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today,

Dad stumbled upon Mom's

written project for her

Master's at CSUS

in September of 1980,

when Dad was Mom's

art advisor

(( the beginning ))

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made these little morsels

for breakfast

this morning

(with fried eggs and bacon)

Potato-Parsnip Latkes
with Horseradish and Dill


(from Smitten Kitchen)


recipe follows

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this cake

is not the most gorgeous

(nor the most decadent)

but it is so satisfying and delicious

(( going along with my recent buckwheat obsession ))

Breton Buckwheat Cake
with Fleur de Sel


(from 101 Cookbooks, originally written by David Lebovitz
in The Sweet Life in Paris)

For the cake:

7/8 c buckwheat flour

1 c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp plus 1/3 tsp fleur de sel

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 lb unsalted butter, at room temp

1 c sugar

4 large egg yolks

1 large egg

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp dark rum

For the glaze:

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp milk

Butter a 9 or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9-inch springform cake pan. Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, whisk together the buckwheat and all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cinnamon. (I added 1 tsp ground cardamom as well.) In the bowl of a standing mixer or by hand, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue the beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg yolks and whole egg with the vanilla and rum (I used bourbon instead) with a fork, then gradually dribble the egg mixture into the batter while beating. If using an electric mixer, beat on high speed so the butter gets really airy. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top as flat as possible with an offset metal or plastic spatula. Make a glaze by stirring the single yolk and milk together with a fork, then brush it generously all over the top. (You may not use it all, but use most of it.) Take a fork and rake it across the top in three parallel lines, evenly spaced; then repeat starting from a slightly different angle to make a criss-cross pattern. Crumble the remaining 1/3 tsp salt over the gateau with our fingers and bake for 45 minutes. Don't over-bake or it will be on the dry side - start checking after 35 minutes or so. Let cool completely before unmolding.

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1 morning

4 Riegels

4 breakfasts

persimmons/raw cashews/maca/banana/goji berries/bee pollen/cinnamon

buckwheat/walnuts/ghee/maple syrup/salt/poached egg

fried eggs/toast/roasted potatoes with onions, garlic, chili

flax cereal/plain Straus yogurt/toast

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<<< new necklace >>>

gold chain

red, turquoise, peach

vintage sequins

(soon on etsy)

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crocheted beanie

for our family handmade

gift exchange

p.s. can't get enough

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teardrop earrings

with vintage sequins

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gold wire & vintage sequin neckpiece

p.s. cannot stop dancing to this.

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large beaded necklace

for Mere's 30th

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still reeling

from a marvelous weekend

beneath the full moon

reveling in each others' company

(& using every piece of dishware in the house)

<<< >>>

Friday >> fresh crab >> butter lettuce salad with beets & pinenuts >>

quinoa >> manchego & quince >> Manhattans

Saturday >> chard & carmelized onion quiche >> raw kale salad >> roasted kabocha squash >> negronis >> 

chicken liver mousse with balsamic glazed shallots >> braised lamb shanks with roasted parsnips & carrots >>

creamy polenta with sage brown butter and parmigiano

Sunday >> buttermilk currant scones with crème fraîche >> frittata with brussels sprouts, onions, sweet potato >> bacon >> autumn gimlets >> bucatini al ragù >> butter lettuce with tahini poppyseed dressing, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds >>

roasted scarlet turnips, chioggia beets, brussels sprouts, onions >> apple crisp with Straus vanilla bean ice cream