Peaches 'n cream...southern style

SO, I've been baking up a summer frenzy since I returned from Peru; however, my peach pie is the first you're seeing of the creations. At a certain point in my life I realized if I don't indulge in the tastes of a southern summer then the preceeding seasons just don't go as well. Thus, Thursday I went to a farmer's market in Chinatown and bought some delicious looking peaches, and made my grandma's peach pie. Only, it is tiny because I was short on cash and couldn't afford 10 peaches...ooops, still yummy though!

In fact I'm eating it hot from the oven right now, with some vanilla ice cream melting on top. Oh God it is that good.

While at the market purchasing peaches, I couldn't resist these tomatoes, I mean who could? The perfect summer salad...really, I only added lettuce to make it less of an indulgence and more of a meal.

What foods say "summer" for you?

My "new" desk chair

My husband and I made the decision early in our marriage to slowly decorate. We wanted to buy things we really liked and that really fit our personality, as opposed to just buying quick, cheap stuff. So, that is why for the last 8 months I haven't had a desk chair. I wanted something specific, but I wasn't quite sure what that was. Today I found it. Apartmenttherapy.com is my best friend, and I love their dc scavenger section. When I saw this I knew, now my husband is skeptical of craigslist, which is where this chair ultimately was located, but I love it. Why? Because it is a combination of recycling and bartering, nothing better in my opinion. I wish we'd go back to a bartering system and a trading system. To me it just makes sense...but I digress. 

Ultimately, I couldn't be happier with my 1960's swivel chair...NO PLASTIC! HIP HIP HOORAY!

This is a busy summer. My love and I are gone for five straight weekends, with no breathers, and two full weeks as well. Trust me I love it, but I feel like I haven't been at all crafty. As does my husband who is still waiting for these cool place mats I'm planning on making.

However, since I haven't really been cooking, crafting, or scraping I read instead, because I still have metro rides and plane rides. Interesting what I have been reading is all about food, and is it every tasty!

The first book reads like a chemistry novel, and I am so stoked to start baking that I had a hard time not running out for flour last night as I read the seductive science to my husband suffering from a sinus infection.

You know you've found the right person for you when you can cuddle on the couch and read out loud to the other...about baking bread or anything else!

The other book I've been wanting to read for months. It is the reason I started reading blogs and thus created my own. Molly, the author, was in town for a book signing which was mentioned in the Express, my local free news source. I was so intrigued by the write-up I looked her up and then was casted upon the world of blogging after so many years of making fun of it. However, I have put myself on a book budget because I can seriously spend SO much money on literature and such that I have to contain myself. However, when I was out to dinner with a lovely blond friend of mine we walked by Krammer Books in Dupont which I've been dying to go in since I moved to this city, so really it was fate. How can a girl resist buying a book she has wanted for ages in a book store she has always wanted to peruse? She can't, and neither can I.

It is as good as everyone has said. Everyone who has reviewed this is correct. This reads both as a poignant novel and divine cookbook. I'm happy.

Am I the only one who thinks this new memoir/cookbook hybrid is ingenious? Is this new or am I behind the cooking times?

failures and successes

Unfortunately, I ruined a lovely flourless chocolate cake the other night. This recipe looked so scrumptous and simple that I wanted it...BAD. We were having a little dinner party with some friends, and I knew I wouldn't have time to make a dessert the night of, and the recipe said it would be better the second night. So, I made it and as you can tell it started wonderfully!

(I do apologize that the picture is wrong sided)

But, something went terribly wrong. The apartment started filling with smoke and the smell was all wrong. I went over and over what I did wrong, why was butter EVERYWHERE?



Finally, thanks to my logical husband, we've decided it was because I used a cake pan that's bottom pops out. I've never made a flourless cake so it didn't occur to me that butter would ooze its way out. I was, needless to say, very disappointed. I mean the chocolate and butter alone were quite expensive, I hate to waste food, and it should have been really, really yummy. If nothing else, what would my dessert be? Well, I refused to bake anything, thus...

Strawberries and Creme with mint garnish

The strawberries were so good (I'm reading Snow Falling on Cedars, and they talk about strawberry picking so much I was craving them anyway). The creme is very simple:

1 pint whipping creme

2/3 cup sugar

couple drops of vanilla

pinch o salt

mint to garnish

Happily, the mint was from my handsome husband's porch garden, and I dipped a few strawberries in chocolate for extra fun.

Also, our lovely new friends brought us a beautiful magnolia flower which looks lovely in a crystal bowl we were given that I've never used. I often think the simpliest center pieces are the best. Interestingly, if I'd planned the wedding I wanted this would have been my center piece. Can you imagine the devine fragrance of the room!! So, good.

On a final note and picture for the day, my puppy is turning into a big dog. He graduated from trainging classes and has almost all is adult teeth, they grow up so fast. hehe

yummy summer

Here are a few images from apartmenttherapy.com to get us in the mood for a RELAXING summer. So, far mine has been fabulous. How about yours?




P.S. I promise my project with the fabric is coming!

prints!

So, I was walking to the metro and noticed I looked a little unusual to say the least. First I was wearing a light blue printed dress, a green and orange printed bag, and crazy looking lunch box, and a pink paisley metro card holder. While not on purpose, I was demonstrating that I don't have one style, I like lots of different patters, colors, and such. Below are a smorgasbord of the prints around my house...the very first one is something you will be seeing in the next post!

Inspired!

So, with my busy weekends behind me (ha!) I'm ready for something fun on Saturday. I'm trying to decide between taking a crash course in knitting (which will be necessary for me to make the puppy his Christmas sweater!) Or going to this amazing find! Decisions, decisions....