the donut

Those close to me know that I have a hankering for donuts.  Not donuts with sprinkles or fillings. Or ones that are too sweet.  Yeast or cake donuts have been known to make me smile.  It's the kind of thing that you know as soon as you take that first bite.  If it's a yeast donut, does it have the right spring?  And if it's a cake donut, is it too cakey?  Today, I found a donut to write about.  Huckleberry in Santa Monica has a cake donut in their repertoire that I'm not crazy about. Today, however, as my eyes scanned the pastry case for something inspirational, they stopped at the mound of yeast donuts.  "Do I bother?" I thought to myself.  Well, I'm glad I did.  It has just the right 'spring' and was not greasy at all....and while I'd be even happier if the icing was less sweet, I will declare that it's the best donut I've had in a very long time. Calories well spent.

Do I dare say I'm back? Yes, it's been a while. Can I use pregnancy and my delightful 3-month old son Oliver as an excuse?

In the moments that I'm not holding, singing, feeding or changing the little guy, I'm attempting to create deliciousness in the kitchen again.

Grapefruits from a friend's tree inspired 'Grapefruit-Campari Sorbet'. Such a beautiful hue of pale pink and a refreshing treat on a warm day.

I'll make this one short and sweet....fingers crossed more to come this week.

follow the yellow-leafed path....

It's delightful to feel the earth squish beneath my feet as I walk through my wind-blown garden. Cheery fig leaves brighten the muddy paths.

The rain has been plentiful as of late which will sprout wonderful surprises come Spring. But what's quite nifty is searching for surprises as the rain parades down.

Water logged mushrooms of various girth cling to the hills. I wish I knew more about the mushrooms that randomly appear. Their shapes and colors are entrancing. There is a Los Angeles Mycological Society that I must investigate further.

Here's a glimpse of their beauty...

rainy days delight me

Ting. Ting. Droplets fall on my hand shovel and make the loveliest sound. The rain starts by tiptoeing and then breaks into exuberant dance.

The garden is magnificent in the rain. The banana trees have grown so tall that their leaves form a majestic umbrella. Perched beneath is the perfect spot to watch the earth quench its thirst. The smell of pine permeates the air except for intermittent whiffs of lemon jojoba conditioner in my damp hair.

The cool weather has had a remarkable affect on the lettuces and swiss chard. They are happily sprouting. Most of the tomatoes, however, have had a long, prosperous season and sadly are waning. I did manage to pick a basketful of tiny golden tomatoes that look like jewels. Small pear-shaped black plum tomatoes are just ripening so tomato heaven will last a bit longer.

I trimmed the red veined sorrel so that the tender new leaves won’t have to reach through the forest of the seasoned ones. Baby white eggplant dangle and sway in the wind.

It’s time to dry off a bit…..

chilly air...

Things have been extraordinarily busy which has left little time for writing…until this very moment.

The crisp air is settling in and making me crave all the delights of fall – one of my favorite times of year. I have been eyeing candy apples in shop windows and giant pumpkins being sold on street corners by the same men that picked them hours earlier.

Leaves rustle and shake themselves loose. Tuesday we’re expecting a much needed rain. I love the rain except when my roof has yet to be fixed. A few tarps will have to deter the droplets from sneaking in.

a bit of garden maintenance...

I've been working so much in the kitchen lately, I've neglected the garden. Granted it will be easier when all I have to do is open my back door and wander out in my pajamas to check on things. Soon, fingers crossed, soon.

On this warm morning I've driven over to the house and have several hours to spend in the garden. It was just enough time to tie the leggy tomatoes to their trellises, clear the bed that recently housed enormous squash plants (unfortunately, they got a bad case of powdery mildew and withered away), fill that same bed with Scarlet Nantes carrot seeds and pick the tiny dark seeds from my dried kale pods for future plantings.

I chuckle when I look down at myself. My fingertips are caked with chlorophyl and my arms are dusted with soil. What a grand way to start the day!

baby lemon bundts

Even when the majority of my week was spent whirring creamy cauliflower soup in the Vita-mix or searing juicy pork burgers for my clients, on weekends I find a sense of calm when I'm in the kitchen baking.

I love watching the flour fall in white heaps on the parchment as I drag my knife across the top of the measuring cups or the grains of sugar that disperse on the cutting board and sparkle as they catch the light. And I love peeking through the oven window to behold the magic of baking powder as it elevates the treats inside to new heights.

This weekend I experimented with the cast aluminum baby bundt pan I recently purchased from Surfas (a local restaurant supply store chock full of interesting food and kitchen items). With an abundance of garden lemons on hand, I decided a lemon bundt cake recipe was the ticket. The result were these wonderful little cakes. I'm not done experimenting though...they need a slightly brighter more lemony flavor. And while the organic powdered sugar does work for icing, it's not that beautiful snowy white color that stands out against the golden cake crumb. Another try and I think I'll be able to share the recipe. Until then, have a sweet day!