Those lingering August days fetch an yearly summer rite of passage to our farm-place kitchen atInn Serendipity : the kitchen counter extend with the garden harvest home . Frombeanstobroccolito heaps oftomatoes , we ’re thankful for Mother Nature ’s abundance but would like to see that countertop again .
We necessitate a recharge and reboot of our ebullience for garden processing around this time of year . Thestrawberry jamwe so sky-high watch simmering on the stove back in June is a faded memory , and we feel overwhelmed by the increasing zucchini pileup on the riposte . Just as you want to change up your gym workout routine for proficient training , judder up your garden - processing routine to add a needed late - summer boost . Here are some “ training maneuver ” that worked in our kitchen :
1 . make a kitchen play list . UsePandora , a free Internet wireless land site , to append a fresh , customized soundtrack to your processing - kitchen scene . Lisa is quite affectionate of a Michael Buble and Frank Sinatra mix , swish catchy swing music strain that make blanching those edible bean feel like a swanky political party .
2 . Add a new tool . Is there something that would make your processing easier and save time ? We ’re addicted to kitchen shears , something we can maneuver much easy than a knife . Shears make thing like chop spinach for blench specially easy .
3 . Involve the kids . There ’s always something child can do to serve with processing . When our son , Liam , was little , he was in billing of shellingpeas . Now 10 class one-time , he ’s advanced to some supervised tongue jobs . But more than providing additional men , partake kitchen time with your child opens up ample time for conversation .
4 . Listen to books on taping . Just like on a long machine route slip , listening to a good Word of God on tape recording cause the hours go by fast in the kitchen . This summer Lisa and Liam hear to one of Liam ’s favorite books while process together : The Candy Shop War , by Brandon Mull , turned washing and coring Lycopersicon esculentum into an interactive book golf-club .
5 . Break It DownWith all the other garden and farm chores going on , we often do n’t get started on the food processing to - do lean until after supper . By that clock time of day , it ’s well-situated to finger overwhelmed by the plain volume of everything that needs to be processed , so break thing down . Do one dance step in the even and then finish up when you ’re fresher in the daybreak ( specially of import if you are , like Lisa , not a night owl ) . For deterrent example , at nighttime , Lisa will wash and chop the Swiss chard and then refrigerate ; first affair the next solar day , she ’ll blanch , cool and pack the leaf beet .
Here ’s to finishing the summer garden processing marathon and savour all our hard body of work around the cozy woodstove all winter long !
Savoring the good life ,
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