Cracked Cauldron Spillings

Because today is a glorious day - sunny and 70's - we're going to cook some of the cookbook foods outside on the grill and in the firepit.

The turkey legs will benefit greatly from being grilled.

Perhaps the dragonette wings should have been grilled, too, but we started those way too early this morning to think about it.

A bird soup is simmering on the stove to eventually fill a Soup Cauldron - which is also rising as I type this. We'll also make a nice beefy and onion stew for the Soup Cauldrons, and that Oyle Sops (the onion soup).

We're going to move all the plants outside today to take advantage of the sun, which means we get the table back to roll out pastry doughs. WooHoo! That will make the tarts and pies much easier to do. Although, in the cookbook, we'll tell people they can use frozen pie crusts, frozen puff pastry, or frozen phyllo dough to make them with, we will make these crusts ourselves from scratch.

OK - Not the phyllo dough. We lack the patience and the facilities to properly make phyllo, so we're just going to buy it. Our preferred brand is Athens. We've tried several other more expensive brands, and of them all, Athens is hte easiest to work with, the one that thaws the most evenly, and is slightly sturdier, making it an excellent phyllo for beginners. Plus, I like the way it has a slightly saltier, nuttier taste.

Now, back to the grills and ovens.