April Showers

Lepanthes Calodictyon

Lepanthes calodictyon could almost be described as a jewel orchid because its foliage is the main attraction.  Purple veining on a bright green background make this a plant that draws attention at every show.  Flowers are tiny, bright red dots against the leaf.  It likes cool moist conditions and relatively low lighting. I will try to keep it in the moss dish for now and see how it goes.

Bulbophyllum Picturatum

A small sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte found on deciduous trees or on the ground below them in bright light. The flowers have a slight sweet smell.

Elaphoglossum Peltatum

These small, creeping ferns grow on rocks, trees, etc. They tend to be shallow rooted, and need excellent drainage. They can be grown in high quality sphagnum. Mine is mounted on a cork and propped up in a small pot with sphagnum.

Daffodil Park

It was a lovely day, but not ideal timing to get pictures of daffodils.

Salmon

Pan seared salmon, cooked in butter and garlic.  Topped with (rinsed) capers and  lemon peel.  Snap peas also pan cooked, with fresh ginger, lemon juice, and sesame seeds.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Pickling Spice
2 Tb. black peppercorns	2 Tb. mustard seeds
2 Tb. coriander seed	2 Tb. crushed red pepper flake
2 Tb. allspice berries	1 Tb. ground mace
2 small cinnamon sticks crushed	3 bay leaves, crumbled
2 Tb. whole cloves	1 Tb. ground ginger

Toss the peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds in a small dry skillet and place over medium heat until the spices are lightly toasted. Dump them on a cutting board and smash them with the side of a chef’s knife to crack them, being careful so the seeds don’t roll all over your counter and onto the floor. Scrape the cracked spices into a large plastic container or glass jar or other nonreactive container and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until completely combined. Cover tightly.

Brine
1 gallon water	2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar	1 ounce (5 teaspoons) pink salt*
3 garlic cloves, minced	2 tablespoons pickling spice
One 5-pound well-marbled (first-cut) beef brisket

In a pot that’s just large enough to hold the brisket, combine the water, salt, sugar, pink salt, garlic, and 2 tablespoons pickling spice. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove the pot from the heat, let the brine cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate until the brine is completely chilled. Place the brisket in the chilled brine and weight it with a plate to keep it submerged. Refrigerate for 5 days. Remove the brisket from the brine solution, discarding the brine. Rinse the brisket thoroughly under cool running water. (Don’t worry, you’re just rinsing the the brine solution from the surface of the brisket. The brine will continue to permeate the beef and work its considerable magic.)

Cook the corned beef