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my new favorite

thing to look forward to

in the mornings:

buckwheat with creme fraiche, maple syrup,

a fried egg & bacon

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i had a taste of mushroom soup

a couple of nights ago

after my shift at Hawks

which inspired me to create this mushroom soup,

recipe compliments of Matt Gandin

during my days at Delfina

not to mention the myriad of funghi

popping up all over the woods here

the past week or two

'tis the season.

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leather/canvas sketchbook & pen holster

for Jess

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new paintings & journals

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for Dad's 65th

birthday spaghetti with eggplant & chanterelles >> 

boil salted water in medium sized pot. in another larger pot, add 2 tsp dried chili flake & 2 tsp ground nutmeg. toast for 1-2 minutes, then add 2 Tbsp olive oil & one roughly chopped yellow onion. cover with lid and cook on med-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. add 1 small eggplant (diced) & 3 cloves minced garlic and continue cook for 5 minutes. add 3/4 package spaghetti to boiling water (i use Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta). to eggplant mixture, add about 3/4 lb sliced chanterelles, remove lid and cook for a few minutes (allow mushrooms to release their moisture and cook down). add a splash of sherry to deglaze pan, followed by a few tablespoons cream. when pasta is almost al dente, remove it from boiling water and transfer to large pot with other ingredients (along with a splash of pasta water). allow liquid to cook off, and remove from heat. add 1 Tbsp fresh lemon zest, 1/4 c pinenuts, 2 Tbsp fresh oregano, & salt to taste. toss well and serve. serves 4.

birthday chiffon cake with cardamom-vanilla bean syrup and dark chocolate frosting >> 

i recently made Tartine's Basic Chiffon Cake recipe as a cake base for their Fromage Blanc Bavarian. however, the Bavarian recipe called for only 1/3 of the chiffon. i thoroughly wrapped the remainder of the cake and froze it for future use.

i removed it to defrost the morning i created this cake.

in a small saucepan, combine 1/4 c water, 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp ground cardamom, and 1/2 vanilla bean (pod and beans). heat over low until the sugar dissolves. remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. using a pastry brush, moisten the entire top surface of the chiffon cake evenly with the syrup. in a new saucepan, combine 1/2 c sugar and 1/2 c heavy cream and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. reduce the heat and simmer for 6 minutes. add 2 1/2 ounces Scharffen Berger 99% cacao unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped and 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces. stir until melted. pour into a bowl and stir in 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract. refrigerate frosting for at least 40 minutes, and once thicker, frost top and sides of cake. serve with Straus vanilla bean ice cream.

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small pillow made from

worn silk kimono,

my aunt's old

belly dancing costume

& black velvet

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happy anniversary

mom & dad

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delicious, comforting minestrone soup

(for late wintry afternoons by the fire)

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in love with my

gilded dreamcatcher

made by miss Jesse Lynn

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these weeks cycle by,

days blending into one another,

morning fires flowing into evening fires

and even our seemingly momentous

concerns

are ultimately distilled

to simplicity

& peace.

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 i spent my birthday morning

constructing this bit of decadence

Tartine's Fromage Blanc Bavarian

a bottle of bubbly

a birthday crown

a dear mother

& a cute boy

(( i'll take mornings like these anytime ))

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(birthday card for Steve)

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brisk morning walks

leisurely afternoons by the fire

chicken noodle soup simmering

(( can't get enough of the fall ))

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since my parents eat almost vegetarian
i've been getting even more into creating
delicious pasta dishes,
usually making use of whatever we happen to have on hand

tonight was

rustichella d'abruzzo farro noodles

onion/chili flake/kale/roasted autumn cup squash/pinenuts/parmigiano/lemon/olive oil