Each Little World

Merry Christmas to us!

It was a chilly, grey day on Wednesday when Mark and I went downtown to sign our wills and a "durable power of attorney for financial management" document. Mark and I figured out that the first time the two of us sat down and started to talk about getting a will was 12 years ago. Every time the subject came up, it always seemed too confusing and frustrating so we kept putting it off.

But Mark's A-fib event in April and some sudden serious health issues among close friends finally spurred us to do it. I have to say it is a wonderful feeling to know that it's all done and witnessed and signed, along with our health care power of attorney documents. We don't have to wonder and worry about those aspects of our future any longer. It's a lovely Christmas gift to each other.

To celebrate finally getting this big step out of the way, we took advantage of being on State Street and lunched at the wonderful Himal Chuli. Mark had Cauli, our favorite variation of Takari, aka "fresh vegetables stewed with turmeric, coriander, cumin, fresh garlic and ginger." Cauli features cauliflower, carrots and peas.

But this time I opted for the combination platter (above and below): Two meat-filled momos with a tomato coriander sauce (right), one samosa, roti (bread) and a cup of dal (soup). Samosas are veggie pastries filled with onions, potatoes and peas in a blend of Nepali herbs. They're served with yogurt sauce.

Himal Chuli was the first Nepali restaurant in the country when it opened in the 1980s. Today it is a stalwart of State Street. And there is nowhere with food as comforting or an atmosphere more welcoming, especially on a cold winter day. 

Lunch was followed by shopping at The Soap Opera, a stop to check out some of the new art books at the downtown public library and a visit to MMoCA. The Joel Shapiro bronzes were stunning and may be the largest sculptures I've ever seen inside a museum. Our last stop was a visit with good ol' Frida.

Kahlo's painting, "Pitahayas," is part of the museum's permanent collection and we've seen it many times over the years. In MMoCA's former State St. iteration, I loved the room at the top of the stairs that typically showcased work from their permanent collection. I would always make a point of seeing what was on display and visiting favorite pieces like "Pitahayas" while they were out to be enjoyed. 

This time, "Pitahayas," was on the 2nd floor of the museum, outside the main gallery featuring Shapir's sculptures. It was all alone in a small darkened room with a staff member keeping vigil. Somehow this special showing didn't feel right. Kahlo never struck me as an artist who wanted her work to be enshrined in a darkened room like icons from a dead saint. Still, it was a treat to visit it again. A lovely end to a memorable day.    

Recent Reads: One for the holidays

When I first became aware of blogs in the early 2000s, all the bloggers I followed lived in the United Kingdom. They were bakers and gardeners and knitters and cooks and above all, readers of books. It's on those blogs that I discovered so many books and authors that were new to me and have since become favorites. It's also where I found Persephone Books which I've written about so many times that I made it a category on my blog

I still read many of those blogs, though not as often. But every time I visit I learn about a new book that I want to read. My latest discovery is "The Christmas Chronicles: Notes, stories and essential recipes for midwinter" by Nigel Slater. Slater is described as an "award-winning author, journalist and television presenter." He's also written a food column for the Observer, a UK newspaper, for 25 years. I knew his name but that's about all. I had not come across this book locally and thus took a chance and ordered it sight unseen. I could not be more pleased with the result of my leap of faith as I found the book to be much richer than its title implies.

The book does not have a dust jacket; instead there's a nice fabric cover with gold and a ribbon page marker. There are lots of food photos as well as holiday store windows, Christmas trees, Advent calendars and the like. The pages are bright white with type that's easy to read and recipes printed in a size that is useful — though the measurements are all metric. There's an index in the back so you can easily find a recipe but no table of contents.

Instead the book opens with a generous introductory essay and then offers a daily dose from November 1st until February 2nd aka Candlemas Day. That was always a church-going occasion when we were growing up. But now the recipe for "Lemon, orange and basil ice" and Slater's description of a snowy morning in Japan are of much more interest to me. Since Slater was generally unknown to me, I looked him up online and discovered that he also has a lovely garden behind his house. A dreamy garden (below) to say the least, if you are an Anglophile like me. 

I found Slater to be a witty, opinionated, knowledgeable and amusing writer. He describes looking at bare trees in winter "when they are at their most peaceful . . . like watching a loved one asleep." Or how about this: "The flavors of winter come at us like paper-wrapped presents in a Christmas stocking." And then he goes on for half a page enumerating those flavors and fragrances. Each evening I sit in front of my fire and read that day's entry. I'm not sure if I will ever make any of Slater's recipes but the text is evocative enough to satisfy my needs. 

Nigel Slater portrait by 4th Estate; the other photos are from Wiki

Since  we''re already at the end of November, you will have missed reading a third of the book if you follow along day-by-day the way I am. But then just think of all that you will have to enjoy next November when you pull it off the shelf and open it again. Reading this could easily become an annual holiday tradition. 

NOTE: Since I bought this book in September, I have seen it in the holiday listings of a number of independent bookstores. So I would first check with your favorite local bookstore before you go online.   

Cold weather means time to cook

Cold and snow mean only one thing to me and that is cooking. It's the perfect time to try new recipes. Last night we made Ina Garten's Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts. Since we were enjoying a nice meal together we didn't take any photos. The recipe and a video of Ina making this dish can be found here. The sprouts were tasty and the quickest, easiest way I've ever prepared them. I've done a shredded Brussels sprouts slaw now and then, but Mark announced this version was his favorite out of all the ways we've had this veggie over the years. 

We also made Ina's Tuscan Roasted Potatoes and Lemon for the second time in a week or so. This image and copy of the recipe below are all I could find online. We decided that her cooking time was longer than needed in this recipe. Thirty to forty minutes was what we did. The potatoes were crisp on the outside and meltingly smooth on the inside. The flavor was subtle; just a whisper of lemon and rosemary. 

I'm a big fan of Garten but I don't slavishly follow her lead. My rule when cooking most Ina Garten recipes is to cut back on the fats and salt. She is way too liberal with both for my taste and health. Otherwise they're perfect and perfectly delicious.

Wordless Wednesday

The first day of 2018

The guests have departed, the dishes are done and the hosts are drowsing by the fire. Another lovely New Year's spent with friends from our local EVP coffee shop sharing smoked salmon, lox, bagels and bubbly at our house to get the year off to the best possible start.

For once, we actually took a few photos so I can remember what we ate and how I managed to squeeze that much food onto our kitchen counters!

Wednesday vignette

On our way up to Stout's Island Lodge in July, we stopped in Eau Claire at Caradori Pottery. We first discovered David Caradori at the old Cambridge Pottery Festival. We bought our first pieces of his work at the festival and later made stops at his shop in Eau Claire and also visited his home to see his personal pottery collection. 

Caradori's a fan of Japanese tea bowls and has worked with the esteemed Japanese potter, M. Kusakabe, so he and Mark immediately hit it off. These are sake containers made by Caradori which we brought home from our stop at his shop. Their lids turn into little cups for drinking. Perfect for an autumn afternoon in our Tea House.

We usually sit on cushions on the floor when we're in the Tea House. The Yanagi butterfly stool is as much a sculpture as seat and we rarely actually use it. Mostly just enjoy its crisp lines contrasted with the rough stucco walls.

In a vase on Monday: flowers, food and books

Mark's book club, aka The Community of Reason, meets once a month on a Sunday morning. I am a bit of a fair weather member and only attend when I'm not otherwise engaged or I am particularly interested in the book. This month the book was "Janesville: An American Story" by Amy Goldstein of the Washington Post, which I'd read earlier this year and had recommended to the group. Since I knew we'd be sitting in the living room, I put together this quick arrangement for the coffee table that we would all be gathered around. These lilies (L. lancifolium flore pleno) have been a real joy, they've been blooming for weeks and still have a few more buds left to open. We ate the delicious Michigan peaches later that afternoon. 

One of the members of the book group who has a beautiful garden brought me this bouquet. A bit difficult to see but I love how the colors picked up the same  tones in the ceramic platter behind them. 

I put this little quickie together to enjoy while I worked in the kitchen Sunday afternoon after everyone had gone home. I roasted and froze another batch of Roma tomatoes and onions all pre-weighed for winter soup, made the green beans with olives and marinated beet salad from the NYTimes and this fabulous curried chick pea salad which I have been making once a week for the last few weeks. It's prime produce season and I am really trying to take advantage of all the delicious things available at our farmers' markets. 

I'm joining Cathy from Rambling in the Garden who hosts this Monday meme. I often make bouquets but I try not to miss this great floral outpouring each week. You can see what other gardeners have created here.

. . . 

 

If you are looking for a great book on contemporary politics, community and economic issues, I'd suggest "Janesville." Here's the review of it that I posted on Good Reads:

Like "Evicted," this is another important book coming out of Wisconsin. Ostensibly this is the story of the General Motors (GM) plant closing in Janesville from the announcement in 2008 right up till now. Author Amy Goldstein, as a Washington Post reporter and a member of a Pulitzer team, proves eminently suited to see this event from the aspect of personal stories as well as following the ever-widening ripple of repercussions that fateful decision has on the larger community.

In one sense this is another depressing story and yet the former GM workers and the town are determined to somehow overcome this dramatic change in their fortunes. The auto workers and their families, the educators, social workers and community activists we meet are hard working, sacrificing and inspiring on every level. The politicians and business leaders are folks who we already know like Paul Ryan and Diane Hendricks of ABC Supply Co. Golstein gives all sides in this story, often right from the horses’ mouths as it were. We can damn the participants or praise them based on their own words and actions. 

The hardest part of “Janesville” is not watching folks struggle to stay afloat and find new jobs. It’s the analysis and statistics that Goldstein amasses in half a dozen years covering this story that point to a critical misconception about how to retrain factory workers for new careers, whether they can be retrained and what the new work and pay will be. The government essentially has one plan and this book says it’s not working. Whether anyone is listening is the big question. 

I found this to be a great read and so much more worthy of my time than “Hillbilly Elegy.” It's been days since I finished it and I can't get these folks out of my mind.

Olbrich's Spring Show: Good enough to eat!

Spring Flower Show: Banquets of Blooms

March 11-26, 2017

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily

Show Admission: $3 for adults (ages 13 & up), $2 for children ages 3 to 12, and children 2 and under are free.

It's also free for Olbrich Botanical Society members. 

. . .

The staff at Olbrich Botanical Gardens always pulls out all the creative stops when it comes to their annual spring floral event. Of course, it's a real boost just to walk into a room filled with the scent and color of flowers in March in Wisconsin, but this year's display goes way beyond mere floral beauty. It is a clever, creative and utterly charming spring show. (Do double click to enlarge the pictures so you can enjoy the details.)

This year's theme of "Banquet of Blooms" is exemplified in a myriad of settings. The center of the room is designed for cooking with herbs and edible flowers in a kitchen complete with a vintage stove, sink, and cupboard full of cookbooks and tools. There are multiple locations for enjoying drinks and dinner in the garden as well as beautifully detailed recreations and imaginations of food made out of natural materials. This has to be one of the most labor-intensive spring shows the garden has done with hundreds of small-scale items created for decoration, dining and "eating" everywhere you look.

The addition of this Guy Wolff terra cotta rhubarb forcing pot from 2002 says to me that this display was created by gardeners who grow their own food and cook it! Such a telling detail. 

Pool party!!!

The flowers and greenery are sometimes grouped in contrasting color arrangements and in others, the flowers flow in tones from pale peach to corals and pinks fading into lavender. This particular display of flowers took my breath away until I saw the table they encircled.

Note the silverware and the "flourless chocolate cake."

Below is the dreamy dinning table that won my heart. I think Olbrich should sell raffle tickets as a fund-raising benefit with the prize being the staff recreating this magical willow structure in the winner's garden. 

 

This coming Sunday, March 26, is the last day to see Olbrich's Spring Flower Show. This is one you won't want to miss!

Milwaukee mini vac

Mark and I made a quick trip to Milwaukee late last week to see the Helen Levitt exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Subtitled "In the Street," it's a broad look at Levitt's career and even includes her early color slide images (via a slide projector). There's also a fabulous film Levitt made that is like looking at her prints come to life. The exhibit is on display until April 16 if you live in the area. That's Mark snapping his reflection in a work from MAM's permanent collection (below).

We stayed downtown at The Plaza Hotel and walked over to MAM. Despite the snow you see below, the sidewalks were mostly clear and dry, the sky was blue and there was no wind, making for a very pleasant walk to the museum.

Even a short walk in Milwaukee reminds us of what a small city Madison really is by comparison. 

No matter how many times we've been to MAM, we always spend time appreciating the building's dramatic exterior (below) before we go inside.

"Paper Play: Kindergarten to Contemporary Art," included a brief film showing the artist putting this work together.

We allowed time to see our favorite art works, the new shows and to check out the addition to the museum which we had not yet seen. There are now some great views out to Lake Michigan.

The next day the sky wasn't quite as blue but we managed to find lots of color everywhere we went. 

Getting a demo at Design Within Reach. I am hot for these lights and wanted to see them in person and for Mark to see them! They are are waterproof and can be removed from their charging base, be put out in the garden and remain glowing for quite a few hours. You can set them for a particular color or let them rotate through the spectrum. 

The vintage cafe in The Plaza Hotel is my favorite breakfast spot in the city, for the food and that classic deco decor. In the summer, you can dine outside in the courtyard that you can see through the windows at the rear. Even when we stay elsewhere, I demand breakfast at The Plaza Cafe.

We used to always try to fit in everything we wanted to do and see in Milwaukee into one day. Lately we've started turning it into a mini vacation by staying overnight. We get to enjoy everything at a slower pace. And since we were not driving we could have a drink before dinner at the yummy Zarletti Italian restaurant . . .

and a nightcap after dinner to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at Buckley's Restaurant and Bar. 

Then out into the dark for the walk back to The Plaza. Another great day in Milwaukee.

 

The Equinox is obvious

I don't need a calendar to tell me what time of year it is. The signs are everywhere I look. 

We've had just enough beautiful days this month to send the late season flowers into glorious good looks: Trycirtis 'Tojen' (above) and Cimicifuga (below).

And more than enough wind and rain to make many things look tired and tattered.

Seedheads are bursting open.

Honey locust pods are coming down everywhere, something they will continue to do until next Spring. They crash through Hosta leaves and crush the last ferns and even found a home on this rock whose glittering Mica flakes are disappearing under a coating of lichens.

The first colorful leaves are down.

And Arum italicum 'Ghost' is popping up as it does once the weather begins to cool. This will become a big clump and look beautiful until the snow buries it.

But the most reliable sign of the seasonal switch is that fact that all I feel like doing is cooking and eating. Bulbs and plants will be arriving in the mail any day but it's too wet to garden. Usually we're hoping for rain at this point in the year but we're above normal for rainfall and rain is forecast for 7 of the next 8 days. Hunkering down in the kitchen is the only thing to do. That's where you'll find me until the rain stops and the sun comes out again.

(Rice pudding with fresh grated ginger root).