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.

Starting a new business

Yesterday was our first day in our new kitchen. We are making pickled things.
Riffs on traditional saurkraut with ginger and lemons, pickled beets with kale and hikiji, kim chi.. basically mountains of vegetables that are fermented to make them living medicine that tastes delicious. The pickles are packed with probiotics which, according to my business partner, Mara, is what makes little Japanese grandmothers look so strong and beautiful (and helps them live to 103). Yesterday we supremed 8 pounds of lemons and chopped 150 pounds of cabbage. We listened to Hindu chanting, Ray Charles and the Magnetic Fields. We drank tea, talked about our families, politics and hairnets. We got salty,spicy and worn out.
Keep your eyes peeled for zuké (pron. zu kay) coming soon to a market near you. (We hope!)

So much is happening. The earth is awake in every way. Fat robins, leaves bursting on all the big old trees that were but shadows a few months ago. Tomorrow is mother's day.
Mother Earth, Grandmother Spider, hand holder, arm rocker, maker, taker, doer, magic being of visible and invisible strengths.

Jean Pierre got stung by a bee today. His first sting.
He was trying to rescue a baby bee that had fallen into the pool and had picked him up in his hand. Upon rescue the bee stung him on the finger. His yowls were those of someone who did not yet know that kind of pain. I held him for a long time, until the feeling subsided. Once he regained his calm he asked me if the bee would die, now that it had stung him (something I, no doubt, had told him happens). Lucien then piped up that he had just read a book that details the first 10 weeks of a young bees life and said that during that time they can sting and not die. I do not know if this is actually true, but it was the right fact for the moment. Jean Pierre blinked and said, I am so happy he will not die. That is good that he will not die. I am humbled by the wisdom of my children and so deeply grateful to get to be a mother this time around. Maybe next time I will be a bee. Speaking of, check out this new movie- it looks really good. http://www.colonymovie.com/

Happy almost birthday Jean Pierre.
p.s. these cupcakes are wonderful!

Strawberry rose cupcakes from Sunset

* 1 cup butter, at room temperature
* 1 1/4 cups sugar
* 3 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup buttermilk
* 2 1/2 cups flour
* 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup strawberry jam
* 1 1/2 to 2 tsp. rose water*
* Cream Cheese-Rose Frosting
* 2 1/2 cups small rose petals (organically grown)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°. Line 16 muffin cups with liners. Beat butter and sugar with a stand mixer until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat until well blended.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Gradually beat into butter mixture until well blended.
Whisk together jam and rose water to taste in a small bowl. Spread 2 heaping tbsp. batter in each liner. Top with 1 tsp. jam mixture, then another 2 heaping tbsp. batter, carefully spreading it to cover jam.
Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted toward the edge comes out clean, 25 to 27 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Spread with frosting and decorate with organic rose petals.

I had a dream last night that I was ironing and folding tiny baby clothes to put in a box to give away. Goodbye babies. It's true, damn it, time rolls on.

Love cookies

The best part about these cookies was delivering them to our valentines around town. Love is grand. This recipe is direct from my Grandmother who I think got the recipe from Martha herself although I cannot imagine a real cookie ever looking like the perfect photos in her magazine cut outs. The jam filled ones were very tasty if a bit misshapen.

* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 4 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup buttermilk
* 1/2 cup pale-pink or white sanding sugar (optional)
* Petal dust in pink, orange, and violet tones (optional)
* 2/3 cup apricot or strawberry jam, slightly warmed (optional)

Directions

1. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture to mixer bowl, alternating with buttermilk, until combined. Wrap dough in plastic; chill until firm, 1 hour or overnight.
2. To color white sanding sugar, if using: Place a few tablespoons in a small bowl. Mix in petal dust with a toothpick, a bit at a time, until desired shade is reached. Colored sanding sugar will last indefinitely.
3. Heat oven with two racks centered to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut out hearts using any 1- to 3 1/2-inch heart cookie cutters. If desired, cut centers out of some hearts. Transfer with spatula to baking sheets. Chill for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if using. Bake until just golden but not too brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack. Continue with dough; reroll scraps.
4. To make sandwich hearts: Brush bottom heart lightly with jam; cover with a second heart with center cut out; jam will adhere hearts. Fill cut-out area with more jam. Cookies will keep, in an airtight container, at room temperature for 1 week.