Summer's End

The skies are gray, the leaves are collecting in the gutters, and the cats are napping closer together.


The daily tomato crop is winding down, the pumpkins are bright orange, the carrots and beets have been harvested, and the compost pile is growing rapidly.


The garage is stocked with peat, compost, and hay mulch to put the gardens to bed for the winter, as soon as the plants die off.


The gardening books are out, the spreadsheet is open, and I am deciding what to plant next year, building cold frames, and designing pea/cucumber trellises.


The hot soup is comforting, and I'm daydreaming about slow-cooked meats and baked goods coming fresh out of my oven, filling the house with pleasant aromas.

The best cooking class ever

Last night was the pizza class at Enrico Biscotti company in the Strip. We started with introductions, house-made red wine, appetizers, salads, and pasta with meatballs around a big table.

Then Larry took us through his entertaining version of the chemistry (millions of yeast cells eating sugar and having sex) and history of bread-making (starting with the Egyptians, then hot Greek girls making big beautiful loaves resembling Demeter's breasts, followed by hot southern Italian girls picking weeds (herbs) to make the mouldy wheat taste better, and finally Regina Margharita is presented with the first pica margarita at the port of Naples).

Then we proceeded to the kitchen where we watched a pizza dough-making demo complete with tips on the best ingredients and techniques for getting an even thin crust with no holes. We then worked our own dough balls into beautiful thin crusts, topped them, and baked them in the blazing hot wood-fired stone oven. In the meantime lots of sweets came out of the bakery for sampling. You don't go home hungry!

Are Pumpkins Weeds?

The pumpkin vines have gradually taken over the southwest corner of the yard, completely overrunning the ornamental garden and covering the fence. I can see three fruits taking shape.