Today I’m sharing our August Mountain Moments. This is a recap of what happened in the month of August, in and outside, of our mountain kitchen.
Gosh, I can’t believe it’s August already. It seems like it was February when the whole world was faced with a pandemic that doesn’t want to end. August has been a fun month for us. Let’s start at the beginning:
A VISIT FROM FAMILY
David’s cousin Crystal and her son Ryan came up to visit us on the first weekend of August. We took them out to eat, canoed and fished the Shenandoah, and grilled out while they were here. I was so busy having fun I didn’t take many pictures. We had a nice visit and we look forward to seeing them again soon!
6-MONTH SKIN CHECK
I had my 6-month check-up at the beginning of the month. Everything checked out ok, but my doctor is concerned about the size of a mole on my lower back. He took measurements of it and told me that if it grows or changes in any way between now and my February 6-month check-up then it will have to be removed.
Based on the size, it would be a simple biopsy and there will be cutting and stitching involved. I sure hope the thing doesn’t grow, but if it does I know surgery to remove it will be best. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Have you had a skin check this year? Have you seen something on your skin that isn’t quite right?
THIS IS YOUR FRIENDLY REMINDER TO GET YOUR YEARLY SKIN CHECK!
[READ MORE ABOUT MY MELANOMA JOURNEY HERE]
PIZZA AND BEER WEEKEND GETAWAY
Remember in July when I told you that David and I flew to Ohio to see his mom? Well flying to Ohio was a great way to go, but by not driving we missed stopping at one of our favorite beer and pizza joints, Mountain State Brewing, in the college town of Morgantown, West Virginia. Home of West Virginia University and the Mountaineers.
David and I LOVE this place and we talk about enjoying their wood-fired pizza and cold craft beer all the time. To remedy our need for the pizza and beer that we missed so much, we decided to have a pizza and beer getaway. We left on a Friday after work and my skin check and drove up to Morgantown, WV. We were on a pizza and beer mission!
After we checked into our hotel room, Mountain State was a top priority. We were a lot later getting into town than we had anticipated due to really severe storms. I swear I think we sat through a tornado on the interstate! Things got really dicey for a minute or two as we came to a standstill on the highway. We were fortunate that it wasn’t any worse than it was.
Not long after that, we came upon a terrible accident that had shut down the highway completely. However, we made it to Morgantown safely.
Because we didn’t know when we would get into town, we didn’t have a reservation to eat. Thank God Mountain State Brewing was able to accommodate us without a reservation. The pizza crisis averted!
The pizza we love so much is called “Fire on The Mountain” and the flavor combination on this pizza is amazing! It’s topped with sausage, pepperoni, banana peppers, red onions, spicy chipotle, smoked Gouda cheese, and tomato sauce. Every now and then you get that one perfect bite where you get an explosion of all the toppings at once. IT’S ADDICTIVE!
And dessert was paired with their Miner’s Daughter Oatmeal Stout.
We stayed at a hotel about a quarter of a mile away and we were able to walk practically everywhere we went and believe me, we sure needed to!
We paid Mr. Don Knotts a visit while we were there.
We were pleasantly surprised to find a really cool place for brunch called Table 9. They had delicious craft food and beverages that make us want to go back and visit next time.
We also checked out another craft brewery called Morgantown Brewing.
An Italian Restaurant right next door to Mountain State Brewing called Oliverio’s Ristorante was also on our agenda.
Because of the trying times we are in right now, the visit was in no way normal, but we were able to do what we had come to do and we had fun doing it.
It was a very relaxing weekend. We ate a lot and drank our share of beverages. We even came home with some too.
PAW PAW TUNNEL
On our way home we stopped explored Paw Paw Tunnel located near Paw Paw, West Virginia.
The Paw Paw Tunnel is a 3,118-foot-long canal tunnel on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Allegany County, in the state of Maryland. It was built to bypass the Paw Paw Bends, a six-mile stretch of the Potomac River.
It never ceases to amaze me the modern marvels of times gone by.
VERTICAL TASTING AT FOX MEADOW WINERY
This past weekend we attended a vertical wine tasting at Fox Meadow Winery with our friends Beth and Jim. This is the first event we have been able to attend since the pandemic started. We had a lot of fun and it was good to enjoy something that kind of felt normal.
TOP RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Grilled Country-Style Pork Ribs
COMMENTS OF THE MONTH!
“This recipe is very close to Grandma Bettina’s recipe which used the Open Kettle method of canning. Though she used her recipe for years, Open Kettle canning is not considered safe by today’s standards. I always used a Water Bath and used timing from other sweet pickle recipes. Her recipe had you cooking the cucumbers with the syrup, and I always felt I was overcooking the cucumbers. Especially with the added processing time. So glad to find an updated version with processing times and a little revision on technic. They turned out great!!”
Linda (Comment & 5-Star rating on Sweet Pickles)
“Outstanding!!!”
Jax (Comment on & 5-Star rating on Tortellini With Spinach Tomato Cream Sauce)
“Hi Debbie & David. Smoked salmon is a staple in British Columbia. The Coast Salish people here also use maple to smoke their salmon, especially in Vancouver Island since we have a lot of maple trees there. And you’re right, wild salmon is the best. One of my friends is a fisherman so he always gets me some. Thank you for another detailed recipe.”
Thinh (Comment on Smoked Salmon With Honey Glaze)
‘TIS THE SEASON
Roasted Pork Tenderloin With Mushrooms Sage and Thyme
With only a few minutes of prep, this delicious healthy roasted pork tenderloin with mushrooms sage and thyme can turn into a gourmet meal in under an hour!
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Satisfying hearty beans and healthy greens add flavorful texture to this Tuscan White Bean Soup. This rustic soup delivers flavorful, goodness to each bowl.
AROUND THE MOUNTAIN!
David and I have had a ball this summer watching the hummingbirds fight over the feeder. We have a dominant male that fights off five females all day long and I mean from first light to dusk. I took a little pity on him and made him a perch so he could guard the feeder better. What a hoot!
AUGUST MOUNTAIN VIEWS
That’s all of the August Mountain Moments. See ya next month with more moments from the mountain.
I know this was a long one. Thanks for reading all this!
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Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I haven’t been able to leave comments for months but hopefully the situation has been fixed. It sounds like you made the most of the situation during August. I hope September is as nice.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Karen! I’m sorry I’ve missed your comments. Yes, hopefully, this issue has been resolved. I hope this finds you doing well!