chopsticks guest post: e-i-e-i-o

recently i took a road trip.  what was supposed to be a quick drive to clayton, turned into a very long excursion to dunn.  first i drove to a small produce stand/nursery called "lee's."  guess what?  wrong lee's!  


thankfully, the iphone is here to help...  wait!  this place is where?!  


figured i was already this far east so i might as well keep going.  so, i drove through the north carolina countryside and eventually made it to my destination.  this was no stand.  this lee's, the correct lee's, had about 7 dogs, a very talkative farmer, and his wife.  these super friendly people had the most southern accents and seemed excited that i had driven that far for their jarred goods.


while it was originally a quest to stock up on a few jars of the spicy sweet dill pickles, i left with their salsa, candied jalapenos, pickled okra and, of course, more than a few jars of pickles.  after getting back in the car to make my way back home, i immediately opened the pickled okra (something i hadn't had since i was a kid).  it was delicious!  


although i came to find out that the lee's have a stand at the raleigh farmers market, i would certainly go out there again if i wanted to buy in bulk.  so glad i met them!

fancy schmancy

it was friday with a pile of produce to use.  and, well, chopsticks is deserving.  let's get fancy for a date night.  

the menu (27aug10): 

• pan-seared duck breast with an apple, cherry, red wine reduction
• sweet potato and acorn squash purée
• wilted spinach

week 20 & 21: playing catch-up before the break

i know, i know... it's almost like i've already taken the break here.  so, going to consolidate some things here and post as much as i can before next week's fall break.


maybe i should blame the start of football season....  


week 20 brought box "a" and it was fruit loaded.  this was definitely chopsticks' week to highlight her talents.  that is, unless she happens to eat all the fruit before making something.  she has been loving the peaches.

clockwise from top left: cucumbers, sprite melon, tomatoes, peaches, personal watermelon, apples (gala & macintosh)

then there was labor day weekend.  not sure what it is about holiday weekends and forgetting to order our box on time.  so, default box "a" this week.  

clockwise from top left: cucumbers, raw shelled peanuts, personal watermelon, zucchini, scuppernong grapes, tomatoes

what do two adults and one dog do with a watermelon?

in a busy kitchen, one adult was prepping dinner.  another was so hungry she needed a snack.  and a dog ensured she was constantly in the way, hoping for something, begging, "come on, mom! share!"


after chopsticks enjoyed her snack....


and we laughed hysterically at ojp and her snack....

ojp enjoying her watermelon

i prepared a drink.

watermelon cooler