My Tomato ~

Isn't she a beauty?

My Pop-paw would be proud of this perfect heirloom tomato because it was so juicy and flavorful.  I sliced it up and had it for breakfast ~ placed upon a piece of toasted rye bread smeared with cream cheese and then sprinkled sea salt and ground pepper on top of the plump red fruit of glory.  Seriously, I thought I might cry it was so darn good! 

This garden thing has my emotions on a happy high, for there truly is nothing better than growing your own vegetables which reward you so unselfishly with their mouth-watering taste.

It's a tomato frenzy around here, so share some of your favorite concoctions with me.  Pretty please?!

[Reverie-Daydream Image]

Coop Crush ~

I have a major coop crush.  

I cannot stop thinking about these adorable Bantam variety of chickens that have made The French Laundry garden their new home.  It is definitely the equivalent to a five-star resort in the world of chickens....umbrellas for shade, a customized coop with a tres chic blue door, their very own rows of napa cabbage to munch on, and hand-fed snacks of strawberries, carrots, purslane, and more from the chief gardener. 

While admiring our newest neighbors, we had the honor of chatting with their 'land-lord', Thomas Keller.  It was one of those surreal moments for a foodie like me ~ standing in an organic garden, crushing on chickens, and making small talk with one of the most talented chefs in the world.  

Sometimes life is so good you just have to pinch yourself.

[Reverie-Daydream Images]

Braising Greens

A very good friend of mine is on vacation this week, so I have had the good fortune of being a 'garden caretaker'. To put it mildly, I am over-the-moon with this so-called task! My darling McDreamy is worried that his city girls have gone country, yet after he enjoyed the soup I made for dinner, which consisted of all the lovely braising greens, turnips, onions, and bell peppers the crumb and I picked and gathered, I believe we might have won him over to our side!

Barley & Braising Greens Soup

6-10 turnips chopped

2 bell peppers chopped

1 onion chopped

1 garlic clove minced

3-4 cups of braising greens (kale, chard, turnip greens) washed, stems removed, cut into strips

1 1/2 cups of Barley

32 oz. of low-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)

6 oz. of water

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

3-4 tablespoons of olive oil

salt

In a large saucepan (soup pot), heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion, peppers and turnips. Cook until tender, then add minced garlic, cook for 30 seconds. Add braising greens and continue to cook until wilted. Add broth, water and barley. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, add red wine vinegar and salt (to taste) cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until Barley is tender.

[photograph by Reverie-Daydream]

Fountain of Youth

"There is a fountain of youth: It is your mind, your talents,

the creativity you bring in your life and the lives of people you love."

~Sophia Loren

[Photograph of Auntie Ursula's Gorgeous Garden in Southern California by reverie-daydream]

A Spanish Garden

This beautiful garden is located in the Museo Sorolla (the former home and atelier of Joaquín Sorolla). Designed by the artist himself and inspired by Andalusia, it was planted between 1915 and 1916. While sitting in this gorgeous spot located in the heart of Madrid, we reveled in a very peaceful reprieve and captured a memorable moment to cherish for a very long time.

[Sorolla's Garden - Museo Sorolla]