The Girls

I don't know what to make of them. I guess they were glad to see us, there was no pooping in the nests the first three days after we  returned and I cleaned a pile of chicken shit out of one nest and put in fresh straw. But after three days the girls went back to their ways. Nothing like a warm cozy nest box to sleep and shit in all night. And I thought they would be happy to see us, after one laid an egg about an inch long. It looked like a pigeon egg. I'm not blaming Pete the Meat. Hell, at least he didn't fuck them, so they went without water a few days, they're still virgins--I think.

They are all laying now, and had some time out in the yard today with a little close supervision. I gave them an ear of corn, one caught a moth by jumping about three feet up, so I guess the girls are no worse for wear and they're pumping out eggs now.

The garden, with the cool weather is happy. I'll plant the lettuce seedlings I started and do some other work on the south-forty. Once the bamboo forest is removed and a redwood fence up, I'll be able to extend the vegetable garden quite a bit. The potatoes are leafing out, meaning potatoes for winter soups. Here's a recipe for potato soup that is outstanding.

Russets are good, any potato is good, and if you don't want the skins on when finished, peel the skins and use them to help make a broth. Once the potatoes are done, remove the skins or leave them on the potato. It's a big difference in flavor.

You can use leek or onion. The onion will give more crunch, the leek, a wonderful subtle flavor more like scallion. I myself, like onion. Cook the onion or leek in butter with some grape seed oil or just grape seed oil if you don't want to use butter, just until the edges begin to get transparent, leaving the inner part still white. Leek is different, you don't want to overcook leeks so add them with the potatoes and toss for a minute or two in butter and/or grape seed oil, which has a very buttery flavor.

Add your potatoes. How many? Well that's the beauty of soup isn't it. You always make more than you think and it seems to bring people over to enjoy every last bit of it anyway. Let's say a potato a person and one for the pot, large, or what ever would correspond to one large potato per person and one for the pot. Onions? one or two big ones, more if you're making a very large amount and leeks, you can be free with leeks even to having an almost equal amount of leek and potato. You do want more potato in both cases because the potato's flavor is subtle.

Slice the potato in soup spoon sizes, an inch chunk or bigger. Too small and they will break up, which if you want a creamier soup is good. But to have chunks of potatoes and slices of onion simmered in hot cream and butter is wonderfully good. After you seared the potato in the oil with the onions or leeks, which doesn't take long, and will prevent it from breaking up later on, add enough water to cover all the ingredients. You want to cover with good water, not from the tap water, get the chlorine out of water and you'll be amazed at the difference in taste in all your foods. Add some salt, more to taste but save the pepper for last or, I think better, a dash of cayenne when you add the butter near the end.

Cover and simmer just until a fork inserted in the potato can pull out. Much like for potato salad. Al dente' as the Italians say. Now add a pint(or more if you're making a large amount) of cream or heavy cream or whatever rich cream type of thing you want and a splat of butter, if you like butter, and fresh chopped parsley.

Do not let the soup boil, let it get to a small simmer, to a melting of the butter making a pool of warm yellow and the parsley still green and floating on top of the cream. It's important not to let the cream come to a boil, just a simmer, a slight bubbling here and there at most, it's done.

Serve in big bowls or cups with fresh, warm Buttermilk Bread.

I have had folks that I haven't seen in years come and ask if I would make them Potato Soup with fresh, warm, Buttermilk  Bread. The meal is like sitting by a fire with good company on a cold rainy night.