This weekend I’m catching up on spring projects…
Making this Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce
Hiking in Griffith Park and then enjoying brunch with a gal pal at Sqirl
Baking a million batches of Sugar & Spice Pecans to donate to this amazing event
Filling my home with tulips in every color of the rainbow
Happy Weekend!
Lydia
Portland Notes: Part 1 was a big hit, thanks for all the feedback! Now feast your eyes on some of the pictures from the rest of my trip.
we sampled every strawberry stand in the market
Early Saturday morning we went to the Farmer’s Market to gather supplies for a homemade dinner. Chris and I had a loose idea of what we wanted to make but we let the best looking produce sway our final decisions.
we couldn't resist the eggs in Martha colors
This was the largest, most impressive Farmer’s Market, even bigger than the Santa Monica and Marin Civic Center markets.
The flowers were the most amazing I have ever seen! Can you believe the size and height of these tulips?
Irisies in every color of Van Gogh’s painter’s palette. Swoon.
A rainbow of ranuculus bunches, closed up tight but just waiting to bloom in a vase on a mantle. With our bags full of farm eggs, wild salmon, flank steak, baguette, local salumi, asparagus, fiddlehead ferns, baby artichokes, fingerling potatoes, radishes, sorel, baby carrots, sugar snap peas, strawberries and baby gem lettuce we headed to Chris and Seth’s place to cook.
Here is our final menu! We ended up making a play on Deconstructed Salmon Nicoise Salad.
Aunt Sarah whipped up a stunning flower arrangement to match her Mother’s china that Chris has inherited.
Table was set by Aunt Carol. The only sign that this is a bachelor pad is the Kerr jars used for water glasses, these boys are fancy.
Seth seasoned the steaks which were then grilled in the fireplace. I worked on the vegetables. Drew took pics and helped his mama with the dishes.
Beautiful asparagus skinnies all seasoned up to roast at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Family bonding ensued.
Market crudite with a verdant sorel aioli dip Chris whipped up in one of his marble pestals. He is an Alice Waters devotee and knows her aioli recipe by heart. The lemony brightness of the sorel enlivened the creamy aioli.
La Tur cheese and some yummy locally made salumi served on a slate platter. We nibbled on these all afternoon as we cooked, drank and chatted.
The first course what a duo of vegetables. Fiddlehead ferns sauteed with shallots and butter and fresh baby artichokes cooked in white wine and topped with fresh mint and tangerine zest.
Here is Chris dusting the artichokes with tangerine zest, an inspired last minute addition.
The main course was served family style, above are my “barely” boiled eggs and butter steamed potatoes and the remnants of the sorel aioli from the appetizers.
Here is my plate after all the dished were passed and shared. Everything was so TASTY and paired perfectly with delicious wines.
Yep we drank these… and a few more I think. Thanks to Chris for playing sommelier and treating us to such nice wines.
The next day Janice and I rearranged the living room furniture and added a few new thrift store additions like that chartreuse lamp (love it.) A great way to thank the boys for hosting such special and fun family day and playing tour guide all weekend.
PS- we also ate at a food cart Pod, had brunch at Tasty & Son’s and lunch at Pok Pok which were all awesome. Portland rocks.
PPS- the dream of the 90’s really is alive in Portland, I saw quite a few people drink Cosmopolitans.
xo,
LEH
We spend a lot of time in kitchens. Not surprising then that we try to make ours as pleasant a place as any in our homes.
Here’s what keeps me happy in my kitchen.
This good-looking radio has great sound. I usually cook to talk radio. Or plug in my iPod for classical music or— if Angus is out— French pop! M. Sarkozy and Charlotte Gainsbourg are faves.
My kitchen walls are painted Blue Hubbard, a calm and happy Martha Blue from the now-discontinued Sherwin Williams line. It’s close to her new Araucana Turquoise. I think of it as the perfect robin’s egg and it looks clean and cheerful against our blonde cabinets.
Stylish lamps makes the kitchen feel less utilitarian and more like an extension of your living space. I keep a similar one on my breakfast bar.
A full French press is the best kitchen companion. I’ll upgrade to this gorgeous gold version when it becomes available.
An inexpensive luxury given that it lasts forever and whips dense foam clouds every time. I love my Bodum frother.
Half glass bookends keep favorite cookbooks close. Mine do not house goldfish.
Bright tulips are a much happier sight to see.
After this weekend’s trip to Artisanal LA, I’ll add a Woolly Pocket herb garden to the mix.
What happy bits are in your kitchen?
xoxosl
This time last year Alissa, Melissa and I hosted a British themed bridal shower for our friend Mary. The British part was in honor of her husband’s homeland. We used colorful tea tins as the vessels for the flower arrangements and they turned out beautifully.
The place cards doubled as favors, a duet of Sprinkles cupcake flavors in little boxes! No cake was served but each guest left with the promise of something sweet.
Pale pink dahlias and wide open tulips in a pretty blue tin. Using a mixture of different flowers and colors keeps the arrangements from feeling stuffy or too “done.”
I ordered the tea tins from PearlRiver.com, just remember to order short ones so your guests can visit over the finished arrangements.
Hot pink and soft pink play so well off this Kelly Green colored tea tin.
Stunning red tulips in a red tin! While I usually am a fan of contrasting yet complimentary colors, sometimes a monochromatic look really pops.
Magenta roses in a forest green tall tin look elegant!
Wow this one is really strong.
Deep red roses grounded the frothy pink and white tones of the other blooms.
Sweet and chic.
