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Semipalmated Plovers

I spotted these cuties on the shore of Lake Champlain.

three small brown and white shorebirds with black collars stand on a muddy lakeshore

Semipalmated Plovers breed in Alaska and northern Canada, and winter on the sea coast in the lower US, the Caribbean, and South America. During migration they can be seen just about anywhere in North America.

( 2 more photos )

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Shorelines

A nearby beach had lots of surfers out. I liked the look of this tree high above them.

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dessert,
ice cream

Avocado Ice Cream

Avocado Ice Cream

Ingredients

2 large avocados, peeled, seeded, and sliced
4 cups medium or whipping cream
3 tablespoons tequila or light rum
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

Combine the avocados and 1 cup of the cream in the container of a blender or processor. Add the liquor and whirl until smooth.
Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Beat the egg yolks with another cup of the cream.
In a saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and whisk to blend thoroughly. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 cups of cream and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened.
Whisk half of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Pour the mixture back into the pan and stir over medium heat for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and chill for 2 hours.
Combine the avocado mixture and the egg yolk mixture in the container of an ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

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Whale Watching

I should immediately add that although we did see whales, I was not able to get any pics of them! Unfortunately the boat, which was not that large, was rocking too much to focus and the whales came and went too quickly even for the camera phone. Did catch the sea lions on the buoys but not even the ones briefly following us out of the docks as they were there and gone too quickly.

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seafood,
shrinp

Asam Prawn (Tamarind Prawn)

Asam Prawn (Tamarind Prawn)
YIELD 4 people PREP 10minutes mins COOK 5minutes mins TOTAL 15minutes mins

Ingredients

10 oz (280g) shell-on big prawns
2 tablespoons tamarind pulps
1/4 cup water (4 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 tablespoon sugar

Instructions

Rinse the prawns with water and pat them dry with paper towels. Trim the antennae and devein each prawn by making a shallow slit along the top.
Mix the tamarind pulp with 4 tablespoons of water. Extract the juice by pressing the pulp. Set it aside.
Add the tamarind juice, tamarind pulp, and salt to the prawns and mix well. Marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat a wok and add the cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, pan-fry the prawns until they are cooked through and slightly charred. Add the sugar and stir to combine well with the prawns. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Current Mood: hopeful

Entry tags:

garden

Tribulations

Before leaving for a scheduled surgery last Thursday, I gave the garden a good watering and made sure the fences were clear, secure, and operating. Hours after my procedure my wife told me that something had gotten into our plum tomatoes and at least five were chewed and/or pulled off the plants. This was the first time this season that our garden was ‘attacked.’

Upon my return we set up the trail cam between rows to try to see who was enjoying our veggies.

Chippee! (Yes, chipmunk ;o) Not seen are the mice that come by, too.

Obviously, the fencing can’t keep these out. I’ve tried Repel sprays and even dosed the plants lightly with fungicide to dissuade the rodents, but it has had minimal affect on them. Offering them water in little dishes helped a bit. *sigh* Even a pumpkin was fair game :o(

Partial solution: we are picking the tomatoes at first blush. From there we are ripening them in the house in paper bags (adding a banana helps the process). It works.

First batch of sauce!

About eight pounds of tomatoes yielded five pints. One jar did not seal and will be used in a day or two.

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animal: bat

Nature diary

Yesterday I stood on the balcony at half past nine, when it was a little less hot outside then inside my apartment. I listened for bird calls, but there were none. Even the swallows and the seagulls seemed to be asleep already. Instead, there were bats!
They weren't easy to see, but as I was looking at the sky, I noticed those little dark shapes fluttering by. They looked almost like leaves in the wind, but clearly had a mind of their own, flying back and forth in front of me.
I wonder what species they were. It's impossible to tell. They could have been pipistrelles, given how small they were, but there's no way to be sure. During the day, they probably live in holes in the old trees beyond the lawn, or perhaps in little cracks in the walls of the building.
I hope they caught a lot of mosquitoes.

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Spring Views

Some months ago now, spotted a baby bunny in a field. So cute!

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appetizer,
snack

Spicy Dill Pickle Dip

Spicy Dill Pickle Dip
Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS

US-
1 cup Nonfat Plain European Style Yogurt
1/3 cup Sour Cream
2 1/2 tablespoons Calabrian chili paste
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 cup diced cornichons
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 tablespoons minced dill
1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives
1 grated garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste

Metric
236.59 ml Nonfat Plain European Style Yogurt
76.67 g Sour Cream
2.5 tablespoon Calabrian chili paste
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
77.5 g diced cornichons
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1.5 tablespoons minced dill
1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives
1 grated garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a mixing bowl combine yogurt, sour cream, chili paste, lemon zest, and lemon juice and stir together.
Add cornichons, Parmesan, dill, chives, and garlic. Stir together.
Season with salt and pepper and stir together.
Serve with potato chips, crudité, crackers, or crostini.

NOTES
Make our dill pickle dip up to 3 days in advance. Do not add garnishes. Transfer the dip to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
When ready to use, give the dip a good stir and top with garnishes before serving.

Variations
Add 1 teaspoon of cumin and/or smoked paprika to the dip for a slightly smoky flavor.
Omit the chile paste if spicy isn’t your thing!
Add more herbs like sliced chives and minced thyme to mix things up!
Add some shredded Gruyere or Swiss, pour it into a heat-safe dish, top with more shredded cheese, and bake for a hot dip!

Entry tags:

rocks,
water: sea

The Devil's Punchbowl

Not far from our hotel was a rock feature that had an interesting look to it. What was especially interesting to me were its walls.

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West wind

A walk up onto the Purbeck Hills to watch the west wind blowing...

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Entry tags:

beverage,
cocktail

Color-Changing Margaritas

Color-Changing Margaritas
Yields: 4 servings Prep Time: 0 hours 5 mins Total Time: 4 hours 30 mins

Ingredients

2 c. sliced purple cabbage
4 c. boiling water
1/4 c. kosher salt or coarse sea salt, for rim
8 oz. tequila
4 oz. triple sec
3 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 c. lemonade
4 lime wedges, for garnish

Directions

Place cabbage in a large heat-safe bowl. Pour boiling water over cabbage and let sit until water turns deep blue, 5 minutes. Strain out cabbage and let water cool.
When water is no longer hot, transfer to ice trays. Freeze until solid, 4 hours.
In a medium pitcher or measuring cup, combine tequila with triple sec, lime juice, and lemonade. Wet rims of glasses with a lime wedge and dip in salt.
Place purple ice cubes in glasses and divide margarita between them. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.