Change

Lots has happened in the past couple of years in my little corner of the world.
LO is almost five now. How the time flies!

We've moved into a larger patch of land where we are trying our hands at being a little more self-sufficient. I am the first to admit that I have lots to learn. My thumb is still far from being green :)

We have planted three new blueberry and a couple of currant bushes, as well as a few apple, pear, prune, quince, persimmon and  plum. Most are doing well so far.

We have also added chickens to our wanna-be homestead and started a compost pile. While we had been thinking about starting a compost pile for a while now, the exponentially growing amount of our chickens' poo did help expedite the project.

The chickens which we brought  on 4/11 are well-settled in their new home now. We built the chicken coop in about 2 week-ends and opted for a moveable design. They are a little over three months old now, mostly sweet-tempered and are fun to watch.

Amidst the struggle to keep up with the daily life and the added commitment required to keep blackberry brambles from taking over the place among other things, I am enjoying the longer days and the the little bits of sunshine that graces us here and there.
Spring is here and summer is well on its way. Bring it on!

Fresh Fruits Cakes for a Cold Afternoon

Friday was a hectic day. After dropping off the kids at school, I ran to the store to pick-up a few things, such as the buttermilk that was needed to make Fresh Fruit Cakes. One for a friend and one to keep ;)

After getting back home and putting the grocery away, I decided to make couscous. Perfect for this cold weather and for today. After all, it is Friday and growing up, Friday was always Couscous Day. The improvised Souks in the narrow streets would fill with ambulant vendors who displayed in their stalls all the ingredients needed for the quintessential Friday Lunch in Morocco. The colorful etalages exhumed the smells of the sun-ripened tomatoes, huge "Cinderella" pumpkins, cabbage heads, different varieties of turnips, as well as the other essentials such as zucchini, carrots and fava beans. Then of course, one had to stop at the herb lady with her seemingly never-ending bunches of cilantro and parsley, laid on a cloth on the ground where she sat cross-legged. The trip to the butcher came next. Then on to the creamery "Mahlaba" to get "l'ben" or buttermilk.

When mom made couscous at home, she always enough to feed to feed our small family and more. You just never knew who would stop by on their way to the Friday prayer. An uncle, aunt, or both. Whoever stopped by was invited to come back afterwards to share lunch. If they were unable to stay, then a plate would inevitably be prepared and sent over to their home. Our neighbors got a nicely done plate. And so did the "guardien" stationed at the entrance of our cul-de-sac. Basically a security guard/errand boy/handyman that the families living on our small street employed to keep an eye on things and help with everything. Other dishes were plated and saved for another uncle or cousin would might stop by after work. So on Friday at our house everybody got his share.

The big lunch was served with plain buttermilk, and Saikouk. Saikouk - also a Moroccan street food -  is buttermilk served with cooked plain couscous and freshly steamed fava beans. The kids usually sweetened the buttermilk with sugar or honey and ate it as dessert.

Ah, the days...But I digress.

Anyway, the kids came home to warm fruit cakes before heading off to music lessons and the couscous was made and thoroughly enjoyed later for dinner that evening with enough left over to be had for lunch the following day. Couscous recipe to follow in a later post.

The Fresh Fruit cake is one that I have been making for a few years. I first found it in a Food & Wine cookbook. I have been making it with whatever fruits I have on hand. Recipe below.

Peace