Taro Plants 2020 - How Big They will Be

 

  August 2020 - about 5 feet 10 inches tall

August 2020

August 2020

August 2020

 

 

June 2020

June 2020

 

 

 

May 2020

2020 - spring

 summer 2019 

 

 

 

 

 

A small 3 inch Taro was planted in back planter corner - spring of 2019.

August 17-2020 Lightening and Thunder Storms in Sacramento

 Around 1 am, rumbles and rattles on the windows woke me up.  Then, I saw various flashes of light moved from southeast and eventually to northeast.

 

  

Pray safety to all people and firefighters in the area in severe fire storms.

Polly's Home Grown Crispy Peach Pie

 Final groups of white crispy peaches have ripened enough to pick a week ago.  I noticed they bruise easily this year from the previous group of peaches picked.  Obviously the stormy windy days during late spring, early summer caused some damage.  

Prepare Peach filling.

Peel and slice all peaches.  The small pieces will be used to make Peach Roux in a pot.

Add 1 Cup Organic Cane Sugar

1/2 tsp Ceylon Cinnamon

Cook till sugar is dissolved.

Add 1/3 C KATAKURIKO - Potato Starch.  Turn the heat up and continue to cook while stirring until the roux become transparent in color and thick.  *If the roux is not thick enough add more starch roux.

The Flaky Pie Crust:

2-1/2 C Flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Organic Cane Sugar

1 Stick Butter - Cut into halves lengthwise, flip, cut into another halves lengthwise. Slice the short ends.  Cut into 8 pieces.

1/2 C Cold Vegetable Crisco Shortening

6 - 8 Tbsp Ice Water

Mix flour and salt and sugar.  Using whisk or shortening cutter hand whisk, cut butter into flour.  Mix till butter bits are dime size.  Add shortening.  Using whisk, mix till butter and shortening bits are pea size.  Add 3 Tbsp ice water; Mix with whisk.  Then add another 2 Tbsp.  Mix.  Add 1 Tbsp.  Mix.  Touch - Is it enough to form a soft dough?  or still dry?  add 1 more Tbsp water if it feels dry, etc.

Divide equally into two balls - weighed.  Form into thick flat wheel about 7 in. diam.  Place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 15 min.

When peach filling is ready, take the pie dough out.  Let it come to room temperature slightly (it's summer time and my kitchen is about 80 degrees, so I need to work fast.)  Roll it out the size of the pie pan plus 1-2/1 in. over.

Sliced peaches are sprnkled and mixed with pectin to keep from browning.  But I was thinking if it will react with KATAKURIKO - potato starch to keep from forming a firm peach filling.

Added more Potato starch because the filling peach roux did not look firm enough.

Mix well.

Add peach roux.

For this pie, I just enclosed all around to make sure no fillings wooze out from the sides.

Bake 425'F for 30 min; Apply Egg Wash - egg yolk + 1 Tbsp milk or water; then, lower heat to 350'F and bake until crust is golden brown and filling is lava hot

Tastes great, but wished the peach roux is more firmer.  I think KATAKURIKO - potato starch and pectin does not work very well or add more of potato starch.  Better job next time.