Speaking Out ... for Myself.
n the midst of a pandemic, particular one where we have been fortunate to weather rather well, it seems trifling to think about needing space and breaks. I mean after all my life is incomparably easy relative to healthcare workers and those in essential jobs. And yet, I feel a fatigue and severe ennui. I struggle with feeling grateful for what I have and yet being empathetic to my own needs…
Yet, at the same time, I can see that isn’t helpful or enabling. It is necessary to let in my vulnerable self and reach out for support. Because, if I do not, not only does it inhibit me from finding balance and joy within me, it also blinds me from the extending empathy and balance to those around me.
Strawberry Lemon Whole Wheat Scones
The season for strawberries is finally here!!! At least in the markets; even farmers' markets. These are obviously hot house fruits because the weather, even in June is a bit erratic. Lovely, all around but certainly not high Summer as it you would expect it to be. I love that this is start of a bounty of produce that overflow in the markets and so many more options in vegetables.
Given the straddling seasons and because lemons are always cool, I paired the berries with hints of citrus from the fragrant zest for these scones. They are light, full of flavor and so so crumbly and soft. The perfect way to start a good day!
Swimming with the Sharks
I was in Fort Lauderdale last week. We were a small party of girls who came from NYC in search of sun and waves. We got little of first and a lot of the second. For the time we were there, Florida was a moody b**tch tempting us with gorgeous blue skies in the early am and dousing us with furious showers and crackling lighting and thunder as soon as we got to the beach...
But we were resolute. We counted the time between the crack of thunder and streak of lightning in the distant horizon and convinced ourselves it was too far away to rob us off our fun. We had packed a cooler of alcohol and we were determined to polish it off while beaching on the sand, even if it was wet.
Chilli and Irish Cheddar Scones
These scones are made with part Einkorn and part gluten free blend of flours. The recipe I used is in the British fashion where room temperature fat is used and in this case, I used lard instead of butter for flavor as well as texture. Unexpected as it sounds, lard gives pastry a better lift as its melting point is much lower than butter and it 'steams' a lot faster. For flavor, I went with simple pantry items like cheese and chili. I always keep a decent Irish cheddar on hand. As humble as the cheese comes across it is a great one for use either in cooking (oh! Béchamel sauce) as much as a cheese plate....
Savory Pumpkin Pie
My interest is still towards creating a more sustainable ecosystem. What I am working on now is a collaborative approach the goal of which education, awareness and independent choices. I hope to deliver this through an several biased, multi-perspective platform that creates room for discussion and debate leading to a collectively better understanding of all issues.
I am still clarifying the concept and in the middle of putting together the infrastructure and framework for the online platform. But, if any of you is interested in getting involved, please drop me a note and I would love to collaborate.
That's really what is on my mind. So, I am going dive right into the photos and leave you with the recipe for this simple vegetarian pie that surprises you in flavor and more-ness. The secret is the contrast of the crunch of the pastry and succulence of the filling.