MARY STADNYK'S LETTER . . . and LEBANESE CHICKEN KEBABS

                                         1982:  Mom 70 years of age

June 3, 1982:  Mom wrote

We have only the cabbage plants to put out but they are small yet.  The tomato plants are overgrown; I don’t know whether they will amount to anything but we haven’t put them out as there is frost every night.  We didn’t get the snow, only was very cold, but it rained here.  Today is nicer.  Sun is shining but it’s starting to cloud up from north-west.  I wish it would rain; a good soaking would be good.  It’s better than last year but it’s dry.  Donald did get the crop insurance; he has to pay $5,000.00 in the fall but he had no choice in May as even when it rained places it hailed too. 

Thanks for the coupons.  I can use the Sanka coffee coupon any time and them take two to a jar.  One time I had saved up two $1.00 so it came quite handy.

I washed on Monday and was very tired so I paid for it for two days.  I just stayed in bed.  But today I am better.

 

I tried to phone Diana but only got that silly answering machine so I gave up.  I will write her a letter.

I have already 15 goslings.  They hatched out under the hen but will not have as many as Dad thought as a lot of eggs are not fertile.  There are two geese laying yet. 

I have finished the Ukrainian piece of embroidery.  It looks not too bad but I did not know how to finish it but it will do.  Tomorrow I may start on new piece I hope as it’s a lot of counting to do before you can start.

We have to move our chickens to the henhouse as we will have no rhubarb.  Even that we don’t use it much but it’s nice to have for pies.  The chickens are in the green house so it’s right next to the rhubarb. 

When I baked the doughnuts I thought I would have for all summer but they are all gone.  Will have to do them next week when I get the flour.  George took our truck for repairs.  He was to pick up in Yorkton today.  So we may go to town Friday or Saturday.

I sent for myself a white jacket; hope I am happy with it, and sent for a navy dress and $53.00 worth corset.  It should be good as the one I have hurts all over so I made up my mind I would get this one.

 I will close for now hoping this will reach in very best of health and good cheer. 

************

I can’t imagine a farm without chickens.   

Baby chicks arriving in cartons from a hatchery,

Cluckers sitting on boxes of eggs,

Pulling eggs out of nests in the henhouse,

Playing with chickens as though they were dolls,

  Dozens of brown & white eggs being wiped clean and set aside for cooking

or fitted into egg crates for sale,

Chickens scratching about in the yard or chasing each other about,

And chickens plucked, cleaned, and boiled for soup.

**********

More yummy chicken:   

 In Jasmine and Fire, a book about her return to Beirut, the city of her childhood, Salma Abdelnour shares her favorite recipes.

The one is a real treasure:

CHICKEN KEBABS (Shish Taouk):  serves 4

Chicken breasts (from one large chicken):  skinless & boneless

3 tbsp lemon juice

4 garlic cloves

¼ tsp pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne

·        Chop garlic cloves finely.  Put in a glass casserole.

·        Stir in lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and cayenne.

·        Cut chicken breasts into cubes.

·        Marinate cubes in the garlic and lemon juice mixture for at least 3 hours  (up to 24 hours).

·        Prepare Toum (Garlic sauce).

·        Put chicken cubes on skewers.

·      Broil or grill until done.

·        Salma says to serve the chicken with pita bread.  I think pooris, chapatis, or tortillas might work even better!

TOUM  (Garlic Sauce): so good that I have doubled the recipe!

16 large cloves of garlic

½ tsp salt

Juice of one lemon

½ cup olive oil

6 tbsp plain yogurt

·        Crush the garlic.

·        Whisk in the salt, lemon juice, olive oil, and yogurt.

·        Refrigerate until serving.