near the top, pelting Summer rain, bliss.
tenacious little rock clinging tree in the middle, teal.
two dear friends, same spot, one day apart.
47 mph, side window open.
sprinklers.
the golden hour umm yes definitely.
Standard
Messenger
My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird —
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.
Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all ingredients are here,
which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.
~ Mary Oliver ~
Standard
calendula and marigold petals.
… for adding to your gnocchi dough, of course.
*(outtake from my current project, a cookbook for Stone Edge Farm Vineyards)
Standard
forget the cherries, it’s entirely about the crabapples.
I’ve always anxiously awaited cherry blossom season until I met these crabapples.
I mean,
JUST LOOK AT THEM…
right?
Standard
sometimes all I need…
… is a little abstract color and texture to perk me up.
Standard
it’s obligatory, if you must know.
Time for late-Winter-but-here-comes-Spring cherry blossom photos!
Standard
You never leave someone behind.
You take a part of them with you and leave a part of yourself behind.
Standard
the chef: part three, ¡buen provecho!
As our day with Paco neared it’s conclusion,
his girls looking on jealously,
he put the final touches on our meal (this being the Postre de Chocolate y Tequila with hand-hewn chocolate fans for decoration – insert happy sigh)
… the table was set with all the spoils of his efforts …
… so we could most happily get down to business.
Please, please, please do yourself the favor of spending a day with Paco should you ever find yourself in the magical town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. It is truly one of the most memorable and rewarding days I have experienced. Ever.
Standard
the chef: part two, xoconostle and rajas.
The xoconostle is a member of the prickly pear family (a bit more savory/sour end of the spectrum) and grows from the tips of cactus leaves. These were roasted and featured in one of the three salsas assembled this day. Note that Paco makes all of his salsas by hand in a molcajete. These mortar and pestles made from volcanic rock are fabulous but unfortunately a bit heavy to carry home. I will have one someday!
Hard work deserves a reward (or two). This tequila is tinged with the essence of jamaica (otherwise known as hibiscus).
The man’s hands… some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.
… back to work roasting poblanos for the rajas con crema.
Now I’m hungry.
Stay tuned for the third installment from Paco’s kitchen!
Standard
the chef: part one, tortillas.
During the trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mati Rose and I were blessed to spend a magical day working with Paco Cardenas. We began with a tour of the mercado where we met Paco’s favorite vendors, made a fortuitous stop for carnitas (another story for another time), and then moved on to his open air kitchen where the cooking began. This experience is hard to explain in words, luckily I have many images to share. We begin with the making of the tortillas…
… tomorrow, three salsas and the rajas con crema!