Dream Car.
Frankly, cars are not something I care much about. It is a means from point A to point B. Period. It’s extra nice if it plays NPR, has cup-holders and automatic windows.
And then I spotted it. Parked in the center of Denver International Airport, surrounded by admirers, sat my Dream Car, awaiting my discovery. It will be on display now through August 31st. Surprise your summer guests by greeting them inside the airport; they will feel loved and assume this extra effort was for them….
The Lumineers Make My Heart Swell.
Ever since I saw this lil video here, I was hooked. It aroused that undefinable physical reaction in my body where I feel like I am going to cry any second, yet am completely entranced with happiness. I got tickets with high hopes. It was better; I was entranced for ho hey and every song before and beyond. My heart swelled.
They were present. Every song. Every word. Every look, every gesture, every strum. They poured themselves into the performance and into us lucky people in the audience. Go if you can. It’s worth it.
The Lumineers are from Denver - yay local band! Check em out here.
Meringue-Topped Key Lime Pie.
Often, I try something (lets just say a pie) and I think, oh man this is good, but could be a wee bit better if only it had that crust from such and such pie and maybe a bit of that sauce from the that other one. If I could just smash the three together, it would be perfect. This pie is one of those: favorite elements from different recipes, married together in perfect harmony.
The pie is made and baked in three distinct stages: the crust, the filling and the topping.
Graham Cracker Crust:
Combine thoroughly and press with fingers into 9 to 9 1/2 inch pie pan. Careful to press crumbs evenly into the bottom and corners of the pan otherwise you will end up with an uneven crust. (I seem to always forget about the corners and end up with a sloped super thick crust corner that is hard to eat…watch out) Bake at 350 till lightly browned. Remove and cool on rack. Lower oven temp to 325.
Key Lime Filling:
Whisk together ingredients and pour into pre-baked pie shell. Bake at 325 in middle of oven for about 15 minutes or until set in the middle (set=not still jiggling around like jello but not totally firm either). Chill in fridge for at least 2 hours. You can prepare up to this step the day before if you like.
Meringue Topping:
Preheat oven to 500. Mix egg whites and sugar together in bowl with whisk. Hold bowl (not letting water touch bottom of the bowl) over boiling water, whisking constantly. Whisk egg white/sugar mix over water till temp reaches about 100 degrees. What the? Don’t freak out - your body is 98.6, a hot hot tub is about 104 - shoot for the middle of that range (test with your finger, warmer than you, a wee bit less warm than a hot hot tub).
Transfer to stand mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on high till glossy and smooth. This may take a few minutes. Mixture will foam up and form medium peaks - see picture above, meringue holds a peak, but tips over. When it is mixing and it is oh so glossy and smooth and pretty and you just want to watch it go for a while - turn it off - NOW - and check. It is probably done. (What happens if you keep beating you ask? After too long it will start to dry out and create a crumbly texture.)
Spoon on top of pie. Use your wooden spoon or spatula to touch down on the meringue and “pull” up peaks. This par is so fun it is addictive. Your pie will have perfect peaks all over the place and you will still be getting them “right” for the thrill of watching them pull up just so.
Stick her back in the oven on 500 to brown. It’s scary, I know. It will be fine; better than fine. Check often. This is a 3-10 minute process depending on the strength of your oven and your desired brownness - just check every minute or so after the first three and remove when you have reached desired browning. The tops of the peaks should be crisp and golden, while the valleys are still white.
It is beautiful to look at, but better to eat.
**You will likely have plenty extra meringue. If you like, you can turn them into meringue cookies following the baking part of these instructions here (perhaps add vanilla or spice for extra flavor). They last forever and look adorable in glass jars on your kitchen shelves.
Inspiration: Vintage Seed Packs.
I have a vintage seed pack calendar that accompanies me each month of the year. This calendar is the ultimate keeper of my schedule in part because I adore looking at the beautiful imagery (and another part that I prefer pen and paper to electronics).
It is now that I share this inspiration as we have just planted our own garden. Joey and I have had little success (learning many lessons) in the garden over the past few years, but insist that one day those stubborn thumbs of ours will turn green and our garden will sprout the wonders above. For now the images spur us on to nurture our dreams of climbing peas, plump tomatoes and vivid flowers.
Caramelized Onions - Buzzword Extraordinaire.
Have you ever been reading a menu item, finding it only so-so until reaching the final descriptor, topped with caramelized onions, to find yourself instantly sold on the previously so-so item? Once you hear those magic words, it doesn’t even seem to matter what the main event is, as long as it is a vehicle for caramelized-oniony-goodness.
Caramelized Onions:
Final ingredient, time, does indicate time consuming, but about allowing them time on the stove. This is really about giving them the chance to develop their own flavor, bringing out the natural sweetness of the onion. Sweetness. Hmmmm. Sugar? Is that missing from the list of necessary ingredients? Nope. Absolutely not. You do NOT need sugar. Caramelizing is a process where you bring out the product’s natural sweetness, not adding extra to it.
Heat your pan or skillet over medium high heat, add oil and heat until it is shimmering. Add your sliced onions. Let cook and soften a bit, add butter (about a tablespoon per onion or to your liking, plus or minus) and let cook with onions. You may need to turn stove down to slow cooking process. Onions will cook on stove for about 45 minutes for 1 large onion to well over an hour for more. Although you need to be careful not to cook too quickly, you also do not need to babysit the onions and actually want to avoid constant stirring. Stir every 5 minutes to rotate which onions are on top/bottom to create even cooking throughout. Once you think they are starting to look nice and brown, go another 20 minutes….at least that was my experience.
When nicely caramelized put them on anything: burgers, pizza, sandwiches, crackers with cheese…..you name it. Sold.
Why Hello There.
It has been a while my friends. I took a little break. The break was not intentional, just lazy. One friend called me on it; I promised the next post to be dedicated to him. This is for you, Phil. I could think of nothing greater or more appropriate to dedicate to you than cabin porn.
With Memorial Day weekend coming up and summer on it’s heel, we are all dreaming of the promise of a long day with no agenda. An image of a sexy cabin puts me in the mindset instantly. Please enjoy the cabin porn, for more visit this site here. Some of my favorites above borrowed from same location. Let the obsession begin.
Smartest Cami Ever: Two in One.
A good cami is so important. They add coverage to a too skimpy tank, too low sweater or a sheer top. They make sweaters lay right and cover bra straps. They are a wardrobe essential. I know this. But still, I never actually want to purchase them. Spend money on something no one is gonna see? This always baffles me and instead I spend money on some of the minute top I wear once and shrink.
The other day, I was trying on one of those “of the minute tops”, which was sheer. I asked for a tank to try it on with and what did I receive - a magic, two-in-one cami. This cami is reversible, enabling you to go v or scoop neck. No need to purchase two; one does the job. And for under $25. I did not buy the sheer top. I wised up and walked out with two for one…that I will actually wear, at least twice as much.
Shop here. Check out the loads of colors!
Garlic, My New Favorite Treat.
I can’t quite comprehend this flavor. Let me try some more. Hmmm, I almost had my finger on it. I better try another piece. Maybe if I just had a slightly larger bite, I could really get the nuances….Welcome to black garlic. It eats like candy.
This amazing black garlic was gifted to me a few weeks ago. I was encouraged to “just eat it” however I like. I demanded instruction; sauté?, with meat?, pasta?, bread? Just eat it however you like. Trust me; its good. It sat undisturbed for two weeks, until I peeled the first clove. It was enjoyed with company and all agreed (eaten with crackers and goat cheese) that is was unlike anything we imagined. Not really garlic-y at all, but sweet, like a dried fruit. I cheat when I say fig (as they told me that on the package) but it does; it tasted just like the most excellent fig you have ever tried in your entire life.
Black garlic is garlic that has undergone a special fermentation process for over a month in a special contraption that regulates temperature and humidity. Beyond that, I consider it magic that garlic turns into candy; I am grateful.
Purchase here. Photo sourced here (because it was so beautiful, I couldn’t help using).
Spring Has Sprung.
The driveway is usually nothing to get too excited about but for the past few days I have found myself lingering a bit as I come and go or visit the trash cans, as our driveway tree is in full spring mode and strutting its stuff. I had to document this small joy; now, if only I could share its delicious scent…
A Starry, Starry Wardrobe.
At one time I was part of a very exclusive club. We got together to create art, gossip about our contemporaries and generally let creativity rule. It was an amazing and inspiring time in my life. The specific requirements were: being in my fifth grade class at Roosevelt Elementary School. We called ourselves The Fifth Grade Artsters; like I said, very exclusive.
The highlight of this club was our members only wardrobe: a white sweatshirt puff painted with Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”. I see now that we were ahead of our time. Above, Rodarte’s runway take on our original vision.
