Summer came so strong that I’m just getting around to sharing our James Beard Awards weekend. To say that it was the cat’s pajamas is an understatement! We had an absolute ball. This was our first time attending the awards but having Chicago proudly hosting …
Has anyone told you lately that there’s so much good stuff out there? If not, I’m saying it. Summer has its unique way of revealing how much is out there: zucchini for giants, pounds of tomatoes, mint taking over any and every garden if you’re …
“There, all is order and beauty,
Luxury, peace, and pleasure.” Baudelaire
We entered the weekend leisurely. My parents were visiting to celebrate… major milestones, family, and life. Committed to resting and relaxing for a change, we were resolved to do only what we wanted to do: engage with beauty in all of its forms and each other. We began in my Black Garden with watermelon lemonade “spiked” with nonalcoholic gin. We peppered our conversations with updates on family back home, travel, the economy, my parents’ childhood memories, and more. We sipped cappuccino and enjoyed neighborhood pastries. It was luxurious.
We drank sparkling wine, enjoyed meringue mounds swirled with chocolate and pecans, sweet and salty pie, and my dad’s favorite, pizza. We listened to the melodic voices and stirring percussion of Black Monument Ensemble and then danced to Hip Hop, Stevie, and R&B. So much art.
My mom remarked that it was so nice not to be running from one place to another. So calming to be present, right here, right now. It was luxurious.
We ate our favorites and reminisced about pizza in Naples, Chianti in Florence, whites in Val d’Aosta, shellfish in Sicily, and tiramisu in Venice. It was pleasurable.
I have always been drawn to still life paintings replete with an abundance of fruit, delicately-blown glasses, curious objects, loaves of bread, and dark or glowing light. Without realizing it, these images have molded my style. I created a home where stands and bowls of …
This month marks the third year of the Black Garden. Swiping through catalogs and exchanging seeds with friends, the possibilities are endless. Perpetually, predictably, unsurprisingly, I’m overwhelmed… until I’m not. I then remember that there’s not enough room for everything and there’s so much pleasure in the complementary way of things. Didn’t grow any zucchini or a particular tomato this year? Well, your friends did and they left a little bundle on your porch. Ain’t life grand?
My spring garden is a combination of greening red currant , fraises des bois, and fig plants with herbs returning again to perfume our space. Most of the garden is brown peppered by green shoots, leaves, and buds. Daffodils, hyacinth, crocus, tulips, and other bulbs are just arriving in spectacular fashion after being lured by a few warm days and then snow, snow, snow.
A mere week ago, these yellow jewels were dusted with snow. Not to be outdone, the magnolia readies itself for its fireworks next month. It knows it’s a showstopper.
At this time of year in Chicago, pansies can only be found pressed between the pages of my favorite books, ensuring that they won’t be forgotten as time goes by. I open Dr. Jessica B. Harris’s Tasting Brazil, and there flowers!
And what do we do with pressed flowers? Make floral windows of course.
Happy spring!
Over the weekend here in Chicago, my dad and I turned our gazes towards my mom as we watched her in action. She was negotiating something in her polite but determined way. With admiration in his voice, my dad said, ”Your mom is fearless.” “If …
When kissing, do you pucker up? Lips pinched and squeezed like a tulip, there’s a promise. Like gentle kisses, lemons present joy, pleasure, and a jolt to our systems.
There’s no flavor that I love as much as lemon. Whether it is in my favorite, tarte au citron or lemon tart, Greek soup, infusing a leg of lamb redolent of garlic and herbs, or vinaigrette, its contribution is unmistakable. Bright, fresh, sometimes bitter, mellowed by cooking, or packing a punch in its raw state.
Preserving, like planting trees, is having faith that there’s a future. Someone will enjoy it!
Weck Jars asked me to share this recipe with its community. With every jar purchased, a recipe card is nestled in the package.
Today is about that long-game lemon. We are preserving lemons like the cuisines of the Mediterranean do, especially those of North Africa. Salt and thyme are our friends here. In addition to boosting the lemony goodness, the salt extends the life of the fruit by months.
Preserved Lemons 🍋
1 (Weck 80) jar
Ingredients
6 lemons (preferably organic)
1 mandarin, clementine, or tangerine
~1/4 cup of kosher salt
6-8 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
If you bake, especially in the winter, you might enjoy your fair share of candied or dried citrus in your desserts. We’re going savory and heading to North Africa, specifically Morocco, with these preserved lemons.
Although we’re preserving the entire lemon, I suggest that you add just the peel near the end of your cooking to achieve that bright note. Bits of the pulp are a welcome addition to salads, vinaigrettes, marinades, and stews.
Now that you have a jar of preserved lemons, what are you making? Add to tagines (North African stews), grilled or roasted seafood, or your favorite salad. Rinsing before use wouldn’t be a bad idea given how salty they are.
