every day is a good day
Fiery clouds at dawn portend an auspicious day ahead. Something remarkable is sure to occur.
The dogs have discovered that a Douglas squirrel lives in an old stump. It’s dug tunnels through the rotting stump, and the dogs are adamant to find it.
Sadly for the dogs, even climbing up the stump and digging into it, fail to lead to success. The Douglas squirrel eludes them, escaping unharmed. Watching dogs climb a tree makes for a remarkable day.
This is a spicy treat to make with firm tofu. All you need is some firm tofu, fresh ginger, and salt.
The first thing to do is to grate the ginger. The more ginger you use, the bigger the bomb that goes off in your mouth when you eat these. Ginger is a good spice to use in the winter. It helps keep you warm. When you grate it, you don’t need to peel it. The best part of the ginger is in the skin.
Using your fingers, gently mix the tofu, ginger, and salt together. Don’t use a mixer or food processor as you don’t want to break down the tofu too much. You want the result to be a moist, crumbly dough. If you use a machine, you’re liable to turn the tofu into a dip, and then it will be too runny to handle.
Form the mixture into small cakes.
Dust the cakes with flour or with panko or bread crumbs.
Fry the cakes in butter or oil until golden brown. Four to five minutes on each side works for me.
Eat them while they are still hot. Other ingredients you could add are tomato paste, miso, coconut oil, honey, paprika, anise, allspice, or anything else you think could make them even better.
A garden can be as small as a tuft of moss on a rock. Moss are remarkable plants. They have no roots, but have a thin, root-like structure only one cell thick. This is how they stick to rocks and grow.
In the vegetable garden lies a zucchini from last summer. I let it lie to see what happens to it. At some point it should disintegrate and the seeds in it sprout, or so I am assuming that will happen. This is the wonder of having a garden. You can do all the scientific experiments you want.
In the woods lie many fallen trees and branches, knocked over by this winter’s storms. It’s amazing how much wood a small forest produces.
A benefit of living here is enjoying the many moods of Mount Blanchard. This is the only place where the Cascade Mountains touch the sea. Every time I bike to the post office or deliver eggs to tweets, Mount Blanchard gazes down on me.
Chickens have many moods too, from the curiosity of chicks, wanting to know what everything around them is.
To the piercing glare of a young rooster, and careful watch of hens, wondering if I have anything in my pockets they can eat.
Happiness is a basket of eggs. Hens laying eggs again is a sure sign that spring is just around the corner.
While we wait for spring to arrive, a good way to warm your heart on a cold day is with a steaming bowl of peanut butter-miso soup. I saw this made on a Japanese program last week, and it’s a satisfying combination that is simple to make.
For soup for two or three, take a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter and one of miso and stir them together. Put two cups of water in a bowl and bring it to a simmer. Add the peanut butter-miso mix and stir it into the simmering water. Then add cubed tofu and fresh vegetables such as napa cabbage, bok choy, spinach, and green onions. Add meat too, if you like.
The peanut butter and miso combination makes a surprisingly rich, complex, satisfying flavor. Use a peanut butter that has no sweeteners or fillers. Look for the ingredients on the jar of peanut butter. The only ingredient should be roasted peanuts. Or roast your own peanuts and make your own peanut butter.