The Coffee House

[jeffashman]

Thanks, Jeff. Contra your welcome advice, I may try it this spring.

You may have a better experience, so it's worth a try.

 

[CherylL]

Guess nothing's OT here! Anyone have any experience with the Nextdoor neighborhood app?
Want to instigate a little post-pandemic community building. Tend to work on the view post-trauma that there's no "them," just "us" now.

The local Nextdoor app started with my local area and now is 2 counties. Guess there wasn't enough participation that it had to expand. Mostly looking for referrals.

 

[cgw]

The local Nextdoor app started with my local area and now is 2 counties. Guess there wasn't enough participation that it had to expand. Mostly looking for referrals.

Moving to consider just hoofing along the block with a couple outgoing homies and connecting old school. People are understandably spooked by privacy issues online. After epic snowfalls a rip-snortin' snowblower makes friends quick-hah!

 

[terri]

The bottom is about to drop out on the temperatures around here, starting tomorrow night. We'll be in -0F temps by Tuesday. brrrr!! I've read that the Great Lakes need to freeze over as widely as they can in the winter - it's somehow beneficial to shorelines and that particular ecosystem, and too many years of warmer winters can spell trouble. So, this is all right by me.

I'm actually okay with cold temps as long as it's not a blizzard blowing, threatening to cut out the power. Then we might have a problem.

The last two days have been well above freezing, with lots of sunshine. Very pleasant to run around in and get errands done, as I'm thinking I'll be staying in during the worst of it. Good time to do some baking - I brought home everything needed to make a big batch of granola, and then pumpkin bread.

 

[cgw]

The bottom is about to drop out on the temperatures around here, starting tomorrow night. We'll be in -0F temps by Tuesday. brrrr!! I've read that the Great Lakes need to freeze over as widely as they can in the winter - it's somehow beneficial to shorelines and that particular ecosystem, and too many years of warmer winters can spell trouble. So, this is all right by me.

I'm actually okay with cold temps as long as it's not a blizzard blowing, threatening to cut out the power. Then we might have a problem.

The last two days have been well above freezing, with lots of sunshine. Very pleasant to run around in and get errands done, as I'm thinking I'll be staying in during the worst of it. Good time to do some baking - I brought home everything needed to make a big batch of granola, and then pumpkin bread.

Horrid weather. Bags of wet snow here with plummeting temps overnight into Sunday. Requires brining driveways and walks here and at the family ruin to keep boilerplate ice under control. Ah, January...
On brining. Just fished out a small pork loin roast. Doing a nice old school Marcella Hazan recipe stovetop in a big Creuset pot--"Pork Loin Braised in Milk." Nice with fresh sage dug from under the snow. Hah!

View attachment 282790

 

[jeffashman]

Howdy Hosers! This morning my LW announced that she want's blueberry crumble, and that there are blueberries in the freezer, so blueberry crumble it was. Pretty much a coffee cake with blueberries in it. It was pretty good. Last night I made roulade in the clay pot, and it came out most excellent. Really not a difficult recipe, smear the thin slices of beef with mustard, lay down a strip of (turkey) bacon, add finely chopped onions and minced dill pickle. Roll it tight and use toothpicks to secure, then brown in a pan, then transfer to the clay pot. Sauté onions with garlic, then add beef broth and wine to deglaze the pan and then pour it all over the roulade. Pop in the oven at 350F for about two hours. Made buttered potatoes and broccoli as sides.

Our temps are supposed to drop into the 20's tonight, and throughout the week, but no precipitation, just bitter cold without purpose.

 

[nerwin]

I put some rear "temporary" lights on the tractor today. Eventually I'll fabricate a custom bracket to mount on the ROPS along with the front lights. This will get me by for now.

They are pretty bright for me. Able to see backing up better at night!

It wasn't super freezing tonight so I was able to test out my front rops mounted lights I recently installed...they are insanely bright!!

 

[smoke665]

Said goodbye to our second false spring of 2025 with it's 65F high yesterday. Today's high 37F, last time it'll be above freezing till Wednesday, low of 9F Tusday. Guess I'll be inside, good time to finish painting the bedroom.

 

[cgw]

Howdy Hosers! This morning my LW announced that she want's blueberry crumble, and that there are blueberries in the freezer, so blueberry crumble it was. Pretty much a coffee cake with blueberries in it. It was pretty good. Last night I made roulade in the clay pot, and it came out most excellent. Really not a difficult recipe, smear the thin slices of beef with mustard, lay down a strip of (turkey) bacon, add finely chopped onions and minced dill pickle. Roll it tight and use toothpicks to secure, then brown in a pan, then transfer to the clay pot. Sauté onions with garlic, then add beef broth and wine to deglaze the pan and then pour it all over the roulade. Pop in the oven at 350F for about two hours. Made buttered potatoes and broccoli as sides.

Our temps are supposed to drop into the 20's tonight, and throughout the week, but no precipitation, just bitter cold without purpose.

Nice. The trick is getting a butcher to slice top round thinner than a steak!
Sidebar: Ever try S&B Oriental Curry powder? Prefer it to Glico curry pastes.

Curry Powder | S&B Foods Global Site

The global web site of S&B foods introduce Curry Powder. We invite people from around the world to explore our philosophy and business.

www.sbfoods-worldwide.com

 

[snowbear]

Winter Weather Advisory for the Maryland home - rain and 1" to 3" snow in the region. Winter Storm Warning for Maine home with 5" to 6" snow. Kind of wish I was in Maine.

We think MLSIL will be released to go home tomorrow so I'll probably spend most nights at her place.

I got a Ring noftification that someone was at the fron dooe of the Maine hose, the other day. I figured it was the contractor but when I glanced, I saw an Engine (Fire Department) in front with lights on. $#!t - what's this? Turns out the contractor had the shop vac running and kitty got scared and disappeared. After the contractor left, Lazy lobster couldn't find her but thought he heard scratching coming rom the ductwork. Not sure who he called directly, but the local VFD responded. They looked and couldn't see her, and saw a hotspot in the ducts with a thermal imager but it was inconclusive. They left vents open so she could get out, if she was in there.

The contractor (who is doing a fantastic job) came back to help look for her. There is a temporary space under the steps that she could get through and get to the basement. There is also a space in a small utility closet that apparently leads to the basement. Contractor has replaced the trim, eliminating the first opening and is going to put up a panel in front of the second.

After about 15 minutes, he found her huddled under the furnace. Lazy Lobster was able to just scoop her up, and took her up to the second floor bedroom suite. They shut the door to access living room and first floor bedroom and placed her litter box in the dining room/kitchen area, so she can roak second floor and 1/2 of first floor. The basement is off limiits until we can get down there, clean up and organize.

Not sure iof VFD will be sending a bill, but they will get a decent donation, regardless. Contractor also getting a decent "tip."

 

[smoke665]

Maybe it's the fact that we're in the country, or maybe the fact that our district is 6 miles wide and 26 miles long, but we don't get any non-human calls. LOL

 

[terri]

@snowbear : Strange new house + loud noise = I'M GOING TO HIDE!!!

Nothing that a familiar face and a belly rub won't fix.

 

[jeffashman]

Nice. The trick is getting a butcher to slice top round thinner than a steak!
Sidebar: Ever try S&B Oriental Curry powder? Prefer it to Glico curry pastes.

Curry Powder | S&B Foods Global Site

The global web site of S&B foods introduce Curry Powder. We invite people from around the world to explore our philosophy and business.

www.sbfoods-worldwide.com

Yep, HEB, a local supermarket sell it pre-sliced in nice 1/4" thick cuts which is thin enough. It could be thinner, but 1/4" works for me. We do use S&B, and my ramen eating son makes good use of it. He buys cheap ramen, throws out the flavored sodium packets, and uses S&B sauces instead. Clever kid.

 

[cgw]

Yep, HEB, a local supermarket sell it pre-sliced in nice 1/4" thick cuts which is thin enough. It could be thinner, but 1/4" works for me. We do use S&B, and my ramen eating son makes good use of it. He buys cheap ramen, throws out the flavored sodium packets, and uses S&B sauces instead. Clever kid.

That's about right. Much-loved, old school family-owned German meat packer in W. Toronto--Brandt Meats, around since the early 1950s. They do rouladen right. You'd love the place. Great factory store full of German and Mitteleuropa groceries+killer deli full of their hyper-fresh wurst and meats, fresh and cured. Full bore sky-high LDL hot table for dine-in lunch, too. One of my happy places no trip to Toronto is complete without.
Ramen...Wirecutter(NYT paywall?)ran this just before Xmas:

The Best Instant Noodles

We’ve tasted 45 varieties of instant noodles and found 18 favorites, with flavors ranging from homey and comforting to explosively spicy.

www.nytimes.com

 

[jeffashman]

That's about right. Much-loved, old school family-owned German meat packer in W. Toronto--Brandt Meats, around since the early 1950s. They do rouladen right. You'd love the place. Great factory store full of German and Mitteleuropa groceries+killer deli full of their hyper-fresh wurst and meats, fresh and cured. Full bore sky-high LDL hot table for dine-in lunch, too. One of my happy places no trip to Toronto is complete without.
Ramen...Wirecutter(NYT paywall?)ran this just before Xmas:

The Best Instant Noodles

We’ve tasted 45 varieties of instant noodles and found 18 favorites, with flavors ranging from homey and comforting to explosively spicy.

www.nytimes.com

My son likes the Shin Black. I'm trying to convince him to just go to our local Asian grocery and buy plane ramen noodles. Better quality, better value, and no need to add the flavor packets to the local landfill.