food

truths of a late night /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

Being truthful demands persistence. It sits rightthere next to credibility. Honesty. It’s a willingness to act on what you meanby also relaying the information as factual. Truth. My second grade historybook told me of George Washington becoming president because of his truthfulnature. Makes me wonder if he'd lied about that cherry tree gig if we'd have adifferent face on our one-dollar bill.

Confessions are rewarding and like Mr. Washington, I too cannot tell a lie.Late, late last night I spent just a few minutes standing all by myself at thekitchen counter with a spoon in one hand and a pint of Ben and Jerry's in theother. No chair. No television playing in the background, just the florescentlight and myself as the rain made its presence on the kitchen window. The clockread 2:11 while I slowly and carefully guided the spoon along the edge if the containerfor another pass. As a man on a regimented diet and Zocor, I wasn't really being unfaithful. Iwas simply being truthful to Ben and Jerry's Late Night Snack packaging. I also happened to be on vacation. The clock ticked. I held my ground and the container before going in for onefinal pass before heading to a pillow and a nap.

I like telling the truth. It helps to tell my story rather than telling someone else's.

today is from yesterday /  by admin

waiting on brunch
Today was spent with my past. After receiving a phone call earlier this week about a hurried attempt for a family reunion, we made the hour and a half drive to be outdoors, sit in lawn chairs under big shade trees, and spend time with people that I haven't seen for decades, some since I was a child. I'm unsure what was more satisfying, the wonderful and genuine conversations or the numerous tables lined with dishes upon dishes of home cooked foods. So many of these people seemed exactly the same as when I'd last seen them. Both the food and the people were comforting, real, and a gathering of numerous yesterdays. 
I listened to stories of hardships and illnesses, each of which all closed with faith, hope, recovery, and a smile. There was talk of joys, proud graduations, new marriages, and others of decades long. I met the children of the children of the children that I use to play with each summer at the river and shared meals and laughter with at all of those winter holiday family gatherings during my youth. 
The pace of our society and our hurried lives make it awfully easy to put off attending an event like today. It was one of those personal moments of reflection and I am so happy to have taken the time and initiative to spend the day with my family from my yesterday. Although I rarely see these kinfolk, they've all contributed to my life, and good or bad, each can take a smidgen of credit for me being me.

Gathering with all of the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, and children of the children made me feel like I was a kid again…just forty years older. 

remnants and tastes of irene /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

The evening's reward from Sunday's hurricane Irene clean up included my variation of E.A.T.'s Roasted Corn salad; fresh picked tomatoes, grilled and bbq'd pork, vidalia, pineapple, orange pepper, and mushroom shish kabobs; brown rice mexicana; hot tortillas; and cervesas of choice.

Let mother nature reign. Bon Appetit Irene!

summer eats draw closer to close /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

Following Irene's rage along the east coast yesterday, much of today was spent cleaning up remnants from her path. Afterwards I picked what few vegetables were ready from our garden. Our crop is certainly thinning and the plants are beginning their fade to their autumn camouflage. The summer days are getting shorter, but the food is still fresh for the time being.

smelling the gospel /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

As summer days are slowly drawing shorter, fruit from our garden have become much more present in the kitchen. Following a thought engaging morning service, I exited the church parking lot turning eastward rather than my usual western direction. I had a plan and it required a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up a package of turkey bacon and loaf of 12 grain bread.

Within an hour, I'd cooked the bacon, broiled the slices of bread with olive oil and grated parmesan, and sliced a few of our beautiful vine ripened tomatoes.  After a splash of mayo and a dash or two or three of salt and pepper, we enjoyed some of the finest sandwiches we've had in a long, long time.

My faith is my own. I fall way short of being a Bible scholar, but I don't ever recall reading any scripture passages about such a glorified sandwich. If the gospel were to have an aroma though, I'd like to think it smelled like BLTs. Amen.

picking life from the vine /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

We spent this morning picking tomatoes from our half a dozen or so plants while a pot of freshly brewed coffee waited on us. Despite the soaring heat and very little rain this summer, our plants have been exceptionally fruitful over the past month. With the lack of Mother Nature's moisture however, our cucumbers haven't done nearly as well. Perhaps that's about to change since I finally picked one today.

I love the color that the freshly washed colanders of tomatoes add to my kitchen. With the morning harvest, I wanted to prepare a pasta and fresh tomato dish for dinner this evening. I enjoy the way life has its way of surprising us. Ask and you shall receive. While enjoying my second cup of coffee, I read my friend Tim's blog. His post for the day was just what I was looking for, Bombolini Pasta. Perfect! Along with a fresh green salad using our lone cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced pears, crumbled feta, and a splash of balsamic vinaigrette, we may have a date night meal in the making.

Check in with Tim and his E.A.T blog regularly. He offers great ideas; great tastes, and is one incredibly inspiring man in the kitchen. Cheers to ripening life. Go pick yours.