Author #117: Melissa Stewart substantiates the symbiosis in forests with cocoa trees

Intricately paced from chocolate to cocoa pods to leaves and roots, No Monkeys, No Chocolate traces the path to an abundant harvest of cocoa beans as we meet the many different characters who each play a integral part in helping a cocoa tree to be the most productive it can be.  By contrast, on typical cocoa farms, the conditions result in "fewer than five percent of all cocoa flowers (producing) pods" as opposed to the more natural cocoa tree forest approach as presented in the book where the cocoa trees give a much higher yield of cocoa beans.

Matt Ford wrote an article for CNN titled:  "Chocolate's bitter sweet relationship with the rainforest" that discusses the plight of rainforest grown cocoa beans vs those grown on cleared land as mono-cultures.  Help support some local producers of bean to bar or brew chocolate:

• http://www.criobru.com/
• http://www.amanochocolate.com/
• http://www.mezzochocolate.com/ 
• http://www.eatchocolateconspiracy.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/SolsticeChocolate
• http://millcreekcacao.com/
• and Ruth Kendrick's gourmet chocolate site: http://chocolot.com/

Sunday Randomness #103: $75 and the furnace starts up

Another appliance post!
We noticed at the end of the winter season that the basement seemed colder than usual.  After attempting to adjust the thermostat, it was clear that the furnace was starting up but wasn't turning on.  Just like car troubles, we had seen this scenario before and heard the same sound of the furnace attempting to warm up and turn on.  So I had a pretty good idea that all we needed was a new ignitor, but since it was the end of really cold weather, I didn't see a compelling reason to fix it at the time.

Fast forward to mid-June and now the temperatures outside are in the eighties.  I got thinking about the furnace and thought I'd better check it out again.  Same thing-just wouldn't quite turn on.  So my dad came over and took out the old ignitor, we took it down to Manwill and I bought a new one for about $75 and we brought it home and my dad installed it.  Then we tried the furnace.  It took several tries (about 4 times) to finally clear the air out of the line but then the furnace started up, stayed on, and began blowing warm air into the basement.  Of course we had to set the thermostat to around 85 degrees just to test it.  I'm glad that it's one less thing to think about in the back of my mind and when winter comes the furnace will be ready to go and I won't be wondering what's wrong with it and/or why I didn't fix it earlier.

Such a little piece but vitally necessary.

Swedish Tea Cakes

 Ingredients for cookies include pecans, butter, powdered sugar, flour, salt and vanilla.

Finished cookies

Swedish Tea Cakes (p.139 in the VV5th Ward cookbook)

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter (2 cubes)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (almonds or pecans)
extra powdered sugar

Beat 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt together until light and fluffy. Stir flour into mixture.  Then add nuts to mixture and mix just until dough holds together.  Shape into 1-inch balls and place one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until cookies are set, not brown.  Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheet, cool slightly, then roll into extra powdered sugar.  Cool completely, then roll again in powdered sugar.  Makes about 3 dozen.  

(Note from cook:  The cookies may be starting to brown on the bottom-this is fine-you just want them to hold their shape and not squish before taking them out of the oven.)

Sunday Randomness: #13 Sun and Shadow on a Mallard duck

 This juvenile female Mallard duck came visiting in early April.

Both pictures were shot on the same day near the same time with the same camera-just different natural lighting from nearby trees.  I wish she wasn't so blurry but she moved faster than we expected but she didn't seem scared.  She was more interested to see if there were food tidbits to be had in the lawn.

Mexicorn Casserole

 Ingredients in top picture with yellow rice, corn and peppers (substituted for Mexicorn), cream of chicken soup, sour cream, butter and cheese

Finished casserole

Mexicorn Casserole p. 37 from the VV 5th Ward Cookbook

1 (5-oz.) Yellow Rice, cooked

1 can Mexicorn (don't drain) 

1 c. sour cream

1 can cream of chicken

3 T. butter, melted

1 c. shedded pepper jack cheese 

Mix everything but the cheese and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.   Top with cheese and cook until melted.  You could also double the recipe and add sauteed onions and cooked chicken to make a main dish.

(Note from Jean: we used a generic corn and peppers blend and a Mexican cheese blend since that's what we had on hand.  It still tasted delicious and we loved it.)

Sunday Randomness #317: Pets, Pets, and more Pets

Current Pet round-up includes:  Betta Fish with a red piece of pellet food

 Guinea Pigs Ginger and Caramel

 Chickens-White one is Baltimore, Black and White speckled is Bea, and Brown-variegated is  Shantaclaira-these were a gift from some friends who moved away.  We've had them since last June and we get eggs occasionally.

Jack on the tower is master over all