When I moved to Atlanta in 1987, I lived a stone’s throw from the Pachinko House named in the lead to the NYT’s article on the BGE. I never ventured into the store in the eight years I lived there, although I was intrigued. It must have been the heat. But a couple of years later some friends in DC started raving about the Egg. Particularly after one gave the other a BGE as a wedding present. And then one of those friends, my BFF, GAVE me an egg for my 45th birthday. (I don’t know, he doesn’t have kids, I’ll never be able to reciprocate). The rest as they say is history. As anyone who has tasted my version of Zack Palaccio’s Fatty ‘Cue Ribs can attest.
You really can cook just about anything in the BGE. The Principessa’s Pizza is legendary around these parts. As is the fire roasted tomato sauce.
Filed under: Garden
I never really like fried green tomatoes that much….like the author of this post, I’d rather eat the crunchy coating and leave the hockey pucks behind. But, it turns out we may have been snookered.
Of course, since we planted so late, we don’t even really have enough for some fried green ones. Not that I’d harvest the first ones with a chance to ripen.
Filed under: Garden
Turned over the big bed and mixed in some manure/humus with the tiller. Segundo helped me plant beets. Also planted some lettuce and borlotto beans.
Growing up, Saturday nights in the summer meant one thing: Dad searing a chuck steak on the grill. And not just any marinade would do. It had to be the one below. The smell of this marinade causes serious olfactory deja-vu for me. And the best part is, if you reheat the marinade it makes a great steak sauce.
The cut of steak is also important for my deja-vu’ing. It must be what is known as a “7 bone steak” to trigger the memories. Mom bought it back then because it was cheap. We buy it now because we like it. The 7 bone steak is not named this because it has 7 bones but, because one of the bones in it resmbles a “7”. Mmm-kay. If you say so. But the great thing about this steak is that it gives you a bit of many different cuts and great flavor to boot. It may be a bit chewier than other cuts but the flavor is worth it.
The marinade/sauce will work on other cuts of steak. If you must.
Saturday Night Chuck Steak Marinade
2/3 cup catsup
½ cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. celery seed
1 TBS. Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. onion powder
Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Marinate a bone-in center cut chuck steak for at least 2 and up to 8 hours. Remove steak and reserve marinade. Grill!
Simmer reserved sauce for 5 minutes and either serve warm with steak or allow to cool.
Too many tomatoes, what a chore! NOT!
Primo and The Principessa made this wonderful tart on Saturday
Arrived home from a week at the lake to discover complete devastation of the tomatoes. Not really sure what kind of varmint we’re dealing with but a varmint for sure. Half-eaten tomatoes strewn around the back yard, both beautifully ripe and green. I guess the varmint ran out of ripe tomatoes mid-week.
This tomato was the only one left undamaged and close to ripe. But it needed at least another day (and probably two) so I left it on the vine. Came out this morning to find one tiny bite taken out of it. Curses! Foiled!
And so far it’s the heavyweight winner, even with a we bit removed. 2 lbs. 5/8 ounces.
Tonight we’ll have our first pasta sauce of the season from our own tomatoes. A simple Pomodoro I think.
Filed under: Garden
Wow, more than a month since I’ve posted. I haven’t even posted this years contestants and I just harvested the first 3 tomatoes. For the record they were Orange Paruches.
This year’s contestants:
Cherokee Purple (always a fave, makes the best BLT’s)
Old German (it takes one to know one)
Green Zebra
Japanese Trefele
Beefsteak
Rutgers (I’m in Jersey, of course I’m going to have this one)
Super Marzano
San Marzano Gigante 3 (I’m wondering what happened to 1 & 2)
Amish Paste
Orange Paruche
Chocolate Cherry
Sweet 100
After having the driveway repaved and the turnaround in back ripped up I discoverd I had room for a new bed. Raised bed, of course. And this one gets the best sun of all. So of course it will be the home for the bulk of out tomato plants.
Of course a lot of tilling was involved but since I caved-in and gave up on the old Mantis and bought a new tiller, everyone wanted to get in on the act. Primo was dying to till, and till he did.
Seen here, tilling the squash patch.
Fortunately we’ve got an eager 13 year old to help. But some folks don’t have the help at hand. Here’s a story Mom sent:
An old maan lived alone in New Jersey . He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard.
His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:
Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over.. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love, Papa
A few days later he received a letter from his son.
Dear Pop,
Don’t dig up that garden. That’s where the bodies are buried.
Love,
Vinnie
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.
That same day the old man received another letter from his son.
Dear Pop,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love you,
Vinnie
JerzeeTomato 