Estate…. Summertime…

Summertime decor… a few little homemade candles… leftover wax, and seashells…

Una Giornata Nel Giardino… A Day In The Garden…

 It's been hot and muggy,  and I'm  slightly disappointed in the summer garden.  Some things are happy but I'm not getting the kind of growth that I'd hoped for in the new raised  garden beds…The pumpkins are small so far,  but I'm not giving up

Un Dolce Per Un Picnic A Mare… Something Sweet For A Beach Picnic …

S'mores at the beach seems like the perfect summer dessert… but since fires aren't allowed where we picnic in front of the del,  I created this S'mores Tart.  I made a  Graham Cracker Crust…once it cooled,  I topped it with Homemade Dark Chocolate Ganache,  and  topped that with Homemade Marshmallow,  which I took a torch to.   It sliced and served easily and was great to take to the beach… On this particular evening it was a cloudy sunset,  but sometimes,  those are the best.

Sapone Fai Da Te… Handmade Soap…

I think one of the best reasons to make soap,  is the way it fills the kitchen with beautiful herbal fragrance.  This time for handmade soaps I used Lavender and  Honey,  Lemon Verbena and Mint,  and,  Rose Petals and  Thyme.   Fresh, summery fragrances,  clipped from the garden…

In Cucina… In The Kitchen…

Seems like lots of baked goods coming out of the kitchen lately.  Frances brought me several traditional Focaccia Pans from Italy this past spring.  She told me that I needed to burn them in a wood fired oven  to "season" them ,  so Nicola did that for me recently .  The Focaccia turned out really well in the pans,  and released easily.  Fresh Tomatoes,  Mozzarella, and Herbs on Puff Pastry for a quick appetizer,  Brioche Rolls for Burgers,  a Summer Peach Tart…and of course,  a Rustic Loaf…