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Everyday Cabbage Salad

Everyday Cabbage Salad

An Easy Salad for the New Year

“Lee put down his darning, moved his sewing basket to the floor, and changed his glasses.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I took a big holiday break, and hope you did too. With some much needed breathing space I took a dive into Scandinavian fabrics and designers. Marimekko fabric currently has my undivided attention. Next trip to Ikea you will find me in the fabric department. Also Lotta Jansdotter books. Her Swedish workshop would be a dream vacation. I’ve signed up for her San Francisco workshop. READ MORE . . .

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Salt Dough Trees

Salt Dough Trees

Good Bye, Zeus

“It’s one of life’s great fallacies, it seems to me, said Lee, that time gives much of anything but years and sadness to a man. And memory. Yes, memory. Without that, time would be unarmed against us. “

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

We said good bye to Zeus, our 13 year old chow-chow, the day after Thanksgiving. It’s been tough. We knew his time with us was coming to an end, but still. I’m a cat person who fell in love with a ten year old rescue dog. That says so much and yet so little. We knew he was old when he became a part of our lives. We adopted him anyway. We accepted him for who he was and he accepted us. We stayed with him every step of his journey. We navigated his challenges as he aged and loved him even more. We miss him. READ MORE . . .

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Fig Sweet Rolls

Fig Sweet Rolls

A Favorite Holiday Recipe

“The Salinas was only a part-time river. The summer sun drove it underground. It was not a fine river at all, but was it was the only one we had and so we boasted about it-how dangerous it was in a wet winter and how dry it was in a dry summer. You can boast about anything if it’s all you have. Maybe the less you have, the more you are required to boast.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

We don’t do holidays without the appearance of these Sweet Rolls. It’s a tradition my mom started. She would make a double batch, filling up an entire cookie sheet. The cookie sheet had low sides and the Sweet Rolls around the edges would puff up and over the outside of the pan. I remember my mom icing the rolls, the glaze would run over the edge of the pan onto the counter. While we waited for breakfast, eight little hands would greedily scoop up the overflowing icing. Straight up sugar before breakfast is unforgettable, especially on Christmas morning. The double batch of Sweet Rolls never lasted the day. Homemade fudge, cookies and stollen had to wait their turn. Fruitcake didn’t stand a chance. READ MORE . . .

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Pumpkin Pie Inside a Chocolate Cake

Pumpkin Pie Inside a Chocolate Cake

A Spectacular Thanksgiving Dessert

“Cal turned down Alisal Street, went into the post office, and looked in the glass window of box 632. It was empty. He wandered back home and found Lee up and stuffing a very large turkey.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

You know how the election went, I want to tell you about the dessert I made that fateful day. A dessert that would make a spectacular Thanksgiving statement and keep both the pumpkin and chocolate lovers happy. I’d seen magical pie inside a cake desserts on-line before. Crazy, intoxicating, a dessert that would change any conversation. It was election day and I needed to keep busy. In need of a diversion that would calm my nerves and settle my mind, I baked. I bought a pumpkin pie at the grocery store and buried it inside a chocolate cake. I spread a thick layer chocolate ganache all over the Pumpkin Pie Inside a Chocolate Cake. I cut the cake while it was warm and some of the ganache melted. I took photos anyway. I watched an election that was messy, imperfect, with mind blowing, spectacular results. I found that a bright orange pie hiding inside a dark chocolate cake was lots of spectacular, a bit messy and imperfect too. A perfect metaphor for the election, and life really. READ MORE . . .

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Apple Cranberry Pie

Apple Cranberry Pie

Getting Ready for the Holidays

“Did you put some fruit in his room? He asked. He loves fruit. Pears, apples and muscat grapes, said Lee.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I’m the one who must try all the different apple varieties each fall. Of course I end up with too many apples. More than I could possibly use as my afternoon snack or for our evening salad. I can only make Warm Cabbage, Onion and Apple Slaw so many times each month, before we tire of the simple goodness of the recipe. I try to buy just five apples each week. When I go through the refrigerator to finish up our weekly shopping list there will be leftover apples. Then at the store or farmers market I’ll be seduced by another gorgeous apple variety. At some point I begin baking with all this apple goodness. Maybe that was what I wanted all along, an excuse to make pie. READ MORE . . .