doubleginger

happy equinox!

2010-03-20T13:40:35Z

hi! to usher in a season of such possibility and growth, i thought i'd share a few things: a favorite springtime egg dish and a mix, early blooms fennel eggs to make this dish, there are only three steps: the fennel is caramelized on the stovetop, the eggs are prepared in a separate skillet, and then the assembled dish is placed in the oven for about 5 minutes. the result is a herbal-infused omelet with a taste right between winter (gruyère) and summer (fennel): SPRING! 4 eggs a small chunk of gruyère, grated a large fennel bulb 2 tbsp olive oil butter to caramelize the fennel, first trim the bulb and remove tough outer layers, then slice in half vertically and cut into ⅛-inch slices. sauté in the olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. when the fennel is tender & caramelized, remove from heat and season with salt & pepper. preheat the oven to 350°f and prepare the eggs. i use a little butter to make my omelet; others swear by olive oil. whichever you use, be sure to undercook the eggs a little since they end up in the oven. once cooked, use an ovenproof dish to layer, alternating the omelet, fennel, and gruyère. it may seem like a ton of fennel, but i recommend using the whole bulb - it tastes like spring. trust. i wind up with two layers when using a 6-inch gratin dish. cook for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. i really enjoy this with an ezekiel english muffin and some coffee, like this amazing blend from my local roaster, counter culture. serves 2, or you can double/triple/quadruple the recipe and have all your friends over. hope your spring is full of sunshine, love & fun!

a belated eulogy

2010-03-11T09:28:54Z

this is dedicated to my grandfather, beach, whom i lost a few days after the new year. i'm only beginning to realize the impact that witnessing his last breath had on me. when he died, the color seemed to escape from the world momentarily. that space, the colorless world, held no shape, contained no sounds. but shortly after, when the sounds and colors returned, they were as vibrant as they'd ever been, and amazingly, they still are - so much more than i remember them being before. i think he'd be glad to know that.

hello, MMX

2009-12-31T19:36:46Z

it wasn't a perfect year, 2009. there were many uncertainties, tears, and sleepless nights. but, alongside these imperfections was so much joy, and not infrequently (and just as welcomed), humility - the kind that results from letting go and opening one's heart, washing the falsities and fears away. sharing love, falling asleep with the moonlight painting my quilt, pillows, and face. pressing forward, forgiving, keeping silent in the most productive way possible. here i am; i am 30. i am learning so much, still. and we are all together. let's usher in this new decade and make 2010 something special. happy new year! xo

favorite things

2009-12-18T11:21:06Z

today we are hoping for snow here in north carolina. at least i am. what a few months it has been. the semester wrapped up on tuesday and i have been luxuriating in the quiet and slowness. today's agenda includes taking a bath & reading. maybe i will make some hot chocolate and watch the snowflakes fall later. i wanted to share a few lovely material-things today, which make me think of holidays and parties, surrounded by friends & good cheer: a dress a hat a bubbly happy friday!

come, december

2009-12-01T18:33:12Z

the turning of november into december: relief. possibility. peace and calm. i am viewing greys as silvers and browns as golds. already planning post-schoolwork projects (shhhh... don't tell!): -salted chocolate caramel-making -clementine meyer lemon marmalade-canning -wreathmaking -bathroom painting (what color do you think?) hope the beginning to your december is feeling magical.

a recipe for the fog

2009-10-12T20:45:52Z

so characteristic of autumn, my mind is cloudy and the fog is thick. though compounded by being nearly halfway through the semester, the summer-into-autumn cloud is a constant in my life and i cannot blame school. i find myself dragging my feet, forgetting my thermos, skipping meals, not stopping to look at the sky, and then, poof - it's mid-october. i realize that it is time to make a list in order to not forget the recent good: -successfully foraged for two varieties of persimmons, american and tanenashi. giving them as gifts, making pudding, eating them with prosciutto, olive oil & balsamic. i have many more to use, so if you have recipes, please share. -making a new friend in town and rediscovering the coziness of the world & a feeling of deep interconnectedness among us all. -started reading the gift. so far it is truly wonderful. -biking to school in the a.m. - pedaling quickly in the early light of morning. to quote walt whitman: i inhale great draughts of space, the east and the west are mine, and the north and the south are mine. -seeing andrew bird and st. vincent last week. this song was the most beautiful of the night & was their duet. lastly, i have a recipe for you and these upcoming chilly nights. build yourself a fire, heat up some cider (and i recommend spiking it with bourbon or rye...) and make this bread. if you can't get your hands on persimmons, i think that pear puree would do quite nicely. persimmon bread adapted from james beard's beard on bread 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup sugar ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten 1/3 cup bourbon or whiskey (i used rye and it was heavenly) 1 cup persimmon puree (from about 1-2 very ripe fuyu, hachiya, tanenashi, or other variety) 1 cup diced dried fruits (such as raisins, apricots, cranberries, and/or cherries) preheat oven to 350°f. butter 9-inch loaf pan and line with parchment. sift the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. make a well in the center then gently stir in the eggs, butter, liquor, persimmon puree, and then the dried fruits. do not over-stir. bake for about 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean from the center. now it's time to let the fog settle and spend the evening with your love, curled on the couch. this bread will keep for about a week, but i doubt it will last that long. happy autumn!

rounds

2009-08-19T10:13:41Z

today it begins, i suppose: my life as a graduate student starts with a round of introductions to my new research team late this afternoon. tomorrow, unc orientation. friday, more meetings. monday, sils orientation. and then finally, tuesday, classes begin. instead of going on about how excited i am, or how the butterflies in my belly are multiplying by the hour, i would like to tell you about my commitment: continue to spend the majority of mornings, even with my new schedule, full of flowers, with coffee in real mugs, at the table. some days i know it will be a muffin in some parchment and my trusty thermos nissan, dashing into my 8:00am class. but these mornings of slowness, npr, warm breakfasts - mornings where the sound seems to come from the colors, and s's hand is within reach - i need them. nothing can replace that peace, revealed in the softness of the warm wood of my table and the whistling of the kettle on the stove. every now and then i may need reminding, friends. hope you have a nice day.

8: a little scene.

2009-08-11T14:50:01Z

hi there. i am happy with this photo i snapped this morning. beside the fact that it contains some of my very favorite art & beloved objects, to me it has a quality that is almost diorama-esque. i love telling a little story without giving too much information; the few details we present can reveal quite a bit, don't you agree? you can see a couple of pictures i took last year in the same spot here and here. the light of september evenings vs. this morning's light - what incredible differences in feeling. tomorrow is s's birthday, and there is still a cake to be baked, gifts to be wrapped, and a breakfast to be planned. i am so lucky to have found such a wonderful companion, and i want to make his day really lovely, from dawn to dusk. more soon. until then, i hope your evening is splendid.

tender

2009-08-07T00:00:00Z

hi friends. thank you all for your previous comments and emails. this afternoon i am looking forward to seeing a dear friend, one whom i'd lost touch with for many months. spending time with her now enables me to get to know her all over again, and i feel that the potential for seeing someone i already 'know' in new and different ways is really quite important. to continually strive to take notice of the ever-changing & subtle details - and thus to challenge any stagnant or unhelpful assumptions i may have - is how i am going to try to approach all of my relationships, both new and old. letting that person, and our relationship, grow. speaking of growing... i am definitely looking forward to this new book by nigel slater. you can watch him talk about his inspiration for the book here. what a gem. also, have you heard about god help the girl? i think they are just so fun. have a listen here if you'd like. i am planning on getting an early start tomorrow: farmers' market, meditation, and a lingering breakfast at the wooden table you see above. i will see you next week. until then, i hope you all have a happy weekend! xox

an abbreviated, but much overdue, list

2009-06-02T17:45:26Z

so much goodness: -camped on an island full of wild horses on the coast a few weeks back. -admitted to graduate school and am beginning this fall. -last friday was my last day of work after being there for four years! -our csa rules hard. strawberries for weeks on end! -house-cleaning and purging: am posting some vintage clothes and other treats on ebay soon and will let you know when i do. -so grateful for my wonderful boyfriend, who also happens to be my best friend.