Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged beauty, colors, cooking, creativity, flavor, food, ingredients, Inspiration, Photography on October 24, 2026| Leave a Comment »
I’ve always been an omnivore but of late I have been eating more vegetables and as I look at the veggies I’ve been eating I wonder if it is because they are so darn colorful and I can “paint a plate” with them. And, yes, I know, I know, they do taste good. 🙂
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged autumn, autumn colors, beauty, colors, cooking, culinary therapy, food, Inspiration, life, Photography, seafood, shrimp on October 22, 2026| 1 Comment »
It is a beautiful autumn day. The sun shines bright. The leaves in shades of red, orange and yellow make that wonderful rustling noise as the wind blows. Hot in the sun and cool in the shade. Layering time in terms of clothes. Establishments near my work are all hawking pumpkin this and that. I love the brown-orange of the various drinks but I find them too sweet these days. This morning I looked in a new cookbook, by Jose Andres, and picked a dish I might try to cook tonight, garlic chicken … even though the fridge has much food inside some of which should be prepared soon. I’ve been tossing stuff into the freezer but it is a little packed now. I’ll be all set when winter comes and get socked in by snow. No need to go to the store that’s for sure. No, shopping is more a creative endeavor that I’ve described before. The book is very good, Spain My Way. Makes me want to travel there one day. With a proper guide of course. I’ve made some things. I like the tapas approach to meals right now. I’ve tried a few dishes and they’ve turned out alright. This is Gambas Al Ajillo (garlic shrimp).
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, gardening, herbs, Inspiration, life, nature, Photography on October 14, 2026| 2 Comments »
… if I had posted it would have been such a moody piece. The weather was so dark and gray and wet and cold. You get the picture. But today, this early morning, the sun is already cutting through the fog and leaves are being filled with light. I need to race into work but because there are some cold, cold nights coming up I’ve taken time to pick the last of the basil for a coworker. Plenty of green still growing on the porch though. I have already moved some things inside to overwinter. I just watered them. I have no idea why I’m protecting this chocolate mint but it sure does smell good when I brush against it. Okay, I’m running late. Have a good day, people. Onward!
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged beauty, childhood memories, colors, cooking, culinary inspiration, culinary therapy, dinner, food, Inspiration, life, Photography, recipe, recipes, storytelling, writing on October 12, 2026| 1 Comment »
In Virginia I grew up eating yellow onions. I remember them as small and in a mesh bag. The ones I buy up here seem gigantic in comparison. My dad also grew them. My mom used them a lot in cooking, in soups and stews, roasts, fried potatoes, etc. And I think on occasion we had white onions, perhaps Spanish onions. My dad loved raw onions on top of his greens. He used to tease my mom by taking a big bite of onion and then trying to kiss her. I wasn’t too keen on raw onions but loved the aroma that filled the air as they cooked. As I grew up and made my way out into the world I was introduced to the great variety of onions and tastes and textures. But again mostly cooked.
Early in our relationship Steve didn’t so much woo me by taking me out to eat. He was more inclined to prepare a meal however humble. A favorite was simply toasted bread, rubbed with garlic, a protein of some sort, maybe his homemade mayonnaise and then toppings. I was used to tomatoes but one day, after a visit to the farmer’s market, he returned with some red onions. As he sliced them, they were beautiful but when he offered me a slice I politely declined.
“Try this,” he encouraged. He made one of his little open-faced sandwiches and placed the red onion slice on top. “Please.”
With a sigh, I did so, and then said, genuinely, “That tastes good!”
He looked at me and said with a weird sincerity. “I love you.”
Steve and I bonded over food and I think that’s why it is so hard to eat without him. I certainly do eat but I find that sometimes, especially when I am home alone, it helps to lean into the creativity and it is in that creation that an appetite forms. So it is to slice an onion and slow roast it so that the aroma fills the air as I prepare another part of the meal. It is to purchase those vegetables that Steve wasn’t so inclined towards, like cabbage versus his much-beloved brussel sprouts, sauteing spinach (he preferred fresh if he must) with garlic and red pepper flakes. Lots of pepper, black and jalapeno, in meals these days where appropriate. I need flavor. I still have a porch full of fresh herbs and they too provide inspiration that leads to creativity.
I did develop an appetite for mushrooms from him. And though in a previous post I called him stubborn for trying to continue thinly slicing his shitake mushrooms instead of a more rustic chop given his physical challenges, I do find myself in a quiet peaceful place when I now thinly slice the mushrooms and, yes, on occasion, I do smile.
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged beauty, colors, cooking, gardening, herb gardening, Inspiration, Photography on October 5, 2026| 2 Comments »
… chopped sage from the porch and garlic from the garden on top. That’s my plan for slow roasting the salmon tonight. And then I might top the finished dish with some fresh chopped chives from the porch. Hmmm. I really need to stop watching the cooking shows. Far too much inspiration. 🙂
Posted in Kitchen Inspirations, tagged beauty, colors, gardening, garlic, Inspiration, Photography on September 2, 2026| 2 Comments »
Hardneck garlic sown in a 2 x 2 small raised bed last autumn. Scapes harvested in the spring, and then finally the bulbs shoveled free early in the summer. Never learned the art of braiding things like this so the stalky bulbs sit in a big paper bag in the basement where I can easily fetch them. Tonight the garlic was used in a simple dish of sauteed baby zucchini drizzled at the end with a little sesame oil.
Quite tasty I have to say especially the unexpected charring because I, uhm, was in another room while the flame was up a tad high … but it all turned out gorgeously alright. I’m making this one again.
This past weekend I was energized, not to do what I needed to do necessarily, but what I wanted to do. I checked out cookbooks from the public library, ones with great photography and cultural history in addition to the recipes. I weeded the yard (one or two sections), I ordered seeds and such for things to plant this month and next in Zone 6 that will grow this fall and can be harvested after the early winter frost or indeed next year … like a new crop of garlic. We’ll see …
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged beauty, colors, green, Inspiration, Photography, salads on August 27, 2026| 2 Comments »
Swiss chard and sorrel from the pots on the porch. The foundation of a tiny salad once topped with what I scrounged from the fridge, a bit of avocado not yet browned, spring onions nearing their last days, and the last of the cherry tomatoes sitting on the counter. Drizzled with olive oil and a splash of champagne vinegar. A good exercise after work.
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, cooking, Inspiration, Photography, pickling, writing on August 23, 2026| 3 Comments »
… how these turn out. It seemed like a good idea on Friday perusing the farmers market in Copley Square. Big beautiful baskets of mixed peppers. I need to keep busy and creative. Why not make some pickled peppers? 🙂
I’ve made pickles before but usually with cucumbers and/or thin slices of red onion. People seemed to appreciate them. This time, with the peppers, I added some garlic harvested from the garden. The cloves were small but the flavor very good.
I didn’t remember to pull on gloves but I did remember this time (ahem) to wash my hands after cutting the peppers before accidentally rubbing my eyes or eating a snack.
Probably the simplest recipe I’ve tried. Just a simple brine poured over the peppers and garlic. I’ve sometimes added fresh herbs. With the cucumbers I would have added some peppercorn. Uhm, not needed here.
Two jars. If tasty … I’ll know more tomorrow once they’ve had a chance to sit in the fridge for a bit … then one to keep and probably one to give away. What’s my favorite phrase? We’ll see … 🙂
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged beauty, colors, flowers, garden, gardening, herbs, Inspiration, memories, nature, Photography, plants, storytelling, writing on August 17, 2026| 4 Comments »
I’m actually having to wear a sweater as I sit on the porch this morning. It rained in the early hours though not enough based on the level of water in the birdbath. A gray day but still bright. A light that makes the white blooms luminous and the reds muted. Classical music wafts from the interior out here to me. As I look around I can see maybe one task for today out here, to properly plant the lemon verbena purchased this weekend.
The sorrel and sage I planted right away. Did a lot of deadheading this weekend and rearranging of chairs and small tables. Basically I reworked the accommodations that had been made for Steve’s wheelchair and long legs needing a significant turn radius to maneuver in and out of the house. So I made the sitting space tighter and more intimate and then clumped flowers, herbs and foliage for density. Then there’s some “white space” between the sitting area and the ramp. Nope haven’t removed the ramp yet. It’s actually convenient and it may prove useful if I need to roll some of the big pots into the house for overwintering.
The plants bordering the ramp are a bit chaotic if bright. Just playing around unprofessionally with color and height. I tend to buy what I can find in a moments notice, especially items on sale, and what I can ferry home by Uber or public transportation. I know that garden centers will deliver big pots/plants but I’m not ready for that investment. Maybe, for landscaping on the ground, in the spring. We’ll see.
So much of what evolved in this little garden space is a balance for my aesthetic desires and Steve’s strong interest in functionality and purpose. For instance he could appreciate the beauty of the strawflower and its biology … but they’re not edible and could a small tomato plant instead fit in that space? 🙂
We sure did have some interesting, ahem, conversations about edible flowers. You see, I bought several books on the subject. One day years ago I walked around the house and picked the petals of edible flowers, maybe a tulip and/or orchid. When Steve walked through the door, home for work, I just handed him the flowers and said, “Eat this.” He did and then raced for a sip of red wine (his go to medicinal when something tasted off) and then asked, “Why are you trying to kill me?” I held up the book. He threw up his arms. “Just because it’s edible doesn’t mean it tastes good!”
On this porch, our last one together, there are many culinary herbs. Of course, the basil, several pots, chives and oreganos, thymes, lavender and now the lemon verbena. I have to admit the chocolate mint is thriving and starting to smell better and better to me. There was a part of me soon after things happened where I considered just letting things go to seed and as things died I would simply clear the porch and not fill in … and then I could hear Steve’s voice. “Dear one, don’t be ridiculous.”
There is joy and well as tears in sitting on the porch whether quietly with a beverage or on the phone with friends as I juggle the phone and trying to put dirt in a pot. So far, so far, I have been able to make myself harvest something from the porch each evening for dinner. It is hard but can be fun to take a few moments to google how to use rosemary and oregano together and so on. When I shared with a friend at work about giving away the pinched basil because Steve was not here to make pesto, he said, “Understandable. And when you’re ready to make your own pesto, bring me some.” I agreed.
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged beauty, colors, cooking, dinner, eating, food, gardening, grief, Inspiration, musings, Photography, recipe, recipes on July 29, 2026| 2 Comments »
I must say that it is hard to eat these days. No worries. I’m not wasting away. My survival instinct is pretty strong and when I need to eat I most definitely track down some food. What seems to resonate most right now is intensity of flavor. I’ve been disappointed a few times of late when I order something spicy and it is not spicy to me. I’ve been reading how taste buds, as well as appetite, can be affected by grief/loss. Mostly I cope at present by thinking about food creatively. I look out on the porch and see what’s there. The basil I gifted but the jalepenos I’m using. And then there’s the hot and spicy oregano. I’m trying out a marinade of oregano, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and so on on some salmon tonight. We’ll see.
Given events of late I did not fertilize the tomatoes on the porch enough. Lots of foliage that smells wonderful but not much fruit. Just one ripe one so far and I decided today to purposefully slice and drizzle it with olive oil and white wine vinegar and some sea salt and black pepper. You see what I mean? Intense flavor. It was a lovely appetizer. And yes I know it was only one small tomato but the exercise I think helps to reawaken the taste buds.
Didn’t photograph the baked salmon but the portion I had was good. Needed more hot and spicy oregano and maybe some lemon. On the porch the pepper plant still flowers, there are tomatoes that are small and green and I will endeavor to give them a bit more love. Tarragon, rosemary, thyme and the various oreganos. As the summer season progresses I think there will be plenty of opportunities to be creative and stir the tastebuds … and still to gift on occasion. 🙂
