A Made-Up Recipe

I made up a recipe. I have never done such a thing so I'm pretty proud. Now this recipe involves liver, and I realize that liver makes some of you gag. For your sake I will not make the photo large, and because even I don't need to look at liver large scale. I have loved liver ever since I remember, and for a while I was convinced that those who didn't share my love just needed the right recipe to persuade them. I've made such people Calves' Liver with Honey, and what I think is a delicious liver Pate, and yet they remain unconvinced. This is not the recipe that will convince them. It does taste like liver barely masked by a sweet, rich, earthy combobble of other flavors. This is basically just how I like liver lately, as in every day for lunch this week.

Liver Thing

2 strips bacon, chopped

1/3 red onion chopped

4 chicken livers, or about 1/4 lb, chopped

An earthy herb like marjoram, sage or thyme (I used about 10 sprigs of chopped sage flowers because that's what came in our CSA this week)

Salt and Pepper

Dash of Balsamic Vinegar

Half an Avocado

A Slice of Bread

Sautee bacon, onions and herb together (don't add extra oil yet, the bacon fat will give off plenty) for a few minutes. Add the liver, salt and pepper and sautee for another few minutes (maybe add a little olive oil if it's looking really dry and sticking). At the very end of the cooking add a few dashes of balsamic vinegar to just deglaze the whole thing. Turn out onto a slice of bread smeared with avocado.

In retrospect a sage blossom or two on top of that would have made it a bit more appetizing, but there it is. Liver goodness. (If any of my local girls want liver from Springfield Farm let me know and I'll order extra.)

Annapolis Goes Beyond Organic

My first article is up at The Annapolis Sound!

Craigslist Outdoes Itself

As I've mentioned, many times, most of my home was furnished through Craigslist. Many of my Craigslist finds have been cheap and essential, such as a dining room table, but until this weekend my favorite find was this antique cabinet that we now use as a linen closet. It was free. Every time I look at it I feel lucky all over again.
Until this weekend when I begged, twisted arms, inconvenienced multiple parties and scored 3 citrus trees. For free.

One bitter orange (seen here), one lime, and one lemon. A citrus tree, just one, has been on my Christmas list for years, and here were three five year old, dwarf trees for the taking on Craigslist. I could hardly sleep I was so excited.

Those are oranges growing in my dining room. They are miniature and tarrrt. Try one when you come over. My sister had to drive 2 hours to go get them (why my sister was involved is part of the twisting arms part - she was such a good sport). She drove Lisa's truck, so Lisa got the lemon tree by way of reimbursement.

That lime? That is growing in my living room, and will be plunked into a frosty gin and tonic this weekend when its fully ripe. Its friends will be made into salsa and mexican chicken soup. And more gin and tonics.

Here's another baby lime on the way. Now the trick will be, of course, to keep them alive. Given my track record with plants that will be difficult. I'm super motivated about these, I'm reading Gardenweb.com (thanks Aunt Mimi) and everything. But if anyone has any experience or tips please help me out.

The Best Crab Cakes

Six years ago I lived in Tennessee and I visited Annapolis for the first time for a teacher training conference. What impressed me the most was not the perfectly preserved Colonial streets and buildings, though I was charmed by those, but a meal I had at a waterfront restaurant called Phillips Seafood. The crab cakes were recommended so I dutifully ordered them with a glass of chardonnay. They were absolutely amazing (and cost a small fortune at $29 for two small cakes with no sides!) Everyone claims that their crab cakes have hardly any filler, but at Phillips it was true. These crab cakes were really something else. Four years later I moved to Annapolis and I knew I wanted to work at that crab cake place. And I did, for years, until a few months ago. Privy to the inner workings of the prep kitchen I got a pretty good idea of what was in those famous cakes. The exact recipe is closely guarded but here is my best adaptation (with Lisa's help using our leftover meat from the birthday feast) based on stolen glances over shoulders in the back of the house.

The Best Crab Cakes

(An audacious claim I know, but I'm just repeating what everyone around the table said.)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons crab seasoning ( I prefer Phillips Seafood Seasoning rather than Old Bay and I'm not just saying that)

2 teaspoons fresh parsley chopped

2 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard

2 pounds jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over

2 cups Ritz crackers, crumbled

Mix all the ingredients except the crab meat. Carefully add in the crab meat at the last minute. Form into 2 inch balls and place on a cooking sheet. Refrigerate for an hour. Broil (or bake at 550 degrees) for about 7-10 minutes or until the tops are browned.