s something I’ll savor when BF is out of the house, for sure. I also found this Salmon Rub:

This little bottle is so full of flavor, and you don’t need much.

Used it on a piece of fish I got at Aldi, and it was absolutely delicious.

That’s all I did, with a bit of olive oil.

Just ask Tab E. Cat.

I finally ate the “quinoa meal” from my initial Aldi trip when BF was out, and it wasn’t bad. You heat up the quinoa and add the other bowl, and stir.Not bad, and only memorable because of BF’s reaction. It even came with a foldable spork.

Once again I went to Aldi McComb on my own. They do a brisk business and it was not nearly as crowded as opening day. BF was not as impressed with my grocery hauls, reminding me, “It’s just a grocery store.” I feed him good food, no matter what he says.

I Won!

Since I’ve been on Instagram, I have entered a lot of contests for fun. Frequently, the contest requires you to tag someone you’re friends with as a requirement, and sometimes I tag several people. Miss Alice always gets tagged first.

You may remember a couple of years ago that I won Fiesta Spice’s contest during the holidays and received their tamale kit. It’s still in the pantry, but one day I’ll be making tamales. Probably all by myself because BF thinks it’s better to buy them already made.

But I’ve won again—twice in just a couple of months!

Back in April, I entered the contest held by The Pioneer Woman Collection’s account for a Tumbler giveaway. They did a random drawing for two of the Pioneer Woman 40-ounce tumblers—and I won.

These days, you’re nothing without your Tumbler, so I read somewhere. Ree’s daughter Alex loves the Stanley brand tumblers. These PW tumblers were never offered here in our local Walmart, but Hammond had them. They’ve also been quite popular because they seem to be out of stock frequently.

I forgot about the entry, and a couple of days later I was notified that they had picked me. They were shipped from Dallas, and I figured Alex was the shipper. When the box arrived, sure enough, the sender was “Alex Drummond.” Well, it could have been anyone using Alex’s account. But they arrived a few days later:

Pink and blue tumblers from The Pioneer Woman collection in a box.

Aren’t they adorable?

I’ve been using the blue one, and the pink one is a backup. The straw in mine actually came from Target on sale many months ago. The ones that come with the tumbler are clear.

Where you normally see this one, on my desk.

Then I messaged Alex on Instagram and told her that the tumblers arrived safely and that I do appreciate them. The tumbler is great and keeps drinks cold for hours. I’ve been using them ever since.

Showing the #DashStash

Then a few weeks later, the Dash company had an Instagram contest: show us your #DashStash, “for a chance to win anything from our product line that’s in stock.” So, I took a picture and added it to my Instagram stories, which I won’t show here because it’s embarrassing (and it’s gone now, I think.)

Later in the afternoon, I got a message from someone on their social media team that they picked ME. They actually picked two winners, me and another lady with a few of the aqua appliances, including their mini rice cooker. (We need one of those—in red—but BF thinks we don’t.) No word on what the other winner picked, but maybe we were the only two who entered.

Earlier in the day, I mentioned the contest to BF. I asked what he thought about getting a Dash dehydrator if, by slim chance, I was picked as a winner. He said, “Sure, that’s fine.”

So I asked Dash I could have a dehydrator, and they said “yes.” They asked for the mailing address, so I messaged back—and does it come in red? No, it doesn’t but that’s OK. (It used to, though.) I downloaded the manual from their website and gave it a once-over. The package arrived about two weeks later:

Dash dehydrator in shipping box as it arrived

It’s here!

I knew when it was coming thanks to the UPS app. That morning I went to Walmart and bought a bag of organic apples. That night I set out to dry them:

Sliced apples with cinnamon on dehydrator tray

Really easy, and flavored only with cinnamon

Twelve hours later they were done:

Done!

BF then suggested bananas, so that was the next night:

Pretty tasty, although I didn’t add anything. I’ve also dried pineapples and mangoes, which are delicious dried as-is. The trick is thin slices, no thicker than a quarter-inch. You also need patience. I set it up to run overnight and the dried fruit is ready in the morning. Are a couple of trays not quite done? Let it run a little longer for just those trays.

I sent some home with Miss Alice, and her daughter enjoyed both apples and bananas. But BF wasn’t interested in dried fruit. He wants to know when I’m making beef jerky. I’m not adverse to making it, and there are recipes in the accompanying recipe book for making some. Plus, I have a copy of The Complete Dehydrator Book by Carole Cancler, which I received from Callisto a couple of years ago. When I got the book, BF said to me, “That’s OK, I had enough dehydrated food in the military.” After the dried fruit, he’s a little interested but is requesting beef jerky, so that’s planned.

The accompanying booklet has recipes for beef, chicken, turkey, and salmon jerky that I hope to try, and of course, the cookbook, which has recipes for using dehydrated food. I’m planning to do more dehydrating in the future, including the beef jerky for BF.

My #DashStash gets bigger. Need a new shelf. Yup, you know. Blog post coming.

Prepping For Possibilities

That dehydrator was something I’d planned to buy at some point anyway. But there’s a reason for it, and not just because I already have a book on the subject.

As I mentioned, hurricane season is here, and anyone in or around the Gulf Coast watches the weather a little more closely this time of year. We just had a big storm blow through last week that left major damage around here:

Not a hurricane, but enough wind and rain to cause plenty of scenes like this. (We were fine.) If you talk to someone in New Orleans, they may tell you all about the big memorable hurricanes:

Betsy, 1963
Camille, 1969
Katrina, 2005

Plus, a whole lot more. Then there was the flooding in May of 1978 and 1995, still remembered by many. In this area, there was the unnamed storm in 2016 a month before my move here which didn’t impact New Orleans like it did Baton Rouge, and this area which is northeast of the city. Nearby friends J&B in Albany had to move into the second story of their home for months until they were able to get it all repaired. It happens that way.

In our case, there was Hurricane Ida in 2021. Albany friends J&B told me recently that they were out of power for six weeks before their power company Demco restored their service. Then last year, Hurricane Ian went to Florida where one of my client’s project managers lives. She went through the same thing we did, although it wasn’t as long because she’s in an urban area.

Texas Gets Hurricanes Too

In Houston, there was Hurricane Harvey in 2017, less than a year after I moved away, and Hurricane Ike in 2008, during which I spent 9 days with The E-Man and his wife at their place in the New Orleans area. Plus there were other hurricanes that grazed the Texas coast and had people scrambling into grocery stores for water, batteries, bread, milk, and bathroom tissue. (Points if you get that joke.)

That’s just what I remember sitting here writing about this subject. Along the way, we’ve learned some things and relied on BF’s knowledge of such things. While I can’t say we were absolutely ready for either Hurricane Ida, the aftermath, or the big freeze we experienced six months earlier, we did OK, and probably better than others. I’m not complaining, but there is always room for improvement.

Two of my upcoming posts will focus on preparing for emergencies and other things that can uproot your daily routine. Will you have enough food? Will you have enough time? BF and I talk about this sort of thing occasionally and discuss things we can do to prepare.

If that makes us “preppers,” so be it. But when you live in an area prone to hurricanes, earthquakes, or other natural disasters, you must have some level of readiness, or you’re caught short.

More To Come

I have several ideas in various stages of development, and they will also depend on when I can get the pictures uploaded into WordPress and the content completed. I’m working on it, including the two blogs on our trip last year, honestly. Plus, I’m hoping we get to go back to Houston at some point, maybe head to the beach with Miss Alice.

As always, if you have a topic you’d like me to write about, by all means, leave me a comment here.

Until next time. . . .

Enjoy!

Chicken,Considered opinions,Fast & Easy,Fresh from the Garden,Fruit,Lunch,quinoa,What's for Dinner? AI,Aldi,artificial intelligence,berries,Broccoli Stirfry,Catchup,Houston,Tractor Supply,Trader Joe's

Followup To The Last Post

Summer Garden Pesto

Make It

He Still Doesn’t Like Pesto

It’s Just Too Hot To Cook

Let the Slow Cooker Do the Cooking

The Instant Pot: Not Just for Winter

Turn on the Air Fryer, Not the Oven

Give the Countertop Oven a Summer Job

Don’t Underestimate the Microwave

What About an Electric Skillet?

And Yes, You Can Cook Outside

No-Cook Meals Are Your Friend

Cook Once, Eat Twice—or Three Times

Summer Cooking Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

Caveat–Don’t Buy New Stuff!

Fall Will Be Here Soon. . .Eventually

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Going Organic

What “Organic” Really Means, Legally

Why People Pay More for Organic

The Gray Areas: “Natural,” “Healthy,” and “Clean”

Famous Food Label Lawsuits

How to Read Between the Labels

One Final Bite

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Finding New Local Things

First Stop: Website

The Tea Tour

The Plants

Processing Tea

The Tea House Venue

The Woodwork Part

Let’s have a drink!

How Was It?

Two Types

Where should I go next?

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Zucchini Sottolio

Ingredients

Method

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Artificial Intelligence In Everyday Life

Illness And Injury

Veterinary Matters

My Turn

Speaking of Broccoli Stirfry

The Thwarted Berry Season

Summer

The HeatCageKitchen 2023 Garden Catchup

Peppers, Sage, And More

Grocery Shopping

I Won!

Showing the #DashStash

Prepping For Possibilities

Texas Gets Hurricanes Too

More To Come

Enjoy!

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