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Memory

LOST IN TIME

Here we are, Twinkie and I exchanging thoughts in the comments secetion of a post from May 27, 2013! I had a hard time even finding where her comment was so that I could respond! Which I did,,,then she added a note,,,and as I was about to add another--again after much searching--I realized we were truely lost in time.  AND the comments we were exchanging were about the cemetery in Jefferson!  But had morphed into talking about memory--how we each seem to have our own and only occasionally do our memories correspond.  Sometimes the memory of one evokes a similar memory in another, but not always so.  Twinkie remembers marigolds in the cemetery, I remember gardenias.  My gardenias provoke Twinkies memory of gardenias AND magnolias.  Her memory of marigolds raises not a glimmer of memory for me.

Memories.  It seems that the older we (I?) get the more we cherish our memories and yet the more are lost.  Memories of Jefferson are especially rich--perhaps because they are frozen in time since our time there was short and then no more.  Wish I could pass them on--but only if they could carry the richness I find in them.  I remember Daddy Doc talking about his past but I don't remember anything he told us nor do I remember that anyone was listening.  Now I wish I had!

Does anyone have a picture of the house in Jefferson?

A  BIRTHDAY  STORY

When Bradford was five or so--about the age he is in this picture--we visited Aunt Pud and Uncle Jimmy in Pecos. Always a treat, this visit was especially so. They had planned a big day for us out on The Land, a barren acreage whose claim to our attention was The Tank, a cement pool filled with fish. The adjacent house (not a cottage, possibly a camp) had rustic dimensions that made cooking and eating and sleeping possible. We spent a long afternoon there, with reels and rods and the whole Pecos family preparing a fish fry. 

The hooks went in and, over time, came out, usually with a fish.

Everyone caught at least one.  

Except Bradford. 

The sun went down, the bugs came out, and still Bradford sat holding a long, empty rod. People started to eat, wondering how long he would sit there. 

He sat there until--finally--he caught a fish. A great Whoop went up.  Bradford was much pleased with his first catch. 

It was also his last. He has yet to cast another rod into another tank.

This is the pattern he set that day. Define the goal, your goal. Focus on it--really focus. Then when you've got it,  move on.  

Think javelina, think Pachelbel’s Canon... think Dean’s List.

Think Bradford. Its his birthday!

HOME AGAIN, BACK HOME

We left North Street at 9:15 this morning--with regrets.  It was such a wonderful time with Twinkie and Wayne.  Just being with them was so great and to top that off we had such a wonderful time with them in Quebec City!  Definitely a trip to repeat.

We got to Manchester, NH in good time.  Split a hamburger at the airport and took off for Baltimore.  Deplaning at Baltimore I took a mis-step and made a big splat in the tunnel between the plane and the airport--with a long line of people eager to get to off the plane behind me.  Two gentlemen picked me up--out of the way--and left me to pull myself together.  It was not a bad fall--just unfortunate.

Got the next plane to San Antonio easily and had a smooth flight home.  Then began discussing dinner!  Maybe pick something up on the way to or from visiting Kenny.  But when we got home we checked out the plants--flowers, herbs and tomatoes.  All was well!  The basil was so great it needed trimming back--so we had a delicious pesto pasta for dinner (Sarah, that is one of our 'go-to dinners').  Yummy.

Then off for a short but great visit with Kenny--who was surprised as he, along with lots of other people, expected our return on Monday not on Saturday.  Some how, somewhere I got the word out that our trip ended on Monday the 12th instead of Saturday the 10th--even our hosts thought we were there till Monday!  Only Jim was not too surprised at every one's surprise.

Good News!

You do not have to go to Canada to get good rabbit stew. But perhaps you do have to go there to get the inspiration.

Gay and I made a superior one right here last night. It took some doing. We drove to Portland (Yes, to Rosemont) only to find they had no rabbits. Problem with their provider. We called around and found that Pat's Meat Market--not far from Rosemont--had rabbits. Do you have two? we asked. Why, yes, we do. When we got there to grab them they seemed to be as surprised as we to find that they had only one. So….we added two pounds of chicken thighs, daring anyone to tell the difference. We did find the difference, but wonder whether we would have had we not known to look for it. We were very pleased with ourselves, until we realized we had failed to authenticate with a picture.

When you ask Gay to  replicate this for you, and you must ask her,  remind her to include the gingered-pear conserve. A minor but absolutely essential ingredient.

Happy trails...

Canada, Oh Canada

We left Canada with a new project in mind: 1,000 Things to Eat Before You Die. One in particular might kill you: Poutine, the ancient and honorable signature dish of Francophones in Quebec City, Biddeford, and New Orleans. We skipped it because the ingredients consist of gravy over french fries topped with cheese curds. You see the problem.

But from this trip we can recommend rabbit stew, especially as prepared by La Lapin Saute. So good, but the outstanding element of that meal was the accompanying melange of vegetables, the best-ever in my experience. I cannot figure out why. 

The theme of our visit, as defined by me, was the pursuit of game-centered meals. Which should have been easy to come by in that country that has no reservations about selling wildlife.  But rabbit was the closest we got, except for a non-descript stew made of boar. Sounds right, except that to me it was indistinguishable from any beef stew. 

We did score some food fun on our way out of Canada--at Peres Natural, a specialty grocery store, which is to say it did not sell toilet paper--only very interesting food, prepared and to go. I left with close to $100 worth of mustards. Over the top, but it did inspire the idea of some taste tests at theKRC grill nights this summer.

Catwear was not any part of the plan, but it emerged as the Big Takeaway.  In fact, I expect to be able to claim the cost  as business expense. It has changed everything. But more about that later…

Wayne's tulips

Wonderful greeting on our return from Quebec road trip!

San Antonio through the eyes (and pen) of Callie
I enjoyed this, found on facebook this morning, and thought some of our family might enjoy reading it also.

San Antonio, Texas: experience a 'rasquache' arts revelation

There's more to San Antonio than the tourist ghetto – get out of the centre and find a cornucopia of art events and galleries, off-beat tours, free swimming, and great bars and restaurants

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• Callie Enlow
• The Guardian, Friday 21 June 2013
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More than just Davy Crockett. The Alamo, pictured, is a San Antonio landmark but the city has a vibrant contemporary art scene too. Photograph: Rex Features

Even Texans overlook San Antonio, the state's second-largest city, unaware of the tremendous charm of this centuries-old metropolis – and I was one of them. As a kid growing up in the north of the state, the one family vacation we took to San Anto centred, as most do, on the River Walk in downtown – a tourist ghetto where an admittedly lovely fabricated river-channel meanders past chain restaurants and 1,000-room hotels. My strongest memory is of eating tortillas which, for the first time in my life, were handmade not store-bought.

Little did we know that San Antonio is one of the most delightful places inTexas, if not the US – a revelation typically reserved for residents.

There's no business bureau trumpeting our weirdness and precious few big-money developers or patrons imposing cultural significance upon us. San Antonio has always been a DIY society: we make our own tortillas, and just about everything else. We're proudly "rasquache", a Spanish/Chicano term that means doing a whole lot with very little, whether it's amateur home renovation, transforming a shack into a neighbourhood bar, or creating homegrown conjunto music.

For those in search of authentic experiences, San Antonio delivers – you just need the right information, most of which can't be found in the lobbies of those 1,000-room hotels.

For starters, you must venture beyond the River Walk to get a sense of the city, but need not go that far to find it: travelling in a less than three-mile radius from the centre of downtown offers days of activities.

Begin by going south to the aptly named Southtown. From the early 80s, this area was transformed from down-and-out to family-friendly, largely spurred by the artistic community, which has planted several artist-owned and operated communes here.

Joe Lopez, artist and owner of the Gallista Gallery. Photograph: City of San Antonio

Start at Sala Diaz, a ratty bungalow-turned contemporary arts exhibition space, which features experimental and often site-specific work by local and international artists. Pause at Blue Star Contemporary Art Centeror the exquisitely selected inventory at San Angel Folk Art Gallery. Proceed further south to what locals call the 1906 Building, a train track-side warehouse that is home to studios and galleries run by young artists, across the street from the Chicano art mainstay the Gallista Gallery. I would recommend art lovers time their trip to arrive on the second weekend of the month, when Sala Diaz, 1906 and Gallista all have gallery openings. Far from reserved wine-and-cheese affairs, these are more like block parties stocked with super-friendly artists, live music, and free beer in addition to quality works at prices that will make collectors' hearts skip a beat.

One of the grittier parts of the city, the West Side is an often overlooked, but integral, part of San Antonio. San Anto Cultural Arts Center offers $10 guided walking, bike, or van tours of the many evocative murals on the south and west sides, or a free, printable map on its website for self-guided excursions. The West Side also has my favourite local restaurant, Taqueria El Chilaquil, where the waitresses dress like Aztecs, serving homey Mexican fare, and I've stumbled upon international drag queen competitions on its stage, which also hosts tejano karaoke and Spanish-language lounge singer acts.

If it's summer, history buffs and swimmers should head back toward the city centre, just north of downtown to enjoy San Pedro Springs Park, the second oldest public park in the US after Boston Common, Boston. The pool, once springfed, is surrounded by cypress trees and costs nothing to enjoy. After a dip, explore the odd little grottos and other artifacts left from Victorian, and older, times.

Tucker's Kozy Korner. Photograph: Mary-Austin and Scott at flickr.com

Historically the home to the city's black population, the East Side also has one of the city's best bars, Tucker's Kozy Korner, which has live jazz or soul music every night of the week in its mid-century cool establishment.

There are treasures to discover even near the mother of all Texas tourist attractions, The Alamo. I insist visitors cross the street to The History Shop and pay $5 to view its historically accurate Alamo diorama. The miniature model features a light and sound display, including Phil Collins (yes, that Phil Collins, a noted Alamo history buff in his post-Genesis years) narrating the Battle of the Alamo. High kitsch, high rasquache, and puro San Antonio.
Callie Enlow, editor-in-chief of the San Antonio Current, an alternative weekly newspaper

Talking of food and recipes…

Last night I started thinking about Mother's cooking.  And trying to remember things she cooked that I especially enjoyed and remembered.  I was surprised with what I came up with--or rather, what I did not come up with.  I loved mom's pot roasts, and to this day try to emulate them.  I remember that Aunt Pud also made the same great roasts and she told me that she sprinkles the flour for the gravy into the skillet around the roast before it goes into the oven so that the flour is already blended with the fat and cooked--ready to add the liquid when the roast is removed from the pan.  Good hint!  I remember creamed tuna on rice (or toast!)--and a variation on the theme: chicken  a la king.  I liked the turnip greens that she cooked.  But I don't remember much else of the meals she prepared… rather I remember the breads (rolls, cornbread and dilly bread) and the sweet things (sugar cookies, pecan pie, stuffed angle food cake a la GaGa, fig preserves, patience candy, divinity, and my favorite from Jefferson days, Pineapple sherbet).

I am wondering if Twinkie and Pam spent more time in the kitchen cooking with Mother and if they have favorite dishes she prepared?  I think some of her grand children may remember favorites from her table.  I would love to hear what you recall and if your cooking was influenced by hers and in what ways.

This is an invitation for some exchanges!

On a Roll

Well, I enjoyed posting the green bean recipe so I'm inspired to add another recent discovery!  One of my favorite recent kitchen successes: Asian Chicken Sandwich.  Sooooo good!  A great summer sandwich! A little bit of a 'deal' to put together--but worth it for sure.

ASIAN CHICKEN SANDWICH

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cook Time: 15 min.

INGREDIENTS:

Panko Crusted Chicken:

2 tbsp canola oil, divided
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise, cut in half again
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
1/2 cup of flour
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1 1/2 cups of plain panko crumbs
Hamburger buns

Asian Cabbage Slaw:

2 cups of coleslaw mix (green & purple cabbage and carrots, shredded)
2 stalks green onions, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp soy sauce
Juice from 1/2 a lime
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
Sesame seeds

Sriracha Mayonnaise:

1/2 cup of mayonnaise
Sriracha, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Line a baking sheet with tin foil then top with two cooling racks.

Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise then cut each piece into half widthwise. You should end up with four pieces of same thickness chicken. Season both sides of the meat with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder, to taste. Pour the flour onto a flat plate. Whisk the egg and milk together in a bowl. Pour the panko onto a flat plate.

Dredge the chicken into the flour; next dip into the egg mixture followed by dipping into the panko crumbs, making sure to get an even coating. Place onto the cooling racks; repeat with the remaining chicken. Place the chicken into the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Side Note: Don't skip this step, it helps the panko adhere to the chicken.

After the chicken has been in the refirgerotor for 30 minutes, remove and set on the counter for 15 minutes. Heat half of the oil into a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add four pieces of the panko crusted chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side, until golden brown. Flip the chicken over and cook for another 3 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate with a tin foil tent. Repeat the process with the remaining oil and chicken.

Place the coleslaw mix, green onions, and cilantro in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the grated ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, and rice vinegar. Whisk the ingredients while adding the sesame oil into the dressing. Pour the dressing over the coleslaw mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Side Note: I made the coleslaw when I started cooking the chicken so it would not get soggy.

Combine the mayonnaise together with the sriracha sauce, to taste. We liked our sauce spicy. Set aside.

Toast your hamburger buns in the oven for a few minutes, if you prefer. Slather some sriracha mayonnaise on the bun, place a piece of chicken on top then a good spoonful of slaw. Slather the top bun with more sriracha mayonnaise, if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Celebration

Last night we celebrated Jim's birthday--a small family gathering here at the house.  Everyone brought something to the table, so there was lots of good eats!  But one of my favorite things was a green bean salad which Pam suggested I offer to the MZJ group.  So here it is:

Lemony Green Bean Salad with

Feta, Red Onion, and Marjoram

Chef's Note: This salad, on the surface, seems like one you see at every barbeque -- except that this one is more lemony, only gently oniony, fragrant with marjoram and entirely balanced. The secret? A dash of agave nectar in the dressing, which sweetens and smoothes the lemon and feta. Make sure you don't overcook the green beans -- you want them to snap under your teeth.

Ingredients

• 1 pound green beans
• 4 ounces feta cheese
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3-4 sprigs fresh marjoram or oregano, leaves stripped and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup California Olive Ranch  extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• dash agave nectar (or sugar to taste)

Directions

Step 1: Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Throw in green beans for about 4 minutes or until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water. 

Step 2: Blend together lemon juice, zest, olive oil and agave nectar. Combine beans and red onion, crumbled cheese, and marjoram. Toss with dressing. Chill until those lamp chops come off the grill.

From "California Olive Ranch"

PS I used a bit of honey instead of the agave nectar--which I did not have.  (Thanks to Emily who mentioned once at her table in Madrid that she added just a touch of honey to her dressing.  You can't taste it--but it is there and is wonderful!

The evening was great--EXCEPT the Spurs lost to the Heat.  You'd have thought they could have won since we were all there expecting a birthday present for Jim from the Spurs!  Too sad.

testing, testing....

OK, got it! Did not see the New Post in the upper, upper right hand corner. I will make a note on the cheat sheet so that I won't fumble around so much the next time I endeavor to share something.

Pecha Kucha is tonight! Ben Judson and Callie should stand up and take a bow for getting such a fun and interesting project off the ground. It is soooo successful that it has  outgrown the original site. Tonight it moves to the mercado and we will see how that goes. Hopefully his parents will get to enjoy the gift of this incredibly interesting event! Hint, hint!

Back to the original post-this is pretty easy..thanks Gay!

Today Jim was wondering about the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day--so he did a little research.  He learned that Memorial Day honors all those who died while serving our country, Veterans Day honors all those who have served the country in uniform.  But, he also learned that it began as Decoration Day--when families went to the cemetery to clean and decorate the burial site of those who died in service of the country--and when the Unknown Soldier is honored.  Which reminded me of our trips to the cemetery in Jefferson to weed and trim our family plot there.  It was a happy event--a family gathering where stories were shared and maybe even a picnic shared.  I'm wondering if Catherine or Pam might also remember those trips?  I don't know when they occurred with us present since our summer trips were after school was out during the years Mother was teaching.  I particularly remember weeding the little plot.

Two other Jefferson cemetery memories:

First, what a wonderful family gathering we had when mother's children and grandchildren gathered in Jefferson with Aunt Pud's family for the burial of Mother's ashes.  Wayne did such a lovely service at the grave site for us.  (The little church where the mass was said for her has since burned down and been rebuilt.)  I remember walking through the town with Aunt Pud pointing out memorable sites--I have a picture of some of the family gathered in front of the House of Four Seasons.  That was a wonderful Zachry family time.  Wish I had pictures from that trip on this computer so I could include them--with a few from the cemetery!

The second is a trip Jim and I made to Jefferson before we were married.  We walked to Little Brother Jimmie's house.  He was mowing the yard with a hand mower.  He had no idea who we were--surprised when I walked up and gave him a big kiss, then introduced ourselves!  We spent the day visiting with him.  He told tales of our family history and that of Jefferson.  We made TWO trips to the cemetery to illustrate some points in his tales!  What fun.  He was the sweetest man!

Happy Memorial Day!

Good bye, Madrid, land of the Goyas..

Goya is one month tomorrow. Tomorrow I head back to Maine. In my suitcase garbanzos, Asturian beans, not-quite Asturian beans, garbanzo beans, bomba rice, and a parsley chopper,  as well as some little booklets and a few gifts.  But not, alas, Goya! The best must be left behind...

I am sure Joel is not as sad over my departure as this picture would lead you to believe...

Chris had a great story to share when he visited Sunday.  He wrote it up for MZJ family blog:

Once again I found myself at a donor appreciation event at the San Antonio Museum of Art where I was the only person without a coat and tie. That I was also one of the youngest people in the room only amplified the mumblings about my latest faux pas. Upon being introduced to Carol Lee Klose, she asked if I was related to Kay Karcher. After explaining that I was not her brother, but nephew, Carol asked if I was related to Margaret Jones. My affirmation resulted in a big smile and the unexpected comment, “Margaret was one of my favorite people. We were very close.”

Turns out that after graduating from college, Carol Lee was hired to teach remedial English at Edison High School, where, “Margaret ran the English department.” With a degree in theatre, Carol Lee continued to tell me how she was woefully unprepared for the job, “and if it hadn’t been for Margaret taking me under her wing, I would never have succeeded. She was a dear friend of whom I was very fond.” Carol Lee went on to reminisce about coming over to our house regularly to, “crawl on the floor with Kenny. Do you remember when your Mom decided Kenny needed to have his arms and legs moved?” She also asked if I was still an artist.

It was terrific to hear someone talk about Mamama again, especially someone who so clearly loved her, as we do.