Josh Kilmer-Purcell's Blog, page 126

Mary and the Weathervane

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Mary Beekman is a four-year-old ghost who resides in The Beekman Mansion, and considers Brent and Josh her "imaginary friends." Follow Mary Beekman's Diary each week to learn what it's like to be a young child in early 19th century America

Mother reminds me to write in my diary each day to record the seasons of the year and  help me remember the tasks of our household.  Some day when I am grown, I shall have to manage my own home and accounts.  I try not to make blotches on my pages or close in letters where there should be a hole. Sister's diary is a bit neater than mine.  Mother said as I get older, mine will be neater also.  Sister sighs and remarks that some pages in her diary/account book have been splattered with tears.  Brent whispered she was probably recording something about a "lost love."  I don't know how you can lose love; apparently she has. She didn't hear Brent speaking to me, no one else sees or hears him.  They never notice Josh either.  We have been friends for a long, long time………as long as I can remember.

Father says my diary is a fine place to record the weather.  He can tell what the weather is going to be by looking at the sky at night and the clouds in the day.  He tells me he can "smell" snow in the winter and rain in the summer. I try to record the weather first thing in the day.  We have a weathervane on our barn but some of our neighbors cannot afford one, Mother says. Father told me that near the sea, the weather vanes are shaped like whales and sailboats.  Josh loves to hear about whales.  The weathervanes in the countryside are shaped liked animals.  I would like one shaped like a goat.  I love goats until they chew on my apron strings.

Father was teaching brother about the compass points on the weathervane…N, S, E, W.   That has to be determined before the weather vane is placed.  He said that if the wind is blowing from the northeast, it means rain and outside chores must be done first.  Mother would also know to hang the wet clothes in the attic or on drying racks and not outside on the lawn or bushes.  A weathervane must be perfectly balanced and placed on the highest point of a building, away from other buildings.  Josh said it must have an unequal area on each side for the wind to blow against. A wind from the south means it will be warming up.   Josh's mother would exclaim "It's an ill wind that blows no one good" * when disappointing things would happen.  It all seems quite complicated.  I am going to find dolly.

*John Heywood    1497-1580

If You Build It…

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We're growing The World's Largest Community Garden!   While too many cooks may indeed spoil the broth, there's absolutely nothing that too many gardener's can't do.

This month's contest is to see how many people you can invite into the community.

Simply have your friends and family sign up for the Garden Checklist (you can give them the link to sign up here) and be sure to tell them to include your name as the referring gardener.  We'll do the tally on March 20, so start emailing, tweeting and facebooking!!

The community gardener responsible for bringing the most new members to the garden, will win a great Beekman 1802 prize package including our Beekman 1802 Garden Hod, our Summer Trio collection of soaps, and a pack of our Heirloom Flower Collection seeds.

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Look as stylish as Brent with your own B. 1802 Garden Hod

 

And the winner is…

 

 

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Our guest judge, Margaret Roach, has read through all of the beautiful gardening memories and chosen her favorites.

She writes:

Thanks for memories of marigolds grown in a paper cup in grade school, avocado pits rising up from a glass on the kitchen windowsill into trees, the miracle of a single bean seed, the love and inspiration of grandparents. It's how we all get started (and thank goodness we do).

 

And the winner is:

 

Congratulations to Chiot's Run (#12) for saying this:

"Gardening isn't just bout cultivating food or flowers, it's more about cultivating your spirit along with a deep sense of appreciation for soil, plants, and the earth."

And because Margaret is such a generous soul, she also wanted to give an autographed copy of her new book, And I Shall Have Some Peace There, to a runner-up.

Congratulations also to JoAnne (#22), for her tale of long-ago collaborative corn cultivation, and the remembrance of how sweet it was.

 

To be inspired by all of the beautiful memories, re-visit the contest page by clicking here:

 

 

White Tomato Soup

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What's this? Tomato soup, you say? Impossible!

We grow over a dozen different varieties of tomatoes in the Beekman Heirloom Garden each year, but the ones we get the most questions about are our "white" varieties. We grow several varieties of white tomatoes – "Great White," "White Wonder," and a cherry tomato names "Dr. Carolyn." (Check out many amazing tomato varieties here.)

The taste of the white tomatoes isn't as distinctive as their color, which ranges from yellow-ish to off-white. They pretty much taste like any other decent, homegrown tomato. Perhaps a little milder and sweeter. Usually we just throw them in with the other tomatoes when we're canning because we plant far fewer of them than other, bolder varieties.

But this year we decided to can several different colors of tomatoes separately, just for fun. Here you can see bowls of red, yellow/orange, and white tomatoes ready for canning:

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Now we just need to figure out what to do with the jars of yellow/orange tomatoes.

And here's our white tomatoes up close:

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They're actually more cream-colored than white-white.

So we wound up with a dozen or so jars of white tomatoes, and I've been stumped as to what would be a good use for them. They would simply disappear in chilis and stews. And the thought of a white marinara sauce on beige pasta is wholly unappetizing. Then, last Saturday, while trying to think of a quick lunch, I came up with the idea of White Tomato Soup. White Cream of Tomato Soup to be more accurate, but I thought that might be a little redundant. It was delicious, and interesting to taste such a rich tomato flavor from a dish that looked nothing like its traditional namesake.

This is a very easy recipe, and of course it would work just as well with red tomatoes. (Since I'm sure most of you weren't silly enough to wind up with a dozen jars of white tomatoes in your pantry.)

WHITE CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP

1 Quart jar of whole or crushed white tomatoes (red will do.)

5 T butter

2 T flour

3 medium sized chopped onions

3 C milk

1 C white wine

2 t salt

1/2 t baking soda (stops milk from curdling)

1 t freshly ground white pepper (black will work also, but make for a less pure presentation.)

Chopped fresh basil and/or parsley for garnish

In a soup pot large enough to contain all the ingredients, melt the butter over a low heat. Add onions, and stir until softened and translucent. Be sure to keep heat low enough to avoid browning the onions. This may take 7-10 minutes.  Sprinkle flour over the onions  and stir to incorporate. Next add milk, wine, salt and pepper. Stir to mix completely and keep on a low simmer for roughly 1/2 hour until reduced by quarter to a third. Watch heat level…do not allow milk to boil over.

Add the baking soda directly to the jar of tomatoes and stir. Once mixed, pour jar contents into hot milk mixture. Puree with either a hand-held mixer or food processor.

Add more salt if necessary, serve hot, and garnish with fresh parsley and/or basil.

What it lacks in color, it surprises in flavor.

Scandalous!

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As we gear up for the premier of Season 2 of The Fabulous Beekman Boys, we see that we've got our work cut out for us.  In addition to planting the garden, making the cheese, running the store, and trying to keep PolkaSpot's ego in check, we also have to compete with the likes of Charlie Sheen (!) in order to get people excited about March 22.

As trashy and as disparaging of American culture as it may seem, we have to be honest that we, too, are riveted by gossip and scandal.

Would we know who Kate Gosselin was had it not been for that messy divorce? Nope.

Ditto for Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and their sexual indiscretions CAUGHT ON TAPE!

After searching high and low in the Beekman to find skeletons anywhere other than the crypt, we are sad to report that we don't have any tabloid-worthy scandals to take advantage of prior to premier (did we mention this was March 22 on Planet Green?)

This is why we need our loyal fans to not only tune in (on March 22 at 10:00pm and every Tuesday thereafter) but to help us create an official Beekman Boys scandal.

Here are a couple to help you get started:

Justin Bieber cannot actually sing.  He lip-syncs to vocals previously recorded by Fabulous Beekman Boy Josh Kilmer-Purcell!!!

or

Oscar night shocker!! Natalie Portman reveals that Fabulous Beekman Boy Brent Ridge is the secret father of her unborn child!!!

Record your scandal in the comments section below.  We'll post our favorites on Facebook and Twitter.  Keep it (relatively) clean.  The Fabulous Beekman Boys is a PG rated show, after all! (and it premiers on Planet Green March 22 at 10:00pm).

Seeds in the mail!

Laurie Gore is the Official Zone 9 Deputy Gardener.

Gardening in Southern California is different than in northern parts of the country. We have no winter break from planting, weeding, pruning, and all the other chores. I'm really sorry we don't. I have read about other gardeners who spend the snowy winter months planning every step of spring from the first thaw to that eventual passage into summer.

[image error]Today, Saturday, February 19th, in Bonita, California, is suppose to be rainy. I planned to spend the day catching up with household chores that are seriously in arrears. Then, surprisingly, the rain stopped, the clouds parted and midday was a beautiful, balmy gift. It was all I could do not to set aside the dust cloths and broom and go outside to play in the mud.

It was made even worse by the arrival of my Beekman Heirloom Garden seed packets. I cannot give in to my impulse and throw these into the ground today. My best success will come if I plan a little, read a little, and then work really, really hard for the rest of the year.

ZONE 10: Planning your garden and Sowing the seeds

Dianne Reed is the Beekman Deputy Heirloom Gardener for Zone 10.  She lives in Boynton Beach, Florida with her husband, Daniel, Bichon Frise Dog, Bentley and Amazon Parrot, Jasper.

Welcome Beekman Heirloom Gardeners !

I write to you from South Florida with great hope and happiness for a properous 2011 growing season.  South Florida has a year round season, but one has to carefully select the proper times to plant various seeds.  I usually start the season by drawing a planting plan on a piece of paper, kind of like a road map, to refer to along the way.

It's good to plan ahead. Decide what you are going to plant, when and where, using in-ground or raised-bed plantings.  Make raised-beds six inches above the ground or higher with wood or concrete blocks.  In South Florida, use materials that are resistant to rot and termites.  Most home improvement stores have pre-treated wood to use for this purpose, though some people are worried about the chemicals used in pressure-treated wood.  I use a bed that is four feet wide. The lengths of the beds can vary to incorporate the amount of plantings.

Most plantings need a sunny location, six to eight hours of sun a day.  In South Florida, most of the soil is sand.  Sand offers good drainage and aeration for root growth, however it holds few nutrients and plants need frequent watering and feeding.  I add organic matter to the soil.  Compost works great.  You can make your own or pick it up at a landfill.  Peat moss is another good alternative.  I like to use four to six inches of peat moss and mix it in with the sand.  Manure also works well.  Horse, Cow and Chicken manures are readily available in garden stores or if you have a farm nearby, bake something and and see if you can negotiate a trade.  I have never been turned away with fresh baked goods in hand.  I use about twenty five pounds of manure for each one hundred square feet of bed.  Potting soil also works well but it can get expensive if you are planning a large garden.

You can test your soil with a pH kit available at most garden centers.  Some garden centers offer pH testings free of charge.  pH is important as it determines the availability of nutrients to the plants.  We are now planting for our warm season so some of the vegetables included in the Beekman Heirloom kit cannot be used at this time in South Florida.  I am planting the pumpkin, winter squash, bell peppers, busch beans, cucumbers and black cherry tomatoes.  I will use the other seeds included in the kit for the cool season planting.  If you're in zone 10, don't wait any longer to start your seeds. I am using Peat Pellets to germinate the seeds.  You may use any containers you wish to use.

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If you do use the peat pellets, follow the directions on the package.  Use two or three seeds per pellet.  Keep the seeded containers in an area with good air movement to prevent disease and out of direct sunlight.  Check the containers each day to determine if additional water is needed and when you do need to add some, add warm water.  When the first seeds sprout, if using the peat pellets, prop the dome open a little.  The tomatoes should sprout first, probably within a week to ten days.  The other seeds will follow along within a couple more days.  When all of the seeds have sprouted, if using the peat pellets, remove the dome and place in a sunny location.  After the first leaves appear, cut back all except for the strongest seedling in each pellet.  Place outside in the shade for two to three days and gradually expose to full sunlight.

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I have another week or so to complete the planting beds.  Check back for additional posts and pictures of the planting beds once they have been planted.  It is my pleasure to be a part of this wonderful community garden project.  Good growing everyone !!!

Dianne Reed is the Beekman Deputy Heirloom Gardener for Zone 10.  She lives in Boynton Beach, Florida with her husband, Daniel, Bichon Frise Dog, Bentley and Amazon Parrot, Jasper.

Mary's Mittens

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Mary Beekman is a four-year-old ghost who resides in The Beekman Mansion, and considers Brent and Josh her "imaginary friends." Follow Mary Beekman's Diary each week to learn what it's like to be a young child in early 19th century America

The wind was coming from the south today and the snow was beginning to melt and run off the roof and onto the eaves.  The water thrummed on the roof over the porch and Josh and Brent and I went to the attic to look down at the new little ponds forming below in the fields.  Josh told me he thinks spring is in the wind.  Brent rolled his eyes and said "Spring CANNOT be in the wind, it begins in the soil."  I am not sure where it begins but I like the sound of the running, thrumming, drumming water.

Mother said I could go out of doors if I would be careful to step around the water and keep dry.  She handed me new mittens.  Sister had completed them yesterday.  There is a left hand mitten and a right hand mitten.  They fit my hands perfectly.  I know they will keep my hands warm.  I am going to try very hard to keep them dry too.  Josh and Brent whispered in my ear that they would help me to take care.  The wind seemed to make everything smell so very fresh and  new.  I spied a rabbit hopping near the barn.  I wonder if he had ventured out to smell a moment of spring also.

As I neared the corner of the barn, I saw that the water was coming off the corner of the roof in a very narrow, tight coil that seemed to twist in  the sun.  It sparkled.   I held my hands out to catch it and stoke the coil.  Before long, my mittens were growing very, very heavy and they smelled like…..like…..wet sheep.  They were sopping wet and my fingers were growing colder and colder.  Brent saw me looking at my mittens and nudged Josh.  He said, "Oh, Mary, what have you done?"   Brent removed his scarf and Josh placed my wet mittens in the center. Brent rolled my mittens up in his scarf very tightly, round and around until most of the water was gone.  I shall place my mittens near the hearth.  I hope my hands will not be red or chapped in the morning; Mother would notice for certain……………………

Pretty, Unforgettable

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Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?

How many perfectly pretty rooms have you seen?   Every design website, every lifestyle magazine, TV show, and store window display shows us how "pretty" a room can be.  But out of all of those pretty rooms you've seen, how many do you "remember"?

That's because "pretty" is pretty forgettable.

One of the most difficult parts of designing a room is editing.  This is hard to do when the world is so full of beautiful things that you'd like to use.

But the result of having too much "pretty" in a room is that the room loses its focal point and the eye has a hard time trying to find somewhere to rest.   Without a focal point around which to build a lasting memory, the mind just forgets the entire experience.

Recently, a neighbor was downsizing to a smaller home and gifted us with a very ornate gilded mirror.  We placed it above the fireplace.  But in a setting as formal as the Beekman's living room, a gilded mirror was just a little too—expected.

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We had long-admired the Poldo Como chest (pictured left) that we first glimpsed at the Conran Shop.   The tongue-in-cheek color scheme seemed to both poke-fun-at and revere the Rococo curves of the furniture.

Wit, wisdom, form and function are what make truly great design.

The memory of this piece of furniture was so vivid that it could still serve as inspiration for the project at hand over four years after we first laid eyes on it.

We first gently cleaned the mirror's frame with soap and water to remove the years' worth of dusty build-up from the crevices.  Then a genius product called QuickWood (which Brent's grandmother discovered) was used to re-create any part of the plasterwork that had not survived the century.

Armed with two cans of semi-gloss paint, a quart of polyurethane, and a paint sprayer, we dutifully created layer upon layer of lacquered drama.

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The mirror now picks up the "orange peel" fabric of the alcove chairs and the coloration of the bricks of the fireplace to create a focal point to the room that guests will not soon forget.

Warming Up

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This has been a brutal winter at Beekman Farm, and even if we had the thermostat set to 90 and every fireplace in the house roaring, I don't think we could have fully combated the bone chilling temperatures outside.

Fortunately, we know a few tricks (other than hot chocolate and whiskey) that can help keep the blood from freezing.

If you've ever wondered why the cuisine in hot climates is often distinguished by a high degree of spiciness, the answer is diet-induced thermogenesis–the generation of body heat that occurs from eating. Through normal digestion, absorption, and metabolization of food, the body converts food calories to heat. Burning calories can literally warm you up.

In hot weather, the increase in body temperature makes you feel cooler by decreasing the temperature difference between you and the air around you, as well as by inducing the body to sweat, which cools the body when the perspiration evaporates. In cold weather, though, the increase in body temperature can make you feel plain old warm and cozy.

Here are five foods that we use to turn up the heat without ever touching the thermostat.

Hot Peppers

Capsaicin, the substance that gives hot peppers their pungent flavor (and also used in pepper sprays and for pain relief) increases thermogenesis. Essentially, hot, spicy foods are stimulants which raise the body temperature by stimulating the circulation.

Black Pepper

Black pepper is harvested from unripe berries of the vine Piper nigrum (white pepper is extracted from the ripe berries, you can impress your foodie friends at dinner parties with that one). Black pepper contains piperine, a substance that has been shown to influence thermogenesis through stimulating the nervous system.

Ginger

Widely used as an herbal remedy for many maladies–including those involving the digestive tract, headaches and nausea–the pungent principles of ginger (gingerols and shogaols) also have thermogenic properties.

Green Tea

Green tea has two components, caffeine and catechins, that have been shown to produce thermogensis. Green tea containing caffeine significantly increased thermogenesis by 28 percent to 77 percent. In Asia, green tea is a common recipe ingredient

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is comprised of mostly medium-chain fatty acids, which, when eaten, have been shown to increase thermogenesis. On the down side, one tablespoon of coconut oil contains 117 calories and 13.6 grams of fat.