Subj : Gardens [1]
To : Dave Drum
From : Ruth Haffly
Date : Tue Aug 05 2025 03:49 pm
Hi Dave,
RH> Did they all keep to their own ethnic cooking or did it (d)evolve into
RH> the average American cooking eventually?
DD> They each seemed to have a "special" dish that they clunng to. But
DD> ther rest of their diets were the usual mish-mash.
As long as they have something of the old country to bring back memories
and introduce the first (and subsequent) generation to the old world
food, they will do well. Those that move to any new area and try to hold
on to all of their past do not assimilate as easily. That's partly why
we tried new foods wherever we moved--and some became fast favorites.
DD> 8<----- ||||| ----->8
DD> I helped withb the "putting up". But other than jams and jellies or
DD> the occasional batch of fruit preserves - moslty "sealed" with
DD> paraffin - I've not done any "canning" on my own. The freezer is so
DD> much more handy.
RH> Big advantage of canning is that you're not spending energy to keep it
RH> "put up" Jars can be stowed anywhere and don't need power. Also frees
RH> up the freezer for stocking perishables like meats, breadstuffs and
RH> such like.
DD> If there is room in the pantry. Or the cellar.
Mom had a big metal shelving unit in the cellar right next to the washer
and dryer where she kept the canned goods. Easy for us kids to grab
something she'd request.
DD> I grew up in the Able Bake Charlie era. Not the Alpha Bravo Charlie
DD> that came later.
RH> My dad was in the former era also so when one of our cats had kittens,
RH> he designated them Able, Baker, Charlie and Dog, figuring they'd all
RH> find homes and new names. First 3 did find home, took mama over for
RH> spaying and she died on the operating table (genetic heart defect, we
RH> found out others in the same line had died young). We needed a cat for
RH> the mousekeeping chores so kept Dog and kept her name.
DD> I'll bet that got some raised eyebrows. I got adopted by a cat that
DD> had been mutilated (de-clawed) who lowwlowed me around like a dog. So
It sure did! And then she had kittens. (G) They were born the day the
Apollo 11 astronauts took off so we designated them Neil, Buzz, Michael
and Diana (Roman goddess of the moon--I was taking Latin in high
school). They all found homes so we kept Dog for some time longer.
DD> I named hor "Spot" not kowinbg, since I never watched Star Dreck thar
DD> one of the characters in the space opera had a cat named Spot. After
DD> several years she devloped some sort of kitty AIDS and I had to have
DD> her euthanised. I buried her behing the garage and had Krumsieck
DD> Monument inscribe a hunk of granite with "SPOT - A pretty good cat"
DD> Onlt pet I ever put a stone up to commemorate.
Sounds like she was worth it. Dad buried our pets on the back hill but
none of them ever got a headstone.
DD> So long as the meaning is clear. When people ask my sur-name I tell
DD> them "Drum. Like the musical instrument." Bv)= And I'm hard to beat.
RH> Groan. I usually ask (if not in a military context) if the person is
RH> familiar with the NATO alphabet. If they respond positively, I'll then
RH> say "Hotel/Alpha/Foxtrot/Foxtrot/Lima/Yankee, first name
RH> Romeo/Uniform/Tango/Hotel. Gets their attention. (G) On the phone a lot
RH> of people hear "s" instead of "f" so by using the NATO alphabet, it's
RH> clear.
DD> Especially when dealing with a telemarketer or customer "service" rep
DD> for whom English is *not* a firdt languager.
RH> Most of the former don't make it past the call screening program.
DD> Except when the screener get it wrong. Mine had Dennis' son down as a
DD> "generic robo-caller" until I went in a straightened it out. Bv)=
Sounds like a programming glitch.
DD> Skin and bone the breast halves. Butterfly them if extra
DD> thick. Pound to 1/4" - 1/3" thick (I use a heavy rolling
DD> pin and really lean into it).
RH> We mince a good sized clove of garlic and brown it slightly in oilve
RH> oil as the first step in making the sauce.
