Things i saw in europe

I went to Barcelona for my cousin Vanessa's wedding. But since i've been to Barcelona many times, i wanted to branch off and see new things...

Top of my list for Spain: Granada. why?

The Alhambra (thanks Prof. Irene Bierman, western Islamic Art History - UCLA)

Note: most of these shots were taken with my iphone. yup - that's it - just a phone camera. I was determined to travel light.

The Alhambra

Back in Barcelona, we visited one of the Gaudi' buildings I'd never been to before - also along Paseo de Gracia (further south from Casa Mila aka La Pedrera) is Casa Batllo'. Here's a detail from the rooftop - looks like the spine of a dragon. I love Gaudi. I love Art Nouveau.

Casa Batllo' (pronounced bat-yo)

Then I went to Paris. I stayed at a little hotel right next to the Pere Lachaisse Cemetery. On my last morning, before checking out of the hotel, I decided to wander through this necropolis - i call it that because it was such a huge cemetery - like a city almost - with lanes and mausoleums and crypts dedicated to families going back centuries... i was lost in awe by the stunning beauty of this quiet, peaceful final resting place for so many people. And as previously mentioned, I love art nouveau... I was simply entranced.

A random, errr, tombstone?

Again at the Alhambra - this shot below was with my iphone... the top one was a shot i took using my cousin's camera... when i showed him the reflection i got with this picture, he wanted me to take that shot on his camera - so we played with the angles... but this was the original shot. I think i got them to look through their camera lenses differently... their early shots were very basic and straight on... funny how we all see the world in so many ways.

Paris again - sorry the upload was out of order. Talk about being at the right place at the right time for a dramatic shot! But just about anything in Paris is picturesque. On this day in particular, the sky was so grey and ominous - yet the sun poked through every now and again. Le Sigh.

Cluny, Paris

Of course hundreds of shots were taken... but i thought these were nice to share.

Just like Huell Hauser

My Sunday routine is just like Huell's.

This is where i get my eggs & chickens from...

and of course - some of my apples & peaches too...

I'm on a first name basis with both Thomas & Miguel (and Dexter & Candy from Fair hills farms)

http://www.fairhillsapplefarm.com/video.html

Persimmon time

I've been waiting since late January. And like last year, I simply can't get enough of them. I've already started hoarding them.

clockwise from top right: Hachiya, "chocolate" persimmon with varying degrees of softness & a cross seciton, Giant Fuyu (cross section), Fuyu.

You think this is all I got? Hah! This is just a sampling of the varieties that i got.

Many people ask me about how you eat persimmons. I only learned last year. You see - 2008 was my year of discovering the joy of persimmons.

If you don't know how/when to eat these fruits, you might have a terrible experience which will turn you off from the fruit forever. But once you know the secrets behind them, you'll be treated to a marvelous fruit which is rather plentiful in southern california from October thru January.

Here's my little guide:

There are 2 main varieties - Fuyu & Hachiya

The brighter orange the fruit, the sweeter it is. They continue to ripen off the tree - so keep them on your kitchen counter until ready.

Hachiya - must be completely mushy! DO NOT try to eat this before it feels like pudding enclosed in skin. if you do try it, you will be punished with the most horrid texture filling your mouth... the tannin effect dries out the inside of your mouth - it's astringent and cakes up on your tongue, inside of your cheeks... altogether unpleasant!

Fuyu, on the other hand, can be eaten firm (like an apple) or soft. There are many varieties within the Fuyu family - and if you're not sure when you can eat it, ask the farmer at the stand... they won't deceive you - they want you back as a customer.

I love the sand-dollar pattern that you get when you slice it cross wise... so that's what i usually do. The giant Fuyus are my favorites. And i do like them on the softer side - but unless i buy them that way, they get eaten as soon as the color is right. I can never resist.

I tried that variety called "chocolate" - it had another name, which i can't remember - but the nickname of chocolate was given b/c of the brown flecks within the flesh. It had too many large seeds, so it was annoying to eat... the fruit/pit ratio was off. but it's nice for a bit of variety.

So from the above fruits - the Hachiyas have the right coloring - but are hard as rocks: do not eat yet. The Fuyus to the left are ripe, but not sweet enough for me... they are firm, but i'm waiting for the color to deepen. The soft giant fuyus have already been enjoyed, and of the 5 chocolate-persimmons only 1 remains - the others were soft and bursting apart - so they were eaten first.

The Autumn Market: Pomes

It's Autumn in Southern California.

Windrose Farms - Santa Monica Farmers Market

I felt it this past Sunday morning. There was a little bite (nibble) in the air - that subtle crispness that signifies the changing of the season. Those heat waves lasted a bit too long.

Some of my favorite things about Autumn: the shift in produce available at the market. Not only did i go to the sunday hollywood market - but i went to my favorite wednesday santa monica market.

It's all about the Pomes now... and not just pomme (apple en francais)

Top row - Winesap (fragrant but starchy - best for baking, not eating fresh); Spitzenberg (bright flavor, slightly sour)

Center - Bella (haven't tried it yet)

Bottom - Smokehouse (meh - kinda mealy - but maybe it was that one that i had); Cameo (good for juicing)

Pears & Quince are part of this family called Pome.

clockwise from top center - Asian pear, Forelle Pears, Quince, Yali pears.

I wanted to try Quince.

I've never tried it before (neither tasted it, nor have i used it - i've always heard of it - but never experimented)

I've read about its fragrance, its flavor, how making a tea from its pips can soothe a sore throat, and how it makes a fabulous jam/jelly (membrillo).

So I bought a few... but i'm still waiting for them to fully ripen... they say the ripe ones will be yellow and fragrant. As you can see from the shot above, they're still pale green. I'm keeping them stored in brown paper bags.

Tom Petty said it best - the waiting is the hardest part.

I have about 6 quince. And i have one savory dish and one sweet dish i'd like to try.

the savory one comes from Suzanne Goin's Sunday Suppers at Lucques cookbook: Sauteed quince, apples and potatoes. It's a side dish for the pork porterhouse.... but i'm not big on pork...

the sweet one is from Deborah Madison's Local Flavors book - Rustic Tart of Quinces Apples and Pears. her book also has recipes for jam & the Pip tea - which i'll make from the skins & cores from the fruit.

I also want to try doing an apple rhubarb pandowdy (also from Local Flavors.

either way - i have a lot of pomes here.

too bad i'm sick with a fever... i don't want to cook anything that will be shared. and this is also why i'm blogging at 1:58am - darned insomnia.