Today is the last day of March. I'm ready to say goodbye even though we've had quite a treat weather-wise for late Winter and early Spring. I really can't complain. But, as I see my flowers popping up and am eyeing the new growth on my roses (and begging the landscapers to help prevent the japanese beetles this year) I am all ready for April. …...the daffodils sway gently round and call the tulips from the ground (from one of my … [Read more...]
Thoughts On Mad Men, On Remembering Patty Duke and My Simple Strawberry Muffins
bringing back good memories (photo archives The Patty Duke Show) I admit I'm prone to certain avenues of nostalgia. They are like following the lines on the palm of my hand. Since yesterday I've gotten to thinking about the tv shows and movies I watched when I was a kid. Yes, as my kids remind me constantly, that WAS in the last century! Not only that, it was in the last millennium - oh my gosh. Well yes, that says a lot about me and … [Read more...]
Quick: I Need a Cookie! – Orange-Almond Shortbread Cookies
coffee and waves at sunrise - can't beat it! Yes, it's Spring. But on some days in late March it still feels well, nasty. Today started out to be a dud - especially compared to waking up in Montecito and having your coffee with the waves! Here's a little sampler of what you get to see just at sunrise: Ok, well that is over for now and I'm back to reality. I sat at my desk this morning with several cups of tea. Then I decided … [Read more...]
Fresh Pick’d and Hand-Carried – California Strawberry Mousse with Thyme and Grand Marnier
Yesterday I had to board a plane back to NJ from Montecito. It was tough. What made it more palatable though, was to bring a few goodies back with me. I chose a pint of fresh-picked strawberries from the Montecito Farmer's Market and a small handful of fresh lilacs. I only spent about an hour at the Farmer's Market in Montecito on Friday morning but I got my money's worth. I met some really nice people including a woman who runs a … [Read more...]
Irish Soda Bread with Watercress, Potato, Irish Cheddar and Caraway Seeds
Erin go Bragh I meant to do this all day but was busy running a ton of errands which, by the way, included gathering up more of my coveted Ranunculus. and, we are just getting going here :) Then I came upon a post on Abby Dodge's fb page with all of her glorious ingredients ready to go. I wondered to myself if I had time to get it together before I left for the dentist. I knew what I wanted to try and assembled my ingredients. … [Read more...]
A Little Celebration of Irish Dishes for Today – Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2016
the Kitchen Garden at Balymaloe Cooking School (photo courtesy Kitchen Gardens International) Today is St. Patrick's Day and what better way to celebrate than to get into the kitchen and prepare some Irish dishes for your family? It may be Corned Beef and Cabbage and that'd be just great. But if you'd like a selection of other fine ideas, follow along here. I've gone shopping for some recipes to whet your appetite. And so, if you're not … [Read more...]
Nuisance in Aisle 5: That Unmistakable Delicate Floral Fragrance – The Meyer Lemon-Scented Corn Muffin
Here's a tip for you today. Slice a meyer lemon in half and set it aside your work space. Even though I have a terrible cold right now, I can still smell that unmistakable delicate floral fragrance. It's so soothing and comforting as it perfumes the air - I should make myself a mint and meyer lemon tea…….. fresh mint and a slice of meyer lemon We've all been in the grocery store when someone comes on the intercom system and calls for a … [Read more...]
Of Cabbages and Kings: World History in the Donna Reed-Era and The Legacy of Irish Food
Land of Cabbages and Kings (will denote sourcing) photo courtesy pinterest - source unknown Field, Stream, Ocean and the potager…………….. Today I'm going to borrow a famous phrase from Lewis Carroll's The Walrus and the Carpenter - that being "Of Cabbages and Kings". These four words just seem to fit in my mind's eye, the subject of today's post - the land, the heritage, bounty and the beauty that is Ireland. While it is a fact that … [Read more...]
And the Award Goes To: The “Bring-Spring Early” Award and The Blood Orange-Rosewater Cake
The "Bring-Spring-Early" Award Winner - better than any Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, SAG - well, you know………. (photo courtesy the Washington Post) According to popular opinion and the omnipresent media, the award season is rightly over. But, here at my house, not only is it not over, but we've saved the best for last. This is a week for just plain saying thank you - to Herr Groundhog, signature omen of February in my poem, Months circa 1987 (but, … [Read more...]
Heart of a Peasant, Soul of a Wanderer, Mind of an Inquisitor – The Gluten-Free Zucchini, Eggplant and Chicken Lasagna
aubergine and green There's no doubt these days that I yearn to identify with the ancestors of my 4 grandparents. When I wake up in the morning, I instantly begin my wanderings - in the realm of food, travel, and "want to know" this, that and just about every other thing. My profile description, should I wish to try to write it, would be as the "heart of a peasant, the soul of a wanderer and the mind of an inquisitor". In this vein, I … [Read more...]
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