communications from tundra land

woodmills1 · February 07, 2003, 02:32:53 PM

yes more snow today, but still no snowday from school. :

and in case you hadn't noticed the long underware is back on after only 4 nicer days. forcast for next week is some -7 or so mornings. personnaly responsible for heating oil shortage in new england :D

CHARLIE · February 07, 2003, 04:10:55 PM

Little nippy in tropical SE Minnesota too. -9 last night but WARMED up to about +10 today. DanG wind made it seem A LOT colder though. I planted some snow peas today. Hope I didn't plant them too deep. ;D

Minnesota_boy · February 07, 2003, 06:30:54 PM

Charlie,
You would have needed dynamite to plant those peas up here. Not even enough snow to cover the peas.

CHARLIE · February 07, 2003, 08:27:54 PM

Minnesota_Boy, we didn't hardly have any snow until this week. We've had two snow days of about 2" or 3" each but the snow is pretty dry and this wind seems to move it around pretty easily. Had to shovel twice and I like shoveling snow about as much as I like to paint. I was up to Grand Marais the last of January and there was hardly any snow there either. DanG wind has really been blowing stiffly all day. I wouldn't doubt it if one of those Canadians isn't responsible for this..... ;D

Paul_H · February 07, 2003, 09:14:36 PM

Charlie,
It would seem you have developed a taste for peas. 8)

CHARLIE · February 08, 2003, 07:57:39 AM

Hmmmm...you might be right Paul.....I hadn't considered that. I just figured that snow peas would be the only thing that might grow in this white stuff....but maybe way down deep I have a secret desire to consume peas. :

;D

Texas Ranger · February 08, 2003, 11:08:16 AM

DanG, boys, whatch all got against black eyed peas and hog jowl?

CHARLIE · February 08, 2003, 12:01:49 PM

Absolutely nothing Don! I love black-eyed peas. In fact, one of my favorite dishes is Hoppin' John. 8) I always eat black-eyed peas on January 1st to assure that I'll have a good year. I just didn't figure black-eyed peas would grow in the snow. I figured snow peas would or they wouldn't have named them that. :P

woodmills1 · February 14, 2003, 03:02:13 AM

looks like the temperature is going to bottom out at -9.8 this morning. pretty Dan g cold for this neck of the woods. the wind was a howlin last night I hope it has calmed down some.

Eggsander · February 14, 2003, 04:30:03 AM

Heck it alomost got up to freezin' here yesterday. The roads with some sun on 'em even got muddy on top. It feels almost like shorts weather. 8)
Charlie if you'd a planted them peas, they'd a blown away with the snow by now. Ain'tcha been up here long enough to know that ya gotta wait for that heavy March snow? :

Now if ya DonT mind workin' at it ya could take a pick axe or an iron bar out and get your iceberg lettuce put in. ;D

L. Wakefield · February 15, 2003, 11:58:26 AM

   Mike says you need a power auger to do that- plant em right into the ice as a berg unto themselves.

   So it looks like Iowa got about 12" of snow that's blowing around right about now. I think we will see another night or 2 of -20 or colder. Sure do like the wood stove right about now.
   lw

J Beyer · February 15, 2003, 12:37:55 PM

Black-eyed peas? Yuck!

Tom · February 15, 2003, 01:13:12 PM

Black Eyes, a good old southern staple. Rice'll make'em Hoppin' John and chopped onions'er sure good on'em.

Can't stand a big fried corn bread or Hoe Cake.. ....not for long anyway. It's special with lots of butter and sometimes you can find a bottle of cane syrup to put on it for desert. Mmm Boy!

I like it when I'm in the company of folks who have "yucks" because that leaves more for me. :D

Yessir... Love those hog jowls, smoked ham hocks, fat-back, side-meat, pigs feet, ears, snouts and grits. Okra and stewed tomato sandwiches such that you have to lift and eat fast less they fall through the crust. :D :D

Who'd ever think a Pear pie or Peach cobbler could smell so good till you experience it wafting down the street from your Grandmomma's kitchen in the cool of the evening after a hot afternoon.

......and sweet tea by the gallon to sip on the front porch while some of the older folks scare the beejeemers out of you before bedtime.

Ah-h-h-h Yes! Black eyes. ...and Ford hook limas and collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens.... most any greens with the sweet turnip root boiled in at the last and served with a jar of Hot pepper vinegar sauce and a loaf of homemade bread and soft butter.

.........I gotta quit this..... :-/ :-/ :-/

Norm · February 15, 2003, 01:30:47 PM

Yep some parts got up to 16"s or more, it looks like we got about 6" or 7". First real snow we've had this winter. Bad thing is when we get into one of these weather patterns they kind of stick around. Been real dry so hope it keeps up.

We butcher our own hogs but have never had the nerve to do the head but all this talk about hog jowls and stuff makes me wonder. Tell you what next one we do I'll freeze up the head and send it to however wants to give it a try.

Bro. Noble · February 15, 2003, 02:00:26 PM

Norm,

Cure the jowls right along with your bacon.

Noble

Norm · February 15, 2003, 02:28:58 PM

To tell you the truth Noble we just started butchering our own hogs a couple of years ago and don't have any idea how to cure the hams or bacon. Right now the bacon parts get put in the grinder for ground pork and sausage.

When I was a kid we had a smoker shed on our farm but didn't pay much attention to how they did it. Guess I'll have to see if the local library can get me a book on how to do it.

Lenny · February 15, 2003, 02:35:57 PM

Norm
You could put them jowls into sausage ;)

Tom · February 15, 2003, 02:36:26 PM

Read up on Hog Head Cheese (Souse) when do. It's goo-od and stores good too. Makes some of the best sandwiches 8)

J Beyer · February 15, 2003, 03:18:46 PM

Isn't head cheese all of the leftovers that do not go into regular ground pork products like the snout and brains or what have you?

Tom,
I'll have to replace my keyboard after reading your comments on the peach cobbler!

Going to try and talk mom into making one for me since Grandma is no longer with us. :'( Also your greens and Turnip roots sounds great! If I visit your neck of the woods you better have some ready because I'm hungry for those now! ;D

Tom · February 15, 2003, 03:28:05 PM

In a nutshell, it's the head boiled and relieved of the meat which is ground/shredded, spiced, salted and packed into pans where it is allowed to naturally gel. Kept in a cool place it remains gelled and is sliced for sandwiches or to eat alone.

I like mine on the spicey hot side. ;D

Tom · February 15, 2003, 03:57:44 PM

Go look in the Knowledge Base under food for recipes.

Try this Hog head cheese link

DanG · February 15, 2003, 05:22:22 PM

Tom, you're right about that souse making a mighty fine sammitch. I don't like the hot stuff, but the mild kind is GOOD, and heart-healthy, too. ;D

I'm athinkin' our young friend, Mr. Beyer, hain't never had no fresh blackeyed peas, right outta tha garden. Them dried up things they sell in the store gives'em a bad name. You pick'em in the mornin, shell'em in the afternoon, and have'em for supper, and you got the real thing. 8) 8)

Tom · February 15, 2003, 05:25:00 PM

Dang if you aren't right, DanG. I'll takem anyway I can gett'em though. ;D

L. Wakefield · February 16, 2003, 07:10:24 AM

Now, dontchaknow, I'm glad you brought that up... the lother night we were talking at work and I brought up scrapple as a topic to drool over. Someone else was insisting that scrapple and head cheese are the same. But your recipe for the head cheese doesn't have the cooked cornmeal in it. To make scrapple you just take the broth from cooking the meat, add cornmeal at an amount to make 'regular' textured cornmeal mush- then add back the meat scraps and seaonings when the cornmeal is cooked. It all goes into the pans to cool and then is sliced and fried. Yum, and yum, especially with maple syrup. I know I've written this before. lw

Bro. Noble · February 16, 2003, 08:14:24 AM

Norm,

If you want to send me your address, I'll send you a sheet that gives simple instructions for curing the best ham ever. It's easy and foolproof. I've not tried it with bacon, but don't see why it wouldn't work too.

How long has it been since you had ham that would make 'red eye gravy'? Maybe you called it 'speckled sop'. Boy now there is something to go with your cornbread and blackeyed peas.

Noble