Hello, darling readers. How is it already mid-August? I write this in my kitchen with the windows open and dinner cooking in the oven. I know it won’t be too long before the leaves flourish into bright reds and yellows and the warm weather cools. While I love the fall (its my favorite season), it is bitter sweet to think that the end of summer is nearly upon us. I am trying to be as present as possible — soaking up all the gorgeous produce at the markets as I can, savoring the sweet sunlight, taking walks at dusk.
This week I am bringing something a bit different to the table. Instead of an essay, I bring you little pieces of my week that I’ve collected via thoughts and photos. As much as I love long-form essays, writing them weekly while juggling work, life, and another new side project has proven to be a challenge. Instead of getting discouraged by the fact that I haven’t written as much as I had hoped this summer, I am going to embrace this season by catching the little moments and sharing them with you instead. My essays will still appear here, but this format will allow me to have some consistency.
So without further ado, welcome to my table, where I’ll share my market hauls, recipe box, and what’s on my plate.
Weekly Market Haul
Saturday morning market haul: Six husks of corn, a quart of blackberries, a pint of blueberries, six peaches, one block of feta cheese, one block of garlic cheese, and a bunch of wild flowers.
Wednesday night market haul: Cherry tomatoes, little gherkins, broccoli florets, two shallots, two heads of garlic, cilantro, more peaches, a small pot of flowers, and coffee from Wild Spirit Coffee Co. Also, a work friend gave me some zucchini karat that I am eager to try.
What’s on my plate
A feast of ripe tomatoes, red pepper, chicken, and mozzarella cheese (a.k.a, Max’s Chicken from The Year of Miracles by Ella Risbridger)
The night I am writing this newsletter, I am cooking this simple, delicious dish in the oven. I found the recipe in Ella Risbridger’s new book, The Year of Miracles, which if you haven’t read yet, you are totally miss out. The colorful, inky illustrations are themselves enough to make me hungry and warm on the inside.
Although the recipe called chicken thighs and drumsticks, I used chicken breasts because it was what I had on hand. While the dark meat probably would’ve made the dish extra flavorful, the white meat was tender and still pared well with the peppers, tomatoes, onion, olive oil, vinegar, basil, and mozzarella.
Grilled peaches with ricotta cheese and honeycomb
I saw an image on the internet of grilled peaches with blue cheese and honey that made my mouth water. I don’t have a grill, but I got out my cast iron skillet, brushed these peaches with olive oil and sprinkled with a pinch of salt, then cooked them on the stovetop for about 4 minutes. After they were warmed and toasted, I ladeled them into a bowl with ricotta, honey comb, a hint of basil. The savory and sweetness makes a perfect balance.
Recipe box
Blackberry peach cobbler
Remember all those blackberries and peach pictured above in my market haul? They were turned into this sweet, juicy dish. I printed the recipe for this cobbler because I plan to make it again very, very soon. I did make a few substitutions. Some people in my family has a corn intolerance, and so I switched out the corn products for almond flour and arrowroot power since I planned to share this cobbler with the fam.
If you have an abundance of fruits right now, this is the perfect way to use them up.
Published
If you follow me on social media, you may have seen that I am writing a bi-weekly blog series for the Historic Artcraft Theatre, a 1922 Art Deco theatre in my hometown that is celebrating it’s 100th anniversary in November. My first piece “Preserving the Art Deco Era of the Artcraft Theatre”, was published last Wednesday. If you are interested in cool historic theaters, movies, or historical preservation, you might find it interesting! Go check it out.
Things I’m into right now
Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path and the accompanying Wild Words Podcast, created by Nicole Gulotta.
New notebooks for fresh perspectives, like this gratitude journal that is full of watercolor illustrations and prompts to get your thoughts flowing. I also love the new stationary Wild Geese, the bookshop in my hometown, got in this week. You bet I got one!
Yes, I am linking to The Year of Miracles by Ella Risbridger again because it is mostly definitely worth it.
And last but not least, this beautiful Wild Flower Magic 2022-2023 planner.
Hey there, you made it to the end of another issue of The Supper Letters. Thanks for being here, I’m grateful for your readership. If you liked this issue, share it with your friends! have you found your way here through the internet or from a friend sharing an issue with you? Subscribe for free now so you don’t miss the next issue.
See you next week. Cheers!