Just as airplanes use RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging) and submarines use SONAR (SOund NAvigation and Ranging), Cindy uses her built-in FOODAR (FOOd Detection And Recognition) to locate wonderful places to eat. It's especially handy while we're traveling, and I have to say it's never steered us wrong.
It came in especially handy during our recent trip to New Mexico, leading us to restaurants that served traditional New Mexican food, such as the Church Street Cafe and the Pueblo Harvest Cafe and Bakery at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque.
I was especially glad that a we ate at the Artichoke Cafe in Albuquerque, because their food was "New American Cuisine", modern takes on classic dishes, some of which I actually recognized.
I was somewhat apprehensive before we went to New Mexico, wondering if I would find anything to eat there that did not contain chiles or peppers. We had found a list of the "Top 20 New Mexican Foods" that didn't seem to hold out much hope of that.
Here's the list:
1. Green Chile
2. Green Chile Cheeseburgers
3. Chiles Rellenos
4. Red Chile
5. Carne Adovada (red chiles)
6. Stacked Red Chile Enchiladas with a Fried Egg
7. Huevos Rancheros (blue corn tortillas with eggs, red and/or green chiles on top
8. Blue Corn
9. Tamales
10. Tortillas (I can eat those)
11. Chicharrones (pork rinds)
12. Chicos
13. Posole
14. Beans
15. Calabacitas
16. Horno Bread
17. Navajo Fry Bread
18. Sopaipillas
19. Pinon nuts (now you're talking--I love pine nuts)
20. Biscochitos
http://www.nmmagazine.com/article/?aid=89545#.VbUunXj2CpH
Cindy actually managed to eat at least half the things on that list. I pretty much lived on tortilla chips and cheese quesadillas.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Janet's Garden
Like many other people living here in San Diego's version of a dry Mediterranean climate, our friend Janet has created a beautiful, colorful garden that does not include a lush, water hogging lawn.
Instead, she has used many varieties of succulent and drought-tolerant plants to create different textures and color combinations.
The variety of containers she uses also allow her to create a landscape with many different elevations.
And the great thing about containers is that the plants in them can be taken with you if you happen to sell the house and move.
Congratulations on creating a great garden, Janet!
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| Textures |
Instead, she has used many varieties of succulent and drought-tolerant plants to create different textures and color combinations.
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| Color |
The variety of containers she uses also allow her to create a landscape with many different elevations.
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| Elevation |
And the great thing about containers is that the plants in them can be taken with you if you happen to sell the house and move.
Congratulations on creating a great garden, Janet!
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Tomato Report
The tomatoes are up and loaded with ripening tomatoes.
As with last year's crop, the plants that had been grafted onto tomato root stock that is resistant to bacterial wilt diseases are out-performing the ungrafted plants all the way around; they're taller, bushier and are producing larger tomatoes. We lost three of the plants we had grafted in March (see: Dr. Cindy and Dr. Kay Operate), but the rest of the grafted plants are doing well.
Cindy pulled out the ungrafted Sioux plant a couple of weeks ago because it was rapidly succumbing to disease. Now the Kewalo tomato is also showing some signs of blight, although it is supposed to be resistant to both nematodes and bacterial wilt.
However, the rest of the plants look like they're going to produce plenty of tomatoes this summer.
As with last year's crop, the plants that had been grafted onto tomato root stock that is resistant to bacterial wilt diseases are out-performing the ungrafted plants all the way around; they're taller, bushier and are producing larger tomatoes. We lost three of the plants we had grafted in March (see: Dr. Cindy and Dr. Kay Operate), but the rest of the grafted plants are doing well.
Cindy pulled out the ungrafted Sioux plant a couple of weeks ago because it was rapidly succumbing to disease. Now the Kewalo tomato is also showing some signs of blight, although it is supposed to be resistant to both nematodes and bacterial wilt.
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| Kewalo Tomato Plant |
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Hotel Del's Garden
We've been making each Thursday a "play day" for the past two months, taking the opportunity to enjoy some of the places and sights in the San Diego area, so Thursday before last we went to the Hotel del Coronado for breakfast.
Walking along the beach access to the hotel, we discovered the Hotel Del's vegetable and herb garden; square after square of beautifully tended and carefully labeled raised beds.
It was very impressive. Cindy particularly liked the chalkboard labels on each bed.
And, of course, having just been to Hotel Del and celebrating the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges the following day, we just had to watch Some Like It Hot, which was filmed at Hotel Del in 1959: https://hoteldel.com/press/like-hot-filmed-hotel-del-coronado/ .
Always fun!
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| Hotel Del Coronado, Not the "Seminole-Ritz" |
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| Herb Beds |
And, of course, having just been to Hotel Del and celebrating the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges the following day, we just had to watch Some Like It Hot, which was filmed at Hotel Del in 1959: https://hoteldel.com/press/like-hot-filmed-hotel-del-coronado/ .
Always fun!
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