photograph by Melissa Placzek Good morning! This is a foolproof quiche that tastes yummy and is easy to prepare. Dress it up however you like. Add mushrooms, or diced ham or bacon. I’ve done a combination of fresh sage, apples and sausage before and it tasted delicious! For a richer brunch pie, substitute half and…
photograph by Melissa Placzek Did I mention that I’m officially done with winter? I decided to make up some of my basil lemonade to prove that I mean business… It’s lemony and sweet-tart with the refreshing flavor of fresh basil. If you’re officially done with winter too… You’ll need: ~Basil Infused Lemonade~ Juice of 5…
photograph by Melissa Placzek “Are you going to Scarborough fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Remember me to one who lives there. She once was a true love of mine.” ~Simon and Garfunkel Happy Friday friends! Today I woke from a strange, delightful dream still fresh in my memory. I was painting with oils on…
Using bouquet garnis in soups and stews is a genius way to add the wonderful, rich flavor of fresh herbs to the stock. Instead of using kitchen twine or cheesecloth to keep the fresh herb sprigs together, I use a giant tea ball from Williams Sonoma that came with a container of their mulling spices.…
“Plants cry their gratitude for the sun in green joy.” ~Astrid Alauda Another gorgeous autumn day! The sun didn’t join us until later in the afternoon, which was okay because my friend Nancy and I were busy making magic in her kitchen. We talked and talked while we cleaned and cored bushels of apples… plunged…
“I’ll never forget the first time we saw our Victorian cottage. We knew we were home the minute we walked through the front door. When we stepped out the back door and saw the rose bushes we just knew the house was blessed.” ~Melissa Placzek Welcome Home 2004 The first time we saw our house…
“Knowest thou the land where the lemon trees bloom, where gold orange glows in the deep thicket’s gloom, where a wind ever soft from the blue heaven blows, and the groves are of laurel and myrtle and rose?” ~Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe These are the best lemon bars I’ve ever made. They’re adapted from Ina…
“Here is a collection of recipes for soups, breads, sauces, dips, spreads, entrees, and desserts influenced by many different ethnic cooking styles. The recipes are all vegetarian, utilizing a large variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, grains, herbs, and spices. This cuisine is about celebrating the bounty of nature in general, and a garden-and orchard-based…
Remy: [laying still, Remy reaches up and tastes food, sits up suddenly] “You gotta taste this! This is… oh, it’s got this kind of… mmm, it’s burny, it’s melty… it’s not really a smoky taste. It’s kind of like a certain… Pshah! It’s got like this ” Ba-boom! Zap!” kind of taste. Dont you think?…