Garden Tour at Kendall-Jackson Winery- July 21st

      Here are a selection of photos taken at the Kendall-Jackson garden tour and wine tasting in July

Persicaria orientalis or kiss me over the garden gate

         Gathering a few chive blossoms. All the herbs and vegetables in the garden are used by the chef             for special events

A treat of hummus and just-picked baby veggies in a bamboo cone served at the post-tour wine tasting

A close up of the yummy concoction. I asked for more and they obliged

Here we are in front of the winery before the tour
- the garden is in back

ALLIE

                                                                    ALLIE  2008 - June 4, 2023

Springtime Asparagus Salads

 

Photo courtesy of the wonderful Oaktown Spice Shop with locations in Oakland and Berkeley

And in Oaktown Spice Shop's next newsletter they presented an equally appealing celery and raw asparagus salad. You can find the recipe HERE, and subscribe to their newsletter for more tasty suggestions using spices and herbs

 Ricki presented a beautiful salad at her small Easter/Passover dinner. Avocados, grapefruit, radishes, radicchio, fennel and beautiful crisp little gems dressed with a vinaigrette made with shallots and enhanced with a small amount of mayonnaise. This first course salad was the star of the show!

Roasted Winter Squash Salad

 

This roasted winter squash salad from Melissa Clark in the New York Times is just the ticket for a dreary January day. She roasts the cubed butternut squash in a 400 degree oven with olive oil and honey and adds it to crisp winter greens dressed with a bright lemon and yogurt vinaigrette.

Angels We Have Heard on High

 

           

        A Renaissance angel welcomes in the new year

What is the purpose of angels and the extent of their powers? Angels serve as messengers of God (the word angel is derived from the Greek angelos meaning messenger). Angels can speak, sing, play musical instruments and dance but they are not omnipresent, omniscient or omnipotent and are not meant to be worshiped by mortals.

     

Merry Saffron Bread

 

Let's Celebrate Christmas Eve with loaves of Swedish Saffron Bread from the Cheese Board in Berkeley. The braided loaves are an annual Christmas eve tradition that I enjoy!

Autumn Splendor in November and December

Liquid Amber outside the window 12/10/'20 and it's almost as stunning today

     Liquid Amber 12/12/22

 

     

       Our Maple 11/14/22

  Jeanette's October Glory maple tree in Walnut Creek on a gray day- late November 2020

    Jeanette's tree in the sun. In our climate the October Glory is glorious in November

A nearby persimmon tree in late November