My First Blue Ribbon

Pickled green tomatoes. A new recipe I made quickly one afternoon when frost was threatening and tomatoes were still on the vine. I'm so proud!

Making Room For Summer Vegetables

The last of our spring lettuce soon to become salads and pesto and soup. Homegrown leafy green goodness.

Fried Eggs In The Garden

A silly, shining smile in the summer garden California native Matilija Poppy (Romneya Coulteri) boasts the largest flower of any poppy. A superbly drought tolerant plant these "fried eggs" are native to a small section of Southern and Baja California. It's frilly crepe white blooms have long been one of James' favorites so I was determined to pepper our Northern garden with the fluttering blossoms with no assurance of success. My efforts have started to pay off with this first frilly flower.

Getting Ready For The Fair

I love a fair. I always have. Tomorrow is drop off day for entries in the Sonoma-Marin Fair. The first of the season and my first time entering the baked good division, with my cream cheese frosted persimmon bundt cake. Fingers crossed.

Veggies For Dinner

Fried eggplant and bacon wrapped asparagus bundles. Not quite or usual weeknight fare but a tasty way to clear out the vegetable drawers before I leave our beloved ranchette and my beloved James for a few days.

Right From The Garden

Crisp, leafy, green. Less than half and hour from my garden to the table. It's almost too hot for lettuces these days so we have to eat our summer salads while we can.

Squash Carbonara

Squash from the neighbors. Squash from the farmer's market. Squash is piling up.
James wanted spaghetti for dinner so I decided to make a little twist on the usual carbonara, a traditional specialty of Rome. Instead of just sauteíng onions, garlic and pancetta with a sprinkle of chili flakes and lots of black pepper. I added in squash rounds after the pancetta was mostly crisp and covered the pan to let the squash cook through. I mixed the vegetables along with eggs beaten with shredded Romano cheese into the drained spaghetti and let the residual heat from the past combine the eggs and oils into a creamy sauce.
Summer carbonara.