Lamb . . .Mediterranean Style

Greetings all!

I know my past few posts have been about me and Mom starting our work to become (hopefully) a canine therapy team. Keep your paws crossed on that front!

For this post I would like to return to my favorite topic, food. And especially lamb. My friend the Coyote had a birthday recently so Callie, Sophie and myself told Mom that the best gift we could give him would be to cook us, I mean, him, a great dinner.

Mom pulled out her editions of Food & Wine Magazine and found a wonderful recipe for Leg of Lamb Shawarma. Now Mom didn't follow the recipe exactly,but the results were just fabulous!

She did mix together all the spices (she used garlic powder in lieu of the roasted garlic), then cut the leg of lamb in two, make 1/4" incisions in the meat and smeared olive oil on each side. The spice mixture came next - generously sprinkled and then rubbed in, especially in the incisions. Then she squeezed a lime over both halves, placed them in a zip lock bag and let them sit in the cooler as we made our way down to Oxford. 

The meat when on a 400 degree charcoal grill - 7 minutes per side at first. Then it was checked and put back on for another 7 to 10 minutes per side.

Once the lamb was medium rare with a rare center, it was pulled off the grill onto a cookie sheet and covered in foil while the green beans were steamed. The lamb was then sliced and served with the haricort verts and some Tzatziki -Cucumber Yogurt Dip.

A 2000 Chateau Cantamerle was pulled from the Coyote's wine collection and from what he and Mom said, it did not disappoint. A classic Bordeaux with all the rich textures, dark red fruit and earth flavors coupled with subtle tannins. A nose of leather, lavender and mushroom with hints of current and dark cherry. They said it was a perfect pairing to the spicy, citrusy crust on the lamb.

Now we can't speak for the wine but Sophie, Callie and I give the lamb 12 paws up!

More on the therapy team training later!

Until next time!

Bone appitite!

Sammy

One hurdle cleared - several more to go!

Hello all,


This "bark to text" app mom got me works really well! Eliminates the need for a keyboard . . .or hands for that matter. :) (that's a little dog humor for ya folks)


Mom went to the Introductory Seminar that Mid South Therapy Dogs hosted on Sunday, July 22nd. They had therapy teams there that shared their experiences and she got to see an actual therapy visit. She came back home super-excited and very touched by the stories she heard. And that got me excited too! (But I didn't piddle on anything!)


I asked Mom what it meant to be a therapy team. She explained that we'd get to go visit hospitals, hospices, rehab centers, facilities for at-risk youth, and the like. That we'd go, I'd get to meet all kinds of new people and they would pet me, brush me, hug me, tell me what a good and sweet boy I am and maybe even give me a treat.  That the people we will go see are sick or sad and maybe don't have much to smile about, so the goal of our visits is to make them happy and smile, even if it's just for a little while. 


"Happy like a belly rub happy? Or happy like finding a forever home happy?" I asked. "It depends on the person, Sammy" she answered. "I think we may be able to do both." 


Well sign me up for that gig! I know how happy getting my belly rub makes me, so if I can make just one person "forever home" happy! Wow! That's a great feat for a mutt like me!


So we have to be re-certified in basic obedience (it's more for Mom, I'm good with the whole, sit, stay, down, etc. . . She needs to know how to get me to do it!) and we went to our first class last night.


It was kinda scary at first, lots of yappy young dogs jumping at me and Mom, trying to play with me, nip me, and sniff me. All I could think was "Oh my gosh, this is a million times worse then that squeaky beer bottle chew toy the Coyote got me!"


Things settled down a bit. I walked beside Mom for a bit, we practiced "sit". Mom would pull up on my collar or push up on my chin - it took just a few times before I realized that also meant "sit". Now why she didn't just say it I don't know, humans can be so silly sometimes!


Then we worked on sit-stay. That was easy. We'd never practiced it where Mom walked around me in a circle, but then the lady running the class explained that is so I would get used to people passing around and behind me when we go to visit as they might have to do in a hospital room or other small space. I thought that was pretty cool and very smart for a human to figure out!


Then for some reason we kept walking around and Mom would let me sniff the floor, another dog, get petted by another person, and then call me back to her! I guess she was lonely. So I came back to her to reassure her I wasn't going to run away.


The lady that teaches the class, Donna, is very sweet and she had excellent treats! I tried my dogi mind trick and my best border collie stare on her to give me more treats, but she is definitely a dogi master - darn it! She didn't give in at all. 


I got petted a lot and told how good of a dog I was. Mom talked to Donna and found out that she had evaluated me during class and thought that I'd be a great therapy dog. Mom was so happy! She hugged me and told me what a good boy I was (well, duh!). The attention was nice, though. 


Mom and I know we have a lot of work ahead of us - we have a lot to practice and to learn. I want to make humans "forever home" happy, so wish me and Mom lotsa luck!


I'll post more when I can. Battery is about dead on my Barkberry and Sophie is trying to eat the charger (sigh).


Sniff ya later - paws out!


Sammy

Let the journey begin!

Hello all,


Well this post is not really food oriented, but it's big news for me so I wanted to share it with you!


Mom and I are going to start the process of becoming a canine therapy team. This means that once we pass all of our training and all of our tests, we can go visit hospitals, hospices, assisted living facilities, etc. . .


So yesterday I got my shots (gotta be a healthy dog to do this) and Mom took me to visit her work, First South Financial in Bartlett. She introduced me to a lot of really nice new people who were more than happy to pet me and tell me what a sweet dog I am, how handsome I am, what a good boy I am, and so forth (of course it's all true, but i don't let it go to my head). I even got some belly rubs too!


After that we stopped by Pet Smart for some flea and tick treatment. I met a really big dog who was very nice. After we sniffed each other out we smiled and wagged tails to let our humans know we were cool.


Mom starts the process on Sunday - she has a workshop to attend. Monday we start obedience classes. I hope I pass! Cross your paws for me!


We will be working through Mid South Therapy Dogs to receive our certifications. I have to pass my Canine Good Citizenship test and Mom and I have to pass our Therapy Team certification. It's a lot of work, but Mom says I love attention so much that I'll be a natural.


Seriously folks, I remember being a stray on the street. Cold, hungry, chased off and when someone finally did take me in, they got tired of me and tossed me from a moving car. Then West TN Border Collie Rescue found me. My foster mom and dad were awesome, and then I found my forever home. I know what it feels like to be lonely. I know what it feels like to think no one cares about you. So if I can somehow repay the kindness folks have shown me over the years, then I might as well get off my furry butt and do it!


So in addition to my culinary reviews, I'll be posting pics and updates of how we're doing.


Mom and I thank you in advance for your support. We'll keep you posted!


Bone chance ( that's french for good luck),


Sammy

ode to a meat market

Hello all,


I know it's been a while since I posted anything on this blog, but Mom, Callie, Sophie and I have been busy. 


We've been visiting our friend the Coyote who moved to a place call Oxford (I don't know why they named it that - I didn't see an oxen). 


And right before her trip to Ecuador, the Coyote pointed out a meat market called LB's.  Here's their web site:http://lbsmeatmarket.com/

Once inside the door, Mom had found her new meat nirvana. They offer a wide range of fresh meats, dips, sausages and even seafood.


Mom took a liking to their cheese dips and the shrimp skewers and the stuffed mushrooms. She had MeeMother and GDaddy over and cooked up some delicious poached flounder as well (yes, we get to taste - I have to be able to accurately comment on the food!) 


Last night, she got home from the gym and we had a light snack for dinner - summer sausage from LBs, vermont cheddar cheese and spinach and cheese stuff mushrooms. It was all delicious! The summer sausage tastes like "real" sausage - not like the nitrate filled and highly processed summer sausage you can get at the store.


So on behalf of Callie, Sophie and myself, we'd like to give LB's 12 paws up!


Bone appetite!


Sammy