Posts filed under ‘Reading’
Rainy days
Today is the best kind of rainy day. It’s early spring, and we’ve just come off two warm and sunny days with temperatures in the high teens and early 20s (celsius). I know that the vegetable seeds I’ve been scratching into bare patches of soil all over our yard are relishing a cool drink. The lettuce and spinach sprouting in containers on the deck thrive in this kind of weather. The rain barrel is filing up for spring. And the four raspberry canes that arrived from my parents’ garden are happily easing into a new life in our yard after being transplanted into a cool, moist space along the fence earlier this afternoon.
We’ve spent a wonderfully restful rainy day together at home today. It began with waking up to the sound of rain and wind chimes outside our bedroom window. The first hour of the day was spent baking. I made my favorite scone recipe using blueberries and orange zest I had stored in the freezer. We enjoyed those along with fresh fruit and coffee. My parents dropped by with the new raspberries and we had a quick chat while planting them in the drizzling rain. Since then we’ve been reading by the fire with steaming mugs of a spicy mandarin and black tea blend from Silk Road called “Tea of Good Cheer,” which seems particularly fitting for the day.
I can’t think of anything I find more relaxing than a rainy day at home. I love the sound and smell of rain, the rejuvenating effect it has on my plants and garden and the way it slows everything down. It’s like a cozy blanket over the world, helping us renew and refresh so we’re ready for the sunshine again.
Asparagus Risotto
Asparagus risotto is one of my favorite things to make for a simple but special supper at home with family and friends. We’ve been making an effort to buy more local seasonal produce, so the only reason I’m cooking with asparagus is because I’d stashed a bunch in the back of our freezer after buying too much produce at the farmer’s market last summer (amazingly it still tasted great!).
Asparagus will be back in season in a few short months – spring is the time to find it fresh and locally grown. I’ve been thinking about planting some asparagus crowns in my own garden, which apparently fare well (as long as you’re patient) in our chilly Zone 3 climate. (more…)
Early mornings
I’ve always found the early, early morning to be kind of a magical place. There is something entirely perfect about waking up very early. Especially if no one else is awake and you can revel in the solitude and space. Especially if it’s spring or summer and you can wander outside to visit the garden with a steamy mug of sweet coffee. Or winter when you can curl up with a cup of hot tea and listen to quiet chamber music on the radio. Almost as good as dreaming. (more…)
Best brownies!
As part of our toast to the New Year, I made some brownies for dessert from Jeanne Kelley‘s new book, Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes: Recipes from a Modern Kitchen Garden. They were amazing and even survived the translation to gluten-free that happens with much of my baking. It was a simple recipe with great ingredients: bittersweet chocolate, real butter, sugar, eggs. I loved that I mixed it all up in the same pot that I melted the chocolate in. So easy and good! (more…)
Santa’s bookshelf
Many gifts were given and received this season to and from our wonderful friends and family. Along with cooking and baking gadgets (I must be doing something right in the kitchen), some excellent new books made their way into our home this holiday season . The Christmas break is one of the few times I actually have the time I crave to sink into reading for at least a few hours a day, so I LOVE books for gifts. Thank you!
Red Dog Red Dog by Patrick Lane. Patrick Lane is the author my very favorite book, a beautiful memoir about love, addiction, and gardening on the West Coast called There is a Season. The writing in the memoir is stunning, and so is the story. Red Dog is Patrick Lane’s first novel (after a lifetime of winning poetry awards), and I can’t wait to read it.
Molto Italiano by Mario Batali. This is a big beautiful glossy cookbook with lots of photos and an emphasis on quality seasonal and local ingredients. We had the pleasure of eating at Babbo, Mario Batali’s restaurant in New York City this past July and it was the best meal. I cooked a risotto dish from this cookbook for our New Year’s Eve celebration and it was delish!
