Back in Seattle after three weeks in France and straight to the market. Live basil plant, gorgeous red sunflowers, and the good things of summer in the Pacific Northwest: berries, tomatoes, zucchini, sweet onions, peas.
Exciting, dealing with all this bounty! Don't want to waste even a minute clearing the countertop. Slice the tomatoes, top with chopped onions, fresh basil, olive oil, Russell's 532 seasoning (salt, pepper, mystery spice), olive oil, balsamic. Hmm, seems to be room in the center of the tray for another salad. Quick! Mushrooms, yellow pepper, avocado, rice-wine vinegar. Heaven.
Resolution for the rest of the summer: no processed foods. Nothing frozen or shrink-wrapped. To the extent possible, won't buy stuff that comes in a box, bottle or can. Exceptions for milk and yogurt containers. And wine.
Footnote about the Mother & Child sculpture in the kitchen foliage: it's a study for Frederick Littman's popular bronze fountain in Portland's Council Crest Park. Hey, there's the Basilique de Notre Dame in Vézelay, why not a Notre Dame du Basilic at home?
Wine is processed food! Never thought of that.
Don't forget the peaches and cherries -- both especially good this year.
Welcome home!
Yes, cherries & peaches. Also melons, bell peppers and corn. Sweet, sweet corn.
Wine, one could point out, is the original processed food. The naturally spontaneous alcoholic fermentation of the juice from ripe grapes results in a stable, potable liquid. Not so much "processed" as "preserved."
Yes, welcome back to the States and your no-processed-foods pledge (with wine exception) is a good one. Might I also recommend a trip to Iowa City sometime, where I've moved from L.A. so my wife can attend law school? The steak and pork you get at any joint-on-the-corner is as good as the best in Los Angeles, and the produce here is coming in hard--peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and yes, sweet, following the heels of amazingly good garlic, bok choy and berries. Sounds like you had fun in France and hope you enjoy summer in the Northwest. ...
Greater love hath no man than to move to Iowa. In summer, yet ! Cheers, Paul !
Ron,
Sylvia just spent a two week sojurn at the Optimum Health Institute in San Diego. Only raw food is the name of the game there. She is now determined to stick to her new diet and, of course, that will include me (to a certain extent). Great for dieting, skin complexion, other necessary health habits, prolonged sex life, (they say), temperment (if you can put up with this diet, you can put up with anything), liver spots, wrinkles, and other important issues.
More later, count on coming over for a raw food dinner soon.
Incidentally, if that note from 'Bubba' is real, my comment is that he is aptly named but don't cross him because he probably has shotgun rack in the cab of his beat up 1983 Ford pickup and beware of the dog, (I mean the four legged one, not his sister.)