Designing in Life

My New Favorite Tea

Iced Jasmine tea...it's what a hot summer is all about.

I found Jasmine Pearls at Trader Joes – you know, the grocery store that doesn't exist in Vermont.  Well what a surprise.  It makes the most aromatic tea you can possibly imagine.  The bags are full of jasmine flowers and puff up when steeped in their fancy little pyramid bags.  It's so refreshing.

My daughter, Beth was coming to Vermont, so I asked her to pick some up for me.  She wasn't able to find it , so bought the jasmine/green tea combo.  I always have a cup or two of hot tea when I get to work.  Guess what...this is my new favorite hot tea.

Do me a favor.  If you find 100% jasmine tea in a store, let me know what the brand is.  Maybe I won't have to drive 4 1/2 hours to buy it!

Sunday Breakfast

Actually, it's usually brunch because it's not made until after 10:00. (Hmm, is that when brunch starts?)  Usually there are over-easy eggs, toast and fruit. Occasionally we have Dakin Farm turkey bacon or a vegan sausage with the eggs.  This past weekend, however, I really wanted French toast.  Secretly though, I think I really wanted some good ole maple syrup.  Our neighbor has a little sugar shack that gets started up as soon as we have some sunny, above freezing days.  I sure am looking forward to the smell of the wood smoke coming from his sugar shack that is a sure sign that the weather is getting warmer!

Tofu

I know, I know...TOFU :-/  !!!  But hear me out.

My son-in-law Jim called me the other night to ask me if we got "Planet Green" on television.  We don't, or I just couldn't find it. Seems there was a program that featured a farm in Hardwick, Vermont, that makes "Vermont Tofu."  He and Beth found it pretty interesting.  I went online and read and watched it here.  Better yet, I went to the local co-op and bought some.

This was a maple-ginger flavored baked tofu, so it had a firm texture.  The flavor was mild and was perfect in the sauteed vegetables and veggie pot stickers with a Thai cilantro sauce that I made.  If you simmer the tofu in a sauce, it takes on that flavor.

My biggest tofu mistake?  Well just ask my daughter, Beth.  In the early days of tofu, before baked or flavored tofu was available, I made macaroni and "cheese" (with tofu) and served it for dinner.  Yeah, that went over well.

Times have changed and so has tofu.  Give it a try sometime.  If you think you might not like it, just use it in something spicy.  It really does take on the flavor of what your cooking and adds some protein to a dinner of vegetables. 

What's For Dinner

I got a phone call from Nick today.  He was on Glastanbury Mountain on the Long Trail.  He had just come down from the fire tower that is on the top.  Good cell phone service!  He had hiked 10 miles and was going to hike 3 more.  He had hoped to hike 6 more, but hey, it's his first day and let's face it, the first day is gruelish! 
So, what's for dinner?  I decided a nice Greek Salad was just what I wanted.  I did add a fresh ear of corn.  You should eat as much fresh corn as you can when it is available, because it's only fresh for a short period of time.

Ingredients

• 3 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 European seedless cucumber, cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chunked
• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chunked
• 1 cubanelle pepper, seeded and chunked
• 1 cup Kalamata black olives
• Several sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, about 1/2 cup
• 2 (1/4 pound) slices imported Greek feta
• 1/4 cup (a couple of glugs) extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons (3 splashes) red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed in palm of your hand
• Coarse salt and black pepper

Combine vegetables, olives, and parsley in a large bowl. Rest sliced feta on the top of salad. Combine oil, vinegar, and oregano in a small plastic container with a lid. Shake vigorously to combine oil and vinegar and pour over salad and cheese. Season with salt and pepper and let the salad marinate until ready to serve.

I'll keep you posted on Nick's where-abouts since some of you have asked me to do that.  I have to say that I so want to be on that trail with him.  I'm just glad that he wants to finish what he started several years ago.

Brunch, Anyone?

I think Brunch is a very civilized meal.  You get to have breakfast with a Bloody Mary or a Mimosa.  I mean really, what's more civilized than that?

It was a very nice morning on Sunday, so we set up our brunch table in the back yard.  Sally was here from Albany, NY helping our friend, Martha, with some catering the night before.  Shannon, Sal's daughter (twin Andrea was missing) was able to come along with Roger, Martha and Tom.  Nick took the picture.

I picked some flowers during my Friday garden tour and arranged them so that I could put them on the table outside.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, it's true that summer has finally arrived at our house.

After 3 or 4 dips in the pool during the day, a little yard work and some cleaning up from brunch, we settled later in the evening on the deck to watch a suspended sun dip into the west.  The only way I could capture it was through my sunglasses.

In the words of my late Uncle Paul..."this was my kind of day!"

Tea Anyone?

There is a new tea house that opened in Middlebury in the Marble Works.

Drinking tea in a tea house seems so ancient, yet civilized.  Although I haven't stopped in to enjoy some, I have passed by here often and noticed that many other people seem to be enjoying their cups of tea.

The tea master, or would that be brew master, was very friendly and excited about his new endeavor.

This marble table sits outside the tea house.  I have a marble Zen bench in the back yard and there are pieces of marble here at home that could probably be made into something like this.  Hmm, another project for another day.  I'm looking for someone to sit down here and have some lapsong suchong with me.  Any takers?

Busy, Busy and Busy

On Saturday I worked for my caterer friend Martha, aka – the other Martha.  She is a kitchen wonder and can create a culinary mountain out of a mole hill, so-to-speak.
The wedding was at the Town Hall Theater in Middlebury.  Here is what it looked like when we got the tables set up and some guests arrived.

The buffet was amazing.  It was a pasta lover's dream.  Four types of pasta with a multitude of different vegetables, meats and sauces.  Tomato vodka sauce, anyone?  Roasted garlic?  Sweet or hot sausage?  Pesto?  Alfredo sauce?  Clam sauce?  And on and on.  Here are some pictures.  They don't do the layout justice, but you'll get the flavor.

Roasted Garlic. Surrounding it we have pesto, roasted red peppers, scallions and sundried tomato pesto.

The metal square bowls that the hot food is in are so much more tasteful than traditional hotel pans.  They are still heated the same way.

There were small cards indicating what each of the plates, bowls  and dishes held.  Oh, and then there was the "cake."

Have you ever seen Little Debbi Zebra Cakes?  Well, I never have until now.  I didn't get a picture of the cake when I finished, but I put strawberries around and about and it really looked...interesting!  Apparently the bride and groom have a secret love of these and also chocolate milk, which they got from a nearby dairy and had us serve up with the "cake."

A fun wedding and a great time had by all – even by everyone who worked it!

We All Love Ice Cream

Uh Oh...I missed the free scoop day at Ben and Jerry's on April 21.  For anyone who wonders what that's all about, one day a year Ben and Jerry's gives free ice cream to anyone who goes into one of their scoop shops.  This year it was April 21.  So while I was basking in the beautiful Florida Sunshine with my pals, I was missing out...or was I?

Ben and Jerry's is located in Vermont.  I live in Vermont.  That's why their ice cream is extra special to me.  So, even though I missed free scoop day (did you?) I thought it might be fun to celebrate the day belatedly with two fun quizzes.  One you are deciding if the name they're giving you is from a retired B&J's flavor, or a band you found on My Space.  The second is deciding if the name is a retired B&J's flavor or a paint color.  One of the flavors is repeated, so you'll at least get 1 right.  Let me know how you do.  I recognized quite a few (what does that tell you about my ice cream consumption?)  And by the way, Nick made me buy the new "Chocolate Macadamia" which I had instead of dinner last night...excellent decision!

Speaking of chocolate, here is a picture of my friend Mary sitting on Forest Gump's bench in Savannah. 

Fiddleheads

Spring seems to be around the corner, or so it would    
seem with the warmer weather we're having this
week.  It has me thinking about fiddleheads, although it still is a bit too early for their arrival.  These early fern heads are usually good for picking some time in May.  They are known as the Ostrich Fern, and you can usually find them growing along rivers. (in Vermont, but maybe at your home too!)

The taste of a fiddlehead is between asparagus and spinach, but the flavor is more delicate.  The best way to cook them is to boil them, then saute' in a little oil/butter and a bit of garlic.  I've seen some recipes for pickling, but have never tried – although I've seen them sold this way in specialty stores.

So, in honor of these tasty little spring goodies, here is a very simple fiddlehead design.

A Beautiful Late Afternoon

What started out as a very chilly morning ended in a beautiful afternoon somewhere in the 50's.  I drove home with the window down, the warm sun shining in and looking at the Green Mountains. 

I know this picture is a bit blurry because I zoomed in, but I wanted you to see the new snow along the ridge between the Appalachian Gap to the left, and Mount Abe on the right.  Mount Abe is one of our favorite late summer/early fall hikes.  As you can see, spring hiking does not happen unless you're prepared for mud or snow.

If you are wondering what to have for your Easter breakfast, Joy the Baker suggests

a Dutch Baby with Orange Sugar.  I haven't had one in years, but I remember how wonderful they are – and since I live in Vermont, I can make one with real maple syrup.