Sunday, July 19, 2020

I'm Still Here Friends....

Blueberry pancakes, breakfast was good. I managed a photo before the end. Most times a full plate of pancakes would be presented but for us in the real world the end of breakfast is the most fulfilling part. Summer is upon us and its not holding anything back. We have experienced heat, humidity and a lack of rain. This is part of life in New England and it's pretty much accepted and that's because we can't change the forecast. I have been fishing over the last week but it's involved a lot of driving. What I do is follow the thunderstorms in an area that I'm willing to drive. Thunderstorms can lay down a lot of rain in a short period. This helps the small streams. I'll try to time my fishing so I'm there the day after a storm. I usually find ample water and if the water temps are cool enough then I'll fish.



This is a stream in western MA. The day after a storm laid down some water. From what I could see this stream has been like this for some time, so there is probably water entering it from somewhere else. I'll use an old time map to see if I can find the source...then I'll see if I can borrow a good pair of legs and actually find it.


Basic soft hackles have been working fine.


A salter stream on Cape Cod...I missed this years spring outing because of all the covid stuff. But come October-November I'll be here again.


A little personal information to pass along to you good people. Meatballs cocked in a fine tomato sauce should never be eaten the same day they are made. Meatballs along with the sauce they are cooked in are like fine wine. Aging is necessary to bring out the exquisite taste of both. If not what you wind up with is "grape juice" and "meatloaf" This lovely lunch of meatballs and old bread with a sprinkle of Romano is from a batch I made several days before they were served...








14 comments:

  1. Alan,
    I totally agree about the aging of the meatballs.
    I used to hunt with a bunch of friends in the Adirondacks where base camp was an army tent with a wood burning stove. After a long day of setup the first meal was pasta with a wonderful homemade sauce with meatballs and sausage. The next day during the morning hunt my mind kept wandering to the generous leftovers of sauce and meatballs and sausage and how great it was going to be for lunch, heated up and eaten on some of the Italian bread. I was the first back to camp but for the life of me I could not find the leftovers. When the camp cook finally wandered in I asked about the missing leftovers. To my horror he informed me that he did not think anyone would want it so he he dumped it. What!!!??? I was devastated and let him know it. From then on the leftovers were always kept and I enjoyed many a hot meatball sub. After a cold morning hunt, that was good as it gets.
    JJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beaverdam
      Thanks
      Joe thanks for sharing that story. After a day of hunting deer that plate of meatballs would have been so welcomed. Jeanette has asked me a few times are those meatballs still good? Yes dear they're only a few days old.

      Delete
  2. Man, there is sooo much a man can do with a meatball. Meatballs can take you all over the world. Venison meatballs and moose meatballs are wonderful camp fare up here. I think I could live on blueberry pancakes...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. mike
      Thanks
      Mike I've had venison meatballs but have never had them made with moose. I don't know if you hunt rabbits, but if you do they are also great cooked in tomato sauce.

      Delete
    2. We do, Alan. The feet we keep for flies and the rest goes into the stew pot.

      Delete
    3. Mike waste nothing, way to go.

      Delete
  3. Good eating right there, Alan. All of it is right in my wheelhouse. Props on timing your fishing after seeing where storms hit, along with being mindful of water temps right now.

    This heat wave right now is unwelcome indeed. The section of tailwater I fish has become marginal with temps in mid 60's last time out. This heat wave may push it over the top of the temp I am willing to fish it at. If so, I will head up closer to the dam, unfortunately many more anglers there, but I am confident I can find a zone I like.

    Best, Sam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sam
      Thanks
      Sam being retired I have the ability to fish most days so I'm able to pick and choose which day. Folks who worked are not so fortunate. The Swift is much like the Farmington in that the closer to the release point the colder the water..Riverton is ice water and Burlington a warm bath.

      Delete
  4. Alan
    It's been years since I tried blueberries pancakes, have to give them a try again. Great image of you using the light fly fishing combo. Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill blueberries are a treat, and in pancakes it's a breakfast that is remembered. They're are also great for supper. That photo was taken in the fall at the Quashnet river in Falmouth MA.

      Delete
  5. That is also true on soups/chili's... Definitely better after a day or two. I used to tell my wife that we should save the last bit of a Chili batch and use it when we make a new one - call it a "starter" like a sour dough baker would use :)!

    Pretty little W.MA stream!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hibernation
      Thanks
      Will spot on with the soup/chili.
      Your idea on the addition of leftovers being used in a "fresh" soup/chili is one I have never thought of. But it is something I will try.

      That stream holds some impressive salters.

      Delete
  6. A stew is always best second day

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bureboyblog
      Thanks
      All of those flavors come together on the second day, it's glorious.

      Delete