Saturday, May 1, 2010

You know you live in Florida when

This just struck me as amusing.  No complaints but frankly this all just wouldn't have happened in Philadelphia, Lawn Guy Lant, Chicago or any other big city Up North.  Here I am square in the middle of the South Florida Sprawl - half way to the Keys, half way to Jupiter, one shoulder against the Ocean, another against the Glades.

I took the dog out for her morning walk today.  I let her lead because it was a rough week for us.  More of that in another post. 

It was a short walk so we got back and she went about her doggy business and I went about mine.  I needed to find breakfast.

As my friends and my readers know that usually means a fresh biscuit cooked with fresh butter and buttermilk both home churned made from scratch of course.  Sure I'll brag because they're GOOD! 

I went to the refrigerator and found that there were none.  None in the freezer either so I'd have to make more.  Grumbling I thought fine, I'll just make coffee.  No such luck, again.  I was out of my own home roasted beans so I decided that I'd knuckle down and make more.  

I gathered up the tools of the trade, my trusty popcorn popper slash coffee roaster and was going to go outside and roast today.  Roasting outdoors has some benefits since it won't wake others up, it won't make your house smell like a Melitta plant in Cherry Hill, NJ which can be pleasant in moderation, and your closets and clothes won't smell like it either.

I walked out of the kitchen into the Florida Room to the sliding glass door and reached for the latch when I was stopped.   Walking across my deck to the pool pump area was an opossum that was as large as a cat.  Instead of screaming bloody murder and running away I merely shrugged and grumbled something about having my wash smelling like Guatemalan Peaberry Roast all week and went back to the kitchen.

The coffee roasted excellently at six minutes and fifteen seconds.  I took the little metal bowl of the finished beans out front to set on my Aunt's table in front of the house to cool and came back to the kitchen.

Next on my agenda was to prep the chicken for the biscuit when it was done.   Fine, no problem there!  I just grabbed a chicken cutlet out of the bag, microwaved the thing and it sat there beeping at me every minute while I baked the biscuits.

Yes, back to those biscuits.   I still had some Buttermilk from the last batch I made, although not enough.  I added some milk to that to bring it up to the needed cup and a quarter and then went looking for the butter that was leftover from last week.  Stop right there!  The butter had turned and had an interesting brown "stuff" growing in it after about four days in the refrigerator.

Repeat after me ... EWWWW!  Mold!

Too bad, because that butter was wonderful the other day when I had it with marmalade on a biscuit.  Being in Florida it wasn't a mere Orange Marmalade like you get everywhere else.  It was Honeybell Tangelo Marmalade that you get at a roadside stand and chuckle because the jar looks like an orange, it is expensive and from a name nobody ever hears outside of the state and tastes unlike anything that you will ever find elsewhere... and well worth the expense and effort.

Ok, so I was stuck.  I HAD to make the mix.  Three Cups Mix to One Cup and a Quarter of Buttermilk and Milk, stir until mixed, 1/4 cup dough per biscuit, bake for 12 minutes 30 seconds at 450, makes 10. 

The Mix Biscuits were OK.  Much better than KFC "sinkers" but not quite up to my usual standards.

That will teach me to draw down supplies in time for Hurricane season right?

I'm cleaning up from all of that and I catch a spoon that flew well and landed poorly on my shorts and I notice that there's a yellow stain there.   Oh well this being Florida the yellow stain is from the Hibiscus Bloom that I brushed against on the way back in the house once the Opossum had left the yard.  After all I had to put the grill away after last night's burgers!

At least when I toss them in the wash, I have an indoor laundry instead of outdoor like many of my friends.

Mind you, I am not complaining.  I'm actually quite amused at it all.  Any new place you move to you will make adjustments.  Florida does have its quirks but it can be a beautiful place to live.

Just make sure that you have room for storing the Hurricane Food!

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