WELL, HERE WE ARE AGAIN. The rain has finally started which is good as we need it badly or 'goodly' which ever way you look at it! We are not getting the rain that Florida is getting, but it is good enough for me, an inch at a time is right as it allows it to soak in instead of running off with the soil into the sea. My lawn has turned green over night.
Barbados has very little top soil so we can't afford to lose it. History tells us that a lot of our soil came from the volcano in St. Vincent which is about 90 miles away and every time their volcano blew, it blew soil our way, plus ash etc. This is true, as when we were in England on a house exchange back in 1977/78 the volcano erupted and we came home to a black house, black pool, curtains, cars etc. Everything was thick with ash and even the sky was overcast with the dust, but it was good for our agriculture.
With the rain as well, the turtle (tortoise) eggs start hatching. The females bury their eggs close to roots of trees and plants. They dig a hole about 6-8 inches deep and usually lay about 6 eggs which hatch out in about 3 months or so. If I find them laying, I try to save the eggs, as I have a dog who's blind and deaf, but she can smell very well and has eggs for breakfast every morning. When I find them I take some of the same soil that they have been buried in and put them in pots and keep them warm and they generally hatch out quite well.
I'm not quite sure how many turtles I have now, but with all the babies, probably about 50. They are all shapes and sizes and ages! The 'nursery' in the house was getting over loaded as the new ones hatched, so I put 8 outside in an interim cage, where they'll stay until it is safe to let them out on the grounds when they can't get under the gate or through the fence, then the younger ones will go out to make way for the new ones!! There are now 16 inside. Yesterday I went out to find that Patra (the blind and deaf dog) had discovered a nest with 4 babies due to be born but not quite ready. She had one in her mouth, one upside down on the grass still in the shell and 2 still in the nest half born. I salvaged all, but am still nurturing one who is still attached to the sac and that keeps them alive as they are too young to eat. Somewhat like a placenta on a baby.
Don't worry, I'm not mad. I just heard a story about lady who has lived here for years and collected cats(I love cats too) and is now going back home and has nowhere to leave 80 cats, so she is carrying them with her on a ship to where ever she's going!! As I speak, one of the outside turtles has come into my study and is walking over my feet, so I have to go feed them, it's time. Strange but true, open house here! This all started with one baby turtle I bought for James when he was 4 years old, it has grown. I'm not going to give any turtle recipes!! I'm glad to say our sea turtles are now protected as they have been fished out and are now beginning to come back and there is an area on the west coast where you can swim with them.
I've been busy otherwise with stuff for the supermarkets and also the farmers market every Saturday morning. I overslept last Saturday, not good as I was very late. I get Natalie to wake me up at 5 am. to do the last minute stuff, like topping the pies and cooking them etc. as I have to leave by 7 am. but they went off to Puerto Rico for a week and left me Gerry's alarm clock. Either it didn't ring or I didn't wake up so I was late, luckily it only takes me 10 minutes at speed to get there!
One of the things that have been going well is the Lemon Meringue Pie and the Quiche. Everyone has their own favourite pastry and there are some good commercial ones that I have used, but I make my own using the food processor. The recipe is too large for the processor, so I cut it in half and it works well. The whole recipe makes 6 9" pies or about 8 6" double crusts.
Fool Proof PastryFreezes well, but work quickly as it is difficult to work with if it dries out.
If not using processor, mix dry ingredients together in large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives. Break egg into measuring cup add vinegar and add to the 6 oz. mark. Gradually blend liquid into the dry ingredients with a fork, adding enough liquid to make dough cling together. You might not have to use all the liquid. If using processor, divide quantities in half. Add half flour mixture to processor and pulse to mix together. Divide half of the lard/margarine and add to flour, pulsing to mix to pea size. Add enough liquid, a little at a time till dough just sticks together. If you want the entire quantity of dough, do the other half. Be careful not to make the dough too wet, you need it just to stick together. Roll out on floured surface. Fit into pie pans. Fill and bake or freeze. I find that if I 'bake blind' I don't have to weigh down the pastry, it comes out well without that and the pastry is crunchy and holds its shape. Lemon (Lime) Meringue Pie
Bring milk to boil, add butter. Combine dry ingredients with half a cup of cold water, then mix in lightly beaten egg yolks. Lower heat on milk mixture and slowly add cornstarch mixture, stirring quickly all the time. Cook slowly for about 5 minutes till the mixture thickens. Remove from heat, add lime juice rind and salt. Stir well. Pour into baked crust. Beat egg whites till stiff with a touch of cream of tartar, add the 6 oz. of sugar gradually until the sugar is well blended. Spoon the meringue over the filling, covering the pastry well to stop shrinkage, sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake at 325F till nicely browned. Cool. Bacon & Spinach Quiche
Bake pastry shell till lightly golden at 400F. Be careful not to burn. Reduce oven temperature to 325F. In frying pan, cook bacon till crispy and add onion till tender. Drain. In bowl mix eggs and stir in sour cream and half and half etc. Season well and add onion mixture, spinach and cheese. Adjust seasonings to taste and pour into pastry shell. Bake at 325F for about 40 minutes till knife in center comes out clean. Don't over cook. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving or serve at room temperature. |
Bon Appetit
Cath
P.S. Just found another baby turtle alive so have to go salvage, that's 17 now and one just cracking the shell! EXCITING!!! Gone!
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