You're only as good as your last fabulous new dish

"It's the best chicken I've ever had," asserts Tuck, adding "And I'm not the only one," referring to Baby Cakes, above, his eyes on the prize during supper this evening when we introduced our latest Cold Turkey Cookbook entrée, Spring Chicken Delight. What giant paw?

You're only as good as your last fabulous new dish when you're compiling the Cold Turkey Cookbook. Tonight's offering, #4, was a triumph (aren't they all?):

Spring Chicken Delight cooks its heart out on the Jenn-Air grill. It doesn't get any better.

We googled "Grilled Chicken Breasts," tweaked the online recipe and marinated a plump, boneless half chicken breast a couple of hours in a mixture of 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup cider, 1/4 cup of our own leftover mighty Caesar dressing (olive oil will do the trick if you don't happen to have any Caesar on hand), 1 tsp. dry mustard and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Then came the fun part. You fire up your Jenn-Air stove top (above) or other indoor or outdoor grill and cook 20 minutes, basting with the marinade and turning every 5 minutes. The result -- Spring Chicken Delight -- was what Tuck called "the best chicken I've ever had." And it was. Glazed golden brown on the outside, springy white on the inside. We're thinking this would make an awesome other-meat choice beside our signature marinated beef strips at Father's Day down Goomp's next weekend. Noodles on the side with our now classic leek-and-garlic chicken-broth sauce, together with snow peas added to the simmering sauce at the last minute.

Late afternoon before our WSJ puzzle date and dinner, Tuck refreshes and repots spider plants that had become rootbound indoors over the winter. As we learned last century from Peter Del Tredici of the Arnold Arboretum during our Design School days, you pull the plant out of the pot, turn it upside down and slice up about 1/3 of the way through the soil at right angles to release the roots from their bondage. Then replant in larger pots. All of the indoor plants, not hardy to our New England winter climate, are in their element when they come outside for their summer vacation.

Chelsea-by-the-Sea? We could have sworn it was Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard or even Vineyard Haven. The Rosa Multifloras, enjoying their best year ever, frame Tuck front and back as he waters the indoor plants that have come outside for their day in the sun. Note new hose coil attached to house at right. Much of the foliage in the background is appropriated landscape, a planting of honeylocusts in a right-of-way across the street that appear from this vantage point to be part of our own domain.

Which came first, the chicken or the cat? Or did they, like most predators and prey, evolve together in an ever escalating arms race?

Comments

[taboo & whaleshaman]

sweet garden.

and the puss is purrty cute!

last but not least you're cooking!

thanks!

[Goomp]

Fabulous recipe and fabulous photos of the Baby Cakes.

[Carol Ward]

Tried the chicken recipe last weekend for guests. It was all you described and more. Where else can I come for recipes, cats, beauty and insight?
C Ward

[baby cakes]

Baby Cakes is adorable! And I really love your yard!