Mexico: Crop Freeze, Price Increases and Unemployment

Word from produce powerhouse FreshPoint about the recent freeze in northwestern Mexico at the beginning of February when temperatures dipped into the mid-20's  for up to 6 hours:

MEXICO FREEZE: CULIACAN UPDATE:  On Wednesday February 9th 2011, Quality Assurance traveled to Culiacan Sinaloa Mexico to visit and view the impact the recent freezing temperatures had in the growing region and surrounding areas. Initial assessments after the freeze had outlined an event not seen in the region since 1957.

Produce endured low temperatures on February 3rd and 4th for a period 1 ½ to 6 hours in length at anywhere from 22 to 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures were cold enough to impact all open field (85 to 99% loss), shade house (60 to 80% loss), and green house (10 to 30% loss) grown product in Mexico.

The mass of cold air cut a swath from Mexicali to the Nogales Border down into Mazatlan and portions of Baja California San Quintin.

At the time of the freeze production in the area was in full swing from Hermosillo in the North and down through La Cruz Sinaloa along the highway 15 Corridor of Mexico. About 80% of Mexico’s production has been affected. It has been reported that in Sinaloa alone, 714,000 hectares (1.7 million acres) were affected by the freezing temperatures. An Area covering approximately the size of the States of Delaware and Rhode Island combined.

In addition to the loss of vegetables, tomato, and corn crops; 200,000 to 300,000 farm workers have also been affected by the frost. The mass migration south of unemployed agricultural laborers will begin between mid to late February as production slows in the region. Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon also visited Culiacan on February 11th, assessing the damage and pledging support in the form of seed vouchers and emergency aid.

Other highlights of the report include bad news for tomatoes (Roma quality to vary, open field tomato plantings a total loss, grape tomatoes extensive damange); cucumbers, eggplant, bell peppers (all total losses); squash (small plantings survived).  There are limited crops that were harvested after the freeze, but quality will be poor.  Time estimates for plant recovery ranges from 4-6 weeks (tomatoes), to 45-60 days (squash), 6-8 weeks (bell peppers), 4-5 weeks (cucumbers) and gone for the season (eggplant).

Plan menus accordingly.

It Was Just Like A Video Game

Fellow Texans, credit one 19 year old with ending the life of  a 200 lb. scourge, scoring his first hunting kill.  The Boy, home from college for the holiday, joined the duo of chefs Sevy and Chamberlain for a little east Texas hog hunting, leaving the house in North Dallas at 4:00 today.

As I was leaving Neighborhood Services at 6:30, post-dinner, the phone rang, caller ID tipped me off, "Did you kill something?"  I ask into the phone.

"Mom, I killed a 200 lb. hog, first shot.  I'm covered with blood."  OK, if you have a boy, you understand the excitement. 

Me, I was just as happy to stay home with Sister and watch Beauty and the Beast on cable.  Dang, now our three dogs want to know what smells in the garage refrigerator.

Whether it's pork or turkey this holiday, have a happy and safe Thanksgiving, with plenty of good shopping mixed in.

Get Your Pie Baking

Tomorrow, Saturday October 9th is North Haven Garden's annual pie contest.  While I've previously recommended a pie recipe, or two, this is one of the NHG contests I know I should stay away from, these are some seriously talented bakers.  Besides, with Sevy's Grill being a contest co-sponsor, for me, what's to win?  A meal cooked by my husband, while wonderful, is pretty common in our house.

There is NO pre-entry required, rules are here.  So if you have a great pie recipe and want to prove it, get busy baking.  OR, if you're not a baker, stop by for their free classes being held tomorrow on growing fruit trees, canning and pickling or how to make a no-fuss pie crust.  And then stay to sample the contestants pies.

Diary Of A Daycation

A few weeks ago Sevy mentioned he wanted to drive out to East Texas to pay a visit to Strube Ranch, producers of Wagyu beef, also known as American Kobe.   Their ranch is near Pittsburgh, and we decided to make it a scenic day, driving out on Highway 80, sticking to the small towns like Terrell, Wills Point, Grand Saline.  Eventually, when we hit the piney tree forests of East Texas we were going to cut north, skirting the west edge of Lake O' the Pines.

Chefriend Samir was having a birthday in a few days, so we decided to stop at Bob Well's Nursery in Lindale to pick up an olive tree as a gift.  Nobody was there when we arrived, so we called the phone number on the door.  Bob remembered us!  But he'd just had shoulder surgery and was laying low, so he told us to just take the tree we wanted and leave a check on the desk.  That's good country friendly.  He had many varieties of fruit trees in stock if you're looking, his prices make it worth the drive.

We arrived at Strube Ranch offices, located in a tidy metal barn surrounded by pastureland and encircled by miles and miles of red fencing.  And cows, lots of cows everywhere.  Meeting us was Tia Strube Ables, daughter of the founder, J. Larry Strube a "wildcatter" of wagyu when it was first developed in Texas, going to Japan and bringing back full-blood Wagyu semen during a window in time when exports were allowed.   Tia drove us all over the ranch in her truck, she was good country friendly.

They carry two grades of meat, Mishima and Gold,  scored using a Japanese BMS system grading the visual marbling of each piece of meat.  On their 2000 acres at any one time there is typically upwards of 5,000 cows, calfs and bulls.  They are fed minimally processed grains with no hormones or antibiotics, and are allowed free roam of the countryside, not caged inside barns during Texas heat.  About a year before they are to be butchered they are shipped to "select Iowa feedlots to be fed for 350 to 400 days in an all-natural, sheltered, low-stress environment".

About 80 percent of their product after processing is sent to the Chicago and New York City markets, including Kosher.  The 10 percent that does not grade "Prime" is shipped to different processors, but not sold under the Strube name.  According to Tia, a few years ago her dad was convinced that there could be a strong local market for his excellent beef, so he invested in a refrigerated truck and started visiting chefs and restaurants.  They do not use distributors, and supply a number of area buyers, including Rosenblatt Meats, Bonnell's in Fort Worth, and Chamberlain's in Addison. 

And now at Sevy's as well.  What can I say, good is good.  We've switched to their all-beef hot dogs for our All-American Kobe Beef Corny Dogs on our bar menu, we've switched to their tri-tips for our Kobe Skewers and inside round for our Pot Roast. 

So finding our way home required driving on several county roads before we came to Winnsboro, a charming town that Tia told us included a small pub tucked behind a bakery.   Hot day, cold beer, that sure sounded good, so we stopped for a snack and a couple beers at Brewbaker's Restaurant & Pub. 

We must have screamed "city folk" because owner Jeff Heath came by and introduced himself.  Formerly from the Dallas area, he bought a bakery and added the pub on the back.  On the weekends they feature live performers and bands.  Anyhow, Jeff was sure good country friendly, he sent Sevy and I some Bacon Wrapped Shrimp to go with the Pork Shank Ribs (excellent) we'd ordered. We'd put this on our "go back" list next time we're in the area.  

Continuing westward, facing the setting sun, we crossed Lake Fork, then a few miles down the road passed through East Tawakoni and West Tawakoni.  Twenty minutes later we were at I-30 and LBJ, another 10 minutes and we were pulling into the driveway.

Food In The City

At today's Days Of Taste class at the Dallas Farmers Market, a nice lady from  the DFM spoke to the kids about all the farmers who sell in the sheds and where they come from in Texas.  Then she went around the room of sixty-six fifth graders from Travis TAG Elementary and asked them if they were growing anything to eat at their homes (question - is catnip a human food?).  I had to keep my arm by my side - this class was for the kids, but I did lean over and whisper to my fellow volunteer, "We have olives".

We have olives, and blackberries, and blueberries, peaches, figs, meyer lemons, limes, shallots, garlic, arugula, butter lettuce, tomatoes, cherry peppers, banana peppers, and (whew) that's just what's fruiting so far.  Chives, dill, three kinds of basil, sage, oregano, thyme, lemon balm, stevia.  Our pomegranite trees are about to bloom but so far nothing on the black raspberries nor on the persimmon or mandarin orange trees.  And I just planted the lemon cucumber yesterday.

Why am I turning our backyard into a mini-farming garden?  Besides people thinking it's just so cool that you have real lemons and limes growing right outside your kitchen, I listened to an interview of Rosalind Creasy on The Splendid Table a month ago and I think she explains it so much better than I ever could put into words.    It's after the discussions on pizza, bulghar, and the interview with Master Bladesmith Bob Kramer, maker of the "Dream" knife (which probably should be at the top of every gourmand's wish list).  All well worth listening to.

Taste of Dallas Fashion

Sixty-six terrific behaving 5th graders from Travis TAG Elementary today shopped and bought fruits and vegetables at the Dallas Farmers Market to make some awesome fresh salads.  

Sponsors rock.

Amy's Agrilicious Imaginarium Tour

Last July I posted about my delight in traveling Highway 281 from Dallas to San Antonio.  And today reading Unfair Park, I see that a writer from the New York Times agrees with my love of this stretch of edible Texas.  Then Nancy Nichols over on SideDish asked for readers' fantasy culinary destinations, to which I replied that this trip, for some, can be as good as anything you'd have to fly to taste.

I mean think about it, Texas is the second largest agricultural state in the US, growing more than 60 different commercial crops.  But how many of us get out and explore the areas in Texas that produce these delicacies?  We're known best for our beef, perhaps allowing memories of state-bred fruits and vegetables to dim, our taste buds pounded down by the mediocre flavours of genetically modified, off-season imports. 

And how about that Texas wine industry?  It takes no longer to drive from Dallas to a vineyard than it does from San Francisco to the Napa Valley.  But how often do we explore and appreciate this?  Did you know that Texas climate and soil are very similar to parts of Spain?  Our agricultural department is helping state olive producers develop orchards to create more quality Texas olives and olive oil based on their early success.

We've seen a strong desire lately for a closer relationship with what we consume, whether it's by having chickens in the backyard, advocating for community gardens, or shopping at farmers markets featuring actual farmers.  And I have to think, feel, hope that there are others besides just me that would find a tour of the bountiful cornucopia of Central Texas a fun trip to make.

So I've charted out a weekend getaway for just such an adventure, travel would be from Dallas to San Antonio (and back) via luxury bus, leaving on Friday morning and returning on Sunday evening.  It would need to be between May and July, since that's peach season, and I love stopping for fresh orchard peaches at McCall's (sorry did I mention that this is my fantasy?).  It's just fictional so far, unless by chance I get 30 or so emails stating "I'm in". 

ITINERARY
Friday:   8am-9am - Load up and leave.  Coffee and croissants on the road:  Cleburne, Glen Rose, Hico, Hamilton, Lampasas.  First stop - Fall Creek Vineyards, Tow, Texas.  Picnic lunch, wine tasting.  Resume trip:  Llano, Enchanted Rock, Fredericksburg.  Second stop - Fredericksburg Farmers Market.  Walk, stretch, buy.  Resume trip:  5-10 miles.  Third stop - Fredericksburg Winery.  Wine tasting, sample items from farmers market stop.  Resume trip:  Comfort, Boerne, San Antonio.  Check into hotel (my vote would be Hotel Contessa, it's all suites, right on the riverwalk, and an amazing roof top terrace/pool).  After spending the entire day together on the bus, perhaps dinner should be left to everyone to arrange on their own?  Or we cross the street and take over Casa Rio - I'm great with either.

Saturday:  Before the heat builds too much, another bus ride to just south of San Antonio to visit Sandy Oaks Olive Orchards, looking and tasting the 9 different varieties of olives they grow.  Back to San Antonio for a tour of the Center for Food of the Americas at the Culinary Institute of America-San Antonio down the river at the former Pearl Brewery.  Maybe a little free time to explore?  Regroup for a bus ride for dinner at El Mirasol, a San Antonio favorite located in the north east neighborhoods.

Sunday:  8 am- 9am.  Load up and leave.   Heading north on 281, Spring Branch, Blanco.  First stop:  McCall Creek Farms for fresh peaches and vegetables.  Resume trip:  Henly, Dripping Springs.  Second stop:  Dripping Springs Vodka tour.  Drink, shop, enjoy (after all, you don't have to drive).  Resume trip:  Johnson City, Marble Falls, Burnet (stop somewhere along here for a quick lunch?).  OR, can snack and have something more substantial in Glen Rose at Rough Creek Lodge in the (later) afternoon?

Back in Big D by 6:30 pm.  In bed by 7:00 pm.

UPDATE:  Over on SideDish was the recommendation of cheese and beer production - sounds delicious to me.  I think this trip would be over-the-top fun if a couple of Dallas chefs were to participate as well.  And gift bags, there has to be (environmentally friendly recyclable grocery) gift bags with important things like wine openers, crackers, fresh bread, bottled waters, magazines.

Acceptance Speech - First Draft

You love me, you really, really love me (sobs).   I won Staff Favorite!

I owe this recipe to the lessons learned long, long ago at the euchre tables of mid-Michigan - when you have a winning ace, play the damn card don't hold it in your hand.   I have very few aces in my repertoire of food, most you'll find posted on TDCB don't involve cooking as much as they involve "making".   So when it  occurred to me to somehow transform my horseradish-garlic-peppercorn-dill-jalapeno infused Bloody Mary vodka into a salad dressing, I thought "Ace!".

I've learned another thing that helped with the development of my dressing, and it's about vodka - it's not just for drinking anymore.  Now before anyone accuses me of getting the judges at North Haven Gardens drunk thereby unfairly winning, let me say I submitted a virgin version for their perusal.  The spiked version I tried at home, and I liked it even better than the purely untouched batch.   But you never know which judge is going through Recovery, so I thought it best to leave as an optional add-on to the home recipe instead.   Maybe I should have spiked it in hindsight, and hoped for knocking one of them off-the-wagon.

So try my recipe, see if you don't agree, it's even better with a little vodka added in.

AMY'S "ABSOLUT"-ELY OUTRAGEOUS BLOODY MARY DRESSING
Makes 4 cups

½ c. pickle juice
juice of 3 limes
3 cloves garlic
8 whole black peppercorns
3 T. horseradish (pre-processed or peeled whole root)
3 T. tomato paste
1 can (11.5 oz) V-8 (low sodium)
2 T. Lea & Perrins Thick Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. fresh dill, fine chop
1 ½ c. olive oil
Absolut Citron vodka

Place garlic, peppercorns, horseradish, worcestershire sauce, celery salt and lime juice in food processor. Run until all chopped. Add pickle juice, tomato paste, V-8, process. While food processor is running, slowly add olive oil from the top until all is combined. Pour into container and stir in fresh dill, refrigerate overnight.  Right before serving, add Absolut to taste - just remember with vodka, usually less is more.

NOTE:  I purchased horseradish root, peeled it, cut it into 1" segments and soaked it in (Kosher garlic) pickle juice for over 2 weeks and used both the juice and the root in my recipe.  While the horseradish flavor was still strong, the bite didn't overpower the overall flavor of the dressing.

PS.  I could not have done this without the love and support of my husband, even though I stubbornly refused his help to keep everything fair he was still very supportive of my endeavor.  As the real saying goes in euchre - if you have a winning Ace, play the damn card - just don't trump your partner.

I've Got A Secret Weapon For Tomorrow's Contest

No, I'm not using the professional chef I love - that wouldn't be fair.  I'm making my own recipe for tomorrows Herb Salad Dressing Contest over at North Haven Gardens.  I've been soaking something for weeks to include in the recipe, hope it works.  Because so far this thing is in my head, never made it as a dressing, per se.   We'll see what the judges say tomorrow.

There is no pre-entry required for competing in this fun neighborhood event.  Just drop off 1 cup of your dressing before noon tomorrow, include the recipe and contact information, and cross your fingers.  There are prizes for first, second and third.  Personally, I think they need to include a prize for my category: Mind-Bending Delicious Alternative to Traditional Dressings.  If they had this category, I think I would have won their salsa contest last year.

More information is here.

Contestants, Start Your Blenders

It's another neighborhood cooking contest at Northaven Gardens.  The "Herb Salad Dressing Contest" is on  Saturday, April 24th, entries must be dropped off by noon.  Entry form and rules, here - there is no pre-registration required to submit your entry!

Dressing is made easy & fresh with herbs straight from your garden! Create your own and bring it in to NHG during Herb Weekend for our Herb Salad Dressing Contest. Be creative, have fun!

The top three finalists receive gift certificates to both North Haven Gardens and Snappy Salads.  Also, put on your calendar their Salsa Saturday Salsa Contest will be held on June 28th!  If you need a few herbs for your garden they are having a sale this Saturday and Sunday.

Or consider shopping in Canton, it's Trade Days beginning this Thursday (through Sunday).

Spring Is Cooking at the Dallas Farmers Market

It's time for the spring line up of the Chef's Cooking Class Series at the Dallas Farmers Market.  Brought to you by the Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food and the Dallas Farmers Market Friends.   One of the best cooking class deals in the city at $25 per class, it includes tasting plates of the items the chefs prepare as well as recipes to take home.  And if you purchase a 5-class package, OR bring a group of 10 or more, there's a discount.  Gift certificates are available too, so consider a class as a fun Easter or Mothers Day gift for someone who loves to cook.  To download the ticket purchase form, click here, to call for more information contact (214) 653-8088.

Kicking off the season on April 10th is Jim Severson, aka Sevy, of Sevy's Grill, he's been a participant since classes began 17 years ago and he will be featuring items from our new spring menu at the restaurant.

April 17th is Gilbert Garza of Suze Restaurant, he'll be showing the secrets behind some of the "house favorites" at his restaurant.

Scott Gottlich of Bijoux will be hearalding spring with English peas and onions on April 24th.

May Day, May 1st is a fitting day to celebrate spring with Chad Houser and Janice Provost of Parigi, and that is their cooking theme.

And your final chance to particpate is on May 8th, with Grant Morgan of Dragonfly Restaurant at the Hotel ZaZa who will be cooking spring cuisine from Dragonfly.

Now Testing

Amy's Completely Unpatented Citrus Tree Warming System.   After much reflection about last years protective covering system, which required too much time and the purchase of a PVC pipe cutter among other things, I was convinced that there must be an easier way.  So far (approximately 5 weeks) the coverings I've placed this year on my Mandarin orange, Mexican lime and Key lime trees has kept them warm and green through some amazingly frigid Dallas weather.  And it was easier and cheaper.  The real test comes over the next few days....... 

So what is needed for you to build one for your cold-sensitive tree?  First, Christmas tree lights (multi-colored and non-LED) were wrapped around the tops of the trees and down the trunks to provide some low-level, non-scorching heat.  Then I purchased from Lowe's the thickest opaque plastic painters covering they had and some small stakes.  For these three trees I purchased two 9' x 12' sheets, cutting one in half for the two smaller trees.  Finally you need a stapler, just a regular stapler and extension cords long enough to reach to each tree.

For a good fit (not too loose or the wind will blow it off) you may have to trim or bend (if branches are immature) the branches to fit inside , but leave plenty of room for good air circulation because you can leave these on for the entire winter (at least I'm planning to).  I measured the plastic to equal the height of the tree plus three feet and the width of the tree time 3 - this seemed to allow plenty of room for the seams and bottom.  Fold the plastic in half width-wise, and beginning in the fold corner, across what will be the top you will begin to staple across.

Here's the important part - you want to staple, fold, fold, staple.  In other words, first staple the sides together, fairly close to the edge (maybe 1") every 6 inches, then fold the plastic over twice and staple the fold again.  This will prevent drafts and heat leakage as the winds try to find their way in.  Kind of like a restaurant entry vestibule. 

Once you have the top finished, throw the point (clarification - corner) over the top of the tree, this will give more room for the branches, then start closing the long side.  When you get to the bottom, plug in the Christmas lights and stake the plastic to the ground.  One of my trees kept pulling up the stakes, so I wrapped an old blanket around the bottom to help hold it in place.

I checked inside the Key lime tree enclosure yesterday while it was in the mid-40's outside, a big puff of warm, moist air escaped so I closed it back up, and the tree looks pretty healthy so far, no paled leaves or mold.  We'll see how it ends up after this Blue Norther comes to greet us.

Cooking Classes for a New Decade

The most wonderful Freda Ballas sent me the Winter 2010 schedule for the 16th year of cooking classes at the Dallas Farmer's Market, co-produced  by the Dallas Farmers Market Friends and D/FW Chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food.  Classes begin Saturday January 9th through Saturday February 6th and the cost is $25 if you prepay ($30 at the door) or you can buy a five-class package for $110, call 214-653-8088 for more information.  The lineup:

Jan. 9 - James Neel of Tramontana "Soulful Winter Cooking"

Jan. 16 - Joanne Bondy of Old Hickory Steakhouse at the Gaylord "The World of Cheese"

Jan. 23 - Billy Webb of Opio at the Park Cities Hilton "Opio Cooks at the Farmer's Market"

Jan. 30 - Dan Landsberg of Tillman's Roadhouse "Super Bowl at the Farmer's Market"

Feb. 6 - j W Foster of the Pyramid Restaurant and Bar at the Fairmont Hotel "Foraging the Texas Landscape"

If you happen to go to Billy's class, ask him "how to cook" those award-winning show dogs he raises.

Gift and Take

Favorite thing I gifted?  A Mexican lime tree duded up with decorations.

Favorite thing I got?  A cupcake tree, which has been eaten and refilled once already.

November's News

Well there's that big food holiday, of course, as well as today being Chef Kevin Garvin's birthday. But there's some other fun things going on around Dallas in November, some in-town, some just outside. First, today is voting day, go vote. OK, here are some of the other fun things you can do this month:

November 2-5th and 9-12th (This week and next) - AIWF's "Days of Taste" program is what we need in all schools to help kids get over their "vegetables are yucky" phobia. Chefs, growers and the Dallas Farmers' Market combine with volunteers to help kids learn about good food. You can't miss them, they are all over the market in groups right before lunchtime picking out their veggies for the pasta salad they'll make back at the Resource Center. If you see them, slip them a few strawberries for dessert.

November 5th (Wednesday) - March of Dime's annual "Signature Chef" fundraiser is down at the Fairmont Hotel and Chef Kent has lassoed 20 restaurants, each plating small dishes of tasty treats. Tickets for the event are here, and the price includes helping kids who are born with some serious life-threatening illnesses.

November 8th (Sunday) - Help fund a cooking scholarship and dine on some "world-class" cuisine at Stephan Pyles Restaurant for "A Decade of Dining", a fitting name for 10 years of sending fiscally challenged students to top culinary schools. Chef Stephan has called in a fun group of Celebrity Chefs, each cooking a course. Last years winner is sous and there is a live wine auction for more fun.

November 14th (Saturday) - Chef Florine of Florine Bowman Homemade Quality Pastries will be the lead judge at this year's North Haven Gardens Fall Harvest Pie Contest. Chef Sevy probably doesn't realize yet that the first prize winner gets at $50 gift certificate to Sevy's Grill (I'll tell him later) as well as a $100 gift card to North Haven Gardens ($75 NHG gift card for 2nd, $50 NHG gift card for 3rd). And at 1:00 they have a wonderful fruit tree (FREE) seminar, it's worth every penny.

November 14th (Saturday) - Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce is holding the First Annual Pecan Harvest Festival, featuring the "Nut Ball Hop" (a dance, I swear), vintage cars, vendors selling food and stuff, and pecans. Chef Andre Bedouret, instructor at Milestone Culinary Arts Center and El Centro Community College will be judging the Pecan Cooking contests for cake, pie, candy and cookies - all leftovers to be consumed at the Nut Ball Hop (no kidding). No word on whether it will be a wet or dry event, and I'm not talking about rain.

November 14th (Saturday) - PR person extraordinaire Karol Wilson chairs the annual Fur Ball, "Paws in Paradise" for the Dallas SPCA, which is food-related because (not Chef) Claire Heymann is the Honorary Chair. They will be auctioning off one-of-a-kind specially made dog and cat food bowls. Not made by chefs, but I'm going to make that suggestion for next years event.

So that's it for todays edition, plan accordingly.

Two Days In Paradise

And I finished half of my Christmas shopping as well. I may need to go back next month to finish.

State of the Garden

So before the rain came (again), I took a few pictures of the last of the fruit on the agrilicious trees planted in our backyard in the last year.

There were a few end of season figs that the squirrels had missed, the crop was pretty small overall but the nice lady at Bob Wells Nursery in Lindale told me it's due for a "pop" of fruit. Plus we cut down a nasty old hackberry tree that was giving it too much shade. Once we get volume, I plan to make "Miss Figgy Jam" for my friends.

Both the persimmon and pomegranite trees had blossoms, but no fruit developed. Maybe next year. They should be fine this winter as long as I remember to water them, they are pretty cold-resistant.

I love the citrus trees, no insects, squirrels don't eat the fruit, but they are not so hardy. My Key lime tree was pretty damaged by the latest of last winter's cold and died back to 3 feet of trunk. It now stands at about 8 feet tall, but no limes this year, all of it's energy went into recovering not fruiting. Last year it produced so many limes I had to sacrifice some so the branches wouldn't break.

I definitely had to sacrifice some of the ginormous beautiful-looking (but sadly weak tasting) Mandarin oranges, I only ended up with three very large specimens. My Mexican lime tree had lots of limes, they are beginning to turn yellow, as are my Meyer lemons.

The Meyer tree is planted in a container and I bring it in the house when it gets below 40 degrees, the other citrus are planted in the ground and I will be better about covering them this winter than I was last.

Oh and our newest additions, Popeye and Brutus the Arbequina olive trees? Well, poor Brutus was killed (et tu, Deuce and Tres?), but Popeye has found his earth, with a large fence placed around to protect him from those dratted back-stabbing dogs.

Who Loves Olive Oyl?

Popeye and Brutus do - at least that's what we hope since these Arbequina olive trees are both fruit and oil producers (and self pollinating). Meet the two newest additions to our agrilicious backyard, Popeye and Brutus, joining Chyna (in background), our Mandarin orange tree. They are from Bob Wells Nursery in Lindale, Texas, which happens to be right between Dallas and Shreveport, where we went on a little birthday getaway. In December I'm visiting Mr. Wells again, he'll have black raspberry canes in stock, minimum purchase is 10 for $50 and they'll make fun Christmas gifts.

Arbequina olives originated in Spain, and are especially cold-hardy (down to 10 degrees Farenheit). But they also love the heat, poor soil, and dry conditions which make them perfect for the back of our backyard. Because, fully grown, they are not very pretty. We purchased 4 gallon plants for $39.50 each, and picked up a few extra for some chef friends.

So far all the trees planted in the last year have made it through a not-so-tough Texas summer.

Oh, and in case I don't post tomorrow (9/25), happy birthday to my very-much-fun honey.

Sex a la Lobster (Note: This Contains NO Adult-Only Content)

Courtesy of lobstermen Captain Bruce and hunky First Mate Fred aboard the F/V Hannah Mary, they were kind enough to take our group on the bay to show us how lobsters are harvested from the approved hunting areas.

Sorry about the poor camera shots, it was done with a regular Nikon camera, and the boat was bumpy, and there were all these lines and plastic tubing to navigate around. That having been said, it was the Cleanest Boat Ever, and a great lesson on the hard work these men do to make a living.

I can only imagine that this title will result in the most google hits ever to my blog.

Food Find - Lemon Cucumber

Well, actually I found it a few months back, at Lowe's garden center. But I just harvested the first one today, and sliced it open. Tastes like cucumber.

Sized about the same as a baseball, the firmness was more like a softball. The inside flesh while crisp is not as crunchy as the traditional variety and the skin is much softer (though that may be due to my familiarity to more of a industrial cucumber product).

There was no bitterness, it has a very slightly sweet flavor - but so do green cucumbers that have not been deprived of water when growing. It has a nicely mellow aftertaste, and a slightly higher acidity - but it does not taste like lemons. I would say that the seeds were a little tougher, I would probably remove them if using this in a dish. Burpless? Time will tell.

Concerned that perhaps I'd waited too long to harvest, I decided to pick another (younger) lemon cucumber. No, while slightly crunchier, it had less flesh and less flavor, so the larger one seemed to be at the peak.

So while I'd like to say we'll be featuring these at the restaurant, we may have to wait until a few more blooms decide to fruit - these were the only two I had on my plant. Hopefully I'll have a few more in the next month.