This morning Erin wakens me just before 5 with her first discernible set of contractions. We lay in the darkness together watching the clock, terrifically calm, but they subside. A false alarm for now.
In the darkness of the early morning I put back to simmer a fresh turkey stock that I started last night after carving the carcass of a plump young naturaly raised turkey that we decided to pull out of the freezer and roast. Dinner last night was splendid and a welcome constitutional after 4 days of back breaking work around here. I am getting closer to the end of the list now, carefully cleaning chimneys and polishing and refitting the pipes on our woodstoves. Every drop of creosote must be scraped and removed. The fire systems of our house cannot endure a margin of error or carelessness- the cost would be too great.
But back to dinner: I'll talk about turkey quite a bit soon I am sure in the coming days but it is arguably the best done simply. We serve it last night with a spectacular homemade Rhubarb Chutney that we make fresh in the spring and then freeze.
Here is the recipe- and believe me, it is killer on pork and chicken.
Len's Rhubarb Chutney:
We make this with the tenderest of early season Rhubarb- it is a rite od Spring for us here. Start by dissolving about a cup of white and golden sugar (3/4 to 1/4 ration) along with some red and yellow curry powder, ground cardamom and Turmeric, and a stick of cinnamon in an enameled saucepan. Stir until dissolved over LOW heat and then add about 4 and 1/2 cups of peeled and coursley chopped rhubarb, cup and a half of chopped onion, minced ginger and some chopped dried fruit such as dates, mission figs, sultanas or even apricots. Stir over low heat until rhubarb is tender and then take off heat and cool. Freeze if you cannot use in a couple of days...it actually freezes very well.
Anyway, enjoy.
Dylan's first day of school this morning. I just saw him off. The bus driver looks like he could star in a remake of Deliverance. Oh man.
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