Day 75, August 1, 2010

The first of August! One can almost hear the rustling and groaning in the farm field. Tomatoes are stretching to popping. Cucumbers and pumpkins are wrestling the cosmos for space. Bees and butterflies are tipsy with pollen, and the zinnias are shining brighter and growing longer, getting better and more beautiful every day. In the back corner, Debbie's Sunflowers stand at attention. Their dinner plate blossoms a welcoming beacon to buddy and drone alike.

In the midst of all of this activity, we are celebrating our bounty by cooking and simple entertainment. Last night, our mutual friend, Christian, and his friend, Jill, along with her Schnoodle, Jenna, joined us for steaks on the deck. I decided to make guacamole and pico de gallo, which is a fresh version of a traditional salsa.... Salsa Fresca, if you will. Here's the recipe:

REALLY GOOD PICO DE GALLO

Printed from COOKS.COM

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juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, (romas are the best)
2 to 3 jalepenos, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt

The seeds can be removed from the jalapenos to reduce heat, if desired.

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Stir well to evenly distribute all flavors and then enjoy. It tastes so good!

Submitted by: Gloria From Texas

I did, in fact, chop all of the ingredients by hand. Everything, with the exception of garlic and lemon, came from the farm. I used 1 - 1/2 jalapenos because I either like to enjoy the food I prepare, or am a basic wimp. In spite of the hand chopping, I made a good call by pulsing the entire batch a couple of times in the food processor. A much more uniform result. Using common tortilla chips, we ate almost the entire batch. I also sliced a couple of tomatoes... a beautiful yellow heirloom and magnificent traditional red beefsteak, interlaced with fresh mozzarella, garden basic, and a sprinkling of common extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

This morning, Deb made an omelet that really honors the concept of left overs. First she sautes a big plantain, and then she pours egg in the omelet pan, lays a coating of guacamole inside, seals the omelet and spoons pico de gallo and a little sour cream on top. The plantain replaces the need for bread, and the entire experience is fantastico!

Today we plan to spend a few hours at the farm. A friend tells me that she wants to come and help, and I sure hope she does. The noise in the field keeps getting louder; The thousands of lives I have set in motion are crying for attention!