Potato Imposters

I believe that dehydrated potato flakes should be present only in emergency food supplies and possibly at the International Space Station. They should not be put on your dinner table, or served in restaurants, or the school cafeteria. This convenience "food" is marketed as instant mashed potatoes. I'll just refer to them as flakes for short. I have heard the argument from friends and family, while I am railing against flakes, that they are just as good and so much more convenient than real mashed potatoes. This is a myth.

Firstly, I do not believe that they are more convenient. Yes, I know that washing, peeling, boiling, draining, and mashing potatoes is a lot of work. However, I have developed a method of ensuring a supply of real, homemade mashed potatoes to go with our meals. Simply make a large batch of mashed potatoes, like a five or ten pound bag. Then freeze into portions to serve as a side when you need them. This is the only way I make mashed potatoes. They freeze well and are easy to thaw out. I just take them right from the freezer and place in a pot on the stove at medium to low heat. Stir every couple minutes. Even if they dry out, just stir in a bit of milk to rehydrate. Of course, you can also let them thaw out in the fridge over night and use the microwave to heat them up. Just think, for the initial investment of a couple hours in the kitchen you can serve real, creamy, savory mashed potatoes with your steak, fried chicken, and meatloaf.

As for the claim that flakes are "just as good" as real mashed potatoes - no, they are not. If you think that then you have been eating flakes for too long. And no, it doesn't matter what you add to them. You can try to doctor them up with cream, garlic, shredded cheese, or herbs. This does not work. Flakes just do not have that earthy, robust flavor that you get from potatoes that are freshly cooked and mashed with butter, cream, salt and freshly ground pepper.  If you prepare a ten pound bag of potatoes you'll have enough mashed potatoes for 4 or 8 meals, depending on your family size. Trust me. It is so worth it!

Jack o' Lantern

It's All Hallows' eve, the sun has just fallen behind the trees. The breeze is chilled. Leaves are gently rustling down the avenue. You've got your pillow case, plastic pumpkin, or bag in hand, and so your quest for delectable confections begins. As you're walking from house to house your eye is drawn to the eerie flicker of candle light coming from ghastly orbs sitting on front porches, stairs, and walkways. Ah, the Jack O' Lantern, that spectral glowing emblem of Halloween. From the time you cut the first circle in the top, to placing your creation in front of your house for others to view, we love our Jack O' Lanterns.


The Jack O' Lantern's orgins lie in old Ireland and Brittan, where they have a long tradition of carving vegetables such as beets, turnips, and potatoes for lanterns. The Jack O' Lantern is named after the phenomenon of strange light flickering over peat bogs, called ignis fatuus or jack-o'-lantern. The following is an excerpt from Wikipedia about the legend of the Jack o' Lantern :

[One] version of the myth says that Jack was getting chased by some villagers from whom he had stolen, when he met the Devil, who claimed it was time for him to die. However, the thief stalled his death by tempting the Devil with a chance to bedevil the church-going villagers chasing him. Jack told the Devil to turn into a coin with which he would pay for the stolen goods (the Devil could take on any shape he wanted); later, when the coin/Devil disappeared, the Christian villagers would fight over who had stolen it. The Devil agreed to this plan. He turned himself into a silver coin and jumped into Jack's wallet, only to find himself next to a cross Jack had also picked up in the village. Jack had closed the wallet tight, and the cross stripped the Devil of his powers; and so he was trapped. In both myths, Jack only lets the Devil go when he agrees never to take his soul. After a while the thief died, as all living things do. Of course, his life had been too sinful for Jack to go to heaven; however, the Devil had promised not to take his soul, and so he was barred from hell as well. Jack now had nowhere to go. He asked how he would see where to go, as he had no light, and the Devil mockingly tossed him an ember that would never burn out from the flames of hell. Jack carved out one of his turnips (which was his favourite food), put the ember inside it, and began endlessly wandering the Earth for a resting place. He became known as "Jack of the Lantern", or Jack-o'-Lantern.

When immigrants from Ireland and Brittan came to this country they found that pumpkins, which are native to North America, make perfect lanterns. Happy carving.

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The First Frost Dance

Every gardener has done the First Frost Dance at one time or another. Here is how the steps usually go.

Sometime in October or November (maybe September or December for very Northern or Southern gardeners) you wake up in the morning and sit down with your cup of tea or coffee. You're checking your email and the weather online, or are in front of the TV with the news or weather channel on when suddenly you say, "What!? There's going to be a freeze tonight? How is this possible? Isn't it too early?" Then the shock wears off and you realize that this happens every year around this time. You just haven't paid close enough attention to the weather or you haven't wanted to contemplate the end of the growing season. You start thinking of all the beautiful summer blooms that will perish tonight in the cold darkness. You're picturing decimated mounds of pink inpatients, shriveled brown morning glories, the branches of your tomato plants denuded of foliage. "Oh the poor okra, and my peppers, they are doing so well." After the shock, after the denial, and after your visions of destruction clear, you start making list in your head of what must be done. Something like this: Dig up the Dahlias, harvest the rest of the herbs, pick all the tomatoes, the peppers, bring in the aloe, bring in the big pots of your miniature citrus and tender annuals that you're going to try to keep a little longer, ones that you'll put back out after the danger passes. You then proceed to dash around like a mad woman or a mad man, barking out orders to your spouse or children. Things are rearranged. Spaces are cleared. Okay, is everything done? Better do one more walk through just to be sure. You find yourself alone out in the yard or garden. The sun has descended behind the trees. It's getting cold. You walk slowly with a small sadness in your heart. Eventually you say a silent goodnight to this season's green. Sleep well. See you next year.

Last step: try to find your green-tomato pickle recipe.

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Spider Culture

There are strong connotations associated with spiders. These feelings are generally negative and in some cases extreme, as with someone who suffers from Arachnophobia. Spiders are oftentimes personified as obscene and malignant. Think Shelob in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, or the 1990 film Arachnophobia. Why is this? Spiders, for the most part are harmless to humans. We are much lager, we have developed brains, and humans are not a spider's prey of choice. They don't look at us and think, yum! It may be a disease-avoidance response of disgust that causes this abhorrence of spiders. During the Middle Ages, spiders were perceived as harbingers of the Great Plagues that swept across Europe from the tenth century onwards. This may explain why spider fear is pervasive in European cultures and is seldom observed in other societies such as Indo-China, the Caribbean, Africa, or Australia.

Spiders are a popular emblem of Halloween, which is just around the corner. You can wear a little plastic spider ring, or string a bunch of artificial spider web around your front door. Some people even wear spider costumes. These arachnids are seen as eerie, spooky, and dreadful. I am not afraid of spiders, I don't find them disgusting or dangerous. Here I have posted some photos which would make great Halloween wallpaper. How do these images make you feel?

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Lost Valley Trail

Here in the Ozarks we are blessed with many wonderful hiking opportunities. Recently Ryan and I decided to head out and do just that. We chose the Lost Valley Trail which is located between Boxley and Ponca, off of Hwy. 43 in Newton County, Arkansas. It was a splendid Autumn day. The Sun held court in an impossibly blue sky. The breeze was sublime. The forest was calling. We packed a picnic lunch of Waldorf chicken salad sandwiches, carrot sticks, and apple cider. The drive to the trail is very pastoral and charming. It winds past fields dappled by hay bails and the occasional old barn, venerable mountains, and picturesque valleys. We went on a Saturday and there were so many people there. I felt like we were at Disney World. There were probably 30 cars in the parking lot. As I said, the forest was calling.

This trail is 2.3 miles round trip. It is a very easy hike, the first part is rather level, suitable even for strollers or wheel chairs. This part of the trail parallels Clark Creek, which eventually converges with the Buffalo. Then the climbing starts. This trail boasts a beautiful waterfall and two caves. The last cave at the end of the trail is Eden Cave. This is an interesting cave, it is difficult to get back into the cavern, but once you do you're rewarded with a 35 foot waterfall. This flows out of the cave and creates Eden Falls, which is a spectacular waterfall.  If you visit this cave and wish to go into the back cavern, remember to bring a flash light, it is black as pitch inside.

This is a lovely trail, and easy enough for children as well, so it would make a nice family outing. If you would like to avoid the crowds go on a week day, not a weekend. There are also camping facilities, if you live out of town. I am posting some pictures from our hike. Don't you just love that name, Lost Valley?

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Harvest Moon

The Harvest moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the Autumnal Equinox. This is usually in September, but occasionally in October, as it is this year. We will see the magical Harvest Moon rise just after sunset on October 4. The Harvest Moon is special for several reasons. It behaves differently than other moons. Throughout the year The Moon rises, on average, about 50 minutes later each day. However around the Autumnal Equinox The Moon rises around 20 or 30 minutes later each day. This phenomenon has for centuries provided farmers with extra light to finish gathering the last of the seasons crops.

I have always been drawn to The Moon, and the rising of The Harvest Moon is an event that I don't miss. I urge you to observe this special event. The Harvest Moon often times appears red or orange, and seems very large due to it's position in the sky. This is a show that you won't want to miss. Around sunset head outside, face East, and make yourself comfortable. Blankets and wine are rather nice accompaniments. Look to the horizon and behold the great Harvest Moon.

Child Moon

The child's wonder
At the old moon
Comes back nightly.
She points her finger
To the far silent yellow thing
Shining through the branches
Filtering on the leaves a golden sand,
Crying with her little tongue, "See the moon!"
And in her bed fading to sleep
With babblings of the moon on her little mouth.

-Carl Sandburg