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...]
Cruel and Temperamental – Fickle April and the Fresh Mango Ginger Scone
Forget all that stuff about March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb………… Nonsense! April can be such a cruel month, can't it? Weeks like this one - Tuesday till today just make me want to cry. Cruelty is the only word I can say truly applies. I am ready to "go" with my trowel. I want dirty knees, dirt under my fingernails and blowing colors all over the place. I can't wait any longer! And, I want the sun shining, … [Read more...]
Fruit Loops and Fancy-Free, Danger: Sugary-Self-Soothing, How We Feed our Kids and the Circle of Life at the Highest Levels
Two iconic quotes for the day: "We have met the enemy and he is us." Cartoonist Walt Kelly circa 1970 "It's the Circle of Life" (using that infamous tune we all learned from the 1994 version of The Lion King) and gee whiz what are we doing? Does the circle move forward or just go around and around without seeing itself, self-correcting and moving forward? Today, I'm pondering the idea of calling for an all-out campaign for increased … [Read more...]
Welcome Vernal Equinox! Today is A Day for Gushing: A Visual Preview
fair skies predicted: North Beach Orleans Ma as seen from Mill Pond "…..still, to be enthralled with the simplest gifts of nature, how grateful I am" All Hail! Spring is here - time to celebrate - and here on the east coast, wait for all the gorgeous fruits of the growing season. Yesterday, I got a little head start with some very nice strawberries and some peaches I had in the freezer: the strawberry and the peach - words of … [Read more...]
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