April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.—-opening lines from The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot
I often think of T.S. Eliot, my favorite poet, but even more so on April 1st of each year. April is a flirt, teasing us with images of spring flowers and sunshine and then arriving with a frigid (34 F) and blustery dreary day. April fools!
It was a great day to stay indoors and focus on what was new in our kitchen.
First and foremost is the new winery sprouting up in our guest bathroom.
The one in the clear fermenter (actually a secondary FerMonster) is a Pinot Grigio. It is about 7-14 days out from bottling. We have a Tempranillo started in the white bucket. The pinot is clearing up nicely but the color is a bit off-putting. 🙂 Both wines are being made from Winexpert kits purchased at High Gravity in Tulsa.
We tried our hand from making wine from scratch about six years ago. Although we got about 25 bottles from that escapade, I have used most of that wine for cooking and making vinegar. 🙁
Actually, we’re not bottling this go around. We are going to bag our wine.
Although we have a few new “brewery” tools, the only real new kitchen tool I got was this great spoon that The Hubs made me.
That’s about all for the kitchen (or bathroom winery, rather).
I do have April magazines I need to get through.
As well as some new TLC Book Tour selections that I need to get read (and pair a recipe with).
I have finished Good Neighbors by Joanne Serling and I enjoyed it. My post and accompanying foodie item will be posted May 1st. I just started True Stories from an Unreliable Witness by Christine Lahti and am really enjoying it but it may be a challenge to come up with some food inspiration from this memoir. (I do have to post it up on April 10 so wish me well.) Finally, Hurricane Season by Lauren K. Denton is next on my reading list for TLC. It’s post is scheduled for April 25.
I’ve got Padma Lakshmi’s Love, Loss and What We Ate loaded on my Kindle at the moment.
Although there are a few great sounding recipes in this book and I enjoy reading about the Top Chef filming, the structure is a bit odd. (I had no idea she was married to Salman Rushdie.)
Well, that’s all that’s going on in EE’s kitchen for this month. Maybe it will feel more like spring when my lilacs actually bloom.
I’m linking up with In My Kitchen hosted by Sherry’s Pickings.
For what’s going on in the greenhouse and what veggies might end up In My Kitchen (eventually), check out Seed Planting.
I always wondered about making wine at home, we have a few folks at work who have tried it and enjoyed the process. Let me know how these batches taste. Also looking forward to more greenhouse photos and updates!
Here’s hoping your lilacs will emerge soon!
I have a good friend that makes it all the time. The samples that we’ve had along the way of the pinot grigio show that it’s coming along nicely.
Your wine-making is intriguing — I’ll look forward to seeing your report on the taste/quality of the result. Funny that you didn’t know Padma Lakshi was married to Salman Rushdie: that’s about the only thing i DO know about her!
I hope April isn’t too cruel this year.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I know. I am totally embarrassed to admit that bit of information. My story is that when he was so much in the news (and I was reading his works), she was a nobody here. Anywhoo, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Hopefully, there will be some wine tasting posts.
Wow thumbs up for you making wine at home, Deb. Daffodils and jonquils are very beautiful.
Hopefully it will be a thumbs up, Angie! Thanks.
i love that and its so true ‘ April is a flirt, teasing us with images of spring flowers and sunshine’. Adore the daffy’s and the wooden skull spoon.
Thanks. It’s supposed to get to 27 F here tonight. Geesh! (Or, rather, Brrrr!)
What could be better than thinking about T.S. Eliot and making a fine brew of wine in the kitchen.
Sometimes Eliot is better with a bit of wine. 🙂
You have some cool stuff in your kitchen this month! Can’t get beyond your winery, though — what a fun idea! Enjoy. 🙂
So far it’s pretty fool proof too.
When I was growing up in Louisville, our neighbor made wine all the time. Even had the wood barrels and us kids stomped around the grapes. Great poem and I will check out the books you mentioned. April is fickle, we had 2″ snow this morning and windy, windy!
That’s a great memory, Pam.
Hi Debra
Lovely to see you in IMK land. How fab to be making your own wine. I keep meaning to try it myself. I adore Christine Lahti so I will have to hunt up her book. April for us is a relief from summer heat as winter is finally heading our way after a relentless summer. Hope your Easter was great. Cheers Sherry x
I think I enjoyed the Lahti book. (Yes, it is one of those that I am a bit on the fence on.)
You’re making your own wine?! That’s adventurous. Look forward to reading how it all turns out. Would love to have it brewing in my kitchen. 🙂
🙂
Making your own wine – that is so cool! I want to know more…is it a long and involved process or a bit like bread baking where it’s a few minutes here and there with a lot of waiting around time?
Courageous to make wine in the guest bathroom! I look forward to hearing how it turns out. What an adventure. I do want to ask why…curiosity or desire to be self sufficient?
Your flowers are beautiful. Even on the west coast April has been fickle this year.
Hello Kitty (aka Eliot) and your pseudo selves! T.S. Eliot happens to be one of my fave’s, too. I also think you’re noble and brave to start a micro-brewery — winery? — in your guest bathroom. 🙂
Whereabouts are you located in OK? I’m just down the road south of Muskogee and hoping we’ll be able to connect “IRL” someday via “IMK.” FYI (not to overkill acronyms), if you live in Tulsa, I don’t get to the “big city” very often — mostly for unexpected flights to MN, Lord willing — but I’m willing to “road trip” for fun, friendship, and FOOD. Okay, wine, too! Best wishes on your future posts reviewing and/or cooking trials… a good glass of vino (even “homegrown”) renders most dishes palatable. 🙂 Take care!