kitchen season

There are certain times of the year when the kitchen beckons to me like a lonely siren with a secret to tell.

Christmastime is a given. It is the season of cookies and sweet breads and prime rib.  Perry Como keeps me company, singing the holiday classics.

Then there is February. February means French onion soup and rosemary olive bread.  Clam chowder is a mainstay, as is roasted chicken with root vegetables.

And then there is a very short period of time in late June, right before Independence day.  It's strange, almost like a Indian summer. I like to think of it as my culinary muses last hurrah before the kitchen closes down for the season.

Now during this Indian summer of kitchen time, my thoughts always turn to candy.  There are a few cold pasta salads to be had, but for the most part, it's candy.  

Last year I made sea foam. It was delectable, and I will be making it again soon. But before that project, I have a little something I've been wanting to try.

 vanilla and lace

I've gathered up all the supplies. We are going to pull some taffy!

Pictures to follow. Or maybe not. Depending.

Also, has anyone out there tried the ice cream ball? I just ordered one. Lately I'm into making my children work for their treats. You know, like circus poodles.

sick and tired

On Sunday, Ben was sick and I was tired.

I didn't sleep well the night before. I tossed and turned with my brain mechanisms all amuddle and gooped. The projectionist upstairs kept replaying the same wakeful dream over and over till it was all scratched and I couldn't make out the characters. I awoke with a pasty mouth and dark eyes.

The sky looked like black pearls.

I showered because, well, showering always makes a person feel better. Thomas did not shower. Nor did the grizzly bear.

I puttered. A little fertilizer for the African violet. A little blog reading. A little time snipping off the errant carpet fibers.

And then I did one of my most favorite of all things to do. I cooked on a cloudy day, in a warm kitchen while my hound dog slept at my feet. And I listened to Chinese lullabies.

I made tomato basil soup.

At two in the afternoon, I called my boys to come eat. They shuffled in, hair askew pajamas wrinkled. Thom had the haired look of a mad scientist. He had been constructing intricate race tracks for hours. The grizzly grunted.

We sat at the bar sipping our soup and dipping crackers like the three bears from Goldilocks.

This is how, slowly, ever so slowly, we whittled away the hours of a dark day, in a cozy home on a quiet street.

anything pumpkin

Warning: If you are on a diet quickly click to here. You shouldn't see what's ahead.

I love Fall. I love how everything is back to business after the Summer season. I love how schools are in full gear, children are out on the field at soccer practice, parents are coaxed into remembering all the state capitols and how to do algebra in an effort to help with homework. And yet there is a certain quietness about it. A stillness, that is the calm before the Winter storm of the Holidays. And there is comfort. Comfort found in a soft blanket on a rainy day. Comfort in being back on schedule and most of all, comfort food.

I love the foods of this season more than any other. Squash and nuts and heirloom tomatoes. Crisp apples and artisan breads. Carmel and taffy and licorice. And pumpkin. Anything pumpkin.

I will be making my yearly batch of pomegranate jelly in a few weeks. It is a process, but well worth the work.

If you would like to try your hand at jelly making- invest in this little kit by Ball. It will make it a ton easier for you as a beginner.

You still have today to enter to win Friday's giveaway. I have three little monsters that will go to three different homes. Just leave a comment.

design sunday

"In the childhood memories of every good cook, there's a large kitchen, a warm stove, a simmering pot, and a mom."
— Barbara Costikyan

Ahhhhhh- Sunday again. Church came a little too early today, considering daylight savings time. I personally wish the rest of the country would follow Arizona's lead and just stay on the entire year. I can't take this switching back and forth.

I like to cook. I really like to bake the most, but I have warmed up to cooking considerably over the last few years. Today's designs will perk up your kitchen and your mood. You know what they say- presentation is everything.

Whitney Smith is a potter working out of Oakland, California. Her work reminds me a little of pieces from the arts and crafts/mission era that I love so much. You can check out her work here.

One of my earliest Etsy purchases, my Sunda Rose apron, was made custom for me and came in a darling box with a bow. I thoroughly enjoy wearing it. It makes me feel pretty, even with bad hair and flour on my face. You can get your own here.

Some day I will have these napkins. I have been looking at them on and off for a while now. The problem is, I will need a whole new set of dishes (set #10) to go with them and I am really running out of space in my cabinets. I don't know how much longer I can hold out though. If you love them as much as I do, you can buy them here.

I hope these things inspire you to cook in style. Be fabulous.

Make sure to click on the cupcakes at the top of the post. The cupcakes were blogged about on Cupcake Bakeshop , one of my all-time favorite blogs. They are herbal essence cupcakes by a really fun bakery called Whiskie Bits. Check them out.