Great Pumpkin Disaster

Fall is such a fun time of the year. The leaves change, the weather is unstable, and Halloween is near.

I love watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and eating lot's of candy.

One thing I love is picking out a pumpkin.

This year we went to a pumpkin patch at Avila Valley Barn, near Avila Beach.

There were hundreds of families and kids running wild looking for that perfect orange squash. We took a real hayride out to the pumpkin patch and started to look around.

We saw many pumpkins that were quickly dismissed for defects, holes, or other inexplicable reasons. I was looking for a more wide than tall pumpkin. Sarah was looking for a taller, slender one. We took our time looking at all parts of each pumpkin that fit the initial size and shape requirements.

After some time, Sarah found the perfect pumpkin. It was tall yet wide enough for the shape she was planning to carve out of it. She deemed it the best in the patch. She wanted to look a little more, just in case, so she walked away planning to return to her pumpkin.

Meanwhile, I found my ideal pumpkin. It was more round than tall. Perfect.

"Arrrrrgggggg! Nooooo!" I heard a scream from across the patch. It was some deranged woman pointing at a little girl kicking a large orange pumpkin. Oh, it was my wife. She seemed to be signaling me about some problem.

"She took my pumpkin. That little girl stole the only pumpkin I wanted in the whole patch!!!"

I consoled my upset wife. I offered advice like, "Tell her it has some disease" or "Maybe she will see another one before the hayride comes back."

Nothing helped. Sarah just looked at the little girl rolling the pumpkin over to her dad. Soon the vegetable was in the protection of the girls' dad. Sarah kept one eye on it while she reluctantly searched for another, second-rate, pumpkin.

She found one that would do. The little girl never changed her mind. We all got on the hayride back to pay for our future jack-o-lanterns.

After some ice cream, we heading home with a less than perfect pumpkin knowing that some little girl was going home with the most perfect pumpkin in the whole patch!

Beef Wellington, Part 2

The last time I made this traditional English dish, I didn't get it quite right. It was good, but the meat was a bit tough and the seasoning was a little too light. So, this time I need to tweak a few things.

For starters, we got the best fillet mignon cut of beef from a local butcher. I added more spices and fresh garlic. It turned out great.

Here's what I did...

First, I seasoned and seared the meat, then set aside to rest.

Then...

Plastic wrap down.

Parma Ham

Mushroom puree spread onto ham.

Mustard covered beef fillet placed on yummy stuff.

The meat and coating is rolled up and chilled

Puff pastry is spread out.

The meat is placed into the center of the pastry dough, then egg wash is applied to edges.

The dough is folded.

The pastry is egg washed and scored, then ready to bake.

It is done...Beef Wellington!

I like this commercial