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Thank you Carol (Readinglady)

18 years ago

When Elery and I got back Wednesday night, I found a BIG box on my porch. Of course, I couldn't wait, I opened it right up, even before I unpacked my suitcase, LOL.

Inside I found a nice card from Carol wishing us much happiness on our "journey", and this:

The book is wonderful, it's about life in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and a couple that have been married 64 years. There are recipes for things like batter dipped smelt, runway Friday Night Stew, Roast Haunch of Venison. There is a lovely romantic epilogue and little stories thoughout, making it as enjoyable as a read as it is a cookbook.

The board is big, heavy, about an inch thick, Amish made in Indiana from a combination of local hardwoods like cherry and white oak, native woods like cypress and exotic woods like purple heart. No dyes, and the colors are still just astounding:

It's plenty big enough for a standard loaf of bread, like this fresh honey wheat I made yesterday:

Elery tells me to be careful with it, but I know I can sand out any marks I get from using it and it'll be a beautiful addition to our new kitchen, when that time comes.

Thank you, Carol, for thinking of us. The book is perfect and unique and the board is nothing short of spectacular. They'll both be used and enjoyed.

Annie

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Comments (8)

sally2_gw
18 years ago
What beautiful and thoughtful gifts!

Sally
readinglady
18 years ago
Annie, I'm so happy for you and Elery. I wanted to send something you could use and enjoy. (And the bread looks wonderful!)

Carol
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Here's a picture of the plant swap and also one of Carrie, Patrick (from the brugmansia forum) and me the dumb looking one with her eyes shut. lol This isn't all of the swappers that were there. We had some shy ones that stayed in the cabana.
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I don't know the answer to the pear and apple questions. I used red delicious because that's what I had a bunch of (they had bags of them on sale cheap at the grocery store). If it were me, I wouldn't hesitate to use any kind of apple I had on hand. I might use pears, not sure how they cook though because I don't have much experience with that. If the pears were really soft and juicy, I think that might affect the bread, but again, that's totally a guess. Carol! Nancy! yooohooo! :) Any comments?
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Wizardnm and Readinglady - your peach preserves recipes please
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Here it is: Peach Jam With Brown Sugar and Rum Makes 6 half pints 6 cups frozen peach slices, thawed 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar 6 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice (2 lemons) 3/4 cup dark rum, preferably Jamaican (divided) 2 cups granulated sugar Wash 6 half-pint jars and keep hot until needed. Prepare the lids as manufacturer directs. Combine the peaches with the brown sugar, lemon juice and about half of the rum in a large pot and stir the mixture well. Stir well, cover and refrigerate overnight. Pour the fruit mixture into large, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer until the fruit chunks start turning translucent, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring several times. If the jam becomes too thick before the fruit clarifies, add 2 or 3 tablespoons water. Add the granulated sugar and cook the jam rapidly over medium-high heat, stirring almost constantly, until a spoonful placed on a chilled saucer and refrigerated for a few moments wrinkles instead of running when the saucer is tilted sharply. (Remove the pot from the heat while testing.) Stir in the remaining rum and cook the jam for 2 minutes, stirring. Ladle the boiling-hot jam into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach the lid. Fill and close the remaining jars. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner. -- Adapted from "Fancy Pantry" by Helen Witty (Sharon Maasdam) *Note: For Mango Jam use 6 cups peeled, chopped firm-ripe mangos and 6 tablespoons strained fresh lime juice in lieu of the lemon. My Note: Although the recipe doesn't mention it, this jam benefits from aging on the shelf to mellow. Carol
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Readinglady, Thanks!
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You are very welcome. I really like Savannah Bee products and hope you will too. Carol
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annie1992
Original Author
18 years ago
Truthfully, I got distracted and the bread got baked a bit longer than it needed too. It's good for toast and will make great breadcrumbs, though!

The colors are beautiful, the pictures don't do it justice. It very nearly matches the tiny board Ashley brought me back from Costa Rica, so I have kind of a set!

Annie
lackboys3
18 years ago
That board is so beautiful, it is a work of very usable art for the kitchen. I confess, I'd be afraid to cut on it for fear of ruining that beautiful wood that is, I suspect, so very durable. Never seen wood that naturally comes in purple before! Carol, what a lovely gift and the sentiment is beautiful too. Annie and Elery, enjoy it in good health and love always!
DONNA
doucanoe
18 years ago
What a lovely gift! That book looks interesting, and that board is just beautiful!

Congrats, Annie & Elery!

Linda
readinglady
18 years ago
I was surprised myself that all the colors of the wood were natural. It was my DH who recognized it. Some tropical varieties are really vibrant when they're cut and seasoned. (But nothing unsustainable like wild rosewood.)

I spotted the board in a small store several miles up a two-lane pot-holed rural road just past a pioneer cemetery and a one-room country school. The "shop" is in a metal pole building behind a farmhouse. What's amazing is people find it anyway.

Carol
wizardnm
18 years ago
Great cutting board and the books sounds really interesting.

Carol those are perfect choices for Annie and Elery.

I have a long skinny cutting board made from the exotic woods like that and because it is solid wood, the cut makes actually enhance the look.

Nancy
mustangs81
18 years ago
How thoughtful Carol. And to think that Annie has yet another person in her life now to share these acts of kindness with.

Cathy

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