Kumquat Salsa

I have a special place in my heart for kumquats. They are such a cheerful petite size and their flavor is the perfect balance of sweet citrus with just a wee bit of delicate floralness. Also - they're in season now so I had to bring some home from the farmer's market.

I never knew quite what to do with them until I went to a local restaurant and ordered a gorgeous halibut dish with a kumquat salsa. It was magical. I came home and figured out my own version. Apologies in advance for my measurements - but you really can't go wrong. Just mix and match ingredient amounts until it suits you. This salsa has a perfect sweet/savory balance and is wonderful over grilled chicken or fish.

Kumquat Salsa
A nice handful of fresh kumquats (6-10 or more)
1 shallot, finely minced
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, or chives or parsley (one or all of these)
2 tablespoons pitted and chopped green or kalamata olives (or a combination)
extra virgin olive oil (or meyer lemon infused olive oil)

Halve and chop the kumquats length-wise into thin strips. Combine with minced shallots, chopped herbs and olives and capers in a bowl. Drizzle generously with olive oil and toss to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding a dash of fresh lemon juice, a splash  more oil, and salt to taste. Feel free to adjust ingredient amounts as desired. Best at room temperature. Will keep, refrigerated, for about a week.

Citrus Vinaigrette

This recipe is for my friend Rob who's up to his eyebrows in gorgeous home-grown lettuce. It's fabulous on beets! Chervil can be hard to find but can be left out (see sprigs in the dressing above).

Citrus vinaigrette (from Chez Panisse Cafe)
1 large shallot, diced fine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon chopped chervil
1/4 teaspoon chopped lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon chopped orange zest

Put the chopped shallot in a bowl and add the white wine vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, and a pinch of salt. Let macerate for 15 minutes. Whisk in 3/4 cup olive oil and stir in the chopped chervil, and orange and lemon zests. Taste for seasoning adding salt and freshly cracked pepper, as desired.

Easter Mug Cozy

I love my friend Emanuela. She's obsessively creative (birds of a feather are we) and has wildly embraced quilting in all the best ways. When I was at her house the other night, she surprised me with the most delightful gift...a matching pair of egg-shaped mug cozies. One for me. One for Pepo. They're just the right size for a nice cuppa joe and a litte toast or sweet treat. The fabrics and the quilting alone are divine. But the egg shape - does it get cuter than that? Graize, Emanuela!

Fresh Chickpea Bruschetta

I can't think of a more perfect sign that spring has arrived than all the fresh green veggies that start popping up - like asparagus and favas and fresh chickpeas. I will warn you that this recipe does take a bit of work, mostly due to the double shelling process for the chickpeas. But it's worth it! (I know, I know - I always say that - AND it's true).

FRESH CHICKPEA BRUSCHETTA
(shamelessly copied/adapted from a restaurant in Calistoga)

Ingredients
A very large bag of fresh chickpease in their husks - about 6 cups
fresh goat cheese
a sweet baguette
meyer lemon infused extra virgin olive oil (plain olive oil also works)
fresh mint leaves
salt and fresh milled pepper to taste

Prepare chickpeas:
Put a large pot of water to boil. While it heats, shell the chickpeas discarding their outer husks. (If using favas, remove favas from their pods). Discard husks (or pods). When water boils, salt it generously and then add hulled chickpeas, boiling for about 3-4 minutes. Immediately drain chickpeas and place in an icewater bath to cool. Drain chickpeas and use your fingernails to remove the outer shell of the chickpease, retaining the small, bright grean "pea" in each shell. Toss the twice-shelled chickpeas with 2-3 tablespoons chopped mint, a nice drizzle of the olive oil, salt and pepper.

Assemble the bruschetta:
Turn your broiler to high and adjust cooking rack to highest shelf location. Slice the baguette on the diagonal to create long wide slices about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Place slices on a cookie sheet and broil, turning once, until toasted to a nice golden color.
Spread goat cheese on each slice of toasted baguette. Top with chickpeas, season with additional salt and pepper as desired, and drizzle generously with lemon infused oil.
Serve immediately.

"Ooh ooh, aah, aah!" That's the Fairy Dance!

I'm sure you've probably been waiting to hear what happened to the fairies since we last saw them. As you recall, they were completely obsessed with Ivan's pot of gold and were flying in to get a closer look.

Turns out they were a bit naughty, stealing his gold and distracting him with an ooh-ooh, aah-aah dance. (I'm sure you've heard about that dance before. It's very common among fairies.)


Uncle B was wondering where to take the story next. Should the fairies be put under a terrible spell? Would Boris swoop in and eat them? Then we thought - perhaps the fairies need a COS (change of scenery). Besides - we haven't really seen where they live, have we?

So we wandered over to Red fairy's toadstool cottage. All fairies live in toadstool houses, you see - and of course the toadstools often color coordinate with their fairy-owner's outfits. (Is that not THE cutest toadstool house ever?!) But wait! One of the fairies is missing! What will Jacey decide happens next? We excited to see where she takes the story next.

Going in circles

I finally got around to making a few squares for my next project - a circles quilt I found in The Modern Quilt Workshop book. It's my first attempt at quilting circles and I can see this one is going to take some time. Three down, 16 to go. What have I gotten myself into? Still - I think it will be really great when it's done. Stay tuned.

Green bean, shitake and farro salad

I'm a big fan of farro, especially as a salad. My all time favorite farro salad is this one with beets and feta. But - I discovered another one recenty, and it's a close contender for second. The crispy shallots make the recipe and they are absolutely worth the effort!

The recipe is from the May 2006 Food & Wine. You can find it here. I'm crazy for mushrooms so I recommend using more than are called for and have substituted shitakes for the creminis. Delicious!!!

9-patch coasters

When I was first experimenting with 9-patch squares, I made a few blocks that never ended up in a quilt. I was inspired by my friend Diane to turn a couple of straggling squares into coasters. I'm actually pretty pleased with how they turned out - and they're washable - which is highly desirable given my tendency to spill things.

Mason jar pin cushion

I get really excited when I find a craft project that's both good looking and quick and easy. So when my friend Emanuela showed me how to turn a basic wide-mouth mason jar into a pin cushion - I couldn't resist. This was a double bonus since I have an endless supply of jars laying around from all of my jam making. I think the best part is deciding what kind of treasure to put in the jar when you're done.


Step 1: basic ingredients include a jar (with lid), a piece of scrap fabric, some polyfil stuffing.


Step 2: Make a ball with the polyfill stuffing and cover with fabric. Slip the fabric between the mason jar ring and push into place with the lid. I used a glue gun to glue the fabric down to the lid  - but you could also skip this step.

Test square for Ma's quilt

This weekend I finally had time to test out a square for Ma's quilt and I'm so excited about it. The colors were inspired by a pair of lamps and I really love the colors. I also think the sweet fabrics work well in this variation of 9-patch. Can't wait to cut the rest of the fabric and get cracking on more blocks.

Sunday Lilies

When I saw these lilies at the grocery store yesterday, I just couldn't resist. It's been awhile since I put fresh flowers in the house - given the strange winter/spring we've had this year. But now, the tulips are starting to poke through and our lavender is beginning to send out some fresh shoots. There's something wonderful about bringing the outside in. 

Spy Hopping

When we first climbed aboard the panga boat to go whale watching - the captain had just one request: "Please - whatever you do - make sure you don't all go over to one side of the boat at the same time."  I thought it was a pretty ridiculous request. My whale watching expectations were low and I couldn't fathom that we might see something exciting enough to get us all over to one side of the boat at the same time. I was hopeful we'd see a spout, maybe a shape in the distance - but that was about it.

I never would have guessed that a pair of mama and baby gray whales would swim right over to us to say hello. As they got closer, the mama did a little "spy hopping" - pushing off from the bottom of the bay to get a better look at us. With all the "oooohs" and "aaaahs" and pointing and shouting, you can be sure we had to remind ourselves not to tip the boat over as they moved gracefully through the water, popping up on one side of the boat and then the other. Completely magical.

Coco's Ceviche

We had been told that our camp cook Coco usually receives several marriage proposals by the end of any given trip. After I put the first bite of fresh ceviche into my mouth, I could easily see why this happens. I could have eaten the whole bowl if I didn't have to share any with my fellow campers. Muchísimas gracias, Coco!!

Coco's Ceviche
A good bushel of fresh trigger fish, hand-caught by Arturo the fearless Sea Trek guide, while you take a siesta, read a good book, or do some paddle boarding. (If you don't happen to be on Isla Carmen, and Art isn't around, Coco says you can substitute calamari, bay scallops or halibut).
Generous amounts of fresh squeezed lime juice
Lots of chopped cilantro, onions, and tomatoes
A bit of chopped jalapeño
A generous pour of Clamato

Clean and chop the fish into pieces appropriate for dipping/piling onto a chip. Combine remaining ingredients together wiht the fish in a large bowl. Adjust ingredients until you arrive at a pleasing balance. Generous amounts of fresh lime juice are key - "cooking" the fish with their acid.
Serve with tortilla chips, topping with a dash of your favorite hot sauce, as you chomp away.

Why I Wake Early

There's something strange and magical about camping. You don't necessarily sleep all that well at first, so you tend to be wide awake at the crack of dawn. That seems to be the whole point. There's a peace and a calm like no other when you're out in nature, watching the sun rise.

On our trip, our friend Diana opened the morning yoga practices with incredible readings and I'm grateful to her for introducing me to the beautiful poetry of Mary Oliver, whose words touched me deeply. This one was a real gem:

Why I Wake Early

Hello, sun in my face.
Hello, you who make the morning
and spread it over the fields
and into the faces of the tulips
and the nodding morning glories,
and into the windows of, even, the
miserable and the crotchety--

best preacher that ever was,
dear star, that just happens
to be where you are in the universe
to keep us from ever-darkness,
to ease us with warm touching,
to hold us in the great hands of light --
good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day
in happiness, in kindness.

                                     - Mary Oliver

Totally inspired

There's something really infectious about quilting and knitting and when you find friends to share it with - it's even better. My friend Emanuela has been on fire since she got a sewing machine for Christmas and, after taking a paper piecing class, she has been quilting like crazy. I could not believe how cute these slippers were! I just love the pattern and the fabrics.


She also turned me onto a terrific blog called Pink Penguin shere she found a tutorial to make this adorable lunch bag for her son's teacher. I am just blown away by her projects. She has such a great eye for color. I can't wait to see how her next project turns out!

Baja Time

We just got back from one of the best vacations we've taken in a long time. We've been mulling over all of the different reasons it was so great - but I think I can sum it up in two words: Baja time.
We heard this phrase several times on our trip. In Baja - there's no rush. Nowhere to be. Nothing to do with any urgency. Everything is just slow and easy. Just like this little guy here - squeezing in a siesta on top of the merchandise - what a perfectly good use of time.

This trip was both an adventure and a magical change of scenery for us. We knew we had signed up for yoga and kayaking and camping... but we didn't expect the pleasure of camping in a national park, taking in an epic desert/ocean landscape by day with gentle lapping waves lulling us to sleep by night.
We love Baja time! I'm just hoping I can hang onto the peacefulness like our friend Obama here. (Yup - that's his name.)

Gallo Pinto

Gallo Pinto is near and dear to my heart but I've never tried to make it at home, which is really sad considering I'm Costa Rican and it's the national dish. My sister-in-law Stephanie and her mother Mary are from Costa Rica so I'm spoiled because everytime I visit them in Los Angeles, I always get a little taste of heaven. It's called "gallo pinto" because it resembles a spotted chicken. It's also knows as  "casado" (which means married) because the black beans and white rice are reminiscent of a bride and groom on their wedding day.

Finally, after a zillion visits, I begged Mary to tell me how to make it. She revealed the big secret: make the rice and the beans at least a day ahead of time. It makes all the difference. Best served for breakfast, with fried eggs, fresh slices of avocado and warm corn tortillas.

Gallo Pinto
1.5 cups white or brown rice
3 cups chicken stock
2 cloves garlic
1 cup black beans
1 yellow onion
1/2 red onion, diced
1 bay leaf
1 celery stalk
1 bunch cilantro
1 sweet red pepper
olive oil
salt to taste

Day 1:
Cook the rice
Bring the chicken stock to boil and add the rice and garlic cloves. Turn heat down to a low simmer and cook until tender (about 30-40 minutes depending on the type of rice). Set aside.

Cook the beans:
Soak the beans in water overnight. The next morning, drain the beans and place them in a large pot, covering with about 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Add celery, bay leaf, onion and cilantro and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook gently on the stove for 2 hours, or until beans are very, very soft. Add more water to the pot as needed, to make sure beans are completely covered during cooking. When done, cool, drain and set aside.

Day 2: 
Mince the red onion and red pepper. Mince some additional cilantro (optional).
Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a saute pan over  medium heat (2-3 tablespoons, or enough to coat the bottom lightly). When oil is hot, add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent but not browned. Add the red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until soft. Add about 1.5 cups of the beans and 1.5 cups of the rice stirring until heated through. The dish should be about 1/2 and 1/2 - but you can alter the beans and rice until the combination suits you. Adjust seasonings and serve.

A hat for Max

I started laughing when my friend Toni told me that the hat I had knit her newborn son Max was now more like a tiny beanie on him vs. a fisherman's cap.  The last time he had worn it, she mumbled "This... was made... with ....love!" while pushing it onto his growing head. I think she was hoping this declaration would make it fit. Sadly, it did not.


So - I thought it was time to make him a new one. Should be done soon Max!

A pair of lamps

Recently, I offered to make a quilt for a very special friend who we consider to be family. For inspiration, she sent me some photos of a pair of lamps that are in the room where the quilt will be.

The photos were a little blurry, but were clear enough to give a sense of color.

My friend Emanuela and I had a blast sorting through options until we settled on a pallete of sweet roses and greens with a wee hint of yellow and palest blue to pick up on some of the color detail in the vintage lamps. (Ma, you'll be pleased to know that even B approved of our choices!)

I can't wait to get started!

Mr. Vesuvius

Pepo captured a gorgeous shot of our flowering plum "Mr. Vesuvius" in the backyard this weekend. Waiting for it to bloom is one of the greatest pleasures of spring - and it would appear it's come early this year. All over the neighborhood magnolias, cherry and plum trees are starting to pup open with all their tender pinks and whites. I just love it!

Quirk and Inspiration

A couple of years ago I decided that we needed to add some zippiness to our house. I invited my friend Erin over to help and still have a funny mental picture of the two of us in my living room - heads cocked to the right, hands on hips, in serious contemplation. "You need some quirk in here!" she declared.
Later that year - we found the perfect inspiration at a little hotel in Sorrento, Italy.



We both thought it was hands down the coolest, quirkiest, most fun place we've ever stayed. Everything about it was unique and weird and perfect.



For whatever reason, we've often found decorating ideas on vacation. I think it first started when we decided to paint our dining room the same color as a restaurant we had been to on a weekend getaway. The walls were a deep chocolate brown that made everything feel cozy and warm and endlessly inviting. We wanted to bring that home with us.



When your daily life is miles away- simple things like the way books are arranged in a cabinet, or the palette of a new landscape seem to stand out more.





(Check out the guy swimming between the boats!)



I can't tell you how excited I was when I walked into our hotel room and saw that it was painted head to toe in my favorite shade of "paradiso" blue. Pepo teases me that I would cover the house in this color if left to my own devices. It absolutely made my day - especially since this was a birthday trip.



There were small delightful surprises everywhere we turned.



Even the bathroom tile in the hotel lobby was stunning!



So when we got home and I saw our little breakfast nook with fresh eyes...


it seemed like it had just been waiting to be zapped with a little bit of Sorrento.


First - we repainted the walls a brighter, creamy white - to maximize light. I've always love this little corner nook - it's one of the few details that place our house firmly in the late 30's. Painting the back of it "paradiso" was also a great way to highlight our little collection of Italian ceramics.


The burnt orange table was inspired by the hotel as were the maritime striped seat covers (I'm so proud of how these turned out considering my beginning sewing skills!! You can't see it - but I even put zippers along the back seam so they can be washed.)


Finally - we converted the long-abandoned ironing board space, putting in a fabric covered cork board to stash snapshots and drawings from our nieces. Voila! A little bit of Italy right in the breakfast nook.

Carrot soup

The farmer's market is ablaze with gorgeous carrots these days and this is the perfect soup to enjoy them at their peak. It's got a little kick and the cumin adds a really interesting flavor. Think more savory than sweet. Delicious!

Carrot Soup with Cilantro Cream
(serves 8)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 large leeks, cleaned and chopped (white and light green parts only)
5 cups chopped peeled carrots
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspooon hot red pepper flakes
6 cups chicken broth
Juice of 2 oranges

For the Cilantro Cream (optional – soup is great without this) 
8 ounces sour cream
1 bunch cilantro, washed and dried
1/4 cup heavy cream

Melt the butter in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, carrots and salt and sauté until the leeks are soft, but not brown. Add the ginger and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the cumin and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the carrots are very tender, about 35 minutes.

While the carrots are cooking, make the cilantro cream (if desired). Put the sour cream and cilantro into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. The mixture should turn a lovely green color. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Thin with the heavy cream if needed until the mixture can easily be drizzled onto the soup. Refrigerate until needed.

When the carrots are tender, remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until it is very smooth. Add the orange juice. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If the soup is too thick, thin with water; it should not be brothy though.
To serve, ladle 1 cup of soup into each serving bowl and drizzle 2 tablespoons of cilantro cream over the top.

How it all started

If someone were to ask if there were any foodies in the house, I would definitely raise my hand. Most likely, I'd shoot it straight up into the air, wiggling my fingers like an over eager grammar school kid who wants the teacher to call on her. Really, I wouldn't be able to help it - because I'd just be too excited.

One of my jobs as a kid was to go outside before dinner, pick a fresh head of lettuce from the garden and help to make the salad. I hated this job. It was dark. There were slugs. It was dirty. Salad also meant lots of other vegetables were coming my way, like carrots or cucumbers and the worst - beets - all from the garden as well. For all my complaining and eye rolling, I am forever indebted to my mom's green thumb. She was and still is forever outdoors, planting something beautiful or delicious. I know now what a gift this was, but back then, I was just glad if my sister Lisa tagged along to help. (That's her in the background, with the salad tongs.)

It's the little things

It's funny. Our house is filled with things that are dear to me - yet - over time, I walk right by them without noticing.

Each morning I pass by these little gems sitting patiently on the bookshelf. The penguins, though perfect for Valentine's day, are actually a hand-painted Christmas card that B made for me. Nestled beside them are little "rocks" created by my friend Rae Dunn as party favors for a wedding that I planned. My friend Viola had asked guests to share words that were meaningful to them prior to the wedding. I chose two spanish endearments that I've always loved: "mi vida" (my life) and "tesoro mio" (my treasure). After all these many years together, we hardly ever call each other by name. It's always B or Pepo or Ambianzo, but never Brandon. Our friends have often scratched their heads when they learn I'm frequently called Chuck and sometimes "mi vida".

It's these little things that make my heart sing on this Valentine's day. May yours be sweet.

Mushroom Pasta

I love this recipe from Chez Panisse Vegetables. It calls for chanterelles - but I've made it with all kinds of mushrooms and it's always a winner. To make it a little lighter, I substitute half and half instead of heavy cream - but go for the cream if you like!

CHANTERELLE PASTA
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 ounce dried porcini
3/4 cup heavy cream (or half & half)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 pound chanterelles (or other favorite mushrooms)
3-4 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves garlic
1 leek
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound fresh linguine
1/4 cup chopped pasley
Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
toasted bread crumbs (optional)

Put the dried porcini in a saucepan with the cream and chicken stock and heat gently for 30 minutes or so to infuse the mixture with mushroom flavor. Remove the porcini from the cream with a slotted spoon or strainer, and strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve to remove any sand.
Clean and slice the mushrooms. Chop the thyme leaves and peel and chop the garlic. Clean and chop the leek and saute in 1 tablespoon of the butter until soft and translucent. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Put a pot of water on for the pasta, bring to a boil and salt generously.
While the pasta water comes to a boil, saute the mushrooms in the rest of the butter, season with salt and pepper and add the chopped thyme. When nearly cooked through, add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Pour the strained cream and stock over the mushrooms, add the leeks, and simmer gently while the pasta is cooking. When the noodles are done, add them to the mushrooms. Taste and correct the seasoning. Serve garnished with parmesan, parsley, and if you like, a scattering of toasted bread crumbs.