Things are starting to get going again here.  The kids started gymnastics yesterday.  Amber was in her first class without Mommy.  She did a great job!  Of course, I'm biased or anything.  I was truly amazed out how well she did.  She did everything she was asked to without any problem.  There was another child who was trying to figure out how to do a cartwheel and Amber was there trying to explain to him what to do. 

Brother Drew class was very small.  He's in an all boys class and by first grade there don't seem to be many boys left in gymnastics.  I think there only about a dozen boys and they were split into two groups. He will be getting a lot of attention while working on his skills.  This is something he really likes, individual attention.

Ok.. I'm still lagging.  Eventually I will get caught up.  As I say " Better late than never."

My son got to enjoy his first week of gymnastic camp.  He had a blast.  He was even voted "Camper of the Week".  He got a certificate and a trophy.  Even though it's a gymnastic camp, there were lots of other activities.  He went swimming 2 days, 2 days had field trips and watched movies, played games and even had a visit from the "Science Guy".  I'm not quite sure what he made.  He brought home a baggy full of glue with liquid.

Field trips were taken to the Museum on Natural Science and NASA Space Center.  I didn't much of a report on what he liked except that he had fun.  He did say that after his NASA field trip that is was "What's So Wierd".  NASA is doing a Wierd Science thing this summer.He really likes to ride those fancy buses where you can watch movies. His comment is just like school. His school has to rent those fancy buses for field trips because the district ones aren't reliable.

Next week my son is at gymnastics camp again.  Look for another report in about a week.

I've been slacking on posts here.  I'm trying to get back into the swing on things.  I've just gotten back from conference for my main business dealing with kitchen tools.  One of the awesome things I learned was about some great garnishing tips.  I know summertime is coming to an end but we still have time to really impress our friends with these wonderful ideas.

Here's a picture I found at http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0598/qtip.html

There are detailed instructions on how to make a tomato rose, scallion brushes, cucember turret, cucumber grapes, lemon twist and citrus spiral.

Check out this site to see how you can make your own beautiful garnishes.

One of my favorite sections in the paper is the "Flavor" section.  It talks all about different foods.  Every so often there are interesting tidbits about unusual items.  I have not personally used this herb but maybe some of you have.  Here some information about "fenugreek" posted by James F. Quinn in the Chicago Tribune.

Is it fenugreek to you?

What sort of herb is fenugreek?  And where can you find it? 

The small, roughly cubic seeds of the fenugreek plant(the word means Greek hay) are an important ingredient in Indian curry powders, especially the kind known as Madras curry powder.  The dried leaves of the plant are used in cooking meat, poultry and vegetarian dishes.

The seeds and dried leaves can be bought from any Indian grocery store.  Ask for "methi" for the seeds, and "methi saag" for the dried leaves.  The seeds should be lightly toasted and ground before using.

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Of course my curiosity got the best of me so I had to see what I could find out about fenugreek.  One of the interesting things that came up was that it is mentioned as something to increase breast milk supply.  If you are interested in an article, http://www.medela.com/NewFiles/fenugreek.html

Here's the blurb written about it  at http://www.Foodreference.com

FENUGREEK

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) of the pea family (Fabaceae).

Also Known as: Greek hay.

Description:
An erect 2 to 3 foot tall annual herb with light green leaves and small white  flowers. The seed pods contain 10 to 20 small, flat, yellow-brown, pungent, aromatic seeds to a pod. The seeds have a strong aroma and somewhat bitter  taste, variously described as similar to celery, maple syrup, or burnt  sugar.

Fenugreek is native to southern Europe, the Mediterranean region, and Western  Asia. It is cultivated from western Europe to China for the aromatic seeds, and is still grown for fodder in parts of Europe and northern Africa. It is an  indispensable ingredient in Indian curries.

History:
Fenugreek has a long history as both a culinary and medicinal herb in the ancient world. It was one of the spices the Egyptians used for embalming, and  the Greeks and Romans used it for cattle fodder (hence the Latin foenum graecum meaning Greek hay). It was grown extensively in the imperial gardens of  Charlemagne.

Purchasing, Handling & Storage:
Store in a cool, dry place for maximum of 6 months. Should be roasted before use to reduce bitterness.

Culinary Uses:
Uncooked fenugreek seeds have an unpleasant, bitter taste, so the seeds are  usually roasted and ground before use to mellow the bitterness. The seeds are  very hard, and difficult to grind, a mortar and pestle working best. Fenugreek  is a favorite in Northern African and Middle Eastern dishes, and is one of the  few spices that is usually used in powdered form even in Indian curries. Seed  extract is used in imitation vanilla, butterscotch and rum flavorings, and is the main flavoring in imitation maple syrup. Also used in breads in Egypt and  Ethiopia. Ground seeds and/or leaves, can give a nice lift to some bland  vegetarian dishes. Also good in marinades. Generally, a nice unusual flavor to  experiment with to achieve some different effects. Use very young shoots with  only a few leaves and some watercress for a nice salad addition. Fenugreek seeds  are also used in candy, baked goods, ice cream, chewing gum and soft drinks. The seeds can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute.

Nutrition:
Rich in vitamins and minerals, and because it is a seed and a legume, it is  high in protein. (Which makes it very useful in vegetarian diets).

Other Uses:
Formerly used as a yellow dye. The leaves are dried and used as an insect repellent in grain storage. In various areas of North Africa the seeds (ground into a paste) were traditionally eaten by women to gain weight, in combination  with sugar and olive oil. The seeds are still used for weight gain in Libya and other areas. They are also an important source of diosgenin, which is widely used in the production of steroids (which probably accounts for the weight  gain), sex hormones, oral contraceptives and veterinary medicines.

There's a new addition to the family. I've added Cello In A Box to my Shoppers Dreamworld site. I have a lot of products that would make nice gifts so why not complete the package with a gift wrapping option. Most of the Cello In A Box products can be found under "It's A Wrap". There are some candles and food items that can be found in the Wondrous Gifts section. Browse around to check out the books and gift making kits too.