Saturday Stuffs: How does our garden grow, having a "beery good time", the Missus's favorite cheese, and other stuffs...

 Just a couple of things for a beautiful San Diego Saturday....

It seems that the recent hot weather really helped our peppers.

For some reason; like last year the peppers aren't as "hot". Don't get me wrong, the ghost peppers were still pretty darn hot....but it wasn't anything like our first years. I thing there's some cross pollination going on with our Padron Peppers.

Speaking of Padron Peppers. A couple of times a week we get a pretty good haul....

Like everyone else in SoCal, we've been reducing our water usage....so far so good...drip hoses and such....it seems the okra don't really mind.....

And it seem we have cut our water consumption by 30% or so.... Our front lawn is taking a beating though....

Some stuff from the beer vault:

I won't bore you on descriptions and such....but here's a few more beer photos.

I wonder if I'm the only one who thinks that Stone is kinda just resting on their laurels?

As Tony Montana said....."Say Hello to My Little Friend".....

A few weeks back, I went into the back yard to check things out before heading off to bed. I noticed this hard working little fellow....building what seemed to be the world's most ambitious web. Since then, I'd check every night to see if the spider was out there spinning his web. If I saw a work in progress, I'd grab a beer from the fridge and just sit and watch.....

Sort of like the "fish tank effect" I guess..... Impressive work ethic.... I'll enjoy it for as long as he's around.

The Missus's favorite cheese:

I've never really posted on it before...it's been something we've kind of enjoyed inhouse. But we do love our cheese. We usually have a variety on hand, 5-6 for a light nice spring-summer-fall meal. Anyway, the current favorite of the Missus who enjoys a fairly ripe cheese is the Harbison by Jasper Hill Farm.

The flavor is pretty ripe. And it's quite unique in terms of cheeses we've had in that's it is wrapped in strips of spruce.

Bread is a must and it's quite good with a nice "sour".......

I hope you're enjoying the weekend! 

Comments

[kat]

what a great round up!

[ken]

Nice write up. No, I don't think Stone is becoming complacent. I just had their Imperial Russian Stout and it was fabulous. Excellent food also at Liberty Station location. Seems like all of the more established breweries are doing odd-ball beers in one-off quantities. Must be something they do to keep the head brewers entertained (e.g, Manzanita's IPA with habaneros, the various dessert style stouts).

[Kirk]

Thanks Kat!

I have to disagree with you a bit Ken....I find the food served at Stone very corporate and haven't really had anything of theirs that I enjoy since Matt's Burning Rosids.

[Kyle]

Made me thirsty looking at those pint glasses.

[Kirk]

Kinda makes me thirsty too now that you mention it Kyle!

[janfrederick]

Ha, we have a large spider just outside the kitchen window that keeps us entertained.

I was thinking about finally getting a garden together (just in time for El Nono of course). Have you dealt with any rabbit issues?

[Kirk]

Hey Jan - Fortunately, we don't have any rabbit or gopher issues (yet) in our neck of the woods.

[Denver]

I've always wanted to try the Harbison. Looks delish. Where did you get it?

[Dancing]

okay so once in a while there are things i read on your blog that make it seem like you and/or the missus are on the same wavelength as hubby and/or i... like when both you and hubby were both trying a lot of recipes out of the ottolenghi cookbooks. or the way you describe the o'brien's parking lot. and lots of other things. anyway, today it is the harbison pic and also the orb weaver observations. i LOVE harbison and up until last month could only find it in NH/VT where hubby and i have had to travel between a lot in the last two years. i was SO surprised to see it at a whole foods here last month. and had to buy it right away because i won't go to NH/VT quite as often this year and harbison is one of the first things i get at the store there when i go. so yummy, huh? i don't usually use umami to describe cheese flavors but i think harbison is one where the word applies! oh and yes orb weaver spiders... fascinating how they build a new intricate web daily! i would totally rather watch that than watch a trapeze artist at a circus (well and plus circuses have clowns and sometimes mistreated animals and other things i don't find so pleasant either). orb weavers are amazing and their webs are so beautiful.

[Kirk]

Hi Denver - We got it from Whole Foods...we're going through our second wheel! I've also seen it a Venissimo. Enjoy!

Hi Dancing - The Harbison
s flavor is so complex...mustardy and nutty at first, with an almost popcorn-sweet-earthy flavor. I just love watching the spiders build their webs.....

[Lynn @ Oh-So Yummy]

those peppers are so vibrant! i wish i were growing some though i cant actually handle spicy foods! we landscaped with drought tolerance plants and honestly i have hardly watered them. one did die though but it wasn't established. need to revisit my yard soon though.

[Kirk]

Hi Lynn - You know, I've procrastinating replacing our front lawn...I guess I'm too busy eating? ;o) I just finished making a batch of ghost pepper hot sauce...which always has me thinking that I really can't handle much spicy foods either! cough-cough....