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Coffee
The delicious flavor of a perfect cup of coffee is incomparable. Required by many of us to start each day, it provides a boost when we need to focus – like through the 4 o’clock slump and accompanies friends gathered for a catch-up at the ubiquitous local coffee shop. The beverage so important that it was given its own moniker, ‘kaffe-klatsch‘, German for ‘informal gathering, talking or gossip where coffee is served.’ And I’m sure we can add to that ‘and imbibed with relish in the afternoon’ to underscore the status of this beverage. Bean or preparation? For me it is both- it’s a good quality bean, which before grinding,…
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Classic Blueberry Muffins
Comfort food and Sunday morning pleasure. These classic muffins are satisfying and full of flavor yet simple to make. Why go out and buy muffins full of additives when you can easily whip up a batch of these? I make them in Texas-size muffin tins for a hearty breakfast. The secret to this recipe is buttermilk. Use the full-fat, natural buttermilk. Line muffins tins with paper or foil liners – this ensures a perfect release and no aggravation due to blueberries stuck to the tin. Pre-heat oven to 400‘F/204 C 1 cup fresh buttermilk 1/2 cup butter melted 2 eggs 1 – 1 1/4 cups freash or frozen blueberries 2…
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Wine making season
As summer ends its brief, humid run, mid-September brings with it grape harvest and wine making season. A few short, frenetic weeks of work must be done before the temperature drops too low to support the fermentation that is essential to the birth of wine. The frenetic part is timing the arrival of the grapes with your supplier. It can be frustratingly hit or miss. If you produce just red or just white, then it’s not too much of an issue, you’ll buy your grapes, take them home and prepare to crush and press them. Since we make red and white wines, during a year that we make both, this…
