Monthly Archives: May 2009

The Pastry Chef Strikes Again

May 11, 2009 – 1:36 pm

Rhubarb freshly harvested from our garden. If Dan is the baker of the relationship, I’m the pastry chef. Now, that’s not saying much, as my pastry experience depends heavily on a short list of staple favorites, like Deborah Madison’s yeasted sugar cake (Dan’s birthday staple), fruity muffins, and sweet, rich quickbreads. But there’s something about [...]

By Frances | Posted in Disasters | Tagged , | Comments (3)

The Magical Optimism of the Garden

May 7, 2009 – 10:24 am

Water-dappled mesclun and arugula in a self-watering windowbox It’s a drizzly, gray day here in the Berkshires — unfortunately, a familiar weather pattern for spring — and I’m feeling a little subdued and quiet. I thought it might be nice, then, to show you some photos of something else subdued and quiet — our little [...]

By Frances | Posted in Gardening | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Shaping and Scoring: Baking Bread in Vermont

May 5, 2009 – 1:39 pm

At the end of last summer, I spent a couple months working in the bakery at the Williamstown Hippie Co-Op, somewhat confusingly named Wild Oats (no, not that Wild Oats). A baker’s hours are pretty different from a book designer’s hours, so three days a week I was able to do a bit of both: [...]

By Dano | Posted in Trips & Adventures | Tagged , | Comments (2)

A Weekend in Norwich, VT

May 4, 2009 – 11:39 am

Happy Monday, folks. I hope your weekends were as restful as mine. Halfway through last Friday afternoon, Dan and I loaded up the car, leashed up Bix, and headed over the green Berkshire hills to have a weekend adventure in Norwich, Vermont. As he mentioned in the previous post, Dan had signed up for a [...]

By Frances | Posted in Trips & Adventures | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Pizza with Ramp Pesto, and More

May 1, 2009 – 6:00 am

Ramps usually taste so mild in final dishes that the essential rampiness of them is completely obscured — that is, I assume there’s a rampiness I’m just not tasting, otherwise what’s the big deal? Here’s the big deal: Don’t cook ramps too much.

By Dano | Posted in Disasters, Pizza | Tagged , | Comments (2)