Busy Saturday and Sicilian Dinner May 17, 2008

It’s going to be a busy day. Heck, it’s been a busy day already.

Kate and I got up at 6:30. She had her bottle, I had my Dandy Blend, and then I got dressed and made breakfast while she watched Muzzy. We got to the farmer’s market a little after it opened (around 8:45) and we ate scrambled eggs and sausage and banana while we walked. I had to carry her in the Bjorn — she will not ride in the wagon anymore without trying to stand up. She’s so close to walking; she hates having to sit down.

I got 2 dozen fresh oysters, 4 dozen eggs, a rump roast, 2 pounds of ground beef, 3 huge bunches of carrots, fennel, a pound of fava beans, some spring onions, some mesclun, some yams (for Kate), a quart of raw honey, fresh organic peaches and apricots, olive goat cheese, 2 gallons of milk, a duck, and some chicken feet. It was a challenge to fit it all in the wagon.

I can’t wait to try that olive goat cheese. I got it from Healthy Family Farms — where I get my chickens and ducks. I think we’ll have some for lunch, along with the leftover chicken liver mousse. And some fresh peaches and cream.

For dinner, we’ll have the oysters (they’re very small, which is why I got 2 dozen — called luna, and they’re like Kumamoto oysters). I think we’ll go Sicilian tonight — oysters on the half shell, chilled fennel soup, fava beans with bacon or Italian sausage, and a salad of blood oranges and kalamata olives on a bed of arugula.

I wish Seth could have cream — I could make gelato. But instead I will make granita — a traditional Sicilian dessert and perfect when it is hot outside (which it is). I think I’ll try making mint granita. I have mint growing outside. Of course, I’ll make it with honey instead of sugar.

I need to make kombucha today, and kefir soda pop. And I’m going to make more sauerkraut, and Kate’s fermented yams. There’s chicken stock that needs to be strained. And there are diapers in the wash that need to go out on the line. I also really need to stake my tomatoes and prune and move some of the herbs out of the vegetable garden.

Speaking of that, right after I posted yesterday about the container gardening, I looked on Craig’s List and immediately found a guy who will build me custom planters — whatever size I need. He charges about $7/linear foot. Not bad! And best of all, it’s reclaimed (recycled) wood.

I’m going to do it! Now I just have to research how to make them self-watering.