January 2016 – Page 2 – Peacock Orchard

Review: The Stump Jump Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 wine and Irish Cheddar Cheese

Wine:

The Stump Jump 2009 Sauvignon Blanc $7.29 (On sale)

Description:

[From back of bottle] The Stump Jump Sauvignon Blanc was gently crushed and basket pressed followed by temperature controlled fermentation prior to bottling. It is a fresh, crisp style with great appeal to savor on it’s own or as an accompaniment to food.

Cheese:

Irish Cheddar $10.29/lb

Description:

[From the cheese makers website] A rindless, pasteurized cows’ milk cheese that offers unusually sweet and fruited flavor. Moderately sharp, this is no tongue-searer, but is best enjoyed through the thick creamy head of a mug of stout.

Wine Review:

This wine has a nice fruity scent. The initial sip is nice and fruity as well with a bit of a bite. I felt my molars for a second there. All in all not a bad wine. I would have no problem drinking it. I think this would be a good one to eat or cook with chicken. That’s my problem, no wine is too good or too bad to be cooked with.

Cheese Review:

I liked the look of this cheese. It was very patriotic with the green wax. Irish for sure. Other than that it’s cheddar. Should be eaten like cheddar is, cooked. We tried it then we put it away and brought out the apple smoked gouda. Mmmmm that gouda!

We enjoyed this wine while watching The Permaculture Orchard. I’d highly recommend it but I’m biased since I’m hoping to replicate his orchard, kind of.

Juicing facts, why we started and why we’ll never stop

Last year I began watching TED talks. Too many TED talks. Many pointed to the nutritional benefits of whole foods, which I absolutely believe in. The problem is that getting my kids to eat a green bean is extremely unpleasant. You may have seen then gobbling peas out of the shell but if you cook those peas, then it’s as good as poison. They certainly did not get their dislike for vegetables from me. So how to get the good stuff into them? Another TED talk turned my attention to juicing. So we got a green juice recipe and began.

Of course the kids wouldn’t drink it. It actually took months before the kids would try it. They’ll drink my whole glass now (so about 3/4 cup per kid), so persistence is key!

Straws are necessary to the process though. They only get straws when they drink their green juice.

We did alter the recipe for palatability though. We add pineapple, which is a great source of vitamin C so an obvious addition anyway.

I’m not going to lie here, I thought green juice was hideous. I’d drink it all in one gulp so I didn’t have to taste it. The pineapple helped and you do grow to appreciate the flavor, so I like it now. Stick with it through that first week!

The effect has been pretty amazing though. We are healthy. Really healthy. Before green juice we’d end up at the ER with incredible fevers. We got every sickness you could possibly get. Don’t even tell me you have the flu over the phone because I swear I could catch it that way.

I don’t mean to mislead you, we have been sick. We all caught a cold around Christmas. We were over it within a few days and it was never that severe. We rarely go to the doctor anymore. I haven’t had to buy any medication for anyone for a year now. It’s mind blowing the difference juicing has made for all of us.

The kids share a glass. It helps encourage them to drink it when it’s a race.

Our recipe is for 4 people, 2 of them being very small children. This recipe makes a quart of juice.

1/3 pineapple
3 medium apples
2-3 kale leaves
1/3 head of romaine (5-6 leaves)
1 cucumber
1 lime
3-4 stalks of celery

We purchase our juicing stuff weekly. The average cost is $30 per week.

As far as health stats. Our green juice recipe should have the following vitamins and minerals:

green juice

That link is a pdf document.

Staying at home isn’t as relaxing as I thought it would be.

Ok I never thought it would be relaxing. I’m a busy woman and I had projects lined up as far as the eye could see. Still, I thought I’d be able to accomplish things. I suppose I am but it really doesn’t feel like it. Today I ran errands and cooked. That’s it. Where are my beautiful tomato seeds sprouting? Where is my remodeled kitchen? Well that’s a mess. Missing one wall and adding 4. Small walls though, really small ones. I will explain that later.

This rambling has a point I’m sure. Maybe it doesn’t. I’ve been so busy doing I’ve barely had any time to talk about it. Everything is going well. The pigs are growing by leaps and bounds. I still love them. B.L.T. is going to be a biter though, I can tell. He’s already at my legs. I keep something between us usually.

The children are fighting like cats and dogs. Arguing every little thing. Even having full blown arguments about whose mother I actually am. Still, they’re a joy.

I’ve been experimenting with home made bread a lot lately. I haven’t found a recipe I love yet, but I’ll get there. I’ll share it when I do.

As I write this I’m thinking about the wall I need to prime for painting. The shelves I need to stain for the new pantry. The faucet and sink I need to complete before I can move the fridge. Ok. Ok. Must not think about the mountain of tasks and focus on the wonderful things around me. Sounds of our children laughing while they color side by side. The smell of fresh brownies come out of the oven, just waiting for ice cream. The warmth of the gigantic hairy dog at my feet. My life, it’s wonderful!