Friday, October 25, 2013

Mangos and Papayas... Anything Your Heart Desires

That little mango pit San Geraldo planted a few weeks ago is already growing into a tree! OK. Maybe not exactly a tree. But a stem with leaves on it. It now sits on a cabinet in front of my bedroom window. San Geraldo brought it in from the terrace to protect it from the "chilly winds of winter."

DUDO: WHAT ARE YOU TAKING A PICTURE OF? NEED MY HELP?

San Geraldo makes some delicious salads with a fresh fruit and veg base. He'll have to start using the mangos produced by our own tree. I understand it takes only 5 to 10 years to get fruit from a seed-grown mango tree. Think of all the money we'll save.

I THINK I'LL PLANT SOME KIWI SEEDS... AND PLUM AND NECTARINE PITS... ALMONDS, TOO.

While we wait for our tree to bear fruit, I'll continue to serve up my own gourmet meals. Sadly, I'm the only one who'll eat them.

 CHOCOLATE COVERED RICE CAKE PB&J.

Chocolate-Covered Rice Cake PB&J Recipe
Ingredients:
1 package chocolate-covered rice cakes
1 jar peanut butter
1 jar raspberry jam (substitute with jam of your choice... lemon marmalade is my favorite)*
Instructions:
1. Open rice cake package and place rice cakes on plate.
2. Spread peanut butter atop chocolate layer of rice cake.
3. Top off with a small "dollop" of jam or jelly.


Fall Colors
We went to the garden center last week to buy some jasmine and trellises for the terrace. I'll share photos as soon as we've finished cleaning things up. In the meantime, I thought I'd show you some examples of the "fall colors" on display outside. (Click any of the images to truly experience our winter chill.)





19 comments:

  1. I know it's true: San Geraldo and Carlos are separated at birth. We have a grapefruit tree growing on the deck that Carlos sprouted from seeds. The avocados, sadly, did not make it.

    Choco-covered Rice Cake PB&J?
    Leave off the 'J' and I'm in!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bob:
      San Geraldo never used to grow anything from seed, nor would he nurse plants back to health. Ailing? Out! I don't know what's come over him!

      I don't like varying my recipes -- one little missing ingredient could spoil the entire dish. But I think we might be able to do with the jam in this case. (I tried honey; it was delicious; but it ran down my arms as I ate.)

      Delete
  2. Hey, nice job on that complicated recipe. You managed to clearly explain all of the tricky nuances of mastering that dish. And, it looks fabulous ;)

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    Replies
    1. Judeet:
      I knew you'd be impressed. I wasn't specific about amounts of PB and J, but it really is up to the chef. It's especially good with lemon marmalade... but I used it up.

      Delete
  3. I'd almost forgotten what Miss Clooney looked like when she was young, and well remember when she was one of the handful of the world's very biggest stars. We had that song on one of those hard and easily breakable 78 r.p.m. records (I'd have been 10) and this performance was made in those 'innocent' days when we didn't recognise 'camp' even when it was pushed right in front of our noses. Great stuff!

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    1. Raybeard:
      I couldn't believe how campy that video was. As Ms. Sparrow might say... "What a hoot!" (I'm just assuming she might say that because she's from Minnesota...)

      Delete
  4. I do the same thing with all my seeds too! I have date, avocado, mango, peach and pear currently growing. San G and I are kindred spirits

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    1. Nubian:
      Well, regarding San Geraldo, this is the same man who threw out a ridiculously expensive huge Kentia palm tree because it was dropping fronds too quickly. We had a very large sunroom. I suggested I would move it to the back and nurse it. No way! I think the only reason he started the mango was because the pit was already growing when he cut open the fruit!

      Delete
  5. "Chilly winds of winter"!! Excuse me....I am still choking....with laughter!!!

    Yes, just think of the possibilities when you have your own terrace orchard!!
    That salad looks delicious.

    My 'staple' are rice cakes....never knew they came COVERED IN CHOCOLATE! Oh-oh! Oh yes, and thanks for the recipe....with practice I think I will get this one.

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    Replies
    1. Jim:
      The chocolate covered rice cakes are really only supposed to be a small snack. But I've been out of the standard rice cakes so decided to improvise. Aren't you impressed?

      Delete
  6. We're waiting for my son's avocado to bear fruit! May it will when your mango does. I remember that Rosemary Clooney song. Haven't thought of it in years. We just had to bring all our plants in from the deck because it's going to freeze almost every night this week. We had snow the last two days! Lucky you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kristi:
      I hadn't thought of that song either until I was writing this post. So funny. Freeze?!? Jerry's sister said it was down to 38 in South Dakota last week. I told her we only made it up to around 30 here. Unfortunately — for her — she was talking fahrenheit and I was talking celsius (30C = 86F). I sure do feel for you... but I won't be keeping you company.

      Delete
  7. I hope Dudo is patient because he's going to have a long wait for those mangos.

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    Replies
    1. Stephen:
      Dudo is extremely patient... when he doesn't really care.

      Delete
  8. Mmmmmm Choc covered RC/PB/J more please. That mango is on a mission I'd say....let's hope it can grow super fast in your tropical climate. You just never know.

    Your plants are so beautiful. Our colour is waning as I type.

    Happy Sunday!!
    Ron

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ron:
      We do get winter, but you would call it spring. Cooler and rainier but still always something in bloom. Happy Sunday back to you!

      Delete
  9. I love Rosemary Clooney !

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    Replies
    1. Spo:
      So do I. Wonder what she thought, if anything, of that campy dance number.

      Delete

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