Dewey Beach Leaseholds...... Series 2.

A New Year! A New Lifestyle?

Could a life-style change be test-driven?

Yes, is the answer!

The Lease-hold Beach Cottage was my sports-car/boat variety indulgence test-drive!

I knew I had to change my life; but I was unwilling to throw it all up in the air just for a change. How could I find a new life while living the current one?

Could I hold up to the commute? Could my business hold up to the "time away"? Would I like a beach-y Delaware life? Would this be where I would "retire"?

I loved the idea of a second block from the ocean location! Where else on the East Coast can one find this option for "cheap"?

I loved the idea of a cottage devoted for a determined functional goal: beach/fun, beach/fun, and more beach/fun!

I liked the idea of a three-season cottage, that required "Winterization". I'd enjoy the cottage May thru October; close the cottage; and then focus on life's non-beachy demands.

By purchasing the Lease-hold Beach Cottage I'd spend not too much cash; have a wild good time, and simultaneously and soberly asses the area for my next move: my "full-time" beach-y location.

Beach Blessings,

A Swimsuit Is My Daily Dress!

As they say in Pennsylvania, I've been "readying-up" my closets. Three down and three more to go! 

 The purging of my Pennsylvania clothes tells the story of my Before Beach Cottage Life.  Now revealed is my former life, my present life,  what I have and what I need.

Missing are light-weight cotton pants for hiking.  But, I do have piles of crop pants for Summer beach walks and loads of sweat pants for enjoying the late-night bonfires.

Gone are intricate Summer dresses in favor of very comfy cotton tops and full skirts now my weekly "go-to-the-beach" commute uniform.

Gone are fluffy sweaters in favor of Nike techno-jackets for braving the ocean-side winds.

 Appearing out of nowhere are now stacks of  "cute going out tops" ..... now purged according to sun or beer-staining.

Carefully curated very-lady-like handbags are now ignored for ones that are big enough to hold beach commute needs, but whose color and style must shout : I am Going to Dewey Beach!

Gone are my closed-toe and high heel shoes!!!!  My feet could care less for anything but sandals, sandals, sandals, and clogs!

In high Summer my uniform is a two-piece bathing suit topped with a simple cotton seersucker sundress!   Off I go to use the computer at my beloved Rehoboth Library!  Off to Fifer's to get a fruit pie!  And then off to Cape Henlopen State Park for Piping Plover Monitoring and a Swim. 

A Swimsuit As my Daily Dress: silly happy am I.

Dewey Beach is a Festival of Lights

Hannukha The Festival of Lights is this week.  At Sunset, in awe and wonder we light the Menorah, watch the candles dance, and then sputter.  Repeat for eight days.

The Light Show is yours daily at Dewey Beach.  We are a tiny strip of sand, a Barrier Island, we have Dawn over the ocean and Sunset over the Bay! 

In the morning the light is cool and opal-blue.  In the evening warm oranges and pinks paint the sky and reflect on the homes.

Sunset is when we walk our dogs.  Or walk the beach to Nalu's to take in the live music and Happy Hour.

Sunset is where we celebrate: on roof top decks, and Bay- side restaurants; Que Pasa, North Beach, and The Light House are favorites.

North Beach: the sunset "clock" hands point to the next days show-time.  We know how many days of Summer are left to us just by tracking the Sun's Bay-dipping point!

Que Pasa: When the glass garage doors are up, it is as if you pulled your pontoon up to the dock and got out for a drink!

The Light House's Friday Taco Toss is the "required" place to be.  The sunset backdrops the bar action and the Orange Crush drinks in hand.

At Sunset, Cape Henlopen State Park sees local romantic couples walking the Beach Pavilion Boardwalk, and Fishing Pier to survey the enchantment.  The breakwater and two Lighthouses set the scene along with sailing vessels.

Lewes's Roosevelt Inlet is " The Secret" local spot...... only a few fisherman are there to enjoy the end of the day.  The Bay flashes neon above and bounces off the sand beach.

July 4th Fireworks on the beach celebrates all above as it carries on the show just as Mother Nature's Nuclear Spectacle dozes, sleeps, and then..... repeats!

Beach Blessings,

Small Kitchen Stories: Weekend Cucumber Salad

    Beach Life meal planning used to stress me out until I learned to "plan, but not plan"! Like the tides... I let one meal flow into the next.


    This past Beach Season I survived weekends just on my Cucumber Salad riffs.  This "salad" got me thru lunch, dinner, and the leftovers made it into sandwiches.


Cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Tomato, chopped
Scallions, minced
Fun part:  Find your enhancement:
     Smoked fish, bits of seafood from the previous night's dinner, leftover roast chicken, even sliced and chopped deli meat!
Olive Oil
Raspberry Vinegar
Dillweed


*Friday Night serve the salad as a side dish with your main dish such as seafood or chicken.
*Saturday Night serve the salad with the "enhancement addition" alongside hot steaming rice or couscous.
*Sunday Lunch: add in the leftover rice or couscous!


Ta DA!

Small Kitchen Stories: Warm Caramel Ricotta Pears

For my Small Kitchen Stories" A La Beach Shack" I've been true to only sharing recipes created at the beach and for the beach!

My Warm Caramel and Ricotta Pears was created using old pears that should have been eaten beach-time and were made useful at my Big Kitchen On The Mountain. 

 Allowable ;-) 

  Yes, as beach-time has come to a close until May 2010!!!  :-(

Warm Caramel Ricotta Pears

Pears: Two: Chunky Chopped: use sad ones that must go into cooking or the trash

Walnuts: one big handful

Butter

Sugar

Ricotta Cheese ( full fat; yum-yum)

Grand Marnier 

Choose a nice small saute pan.  Add in the butter...... heat until near to smoking.  Add in the chopped pears, walnuts, throw on ~ 1 Tablespoon sugar.  Saute until the caramel forms.  Turn the heat OFF.  Add in a big scoop, ~ 1/3 cup, of the Ricotta Cheese and 1 teaspoon of the sweet libation.  Stir gently until saucy.

Ladle into a nice comfy size ceramic bowl.

Gorgeous!

* I wanted to add cream........ but no such animal lives in my fridge.  But I had just finished making Lasagna.... one of spinach and the other with spinach and chicken...... and I still had Ricotta to use up.  Dubious I was as the Ricotta was dumped in..... as I stirred it I knew it would be brilliant.

Ta Da!

Small Kitchen Stories: Salmon Lox and Veggy Saute!

Sunday Night and I was beyond hungry and yet again too tired to cook.  I was desperate for a good dinner....... but had very little to work with....... and needed to use up supplies as it is time to clear out the fridge for Winter cottage-close up.

I had a packet of good Salmon Lox, a small zucchini, a few scallions, a tomato, and sour cream.  Ah, ha!  I figured it out.

Make Couscous, instant type.  I used 1/2 cup dry and 1/2 cup boiling water.  Add a bit of butter and let sit.

Chop the zucchini, scallions, and tomato

Chop the Lox.  Put in a small bowl with a dollop of sour cream.

Heat the skillet and saute all except the tomato to get some color.  Add in the tomato.

Turn off the heat.  Add in the lox/sour cream combo.

Heat on low until the lox turns opaque.

Serve on the dinner plate beside the Couscous.

Dessert was a slice of fig and apple pie!!!!

TA DA!  

Small Kitchen Stories: Pasta with Trout and Spinach

Friday evening, when it was time for dinner I was beyond tired to "go out" and as always I desperately wanted a lovely dinner.

With the cooler weather I was OK to warm up the kitchen with a pot of boiling water.  Pasta it was!  But then what???

I had a big handful of spinach that was on it's way out, same with the mushrooms.  On the  hopeful side I had a cold lovely fillet of sauteed Trout :-)

Here is the plan:

Bring the pot of water to a boil and add the pasta.  

The last few minutes add in the minced spinach and chopped mushrooms.

When all is al dente...... Drain in the colander.

Throw it back in the warm pot.

Add in the fish flakes.

Douse with olive oil and grindings of black pepper.

*Simple and stunningly good!

Ooh, and for dessert I did sliced damson plums with, crumbled ginger cookies, crystalized ginger, honey, and Grand Marnier!

Small Kitchen Stories: Upscaled Mahi-Mahi Mac & Cheese!

Friday Night Mahi-Mahi Mac & Cheese!  Bonus Salad too!

Another Friday Night roll-in to the cottage and I want DINNER but I do not want to make any effort at all!  But I want something scrumptious!

Lucky me. I had with me a nice piece of grilled Mahi-Mahi.

Boil up the "Wacky Mac": this is a multi colored vege-macaroni.

Meanwhile in a bowl add the following: the cut up Mahi-Mahi, a cut up tomato, minced scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of olive oil, a dab of balsamic vinegar, and a dollop of sour cream.  Let sit until the macaroni is done and drained.

Throw into the macaroni the above mixture..... and on gentle heat, gently stir until melted. 

Serve and enjoy!

*Brillant Salad idea: stir a little Mayo into the leftovers for Saturday's salad lunch!

Beach Blessings,

Dogs Rule at Dewey Beach but not at Cape Henlopen State Park

Cape Henlopen State Park (CHSP) is one of my most favorite spots on Earth........... and I love dogs....... but if you plan to spend the day there..... best to leave doggie at home.

At CHSP dogs are limited to the "surf fishing beach" and a few paved roads/trails, and not much else.

  Dogs are not allowed at The Point, The Beach Pavilion, The Fishing Pier, nor the unpaved trails.

 An early morning or late afternoon doggie walk along the paved road/trail..... is very nice.  But not nice if doggie then has to spend the remainder of it's time in the vehicle :-(

 Wildlife abounds and dogs are not in the wildlife management program ;-(

 Thus it is a little too scary when a dog appears at The Point on the public beach but near enough to the Restricted Area to possibly do damage to a Piping Plover Adult or Chicks/Fledglings.

  Now Dewey Beach is a Dog's Play Ground!  During life-guard season dog o'clock is before guards are on duty, I think until ~ 8:30 AM......and then after 5:30 PM.  They will need a license from Town Hall.

  Dewey Doggies all know each other...... they wait to hear the life guard's whistle and some even walk themselves up to the beach....... where family awaits! 

 My favorite is Otis, The Mayor!  He RULES, but sweetly so.  Otis roamed the streets of Baltimore until he made it to the steps of Catholic Charities where he was promptly adopted.  Otis now lives beach-block....... .and when I see him gaze at the ocean...... in his eyes it is beyond apparent....  he KNOWS he is a LUCKY DOG!  

Small Kitchen Stories: Sunday Nite Mahi-mahi!

This Sunday Supper I wanted perfectly grilled fish!  Until now I've never had this opportunity as I do not have an indoor or outdoor grill. Pannini Grill to the rescue!

Dinner in 8 minutes flat!

Heat the Panini Grill with a little bit of olive oil.  Throw on the Mahi-mahi and cover with the press.

Wait just a few minutes and throw on a big handful of asparagus.

Cover again with the press.

Remember to turn over the fish, after 4 minutes.

Drizzle on a special salad dressing the last 4 minutes.  I used an Orange-Sesame Dressing. 

This was the most perfect Mahi-mahi I've ever made. Done to perfection, to the very second!

Very Dewey Friday!

Very-Dewey-Beach was my 6:30PM Friday Night Happy Hour invite........ which turned into a barbecue cookout which turned into a Big Happy Birthday party which ended at midnight!

I took the hosts doggie out for a quick walk......and discovered as I walked by an ocean block home that has a Key West outdoor bar/kitchen/outdoor fireplace! I dubbed it "Que Pasa Oceanside".  I crashed their party and said to look for me again!

Beachy Wear Collection and Bathing Suits

Ah, with the larder groceries collected, I now face the beachy-wear collection tasks!

   I had to buy a beach cottage as I need a boat-load of clothes for even a single beach day!  Challenge: Breezy cool for the morning and night....steaming hot in-between and try to look cute and fun when going out?!

But the biggest challenge of all......is facing down that swimsuit.  At a "certain age"..... bikinis are but a distant memory!  What to wear?!  I love to swim, boogie-board, jump the waves....so I need a real swim suit!

LL Bean does the trick.  My modesty picks the two-piece ones with a skirted bottom, fits my long frame, and  I can mix and match tops and bottoms.  These work well!!!

But.. and there is always a butt :-) with swim suits: this is what I have discovered.

Forget the fabric that is anything but smooth....the ridged stuff is the worst  .... otherwise the fabric acts like a sieve and collects flotsam and jetsam!

Sadly the halter plastic slide always breaks mid-Season!

Ha-HA!  The trick is to put it back together with: Dental Floss!!!!

Thus I do this when it is brand-spanking new!  Better to do this now then to come up from a wave without coverage!

Beachy-wear!!! You are at the beach.... no time to waste a moment on endless dressing complications!

Small Kitchen Stories: Grilling!

My beachy-cottage's tiny-tiny kitchen stove does not have a built-in grill.  It does broil up a storm.... but that does not do the job for certain cuts of meat.  I've had to bypass countless seafood offerings for lack of a grill.  It is too silly to fire up a huge outdoor grill for a 6 oz salmon steak!

It has taken years to solve this problem :-)  I bought a George Foreman Grill!  I spent hours picking it out......only to gift it to my Mom... straight away.  Just not my style!

And then I found it! I'm in love with my Calphalon Griddle Non-Stick Press!!!!

How do I love thee, My Grill?

Burgers, salmon steak, chicken breast or leg in 8-12 Minutes!  The most amazing French Toast EVER!

If grilling one little fish steak....then lots of room to scatter about onions, mushrooms, tiny cut potatoes!

Just keep the griddle press on top of the fish/meat...... holds in the heat and steam.

I think this is much more fun then my rice cooker steamed-meals!!!!

Calphalon; I Love you!

Cottage Opening Delayed A Week

I am crying Mermaid ocean -water -tears because the weather is not warm enough for de-Winterization!!!!

   Having only a wood stove.....too challenging to stay warm when it is 35 degrees outside!  I go thru a ton of wood at those temps!

It is too scary close to the 32 degree mark too!

Totally bummed-out that I'll miss the Fort Miles "War Years" Day at Cape Henlopen State Park!

So, you please attend for me?!

 Facebook Event for Fort Miles "War Years" Day link below for the info!  

 

www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=89706291479

Facebook Link

Find I Love Dewey Beach at the Facebook Link below:

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=42173172117&ref=ts