I think I used too much fertilizer last winter. I knew the plow guy was coming to till my garden, and I wasn’t sure if I needed to scatter more nutrients, but I did anyway. If some is good, more is better. Right? This summer I have lima bean bushes that are waist high and nary a bean. Not even one, I think there’s enough nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in my garden to build a decent … [Read more...]
French Onion Cubed Steaks
Cubed steaks represent a great value in the meat department. An affordable cut of beef - usually top round or top sirloin – the extra lean cubed steaks have been flattened and pre-tenderized with a textured tool or machine. By pounding or running the meat through a tenderizer, the tough muscle fibers break down, but they can still give the old molars quite a workout – they’re still … [Read more...]
Ball Park Grillmaster Franks
If I even think about a hot dog, I’ve got to have one in the next few days. Same with Fried Chicken, but when a plump hot dog dressed with mustard, onions and chili enters the mental picture, it’s all over. Get me a dog! There are only a few really good places to get hot dogs in Charlottesville – Jack N Jill and Dairy Queen come to mind, but since it was Labor Day Weekend, I figured I’d have to … [Read more...]
James River Cellars and Jimmy O
There must be a million wineries in Virginia. Well, maybe not a million, but there are certainly a bunch of them. I have been to many and have yet to have a bad experience. Virginia wineries turn out some great wines. On Labor Day, we visited a new winery for us - James River Cellars in Richmond, Glen Allen, actually. We took the short road trip to see Jimmy O, one of the last performing … [Read more...]
Lots of Stripers in the Mix
Maybe all the strict regulations and conservation measures are taking effect. Lots and lots of stripers are being caught around Virgina Beach, in the tidal tributaries and lower Chesapeake Bay. Glide baits and live eels are working as the sleek warriors attack from docks, structures and any area holding bait. Nearshore boats out of Virginia Beach are running into Mahi as the warmer blue waters … [Read more...]
Beckley, West Virginia
I was still 4 when we were transferred to Beckley, WV. Daddy worked in an office with two other FBI agents. His territory covered 4 counties, and many times he was gone for several days at a time, often to the home office in Pittsburg. As I would come to learn, a lot of the work that Special Agents for the FBI did was investigative. If a woman from one of his counties applied for a Federal job in … [Read more...]
Moravian-Worthy Ginger Cookies
My Brewer family hails from Clemmons, NC, just outside of Winston Salem. This is Moravian Country, home to the best cookies on the planet. The Moravians are from the historical region of Moravia in the Czech Republic, who then fled the counter revolution in 1722. In 1753, many found their way to North Carolina and made their homes in the Piedmont Region. Of German descent, the Moravians can … [Read more...]
Outback: Almost But Not Quite
Went to the Outback for dinner last week. Hadn’t been in a while, but Nancy loves their pasta dishes, and I was hoping for some Bang-Bang Fried Chicken. Unfortunately, they no longer offer the Bang-Bang Chicken, but our dinner was very good, almost perfect. Almost. Our server was excellent, got us our water and drinks early and checked on us frequently, even though we were eating outside – … [Read more...]
Catching Some Bees
Last week I wrote about the perils on a yellow jacket nest in your yard. My stings are still itching, by the way, but I think we got rid of them with two heavy applications of Hornet/Wasp Killer. My friend, Hal Hurka, let me know about an even better way to eliminate the nasty stingers – let someone else do it. Hal says there is an outfit called Venom Collect that will come to your house – … [Read more...]
A Fresh Picnic Ham
Sunday was a special day in our house when I was a boy. We went to Church every Sunday, often just to Sunday School, but when we came home, the house was filled with the heavenly smells of dinner cooking. We called it “dinner” not lunch, because it was our main meal for the day. That night we would eat leftovers and watch Walt Disney on TV, but a Sunday afternoon was a time for dinner. Sunday … [Read more...]