The whole plant, from the root which is commonly roasted or shaved raw, to the willowy green fennel fronds that look like dill, to these pretty little blooms, is edible. During our last visit my Mom snipped off a few of these fennel flowers and I placed them into one of my favorite vases - a lilac Heath Ceramics bud vase.
Read MoreThe Pincushion Protea flower (formally known as Leucospermum) is a sight for sore eyes. The contrast of the Pincushion's soft ribbons and pointy 'pins' makes for a pretty stunning stem. Varieties are available in orange, coral, pink, red, yellow and everything in between.
Read MoreEvery winter I'm tempted by the stock of fresh local Dungeness crab in the markets. For one reason or another (usually the exorbinant cost), I've never pulled the trigger and purchased. This year was different - the sea stars aligned and the crab were fat and plentiful which meant that I could buy this little luxury without breaking the bank.
Read MoreIf there is one takeaway I have from years of making chili, it's that you really have to try to mess it up. Cooking chili is more of an art than a science. Everyone has their preference of bean to meat ratio, the type of onions used, whether to go with red bell peppers or yellow, etc. But in the end, after a good long simmer, it's all tasty.
Read MoreJam Thumbprints are one of my top three favorite cookies - this is only meaningful because the number of cookies I have consumed in my lifetime is great. This is a classic shortbread style cookie - just butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, salt. I will look for any excuse to make these cookies. So when I decided to have a few friends over for dinner, it seemed like the perfect post-dinner treat.
Read MoreI never knew that I'd have a love affair with ceramics, but here I am. I love Heath Ceramics - It's as simple as that. For those of you who aren't familiar with Heath Ceramics, they craft the most beautiful mid-century pottery. Whether it's a casserole dish, a dinner plate, or subway tiles, their simple aesthetic and clean lines are the stuff of my fancy casual heart's dreams. I often gift their goodies to friends for hosting parties, family for holiday gifts, and to myself for no good reason at all.
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