down time
Oh how I love mandarin oranges. My favorite variety being the Satsuma mandarin. Mandarins are relatives of oranges, but not oranges per se. The scientific name is Citrus reticulata and they are known for their easy-to-peel skins, smaller sizes, easily separable segments, seedlessness, reduced acidity, and juicier fruit. Varieties include: satsuma, clementine, tangelo, tangerine, and temple. The Satsuma was cultivated in Japan in the 16th century. They tend to enjoy cool winters and hot summers and are harvested in November and December. November 1992 was the first time I became aware of satsumas. Jeremy and I were at the Pasadena farmers market and tried some. We were hooked. The kind I have found at farmers markets and at asian grocers have very loose skins that open to reveal the juicy nugget inside. We picked up a box of satsumas at Wild Oats last night. Perfect timing because these babies are like candy and Jeremy could use the boost in fresh C.
Our power flickered at about 5:30 this morning (I know because I was awake). Then about 15 or 20 minutes later, it went out. The winds had been howling all night and grew more fierce with sunrise as we’ve often experienced in the backcountry. We couldn’t use the oven because ours is controlled electrically, but we could light the stove with a match to get some hot drinks for Jeremy. (Well, there’s always the whisperlite in an emergency). We played scrabble, did our finances, cleaned up around the house, and wondered if we might should go to Boulder for the day. But the power returned at 9:30 just as the house was dropping below 58 degrees so I could get started on crock-potting some homemade chicken broth for Jeremy. It gave me some time to research what sort of crust I wanted to put on the pork roast and whether I wanted to try a roasted garlic paste or something else.
