{bits & pieces}
Pears still in process over here — the gratifyingly numerous nice ones have been eaten or are tucked away in the fridge awaiting their moment to ripen for our enjoyment.
The less-perfect have been cored and cooked. The first batch was normal, below; above you can see that my second pot got cooked to the caramelization point which also means that some burnt on the bottom of the pan!
I do this every time I make pear sauce. The truth is that it’s much, much better when this happens — all the sugars bloom and the final product looks more appealing and less like convalescent food!
I don’t do it on purpose but I sort of do…
But how to clean the pot, Auntie Leila… well, you need to read this post about cleaning your cast iron, because the scrubbing part applies to stainless too. If you try to use your plastic scrubber you will indeed despair; if you use your flexible metal spatula (with a flat edge, almost unavailable anywhere other than thrift stores or Phil’s bachelor stuff) and your steel scrubber (with an assist perhaps from a metal spoon with the right curve to fit into the edge of the pot), the job will be done very quickly. Soak the pot and then have at it.
Next up, canning it all (I will mix the two batches and try to get it all put up in one go).
I’m also hopeful about the winter squash out there… we shall see soon!
bits & pieces
I’m not a Catholic, but I’d have liked to live in Catholic England
A delightful essay about Little Women, by Susannah Pearce
What makes a kitchen look not old, necessarily, but classic? Kitchen Cabinet Design for Period Houses (or for new houses that would like to use an aesthetic rooted in actual tradition rather than just what builders do because who knows why)
I found the above article linked by an Instagram account I follow, that also posted a list of affordable cabinets of that kind for direct purchase
Fr. Sebastian Walshe, a Norbertine Canon of the Abbey of St. Michael in the Diocese of Orange, California developed his book, Understanding Marriage and Family (affiliate link), by teaching moral theology to high school boys. This interview with Jennifer Roback Morse is a must-listen. Fr. Walshe is impressive in his ability to speak clearly and simply on difficult moral topics. Towards the end, he speaks strongly about relativism as a totalitarian philosophy. This interview would be suitable for older high school students who are aware of the current controversies about marriage and gender ideology. Parents should definitely listen and consider buying his book.
from the archives
Seven strategies for dinner with the barbarians
Last week was the feast of St. Gregory — I’m sorry I didn’t post about it. But let’s let his spirit and intercession work for us as we make new friends and establish little pockets of like-minded people around us!
liturgical year
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