Halloween Scare

I got into a bad car accident over Halloween Weekend and totaled my car. It was very scary. Later on Andy and I were listening to Fresh Air and Keith Richards was being interviewed by Terry Gross. He has some perspective on the subject and his words gave me some comfort. 'Boom. We all bump into death at one point or another honey. If it ain't (death) you just carry on with life'.

Happy Halloween

We intend to have a viewing of Nosferatu tonight in our garage after dark, after trick or treating. Stop by if you dare.

Saving Chickens in Norwood

Right now Jeanne and Frank and Lia have chickens in their backyard (they have since April) and every day they get a basket of beautiful eggs like this! A few weeks back Jeanne got a knock on her door from the health department regarding her chickens. Keeping chickens in Norwood is currently a misdemeanor but Jeanne is changing that! She has been really organized and positive in her approach, inviting members of Norwood City Council to her house to see their coop, getting petitions signed and getting a great turnout of friends and family to attend the City Council meeting this week.

We couldn't be more proud of Jeanne for standing up for her chickens in Norwood at City Council and attempting to change the laws to make chickens legal in backyards. The council passed a motion to send a letter to the Health Department asking them not to enforce the law regarding Frank and Jeanne's chickens. They seemed open to giving them a variance, with an understanding that other families could apply for variances as well. They are also considering changing the law entirely. Two council members publicly thanked Jeanne and commented how impressed they were with the crowd she had gathered in response to this issue. One called this a 'textbook case for how to approach government to make positive change'. Frank, Jeanne and Lia's chickens are safe for now and we suspect they will be from now on. Even better, Jeanne's neighbors may soon be able to raise their own chickens too.

Congratulations Jeanne, Frank and Lia!

Apple Butter

For apple butter, we cooked down five bushels of apples which we learned was the perfect amount to fill our kettle. We cooked the mixture longer and so it is a bit darker, sweeter and smoother. We also used a greater variety of apples this year: Winesap, Macintosh, Black Twig, Mutsu, Rome and Yellow Delicious.

We are grateful to friends and family who helped all day. Lia helped bring everyone apples to cut and peel.

Yuko and Stephanie, Gillian and Jeanne were my crew in the morning and at night! With lots of other helping hands along the way. Thanks also to Phil for cooking the brisket and peeling apples, Johnny for setting up the movie projector in the garage, Melissa for help with canning, my dad for all of his hard work before, during and after the party, my mom and countless others for stirring and jumping in here and there. There's no doubt that making apple butter is a lot of work and we couldn't do it with y'all.

Four steamers going at once to soften the apples

Grinding the apples with a variety of our preferred tools: kitchenaid grinder/strainer attachment for Jeanne, a chinois for Gillian and a hand crank food mill for me.

The best part is how it brings our family together and it's a great way to spend time together.

Andy's Apple Butter Collage

The Pie Queen!

Lovely Alix won this year's apple pie contest here with Oliver who helped keg the homemade hard cider.

Cinnamon Rolls

For this year's apple butter party I decided to make Cinnamon Rolls! This is another wonderful food memory I associate with Tommy and Vicky and visiting them each fall. I thought it would be fun to try a batch or two.

The pecan, cinnamon, brown sugar layer on a brioche dough.

All rolled up

Risen rolls ready to bake

With icing and without

Homemade Peanut Brittle

This is the first of many posts to come about this year's apple butter party. These are actually pictures from last year. We decided to make peanut brittle every year for the party. Tommy and Vicky always had a bucket of peanut brittle at their house, as far as I can remember. We tried our first batch with our friends Laura and Eduard and so when we made this year's brittle we thought of them! Aren't traditions grand?