Grilled Pineapple

92.  We all grill in the summer...mostly burgers and hot dogs...an occasional steak or brat.  But not Bobby Flay!!!  Have you seen his "Grill It! with Bobby Flay" on the Food Network??  It is awesome.  Check out this link:  "Grill It! with Bobby Flay"   You may never go back to burgers and hot dogs again!    Bobby grills everything and anything.  

Yesterday we had that Bobby Flay experience with grilled pineapple.  We spent the day outside and took a boat ride.

  When we got back to the house the grill was turned on and the pineapples were sliced up.  Our friends, Harold and Margie are so adventurous and fun.  They wiped the grill lightly with oil, sliced the pineapple in thick slices and then placed them directly on the grill. 

 It only took about 3 minutes per side.  Then wait till grill marks develop.  They removed them from the grill, right to your plate...skin on!  It was fantastic.  

    However you wish to make them...I know they will be delicious!

“Grilling, broiling, barbecuing - 

whatever you want to call it - is an art,

 not just a matter of building a pyre and throwing on a piece of meat..."
~ James Beard

Honey

91. Recently, my honey and I spent several days visiting with very dear friends. It was their 30th wedding anniversary and they invited us to share in the renewal of their wedding vows. They have always been fond of gardening, both vegetable and floral. When we lived close to them, we would visit their home and would always enjoy taking strolls through their perfect gardens with neatly layed rows of fruit trees, berry patches, and vegetables. They also were "bee-keepers" and had stacks of hives at the end of their property. I learned about a "bee-line", how every bee flies in a "bee-line" back to the hive. And how you don't want to stand or dawdle in a bee-line...or you will be in trouble.

At the end of our trip up north, while we were packing the car, making one last sweep through our rooms, we came outside to find a bottle of golden honey sitting on the roof of our car. It was from our friends. They have begun a business of selling honey and what delicious honey. It is "Bears and Bees Honey" of West Liberty, OH. They are not on the web, but only sell locally to maintain the freshest quality.

When I got back home, I made a batch of biscuits and we really enjoyed this great gift! I love just looking at the bottle...it brings many fond memories to mind of our sweet friends. Congratulations on 30 years of marriage...may the next 30 be a sweet reward in many ways.

"Tart words make no friends; A spoonful of honey will attract more flies than a gallon of vinegar."

~ Benjamin Franklin

Ripe Plums

90.  A plum tree grew outside our back door by the patio of my childhood home.  This tree was shade for our picnic table, provided a great opportunity for climbing and in the month of July gave us small oval shaped Italian plums.  My wonderful mother would bake all sorts of delicious plum cakes & plum crumbles, but my most favorite use of those ripe plums were plum dumplings.  Yes, dumplings!  She would make a soft dough, wrap the whole plum in the dough and drop them in boiling water till they would float to the top.  Then we would place them in a bowl, drizzle melted butter over them and then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar liberally over the dumplings.  When you would take your spoon to break into the dumpling, it would squirt red plum juice.  They were hot, sweet, buttery and so delicious!  I would love a bowl right now!

Plums are a versatile fruit... delicious when eaten right from the tree but so very delicious in a pie, crumble, plum syrup to drizzle over ice cream or cheesecake, jam or jelly.  But how often do you hear of plum recipes?  Not often, so I have a plum recipe for you to try.  

It is a "Plum Crisp".

Plum Crisp

4 cups sliced plum, skin on

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup flour

1 cup quick cooking oats

1 egg, optional

pinch of nutmeg

1 stick butter, cut in half

Preheat oven to 350º.  Prepare a baking dish, (pie plate, 9 x 13 baking dish or deep dish casserole dish) by spraying with oil or wipe dish with butter.

Cut plums and place in bottom of baking dish.  Lightly sprinkle plums with ¼ cup of the sugar and a sprinkling of cinnamon.  

In a mixing bowl place ¾ cup sugar, cinnamon, flour, oats, egg and nutmeg.  Melt half stick of butter and place in bowl.  Mix all together till a crumbly consistency.  Pour crumbs over the plums and spread to the edges of the dish.  Cut the remaining half stick of butter in pieces and dot over the crumbs.

Bake for 30 minutes or till the plum juice is bubbling and crumbs begin to brown lightly.

I serve the Crisp hot with vanilla ice cream.

I found another recipe, Italian Plum Crisp that is very similar.

Not only did the Plum Crisp turn out delicious but I made plum jam with the extra plums.

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. 

A good deed is never lost; 

he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, 

and he who plants kindness gathers love. 

~ Saint Basil

Clam Chowder

89.  One of my most enjoyable meals is a bowl of New England Clam Chowder. 

 While in York, Maine a couple weeks ago, we were excited to eat fresh seafood.  My honey loves lobster and couldn't wait to try a lobster roll...I just wanted a cup of chowder and clams.  We found a local restaurant 

called "The Lobster Cove" and they seated us upstairs next to a window overlooking the ocean.  It was so foggy we weren't able to see the ocean but enjoyed the view of the coastline.  

We were disappointed with with the 

lobster roll minus✰✰✰✰✰ it was basically flavorless and was served on a hotdog bun.  The fries on the plate had more flavor.  But we were happy to order the fried clam strips ✰✰✰✰and they were delicious, as well as the cole slaw.  

Now the New England Clam Chowder was fantastic!!!  Very rich, creamy and the clams were so sweet and fresh...I would give it a ✰✰✰✰✰

It was enjoyable being in New England again...and we really enjoyed staying at the York Harbor Inn.  The restaurant at the Inn was wonderful.  If you've never been to Maine, take a trip northeast...you won't be disappointed!

"We found some large clams...which the storm had torn up from the bottom, and cast ashore. I selected one of the largest, about six inches in length, and carried it. along.....We took our nooning under a sand-hill, covered with beach grass...I kindled a fire with a match and some paper, and cooked my clam on the embers for my dinner.  Though it was very tough, I found it sweet and savory, and ate the whole with a relish. Indeed, with the addition of a cracker or two, it would have been a bountiful dinner."

'Cape Cod' 

~Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) 

Grimaldi's Pizzeria, Part II

88.  We did it...we found Grimaldi's Pizzeria in Brooklyn!  The night was beautiful...we drove towards the setting sun...the line was long...but the pizza was fantastic!  It is almost directly under the Brooklyn Bridge.  And the pier overlooking Manhattan is just a couple feet away.

  Our 40 minute wait in line was adventurous with a guy who had "one" too many in front of us and a large group of women, visiting tourists, behind us.  The older Italian fellow, who was seating everyone, helped to make our visit very interesting and fun!  Not only did he seat us before the "tipsy guy" but "shushed" the ladies appropriately...hehehehe.  They were convinced they knew best how they should be seated.  

After we were seated, we looked around the very small restaurant and the walls were covered with memorabilia and photos of "Frank Sinatra".  

The kitchen was right there...you could watch the pizzas being made.  The older gentleman came and sat down at our table and asked where we were from...I think it was my honey's "Mets" t-shirt that got his attention!!! "Let's Go Mets"

Anyhoo...The pizza was delicious!  It tasted very different from the Grimaldi's in Garden City, NY.  So I mentioned that to him.  He said, "We hate their pizza!  That's the owner's son that makes that pizza and he doesn't know what he is doing!  We make the best pizza!!"

I like both...Grimaldi's in Garden City for their sauce and cheese and Grimaldi's in Brooklyn for their crust.  And our pizza came to the table 10 minutes after we ordered!  How's that for service?  

"Food for thought is no substitute for the real thing."

  ~Walt Kelly