Last week was the anniversary of my dad's death, and I just felt quiet and deeply sad. It seems unbelievable to me that we have been living without him for an entire year. I have a million things to say about it but there don't seem to be any words that are right. I just miss him, so much.
I've been taking it easy, self soothing in the kitchen and spending time with people I love and keeping the house full of flowers. Having a larger space makes it a million times easier to have people over for dinner or drinks or no reason at all and it's already been pretty wonderful.
I'm sticking to our monthly meal plan pretty well (monthly updates coming soon) and I like that the weekends are left up for grabs so I can cook something fun if I feel like it. We haven't been going out much but I have been cooking and baking (it feels so glorious to have a full sized oven!), which means I went waaaay over on our grocery budget this month but we hardly touched our entertainment/eating out fund. It'll balance out in the end?
I made the butternut squash and caramelized onion galette from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook last weekend and it was pretty dang good. I used an aged Gouda which might have made it a touch salty and I honestly think in the future I'd cut the pastry dough recipe in half, because it felt like a very high dough:filling ratio. But we did devour it, so I'm not complaining. (Actually, the version on her website looks like it is similar but might be better balanced?)
I'm experimenting to try to find the best cocktail for all the blood oranges that pour into the market right now. So far this margarita recipe has been the biggest hit, although I'm still tweaking it a bit.
You space has such beautiful natural light! Do you have lots of windows?
ReplyDeleteSoooo many windows! I feel really lucky.
DeleteTake good care, Rachel. I'll be thinking of you and your dad.
ReplyDeleteThanks, hon.
DeleteThese photos are beautiful! And that margarita looks like a winner. I'm glad you're taking the time to breathe and fill your house with flowers. That seems necessary in lieu of everything.
ReplyDeleteThe margarita is really, really good. By the time I get it just perfect we'll probably be out of blood orange season. : (
DeleteGrief is a really strange, twisting experience. Glad that you're taking the time for yourself.
ReplyDeleteI use gruyere with that galette and LOVE it. Also used a mix of whole wheat and white flour and loved that too...
Thanks, Sally. Grief really is so strange and it's hard for me to predict how I'll react to certain milestones or experiences, which means I have no idea what to expect.
DeleteDo you use the galette recipe from her website or the cookbook? I think the one on the website has way less pastry dough (but I need to double check against the book).
Hi Rachel - We've made this blood orange sidecar recipe multiple times this season and it has been a huge hit with everyone... we have also been freezing blood orange juice in cubes just to make it later... http://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/blood-orange-cocktail/
ReplyDeleteI love your oven! So much fun. :)
ReplyDeleteAgreed on the comment about grief, it's such a tough emotion to deal with. Thinking of you!
The strangest thing happened this morning. I was sitting at my desk and my head actually snapped up as you entered my thoughts and I realized...I missed it. It was last month, and I missed it. And so I came on here to find you. And then cried my way through the post from last year. My dear friend through the interweb, my heart is with you today. I am sorry I am late. I am thinking of you and your sister and that sweet babe and wishing you never had reason to be as strong as you were/are.
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