An Afternoon Spent Out in the Cold

~the Airstream, in the early morning after a snowfall~

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The rain turned into snow shortly after it got dark on Friday evening - big huge wet flakes that looked beautiful while they're falling.  I didn't go outside for a few hours - and then when I did the place looked completely different.  Honestly, I think the Pointer Sisters hated it - they're delicate you know.

Our southern power lines aren't well-suited for snow - and the lights flickered on and off a few times during the evening, and the electricity went off for about an hour sometime in the middle of the night.  I was relieved when it came back on (and when I heard my Vornado space heater turn back on).  Otherwise - it was a bit creepy hearing the wet, frozen snow shift on the top of the Airstream during the night as the wind blew - the sounds seemed to be amplified inside, making one thing that chunks of an iceberg were shifting around overhead.

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~the view out of the Airstream kitchen window~

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The view was quite different, that's for sure.  Of course it didn't last long, a few hours - but it was fun while it lasted. 

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~the back garden~

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Our southern foliage isn't meant for a heavy wet snow either - the bamboo was laying virtually on the ground, as was a cherry laurel - the camellia branches were spread out and falling over too (those large leaves).  The leyland cypresses were beautiful though - and for a few brief hours made my lowcountry garden look like one much farther north.

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~a good use for snow~

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So - the lab was to show up at 1 pm for a farewell gathering for the eclair-baking postdoc.  His three-year postdoc has come to an end - although pending grant submissions include his salary for the various projects proposed.  As I was preparing for folks, I realized that I wouldn't need to make an ice run:  snow works great, right?  How rare an event is that - that there is snow when I need to put beer on ice!

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~clams~

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My neighbor, Clammer Dave, went out this morning and brought us back 100 clams.  He farms them at Capers Inlet, part of the Capers Island State Wildlife Refuge Area.  After he brought them in, he went out again - and said he was going to be out on the water until about 6 pm.  Now that's what I call a cold afternoon spent outside.  The clams are beautiful though - don't you think?  
  
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~the eclair-baking postdoc and the lab's former senior student~

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The eclair-baking postdoc was responsible for the clam preparations.  He first placed them on a baking sheet - and then placed them on a grill on the fire until they popped open.

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~clams casino~

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Once they popped open, he took them off the grill and topped them with chopped green pepper and garlic and olive oil and bacon - and placed them back on the fire until the cheese started to melt a little.

They were delicious.

He also made some with capers, others with just butter and black pepper (I think it was black pepper).

We had our fill, and there were still some left over for him to take along with him to Columbia, SC today for a post-move treat.

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~the Lab's former Senior Doctoral Student~

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The lab's former Senior Doctoral Student, Ben, joined us (I mentioned his defense back in late September).  Within minutes of his arrival, he had us laughing (as his often fascinating Ben-centric Universe generally has us doing) - and this time his fondue fork storage technique (being held by his toboggan - which many of us think of us a sled, but which others call a winter hat or tuque - do you see it there?) was also being used as an alien communication device...from time-to-time he'd put his hand up to the device (aka fork) and start talking.  Of course Ben brings out my own inner 10 year old (which isn't terribly hard to do) - and fortunately no one caught me on film communicating with aliens via my own fondue fork. 

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~the Lab's Senior Graduate Student~

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This is the Lab's current Senior Doctoral Student, Maria.  She looks like a movie star in those sunglasses, doesn't she?  She came quite prepared for a cold afternoon - complete with her snuggie.  I had to laugh because I didn't know that folks actually bought snuggies (or as these guys said, offbrand ones) - but it ended up that not only did Maria have a snuggie, but so did Ben.  I have to rethink my whole lab history now, in light of this new information.

(We did catch Maria shivering a few times, so I was glad that she brought her snuggie with her - although I think she was a bit too embarrassed to wear it properly.) 

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~Quimbolitos~

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This are absolutely yummy.  Maria, the Lab's Senior Graduate Student, made them.  She was born in Ecuador - and she followed a recipe of her Mother's (similar to the once below, except that Maria didn't add the brandy/cognac or the cream cheese).  I had a leftover one for breakfast this morning.

Interestingly, Maria's Mom wraps her quimbolitos in banana leaves - but on this website, the recipes calls for Achira leaves - Canna leaves from Cannas grown for agricultural purposes.

According to Wikipedia:

Canna achira is a generic term used in South America to describe the cannas that have been selectively bred for agricultural purposes, normally derived from C. discolor. It is grown especially for its edible rootstock from which starch is obtained, but the leaves and young seed are also edible, and achira was once a staple foodcrop in Peru and Ecuador. 

(You can read more about agricultural varieties of Cannas here). 

Maria's Quimbolitos

Ingredients:

1 cup corn flour, sifted.
1 cup wheat flour, sifted
5 eggs separate yolks clear
Cream cheese ¼ cup (optional) 
10 tablespoons butter
8 ounces sugar
Raisins
1 glass of brandy/cognac (optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Achira Sheets casing - Maria used banana leaves.

To Prepare:

Beat the yolks, they are creamy Gradually add sugar, butter and cheese, then add the liqueur, baking powder, cornmeal and then wheat flour. Mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and add it to preparation prior to envelopment. Clean sheets, cut into squares and put the piece of dough with raisins on a square and wrap them.

Cook (like tamales) in saucepan or double boiler for 40 minutes approx.

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~the Microbial Laboratory during wartime~

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And here they all are - with a few friends.  During an afternoon spent out in the cold.

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Comments

[compostinmyshoe]

What a super post! I just love the beer in the wash bucket with snow. Looks like a special moment shared with friends.

[Janet]

Looks like a good time was had by all in spite of the weather.

[Christopher C NC]

They all look cold and I know how delicate southern thinned blood can be especially if the humidity was up.

[Pam]

Compost, we were cold - but determined. Once the fire got going good, and we had a good bed of coals, it was much better!

Janet, yep - in spite of the weather, we managed.

Christopher, I think my thin-blooded lab folks were just being nice to me - I really wanted to have the gathering for the departing postdoctoral fellow. As for the humidity, it's always up down here, isn't it?

[kate]

Airstream living seems to be agreeing with you ~ and the lab people. The party looks like it was great fun. I didn't realise people actually bought snuggies either.

[Blackswampgirl Kim]

Umm... so if I'm reading this correctly, there are some EDIBLE cannas? Can I somehow twist this to my advantage and buy 'Bengal Tiger' and/or 'Tropicanna' this year, then... in spite of my vow to not buy anything this year that isn't edible, outside of tall red snapdragons?

[Martini Recipes]

Ha! Love using the snow to chill the beer.