before i go back outside and find myself getting lost in the sunflowers and veggie patch, forgetting all about this blog once again, perhaps i can quickly put together a post? maybe something like a highlight reel for the past week? there were a few things sharing a bit of a locavorish theme which i am ever so appreciative for, so i think i'll go with that. ok, sounds good. let the gratitude roll....
1. the localest of all local. this week we picked our first tomatoes from this year's backyard garden. the debaro plum tomatoes are here and ready to be enjoyed. it began with the catalog... then the planting in february... the indoor care... the transplanting... and now here they are ripening up to a nice bright red. yes!
2. i love handpainted signs and type. and i love to photograph them. here's one from a local farm we stopped by last week. margaret and i hitched a ride with my parents to visit a few farms to see what's growing. great stuff! we found corn, tomatoes of all colors and sizes, peaches and blackberries to bring home to our kitchens.
3. another stop to pick up some freshly made goat cheese. while we were there we got to feed the kids some grass and take their photos.
4. one night this week i finished the book that has been my summer read for '07. (i've probably blogged about it too much already but i really liked it) i think i miss it... it was that type of book for me where i found myself so many times saying "me too" (ok, so i may not be out harvesting my own thanksgiving turkey — but there was the seed catalog love, the seed saving love, the cooking love, the nonnie love, etc...) i included it in this week's local-themed recap because well, that is pretty much the book's premise which influenced us greatly this season.
5. fresh blackberries = blackberry crumble. this has been on my summer "to do" list since may. totally good. i really recommend it if you've got access to some berries.
6. with the new chevre and tomatoes i felt a little homemade bread would just complete it all nicely. so friday we tried a recipe from one of the library books i borrowed. it took a bit more time than my usually bread recipe but it was fun. kneading and resting, kneading and resting. being able to share our own bread together at the table makes all that daylong dough attention worth it.
there was also the ratatouille made with our csa vegetables and a few pestos from our garden's basil that magically came together in the kitchen too this week. lots of culinary business lately... all due to the amazing creations the earth provides to us this time of year. and we are quite thankful...
alright everyone, back outside!