Archive for October, 2008

Mummified Herb Preserve

4 Comments
Posted 31 Oct 2008 — by chefshirle
Category Herbs

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It’s a hard thing to do. Waving a big “good-bye” to summers bounty of fresh herbs. I was not looking forward to parting with my basil and mint crop over the winter, so I started searching for options to help me with my herb withdrawals.

Somehow, I am not even sure how, I came across an article about freezing herbs in salt to keep them for use over the winter. The sound of fresh herbs buried in salt sounded not-so-appealing to me. Would they become dry as a fallen leaf? Would they retain the flavor of their sodium captors? The questions had me curious.

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French Press Coffee-101

8 Comments
Posted 25 Oct 2008 — by chefshirle
Category Coffee, Compost

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I had been a huge coffee addict in college. Coffee was a way of life for me, drinking 5 cups of turkish coffee before I hit my morning classes was normal, until one day the heart palpitations and headaches started. Then I called it quits for over 10 years.

My husband, David, had never ever drank coffee until about 3 years ago. We had always been tea drinkers. One day he tried a Mocha Latte a friend had bought and he came home raving about how good it was. Thus, started our coffee drinking adventure together.

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Eating Off The Land…or attempts at an organic backyard garden.

12 Comments
Posted 23 Oct 2008 — by chefshirle
Category Compost, Durham NC, Herbs, Organic Gardening

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Do any of you know that person who can grow anything, anywhere with little to no effort? My Mom is one of those people. She can pick a sprig of who-knows-what off the parking lot of the Home Depot, stick it in some dirt at home and the next thing you know, there’s a tree! Really.

I, on the other hand, have not been that successful of a farmer (except for all the cacti I have, which are hard to kill).  As a kid we always had a garden. Didn’t matter where, my Mom always planted one where ever we lived and it always thrived.

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Sensuous Sweet Potato & Squash Soup

3 Comments
Posted 21 Oct 2008 — by chefshirle
Category Soup, Sweet Potato, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wine

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The other night it actually got cold. The temp dipped down into the 40′s before 10pm and put me in a cozy kind of mood. See, here in North Carolina fall teases us. October can offer an 80 degree day while the next is in the 50′s. It’s a wacky area of the country, climate wise that is, so when we actually get some real autumn weather I head for the stove, get a pot out and make soup.

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Date Night Dinner-A Taste for Thai

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Posted 17 Oct 2008 — by chefshirle
Category Date Night Dinner, Thai Cuisine, Vegan, Vegetarian

Thai Curry Veggies

Thai food has to be one of my most loved cuisines. Just the thought of  creamy coconut, fresh basil, a kick of chilis in a rich sauce over rice or noodles warms my heart (and tummy) instantly. So, when David and I were planning this week’s Date Night Dinner I immediately said, “Thai.”

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