Farm Fun and Associated "Recipe"

When the calfs are fed, dinner plates cleared, and the Alpenglow* shines on the mountains, what's a farm girl to do?**

Ride around the pasture, that's what!

Flutists always wear full face helmets, even if they are not quite as stylish on this particular motorcycle.

There's no need to rush home before dark when home and riding ground are one in the same.  Why not have a cool drink and enjoy the sunset, instead? It's easy to push the bike through the gate and into the shop.  The safety of my  summer "tiny house" is only a little footbridge away.

PBR: The choice of farmhands everywhere?  Certain activities DO pair well with certain drinks.

Recipe: Stroll over to the garden, and select the vegetable most in need of harvesting (in my case, kale).  Chop it into rather small pieces and saute/blanch/cook as appropriate.  Toss your result in olive oil, garlic, and chile flakes. Maybe add a touch of mashed anchovy (just enough to make one wonder), or a squeeze of lemon, or both.   Take a slice or two of day old baguette, and fry it in butter or oil - both sides! - until golden. Voila! You have a big, crispy crouton.  Top that crouton with your vegetable, a fried farm fresh egg (thanks, neighbors!), and a bit of cheese.  In the case of kale, might I recommend the Desert Red Feta?   Of course, if it's a lovely spring leek you have returned with, don't be ridiculous. Saute it in butter, toss in a splash of that lovely Alpine white*** you've recently become enamored with, and finish with a generous spoonful of the fresh cream you've skimmed from yesterday evening's milking.  Oh, and do trade the Desert Red Feta for some Wasatch Mountain Reserve.   Pop a dried date and a slice of Zwitser Gouda Reserve in your mouth for dessert.  Of course, if there are fresh market cherries in the house, have a few with the Farmhouse Gouda, instead.

* Technically, it's not actually Alpenglow, but the warm low light on the moutainsides is beautiful enough to deserve a romantic name.

**Let us, today, look beyond the obvious answer of "practice her flute."

***Yes, you CAN drink white wine with cheese. Alpine wine with alpine cheese: if it grows together, it goes together.  (I found the 2016 Les Rocailles Apremont Vin de Savoie at our little wine shop, and it's been my go-to drink with cheese all summer.)