3 Kitchen Tips I Learned in Girl Scouts, Plus 1 More

The other day I was baking some cookies - yes, baking cookies, something I thought I'd put behind me years ago, but Becca and her boys are such an appreciative audience I've begun to do it again - when I realized I had carefully put aside the wrappers from the sticks of butter to use in greasing the cookie sheet. It occured to me that is a tip I'd learned as a Girl Scout so many years ago, in Winnetka, Illinois. I realized also that my habit of wiping the top of a can with a dishtowel before opening it also was something I'd learned in Girl Scouts. Jane Strong, who seemed to have an extended career as our girl scout leader, always wiped the top of a can before she opened it...we used to tease her she was afraid of "Jewel dust" - "Jewel" or the Jewel Tea Company being the name of the area supermarket chain. So, while we teased her about "Jewel dust", I've carried on that habit nearly 50 years.

From our day camping experiences to the Skokie Lagoons came the recipe for "Campfire Stew", or "Camper's Stew", or "Girl Scout Stew" which was a staple in our household when my girls were growing up, and which every so often I still have a hankering for today:
In a skillet, heat a little oil and then lightly saute a chopped onion. Add about a pound of ground beef and brown, then add a can of Campell's Vegetarian Vegetable soup (the "alphabet" soup). I'm pretty sure we served in on hamburger buns then, but now I prefer it on buttered egg noodles.
Now for a kitchen tip I learned recently, when you have brown sugar hardened in the box - it works for white sugar as well - pat a little water on the outside of the box and stick in the microwave for about 10 seconds. The moisture released breaks up the sugar clumps.

Market Transitions

Not all market changes are in the stock market, here in Vermont our farmers' markets are transitioning too. Last Saturday was the last day of the Shelburne Farmers' Market for this season. Since from June through October for two years I've spent my Saturdays between Shelburne Farm's stand and Palmer's Maple Syrup, I'll miss it this winter. I'll miss my weekly chocolate chip from Vermont Cookie Love (though they will be opening a shop in nearby North Ferrisburg around Thanksgiving), and my occasional jar of Sonia's Salsa (available also at the Shelburne Supermarket). Most of all I'll miss my regulars, who stop by every week or two to see what is new, and my out of state customers who are now returning on their vacations a second year.
This weekend I'll close out Richmond Farmers' Market's season, and make an appearence at the Middlebury Farmers' Market. Soon, I'll be starting the new Winter Farmers' Market seasons. At the Burlington Winter Farmers' Market I'll see Tasha and Annie from Shelburne Farms and Beth Whiting from Maple Wind Farms.
Here are a few of my favorite new items I'll be vending at farmers' markets this weekend, which are also available at http://afterall.etsy.com. I'm crazy about the little clothespin apron in vintage clothesline fabric. I've added a "farmers' market bib" and a great bunny print one. New aprons include some fabulous Asian and Provence prints.

Cedar Waxwings

I ran across a bush full of cedar waxwings in the yard today, and as usual, they stopped me in my tracks.
Not only are cedar waxwings lovely birds, worthy of a long look, but they bring back a visceral memory...of late winter seven years ago, standing outside the Vermont Respite House with my good friend Susan Hartman, as my mother lived one of her last days inside. That day the a tree was full of cedar waxwings and we paused at it a long, long time. It is a bittersweet memory, of life and of death, but as is in most things the message of life comes through the strongest.

Local Color

Last week found me telling out of state friends and family there was very little fall foliage apparent in the Champlain Valley. From here at the Mount Philo Inn on the west side of Mount Philo, looking west to Lake Champlain, the view was predominently of greens and yellows.
However, Friday I drove to Richmond for the Richmond Farmers' Market and to my surprise very quickly as I travelled east the colors became more intense, and by the time I got to Richmond the leaves were in full color. At home, seemingly overnight the reds appeared, especially in the sumac, and by Saturday and the last Shelburne Farmers' Market the colors, if not at peak, were very pleasing.
Here are some photos I took around the Inn over the weekend, as well as a couple new aprons in autumn colors which I have listed on my etsy shop.

Computer Meltdown

Oh, my dear, I haven't posted on this blog for over two months! I'm not a faithful blogger but that is ridiculous!!!
A good part of the problem, besides competing demands on my time and attention, was a computer meltdown several weeks ago. My faithful laptop got infected with a virus and after trying first aid on it myself it completely went down.
If you live in the greater Burlington, Vermont area the answer to this kind of problem is Pierre at Recycle North. He is terrific, a magician, in fact, particularly when it comes to older computers such as mine, which was daughter Liz's when she was an undergrad. I have a sentimental attachment to it, and while old it works just fine for me and I don't need anything fancier. Anyway, Pierre took it into intensive care and it lives to fight another day.
In the meantime, however, my email got backed up, and I have lots of photos etc. stored online that need to be downloaded once again, so I've been avoiding the computer as much as possible since it returned...just opening it up reminds me how much work I have to do. Well, I'll try to be more faithful.