Kevin. Ok when your back from the paint... LOL. Whatcha painting? I didn't go to church this morning. "Carla" went to church and I wrote ;-) Not a challenge but rather fuel for debate to sort it out! That's the forum,. Interesting to learn & better than an oncid. stake in the eye on a Sunday afternoon :-) "I would assume it's rather balanced, but since there's more rain at certain times of the year more nutrients are available at certain times of the year." That's my POV and question for the forum. I think they change due to those very factors at certian times a year. I am not a Geologist. Studied Pharmacology on a graduate level. Still way out of my range to know the molecular specifics (or to really care to know). When I can't get the gunk off in the car wash at certain times of the year something has changed. Maybe a tree sapping, maybe salt/minerals, maybe both or something else?? But there is some kind of change. Does it contribute to nutrient balance? I imagine it could. Just like you can smell Fall coming, people who live is sub-tropical climates are attuned to other changes. (Like car gunk and mouthfuls of salty air) The earth is a big chemistry lab. It goes through seasonal cycles. For orchids we are talking micro nutrients. There has to be some reason why High P and High N Ferts are offered and recommended at certain times in a cycle? I suppose that's my really question besides when is why? Not sure about what you mean about ambient moisture? I don't think that RH has a whole lot to do with nutrition. (Did I catch your meaning right?) There are months in Miami where there is low RH, Jan, Feb March. Feels normal, like Chicago in Spring, believe it or not. There is only some much folar feeding that can go on. After that, the plant just starts to rot, just like they do in our homes when we mist at them too much or it rains too much. Saw that a lot in Florida. Scrappy wild 'chids. Besides wild-life munching away, there is rot in situ. They ALL need "re-pots", Physan and Safer's :-). If you live on the coast, the car gets a fine coat of ocean salt. Is it something orchids need? Probably not. They just get a little crusty and need a hosing if the air becomes still. I was careful not to say "everything". But the earth is connected. The currents of the oceans, those earth cycles, play a large role in weather. Weather and seasonality may have a role in dictating nutrients. When snow is released into the water supply there is certainly nutrients that have been locked away and are now available? Hurricanes and Monsoons screw up the drinking water. The water supply in my city gets an adjustment after a particularly bad winter. Global issues affect the entire planet, not just the source...Right? Is that your area Kev? If so, SOS please Pleuro's nutritional needs are not as demanding as other species. Their location could be dictating that? Its very stable, compared to a FL Encyclia. But it's still is not the misty sauna that you might imagine at certain times of the year just like Miami isn't, but that is relative when you live in a place like that. 30 or 40%% humdity is low RH. Medellin Colombia's weather can be similar to Ca. It is "La ciudad de las flores"! General fert.is fine. I've used it. I don't have it right now. When I go to the sink, I have no idea what to "cook" for them. This is one of those times. I am like everyone else. I have limts with the orchids and what I am going to concoct. I don't cook individually for 200 people. But I will give them something they like from the menu, en masse. If I didn't have the orchid hospital, there would be 1 kind of fert. being used at certain times of year. But then again, I use high N on them because they need vegitative growth and the others don't. My goal is not to flower them yet. See where I am getting confused? I would like flowers for the holidays from the healthy ones. Would be nice to understand when, who and why :-) Let me know what your 'second coat" thoughts Clara Should have gone to Church with "Carla"

I just use moisture in the pan, no mater the dish. I learned a long time ago that a bit of wine, beer, water...will calm a spit/spatter. That moisture can be reduced later. Don't need much. Spatchcock is the best way and a common one here, on the grill or in the oven. A few big onions sliced with potatoes or a mixed sheet pan of veggies w/potato and onion is also good. I often spatchcock in one pan middle of the oven and roast 1/2 hour with another pan below full of roasted roots and veggies, then finish with the chicken on top of the veggie in one pan. Raise the single pan up higher and broil for the last ten minutes....watching it like a hawk. I use different soy sauces and combinations for brining for many chicken dishes. A different flavor animal for sure, and has its place, flavor-wise. Maybe i'm a rare 'bird' in chicken land, but i don't at all mind slightly over cooked chicken breast. I use it in a shredded chicken salad with olives, apple, celery, grapes, with a spicy garlic/yogurt sauce using the chopped 'crispy' skin.

Here it is. Ann Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table ======================================= Home Cookin 4.9 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table High Heat cooking Instructions ============================== . General Instructions (for Barbara Kafka's "Roasting A Simple Art") "Different meats and different cuts have different cooking times. That's why there are recipes. I did try to find a universal rule so that I could say as I do for fish, "ten minutes per inch" or for chicken "ten minutes per pound," and then describe the exceptions. It didn't work. Timing is as much a factor of fat content, bone content, and the shape of the roast as a specific kind of meat. The only easy rules are for boneless loin of pork or beef (the shell or strip) and venison and beef fillet. They always cook in the same amount of time since the only way they increase in size is according to their length, which will not influence the cooking time." This is her recipe for a Simple Rib Roast 4 1/2 pound without short ribs Standing rib roast (2 Ribs) or 26 Pound standing rib roast (7 ribs total) 2 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered Kosher salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups red wine for deglazing 1 recipe for Yorkshire pudding. Roast should be at room temperature, not taken directly from the fridge. Place oven rack on the second level from the bottom. Heat oven to 500F. Place small roast in a 14 X 12 X2 inch roasting pan. bone side down. The large roast will need an 18 X 13 X 2 inch roasting pan. Snuggle most of the garlic, is using, under the fat and spread remainder under the meat. Season well with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. With meat in oven, reduce heat to 325° and roast for an additional 3 minutes per pound.( i.e.: 4lb =12minutes, 7lb = 21 minutes, 26 lb =78 minutes) etc..Increase heat to 450°F and roast for another 15 minutes regardless of size. Meat temperature should read 135 on an instant - read thermometer. If you like it more rare, reduce the additional 3 minutes per pound to 2 minutes or for less rare, increase the 3 minutes to 5 minutes. Remove roast from oven. Transfer to a serving platter. Pour or spoon off excess fat, reserving about 1/8 cup to 1/4 cup of fat. Put pan over high heat and add wine. Deglaze pan well scraping with a wooden spoon. Let reduce by half. Pour liquid into a small saucepan and reserve. For Whole New York Strip Loin, the directions are a little bit different. According to Barbara Kafka's instructions, it doesn't matter what size the New York strip roast is the directions are the same. Roasted New York Strip Loin one 10 pound New York Strip (16 inches) Trussed 1 head of garlic cloves lightly smashed and peeled, optional 3 to 4 springs fresh thyme kosher salt pepper 1 1/2 cup basic beef stock or a combination of beef stock, veal stock or red wine 2 tablespoons basic veal glaze optional. Place oven rack on second level from the top of the oven, or second from the bottom if the fat cover is thick. Heat oven to 500°F. Place strip of beef in an 18 x 12 x 2 inch roasting pan. If using, slip whole cloves of garlic between underside of meat and string. Tuck in the thyme. Slip some more garlic under the string along the top of the meat. Sprinkle the meat on all sides liberally with salt and peper. Put into oven one hour before it will be served. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove and transfer meat to a platter. Cut off strings. Remove the garlic cloves that are too blackened to use. Pour fat from pan. Put the roasting pan on top of the stove. Add stock or wine and the veal glaze, if using and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom vigorously with a wooden spoon. Add flavorings, if using, and any juices that hae collected in the platter on which the beef is resting. Let reduce by half. Taste for salt and pepper, pour into a sauceboat and serve. Roasted Whole beef Fillet According to Barbara........"I buy the meat by the inch. It cooks exactly the same way no matter the length as long as it s more than 4 inches long. When ordering, I usually allow about an inch and a quarter per person and an extra half inch for the two end slices. By this rule, six people will require an eight inch piece of fillet. The muscles in a fillet all run lenghtwise so that when it is sliced acrossed the serving it is also tenderized. The fillet is also called the tnederloin, and it is tender. It is a long round muscle that hides behind the bones on which the shell steak and the rib roast reside. T-bone steaks have some of the shell and, on the other side of the bone, a circle of the fillet, or tenderloin. A filet mignon is a slice cut acrossed the whole fillet to make an individual steak. 4 to 5 pound whole beef fillet (about 3 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter, a good 18 inches long) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup red wine for deglazing, optional, or 1 recipe semi-perigourdine sauce Place oven rack on second level from bottom. heat oven to 500°F Place fillet in an 18 x 12 x 2 inch roasting pan. Rub fillet with butter and oil. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. roast for 10 mintues. turn. roast 10 mintues more. Transfer fillet to a serving platter. Pour or spoon off excess fat. Put pan on top of the burner. Add the wine or sauce and bring contents to a boil while scraping the bottome of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let reduce by half. Season with salt and pepper.

Home Cookin 4.9 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table High Heat cooking Instructions General Instructions (for Barbara Kafka's "Roasting A Simple Art") "Different meats and different cuts have different cooking times. That's why there are recipes. I did try to find a universal rule so that I could say as I do for fish, "ten minutes per inch" or for chicken "ten minutes per pound," and then describe the exceptions. It didn't work. Timing is as much a factor of fat content, bone content, and the shape of the roast as a specific kind of meat. The only easy rules are for boneless loin of pork or beef (the shell or strip) and venison and beef fillet. They always cook in the same amount of time since the only way they increase in size is according to their length, which will not influence the cooking time." This is her recipe for a Simple Rib Roast 4 1/2 pound without short ribs Standing rib roast (2 Ribs) or 26 Pound standing rib roast (7 ribs total) 2 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered Kosher salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups red wine for deglazing 1 recipe for Yorkshire pudding. Roast should be at room temperature, not taken directly from the fridge. Place oven rack on the second level from the bottom. Heat oven to 500F. Place small roast in a 14 X 12 X2 inch roasting pan. bone side down. The large roast will need an 18 X 13 X 2 inch roasting pan. Snuggle most of the garlic, is using, under the fat and spread remainder under the meat. Season well with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. With meat in oven, reduce heat to 325° and roast for an additional 3 minutes per pound.( i.e.: 4lb =12minutes, 7lb = 21 minutes, 26 lb =78 minutes) etc..Increase heat to 450°F and roast for another 15 minutes regardless of size. Meat temperature should read 135 on an instant - read thermometer. If you like it more rare, reduce the additional 3 minutes per pound to 2 minutes or for less rare, increase the 3 minutes to 5 minutes. Remove roast from oven. Transfer to a serving platter. Pour or spoon off excess fat, reserving about 1/8 cup to 1/4 cup of fat. Put pan over high heat and add wine. Deglaze pan well scraping with a wooden spoon. Let reduce by half. Pour liquid into a small saucepan and reserve. For Whole New York Strip Loin, the directions are a little bit different. According to Barbara Kafka's instructions, it doesn't matter what size the New York strip roast is the directions are the same. Roasted New York Strip Loin one 10 pound New York Strip (16 inches) Trussed 1 head of garlic cloves lightly smashed and peeled, optional 3 to 4 springs fresh thyme kosher salt pepper 1 1/2 cup basic beef stock or a combination of beef stock, veal stock or red wine 2 tablespoons basic veal glaze optional. Place oven rack on second level from the top of the oven, or second from the bottom if the fat cover is thick. Heat oven to 500°F. Place strip of beef in an 18 x 12 x 2 inch roasting pan. If using, slip whole cloves of garlic between underside of meat and string. Tuck in the thyme. Slip some more garlic under the string along the top of the meat. Sprinkle the meat on all sides liberally with salt and peper. Put into oven one hour before it will be served. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove and transfer meat to a platter. Cut off strings. Remove the garlic cloves that are too blackened to use. Pour fat from pan. Put the roasting pan on top of the stove. Add stock or wine and the veal glaze, if using and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom vigorously with a wooden spoon. Add flavorings, if using, and any juices that hae collected in the platter on which the beef is resting. Let reduce by half. Taste for salt and pepper, pour into a sauceboat and serve. Roasted Whole beef Fillet According to Barbara........"I buy the meat by the inch. It cooks exactly the same way no matter the length as long as it s more than 4 inches long. When ordering, I usually allow about an inch and a quarter per person and an extra half inch for the two end slices. By this rule, six people will require an eight inch piece of fillet. The muscles in a fillet all run lenghtwise so that when it is sliced acrossed the serving it is also tenderized. The fillet is also called the tnederloin, and it is tender. It is a long round muscle that hides behind the bones on which the shell steak and the rib roast reside. T-bone steaks have some of the shell and, on the other side of the bone, a circle of the fillet, or tenderloin. A filet mignon is a slice cut acrossed the whole fillet to make an individual steak. 4 to 5 pound whole beef fillet (about 3 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter, a good 18 inches long) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup red wine for deglazing, optional, or 1 recipe semi-perigourdine sauce Place oven rack on second level from bottom. heat oven to 500°F Place fillet in an 18 x 12 x 2 inch roasting pan. Rub fillet with butter and oil. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. roast for 10 mintues. turn. roast 10 mintues more. Transfer fillet to a serving platter. Pour or spoon off excess fat. Put pan on top of the burner. Add the wine or sauce and bring contents to a boil while scraping the bottome of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let reduce by half. Season with salt and pepper.