Bluebarb-Cava Jam is niiice

Ooh, this is a treat. I find most blueberry jams entirely too sweet; treacly, tooth-pain inducing, sugar bombs that make you wish you just had a bowl of plain blueberries instead. But rhubarb is a great foil to the blueberry-sugar sweet equation, and Cava, well... who doesn't want more champagne?! Recipe is posted.

Rhubarb-Plum-Star Anise Jam

Another hit! Wow! I again meant to can my dilly beans and pickled okra but then checked my cabinet-o-jars to find none of the right size. What I did have was wide-mouth half-pints which are perfect for jam. So, that bunch of rhubarb in my fridge just waiting to be loved? Those gorgeous little plums on my counter? Sounded like a delicious and beautiful combo albeit a relatively tart one, so in addition to sugar, I added two star anise during the cooking. Yummy, people!

Farmers market, flowers and windstorm damage

On our way to the farmers market this morning, the boys and I were really struck by the amount of damage Friday's windstorm wreaked. Huge trees seemed to have been snapped as if they were mere twigs. A number of blocks are cordoned off with police tape, cars crushed, covered and otherwise damaged, wires flapping around like rogue spaghetti. But it's totally random as some houses and blocks are totally unscathed. As I'm always impressed by the beauty in nature that is nearly impossible for us to replicate, I'm equally respectful of the strength of the natural world, its powers of destruction and rebirth.

"Community Services Van Covered by Felled Tree"

"For Sale" We did bring home some gorgeous stuff from the market: two types of plums (Methleys are the purple ones, can't remember the little yellow ones' name), Sungold tomatoes, fresh corn, some incredibly fresh shallots, white and yellow peaches. I'm going to make my Lusty Sungold Love with the tomatoes -bliss!- which also means I'll need to cook up some fresh ricotta. No problem there!