Idiosyncratic, peculiar, stuck in a rut or just plain boring……. How many times in a person's life do we stop, at certain intervals, and question ourselves? ….. You could possibly be paralyzed with doubt about your impulse to do something. Then you get to the point in life, when, even if you do stop for an instant and wonder if you are doing something completely silly, and you just roll right through it and say, "Who Cares?" And so, at … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2015
Music and the Kitchen – The Importance of Background Notes in Baking
Could it be that music and cooking/baking have a lot in common? As in many of the most beautiful pieces of music, often it is not just the melody that makes a piece outstanding. Yes, solos are dramatic - complete in every way, shape and form and in their singular appeal. But often the genius of composers of music is that they can "hear" what is needed in the background to enhance, complement and otherwise complete their melodic vision. This … [Read more...]
Spring Rolls! The Sweet Side
pretty portraits So, if I were in California, I know exactly what I'd be doing. (has anyone notice how many people now begin their sentences with "So"? or is it just me?) I'd be trundling up and down the state, camera and basket in hand. I'd be chowing down on the fresh Strawberries - their season being underway since early March - as well as all of the delightful produce already in market there -- don't get me started! While we are … [Read more...]
Not “On Point”; Rain, Emily Dickinson, Productivity, Sunshine and Creativity
photo courtesy Amazon.com Last evening, I listened with interest to an interview with the author Cynthia Barnett about her new book Rain, on On Point on NPR. The interview wound around a variety of issues concerning rain as a phenomenon to be considered on practical as well as more oblique points. I became more intrigued as the conversation turned to Emily Dickinson, the prolific poet, who, Ms. Barnett claims was much more productive when … [Read more...]
Springing Up – The Lovely Renaissance of the Humble Chick Pea
image courtesy smartkitchen.com Want to pick an all-star item for your diet? Its resumé reads: - -2nd most widely grown legume in the world after soy beans -1 of the 8 founder crops of civilization -sourced back to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period, circa 8000 BC I got up yesterday morning and thought I should bake a cake with Garbanzo bean flour, mediterranean citrus, candied citron and pine nuts…….. hmmmm. Ah, the word, … [Read more...]
Fascination Grows – Evolution of a Blossom – Agapanthus in My Kitchen
Montecito 9/2011 Artists of all modes and materials as well as botanists, naturalists, and anthropologists have long been fascinated with various stages of the life cycle of plants. We are so lucky to have the renderings spawned by the type of people who are able to sit still for hours at a time and depict a specimen once, let alone through its stages of development and then decay. Their work flows through history like the story … [Read more...]
Such a Work-in-Progress: Morris Frank, Sécateurs, It’s The Time of the Season
favorite, only Today was a day for rising early. I got up at 5:30. Something called me. a quarter moon in the eastern sky Yesterday I did some planting and wondered, as I wandered around, if I was still mourning my Dad. A short while later, my cousin Carol and I exchanged sentiments about our Dads who loved their gardens so. Whenever I work outside, I feel a closeness to him that leaves me to wonder if I'd be enjoying any of … [Read more...]
A Close Look at Nooks and Crannies – Martin Lissy and My Fontina-Chive Scones with Pancetta and Apricot Jam
Fair Warning Yes, flavor is the most important element in food, ok? But, to me, texture is really just as key. Give me a piece of un-crunchy bread and my heart will instantly sink. And yes, I form strong opinions about restaurants based upon the bread they serve. Fair Warning - it will be very hard to win me over if you serve me a piece of "icky" bread. Beyond this, give me a scone that is sticky and soft and I'll head for the hills - … [Read more...]
Giddy as a Fool; Into the Weeds, Steve Jobs and on Being Dumb
Giddy as a Fool Day (13 days after the other Fools' Day) I'm not ashamed to be included in Fools' Days…... After spending the better part of the last 4 weeks nursing my daughter through her ankle debacle and taking that opportunity to test a myriad of scone recipes on her, I have happily switched gears to the outside……... I just have to say that over the past couple of days, I have found myself saying to Kit, "phew, we made it through … [Read more...]
Sunshine Came Softly Through My Window Today – Donovan and The Mango-Coconut Scone with Saffron
Ahhhh, Donovan, thank you for words that inspire! Amazingly welcome words - Sunshine Came Softly Through My Window Today" and, the man writes about Saffron…….. "They Call Me Mellow Yellow" There are, actually, some tangible benefits of being the age that I am - if you can believe it (well, not that many). One of them is to have the intact memories of some of the greatest popular music ever. Sadly, my kids will probably never know … [Read more...]