In Irvington, we have the strangest squirrels....

Now there's something you don't see everyday. I think they're called the "Midwestern Blue Squirrel," though it's rare to find them this far east.

We gave him peanut butter sandwiches so he would leave the tomatoes alone.

More pictures from the garden....

Alien Veggies....

I've never grown eggplants before. Along with zucchini, eggplant is great done up in thick slices on the grill.

The thing that took me by suprise however is that when they grow they look exactly like bowling balls held in the hands of extraterrestrials.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Since the squirrels have figured out the dogs' patrol schedule we've lost more tomatoes this year than last year. As a result I've been bringing in a lot of big green tomatoes and letting them ripen on the window sill and, with a steady supply of green tomatoes, we've figured out a really good way to fix them. Here's all you do:

Make thick slices of tomato; somewhere between a quarter and a half inch. In one bowl put one egg and some milk and whisk it up.

Take a plate and pour a nice amount of flour on it.

Take another plate or shallow bowl and pour a bunch of corn meal.

Mix a dash of cayenne pepper into the corn meal. If you want, add some very finely chopped onions.

Take a slice of tomato, drag it through the flour on both sides, then dunk it in the egg wash, then press it into the plate of corn meal until you have a nice thick coating on both sides and the edges.

Heat up a frying pan with oil, maybe a quarter inch deep. When you place the tomato in the oil it should start to bubble and cook. If it explodes, the oil is too hot.

Cook each slice 3-4 minutes per side until it's a golden brown. Place on a plate with a few paper towels to drain. Serve it with a little bit of ranch dressing.

These make a great side dish to a meal of chicken and corn on the cob or a nice big dinner salad.

The Garden....