Boxing Day with the Newbury Park Branch

Cashio Street Christmas

The Joneses

These cousins gathered to remember Darlene Jones Schipper and Dick Schipper on a cool, drizzly day in Cloverton Cemetery and then retreated to the Bladen home of Sharon and David Berns for lunch.

Left to right: 

Tonja Frank (daughter of Chad Jones)
John Schipper (son of Darlene Jones Schipper)
Casey Jones (son of Chad Jones)
Connie Badgett (daughter-in-law of Twila Jones Badgett)
Teresa Roof (daughter of Byford Jones and Sharon Berns' niece) 
Ramona Sieler (daughter of Byford Jones and Sharon Berns' niece)

Kelie Hargens (daughter of Teresa Roof)
Katie Groeling (daughter of Teresa Roof)
Vicki Roberts (daughter of Radford Jones)
Cheryl Bryant (daughter of Twila Jones Badgett)
Joan Schipper (daughter of Darlene Jones Schipper)
Darlene Badgett (daughter-in-law of Twila Jones Badgett)
Allen Badgett Jr. (son of Twila Jones Badgett)
Becky Wising (daughter of Jane Johnson Meyer and Ira's niece)
Chad Roof (son of Teresa Roof)
Janet Schipper (daughter of Darlene Jones Schipper) 

Taking My Parents Back Home. Road trip day 1.

This is the story of a road trip. The first one after the long Covid pause. I'm going to Nebraska with my parents' ashes.

We planned an interment months ago. We didn't anticipate a heat wave. It was 113° in the Cajon Pass when I rolled through. The clouds cooled travelers a little. The rain was good, too.

My goal was to get by Las Vegas (I stopped for gas) and I made it to Overton in the Moapa Valley in time for dinner. I think it was in the 90s when I arrived. Hot.

A solar array off US 15 near the Nevada Border

In the Moapa Valley. Almost quitting time.

Mt. Baldy Hike

A perfect day on the mountain.

Photo by Mary Forgione 

Posted by email 

Waffling On Sunday Morning

Got a new, tiny waffle-maker and needed a recipe without eggs so I could scale it *way* down for just me. Found several and then I riffed on one. The resulting waffles were good!

     

Brought all the toppings to the table: maple syrup, wildflower honey from Bloom Ranch, arbiquina olive oil from Adam's Ranch, butter (of course), sliced nectarine from Tenerelli Farms, but the classic model of butter and syrup in moderation delivered the taste I craved. So good.

The recipe I started with is from Mommy's Home Cooking. 

Egg-free Waffles

   140 grams all-purpose flour (use the flour of your choice or make a blend)

   2 tablespoons non-diastatic malt powder*

   1/2 teaspoon baking soda

   1/2 tablespoon baking powder  

    Pinch of salt

   1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)

Whisk together the dry ingredients.  Stir together the wet ingredients. Combine wet and dry lightly. No need to blend or beat this batter. 

Rest the batter for 10 minutes while heating the waffle iron and prepping the toppings.

Cook per your device's instructions. The waffle is probably done when it stops emitting steam but give it another several seconds on the iron to brown and crisp. 

Eat the first naked waffle standing at the counter to assess flavor and texture. (These calories are in service to the meal, so they don't count.) Adjust ingredients and method to achieve your ideal waffle. This may take several sessions.

Even this small batch was more waffles than I could eat. I'll cook the rest and freeze them following Oriana's advice.

*Non-diastatic malt powder substituted for sugar because I prefer a more savory waffle and it helps with browning (I think). And because I have malt left over from a bread making project so I'm always looking for opportunities to use it. It's delicious.

Breakfast heartbreak

No bread in the house. No biscuits or tortillas, either. How did this happen?

I've got the best part of breakfast on my plate and no sopping material available. 

That puddle contains a little tomato juice and some seeds, the essence of pork (sausage grease), runny egg yolk, black pepper.

If I had a cat's tongue I could savor every last smear.

Posted by phone.

Cashio Street Easter

Us and what we ate to ring in Spring.