Plum Trees!

Friday night we walked to the North End of Woonsocket and found two plum trees dropping plums onto the sidewalk. We had no shame, we picked a few and ate them, and even ate a few off the sidewalk! One of the neighbors pulled in and we chatted about the plums. He said "Help yourself". I started dreaming of plum pie. I love living in a city where plums grow on trees.

Emily Stamps

I have made six stamps of my paintings so far.

Cactus Flower
Theatrics
Robot with Green Ball
Musicians
Balance
Perishables and Tangibles

You can see and purchase the stamps at: http://www.zazzle.com/whcalhoun
View the paintings at EmilyLiskerPaintings.blogspot.com

Dr. Seuss

You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.
-Dr. Seuss

Summer Smoothies

Summer yogurt making is rewarding because then you can make a smoothie with banana, berries, yogurt, ice, and orange juice buzzed in the blender. It is a delicious and refreshing breakfast!

How to make your own home-incubated yogurt--very easy recipe on my blog under HOME MADE YOGURT.

Janice Taylor's Watermelon Gazpacho

Watermelon Gazpacho
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
8 cups cubed seeded watermelon (make sure it's sweet - the sweeter the better tasting the gazpacho)
1 green apple, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion, Vidalia (sweet onion)
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
2 teaspoons fresh (if at all possible) basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Instructions:
In blender, puree watermelon with 1/4 cup of onion, pepper and 1/2 apple; pour into large mixing bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients (the other 1/4 cup of onion, pepper and apple). Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour to blend flavors.

-Janice Taylor

Mead Moon

Tonight is Midsummer Night's Eve, also called St. John's Eve. St. John is the patron saint of beekeepers. It's a time when the hives are full of honey. The full moon that occurs this month was called the Mead Moon, because honey was fermented to make mead. That's where the word "honeymoon" comes from, because it's also a time for lovers. An old Swedish proverb says, "Midsummer Night is not long but it sets many cradles rocking." Midsummer dew was said to have special healing powers. In Mexico, people decorate wells and fountains with flowers, candles, and paper garlands. They go out at midnight and bathe in the lakes and streams. Midsummer Eve is also known as Herb Evening. Legend says that this is the best night for gathering magical herbs. Supposedly, a special plant flowers only on this night, and the person who picks it can understand the language of the trees. Flowers were placed under a pillow with the hope of important dreams about future lovers.
-The Writer's Almanac

Summer

Lily and I swam with an otter last night. This morning I harvested berries from our mulberry tree and raspberries from our bushes to eat for breakfast. Summer has arrived!

Anthony Bourdain

Bad food is made without pride, by cooks who have no pride, and no love. Bad food is made by chefs who are indifferent, or who are trying to be everything to everybody, who are trying to please everyone ... Bad food is fake food ... food that shows fear and lack of confidence in people’s ability to discern or to make decisions about their lives. Food that’s too safe, too pasteurized, too healthy – it’s bad! There should be some risk, like unpasteurized cheese. Food is about rot, and decay, and fermentation….as much as it is also about freshness.
-Anthony Bourdain

Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life.
-Anthony Bourdain

Asian Style Spinach Pizza

I made this by accident and loved it and made it again!
Saute fresh chopped cloves of garlic in generous amount of olive oil, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup and a sprinkle of toasted sesame oil if you have it. Then, add two bags (8oz) of fresh spinach, rinsed. Steam. The spinach shrinks down to about three cups. Sprinkle on some soy sauce, then add 4 or 5 beaten eggs with a dash of milk or tablespoon of yogurt. Pour everything into a Pyrex dish fitted with a cover. Place in microwave on high for a few minutes to set the eggs. Serve on your favorite bread toasted. It's like an Asian pizza! I love that it is fast, delicious, and easy.

Need Stamps?

I made stamps of my painting Perishables and Tangibles!

They are public and you can order any size, and any postage amount!

Click here: zazzle.com

Warm Raspberries

This morning I picked and ate two raspberries warmed by the sun.

Mulberry Season

Every morning we wake up to birdsong. Our mulberry tree is loaded with delicious juicy purple mulberries. The birds are ecstatic. I can hear cardinals high pitched chirps from the open window. Euell Gibbons says in his book Stalking The Wild Asparagus, to shake the mulberries off the branches of the Mulberry tree onto a large sheet. My cream-colored Labrador has purple spots on her paws and belly from lying down on the berries. She loves them too but I have to stop her before she eats herself sick. We have blackberries and raspberries too, all in our urban backyard.

My Canine Horse

On my way home from the library today I saw the head farmer working on Woonsocket's Community Garden. He was wearing a straw hat walking around watering the plants and working the soil with his hoe. I watched him for a minute and then walked over to North Main Street to Jamie Sullivan's butcher shop and tied up my canine horse out back. I bought beans, tofu and milk. My butcher's shop is now a little bit of everything grocery shop. Now I can do even more of my food shopping by dog!

Bean Sandwich

Years ago an Irish musician friend of mine traveled to Egypt with his buddy. I told him I have always wanted to go to Egypt. I asked him what his trip was like. He told me they rented bicycles and traveled to see the pyramids and that they lived on bean sandwiches they bought from vendors. I was fascinated and never forgot it. Today I made my imagined version of the bean sandwich and I can't believe it took me 30 years to try it.

Toast 2 slices of home made pumpernickel bread. Paint one slice with mayonnaise and sprinkle with red chili flakes, add a slice of purple onion, roasted red pepper and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mashed home made chic peas piled on top. Add a dash of Cholula hot sauce. It was the best hot day sandwich I have ever eaten!

This sandwich works with any kind of bean and is best when the sandwich is warmed to room temperature. I've been eating these sandwiches with fresh basil leaves added too.

Variation:
Take thin slices of tofu and sprinkle with soy and cider vinegar and warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds. Place them on toast painted with mayonnaise along with roasted red peppers and red onion and Cholula hot sauce.
Enjoy!