Oven-Steamed Salmon

I love steamed salmon, and in recent months I've dicovered that salmon helps cure a basketful of aches and ailments, which is just another reason to indulge in my favorite dish: oven steamed salmon in parchment. It's super simple and you can adjust vegetables and herbs for your whim of the moment. 

Place a filet of salmon (or cod is nice, too) on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Place slices of cucumber or lemon on top of the filet.
Lay fresh green beans or spears of broccoli alongside the filet.
Add a sprig of rosemary and some freshly ground black pepper.
Drizzle with olive oil and lemon.

Fold the parchment paper into a tent around the salmon and twist the ends to seal.

Bake at 400 for ten minutes, enough to steam the filet and vegetables.

This recipe is perfect for a warm oven after baking bread or roasting root vegetables or making quiche -- anything that bakes at 400+.

Sunshine in a jar

I know August days are drawing to a close when I'm covered up in cherry tomatoes, basil, and the elephant garlic is cured enough to use.

Confitonfitonfitonfit is a lovely preservation method that dates back to the Middle Ages. I like having a bit of sunshine in a jar, and the oil is amazing for lending a deep rich day of sunshine to soups or over squash in the chill of winter.

tomato confit

Set everything in a roasting dish and add olive oil, snuggling the garlic and basil into the oil before sprinkling with sea salt and fresh-cracked black pepper. Roast at 250 for 90 minutes or more.

June

June was Workshops and Writing followed by baking and Writing followed by uprising and Writing and now, here we are at today, with Writing and Pancakes-for-Lunch.

Tonight, and the weather, and my heart

I visited Vivian tonight, and she was dear and tender and delightful and disappointed that I won't be allowed to see her for another two weeks despite her requests, repeated tonight.
I'm always heartened and dashed in equal measure after the visits.
So.
A bath tonight.
And walking tomorrow morning at dawn.

And there is beautiful music in my life as I settle in to work on the third and final critique for delivery tomorrow (draft will be set aside to percolate before a final form for delivery tomorrow to the writing group). The library discussion forum posts are in for the week as well, and my questions about the local law library have been sent. It's all nearly squared away for the week.

The weather continues to leave me limp.
There is the promise of storms and a return to autumnal clime.
My phone has decided that I shouldn't be bothered and ceased connecting calls, which is as delightful as it is irritating, and perhaps moreso. The replacement phone shipped today.

The cover of The New Yorker this week features a lovely summer landscape with a gorgeous couple on a lawn while others lounge about in the distance, basking in the sun, she stretching under a floppy straw-brimmed hat, he relaxing in the shade in a suit with a lime popsicle (or possibly pear; it's hard to discern flavor from color).  The veritable image of late summer cool in the face of withering humidity and lingering lazy heat that refuses to acknowledge the turn of the calendar, the ringing of the school bell, the shift in the nightlife. "Leave the chairs on the patio," it seems to demand, "and buy another dozen Italian ice. We aren't going anywhere yet."

I want to frame this one.

Tomato Basil Vinaigrette

This vinaigrette is light, low acid and has all the summery goodness packed in. I like it over chopped cucumbers, tossed on cool noodles, or on anything that needs a burst of the heart of summer. Fresh basil and garlic make a big difference, here, so make it when you are overwhelmed with the produce. Perfect for August, when it's too hot to do anything other than salads.

Ingredients
A handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
Two large cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, diced
Fresh cracked black pepper
Dash sea salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions
Layer chopped ingredients into a mason jar.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over everything.
Pour balsamic vinegar over it all. Use more vinegar for a tangier dressing, and less for a smoother one. Cover and shake. Let ingredients sit for a few minutes, if you have time -- the vinegar will pull out the flavors.
Add olive oil, cover, and shake again.
If your container doesn't seal well, please stir instead of shaking.
I like mine chunky, but you can blend the whole thing in a food processor or with an immersion blender for a smooth, uniform texture.

Stepping into Summer

Trail walking this morning with a friend before diving into my day was a great way to celebrate the solstice and greet the season.

Blue Cow Girls

Thursday afternoon in the garden

The World's Smallest Bunny is under the squash leaves. We left him alone. I'm pretty certain that it's the same bunny from under the rose bush that was discovered during the Friends Garden Weekend.

Sunday, funday

We had a grad time of it on Sunday, from Meeting with Friends to harvesting the garden to stopping by the library. The summer seems especially designed for our enjoyment. Vivian continues to enjoy the greenway and her bike, and -- bonus -- she has begun meditation on her own. Pretty cool. Check out the Little Free Library that we found! We are thinking of starting our own.

A Week of Happy

Hot enough for you?

After 15 days in a row in excess of 90 degree heat, and the sixth in a row of ninety-five plus, I think I'm getting used to it. I actually feel more comfortable with the air conditioning off, the windows open, and the ceiling fan moving the air about a bit.

Of course, it could just be that I've lost my mind, but either way, I'm comfortable.

I made macaroni salad. It got a lot bigger than I thought it would, but it's delicious. The dressing has fresh basil, dill and oregano from the garden, and the salad has cucumbers carrots, peas, celery and red onion. This is summer.

Garden harvest

Lettuces, Cucumbers and Herbs, O My!

Playing catch with a green tomato that fell off the vine.

We got the first of the lettuce, and the herbs are coming along well. The tomatoes have overrun their cages, and I have no recourse other than to wish them well. There will be a large harvest soon from them. The first yellow grape tomatoes we're full of sunshiney goodness.

There are also the beginnings of pumpkins, which tickle us no end.

Welcome Back.

We picked up Vivian on Friday evening and then I went to a Rhiannon Giddens concert, the recipient of an extra ticket from a Friend. The concert was so soul-clutchingly good that I take it as proof that the Universe loves me and wants me to know that I am not alone. Bonus: Vivian has fallen in love with her music as well, and keeps putting the song "At the Purchaser's Option" on repeat. There are far worse things in life.

Saturday morning saw a regathering of some of us from the workshop. It was just what my heart needed, and I'm looking forward to more Writing. The solstice Gathering on Wednesday evening left me awash in the soft glowing fullness of the light, and I carried it forward with me. I also ended up sharing my workshop experience, and one of the published poets in the group asked to see one of my pieces, then offered to write a letter of recommendation after he read it. How wonderful and validating and unexpected. I'm blessed.




I managed to finish out the workweek, including writing my self-evaluation for the year. It was difficult and left me fragile, but it was clarifying too, bringing a breath of perspective to the whole toxic, office-politics mess. In the end, I realized that I am strong and savvy and insightful. I'm a good team member and am worth every penny they pay me. This was good for me to know.

Saturday after the writing group, Vivian and I poked around the Village and had a grand time getting lunch at the ice cream shop (grilled cheese sandwiches have never tasted better), dropping the bike at the bike shop for a tune up, visiting our favorite toy store, and dropping into the used bookstore across the street. It's good to be back in the 'hood.






This morning, Vivian started summer camp and she loves loves loves it. She packed up her suit and goggles, put them alongside her cover-up and towel in her bag, and headed out the door. She is so grown up that it's wonderful and tragic at the same time.

Also, she's as in love with Rhiannon Giddens as I am. You have been warned.

See you next week.

I'll be out of town for a bit.

Summertime

After rest and dinner, we went to the opening of Finding Dory at the Grandin, and a good time was had by all. Vivian spent some time on some homemade drums after the show, just before a wicked thunderstorm came through.

Vacation Week: Round One

Last week's vacation saw some serious R&R. We made sushi, visited David's mom (twice), saw the second Transformers movie (in the theatre!), poked around Black Dog Salvage, caught up on the netflix queue and went fishing when we weren't playing Boggle or Bananagrams.

I've been on a Michael Crichton kick, and read Timeline, Rising Sun and The Great Train Robbery.

beetle perfume

I noticed Japanese beetles all over the grapes today, so I hung out a second trap, 15 feet or so away from the arbor. I've washed my hands numerous times, but I can't seem to rid myself of the cloying sweet scent of the bait. If I were a Japanese Beetle, this lingering eau de jour would have me all adither, putting on my best face and twirling to the "I'm Too Sexy For My Shirt" beat. As it is, I'm human, and the persistent flowery smell is mildly nauseating. Frankly, I don't remember this being an issue when I hung up the other one last month.

The boys are away visiting all month, and I miss them. David and I will be on vacation-at-home all next week, but this week has been very strange without them. I've been pretty tired after our three-day weekend wrecked my routine, and haven't been quite able to get with it, gardening-wise. Of course, there isn't a wild amount to be done right now -- I'm watching the plants grow and waiting for harvest. I have to keep reminding myself that it is Not A Problem that everything isn't producing bucketloads. On the upside, I have read a few books and David and I have watched a fair number of movies, the best of which so far is Defiance.

Summertime is good

We have cow and a steer, Kate and Biff, respectively. I am really enjoying them, and am probably going to miss Biff when he goes in October. He seems the smarter of the pair. Kate is due in September, so we will get our first taste of calving this Fall and then will start milking shortly thereafter.

The boys and I have had a slow fun day of weeding, watering, baking and cleaning. We even managed to watch a movie. Now we are settling in for some rest time before evening chores. Ethan knocked his head earlier, and I gave him an icepop to put on the knot. I told him he needed to hold it there for a few minutes and then eat it. This seemed to make it All Better.

Solstice and sunshine

Now that summer has begun in earnest and the rainy spell is over, farm work has cranked up a notch. We have settled into a routine of an early hour outside, mostly weeding, followed by a cooling down time in the house with slow-steady housework. After lunch, it is outside again for a half hour and then showers, followed by reading and some cooking. A last half hour before dinner helps keep our appetites healthy, and we sleep better than we ever have.

The vegetables, berries and flowers are doing their part, too, providing us tasty raspberries and blueberries for our morning snack. There is one over acheiving tomato that is nearly ripe, and the beans are climbing up the trellis. The onions, beets, carrots and potatoes all have healthy tops, promising a fine harvest beneath the soil. Even the peppers and grapes are getting into the act.

Many huge thanks to David for putting up the deer fence, and to Uncle Charlie for donating it. I almost don't recognize the garden without deer tracks.

Mr. Tumnus Rocks

David and I did the summer date thing, taking in Wanted on Saturday afternoon. Worth the price of admission, this film delivers, both as an action flick and with some decent thoughtful subpoints woven throughout. What is the point of faith and what does it require of its followers?

James Macavoy preforms well again, despite my feeling that his portrayal of Mr. Tumnus (my favorite character in Narnia) was likely the best anyone could have delivered, and would likely overshadow his role in this film. I was silly to worry, and came away with a more rounded appreciation of him as an actor.

Jolie returns to her gun-slinging role with panache, sexy and flirty with vulnerability and strength to boot. Seeing her interact with Morgan Freeman (in his library, no less!) was a piece of summer fare not to be missed.

If you liked Fight Club, see this movie.