Hard to believe that September is almost half over already. Life has sure been busy. Did a minor eye surgery with a week of recovery, then jumped in to travel prep. Looking forward to visiting cousins in Ireland and Naomi in France this fall, plus a few days in Avignon and in Paris just with Sweetie. Since the last time we flew to Ireland (which was our sole excursion to any part of Europe) seven years have passed. We have to remember all over again what is needed for trans-Atlantic fun and games, plus see if we can pack in a small enough suitcase to go in the overhead bin. I have been having a blast looking in lots of guidebooks to see what we might do and see. Hard to concentrate on current life when the future is so alluring.

Still, the current life is lovely. The garden continues to look beautiful and to reward our efforts with squash and beans and tiny grape tomatoes, plus the pumpkins are starting to be ready to harvest.

Sweetie has been (with a little help from me) remodeling the studio so that the storage area is separate from the studio area. We have a new window, new wall, new door into the storage, new steps up to that door and new coat of paint over the whole front wall. Eventually there will be insulation for the studio area and a connecting door, so that the space can be heated and cooled with a space heater and/or fan. I'll be able to keep my art work and supplies out and ready to use!

We had used the space as a kitchen during our main kitchen remodel, so I still have a few kitchen items to relocate, too. It was also the place where I unpacked the things shipped from my Mom's home after she died, so there are a few items of hers to relocate. I will be glad that it will be more difficult for storage items to be left in the studio. I'm often the culprit, but will be more aware after all of this work.

Best of all, the fall is coming! The air is getting a nip to it in the morning and the light is changing too...sort of softening. Today at the paperback bookstore, Paperbacks Unlimited in Santa Rosa...best used books bookstore ever!...they were giving away ripe figs. I took one home and used it in my lunch sandwich. Figs are a wonderful fall fruit! I love the way the insides look with the rosy seeds. I love the way they taste with savory meat or poultry and a fruity and/or nutty bread. So delicious!

Grilled Pork and Fig Sandwich
makes one sandwich

2 slices cranberry walnut bread or similar rustic whole grain bread
3-4 thin slices cooked pork shoulder
1-2 fresh figs, thinly sliced
mayonnaise to taste
salt and pepper to taste
soft butter or margarine

Heat a sandwich press or skillet. While it is heating, thinly butter each slice of bread on one side. Place buttered sides together. On upward facing plain slice, spread some mayo, add the pork (warm it in a microwave if cold), the slices of fig, and salt and pepper to taste.

When the sandwich press of skillet is hot, pick up the filled slice, place it on the hot surface, then top with the next slice, butter side up. Close the press, or press down with a spatula if using a skillet. Cook until bread is toasted a dark golden brown. If using the skillet, turn sandwich over carefully (let's keep those figs inside the sandwich!) and finish browning the bread. Repeat with more bread and fillings and spreads as needed.

Serve each toasted sandwich whole or cut in half. Eat while still hot.

Fall Fling

Not sure why but October and May seem to be the months when wanderlust really hits. Since it has been a while since I've seen the fall color on the east coast, I'm leaving Sweetie and Pi for a few days to visit with my Mom and other family members and get my fall color fix. Won't be doing much blogging while I'm gone but I'm sure to have some stories when I get back. Hope you have some good times in the kitchen until then!

Here is some fall color nearer to home, at the place where we like to walk the dog. Those are wild grape leaves...very colorful!

XO Elle.

There's Something About October

There's something about October that stirs the travel lust in me. The seasons change to my favorite one and I want to see how that looks elsewhere, far from home.

A few years ago we went to Australia in October to visit friends who live in South West Australia, in Perth. Since it is Down Under, we experienced the coming of spring, including dozens of sightings of tiny, tiny wild orchids in various places, plus lots of there wild flowers. When we arrived home, it was full autumn, so I had the best of both seasons!

Last year we went to Virginia about this time and saw the early fall color show there in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

This year we will be off very soon to Taos in New Mexico to see the golden aspen and the gorgeous mountains there. So if this blog is sparse for a while, know that when I return, there will be some photos of the southwest of America.

Just to show that desserts are still my favorite recipes, here is one that was given to me in Australia by our hostess. She grew up in the town of Albany, far south of Perth, and so this is an authentic Australian recipe for a national staple: Anzac cookies.

Anzac Cookies
Yields about 2 dozen cookies
We can thank the veterans of Australia & New Zealand for these..

1 stick (1/2 C.) butter, melted 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons hot water 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons golden syrup 3/4 Cup broun sugar
1 Cup rolled oats 3/4 Cup dry coconut
1/2 Cup flour 1/2 Cup walnuts, chopped (or pecans)
1/2 Cup self-rising flour

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Combine the melted butter, hot water, golden syrup in a mixing bowl. On a sheet of waxed paper
combine the oats, flours, salt, and soda.
3) Add the nuts, brown sugar, coconut and dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Blend well.
4) Pack dough into small tart pans or make drop cookies. Bake for 15 minutes until golden.
5) Cool cookies on wire rack. Store in airtight container. These cookies ship well.

Seattle On My Mind

If you've not had the experience of missing a grown son or daughter who have moved to another state or country, you might not understand why Seattle has been on my mind a lot since Christmas.

After she graduated from college, Sweetie and I were lucky to have our daughter living near by, no more than 40 minutes when she lived south of here, and that luck held for over four years. Even when she was in the LA area, it seemed like we could go visit easily. When she moved to Seattle last summer we drove there together and I really knew just how far away she was. I also found out that I really enjoy Seattle and find it to be a very comfortable place to be.

We did get to visit with her at Christmas, but each of us had a cold during that time, which put a damper on much activity. She has come here a couple of times, too.

A little over a week ago we were again in Seattle. The weather was nice a couple of the days, and rained the others so we knew we were in the right city. There were decorated pigs around the downtown area, and construction going all over, so we knew it was summer. Lots of people walking and biking. The food was wonderful no matter where we ate...surely Seattle.

It's difficult to decide what was the best. The cupcakes and coffee at Cupcake Royale were great. The breakfasts at the 5 Spot in Queen Anne filled me right up. Dinner at the Santa Fe Cafe' with a chef friend of hers brought some very rich dishes from New Mexico.


Probably the most enjoyable was the linguine dish pictured above, with fresh Copper River salmon, that I enjoyed at Cutters near Elliott Bay when I had the pleasure of meeting Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody.

It may have been the freshness of the ingredients, or the lightness of the cream sauce, or the deft hand the chef had with the herbs, but it was probably that I thoroughly enjoyed talking and laughing with Peabody. As you may have gathered if you've read her blog, she is very knowledgeable about baking but modest about it, fun, witty, and she holds strong opinions. My kind of woman! Her photographs are also stunning. I was lucky because she brought me a small loaf of her grandma's bannana bread (which was perfect for eating while waiting for our delayed flight that evening) and a delicious lightly spiced cake with blackberry jam. Thank you Peabody!

So now I've had a little daughter time and I feel much better. I'm naturally biased, but I think she is beautiful, smart, a dynamic sales person and a great friend.

So now you can be jealous that I spent time in lovely Seattle, ate great food, had daughter time and spent a wonderful afternoon with Peabody. And I can be jealous that y'all have had time to cook and bake and blog about it. Heehee.