Be Back in a Week!

Photo by Lord William

No posts, no tweets for a week. Basically, what I said below. Just an excuse to use another gorgeous photo by my brother. I’ve got my itinerary packed away, thanks in large part to Todd, who took the time to e-mail me some amazing suggestions of what to do up north. My favorite part of his e-mail? Climbing the Beehive:

“...there is a spot at the top you can pretend to fall off the mountain but really land on a ledge 6 ft down. Best to do with someone taking a picture because they can’t see the ledge and will think you are a goner.”

Fabulous.

Take care, everybody!

Black Currants: What to Do, What to Do...

Hey everybody! Thanks for the suggestions and the well wishes for my trip to Acadia. I’m leaving bright and early this Saturday morning, and hope to tell you all about my lobstah rolls and full bellied clams when I return.

Here’s a little something to remember me by while I’m away: a cautionary tale about black currants.

See, I wasn’t too familiar with these little berries before I started loading them into my bucket at Fishkill Farms a few weeks ago. I merrily picked them from the bushes, sun warming my shoulders, me whistling away, and before you know it, I had just about half a bucket (currants on left, blueberries on right):
It wasn’t until I got back home that I realized half a bucket was half a bucket too many and these little guys were packing some serious potency. “Tart,” “sour”: these are words that don’t even begin to describe the power of the black currant. Nasty is more like it, even if you’re not Ms. Jackson (bah dum bum). That night, I was very tempted to throw my black currants in the garbage.

Instead, I made a type of “crisp,” figuring that sugar and butter would cut the nastiness. I put the currants in four ramekins. Then I took 4 tablespoons of sugar, about 1½ cups of plain flour, ½ cup of butter, ½ cup of brown sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, and combined all of it in a bowl. I sprinkled the mixture over the ramekins filled with currants, and then put them in the toaster oven for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
What’d I think of the finished product? Meh. It wasn’t bad, and the currants didn’t go to waste, but I think it could’ve used more sugar. Or a new recipe altogether. (…or less currants.) Too bad I hadn’t seen this article first. I could see the potential with pork belly.

Does anyone have a go-to, knock-your-socks-off, black currant recipe? I’d like to give it a try before I give up on currants altogether.

Fishkill Farms
9 Fishkill Farm Rd
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
(845) 897-4377

The Good Life Goes on Vacation!

Photo credit by Sir William

Can you guess where I’m going based on that beauuuutiful picture taken by my ultra-talented brother, Billy Bob? (Hint: it’s not heaven.)

It’s Acadia National Park, Maine!

I’m leaving this Saturday (August 8th) and will be away from my computer (no blogs, no tweets) for about a week, but before I go, I’m hoping you all can recommend some great places to eat in Bar Harbor or even the drive up/down. Just comment below. I would be particularly indebted to those who pointed me in the very specific direction of a worthy lobster roll, fresh oysters, or fried full-bellied clams.

I’m bringing my camera, so when I return, I hope to share my finds with you, and catch up on some outstanding reports I’ve yet to blog about: a great pork chop recipe from the Babbo cookbook, what to do with blackcurrants (and the answer is not “put them in the garbage”), and dinner with my foodie soulmate Youngchae at Soho hotspot Locanda Verde.

I appreciate your suggestions, and your comments in general!