Market Mushrooms

I love mushrooms. Too bad the rest of the family does not share this sentiment. But in some ways, more mushrooms for me!

The Clintonville Farmers Market (one of the best around here!) has a vendor who has an urban farm right there in Clintonville. And he grows these beautiful Shitake mushrooms... Oh, I think he already has a new loyal patron!

If you like mushrooms, too, I am sure you know that fresh mushrooms don't need a lot of fuss. The simpler, the better.



Today in the garden, we pulled up (to 'check') on our garlic patch growing underground since last fall. Knowing that we aren't supposed to harvest these until this fall, we felt a little guilty, but up came one small head of garlic anyway (mother and son has the same amount of patience...the former perhaps having less of it).



But we put it to good use. I diced up the fresh garlic, sauteed the mushrooms in it with some good olive oil. A sprinkle of sea salt and herbes de Provence and some chopped up parsley ended the dish. Voila, the most earthy, delicious mushrooms you will have in central Ohio!

Peonies in Bloom

The peonies finally bloomed this weekend, when the sun shone bright, and warm. It was as if we were watching them open up by the minute. The tight buds in the morning became a full bloom peony by mid afternoon. Even the kids noticed amidst their water play, and tent building, and tree climbing.

They opened up, Mommy!! They reported from ten feet above the ground.



And then... it started to rain.



I had brought a bunch of them inside, for our indoor enjoyment. But the rest of them drooped, and bowed low toward the ground.

Time and again, nature reminds me the impermanence of beauty. Thankfully, I have them to provide me a bit of sunshine on this rainy day.

One of my favorites

I have many favorite flowers, as you might have guessed. These, the peonies, are among the few on the top of that list. They are just blooming now (the sun today is helpful after so many days of rain). Better yet, we have a whole row of them in the yard (really one of the reasons I wanted this house!). So, needless to say, this will not be the only post about these elegant flowers.

It's happening

We are soon to get to eat fruits and vegetables produced in-state, or maybe even down the road! I did a double take when I saw these strawberries today at the first day of farmers market in this little town of ours.

And soon... we will get to harvest from our very own garden! No strawberries from that, but hopefully lots of other goodies.

Meatless Monday: Homemade Pizza

 

Onions and I. We have a challenging relationship. But it's quite a clear-cut 'love-hate' relationship, namely, I love you onions, but only if you are very well cooked, caramelized, and wilted.  Otherwise, I avoid you like the plaque.



Our family has been following the "Meatless Monday" theme for quite sometime now, with most of our Monday dinners being completely vegetarian meals.

The cool rain has returned in Columbus, so I thought making pizza would be appropriate (considering that last Monday was too hot to even eat in the house, let alone cook anything in it).



Our usual topping for a homemade pizza? Anchovies. Yes, you read it right. Perhaps it was love at first sight when my husband and I  shared our first pizza experience together and we both ordered it with the salty, stinky, delicious fish friends. But tonight, my pantry was devoid of the little guys, hence, the attention given to my pseudo enemies: the onions.



Caramelizing  onions is very therapeutic for me. It's like taming an untamed beast. I was in control of its destiny, just to my liking. If you have not done this, oh, you must. It's a treat really, to watch the stiff, eye-watering pungent rings, wilt before your eyes. They become soft, and sweet, and delectable. And so perfect on top of pizza dough, under a thin layer of cheese.



And that was precisely what we had for our Meatless Monday. How about you?

Buddhist Temple (?)

We are still trying to decipher what this place we found yesterday actually is. Clearly, it's a southeast Asian venue. We were told that it is a temple, but the lack of temple-like fixtures made us think twice.

We will report back when we find out more. Intriguing, is it not?!

Summery

I could easily ask what happened to spring? I was just turning up the heat the other day, and today, sweating.



The truth is, however, is that we had spring. We had a beautiful spring, albeit a wet one.

And spring will come back, I am sure, with its pleasant temperatures, its sweet clean air.



Today, however, was very summery. Hot. Humid. Summer all the way.

The Early Garden

I don't remember a recent summer when we were not either planning a move, traveling overseas, or actually moving from coast to coast. I also don't remember having a backyard big enough to have a garden. Not just a garden in pots the way we managed for the past many years. This summer we actually get to transplant our seedlings and directly sow seeds into the ground! It's exciting!



We had been dreaming about this garden since January when seed catalogues greeted us at the door. Looking at plump colorful tomatoes back then felt dreaming about landing on the moon. It didn't seem possible that the frozen ground out back could produce anything at all, let alone a tomato plant, or delicious herbs, or scrumptious peas and zucchini, and spicy arugula.



But Spring did come. It came in vengeance, actually. The warmth, the rain, the bugs. They are all here now, and are here to stay for the next many months. Oh, the fun we will have outdoors!



There will also be many meals outside, with and without the amazing Ohio bugs.  With all the rain so far, we have a feeling that there will be several uninvited guests around here!

Precious Sun

If you have spent the last couple of months in central Ohio, today was a gift. Nothing fancy. Nothing bought or sold. Simply, we got to have the sun, along with the crisp clean air back. For one day.

Spring on the farm

We have a wonderful metro park system around here in central Ohio. One of these parks, Slate Run Historical Farm, is superb.

It is an 1880s working farm that the park has kept it in suspended animation. The workers there wear period clothes. There is no running water, or electricity. The orchards and corn fields along with the animals raised on the farm provide the meat and vegetables. There is a smoke house, a storage hut (where they keep canned goods), an outdoor summer kitchen. It's like going back in time when we visit the park, in the most serene and peaceful way.

The kids had a school field trip there today, and so I tagged along, with my camera. These are just some images I captured, a confirmation that it is truly Spring here, with baby animals making squeaky cute sounds all around!

Easter Flowers

We are celebrating spring here in central Ohio. A rainy spring, with lots of wet flowers all around.



Some are celebrating Easter today, and for the Jewish, it's also been a holy week. For me, I am enjoying these flowers (and the crazy children with crazier teeth!). I am also enjoying wearing skirts again, and a blouse, and no coats (except for the rain ones).



One of these days the sun will re-introduce itself to us. One of these days...!

Happy Spring, Merry Easter, or just a joyous day to all!

Fiddleheads for lunch

Look at these beauties. Tricia, of Edible Columbus, included these spring delicacies into a delicious quiche today.

She might even be sharing her recipe with her readers, soon.

I was one of the lucky ones to have eaten these fiddleheads, after photographing them. Instant gratification, I tell you.

From Bloom to Bust

We were forewarned. When we first moved here last summer, we were told how beautiful the magnolia in the yard will be in the spring. With beauty, however, comes a lot of petals (not unlike fall leaves) to clean up.



Last night, a big storm went through central Ohio. It was the kind of storm that brought lightening, and thunder, and tornado warnings. At three o'clock in the morning.

The driveway, and yard were covered with the magnolia petals when we awoke (reluctantly) this morning.

Another lesson of impermanence. The short-lived beauty of the magnolia blossoms is a great reminder that nothing in life is permanent. Better enjoy it while it lasts! And then remember to clean it all up afterwards.

Naturally Dyed Eggs

With a little patience, and a lot of beautiful colors around from all kinds of things, this is what we have for our Easter eggs this year.

Pretty, aren't they?

Our favorites? The curry powder made the beautiful yellow, the walnut shells made deep brown hue and the pureed blueberries made an interesting blue tone.

There are more white eggs to be dyed...maybe we will explore more possibilities...

Happy Egg dying to all!

Recital

Does every little girl (in America) have to live through recitals with tutus and tap shoes? I sure didn't live through it. We just experienced what we thought was just a fun 'dance class' we signed her up for months ago, turned into a Spring recital. 

Oh there was so much more about this recital than just the cute daisy tutus – so much I didn't know about!

Shall we just leave it at that?

Our own tulip

Our tulips, my birthday presents from Jim and the kids, back in September, are finally starting to bloom. We planted them last fall, in front of the house, and in the backyard. Most other houses have been decorated with their tulips all ready. I am not sure why ours took much longer.



At any rate, I was going to capture the beauty of the tulip's simple elegance, when a little person came over to 'love' the tulip with his hands...

How much better is the tulip with those loving hands! It does look loved, coddled and cherished as compared to the single lonely flower. I think you will agree.

Sushi, at home

It's no secret that our family likes Japanese food. I grew up eating Japanese food at least once a week. It was a tradition of sort, a Sunday dinner with my father after we picked him up from his office (the one time a week that we saw him, it felt like. Busy man that he was...busy man that he still is).

There was a restaurant near by that we would stop for dinner before heading home called Hakata. I still remember its open room, the tatami area where our family tended to sit, the warm white towels offered to us when we first sat down. It's a comforting, almost nostalgic experience for me, eating Japanese food. 



Here in Columbus, we have frequented a few Japanese restaurants, near and far. The kids eat the food with zeal, and we all leave happily full, every time (except for the times when one of us ate just one too many rolls!).

Earlier in the day, we had planned on going to a different Japanese restaurant – one recommended by a Japanese living in Northwest Columbus. We had a hearty breakfast at home, a light lunch at home, and for dinner, I was going to put my feet up and rely on the restaurant to feed (and clean for) us.



Late afternoon came, the kids played outdoors amidst high winds, and torrential rain. They came in for a warm bath; and re-emerged in...pajamas. Wait! I said. We are going out for dinner!

Oh NO, Mommy. We are eating at home! They both protested.


But...we were going to go out for Japanese, remember? Sushi? Unagi? Miso? I tried to stand firm. Those clean dishes didn't need to come out again...until tomorrow.


You can make all of that stuff, Mommy! We don't need to go anywhere! They both looked at me with puppy eyes.

Alright. Yes, I can do it. Where's the sushi roller?



Sushi Rice

Make your sushi rice as normal (we use our handy rice cooker), make about 2 cups of rice.

In a bowl or pot, combine 2 Tablespoons of Rice Vinegar, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 Tablespoon of salt. Heat this on the stove or in the microwave until all dissolved.

Once the rice is done, add the vinegar mixture to the rice. Mix well.

To make the sushi rolls

You will need Nori sheets (seaweed sheets for making sushi rolls), a sushi bamboo roller, and anything that you like to go inside your sushi rolls. We like avocado, cucumber, pickles, mango, roasted eel, crab sticks...

Put the nori on your sushi bamboo roller. Add a thin layer of rice (like first snow falling onto the ground) all over the nori. Put your contents in a straight line on the edge  closest to you (not too much, less is more here). Now, carefully roll the bamboo roller together with the nori, and keep rolling, keeping the contents inside using a firm grip. Roll until you get to the end of the nori, and give it a good squeeze.

Wet a sharp knife under cold water, and cut the roll into bite size pieces.

Serve immediately with a little soy sauce on the side. Wasabi and pickled ginger also welcome.

All Together

After months of waiting, and wishing, and wondering if it will happen again...poof! all the trees and flowers burst out into the world in unison, as if they had planned it ahead of time.



And if you were lying on your back, in our backyard, this is what you would see: petals upon petals of pink magnolia, like a curtain obstructing your view of the blue sky.



It's a fine way to be obstructed, though, isn't it? A welcome sight this time of year. There will be so many more sights like these to share, I think you know that pretty well.

Songkran 2011

Songkran is Thai New Year, always on April 13th, the hottest time of the year. It's a family-time, a time to relax, and visit relatives, and eat a lot of good Thai food.

The tradition also includes splashing each other with water, to cleanse away the previous year's negativity. I have a feeling that this tradition might have a lot to do with the unimaginable heat and dryness of this season in Thailand. Who wouldn't want to cool off a bit?

We did this reenactment when we visited Thailand a few months ago (no, we can't grow tropical plants in Ohio, sadly). It might be warm enough tomorrow for a little splashing, too. But I will let the children do that part of the business. I will honor it by making some Thai food instead.

When the yard gives you violets...

You make cake, of course!



What cake? There is only one cake that is oh so appropriate for these newly sugared violets. It is Molly's Yogurt-Lemon cake, our favorite around here.



Many months ago, in the middle of winter, when the kids flipped through their Nature Craft for Kids book, they begged me to make these candied violets. I agreed, with one contingency: we had to wait for the ground to be rid of snow, and ice, and then maybe we can start dreaming about sprinkling sugar onto violets.



That was before we knew about these little gems that happen to pop up all over our front yard!

Candied Violets

Pick a handful of violets, with stems attached. Rinse well, and dry on paper towel. In a bowl, separate egg white, and with a small brush, cover each violet with the egg white. Sprinkle white sugar all over, and set to dry. Decorate on whichever cake you desire!