FLOUR

     Mother's Day is coming and our hearts and minds are with our moms.  If I had to say what would have been my mom's favorite baked good, it would be something made of chocolate.  However, I have few memories of my mom eating sweets at all, even though she grew up when desserts were still freshly made at home.  She would much rather eat a plain slice of bread, especially if it was homemade.  However, she did enjoy a piece of chocolate cake occasionally, or a chocolate chip cookie, perhaps remembering what her mother used to bake. 
     My mother-in-law adores sweets to this day, but most especially anything made with chocolate.  I have eaten slices of different kinds of cakes and pieces of pies and numerous cookies she made over the years.  But the one most unique dessert she served just a couple of times was slices of chocolate cake with a caramel sauce spooned warm over each piece.  She would follow a basic chocolate cake recipe and bake it in an oblong pan.  When the cake was out of the oven and cooling, she would make the caramel sauce with ingredients very similar to those for caramel candy like butter, brown sugar, and cream.  When it was finished, this luscious warm dessert was ready to enjoy.
     I have shared tidbits about my grandmother before, my mom's mother.  She was the baker in our family.  We relished in her treats: cakes, pies, cookies, puddings, and candies.  I know she was the one who influenced me with baking.
     About the time I was able to follow a simple recipe, I received as a gift, Betty Crocker's New Boys and Girls Cook Book, copyright 1960, by General Mills, Inc.  This was a grand starter cookbook for a young person as it included many basic tips and techniques.  My next-door neighbor, who shared my cooking interest, and I would try out a recipe when we would have a sleepover at my house and always with my grandmother nearby.  One of our favorites was Brownie Slowpokes, a cross between a cookie and a brownie.  They were made by placing three pecan halves per Slowpoke in a sort of triangle where you could visualize the two back feet of a turtle and its head.  Then a teaspoon of brownie mixture was dolloped atop the pecan triangles simulating their shells, and they were baked.  When cooled from the oven the brownie-like turtles were topped with swirls of chocolate frosting.
     But in homage to my grandmother for Mother's Day, I would have to say her favorite baked good was strawberry shortcake.  Coincidentally, the recipe she used that I remember was very similar to what is in my Betty Crocker cookbook and at the time, on the Bisquick baking box.  Her birthday was in early May when strawberries were so fresh and good.  She would make a large pan of shortcake, hull a huge pan of strawberries, and whip a large bowl of cream in preparation for the whole family to enjoy.  This woman who was known for her cooking and baking for years was more than content with this classic and simple dessert.

 


Are you a sliced strawberry fan or a crushed strawberry fan?  My grandmother preferred to slice her strawberries for their appearance.  However I like to use my potato masher and crush my strawberries.  Then I add just enough sugar to enhance their juices created while they sit in the refrigerator for a short while.  Later I assemble each dessert plate making sure there is enough juice to seep into the shortcake before adding the whipped cream.






& FLOWER 

     How many of you enjoy seeing butterflies, hummingbirds, and even bees in your gardens? I love to be outside working in my perennial bed and look up to see a beautiful butterfly land on one of my flowers.  I can't decide if it's their grace or beauty that mesmerizes me. There have also been many times when I'm weeding or planting, totally focused on the task, and a motorized sound breaks my concentration making me wonder what is coming down the sidewalk.  I look up only to find a hummingbird straight-line flying towards a stand of flowering sage near me, unaware of my presence.  When I find myself in situations like these I try so hard to "be very still," like my mom used to say when I was very young.  I wish these garden friends did not sense me as quickly as they seem to do.  I admit to being leery of bees due to the chance I could be stung.....you know, allergic reactions... but have a great respect for them pollinating plants.  So, I invite them into my garden by continuing to maintain my perennial beds, roses, and growing my summer vegetables.  I respect them by steering clear of certain areas they inhabit during the day.
     Here are three perennials I have in my yard that are all attractions to butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.

SALVIA - The top photo is a Black and Blue Salvia before it blooms.  It has lived in my perennial bed for several years.  The black and blue variety is a favorite of hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.  It has reached about three feet tall at its full height in some years.  When it blooms, as in the second photo, the dark blue almost black blooms appear on dark stems and are in contrast to the shiny green leaves of the plant.  Each black, sometimes purple, and blue flower reminds me of a small mouth with the top lip curled up and over the bottom.  This salvia will be a highlight of your garden from mid-summer to frost.
 

 

 

     This blue salvia variety has already begun blooming in its first stages.  It is also a draw to hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.  The blue variety is smaller in stature and sits in front of the Black and Blue variety to the left.

FOXGLOVE - As you can probably tell, I planted this Foxglove recently.  I wanted another specimen in my perennial bed to keep the hummingbirds happy this summer.  I hope this Foxglove will like its new environment.  We have since received some rainfall which is good since Foxglove need to be moist.  I will also add more mulch to the bed to keep moisture consistent and to control weeds.