More ... thoughts on squash pickles

While I wasn't a vegetable gardener that first year I made pickles, we had a good bit of local produce from farms in and around Pensacola. So weekly, we (MotH, Dog1, Dog2 and me) went on a drive to the farmers' market near the river in Milton to see what was available - and yellow squash was plentiful and therefore cheap. At the worst, I wouldn't waste too much money* if I jacked it up.

The recipe started as one from the internet I found and like many recipes for me I couldn't quite make it as directed even that first time. I had to mess about with it - and that's the case for most recipes.

I have strong feelings about these pickles. First - You must use turmeric. I didn't the first time, largely because I was too lazy to get any and because I couldn't see how it could make any real difference. That was a mistake. Must. Use. Turmeric. Be warned liquid with turmeric will stain your pretty dishtowels with dragonflies on them. Second - I ate a lot of these pickles in the days following a hurricane. When the dominate noise was from generators and chain saws and all outdoors when from changing from initially smelling like pine sap from obliterated trees to smelling like wet nasty things that the trash men aren't coming to get for a while. All the while  - with all that associated history - these are still damn good pickles and I make them every year. Reminders of a hurricane or not.

*except in jars, lids, pot lifters, etc... you get the idea.

What I've done today...

Since coming home from work, I've made blueberry syrup, a batch of chocolate-heath bar-pecan shortbread cookies (Thank You America's Test Kitchen) and 2 pizzas for dinner --- on the grill no less and am very tired.

Still so much to do while the last remnants of summer are here...

Jalapeno Jelly
Serrano Jelly
Butter Pecan Cookies (can't find my favorite recipes - am devastated)
Another Key Lime Pie (more traditional)
Hot Carrots

It's getting darker earlier and earlier now which makes me want to cook more - just in time for the kitchen to be torn up. Ugh.

Poured rain for over a week now - given up on keep up with total - it's been toad strangler after another. One that finished up with a nice light rain - a bird rain  - where all the birds come out and chirp. I imagine it's a nice shower for them. But it's one of my favorite things - I love rain, rainy days, going outside in the rain (as long as there is no lightening).

Kitchen - first frustration

First day of true frustration with contractor - can't start anything (ANYTHING!) until cabinets arrive. ETA - end of the month. Damn it. That pushes remodel into mid November - prime cooking month  - damn it.*

*But it's a few weeks reprieve from packing up the kitchen (yeah!).