More Prattle from Povey

  I was skillet cooking parsnips, brussels sprouts, and a bit of bacon (just for colour you will understand) The 'phone rang and I answered it.  It was a friend whose 'phone had been out of order for a while so I was so happy to talk to her. So happy that I forgot to turn the stovetop burner off, or to move the skillet away from the heat. The smoke alarm did its work; and my kitchen was filled with smoke.  No fire thank goodness, but much as I like slightly charred steak, today's lunch was destined for the garbage pail. The skillet cleaned up pretty well. Ah well!

  Some of you know that I am a member of a weekly Zoom Conversation called "Black Lives Matter".    Of course All Lives Matter, but some matter much less than others in the cultures that are led and ruled by White people/men. Hence we emphasise Black Lives;   lives which are often at the bottom of the economic ladder;  and at the top of a weighted and unjust criminal justice autocracy. The group I am in was brought together by the ever terrific Dr. Grace Jones, so we often refer to ourselves as "Foggies"  - Friends of Grace. Grace hand picked us, so we did not all know each other.  I was lucky enough to know Jonathan and Linda Daube (formerly of Pittsfield MA). The other week I met Laura Z of Oneonta N.Y. for the first time.  She was on vacation and en-route from Jacksonville FL to Sanibel, with family members.   Zion was there too. Today found me at Fort Desoto County Park, Pinellas County FL for a picnic lunch with two other foggies; Anne Federlein and Joe Roop he

                                        AND MANY CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES Let's say war, civil war, internal conflict, invasion from another country, etc....    Let's also say  displacement, hunger, refugee camps, disease,  cruelty, devastating poverty,  imprisonment  etc.. ... What do they not have in common? There is a wonderful humanitarian response from the west  for the Ukraine.  That's great.  I've supported it with money. There is a dismal  humanitarian response from the west for all the other strife torn countries. Why the difference?    Dare I say that "it's a matter of the skin colour of those who suffer?"

His name is Jeff. He'd walk to school care free, with his pants sagging a wee bit and the waistband of his tighty whiteys on display. His older brother Matt was a more smart dresser, and a serious student.  Both boys were a joy to be around.   I knew them and their good parents in Pittsfield MA. Jeff got into ski jumping in a serious way.  Oh no, not in the Olympic style; but in wild, wonderful, and free range mountain jumping. He was a master. I'd call it aerial acrobatic and sky-ballet like jumping .  So beautiful to see, but ah so risky and potentially dangerous. Then the accident came. The accident that his family had dreaded. He was in bad shape, risky shape.  His recovery was prolonged, but effective. Then Jeff forgo ski jumping and created a new career.  I admire him so much. He (self-taught) learned how to tan hides to make leather,  He taught himself to hand sew as he designed and made new leather products. They are gorgeous to look at, and durable beyond compare. I bo

  A friend of mine is a High School teacher in the Pioneer Valley area of Masschusetts. He wrote the following on Facebook.  I so much like what he said " I watched Will Smith’s assault on Chris Rock several times. I understand the overwhelming urge to defend someone you love. I think Rock’s joke was cruel and publicly abusive in its own way. But Smith was wrong. Too often men handle their anger with violence, and it is directed at other men, at women and children. Smith sent a clear message about how we, men, should respond when insulted—with violence—when that is exactly what men need to stop doing. I’m certain many of my teenage boys will be watching this and cheering Smith on, and I’ll talk with them. I’ll try to tell them there were so many other ways he could have said “no” to Rock without hitting him, but I’m not sure my argument will convince them"

  Chicken, mushrooms, parsnips, multi-coloured carrots,  all cooked together in a skillet with H.P. brown sauce. Not bad!

  With Zion and my bff Ashley a t Jigg's Landing on the Braden River. https://www.facebook.com/jiggslandingoutpost/ Music by "Stumble Creek" https://www.stumblecreek.com/the-band Fiddle player and vocalist Sarah is the grand daughter of  my friend Joe Roop.                                                                            Today And yet  I have never met Joe in the flesh!  He and his partner Anne (from Napierville, Il) are members of a ZOOM group which meets  every Thursday. The group is called "Black Lives Matter".  It is convened by the ever wonderful Dr. Grace Jones.  She was a member of St. Stephen's Parish Pittsfield MA where I was the Rector between 1984 and 2000. Now  - joy oh joy -  next Wednesday I will get to meet Joe Roop and his partner Anne Federlein face to face.  They are on vacation in Clearwater, FL We will meet for a picnic at the Fort DeSoto County Park, about half way between Sarasota and Clearwater.   https://www.pinellascounty.o

  Well I never! Isn't this the case on most American Highways?

  Representatives from Two Men and a Truck depart the U.S. Capitol after delivering Lindsey Graham's carved mahogany antique fainting couch just in time for today’s performance.

  Sign posted in my neighbourhood.  Why didn't the owners look on the other side of the road?

  It doesn't get any better than this.  TRULY.   You'll never be disappointed at meLange on Sarasota's Main St. https://www.melangesarasota.com meLange is chef owned.  Chef Lan knows her stuff. That's one of the reasons it is so good. I was there last evening (23rd March) with long time friends Jack and Pat McLaughlin, visiting from New Hampshire; and with my bff Ashley Lloyd                   'Twas Jack's birthday  - cake "on the house".                   Dear Pat and Jack have been married for 60+ years.                                          With Ashley Flowers for Jack's birthday.   (I remember being given flowers for my birthday  - I was delighted and exclaimed "this is wonderful, men are rarely if ever given flowers!" I broke with modern practice and did not take photo's of the food.   We were each delighted with our choice.   For Pat , Duck Breast Crepes;  For Jack , Venison Osso Bucco;   For Ashley , Gnocchi;  For me , a

Toast with mango jam. The ugly looking blobs pictured in yesterday's breakfast photo' were Black Pudding (a.k.a. Blood Pudding). There is no middle way.  You either like it, or strongly dislike it.  

  Poached Eggs on Toast, with ?? With what?   Please comment with your best guess. Eews not allowed. I will tell all in a day or two.

I miss you my beloved dishwasher, mid-May for your replacement seems so far away.  \ My new sinks are much smaller than the old, and the spray attachment for rinsing doesn't reach very far.  So this is the right hand sink which I filled with cold water to rinse some hand-washed dishes..    'Twas fine until I unplugged it, then there was a minor under-sink flood.  My good handyman hadn't noticed  a hole in the drain pipe a hole into which the exit pipe from the dishwasher will eventually go.    Good ole Dave stopped by and created a temporary fix with the help of a wine cork which just happened to be in my trash.    A back up draining board. Today  I used up some leftover veggies and tomatoes to make soup.  Here is  the soup, cooling before I place it into smaller containers for freezing.  Meanwhile the soup pot and the blender are draining on a towel. Reminds me of the ultra small kitchen in my Medford, MA condo where every square inch had to be pressed into useful space .

Droning on again about Fava (Broad) Beans. I've been in gustatory heaven ever since finding a source for fava beans at Yoder's Amish Market on Bahia Vista Street, SRQ We ate them often at home. De-podding them was fun, especially because the inside of the pods is soft and furry.  Mum would cook them "as is".   The flavour was great, even though  the skin of each bean is a tough.   Mum (or one of her helpers) never removed that outer skin.  No wonder, it is labour intensive work. With the twin luxuries of spare time; and of cooking for only one person I skinned mine yesterday.  Here is a photo' with a huge mound of skins, and a small pot of beans. Skinning the beans was worthwhile.  The flavour is intact, and the cooked beans are oh so tender.

From Luke 15v16 KING JAMES version of the Bible.  " And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him." I grew up on the King James version of the Bible.  The 17th Century word FAIN  made perfect sense to me. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Later I encountered the 1952  Revised Standard version. It was in a more modern English.  In the RSV Luke 15v16 - version the text read . "an d he would gladly have fed on   the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything" As a child, whenever I read the word pods in this verse I saw this.             I knew that they must have been Fava (Broad) Bean pods.   As you may know I am nuts about Fava/Broad Beans and have been so glad to find them at the Amish Market in Pinecraft, Sarasota. Here are some after I had de-podded them.  I plan to eat them later today, but before I do so, will I take the easy or the hard way? The easy

More user friendly than Bing or Google  

  When  you need a Taxidermist you'll most likely do a Google or Bing search.  You'll get responses such as "Ten best Taxidermists in Sarasota"  or "Twenty best Taxidermists in Florida". What does "best" mean when you are confronted with the choice of Ten or Twenty?   Are there truly ten best taxidermists in Sarasota? Are there another thirty five which did not make the list? This "ten best" feature is bogus.   For instance not only in a Google/Bing search, but in a Newspaper you will see "the ten best this or that".  For instance  my local Sarasota Herald-Tribune had a feature the other day about   "The Ten Best Irish Pubs" in Sarasota/Manatee/Charlotte Counties.   Shock, horror, disbelief:  -  there are most likely only eleven Irish Pubs around here - but ten of them are the best! I suspect lazy and bogus  journalism; and "under the radar" advertising.  I ask , did the journalist visit and eat and drink at

  Hassleback Potato, Vegetarian Chili and Brabander Cheese. Brabander is a Dutch Gouda type cheese, made with goat's milk. It's  good.  I'd have been wiser to use a cheese which melts. I had it in mind to sprinkle the spud with crispy bacon, but I forgot to fry a rasher or two. You can prepare your own Hasselbacks if you have a very sharp knife and a steady hand. The spud should be sliced, but not all the way through.   You can buy a gizmo which does the hard work of slicing, or  purchase them here https://www.mackenzieltd.com/search/?q=hasselback%20potatoes

  Something new. My friend Rick is a Standard Poodle aficionado.  His former standards (Louis and Vuitton) are no longer with us. Let's celebrate his new Standard pup Claudette.  (Named for Claudette Colbert) She is five months old and already knows how to mind her manners! What a fascinating, lovely,  and unusual Black/White brindle She and Zion are already the best of pals. Something old My Handyman D. is a perfectionist - for which I am glad. He's made great progress in his work in my kitchen but he is not yet satisfied because of minor flaws in the new (and gorgeous) laminate.  He knows how to rectify the flaws -  using his various skills.  That he will do on Friday18th. In the meantime there is a good hot and cold water flow to my new sink.  I will be able to hand wash three days worth of dirty dishes in the morning.  The hand washing will continue for a couple of months.  I bought  a new middle range dishwasher at a local and privately owned appliance store this afternoon

  Jack and Pat McLaughlin have been my friends since 1984.  They are dear people. Their home is in New Hampshire.  Most years they spend three March weeks on Longboat Key, FL; a place they know well 'cause Pat's parents (now deceased) retired to Siesta Key, FL. Jack and Pat's annual visits to Sarasota/Longboat Key have been on hiatus because of Covid. But they made it this year. We met today at the lovely Ken Thompson Park for coffee and chat. Zion joined us! What fun! We will get together again next Wednesday (which happens to be Jack's birthday)  for dinner at Sarasota's fabulous MeLange  restaurant.  https://www.melangesarasota.com Rabbit Tacos anyone?    Don't dislike them unless you've tried them!

  .....   the colour of the new laminate on my kitchen counter tops is called Cobalt Blue

  It wasn't until my handyman took the sink out that I realised how grungy it was!  You know, you wash dishes in the sink, but never pay attention to the sink itself. A light came on in my mind today when I realised that I could wash some dishes etc in my spare bathroom By the way, my handyman is a gem. He has done some good work for me over the years.   He is meticulous, almost a perfectionist,   He worked at the Smithsonian, creating structures to house various displays. Sadly for me, he is about to retire. He is working for me now as a favour to a faithful long term customer. My dish washer  "had to go".  The front of the bottom compartment, which house all the works, is riddled with rust. I will look at pre-owned. One of the advantages of living in a mostly affluent community is that residents sometimes modernise their kitchens for the sake of modernising,     This means that one can buy pre-owned appliances at decent prices.  Thus it was with my "almost top of t

  No sink, no running water, no dishwasher. o I am using a toaster oven; a small "Mr. Coffee" machine; bottled water; and juice  for now - all set up on my Lanai . My remarkable handyman D, (a perfectionist if ever there was one), is sprucing up my kitchen. He most likely will not finish until Thursday. I can wait.    After all, I could be a refugee who is fleeing Ukraine with little more than the clothing on my back. There'll be no whining from me if I cannot use my kitchen for three or four days.

  Sarasota FL where "the rich and the infamous" can purchase a Condo. for $20 million and up, and occupy it for a month or two each year. 2022  Sarasota FL where r acial segregation is de-facto if not de-jure. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more here about the history of the City's majority black population "Newtown" : - why and by whom it was created (racism anyone?) ; the struggles and the triumphs. http://www.newtownalive.org