Baldur

luckily the kirsch kept it nice and moist all this time

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Ha,ha,ha,ha ... sheftali, I'm still trying to get the marshmallow out of my ears.
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=53596

Robindcr8l

Baldur, I'm glad you liked your Ode. Didn't mean to make you cry, though. LOL

sheftali52

Haiku for Baldur

Baldur cryptograms
Entertain and provide joy
Channel Baldur rocks!

(Sheftali retreats to the mountain top and resumes Zen-like state of mind)

Robindcr8l

OOOH, Haiku! I'm impressed! Now someone should try a sonnet! (Don't look at ME! I can only write nonsense poems.)

lilalee

Where is he??

lynnspotter

Baldur! I think withdrawal is setting in for some!

Baldur

Ok ok, I'm back.

We are feverishly cleaning Chez Baldur in anticipation of a houseful of people next Satyrday. We're expecting 50-60 of our closest loca friends for our little intimate cookout. 'Local' is a relative term as a few guests are coming from as far as Albany, NY. That's a good 3.5 hour drive from here.

Baldur

+l=local.

This event, which we have hosted since 1995 is mostly attended by the Bear community. We expect upwards of 20 people will spend the night.
Thus requiring a breakast in addition to the dinner 'spread'.

The meal itself will be hamburgers, hotdogs and veggie burgers on the grill.
There will be a tossed salad and Baldur's potato salad.
Most people will bring a side-dish or dessert as well. There is always far too much food. Robert and I however know who among our guests are of limited income and we will be handing out copious 'doggie' bags.

Baldur

Each year Baldur makes a jaw-dropping dessert.
The most recent was two gigantic fresh blueberry cobblers (baked in the largest lasagna pans to be had in the Chez Baldur kitchens).
The blueberries were combined with sugar, a little cinnamon, lemon juice and some tapioca starch.
The topping was butter, oatmeal ground into a flour, sugar and cinnamon.
It arrived on the buffet table still molten hot and bubbling from the oven. There was plenty of French vanilla ice cream to top it with.

This year I cannot repeat the same dessert and I'm still undecided as to what to make. Because of the
invitees Baldur cannot use cherries or nuts. There are guests with serious allergies to each.

Baldur

Today Baldur made his monthly sojourn to his parents home.
Heavens, I need a stiff drink.

indigo

I'm a doggie bag hander outer from way back...it's a good thing!

Baldur

Doggie bags are also greatly appreciated by some of our guests who will eat better for a few days because of the bounty.

Baldur

I spent several hours weeding my parents vegetable garden.
We then had ice tea on the deck whilst I heard of the adventures that my siblings and parents shared in the past month. Baldur is always grateful that he chooses to absent himself during these 'events'.

It would be easy to claim that my parents are losing their faculties but they have always had odd quirks that Baldur tries unsuccessfully to fathom.

Baldur

Today it was a new one that got me.
My mother gave me some zucchini and yellow squash from their garden.
That is nothing unusual but the reasoning behind the generosity slipped out.
These vegetables had touched the ground.
Apparently my parents only eat food that has had no contact with soil.
Baldur wonders if they imagine that the markets are full of only items which have been grown hydroponically.

Baldur of course had to do something to horrify them. While weeding and chatting with Mother Baldur I noticed some purslane growing as a weed under her tomato plants. I broke of a good sized sprig and ate it.
She watched me carefully for the rest of the visit, no doubt certain that my death was at hand.

Baldur

I've known my parents to eat potatoes and onions, Baldur must remember to get this clarified.

A bright side to this story was that I found a most beautiful coleus plant in the garden and took a cutting.
The tag from the garden center was neatly inserted into the soil next to this beauty so I know the varietal name is 'Electric Lime'
The leaves are a bright emerald green with a web of yellowish-chartreuse veining. Glorious.

lynnspotter

Absolutely FASCINATING!!

lynnspotter

Do let us know when you figure out the potato & onion angle!

Robindcr8l

Baldur, if I may be so bold as to make a suggestion for your dessert?? My friend makes this delicious, and I mean DELICIOUS, bread pudding with a caramel rum sauce. I really don't think you will be disappointed, nor will your guests. She has made it for me both with and without nuts, but I am not a fan of nuts, so she did not include them in my copy of her recipe. I'm sure you could tweak this recipe to become your own (chef that you are!).
!
Bread pudding

* 8 large eggs
* 3 1/2 cups whole milk
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 1-pound loaf cinnamon challah or cinnamon-swirl bread, cut into
1-inch cubes
* 1 cup golden raisins


Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk eggs in large bowl to blend. Add
milk, sugar, cream, and vanilla; whisk to blend well. Stir in bread and
raisins. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Cover and refrigerate 2
hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake pudding uncovered until puffed and golden, about
1 hour 15 minutes. Cool slightly (pudding will fall). Serve warm with Spiced
Rum Sauce.

Spiced Rum Sauce:
* 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup whipping cream
* 2 tablespoons spiced rum or dark rum
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stir brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until
melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add cream, rum, and cinnamon and bring
to simmer. Simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 5
minutes. Serve warm. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Bring to simmer before serving.)

Robindcr8l

I"m warning you, though, that hot rum sauce is so yummy you will be dreaming about it for weeks!