Santa Barbara

We've explored a lot of California in the six years we have lived here, but until recently we hadn't ever been to Santa Barbara.  So, when Dustin and Cara invited us to take a weekend trip there to visit some of their friends and family, we jumped at the opportunity!

We stayed with Cara's friends from her days as UCSB, Vince and Susan, and their children Emma and Asher in their very cute house surrounded by delicious fruit trees.  Every meal was supplemented with fresh-off-the-tree apricots or plums.  Even Banjo liked them.  Mmmmm! 

We went hiking up in the Santa Barbara hills in an area that had been completely burned from the wildfires last year.  It was really interesting to see how much early growth had come back and covered the hillsides.  The trees weren't there yet, but lots of wildflowers and brush had taken root.  At our turnaround point we had some great views over the town to the Pacific as well as up to Cathedral Peak.

Our group on the trail

Aside from the Santa Barbara backcountry, we stopped at the Mission and took in some of the amazing chalk-art that was there, and explored downtown with all it's trendy shops and beautiful Jackoranda trees.

Kate with her favorite chalk drawing

Kate meeting Asher's pet snake

Downtown skate park action

Our next night was spent a little ways down the coast in Ventura with Cara's sister Shonna, generous enough to put us up for the night, and her parents.  We had a great time hanging out with good friends as well as meeting new ones on this trip - and those apricots were delicious!  I have renewed motivation to care for our 10" tall sprig of an apricot tree we are nursing in our backyard now...

Some more pics

Babies!

Before getting into the summer, I think I never posted about our April trip back East to see family and some of our recently-parentified college friends! A belated congrats to Andrew and Jess, Erin and Brian, and now Gordie and Amanda! It was fun seeing all of you and now we look forward to getting to meet Willem in person, now that you've finally joined the world! Here are some highlights:

Visiting with our NH/VT friends and hiking along the creek in Gordie and Amanda's backyard

Andrew and Tyler

Group at Andrew's house, in the apple orchard

Tom and Donovan the horse

Gordie changing his first diaper (I'm sure he's got plenty more under his belt now!)

Us and fuzzy baby Zoe in Boston

Trip with the parents to P-town

Kate goes whale-riding

More pictures

Summer Fun

We've been decidedly negligent in posting recently, but that's not for lack of exciting activities. Kate has been enjoying her first real summer vacation as a teacher, and we've had some enjoyable trips recently, both near and far. Stay tuned for some catch-up updates on our summer soon!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Advance preparation

• 3 to 8 hours for marinating the meat (optional); also, allow yourself 4 to 6 hours cooking time

Special equipment

• 6 cups hickory chips or chunks, soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover and drained

For the rub (optional)

• 1 tablespoon mild paprika
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons hot paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, or more to taste
• 5 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
• 4 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

For the barbecue

• 1 Boston butt (bone-in pork shoulder roast; 5 to 6 pounds), covered with a thick (1/2 inch) layer of fat
• 10 to 12 hamburger buns

Preparation

1. If using the rub, combine the mild paprika, brown sugar, hot paprika, celery salt, garlic salt, dry mustard, pepper, onion powder, and salt in a bowl and toss with your fingers to mix. Wearing rubber or plastic gloves if desired, rub the spice mixture onto the pork shoulder on all sides, then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, preferably 8.

If not using the rub, generously season the pork all over with coarse (kosher or sea) salt and freshly ground black pepper; you can start cooking immediately.

2. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and place a drip pan in the center.

If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; when smoke appears, reduce the heat to medium.

If using a charcoal grill, preheat the grill to medium-low and adjust the vents to obtain a temperature of 300°F.

3. When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss 1 cup of the wood chips on the coals. Place the pork shoulder, fat side up, on the hot grate over the drip pan. Cover the grill and smoke cook the pork shoulder until fall-off-the-bone tender and the internal temperature on an instant-read meat thermometer reaches 195°F, 4 to 6 hours (the cooking time will depend on the size of the pork roast and the heat of the grill). If using charcoal, you'll need to add 10 to 12 fresh coals to each side every hour and toss more wood chips on the fresh coals; add about 1/2 cup per side every time you replenish the coals. With gas, all you need to do is be sure that you start with a full tank of gas. If the pork begins to brown too much, drape a piece of aluminum foil loosely over it or lower the heat.

4. Transfer the pork roast to a cutting board, loosely tent it with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.

5. Wearing heavy-duty rubber gloves if desired, pull off and discard any skin from the meat, then pull the pork into pieces, discarding any bones or fat. Using your fingertips or a fork, pull each piece of pork into shreds 1 to 2 inches long and 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. This requires time and patience, but a human touch is needed to achieve the perfect texture. If patience isn't one of your virtues, you can finely chop the pork with a cleaver (many respected North Carolina barbecue joints serve chopped 'cue). Transfer the shredded pork to a nonreactive roasting pan. Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the vinegar sauce, enough to keep the pork moist, then cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it on the grill for up to 30 minutes to keep warm.

6. To serve, mound the pulled pork on the hamburger buns and top with coleslaw. Let each person add more vinegar sauce to taste.

Southern Light Cornbread

Vegetable oil spray
1 c Quaker yellow cornmeal
2 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/3 c boiling water
3/4 c buttermilk
1 large egg
1 T butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 450, spray 9 inch round or 8 inch square baking pan with spray

Measure 1/3 cup of cornmeal into a bowl. Whisk remaining 2/3 cup, sugar, salt, powder, and soda into small bowl and set aside.

Pour boiling water into the 1/3 c cornmeal and stir to make a mush. Whisk in the buttermilk gradually, then whisk in egg and butter. Stir dry ingredients in until just moistened and pour into pan.

Bake roughly 20 min.