C-bird Likes

You may think Georgia peaches are it, and, if so, this likely proves you do not live in Colorado, thus not yet familiar with Palisade Peaches.  Yup, my friends, Colorado has the greatest peaches and Palisade is where they’re from.  Large and sweet with a slight tang; juicy, but able to hold their shape.  Heaven. A neighbor brought back a flat or two and was kind enough to share with the hood.  This pilgrimage to the peaches deserved recognition in peach preparation, so I searched out a recipe I have long been wanting to try: Bourbon-Poached Peaches. Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart. Eat over vanilla ice cream or greek yogurt, puree and put in a cocktail, or simply, eat straight from the jar–just don’t waste the syrup.  It’s devine. 6-7 large peaches, more small 2 1/2 cups water 1 cup bourbon (I used Leopold Brothers whiskey from Colorado) 1 heaping cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 tsp vanilla paste (or 2 scraped vanilla beans - either of these will provide the nice flecks) Skinning the peaches: bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Prepare ice bath (ice in large bowl, filled with water to quickly cool the peaches after they boil).  Cut small crosses on the bottom of your peaches.  Boil peaches in water for about a minute. Remove peaches from boiling water and place in ice bath.  When cool, peel the skins off the peaches (a very rewarding step I must admit; they are so smooth and shiny!). Slice into wedges (that-oooh, they are so smooth and shiny quickly turns to - damn, these are slippery little $#%&#$@!  Be careful with that knife; rinse hands often). Making the syrup: add the water, sugars, vanilla and whiskey to a pot.  Bring to a boil.  Let it cook off a bit and reduce.  You are melting the sugar, creating a syrup, cooking off the alcohol and letting it thicken.   When cooked off by about a third, add your peach wedges.  Cook some more - not boiling - a few minutes.  Peaches are imparting their flavor to the syrup and vice versa, but peaches should be able to hold their shape.  If they start falling apart, pull immediately from the stove. Store peaches in cutesy jars, filled with syrup, and deliver to the neighbors, like me. I love them and am almost out. (store in refridgerator)

You may think Georgia peaches are it, and, if so, this likely proves you do not live in Colorado, thus not yet familiar with Palisade Peaches.  Yup, my friends, Colorado has the greatest peaches and Palisade is where they’re from.  Large and sweet with a slight tang; juicy, but able to hold their shape.  Heaven.

A neighbor brought back a flat or two and was kind enough to share with the hood.  This pilgrimage to the peaches deserved recognition in peach preparation, so I searched out a recipe I have long been wanting to try:

Bourbon-Poached Peaches. Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.

Eat over vanilla ice cream or greek yogurt, puree and put in a cocktail, or simply, eat straight from the jar–just don’t waste the syrup.  It’s devine.


6-7 large peaches, more small

2 1/2 cups water

1 cup bourbon (I used Leopold Brothers whiskey from Colorado)

1 heaping cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla paste (or 2 scraped vanilla beans - either of these will provide the nice flecks)

  • Skinning the peaches: bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Prepare ice bath (ice in large bowl, filled with water to quickly cool the peaches after they boil).  Cut small crosses on the bottom of your peaches.  Boil peaches in water for about a minute.
  • Remove peaches from boiling water and place in ice bath.  When cool, peel the skins off the peaches (a very rewarding step I must admit; they are so smooth and shiny!).
  • Slice into wedges (that-oooh, they are so smooth and shiny quickly turns to - damn, these are slippery little $#%&#$@!  Be careful with that knife; rinse hands often).
  • Making the syrup: add the water, sugars, vanilla and whiskey to a pot.  Bring to a boil.  Let it cook off a bit and reduce.  You are melting the sugar, creating a syrup, cooking off the alcohol and letting it thicken.  
  • When cooked off by about a third, add your peach wedges.  Cook some more - not boiling - a few minutes.  Peaches are imparting their flavor to the syrup and vice versa, but peaches should be able to hold their shape.  If they start falling apart, pull immediately from the stove.
  • Store peaches in cutesy jars, filled with syrup, and deliver to the neighbors, like me. I love them and am almost out. (store in refridgerator)
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Portobello Road, London: A Wealth of Curiosities.

My parents spent their first year of married life in London.  Growing up, I heard tales of this time: the museums, the parks, their very few and precious pence, and the curiosities to be found on Portobello Road.  A few of those curiosities (namely Japanese wood-block prints) were special enough to secure the funding from their stash of dwindling pence. The prints grace their walls today.

It was only fitting that the family return to my parents’ beloved London in celebration of their 40th (woot-woot!) wedding anniversary.  We were lucky enough to land early on a Saturday morning, just in time to make it to the famed Portobello Road open-air market.  Wonders galore; above, a view of my favorites.

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Canning Supplies: For the Craft Room, Not the Pantry.

Canning seems to be all the rage.  Everywhere I go, from restaurants to friends’ tables are glorious homemade pickles, sweet jams, spiced beets and the like.  The canning jars motif offered on a variety of goods by Paper-Source appeared at just the right time and I want all of it.  Record your favorite recipes in the journals, wrap gifts in the paper and brand them with a personalized stamp.

Let’s get canning!  Or crafting.

Paper here, journals here, stamp here.

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Simple Summer Peach Bruschetta. For the longest time I thought bruschetta was a strict thing: bread, tomatoes, basil, garlic.  Done.  Really, it is any type of goodness you desire stacked on top of grilled bread, usually served as an app.  Well, this sure opens things up, doesn’t it?  Why not peaches?  Or cheese?  Or peaches and cheese?  Now we’re on to something.  Experiment at will, as that is where the fun is, but below is what I created above. Grilled bread - brush your grill grates and your bread a bit with olive oil and grill away till your have a few nice crispy spots Top with soft cheese, I used Humbolt Fog Top with fresh sliced peaches Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top and finnish with fresh cut basil

Simple Summer Peach Bruschetta.

For the longest time I thought bruschetta was a strict thing: bread, tomatoes, basil, garlic.  Done.  Really, it is any type of goodness you desire stacked on top of grilled bread, usually served as an app.  Well, this sure opens things up, doesn’t it?  Why not peaches?  Or cheese?  Or peaches and cheese?  Now we’re on to something.  Experiment at will, as that is where the fun is, but below is what I created above.

  • Grilled bread - brush your grill grates and your bread a bit with olive oil and grill away till your have a few nice crispy spots
  • Top with soft cheese, I used Humbolt Fog
  • Top with fresh sliced peaches
  • Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top and finnish with fresh cut basil
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Commemorating Olympics 2012. I love this cheeky take on Olympics commemoration.  The modern, DIY vibe is totally up my alley.  Nice work to artist Cody Hamilton as this is a print I could rock all year long.  Check it out and get your own piece of memorabilia here.

Commemorating Olympics 2012.

I love this cheeky take on Olympics commemoration.  The modern, DIY vibe is totally up my alley.  Nice work to artist Cody Hamilton as this is a print I could rock all year long.  Check it out and get your own piece of memorabilia here.

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Give Your iPhone a Splashy New Look. The latest cases out there have me jonesing for an update.  The bright pallets and (mostly) rubbery textures are reminicent of my past desires for the latest, greatest and brightest Swatch Watch guards.  Some things never change; my desire to accessorize is as strong as ever. Check out the above cases: 1 here, 2 here, 3 here, 4 here and 5 here. 

Give Your iPhone a Splashy New Look.

The latest cases out there have me jonesing for an update.  The bright pallets and (mostly) rubbery textures are reminicent of my past desires for the latest, greatest and brightest Swatch Watch guards.  Some things never change; my desire to accessorize is as strong as ever.

Check out the above cases: 1 here, 2 here, 3 here, 4 here and 5 here. 

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Picnic Sandwich: Baba Ganoush with Crisp Veggies. I have now eaten this same sandwich two days in a row.  It is satisfying and hearty without weighing you down.  Using baba ganoush as a spread imparts a smokey flavor, lending a meatiness typically lacking in veggie grub.  Baba ganoush is a middle eastern dip made primarily from roasted eggplant, tahini and garlic.  Eggplants are in season, so making your own baba ganoush is certainly an option, but I must admit that I picked mine up from the store (with great results).   Sandwich: Slice open baguette Spread each side with generous portion of baba ganoush Layer on: sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, muenster cheese and sprouts Pack, go and enjoy

Picnic Sandwich: Baba Ganoush with Crisp Veggies.

I have now eaten this same sandwich two days in a row.  It is satisfying and hearty without weighing you down.  Using baba ganoush as a spread imparts a smokey flavor, lending a meatiness typically lacking in veggie grub.  Baba ganoush is a middle eastern dip made primarily from roasted eggplant, tahini and garlic.  Eggplants are in season, so making your own baba ganoush is certainly an option, but I must admit that I picked mine up from the store (with great results).  

Sandwich:

  • Slice open baguette
  • Spread each side with generous portion of baba ganoush
  • Layer on: sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, muenster cheese and sprouts
  • Pack, go and enjoy
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Some Days Are Better Than Others.

Any day that involves goats, no matter how short a time, is a good one.  I had the pleasure of working with these little cuties as part of the Farm to Table portion of my culinary education.  Don’t worry, these goats are farm goats only; absolutely no table.  Many of the goats were quite dog-like, following you around, inspecting what you inspect, and making sure their heads are at hand-height for ease of pets.

A big thank you to the Lyons Farmette for hosting our group and introducing us to the barnyard gang.

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glassybaby. Joey and I received our glassybaby-s as a wedding gift.  A vibrant pairing of yellow and orange were chosen.  Upon opening, they appeared to be colorful cocktail glasses, pretty yet not defined by their stated purpose as a votive.  This all changed the minute the natural light went down and our glassybaby took on a glow from the inside.  They are an instant mood setter.  Serene, should you choose a cool blue.  At our house the vibrant yellow paired with the blazing orange scream “yaHOOOO, this night is only beginning”.  This summer, they are adding life to outdoor dining, extending well beyond the end of a meal. Each glassybaby is handblown creating unique pieces one at a time.  Some are clear and bright, while others take on muted tones throughout the glass layering process.  Truly special, the glassybaby projects or reflects human emotion with its light.  Check them out and learn more here.

glassybaby.

Joey and I received our glassybaby-s as a wedding gift.  A vibrant pairing of yellow and orange were chosen.  Upon opening, they appeared to be colorful cocktail glasses, pretty yet not defined by their stated purpose as a votive.  This all changed the minute the natural light went down and our glassybaby took on a glow from the inside.  They are an instant mood setter.  Serene, should you choose a cool blue.  At our house the vibrant yellow paired with the blazing orange scream “yaHOOOO, this night is only beginning”.  This summer, they are adding life to outdoor dining, extending well beyond the end of a meal.

Each glassybaby is handblown creating unique pieces one at a time.  Some are clear and bright, while others take on muted tones throughout the glass layering process.  Truly special, the glassybaby projects or reflects human emotion with its light.  Check them out and learn more here.

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Upping the Ante on Western Wear. While visiting cowboy country, Steamboats Springs Colorado, I made the mandatory stop at FM Light and Sons.  This historic shop, located on Main Street, is literally advertised for miles around, boasting a place to hitch your horse.  Although, today, a model horse with tourists gathered around is likely the only one you will see at the hitching post.  The store has made its way through five generations and over one hundred years.  The spirit lives on in its outrageous selection of boots.  Unfortunately I was not in the market for a pair of Luccheses (sigh), but one little item did catch my eye on the way out.  While trying on gigantic hats, I noticed a small display of hat bands.  I couldn’t resist upgrading my own hat with the genuine horse hair braided band, pictured above. Check out FM Light and Sons here and plan your trip.  If you can’t make it to cowboy country, bring it to you, with hat band delivery from Sheplers, here.

Upping the Ante on Western Wear.

While visiting cowboy country, Steamboats Springs Colorado, I made the mandatory stop at FM Light and Sons.  This historic shop, located on Main Street, is literally advertised for miles around, boasting a place to hitch your horse.  Although, today, a model horse with tourists gathered around is likely the only one you will see at the hitching post.  The store has made its way through five generations and over one hundred years.  The spirit lives on in its outrageous selection of boots.  Unfortunately I was not in the market for a pair of Luccheses (sigh), but one little item did catch my eye on the way out.  While trying on gigantic hats, I noticed a small display of hat bands.  I couldn’t resist upgrading my own hat with the genuine horse hair braided band, pictured above.

Check out FM Light and Sons here and plan your trip.  If you can’t make it to cowboy country, bring it to you, with hat band delivery from Sheplers, here.

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