Dark Red Apple, Late Summer

You know how you wake up one morning and you go outside and you are hit with a little coolness, a little crispness, that signals the wake up of the fall season? Yeah, it's like that.

Back in Business!

Today is opening day of the Saturday Farmer's Market in Lake Oswego, OR. Whoopie!! They are back in business! The freshest fruits and vegetables, the most colorful flowers, the tastiest cold pressed juices. Yeah, I missed you, you vibrant-as-all-get-out market, you : )

Green Tomatillos, Black Plate

So, if food can be brooding, these tomatillos are acing it!

In any case, today we are preparing these beautiful tomatillos for a chicken chile verde dish. Did you know... cooking time is the key to any chile verde worth it's salt. Lots of cooking time! Time allows the flavors to mix, mingle and develop into a savory and complex stew.

I found a great recipe here — http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-chile-verde/— although I tend to cook the stew for a little longer, about three hours total. Enjoy!

Spanish Padron Peppers

Alright. I've had these Spanish padron peppers at restaurants twice before, but I have never made them myself. Until tonight, that is. Wowser! So DELICIOUS! And simple as heck:

1. Heat very good olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add washed padron peppers.
3. Saute the peppers until soft and blistered and brown.
4. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt over the peppers and serve.

Swoon : )

Still Life with Argentine Pears

Seriously, after photographing these Argentinean beauties in my new house/studio today, I'm thinking that Argentina is calling! I always wanted to explore the San Rafael, Mendoza area. Maybe a small journey next spring for their grape harvest?

And someday, SOMEDAY, I'd love to purchase a little Finca there and grow some lovely malbec and cabernet grapes. And photograph them, of course!!!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, aka Mon Petite Choux

And here's the after shot. So, in addition to these looking all roasty and warm and browned and gorgeous, they TASTE incredibly flavorful and delicious! I think it's the lemon zest that puts these humble veggies over the top. Yum!

Brussels Sprouts Ready for Roasting

 

It's brussels sprouts season in California. The time of the year when you can drive out to the coast and see the tall, funny looking stalks populating the fields of the local farms.

I've never roasted them before, but am preparing to use Nigella Lawson's recipe which is essentially:

425 oven

Garlic infused olive oil

a little rosemary

salt 

lemon zest

pecorino cheese

Simple.

Mix the brussels sprouts together with the olive oil, rosemary and lemon zest. I'm adding a little salt here, but Nigella prefers to add after roasting.

Roast for 20-25 minutes or so.  

Remove from the oven, add salt, pepper, and the pecorino cheese.

Results soon!!!

Eat Fresh!

So this is what I'm trying to do these days. Eat fresh. Less packaging, less processing, less damn plastic.

I'm giving up plastic water bottles, plastic grocery bags, plastic milk bottles, but I'm realizing that plastic is everywhere these days. It's on my car's steering wheel, on my phone. Oh eek, it's even on the keyboard I'm typing on. Urgh.

Well, I'll just do the best I can. I'll avoid as much plastic as I can and eat fresh, fresh, fresh. Now who wants a carrot?

Fennel with Water Drops

Fennel with Water Drops
Originally uploaded by pixelish
Stopped by a roadside stand on the way to Santa Barbara on Saturday. There some fruits outside, but the veggies were kept inside the cool, dark barn. The open door provided the only light source for this photograph.

Bee and Sage

Bee and Sage
Originally uploaded by pixelish
Meanwhile, back at the winery... Getting up close and personal with joe honey bee gathering pollen from some lovely sage blossoms. It will all be delicious honey soon. Patience, grasshopper, er... honey bee.