Taste of Summer

What do you associate with different seasons? Music? Smells? Sounds? Summer for me this year has been all about flavors, particularly lemon & lime. Here are a few summer cuisine standouts. From my kitchen to yours. Peach and Blueberry Crumble
For the fruit
2 pounds firm, ripe peaches (6-8 peaches)
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)
For the crumble
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Slice the peaches into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the blueberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into individual ramekins or a 9x13-in pan.
3. For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and the butter. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Place the ramekins (or 9x13-in pan) on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the tops are browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nectarine Mint Salsa (serve with grilled fish)
2 fresh nectarines, pitted & diced
3 TBSP finely chopped bell pepper
2 TBSP sliced green onions
2 tsp fresh lime juice
½ TBSP chopped fresh mint
½ finely chopped small seeded jalapeno

Tomato, mozzarella & pesto panini
2 large tomatoes
1 (16-oz) ball fresh mozzarella
12 slices bakery white bread, sliced ½-inch thick
1 cup prepared pesto
salt
unsalted butter
Spread the top & bottom of each sandwich with softened butter. Spread the inside evenly with pesto, put a layer of mozzarella & cover with a layer of tomato. Sprinkle the tomato with salt. Grill the sandwiches in the panini grill for 2-3 minutes, until the mozzarella starts to ooze. Cut in half & serve warm.

Summer Science & the Painted Ladies

My friend Amy Talbot is one of my favorite people in the world. When I heard she was going to be here this summer, I set to work planning how to monopolize her for 3 months. Why do I love Amy so much? When I asked if she wanted to do a weekly science camp with me, she said, “That’d be fun!” No hesitation.
So began the Mommies’ Science Camp. Oh, the adventures we had with six kids under the age of five! We learned about farms and animals at Farrel-McWhirter Park. We traveled to the moon in cardboard rockets and held balloon rocket races and ate astronaut ice cream. We even blasted off two “real” rockets with the dads (and lost them). We learned all about H2O and its stretchy skin and why we love it in every form (even rain). My personal favorite—BUGS: We let ladybugs crawl all over us and watched our Painted Lady Butterflies grow from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. My girls put on wings and danced as butterflies, but I won’t claim that Amy’s boys did the same. And of course, what science camp would be complete without a visit (or two) to the Pacific Science Center.

As summer ended, it came time to let our Painted Lady Butterflies free. The girls lifted them tenderly and watched them flutter off in the breeze. I saw tears in Anna’s eyes. She told me, “Mommy, I feel a little happy and a little sad.” It’s in the spirit of this sweet girl that I dedicate this poem:

Hurt No Living Thing
Hurt no living thing;
Ladybird, nor butterfly,
Nor moth with dusty wing,
Nor cricket chirping cheerily,
Nor grasshopper so light of leap,
Nor dancing gnat, nor beetle fat,
Nor harmless worms that creep.
Christina Rossetti

Summer Science & the Painted Ladies, II

Clara de Lune

Why I Love Fudge

It’s hard to believe I’m related to my little sister. Her three girls have camped more times than I can count. Before this weekend, my girls had yet to go camping. (Unless you count sleeping in a tent in the backyard.) I decided this was the summer to just do it. For purists out there, reserving a tiny cabin may not count as camping, but it was rustic enough for me. Ferry rides + Victorian beach towns + Tea Room fudge + sleeping in view of the beach + catching crabs + friends + s’mores = a beautiful end to our lazy summer.

Back at home, we were treated to three tired little girls in different stages of post-campout meltdowns. Clean, soothe, pajama, potty, read, tuck into bed. Nurse the loud one. When the aftermath subsided, I delved into the chocolate-y goodness from Port Gamble. I even shared the last few bites with Mr. Dahl. Man, I love camping!

Port Gamble

Tea House ladies

Catching Crabs

Kitsap Peninsula Beach at Morning

Cute Girls!