On my recent trip to Florida-
offerings at a farmstand you don’t see in Pittsburgh
We ate a boiled peanut. Soft and spicy. I can’t say I’d try another.
So many people have a peanut allergy but, I found a recipe for how to boil peanuts
if you’re interested.
Opening day of Little Italy Days.
Steve photographed me with Franco Harris who was gracious to all his fans.
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Come January we’ll be longing for these tomatoes. The taste of summer.
My friend R stopped by the other evening and shared these fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. Just picked!
Olive oil, chunky chopped onions and a couple of garlic cloves. Threw in the remaining cherry tomatoes (we’d been popping them in our mouths, unadorned)
Black beans and rice. Mmmmmmmm.
Funnel Cake
I try to keep the blog in real time but these images are from the archives.
My bowl of ice cream with the fresh peach and triple ginger cookies from yesterday got me thinking about how desserts satisfy.
I photographed these desserts in Ohio.
I didn’t eat it myself but the the satisfaction factor was there for the nice woman who bought it and ate it (after she let me shoot it!)
and here is another person’s funnel cake – unadorned – well, a dusting of powdered sugar
Nell Miller’s Poor Man Meatballs
Three zucchini, grated and drained
Add a couple of eggs and a cup of Italian bread crumbs -salt and pepper
I tilt the bowl so excess liquid pools and can be removed
Mince by hand or whir a few garlic cloves in the food processor
Heat up the cast iron skillet. Add olive oil.
Shape and brown.
Tonight I added fresh grape cherry tomato sauce on the side. Grate some Parmesan
tastes like summer
My go-to comfort food 
multiple cheese baked macaroni, even though it’s Springtime.
Park Bruges on Bryant Street.
Mothers Day eve. With Steve.
(grilled cheese is number two go-to but not in the same sitting)
I’ve been away for awhile. My friend B said “let’s go to NatuRoll Creamery –get rolled ice cream in Lawrenceville. There’s always a line” (which is a good sign).
Turns out it didn’t open until three. So we had a delicious lunch at VANDAL first, waiting for three o’clock to roll around.
Kaden took our orders and $. Two Spring Specials -Blueberry Lemon on a Vanilla Base.
Abby made mine.
Then she added them lemon zest
and a slice of lemon
The focus is on Abby. Takes 2-5 minutes to create each fancy finished special.
What an evening of taste bud surprises! WOW.
We took an evening tram to meet my son’s friends at a café. Because it was the night before the Easter Holiday, every seat was taken. Quite a wait for a table. Everyone celebrating being off the next workday.
Bummer- BUT When the friends arrived they had a discussion for an alternate plan. Wow, did I ever luck out that the café was full. One went to procure a bottle of red.
The first delight was I’s Sour Cherry apéritif which he’d made. At first, I was worried it might burn but my concerns were totally unfounded. In fact, the drink defined summer captured in a slim crystal cylinder. All I can say it the ruby liquid of summer’s sour cherries woke up every taste bud in my mouth. Delicious. Not to sweet, not too tart, zero burn. Perfection!
And then the surprise of M’s creation- Poached egg on fresh bread with the fruitiest most fragrant olive oil drizzle AND the unexpected luxurious truffle on top of the gently poached farm egg. Or “home eggs” as my family refers to them.
I was feeling quite content with all I had eaten. Italian cheese and olives to start and then the Sour Cherry apéritif and the lovely truffle surprise. And then the Wild Asparagus Risotto was ready to eat. Freshly Grated Cheese on top. Oh my. So bold. It was wild! A flavor I’dd never before experienced, created by a culinary expert.
I was happy to meet my son’s friends and be invited into a Zagreb home to experience these tastes and more importantly their friendship and hospitality.
Sretan Uskrs and Hvala for a wonderful evening in Zagreb.
iPhone photos don’t do justice to this dish.
The wild asparagus simmers
Words are inadequate to describe this bold Wild Asparagus Risotto. WOW!
Eggs 24/7
An egg vending machine by the bus stop.
