MEATLESS MONDAY: braised artichokes & rhubarb tea cakes

I know you guys over in the States were or have been celebrating Memorial Day this weekend. The festivities that go along with it have always made me a bit jealous... In Europe, I'm afraid we don't know this day. There is, however, a Christian holiday that we were celebrating today, on Monday: the Whitsunday, or, as it's also called, Pentecost. It's got something to do with the holy ghost appearing. But honestly, my knowledge of the exact historic and religious background of it ends right here - and I didn't want to press more out of poor Wikipedia... Besides, i fear I'm boring you?

This free holiday weekend though (in whatever form it appeared, near of far), was something really special for me. Last week I spilled the beans and mentioned my broken heart to you (sighs). This week, I have something new to document. I fell in love. What, a bit fast, you think? No worries, it's not a new love. It's an old love I rediscovered. The love for myself.

I don't know where along the way of not being single or being single again or generally in the process of growing up I lost this love, but it's been carefully stashed away and hidden; in a dark place. But while I thought I was actually supposed to be devastated about the break-up - i found that I was not. Instead, I enjoyed the sun, good food, cooking in quiet, nature, my city Zurich that is always surprising me anew, the sun, the love good, old friends have given me and the love good old friends have given me,. It's been a good weekend. And I came to realize, maybe a new start isn't that bad. Because I've still got myself. And I'm a pretty darn reliable person! And actually fun to be with sometimes. If I don't love myself, then who will?

So I've cooked up those things for you. Listened to music. Talked a lot. And found the hope in me, that it goes on, that summer is coming, that I will love again. And in the meantime, I'm just enjoying my time - with me, myself and I.

BRAISED ARTICHOKES (two ways)

The recipe for braised artichokes can be found here and also here (yes, I'm a junky for artichokes, alright). Little piece of recommendation: fennel seeds! Try fennel seeds with artichokes! It's a spectacular, surprising, smooth combo.

And also, I made these tiny rhubarb marzipan tea cakes. Marzipan turns a cake all smooth and moist, it's really what you're looking for. You just don't know it yet.

RHUBARB MARZIPAN TEA CAKES

INGREDIENTS

• 80 g organic butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
• 1 vanilla bean, extracted
• 2 tsp. almond flavor
• 2 organic free-range eggs
• 90 g flour
• 30 ml cream
• 80 g confectioner's sugar
• 5 g sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 80 g rhubarb, cut into mini cubes
• 40 g marzipan, cut into mini cubes

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 450F. Grease and flour the mini bundt cake pan.
2. Make sure all the ingredients are really at room temperature (the cakes will thank you).
3. Mix the butter, confectioner's sugar, almond flavor and vanilla together until creamy white.
4. Add one egg after another. Then the cream and the sugar. Continue to mix the batter.
5. After a while, sift in the flour and baking powder mixture, and add a pinch of salt.
6. Carefully fold in the tiny rhubarb and marzipan cubes, and divide the batter into the moulds.
7. Bake the mini bundt tea cakes for about 15-16 minutes (depending on size). Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
8. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

Love, always. See you next (Meatless) Monday!
Scarlett

SUNDAY SUPPERS: vegan roasted garlic cauliflower soup

She worked quietly as the aroma wafted across the house, drawing mouths to feed from near and far. The table was set. The food was cooked. The day was complete.

Sundays are the best days. For those lucky enough to be home, with no work to be tended to and little responsibility requiring your attention (unless of course, you have kids who never rest) then I think they would agree Sundays are our day of reprieve, a day for indulgence; a day for memories to be made around the table. But sometimes, I have this funny little yearning for a midweek tease. Time waits for no man as they say, and its almost become a luxury, something you have to create...dig or carve out of the crevice of life.

I found myself with just enough time this past Wednesday to have an impromptu gathering. Garlic and onions are currently abound here on the farm, and I had a head of cauliflower from the market whose own time was slowly coming to an end. As I took a look around, the sun casting a raspberry hue across the sky as it descended to the horizon, my farm mates wiping the day's grime off their hands looking weary as can be as they crawled inside, I thought to myself 'what a perfect time to make a lovely dinner for us all to gather round'. It pleasantly took a while to make, and everyone scavenged around hanging by the thread of the roasted garlicky smell slowly creeping upstairs. Patience is a virtue of which runs low when this earthy, homey smell captures you and wont let go until you're finally savoring it piece by piece, switching from one sensory experience to the other.

This soup is good. Its pretty damn good. I would tell you otherwise if the opposite were true, but its definitely not. And I have without a doubt had some kitchen fails this week which I had no time to post. Alas, you have to make time right? So enjoy this recipe. Suppers on Sundays can't be beat. But sometimes, just sometimes...when you have a moment or two to spare, a supper on any other day never hurts either.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 heads garlic
• 3 white onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 heads cauliflower, chopped
• 8 sprigs thyme, tied with twine
• 6 cups vegetable stock, plus more to thin, if desired
• 2 cups almond milk, plus more to thin, if desired
• 2 1/2 finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Cut off tops of garlic heads. Place each on a piece of parchment-lined aluminum foil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly in foil, and bake until garlic is very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool. Squeeze garlic from peel; set aside. Increase oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add onions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft but not browned. Stir in sliced cauliflower and thyme bundle. Simmer until wine is reduced by half. Add stock; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Remove thyme and stir in milk and 2 1/2 cups parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic. Puree in batches until smooth. Thin with more stock or cream, if desired. Return to pot; keep warm on low heat.
4. To serve: Ladle soup into bowls, and garnish with roasted cauliflower florets if you like. I personally can't control myself around roasted garlic, eating them all upon sight, so I just topped with pieces of thyme.

TIP

I would highly recommend having some sort of deliciously dippable bread to accompany this soup. I was having an ego moment, thinking I don't need to make my lazy butt toast up some crostinis while setting the table. But it was a unanimous vote that a big bread basket to mop up the creamy bits at the bottom of bowls would have been a perfect ending.

To make this soup uber smooth, add about 1/4 more milk and stock, otherwise, you can go chunky if you prefer.

RECIPE: garlic scape pesto with fusili

Hey, did you hear? I'm a farmer. An organic farmer. Still! I'm officially ten days in and I have never been in more pain and more bliss all at the same time. This week, I've probably learned more about food and good 'ol fashion hard work than any over-priced culinary school could ever teach me. Since Monday we took to harvesting radishes, scallions, and garlic scapes. The latter, I have never seen or heard of before coming to work at this here farm. Its amazing the variety of edible plants we have in this world, and the supermarkets do nothing to enlighten us to them. But no worries, I'm here to your rescue as always (or maybe you're a bit more ahead of the times than I....already in the know about this finicky curly garlic plant). 

After harvesting yesterday, we threw around a few ideas. Soup came to mind, but it is a hot spring here in the northern country. So pesto seemed like a fitting spring cum summer option. And let me just say, if you love garlic as much as I have come to love garlic, you will die for this pesto. No wait, you would kill for this pesto. It's so good that it became addictive. To the point where I was seeking any way to get my fix; spreading it on apple slices as early as 10am. Yeah, my breath was poppin. But no more words. Let's cook! Ohhh, right. See, about the pasta. Did I mention how insanely delicious this pesto is? So yeah, the whole taking pictures of the garlicky pasta versus eating it like there was no tomorrow...hmm, well clearly you can see where I am going with this. Don't fret, this will surely be made again soon.

GARLIC PESTO & FUSILI
made by my fellow farming gourmand, Jeff Lord

INGREDIENTS

• 8 garlic scapes, roughly chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
• drizzle of olive oil
• 2 tbs Parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Put everything in food processor and pulse until creamy.
2. To use for dinner, cook fusili pasta according to package directions. Drain. Mix with desired amount of pesto until liberally coated (don't worry, it won't be too garlicky!). We actually quadrupled this recipe, so we made the whole pound package of pasta and mixed in one cup. Do you what you like.
3. Enjoy!

RECIPE 6: minty roasted apple radish salad

Popping in for a minute to post this recipe I made for lunch today as part of my farm girl diet (yes, I'm still farming...but oh how my body aches). Its another six ingredient beauty. So simple, yet refreshingly delicious. And yes, this was my first time eating radishes as you already know from last week. The verdict? I don't have enough balls to eat them raw (they are like the love child of garlic and red onions, so a tad too spicy for my tastes) but roasted with the companion of a sweet fruit...oh it was heavenly. Let me know what you think!

 

ROASTED RADISH AND APPLE SALAD

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup organic brown rice
• 2 organic apples
• 12 organic radishes
• 2 tbsp organic mustard
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped mint
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

From the pantry:

• 2 tbsp organic olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Cook your brown rice normally, about 35 minutes.
3. Chop apples into bit sized pieces and radishes into quarters. In an ovenproof pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add apples and radishes and toss to coat with the olive oil. Cook for a few minutes before moving the pan into the oven.
4. Roast the apples and radishes for 25-30 minutes or until very tender.
5. Remove from oven and stir in mustard, mint, and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and serve over brown rice.

MEATLESS MONDAY: tofu stir-fry and doughnut balls

Lola here is so nice to actually host me again for a Meatless Monday, though I am currently really 'bad company' and in a bit of a shambles. I just broke up with my boyfriend (who was a really great guy, apart from the fact that he probably doesn't see the future the way I do. Which is... I guess, a big deal...). So yeah, I'm broken hearted. The full monty, you know. Have you been there, too?

In such a state, you need comfort food, and quick! Not the sort where a bucketfull of Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough ice cream with a big spoon is the main treat. But something that pumps the life back into your veins. A typical Meatless Monday thing for me would be to go to my local market and pick the vegetable that's laughing at me. This, however, was more of a 'what's in my fridge' situation. It's a typical stir-fry, nothing exotic, salty meets savory, soothing, and quick to whip up.

TOFU STIR-FRY & DOUGH(NUT) BALLS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 firm tofu
• cornstarch, (or alternatively flour) for dusting
• 3 shallots, sliced
• 1 red chile, deseeded and minced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• fresh ginger, grated
• 1/4 cup organic soy sauce
• 1 tbsp organic acacia honey
• 1 tsp crushed black pepper corns
• 5 cups organic spinach, washed in ice water
• 3 tbsp organic coconut oil, for frying
• rice, to serve

METHOD:

1. Prepare the tofu first: slice into equally sized cubes, pat dry and dust with cornstarch.
2. Heat the coconut oil in a wok pan or large saucepan. Throw in the tofu and fry well from all sides for a few minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Remove the tofu from the pan and transfer to a paper towel.
3. In the same pan add the shallots, chiles, garlic cloves and ginger, and sweat for about a minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic (or it will turn bitter). Spice with the pepper.
4. Deglaze with the soy sauce, and add the honey. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes, before adding the spinach. Continue to stir and fry until the spinach is wilted.
5. Put the tofu back in the pan and heat through for a few seconds. Serve hot with a bowl of steamed Basmati rice and maybe a sprinkle of minced, fresh cilantro and a slice of lime on the side.

Here is the dessert that goes very well on sad, lonely days (after you've been all brave and created this actually quite nice tofu for one): Dough(nut) Balls.

Note: Of course, for those of you who are lucky not to be sad - and I really hope you are more lucky than me - then you can also make these lovely, dough-ey balls in a happy state! Or for your sweetheart, even. How about that? I'm just saying; it's a really good comfort dessert, just in case your heart needs company. And we all do sometimes.

RECIPE: spicy wilted green brown rice with tahini mushrooms

I'm finally in for the night, and will have a full report tomorrow. This morning you were witness to the lovely radish harvest I experienced. Both harvesting radishes and eating radishes were a virgin moment for me. For lunch, I had a full hour break to labor over this hearty and healthy dish that carried me through the rest of the day. White rice has no business in your pantry anymore. Take your brown rice and ravage it with this season's most satisfying produce. I used what was in the house, but if you're slowly gaining traction in your love of veggies like me, follow this recipe exactly with the items I outlined. It turned out sensational. Sooo good. Want to know how good? So good that the tasting test I tell you that I always do before serving, had me eating about a quarter of the dish! I couldn't stop. And after snapping pics, I devoured another half. I picked myself off the floor with a full tummy and reluctantly put the rest away for tomorrow's lunch. That's how good. Veggies are becoming my Achilles Heel. Who knew.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup organic brown rice, cooked al dente (about 40-45 minutes)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 organic red onion, chopped
• 4 organic carrots, chopped
• 3 cups organic mixed greens (I used the packaged one with arugula, chard, spinach, etc)
• 2 tbs fresh or ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dry or jar mustard
• 1 tbs organic honey
• 4 large organic button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbs tahini sauce
• salt/pepper to taste and olive oil for cooking

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a deep skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the carrots, garlic and all seasonings including honey, and cook another 6-8 minutes, then finally the mixed greens and cook until the greens are wilted and tender. I also taste the carrots to make sure they are to my liking. I prefer more tender than crunchy.
2. Transfer to the pot of rice now done cooking.
3. Add more oil to the saucepan and brown the mushrooms, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, followed by the tahini. Cook until well coated.
4. Serve warm, topped with the mushrooms. Sprinkle cheese if you like.

RECIPE 6: first harvest radish omelette

Are you there reader, its me, Lola. And if you didn't hear, I took my well-heeled city girl derrier to the country and started farming. Organically of course. And today was my very first harvest! Nothing quite beats the feeling of gently tugging a leafy root vegetable until it gives way to the rich, dense soil, showcasing its luminous array of rainbow hues. Today was the birth of the radish, and boy are they beautiful. Want to know a secret? I've never even eaten one before! Yes, that is how American I am. If it can't be found as one of the lifeless, nutrient depleted toppings on a Big Mac, then I have no idea what it is. Can I get an amen? Don't worry, that's all changing soon. This whole organic seasonal menu planning is quite alluring, and definitely keeps you on your toes in the kitchen. I was reading last night that cooking during our grandmothers generation used to be the product of necessity. They'd cook with whatever was in the pantry or fridge. Fast forward to our obese, diabetes prone, ignorantly content generation and it should be the same way for the most part. Gathering around your farm fresh bounty and letting ingredients inspire your dish. 

So with that, I present to you Ian. He's my fellow blue eyed farmer- a former architect graduate with a dirty mouth but a super sweet smile, and he really knows his way around a saucepan. This guy is a one stop wonder. Give him a pot, wooden spoon and secret ingredients and he'll show you breakfast, lunch or dinner... just moments later. So I see no better time to introduce are newest feature on this here blog. The 6 ingredient dishes! Why six? Well, everyone thinks five is the key to happiness, but I always find that just like a sixth sense, there is always room for one more. Let me know if you have any fave short list recipes, but go ahead and start with this one. It took Ian literally ten minutes, but I promise you'll slowly savor every bite. Just like our grandmas did.

IAN'S RADISH, DILL & MUSHROOM OMELETTE
serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tb organic butter
• 1 tb fresh dill, chopped
• 2 organic white button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 small garlic scapes, minced
• 2 small radishes, sliced
• 4 organic eggs
• salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD

1. In a small bowl, beat 2 eggs in a bowl, working in the dill and scapes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Pour in egg mixture, making sure to let edges pour around the sides to cook. Once set, carefully and boldfully flip your omelette. Let cook for a few seconds, then flip again. Add the cut veggies to on half of the omelette, and carefully slide onto a plate veggie side first. Fold over the other side to cover fillings.
3. Repeat steps one and two for second omelett.

TIP

You can mix your second bowl of eggs while the first omelette's side is cooking.

To make this a frittata, simply pour herb and egg mixture into saucepan over medium-high heat, let set, then add veggies and cover over low heat until cooked in the middle. Just remember, it will still look wet but it should feel cooked when poked.

my first morning as an organic farmer

Is this not the most serene way to wake up? My only disappointment is that you miss the magic through the lens, because in person it was a sunrise a thousand times more spectacular. I haven't actually seen fog in years. It was a chilly yet pleasant surprise. Well, I'll be back later after a long day of more weeding, but for now, enjoy this quick breakfast of champions. Here's the deal though. You know how skinny bitches always say their green smoothie is downright delicious? Yeah, well they're downright lying. I've spent hundreds of dollars over the years on green juices, green smoothies, and green diet this and that. They all taste like dirty socks lodged in someone's stinky butt. My green smoothie on the other hand, is the must try for those who have never ventured on the green side or those who have and never looked back. I promise, girl scout's honor, that this is going to be your new staple recipe. It was my first try doing a green smoothie from scratch, and it was shockingly a unanimous winner (see, I even test on a panel of house judges before boasting my abilities to wow you with my culinary genius.) Go forth and conquer the day skinny one!

GREEN BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup organic spinach (greens of choice, but mixed spinach is subtle and sweet)
• 2 organic bananas
• 2 organic apples
• 1/2 organic lemon, juiced
• 1 tb organic wildflower honey
• 3/4 cup almond milk (any nut milk will do)
• ice, optional

METHOD

1. Blend all until smooth. Taste and add additional milk or ice as needed.
2. Enjoy and carpe diem!

SPOTTED: yours is the earth shop

I'm officially a farmer! Fresh off the midnight train from one countryville, (Georgia) and newly planted on the land of another countryville, (Pennsylvania) I am happy to announce that my bonafide city girl former self will be harvesting aromatic garlic, tart berries and luminous mixed greens by the weekend. So if you don't know, now you know, or just read the story. Of course, jet lag and a kickstart as a weeding trainee has got me exhausted (I'm more beat that mashed potatoes, ha! expect lots of food humor here folks) so to celebrate, I come bearing gifts for us all to revel in. The utterly adorable etsy shop, Yours Is The Earth has got me tongue tied. Or more like gobsmacked. In that, "will purchasing every last item in this supremely beautiful garden inspired shop leave my credit card transaction declined?" sort of way. So while I dust off my mud boots and check my bank statements, I bring you the cutest recipe and post cards you ever did see, a hand illustrated bounty calendar worthy of any wall, perfectly clever canning jar labels, and a dizzying array of other covetable goodies. So um, what will you be buying me? Consider this a housewarming registry!

click images to shop

MEATLESS MONDAY: stuffed peppers and peanut butter marshmallow cupcakes

When I'm in the kitchen, I feel the day finally makes some sense. Though I'm far from being a Gault Millaut cook, I love to prep veggies, pat them dry, chop them up neatly, with a sharp knife (compared to a Gault Millaut chef, my speed is probably slow-mo... but never mind me), fry, braise or roast things, and season it with love and fleur de sel. It is exactly what I need to unwind. Other people love to take long, hot, steamy showers to think and relax (my boyfriend totally belongs to those specimen). Well, I cook. It wasn't always like that. But my mom was and still is a fantastic cook. Her knife and chopping skills are pretty close to that of a Food Network star (possibly), and her expertise is unmatched. Of course, everyone thinks his or her mom is the best cook. And if you've learned as much from your mom as I did, well, then you just have to be fair and state the source of your inspiration and pleasures, right?

So, after years of enjoying my mom's food at home - lavish meals where the tables almost burst with plates and dishes, exotic things, everything home-made, from scratch - I discovered this pleasure for myself. In my first (and very basically equipped) kitchen, as a student. Of course, when I started, I burnt the occasional caramel, over salted one too many servings of pasta and generally ruined a couple of dozen cakes with my inability for patience (and accuracy). But I never stopped loving what I did. I never stopped loving to cook, and the effect it had on me. No matter how much went wrong, no matter how many panna cottas didn't turn out the way I intended them to, it was always (or... mostly) fun, soothing and rewarding. I can't help but think that we should learn more from cooking in our general lives. It teaches us patience. It learns us to be creative, to try something beyond the usual. It helps us to pull something through, and not stop in the middle. And when nothing else is okay, seriously just what can cheer you like a pair of tiny tea cakes, warm and spongy, directly out of the oven? 

STUFFED PEPPERS

INGREDIENTS

• half a dozen small, green peppers (from the Arab store) 
• 1 onion, chopped
•  2-3 tbsp. ras el hanout (a Moroccan spice blend containing cinnamon, cilantro seeds, cumin, etc) 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 peperoncino, minced 
• 2 cups minced soy meat 
• 1 tbsp turmeric 
• 1 cup rice 
• 1 1/2 cup of vegetable broth 
• 1 handful fresh cilantro and parsley, chopped 
• 1 handful pine nuts, lightly toasted 

Tomato sauce:

• 1 glass tomato passata 
• 1 tsp ground cumin 
• 1 tsp sweet paprika 
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp honey olive oil salt, pepper

METHOD

1. In a large pan, heat a little olive oil and fry the onion, one garlic clove, peperoncino and the ras el hanout (i love this word...) spice mix. Add the minced soy meat and fry well. Add the rice, turmeric and vegetable broth. The rice does not have to be fully cooked, just a bit sweated. Season with salt and pepper. Add toasted pine nuts, cilantro and parsley. Set aside. 
2. Wash the peppers and cut off the top part (keep the 'lids'). Take the rice-soy-meat mixture and lightly (without force) pile (not actually 'stuff') into the peppers, one after another. Make sure only to fill them to about one third, since the rice will inflate when cooked (and you won't want your peppers to burst...). 
3. Place the stuffed peppers with their lids on in a heat proof pan. In a food processor, combine the tomato passata, other garlic clove, lemon juice, paprika and cumin, some salt and pepper and pulse. 
4. Pour the tomato mix into the peppers. Drizzle with a generous sprinkle of olive oil. Put in the oven and 'bake' until the peppers are nicely brown around the edges and shrunk. 
5. Take out and serve warm (not sizzling hot), accompanied with fresh cilantro yogurt and a nice flatbread, pita or toasted sesame focaccia. Drink Moroccan mint tea with plenty of sugar in it, to go with it.

STORAGE & MAKING AHEAD

You can prepare the peppers well before you plan to eat them - and simply heat them through again shortly before serving, if you like them warm. You can store them in the fridge for three to four days. So, it's really a very good dish to prepare in advance. Can you believe I'm actually still drooling over those pictures right now...

And come see my fluffer nutter cupcakes here. Peanut butter with a fluffly marshmallow topping drizzled in caramel. Yes and yes!

SUNDAY SUPPERS: mother's day seasonal garden buffet

 Menu

Tea Sandwiches & H'orderves
Creamy Beet Sandwiches
Herb Cream Cheese Cucumber Sandwiches
Crispy Pea Risotto Balls
Chicken Liver Mousse Pate Baguette, open face
French Cheese Plate with Wildflower Honey

Sweets

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Dulce De Leche Buttercream

Whiteout Cake with Mixed Berry Cream Cheese Filling and White Chocolate Ganache

Beverages

White Peach Sangria

Strawberry Lemonade

My leaning cake of Pisa. Boy is there a knee slapping story behind this one. I'm no Martha Stewart (or one of Martha Stewart's many minions), but I am superbly proud of this wannabe showstopping cake. Marbled layer cake with cream cheese and berry filling wrapped in white chocolate ganache.

These little bad boys were much better the day after. I love you Donna Hay, but your methods need refining for us simple folk, mmkay! Mint sweet pea risotto balls.

Watching the slimy pieces of peach slide out of the pitcher as I served my guests was highly amusing, but no less refreshing. Gingered white peach sangria with organic dry white wine.

Can you believe I've never dared cook or eat beets? Ever. Like never ever. Join the revolution and dive in. These were divine. Creamy beet and herbed cream cheese cucumber tea sandwiches. 

I choose my cheese the way I choose my cookbooks, the prettier and pinker, the better. Cheese plate with speckled pink hard cheese, peppered goat and soft brie. 

I pretend to be French at random moments throughout my days. Pâté is just one of my guilty pleasures. However, I turn my nose up at chicken in favor of fatty duck. Like a true Parisian of course. But grandma and her handy recipes made the thrifty American in me quite pleased. Homemade chicken liver pâté with French baguette and garden herb pesto.

There are no words. These cupcakes had more people bowing and thanking me than spiritual seekers praising the Dalai Lama. Carrot cupcakes with cheesy dulce de leche buttercream.

The last of my Blackberry Farm Cookbook concoctions. This was sooo good. Mulled strawberry lemonade.

click links for recipes

DIY: mother's day brunch drinking bell jars

Just popping in for a little DIY that would be perfect for your Mother's Day soirée. I hosted a lovely brunch last weekend, that quickly turned to cocktail hour, and soon enough a dessert party. Lucky for you, I won't be teasing you with mouth watering anecdotes. I ended up using the full menu I posted here, and will be back later to share all the recipes and peeks at how it turned out. You don't want to miss that, trust me. There's a leaning cake of Pisa for goodness sakes. On to the DIY!

DECORATIVE DRINKING BELL JARS

MATERIALS

• 6 oz bell mason jars
• desired fabric (I used recycled dinner place mats)
• color coordinated ribbon

METHOD

1. Take your fabric of choice and cut 3 inch wide strips with enough length to wrap around the bell jars without overlapping. You can choose to tack down the back closure with double sided tape if you like; I did it without any adhesive, just free form.
2. Select a piece of ribbon also cut long enough to wrap your jars with an extra 3 or 4 inches for your bow, and tie the ribbon around the center of the fabric band.
3. Finish as you wish, with either a bow or double knot.
4. Repeat until you have enough jars for all your guests!