Son
by Sharon Olds

Coming home from the women-only bar,
I go into my son's room.
He sleeps-fine, freckled face
thrown back, the scarlet lining of his mouth
shadowy and fragrant, his small teeth
glowing dull and milky in the dark,
opal eyelids quivering
like insect wings, his hands closed
in the middle of the night.

Let there be enough
room for this life: the head, lips,
throat, wrists, hips, cock,
knees, feet. Let no part go
unpraised. Into any new world we enter, let us
take this man.

These babies are the best. Sweet, fragrant, fuzzy and fresh. Summer in a skin.
We kept a dozen out to eat and then transformed the rest into canned peaches and chutney. Easy and so delightful as the days grow shorter..
Peach Chutney

Ingredients

2 cups chopped onions
1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes
1/4 tsp pepper
8 cups (2 L) peeled and sliced peaches
2 - 2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup raisins
1 cup cider vinegar

Add all ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring.

3. Reduce to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring often, until the mixture reduces to about 8 cups and is thick enough to mound on a spoon.

4. Pour the mixture into 4 2-cup (or 8 1-cup) sterilized canning jars. Seal with prepared discs and clean bands. Process for 10 minutes. Store in a cool, dark place for up to one year.

Mid summer

Figaro

We got a kitty! Lucien picked him out at the Humane Society and we are all in love.
We made him liver cookies yesterday and guess what? He loves them.

Liver Cat Cookies

1/2 cup dry milk
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon honey
3-1/2 oz homemade blended liver (cook first, then blend)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine dry milk and wheat germ; drizzle honey on top.

Add the strained blended liver and stir until everything is well mixed.

Form the mixture into balls; place them on an oiled cookie sheet and flatten them with a fork.

Bake 8 - 10 minutes.

Consistency should be fudgy.

Store in a jar in the fridge; freeze if keeping more than a few days.

This is the perfect summer salad. Adapted from BA

Pea and Radish Salad with Feta
Ingredients

vinaigrette

* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* Fine sea salt

salad

sugar snap peas, stringed and cut on an angle
pea sprouts or pea tendrils
red radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced
purslain (very common garden weed/secret ingredient)
bitter green or spicy arugula
turnips sliced in matchsticks can also add a yummy crunch
sprinkle with fresh goat cheese- my current favorite is from here

June honey

We have been staying out in Lyons this week and enjoying languid days by the river. Late breakfasts, weeding the garden and hanging out with the bees. They are happy this year and producing a lot of honey! I could go on and on about the wonders of these magical workers. They teach me something every day.
I am planning on trying some infusions this year: Might give this one a try and some ginger/peppermint to keep winter colds at bay.

Ginger Infused Honey
Makes 1 cup

1 cup local honey
1 3-4" piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped


INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, combine honey, ginger and, if you like, peppermint. Heat over medium high heat just until honey begins to boil, stirring frequently.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. Gently reheat to a pour-able consistency.
3. Strain through a piece of cheesecloth into a glass jar.

I know, it is crazy to think of cold at this apex of summer goodness, but I am a preserver at heart. I want to savor and put away this feeling of lusciousness. Ah honey, thank you for being you.

A piece of Sonnet XII from Pablo Neruda " Loving is a journey with water and with stars, with smothered air and abrupt storms of flour: loving is a clash of lightning bolts and two bodies defeated by a single drop of honey."

Tastes like, looks like, feels like

Goat milk ricotta cheesecake at Frog Belly Farm Dinner. Nettle tea on a June river trip. Yoga camp for the kids. Summer!!
Nettles are a wonderful thing to eat or drink in a tea or infusion. Here are some good tips on harvesting.. which is the trickiest part. As for the cheesecake, I tried to replicate the farm dessert with this adaptation of a cheesecake recipe from Babbo NYC, using my own homemade ricotta which turned out pretty well.

Goat milk Ricotta Cheesecake
Ingredients

* 2 15-oz. containers goat milk ricotta
* 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 Tbsp. plus 1 cup sugar
* 3 Tbsp. unseasoned dry breadcrumbs
* 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature, cut into cubes
* 2 large eggs
* 2 Tbsp. salt-free matzo meal
* 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
* 2 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
* 2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
* Powdered sugar (for dusting)

*
special equipment
8"-diameter springform pan with 2 1/2"-high sides

Preparation

*
Put ricotta in a large fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Drain for 30 minutes.
*
Arrange rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350°. Grease an 8" springform pan with 2 1/2"-high sides with butter. Mix 1 Tbsp. sugar and breadcrumbs in a small bowl; sprinkle over buttered pan to coat. Tap out excess crumbs.
*
Transfer ricotta to a processor. Purée for 15 seconds. Scrape down sides of processor; purée until smooth. Add cream cheese; purée until smooth. Add the remaining sugar and all other ingredients; purée, scraping down sides occasionally, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
*
Bake cheesecake until golden brown and just set, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool in pan (cake will fall slightly). Refrigerate uncovered until cool, about 3 hours. Then cover and chill overnight.
*
To serve, wrap a warm towel around pan to release cake. Remove pan sides. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges. Garnish with cherry syrup ( have to get this recipe from Ace at Frog Belly!) and edible flowers.