Neglect

Of my blog. I apologize that I have not been more apparent. I've not many [good] excuses, so I think I will skip right on past this and get into today. Although I don't have a lot to write about -- perhaps the top-most of excuses for not being here.

It was lovely misty all morning and then is clear this afternoon, mid-60s and very pleasant. Let me show you the persimmon harvest this year:

That's it. The tree was loaded with fruit in the middle of the summer and then they all dropped. I'm going to have to research that. I'm waiting for these to ripen -- I'm so glad that they take a long time as I may be able to paint them before they do.

Finding room for anything in our kitchen, our house is a creative endeavor. At some point I will be getting one of those double or triple hanging mesh baskets for my fruit and onions. In the meantime:

I'm always pleased to come back to the cooking of fall and winter. Making soups and stews is a physical-sensual-emotional-mental practice in centering -- at least most of the time. Bread making used to be; but that is more of a frustration now -- all those good ingredients to make something that isn't satisfyingly dense and chewy. One of the breads that is comes from Stephen's sister-in-law, Jackie, who was raised by missionary parents in Brazil. Pao de Queijo are the tapioca cheese rolls that Brazilians have with their coffee.

I'm waiting for my shipment of tapioca flour to come into the store, but here is a link to a recipe. As you can tell, it isn't exactly heart healthy, but every once in a while, I want bread that has some resistance when I bite into it. There was a gluten-free bread made in Vermont that had that quality -- and for the same reason -- it was made with lots of mozerella cheese in it.

May you all have some good soup and bread.