Italian Ricotta Pie

 I'd never even heard of ricotta pie until I talked to Regina.  I was looking for a recipe for the most delicious Portuguese custard cups that are available locally at the bakery inside Ranch 99 Market on Clairemont Mesa.  I was having a few friends over for a morning visit and I thought I might serve them.  However, the crust of the custard cup looked so complicated, I asked Regina if she had an alternative.  She sent me a simple recipe for Italian ricotta pie.  The crust was so simple, so I decided to make the whole pie.  What a treat.  So simple, so delicious, so easy.

                             Italian Ricotta Pie

Crust-  

1c. flour, 1Tablespoon sugar, 1/2 tsp salt.  Put these ingredients in a pie pan.  Mix the following:  1/3 cup vegetable oil, 2 Tablespoons milk.  Add to the flour mixture and mix, then put pie crust up the sides of the pan and cover the bottom.

Filling

1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese, 4 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar.  Mix, and pour into pie shell.  Cook at 350 degrees for 1hour, no more, no less.  It will puff up and get golden brown.  

Let it cool completely before cutting.  Dust with powdered sugar.  Enjoy.

A Memorable Week in Colorado

 After a year of pandemic isolation, my mom and I, both fully vaccinated, headed to Colorado to visit my son David and his family in Denver, and my younger so Philip and his family, in Boulder.  I'm so glad we went, and thank you to the weather, for cooperating.  Except for a cool day on our day of arrival, we had 75 degree weather the rest of the time.

Kids grow up so quickly, and our first few days were spent with David and Tracy and their 6 year old Calvin and his boundless energy.  He is just finishing kindergarten, is reading, writing, doing complex puzzles (1000 piece puzzles on his own!), taking karate, riding his bike and talking up a storm.  What a delight.  During this past year, he has flourished, partly because he's been in private school which only closed down for 2 weeks all year.  14 kids in a class, he's doing so well!

Then it was off to Boulder to visit Phil and Deborah, and 11 year old Lennon and 9 year old Elsa.  Lennon did an on line school program this year, and has just taken off academically.  He has loved the flexibility of making his hours and planning his time to suit his needs.  He loves to get all his work done in 4 days, so he can have a long weekend.  He has taken piano lessons on line too, and is really enjoying learning.  Next year he starts middle school in person, so he will have to adjust.  Elsa, on the other had, did the zoom learning from her local school.  She finally went back to 4 day a week in person school at the end of March.  It's been difficult for her.  She is social, and loves the in person learning.  Deborah (her mom), has done a fantastic job keeping her focused and engaged.  She is interested in fashion and acting, and put on several shows for us.  Just adorable.

My mom and I took an afternoon off from kids and went to Pearl Street in Boulder, to shop and have lunch.  A fabulous lunch at The Kitchen (lobster roll and home made potato chips) was quite a treat.  Another night in Boulder, while Lennon had a Little League Game, we took Elsa to Pizzeria Locale.  If you find yourself in Boulder, check it out.  It's thin crust, artisan pizza from southern Italy.  Get the budino for dessert.  You won't want to share.

All in all, the week was so special for all of us.  We rarely get the whole family together, so our Easter Sunday brunch and egg hunt at Phil's was so much fun.  We got out of town just before another cold front moved it.  Back home now, our week in Colorado continues to bring a smile to my face.

New In Carlsbad: Le Papagayo

 Le Papagayo in Leucadia has long been a popular dining spot.  The food is good, the ambience is great, and happy hour is often filled with live music.  Now Le Papagayo has opened in Carlsbad.  You're going to love it.  It's right on Carlsbad Village Drive, and it has it's own parking lot.  The restaurant is almost completely open, with heaters everywhere, so don't worry about being cold.  The bar is beautiful, and there's a big stage, where live music will be performed.  It's a great for any meal, but happy hour is a particular favorite of mine.

My lunch bunch went there recently.  Everyone loved the setting and the food.  I split a huge (one pound) pastrami sandwich on rye, with russian dressing, sauerkraut, Gruyere cheese and sweet potato fries.  Two of us finished the whole thing.  Other items of interest were delicious onion rings, which I plan to order next time.  Tema ordered a Cubano sandwich, Carol ordered a Mediterranean wrap.  We did not order it, but I have it on good authority that the lobster bisque and grilled cheese sandwich is outstanding.  Next time.

So Carlsbad has another excellent restaurant to add to its repetoire.  Le Papagayo is a good choice for any meal, nice for groups, and great for happy hour.  Give it a try.

The Emotional Toll of Covid-19

Covid-19 has changed us forever.  Even though we're coming out of extreme lockdown now that most of us over 65 have been vaccinated, many seniors are still having a tough time.  Here are just three examples.

A 90+ year old woman in LA has been in for a year, only going out occasionally for groceries or a short walk.  She was invited to dine outdoors at a nice restaurant recently, and was all set to go.  The day before the lunch date, she changed her mind.  She felt going to lunch was just too much for her.  Since Covid-19 she has gone from walking with a cane to using a walker all the time.  She was worried about where she would park, how hard would it be to get the walker out of the car, and how far she would have to walk.  It was all just too much, so she cancelled the lunch date.

Another woman I know who is in her 70's confessed to me today that she feels depressed.  She if fully vaccinated, but doesn't want to leave the house.  Her husband took her out a few days ago to shop, which she normally loves to do.  She walked through the store, and bought nothing.  She didn't even enjoy herself and was anxious to get back home.

I have another friend in her late 60's who hasn't been out in a year.  She is desperately afraid of getting Covid-19.  Now that she and all her close friends are vaccinated, nothing has really changed to her.  She is afraid to go to lunch outdoors.  She will shop for groceries, but with a double mask and a shield.  It is going to be a long time before she gets back to "normal."

These people are not outliers.  Most people are feeling a degree of anxiety and fear, and wonder how it will all end.  Covid-19 has affected us all.  I feel a little bit guilty because I don't have these same feelings.  I, too, have been in for most of the year, but I have tried to keep social friendships up, meeting for coffee in a park, lunch in my own backyard, or a meal outdoors.  Oh, and lots of walking.  I figure I have probably walked about 2,000 miles during Covid-19.  Being vaccinated gives me freedom to get out and do more.  I have several out of town trips planned in the next few months to visit family and friends, and I feel safe doing so.  I think we have to push ourselves a bit to get out and back into the world.  It's easy to stay home with a book or Netflix, but getting out and doing stuff is so worth it.  Always with safety precautions, let's get back to life as we once knew it.

Something You May Not Have Heard Of: Redneck Fishing Tournament

 The Redneck fishing tournament is an annual event held on a channel of the Illinois River, near Bath, Illinois.  It is usually held during the first month of August.  It's purpose is to decrease the population of silver carp, as species of Asian carp, in the river.  The fish is an invasive species in the midwest and has become a nuisance in various waterways over the past twenty years.  These invaders are competing with native fish for food.  The silver carp weigh around forty pounds and are bony.  They respond vibrations by jumping out high out of the water.  The motors from the boats make them jump, and the boaters have nets with which to catch the silver carp during the fishing tournament.

Silver carp were among several species of fish imported to the U.S. in the 1970's as a way to reduce algae in commercial fishing ponds.  It is thought that flooding along the Mississippi River in the 1980's allowed the fish to escape those commercial ponds and make their way into rivers, ponds and lakes.  The Redneck fishing tournament is a way of controlling the silver carp population.  The fish that are caught during the tournament (nets only, no poles) are used for scientific research, fertilizer and cat food.  

When I first heard about this tournament, I thought if was just a way for people to have some fun, and I didn't like the idea of them killing fish just for fun, but now that I find out that this is a way to control the population of the unwanted silver carp, I understand.  Proceeds from the event have been donated to local charities.  Because of the pandemic, the tournament has been on hiatus since 2019.  

(I tried to insert a short video of the redneck fishing tournament so you could see the thousands of fish jumping out of the water, but I couldn't.  If you google redneck fishing tournament you will see a short video of the event.)

Visit Sunshine Mountain Vineyard

 Just about 20 minutes from my frontdoor is a wonderful venue for relaxing, drinking fine wine, mingling with friends, or a special event like a wedding or big party.  (they can accomodate up to 150 people).  It's a 30 year old winery called Sunshine Mountain, at the top of a hill in San Marcos!  Who knew?

I was playing golf with some friends a few weeks ago, when someone mentioned that their wine club was holding their first post pandemic, in person event, at a winery in San Marcos.  They were nice enough to invite me to the event.  I'm so happy they did.

It's just 20 minutes from my house, but miles away in atmosphere.  It's very rural.  You go up a winding road for a few miles, then turn onto a gravel road for the last few hundred yards.  When you get there you feel like you're at the top of the world.  

Inside, is a tasting room.  I had a very good cuvee red blend, and nursed that for the few hours we were there.  A folk singer entertained us, platters of cheese, salami and fruit and crackers could be purchased, and we sat and talked and enjoyed an almost "normal afternoon."  It felt so good.  The huge patio overlooks San Marcos, Vista and Oceanside, and you can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  Small conversation areas are arranged, with a heater in the middle of each.  Twinkling lights are strung overhead.  What a beautiful setting.

If you want, you can join their wine club, which gives you all kinds of perks besides discounts on wine.  It's also a magnificent setting for a special event, like a wedding or big party.  Next time you're looking for getaway that is close by, try Sunshine Mountain.  It's dog friendly and kid friendly too.  Be sure to check the days and times, as they have limited hours because of the pandemic.  

What Does 95% Efficacy Really Mean?

 I was listening to the Al Franken Podcast in late March.  His guest for an hour was Andy Slavitt, so I obviously got a lot of information about Covid-19.  He finally answered the question I had been asking for weeks.  What does 95% efficacy actually mean?  It does not mean that you have a 5% chance of getting Covid-19.

The actual percentage of vaccinated people in the Pfizer (and Moderna) trials who got Covid-19 was about a hundred times less than that:  0.04%.  What this 95% actually means is that vaccinated people had a 95% lower risk of getting Covid-19 compared with the control group participants.  In other words, vaccinated people in the Pfizer clinical trial were 20 times less likely than the control group to get Covid-19.  Even more importantly, those that got it,  got a mild case, and no hospitalizations or deaths were reported.  In other words, this is one of the most effective vaccines that we have.  Think of it as effective as polio, measles and mumps.  Would you not get one of those vaccines?

Hopefully those that have been reluctant to get the vaccine will rethink their decision.  This is not a political decision, it is an important health decision.  For the sake of yourself, you family and friends, and the world, get vaccinated.  For the good of us all, herd immunity is the way we get back to normal.