Tomato Day

It started at 8:00 on Sunday morning, with 425 pounds of tomatoes and four families working until 9 at night. In the end, we had 170 quarts of home-made and absolutely delicious tomato sauce based on an Oliva Family recipe. We have 2 dozen quarts in our basement!

So thrilled to be a part of it again this year, thanks Olivas!

Tomato prep - the kids wash in three stages, Cam starts the cutting.

Proof of 425 pounds of tomatoes

Laurie and Char prepping the station where the boiled jars and lids have been filled with sauce and are waiting for their second boil.

Lots and lots of tomato cutting

Al, the orchestrator of the whole production. Stirring the cut tomatoes until cooked to perfection, then grinding them twice before boiling the sauce for 20 minutes, and finally pouring the sauce into warmed, waiting jars.

Second and final boiling - 45 minutes per batch.

Laurie and me working hard - she's the sauce pourer, and I'm the jar opening wiper. Very important stuff.

The last batch of 2nd boils are in and we're starting to relax.

Later in the evening, we celebrated with Limoncello

Oh how I adore thee, Farmer's Market!

Spectacular dahlias (the orange ones are each as big as my noggin) and the most fantastic eggs I've ever had. It's Sustainable September Spokane - we kicked it off this morning with the Farmer's Market, soon to be followed by a walk in the park with a good friend and our pooches, followed promptly by the Main Market Street Fair. It IS easy being green!

Back-country (Bear Country!) Camping

Pete and I spent three evenings at Trout Lake in the Selkirks a few weeks ago. It was really lovely - no bears, but plenty of good fun outdoors regardless. Fishing, camp fires, bear-bags and yoga on a big rock.

I *heart* my snazzy new orange hiking boots! Love love love.

Trout Lake. Our camp site was to the left of the rock slide across the lake. It was perfect. Gorgeous views, secluded from the other campers, and a tiny stream running through it for chilling our, ummm, martinis. Camping a la 007.

Cocktail hour at Camp Chase

Home away from home

Pete's snowman brought me flowers!

View from the ridge

Pete's lucky fishing rock

Happy Pete! (Biiiig rainbow trout!)

And begins the Yoga on Giant Rocks series. Thanks to Pete, who knew that I have always wanted an outdoor yoga series, and acted as photographer extraordinaire.

Tree

Upward Facing Dog

Wheel

More tree

Warrior I

Warrior II

And I'll leave you with this parting shot. We diligently hung bear bags nightly, but it appears we should have been more concerned about smaller critters. All in all, some mini-character made off with my sock liners, and one flip flop. They were kind enough to leave this one, albeit with no straps. And, to top it off, the critter pooped in my shoe!!! See proof above.

Ah, camping.

Anthony Bourdain Party

We decided to forgo the traditional Labor Day activities (plus, it's 45 degrees up here, making it entirely too cold for barbequeing), and had an Anthony Bourdain-inspired cook-off! It's "No Reservations" meets "Iron Chef" in the Chase household.

In honor of Anthony Bourdain's 100th "No Reservations" episode (France!), each of us selected a dish that we had never before attempted. We prepped and cooked each dish and ate mini portions of each - one per episode during the countdown to the 100th episode

The "rules" were:
- A recipe you've never made before
- At least one ingredient must be from the Farmer's Market

The menu (after convincing Pete that maybe it doesn't have to be a mystery until the last moment...) was:
- Watermelon, basil and feta salad (Petra and Adam)
- Risotto Carbonara with prociutto and poached egg (Amy)
- Red-Cooked pork (Joe)
- Lapin Gibelotte (French rabbit stew. Whoa) (Pete)

All credit goes to Joe, who concocted this fantastic plan.
Here's the proof (bear with me as I give in to my obsession with food...):


Pete and Joe

Frying prociutto. Mmmm, fried.


Watermelon salad, so good!!!


Frying the pork belly


Joe is a master chef and the most meticulous "prepper" I've seen in action.


I think I have concocted a smashing version of Risotto Carbonara - with prociutto and a poached egg. Holy smokes.

Fabulous friends Adam and Petra! Thanks for coming you guys, we'll have to come up with another excuse for a themed dinner!

Red-cooked pork belly close-up. Crazy good.

Silliness with chopsticks.


And the grande finale, just in time for the 100th episode, Pete's Lapin Gibelotte. Totally scrumptious. No Fatal Attraction jokes, please.