From the category archives:

Recipes for Summer

Italian Cream Cake

by Laura 21 March 2012

Work is so engrossing for me that, when my Sweet Boy is away, I often realize I am sitting in total darkness, the sun has set, the black sky has swallowed up the day, and the moon has appeared out my window. The television set in my neighbor’s window flickers across the way and lights [...]

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Nectarine Lemon Balm Tipple

by Laura 23 July 2011

We are in the throes of quite a peculiar summer: cold nearly ‘til July, and wet, relentlessly wet. And now steamy—literally. This morning I can see nothing from the windows of the house, save through the trickles, as it is wrapped in a dense and ghostlike condensation. They say that according to the heat index [...]

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English Summer Strawberry Trifle

by Laura 4 July 2011

When the house is helter-skelter, the list is too long, and my energy is flagging, the best thing I can do for myself is to invite friends for a meal. The cleaning and the cooking have to be done anyhow, I figure, so why not have the happy reward of their company at the end? [...]

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Lemon Balm Syrup

by Laura 2 July 2011

It’s my birthday today, so I’ll be brief. I’ve got celebrating to do! I made this lemon balm syrup the other day with a summer tipple in mind (recipe soon), but I think it would nice in iced tea or brushed onto cake layers, too. Lemon balm is a member of the mint family and [...]

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Strawberry Lemon Verbena Refrigerator Jam with Candied Lemon Slices

by Laura 1 July 2011

Yesterday morning I went out to the hen house in my pajamas at six o’clock in the morning to open the door to the coop. Instead of the usual parade, Beatrice emerged first. She needs a minute or two, thank you very much, to sort out this whole business. When you’re second to last to [...]

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Quick Chicken Fricassee with Olives and Broken Cherry Tomatoes

by Laura 26 March 2011

This quick chicken fricassee is a perfect lazy night’s cook up. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are rich and ready quickly, and the sauce is three simple ingredients: white wine, briny olives, and the best cherry tomatoes you can find. By the time they simmer down to a pan sauce, the chicken thighs are fall-apart tender [...]

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Pickled and Candied Brown Turkey Figs

by Laura 13 October 2010

This summer I was treated to a storybook week in Santa Fe: beautiful meals, four delicious operas, and charming company. It was my first time in the city, and I was overwhelmed by the quality of the light, the vastness of the sky, and the lavender mountains at sunset. It was an unexpectedly beautiful place, [...]

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