garden of eatin'

I have to say that I'm loving this idea of "eating the view".  As a side note, Sean & I are midway through the "John Adams" mini-series.  I am left utterly appalled at how poor my knowledge of US history is.  Fantastic film so far.

video spotted here.

an update

I have this bad habit of posting on certain things in our life and then never following up on the initial posts, so I have decided to do a bunch in one fell swoop.  Here goes...

1. I decided this past Earth Day to make an environmental baby step each year as my way of celebrating the day.  I was wanting to take the composting plunge as this years's step. 

I ended up going with a cheap black, plastic box model that I spotted at Sam's just after writing the post.  I didn't want to hold off any longer as I knew it would never happen and I decided cheap was the way to go right now, so I could see if we were really up for the commitment. 

I also bought this counter top caddy.  Well, we have been composting ever since and i really love doing it.  It is so fun knowing that our kitchen scraps will soon be bringing forth "black gold" for our autumn plantings.

2.  I also wrote that we were attempting some square foot gardening this spring.  My gardening skills are utterly lacking and I have done nothing but murder plant after plant in the past.  Well, at long last - success!  I live in the desert, but guess what?  The veggies and flowers in my garden are blissfully unaware of that fact?  I have flowers that have shot up nearly taller then our fence and veggies so plump that they surely will be on the grill not later than tomorrow.  Here are a few pictures I took yesterday after a good rain storm (true, it is monsoon season here, so that may not be hurting the cause either.)

The whole thing is pretty unruly.  I'm thinking we need to cut some stuff back and we definitely to stake the tomatoes - but it still gets me misty eyed looking at it!

3. So far as the Le Creuset collection, well, I never did get around to mentioning it to my mother-in-law.  You see, if there is one things that it is difficult for my folks, it is a collection left unfulfilled.  Since that post - we have celebrated no major holidays but I am the proud recipient of 5 glorious pieces.  I love them, I love them, I do.  Most of my pieces came from a Le Creuset outlet store.  These places are phenomenal.  I'm not quite sure why anyone would ever pay full price if they knew these existed.  There's a full list of the outlet stores here. 

These are my pieces:

4. We ended up getting Sean a flip video camera for Father's Day.  He had mentioned it in the past and it just seemed like the perfect time.  We have loads of photos of our kids but have just really failed in the video department.  My brother-in-law Bill is always going on and on about how we need to be videotaping them.  And he's right.  Photos are amazing but every time Bill pulls out his gobs of footage - there is something to actually getting to hear their sweet muppet voices and witness their hilarious antics.  As a child I loved those nights when we would all sit around and watch all home movies.  Hopefully will the size and ease of the flip, we will actually begin to integrate this into our lives.  Sean was thrilled.

5.  Speaking of cameras, I've been trying to figure out my new one.  I decided on a Nikon D60.  I also got these lenses: a 50mm f/ 1.8D AF and a  55-200mm f/ 4-5.6 G ED IF AF-S DX VR Zoom and an external flash.  I am super excited and continue to shoot away as I am figuring out how to take a decent photograph.  The D60 seems like a great DSLR to learn the ropes with.  I LOVE it.

 

6.  The floors look great.  Sean stenciled our dining room floor while the kids and I were out of town and they look amazing.  We still need to seal them and replace the floor moldings so we haven't moved the furniture back in yet...but now I'm liking the room even without furniture!

 

(Not sure that you wanted all of this information, but this is for all of you that had any lingering questions.)

We're having a loud thunderstorm here, utter bliss.  Happy Tuesday to you!

{all photos besides manufacturers are mine}

cinco de mayo dinner party

Here in the South, early May is the perfect time to host an outdoor dinner party. The evenings are neither too hot nor too cool. The garden has fresh produce ready to be used and people are just wanting to be outside. I love the idea of hosting a Cinco de Mayo party – it just sounds fun. And Mexican food is just so yummy. Below is what I would be serving at my Cinco de Mayo party. Calling this Mexican food would be a real stretch, but the inspiration is all there. If outdoor dining is still a few weeks off for you, these great recipes can take you straight through Spring and into Summer.

Prosecco Sangria

1 lemon
1 cup bottled Morello cherries, drained, or pitted fresh or frozen tart red cherries
1/2 cup black cherry juice or cherry juice
1/2 cup orange liqueur (Cointreau)
1/4 cup brandy
OneS 750-liter bottle Prosecco
8 oz. raspberry-flavored ginger ale
Ice
Mint sprigs

Squeeze juice from the lemon. Combine lemon juice, cherries, black cherry juice, orange liqueur, and brandy in a large covered pitcher. Chill overnight to macerate.

To serve, add Prosecco, raspberry-flavored ginger ale, and ice; stir. Pour into tall glasses and garnish with fresh mint. Makes 8 servings.

found here.

Yucatecan Street Corn

with Lime, Chile Powder, & Grated Cotija, Serves 4

4 ears of fresh corn, in husks

3/4 cup crema, for slathering

1/2 cup of shredded cotija, for sprinkling (Parmasean or pecorino can be substituted)

2 limes, halved

2 tablespoons pure chile powder

fine-grain sea salt (optional)

Prepare a medium hot grill. Remove and husks other than the inner oe or two layers. Peel back inner husks but leave atttched. Discard the silk. Pull back the husks into place and grill, covered, rotating a couple of times, for 10 minutes. Taste one for doness. Remove from grill and slather with soem of the crema, sprinkle some of the cheese, drizzle with juice of half a lime dipped in chile pepper.

found here.

Tuna Ceviche

1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 pound sashimi quality yellowfin tuna
1/2 teaspoon aji amarillo*
1/2 rocoto pepper puree*

*available in Latin American specialty stores

In a blender, puree until smooth the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and lime juice. Remove to a bowl and mix in the cilantro. Slice the tuna into thin, 1-inch long pieces.

Place tuna on a serving platter and spoon soy sauce mixture over each slice. Dot each piece with each of the purees, aji amarillo, and rocoto pepper.

found here.

Strawberry Galette

with tequila lime whipped cream, Serves 6 to 8

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:

whip heavy whipping cream while slowly adding lime juice & tequiila to taste.

FOR THE DOUGH:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water

FOR THE GALETTE:

1 pound strawberries, hulled
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Make the dough: Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add ice water, and pulse until just combined (dough will still be crumbly). Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out a 10-inch round, and transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Make the galette: Cut strawberries lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Reserve end pieces for another use. Toss slices with 1/4 cup sugar and the cornstarch, and immediately arrange them in concentric circles on dough. Start 1 inch from edge, overlapping slices slightly. Fold edge of dough over berries. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Whisk together yolk and water. Brush dough with the egg wash, and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Dot berries with butter. Bake until crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.
Transfer to a serving plate. Serve warm with tequila lime-whipped cream.

found here & modified.

fresh-cut flowers

I love having fresh cut flowers in little vases throughout my home.  I have to buy these flowers from the store as my small gardening efforts just don't yield the volume of blooms that I would require.  

Some people clearly don't have this issue.  Let's take for example the flowers available for clipping at Martha's house:

{top image from absolutely beautiful things}

garden style

Today I am feeling inspired by Judy Tomkins (a photographer that also became a landscape designer at age 60).  I love the ways in which she melds her gardens and interiors with a casual, effortless style.  And that she took up a second career at 60. 

all images from Martha Stewart.

She tells her love while half asleep

She tells her love while half asleep, 
       In the dark hours, 
               With half-words whispered low: 
As Earth stirs in her winter sleep 
       And puts out grass and flowers 
                Despite the snow, 
                Despite the falling snow. 

by Robert Graves

{photograph by love_child_kyoto}

composting

Here are some of my favorite composter options:

A good, sturdy, basic option.

If you determine that portability is important.

The creme de la creme.

Good for getting the kids involved.  

A how-to guide.

Compost bucket for kitchen scraps. 

Do you have a composter that you are really happy with?  Please fill us in!

{All items are available at Smith & Hawken except the Roly Pig which is available here.}

tablescapes with flowers

I finally bought some fresh flowers to put in my Orla from target picher/vase.  It instantly added so much to the room that I started walking around the house spotting nooks to added fresh flowers to.  What a difference a few intentionally places blossoms can make!  Here are some of my favorite tablescapes that included floral arrangements that never cease to inspire me. 

Jamali Garden

I just popped over to Jamali Garden in search of some billy buttons and man, did they have a lot of great stuff.  Everything I ever forgot to remember I needed (more like wanted). Except, of course, billy buttons.  Still, this place goes well beyond garden goods with fantastic entertaining & decor finds as well. 

let's go outside.

I've been looking for some fun activities to do outside with the kids.  Here are some things I'm considering investing in for the Spring:  acorn birdfeeder, i love dirt! book, butterfly net, eggling pots, flower press, garden magnifying glass & bug hotel. 

weekend update

our weekend looked a bit like this:

The kids and I put peanut butter & birdseed on pine cones for the

birds.  Then we all went and visited the kids' baby horses: Indy &

Husker.  Sunday morning we had a nice brunch at The Double Eagle.  

From there we hit the nursery and spent the afternoon planting

some honey suckle & an almond tree in the back yard.  There was

some Michael Bluth tucked in here and there.  It was a really nice

weekend.

{images from *annabel*, Fjola Dogg's, the Double Eagle, Ingrid Sandberg, Sabinche}

Nature Mill Composter.

Oh hello there, perfect composter that I have been waiting for.  

You can read all about it and/or get yourself one here. 

hanging garden

I just saw this photo and thought it was a really cute idea.  I'd love to do this with my kids - let them have their own, little hanging garden that they could tend.

(image from {DW})

there's no place like home

We left the sunshine and arrived home to rain.  That's not a bad thing.  It was a sweet homecoming.  I love the rain, particularly while I live in the desert.  Our trees have grown some leaves in our brief absence, too.  And wonder of all wonders - the seeds in my garden have begun to sprout.

Spring!

{image from shetha}

the farmer's market

I have been loving life at the farmer's market this morning.  All of these photos were snapped on my iPhone so the quality of the photos aren't great, but man, the quality of the produce is phenomenal.  The flowers got me pumped about Springtime and those strawberries were the largest I have ever seen.  The beautiful woven baskets are from a fair trade iniatiative out of Ghana.  They are available here. 

All I want is a farmers market, just like this one, within walking (or biking distance) of my home.  Really, is that too much to ask?  Sigh.  Today I got to pretend that I already have it.

herb garden markers

Lots more options.  And some Etsy sellers, which I always love.

{found clockwise from top left: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.}

Spotted some of these first here.

garden markers

I have been on the lookout for some attractive garden markers to label what I'm planting.  Currently I am using popsicle sticks.  While useful, they are lacking a certain je ne sais quoi - if you know what I mean. Understandably, it is far easier to find attractive markers for an herb garden then a full garden.  I understand why most people use the basic, utilitarian metal markers - there just isn't much better out there.  Here's what I've found that I like:

These terra cotta markers come in circle or oval with 350 different plant names available.  Found here. 

These all copper markers are available in 86 herb & 86 perennial plants.    

Found here. 

And these basic self labeled markers were found here. 

sowing seeds

So the first of three "square foot gardening" beds is planted.  I was too impatient (an ongoing theme, you'll find) to wait for my seed catalog so I went a nearby nursery to find some heirloom seeds.  here's what I've planted in the first bed:  Orange California Poppies, Common English Thyme, Candy Stripe Cosmos, Red Winter Kale, Rainbow Blend Cherry Tomatoes, Carrots, Broadleaf Sage, Little Finger Baby Carrots, Gardener's Delight Cherry Tomatoes, Leeks, Eggplant, and Allysum in purple & white.  

Sowing & praying.  Just sowing & praying.

All the seeds are from here.

composting

Hypothetically speaking: Say we let our two bunnies run free in the yard.  Also, let's say that I feed them all of our vegetable scraps and they consequently poop all over the lawn.  Does this count as composting?    

Just asking.

{illustration by Beatrix Potter}

the Vegetannual

I just came across this poster while perusing Barbara Kingsolver's site.  It's by artist Richard A. Houser and it depicts the vegetannual described in Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle."  The bottom of the poster (not shown in this image) displays the quote from the book: 

"Picture a single imaginary plant, bearing throughout the seasons all the different vegetables we harvest...we'll call it a Vegetannual."

The poster also shows which month most of these vegetables are harvested and would be available from a local farmer.  This poster serves as a great reminder of what we should be growing or buying, and when. 

It's available here.