Burns Best Farm

We're Baaaaack.......

At least in the house.  Not in a routine, not in a groove.  There are children who have forgotten that they cannot have three glasses of chocolate milk when their mother is in charge of the house.  These boys have gone to the moon this weekend, they have searched for King Tut's father's tomb in Egypt, and they never left the living room to do it. 

Many, many thanks to my sisters-in-law for keeping my little arrows while Daddio and I went on a wonderful trip.  Nothing like being loved on by "the aunts" to make memories. 

Now, back to our regular programming.........where is my coffee cup and where is that math workbook answer key?

Pesto Shortage in Italy: Emergency!

I just read this article posted on Yahoo! news and I was floored by the lengths to which the Italians go for perfect food.  Who knew there was one specific region in northern Italy that has the perfect microclimate for one particular small-leaf variety of basil that the locals then craft into the most perfect pesto on the planet? 

I grew five varieties of basil this summer:  Sweet, Napalitano, Italian, Cinnamon, and Mrs. Burns (no kidding, that's the name).  I could smell a distinct difference in each one when I cut it, but I had no idea that there could be such a BIG difference.

Note in the article how they pick the basil leaves for the pesto.  It made me think of that scene in Mission: Impossible where Tom Cruise is breaking into the computer room like a spider hanging from a web.

Note also that the local officials who are seeking government funds to repair the greenhouses make a point of saying that the hailstorm won't affect "industrial pesto production" (ie, what you and I eat that's premade in a tube or plastic tub); the only shortage will be in the locally made gourmet pesto.

Let's leave this post with me admitting that today, as usual, I have learned something new about the world!

Missing Head of Lettuce

Yesterday I harvested several heads of lettuce before we made the drive from country to suburbs.  I washed one of the larger heads last night, with leaves still attached to the core, and left it lying on the counter while I got the baby ready for bed.  Large Son asked me in passing if he could have some lettuce before bed. (This was almost an hour after he completed a supper meal with plenty of food.)  I told him yes, and then didn't think anything else about it until later last night, when.......

I was cleaning up the kitchen after all the boys were in bed and I discovered a lettuce core.  No leaves, just the leftovers of the core.

Come to find out, he had split the head with his younger brother as I was getting the baby into bed.  The whole head.  No dressing.  No cucumbers or peppers. Or sliced carrots.  Just lettuce.

This was the same kid who begged me to buy brussel sprouts in the grocery store three weeks ago.  He'd never had them and he thought he should at least try them once in his life to decide whether or not he liked them.  He came to the conclusion that they were ok as long as he shook some salt over them (I steamed them....not very creative, but hey, I'm not that wild about them either!)  But when he was begging me in the produce department for brussel sprouts, I got the funniest looks from a couple of other women shopping nearby.  Like they'd never heard a kid beg for green veggies!

Funny, funny boys.  Never a dull moment.  Thankfully!

Overheard Today in the Kitchen

I had promised the boys that we would make chocolate chip cookies this week, and since I need to bake a coffee cake today for a little party tomorrow, I made the cookie dough this morning. One hot oven for two projects.  They always help and today was no exception.  Funny boys.

I did hear the funniest comment this morning from Medium Son as he was scarfing down a warm cookie and some cold milk (hey, I know it's just after breakfast, but what's the fun of making cookies if you can't eat a warm one!)

Medium Son to Large Son:  "Mommy makes the best cookies in the whole world.  I think she needs her own show on the Food Network making cookies."

Hmmm.....that might be fun.  I'll call my agent and see what comes of it.