Berlin's Whimsy

Essential Spring Photos.

It's spring, requiring a short walk to the nearby goat farm. 

On the farm, plump-bellied milk goats are delivering babies nearly every day this time of year. 

And along with the playful "kids," we found a grunty little piglet. She could easily take the prize in a 'Wilbur' look alike contest. She stole all our hearts!

It seems the pulse of the life is palpable everywhere this time of year. And for that I'm grateful and happy to wish Earth a happy Earth Day.

Going Green.

 

It seems this part of the country is the last to go Green. As in Spring Green. We live in the desert amongst the sagebrush and junipers. Our temperatures reach up towards spring, stretching on tippy-toes with outstretched fingers during the day; however, during the night, those temperatures recede and the night frost creeps back, placing a firm hand on all that might dare to bud forth or peek out of the brown ground.

Therefore, I find my green wherever I can these early spring days. Is it Spring Fever, this attraction to Green? Searching out Green tea blends and fat Green artichokes...

The markets are full of the perfectly Green asparagus. The white variety (spargel) has its delicate charm but give me Green instead.

So, as the rest of the country Greens up, I'll continue to mix Green arugula into pale pasta and wait for our own Greening to occur, slowly.

A Spring Picnic with Quiche (and Basic Quiche Recipe).

Play along with me...

Sitting on the patchwork picnic blanket, set upon as yet green grass on an early spring afternoon amidst sun breaks and the sense of the surrounding fragile awakening of fertile earth, it's a spring picnic.

And on the horizon the deep violet clouds threaten your precarious soiree but they hold back for now. Upon the blanket, made up of flowery orange and pale blue calicoes, the picnic is set out. A crow sits hungrily overhead, bold and presumptuous from a winter spent with meager pickings, he eyes your food. Out of the picnic basket comes that special goat cheese you impulsively bought last week at the specialty food store after you took a small sample and wanted more. You smirk at the memory, recalling how hungry you were at the time. Along with this cheese are crispy crackers----the kind for special occasions. Like this. And a bottle of chardonnay, since we're dreaming. 

While uncorking and pouring the wine, the seemingly distant clouds emit snowflakes that travel through the spotty sunshine; they are bits of fluttery white, like faeries who surreptitiously join your picnic. 

But since it's spring, early spring, you expected this---even welcomed it, for the delicacy of spring and its capricious behavior adds a beguiling allure to a picnic. 

And after enjoying the cheese and crackers, the sips of wine, and a spicy green salad, the picnic's showcase arrives: the Quiche you made the night before. Its deep-hued yellow custard cradles flecks of spring chard, sweet squares of ham, and a medley of cream and cheese captured in a golden crust that frames the Quiche like a ruffled halo. As you take small bite after small bite, a spring gust lifts your hair as if to whisper secrets in your ear of the summer yet to come... A tingle runs down your spine and you feel alive and open to new possibilities... A spring picnic. 

Basic Quiche formula: With this basic filling formula, you can customize your Quiche to your own taste, or whatever you might have on hand. I have a few suggestions at the bottom of this post---use your imagination!

This is the whole shebang, which means I included my favorite savory tart/quiche recipe with my method for preparing it. However, if you don't have time to make your own crust (heaven forbid!), a store-bought variety will suffice.

A sturdy and tasty Quiche Crust

Ingredients:

2 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

9 T. unsalted cold butter, cut into a dice

2 large egg yolks

1/4 C. ice water

Method: In a large enough bowl to really get your hands in there, add the flour and salt. Cut the butter into the flour using either your fingers (my preferred method: I rub the butter into the flour with my fingers), two knives, or a pastry blender. Whisk the egg yolks into 3 T. of the water (reserve the last T., only adding it if you need to). Sprinkle the egg/water mixture over the flour and using a large fork, toss the water around into the flour. Using your hands, knead the dough just two times to bring it together somewhat. Pour the mixture out onto a cool surface and knead a couple more times. Check the dough's consistency. Is the dough moist enough? It should justcome together with some of the flour not incorporated (and that's okay). It should not fall apart if you pinch it, however. If it is still too crumbly and won't come together, sprinkle on the last T. of water (or more, if needed) and knead that in. Don't over-knead, though! Form the dough into a disk and wrap securely in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Pull out the dough and on a floured surface, roll the dough into a circle that is larger than your pie plate. Place the dough into the pie plate and freeze for at least 30 minutes (at this point, you can wrap the dough up and keep it frozen for future use). In fact, if I were more industrious, I would have a few of these in my freezer to pull out at will.

Prebake the Quiche crust: In a 450 degree oven, bake the crust for 15 minutes.

The Quiche Filling

While the Quiche's crust bakes, mix together the filling.

4 large eggs

1 C. half & half

1/2 C. cream

2/3 C. grated Jarlsberg cheese

1/2 C. grated cheddar

1/8 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4. powdered mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C. add ins (see below for ideas)

Method: Whisk together the eggs, half & half, cream, and seasonings. Set aside a few gratings of cheese to sprinkle on top. Over the prebaked crust, sprinkle the cheeses and the add ins. Pour the filling over it all and sprinkle a little cheese on top.  Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees and then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for at least another 25 minutes. The Quiche is done when the middle no longer sloshes around but rather jiggles with the rest of the mass. If the crust begins to brown too much, cover with a guard or tin foil. Let cool a bit before enjoying.

Possible Add-ins----

The one Pictured: Sauteed Kale with garlic (chopped very fine), diced ham. Also, could be spinach and ham.

French: Diced sun-dried tomatoes and sauteed arugula and instead of cheddar, add fresh chevre into the filling until combined.

Herb: Sauteed Arugula with fresh parsley, thyme, chervil, and marjoram.

Spicy Version: Roasted Diced Red Potatoes, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, alternate Monterrey Jack Cheese for the Jarlsberg.

Southwestern: Diced roasted peppers, shredded roast chicken, Santa fe spice mixture.

Ocean: Lump crab meat, a bit of Old Bay Spice.

My Daughter's Tree.

When my daughter was three, she told me an old tree near her school spoke to her. I'm not sure if she remembers the tree now---the improbable childhood magic unfolding into the logic of adulthood within her----but I thought of the memory today when she played in her newest favorite tree at a local park.

And what a glorious tree it was! Its bark nearly reached out to us with welcoming steps, offering itself up for any adventurous kid (or big kid) to climb up into its heights. 

As we played and discovered the tree's branches, I wondered what this tree has witnessed in its lifetime; how many memories has this tree created. I wondered if this tree would "talk" to my daughter by adding a sense of natural stability as she quickly transitions into the unknowns of adolescence.

Discussing colors.

On the way home from school, my kids & I discussed color. My kids discussed which color was "best" and why. My son's favorite color is red. He told us why red was the best color: it's a primary color, Christmas color, part of our national flag, a lucky color in some cultures, and it's the color of our blood. My daughter likes blue and she explained why: it's also part of our flag, it can be a Christmas color, it is a primary color----do you see a pattern forming here?----and it's the color of the ocean and the sky. We talked about the special things in life that wear my kids' favorite colors: apples, cherries, and strawberries; blueberries, robin's eggs, and blue birds.  

And I thought about color in nature---how certain colors are ubiquitous (though still beautiful), such as green and gray. By contrast, other colors can startle when found in the muted colors of nature, such as the fragile light blue of a robin's egg against the drab colors of a bird's nest, or the color of the blue jellyfish valella velella when blown ashore on a tan sandy beach.

I received a gift certificate for my favorite local knitting store at Christmas (thanks to my beau) and cashed it in today on color. One of my all-time favorites, a certain shade of light blue: close to robin's egg blue but with a tad more green or the color of a tropical paradise's warm waters... When I saw the yarn, I knew it must come home with me. And when I returned to my car with my children fresh from school, the discussion of color began because of this yarn. 

I now reflect on our discussion of color as I contemplate future painting (of the house variety) and crafting projects (of the knitting variety)...

December weekend.

The snow finally drifted upon us this weekend. The accumulation wasn't much, but it was enough to remind us that it is truly December. It was enough for children to escape the confines of their interiors to go out into the flaky December night to play in the first snow. Sisters were hit with snowballs and brothers were ganged up on by sisters and their friends. Laughter was hushed only slightly by the gentle snow. 

 

The next morning spent in butter and sugar heaven:

Monkey Bread. Again.

 

And the previous night's snow clouds gave way to sunlight again. Alas.

 

Evenings were spent enjoying the soft light from our Christmas tree. 

Delicate.

I enjoy the delicate details of the holiday season---of winter. Snowflakes, both handmade and formed by nature.

Frosting bits here and there with sprinkles of sugar.

The thoughts of friends that spark new creations.

Winter light still shining. 

In the end...

Helen Keller: "The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature."

 

I believe this because only then does one feel all the simple beauty that life has to offer devoid of man-made distractions. 

Truly, I meant to write more here this week-----to look up heavenly words and fit them all together into this puzzle of a blog, but I didn't. Instead, my life is coming together in vivid reality and my words cannot keep up... Soon, I promise.

Into the Night.

 

So much are we tied to our routines in my family that a simple adventure under the cover of darkness means excitement for not only my kids but for me, too. Even an evening trip to the library at the dark hour of 7 PM seems like such an adventure beyond the norm. I understand the prevalence of ambivalent feelings in regards to  the upcoming shorter days of sunshine but I also enjoy the mystery that darkness provides as it creeps steadily into our daily lives.

Another favorite adventure of ours is a Night Walk. We buckle up our dog and head out onto our streets to discuss the day's happenings while peering up at the stars, the moon, and into the night. There is something very magical about a Night Walk as compared to a walk in the daylight hours. It's as if our conversations are encapsulated by the dark into a small bubble, just between us, rather than dispersed into the light of the day.

Our previous Night Walks always included the wide open expanse of the beach with the nearby roar and crash of the ocean, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that even a Night Walk amongst the suburbs of our landlocked city still provided the enchantment of our previous adventures.

So, I say shake things up a bit and adventure into the winter's coming night... I hope that one day this winter I'll revisit one of my all-time favorite memories of the night: cross country skiing by moonlight in the quiet hush of the snow...

Tagged. Along with Oregon.

These last few months, I've been tagged by readers for memes and I must extend a huge apology if I didn't acknowledge your recognition here---please know that I read your comments and tags but sometimes life does not allow me to pursue them.

Tara of Designonpost tagged me recently and I finally had the time and space to follow through with her challenge...

Here's the deal... Grab the nearest book. Open the book to page 56. Find the fifth sentence. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions: Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST. Tag five other people to do the same.

(Considering my lameness in following through with my tags, I just cannot tag another blogger in good conscience----though, I'd love to read your entries, so please do play along and leave me a comment, too!)...

Here's my entry from my closest book these days: East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Page 56, 5th sentence:

"He developed a love for poor people he could not have conceived if he had not been poor himself."

(Wow, how fitting is that sentence? Again, John Steinbeck is my man)...

And for the second portion of Tara's tag: Post some “sparklies” (bright spots in life in the midst of all the “bad news” out there).

Frankly, I find the bright spots in my life each and every day (I wouldn't have survived my divorce without this capability) but for this challenge I will extend my most heartfelt attempt to share the bright spots that are relevant here...

1) Fall colors. For me, the most distracted step outside my front door is interrupted by the flaming orangish-yellow colors of a crab apple tree in my front yard that has miraculously transformed to flames... 

2) Music. I mentioned this weeks ago: my aversion to the news these days (even my beloved NPR). Yep, call me all the wimpy names in the book, I just cannot handle listening to dire news of late (and I've listened to the news since I graduated from high school some 20 years ago)...

3) The Library. There probably isn't a list of loves here on my blog without a mention of the library. I feel that the library is like a secret gift... Any trip to the library is a special one indeed, with all of the words, images, and information right at our fingertips for free...

4) Circumstance. I won't go into details but I'm thankful for the circumstances that allow me to work at a job I love that pays me very little money (for now). Whenever I finish a big project with beautiful and flavorful food as a result, I cannot help but feel so much grattitude for this short-lived opportunity...

5) The great state of Oregon. I've lived elsewhere but I've never felt at home there. Thank goodness for a state that provides the colors of fall; beaches of contemplation and creativity; intellect enough to consider; snow and coziness; wide open spaces and cultural distractions; piercings and tattoos; forward -thinking public school systems; hippies, hipsters, and yuppies; idealists; great colleges; food to savour and explore; eating local; chefs and upstart farmers; mountains that can kill you; and opportunities to grow into who you really want to be. I'm truly an Oregon girl through and through (though, I've long held a secret desire to move to Portland, Maine, but you'll have to convince me first). ;-)!