Sunday, December 15, 2019

HERMITS - RUSSIAN TEA CAKES - HARDTACK - WINTER SNOW GONE - GUN CONFISCATION



Her grandmother's Christmas Hermit cookies recipe, first batch out of the oven. They are laden with brown sugar, flour, raisins, nuts, vanilla flavoring and love.

Scooped onto a cookie sheet the size of a small meat ball, they cook 20 minutes at 300 degrees and exit golden brown and dripping with aroma. In the past 74 years, they would have been paired with a full glass of cold, whole milk and a half-dozen for first pass. These are once-a-year cookie treats.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES


The immediate problem with photographing this particular cookie batch is the amount of powdered sugar that collects on top of the camera. Tell-tale evidence of interfering with her cookie baking. Brother-in-law and 4 year-old great-niece will receive the majority of these before Christmas.


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HARDTACK

Revisiting a jar of experimental hardtack made three years ago. 

This jar was filled, lid snugged and then set aside on a common storage shelf in the basement. 

While looking for other goods recently, I happened on this jar and decided it was worth re-visiting and checking quality. If hardtack has quality?

There is no eating these from the get-go. They are tooth breaker unless soaked. 

Maybe break off a chunk if on the trail and let it dissolve in the mouth, but absolutely no eating as hardened.  Suck on it like hard candy and do not rush into chewing.

I soaked the piece leaning again the jar in the photo in the last dregs of morning coffee. 

I waited 5 minutes and tried the first bite. A small piece broke off. Crunchy like peanut brittle, but not as brittle and with flavor. Not gourmet yet not tasteless or bland. Still too hard, though.  

I was pleasantly surprised. As good as the day we packed them. Flour, water and salt. Hardtack history and nutrition here.  Take the time to do some reading about hardtack. There is an abundance of information and simple recipes to try. 

Maybe a great thing to do and teach children and teens.

Was the time and effort worth it in the making and learning? Absolutely YES. 

I would throw these in a pocket or bag if heading out in "the after" or outing. I would make sure of some simple method of soaking before eating.  

I soaked the piece I tried for 10 minutes and it was still very crunchy. A longer soak would be my plan if using on the trail. Stopping to warm up with broth, coffee or tea would be accompanied by a chunk or two of hardtack. Testing a soaked piece, stored in a small zip-lock plastic bag for later in the day; worth trying.

Looking back, we should have made a box full and properly stored. If sharing with someone who knows nothing of hardtack, teach them well!! Store with instructions for use.

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WINTER SNOW ALL BUT GONE








The snow is all but gone in New Hampshire. Warm temperatures and lots of rain have washed much of winter away. Winter visited for a few weeks and then up and left.
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"PUT THEM AGAINST THE WALL"

Greta, the 16 year-old, has a solution for climate change. Bless her heart!!

Her quote according to this article: "we will make sure we put them against the wall and they will have to do their job to protect our futures."

Nice to see an young and up-coming leader with this solution matrix already in place.


Then there is "Virginia", Virginia.

Threatening the use of using the National Guard to enforce gun cofiscation. This ought to quell the 2A community?


The governor and democrats are determined to keep pushing against the constitution and law-abiding folks. Anyone who has spent a little time studying "government control escalating against the will of people" know it has never gone well. 

A can of worms that could soon be opened in Virginia and I fear there will be no turning back. 

I have been trying to stay away from all of this "crazy" in a blog that I initially designed to talk about "the after." But the crazy just keeps escalating in every nook and cranny of life. 

In the meantime, heads up, stay informed and plan accordingly.

Thanks for the visit this week.







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