Devon Horse Show

Memorial weekend always marks the beginning of the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair http://www.devonhorseshow.net/and the folks from the main line and east coast are always out in full force to support the tradition.

This horse was getting warmed up before the competition.

Getting a shoe put on before the show. Check out that hoof!

Extra touches to a stable entrance

Relaxing in the stable.

The winner from an individual competition taking a victory lap. I love the braided mane on this horse.

Coaching competition is always a favorite.

This is an example of one of the chic shops at Devon. The other great thing about the fair is that there are so many food options from gourmet boxed lunches to tea sandwiches (my favorite) or grilled burgers and fries.

What makes a meal?

Now that my daughter is home from college for the summer, we have been talking a lot about what it means to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Being a Nutritional Science major and working in a hospital healthy weight program this summer, she is really focused on learning the ins and outs of  nutrition and health and the various diets people consume. Being curious myself, I brought home two books from the library that have helped me understand the variations in diets and the numerous ways we can prepare healthy meals. Although I don't follow a gluten-free diet, it's interesting to learn about the recipes that give people the alternative. For example, The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook is a terrific resource because it explains what Whole Foods have to offer from potent antioxidants, vitamins, and essential minerals. Stocking the Pantry is an excellent section for explanations on everything from unrefined oils to basic herbs and spices. All of the recipes are gluten-free with the option of using dairy and eggs.  Next up is Vegetable Literacy which entails a short biology lesson (botanical families) before displaying the mouthwatering recipes that grace the 300 page powerhouse. It's worth spending time with this book to discover some creative recipes-(Parsnip Cardamon Custard) and how the ingredients compliment each other. You will soon begin to understand why celery root tastes so good with chervil and parsley, and artichokes and sunflower seeds go really well together.

The last of the cakes

May is sugar month at our house with 3 birthdays and a holiday at the end of the month, there's no getting around the fact that sweets rule. On the other hand since we make the desserts, adding less sugar is always an option. Maybe next time. This cake is a basic vanilla cake with chocolate icing, a favorite for its simplicity and traditional flavors. Great with a glass of milk or iced coffee.

Flower boxes and planters continued

One of my favorite things to do right after the last frost is to plant flowers in our garage window box. There is something so attractive about window boxes and how easy it is to be creative with a small combination of flowering plants. This year a combination of petunias and hanging geraniums in pink was a solid choice mainly because of the amount of sun that this particular box gets. One year, I did portulaca in bright colors and it was glorious but the next year the same flowers became waterlogged and droopy. Definitely trial and error.

From inside the garage window looking out. It's really nice to notice a burst of color when driving up to the house. It also channels that cottage vibe which is simple beauty.

While on my daily walk with Cloe, I noticed this sweet hanging basket filled with marigolds nestled among the ferns.

These planters grace the front of our friend and neighbor's house and are always so chic and welcoming. I love the purple and white contrast against the grey flagstone.

These planters were painted by my daughter and part of her school's recent spring art show.

Seasonal Plants

I really like all types of seasonal planters. While I'm on walks around my neighborhood or in the city, my eyes are always attracted to creative displays of flowers and plants whether simple or sublime.

 These trellis planters were here when we bought our house so I'm not sure how old they are but they always bring a touch of elegance to our brick terrace.

I thought this idea of planting groups of flowers in planters below the ground was an interesting way to display seasonal plants without the hassle of too much digging. This was taken on a recent walk around our neighborhood. This property is always such a treat to walk by, they are incredibly creative with color schemes and plants.

On our terrace.

May Birthdays

With three birthdays in May let's just say that by the end of the month we've had more than our share of sweets. I have been looking for ways to try out Ina Garten's new cookbook, Foolproof, so I decided to make this Carrot Cake with ginger mascarpone icing for my daughter's 21st birthday ( especially since she loves Italian cheese since her study abroad in Florence). As I was in the home stretch making the ginger mascarpone  icing, something went awry. I figured that I over-mixed the icing because it ended up with the consistency of pancake batter. So off to the store for more mascarpone cheese and then a second try. This time I was careful to mix the icing at slow intervals and not for very long (less than a minute for sure). Success! Everyone seemed to love this cake.

Cupcakes

 Caroline made these for her sister's 18th birthday today. The recipe for the cake is from Alice Water's The Art of Simple Food and the icing is basic vanilla and chocolate butter-cream which she decorated using a pastry bag then added some gummy flowers and pastel sprinkles. They are really delicious!

Visiting Tait Farm

We were on our way home from picking up our daughter from college and we saw this quintessential farm along with a greenhouse and shop and made a quick stop to take a look around. Tait Farm is a certified organic farm and has been a family operation since the 1950s. Their farm is part of the Community Harvest which is a member supported agricultural movement for farmers to support one another in growing local food for the surrounding communities. This is food security at its best! The pictures will tell the rest of the story. Needless to say, we fell head over heals for this farm and their abundance of fresh seasonal produce, flowers and plants, and delicious homemade jams and chutneys. The Raspberry Chipotle Mustard was to die for!