The Montana Series

Here is a preview of a new series of abstracted paintings I completed over the past several weeks.

Inspired by our family trip this summer, I pulled from colors, textures and emotions reminiscent of Montana.

I hope you enjoy them!

"Montana"
Oil on Canvas
24x24

"Morning Run"
Oil on Canvas
24x24

"Mountain Pond"
Oil on Canvas
24x24

"Big Sky Country"
Oil on Canvas
36x24

"Glacial Riverbed"
Oil on Canvas
24x30

These photos were taken under a florescent light, 

in the deep dungeon where I am frantically trying to get them to dry before they leave to show; 

this dulls the color and subtle nuances of texture...

Sadly, florescent light tends to not do any of us any favors...

so, while you wait for me to produce stronger photographs, 

you may just have to come see them for yourself at 5 Corners Cafe in Old Forge, NY this Fall/Winter!

And better yet, you can enjoy them with a glass of wine and a plate (or two, or three) of incredible food! 

Enjoy!

Cheese Monger Mama

My life is almost complete.

I made mozzarella!

And it was surprisingly simple and quick. 

And it made the best cheese I've ever tasted.... 

I think it was the personal pride oozing out with every bite...

You would think that I was the first person on earth to ever make cheese. 
It was like a science experiment! 
A deliciously rewarding science experiment.

Now, I just have to master making pasta and wine...

Here, I served the mozzarella with snipped basil, lemon zest, Herbs de Provence olive oil and Hawaiian black lava salt.

The only three ingredients, besides water;
I found the vegetable rennet and citric acid powder on Amazon, and I picked up the raw milk at Klein Farms down near Easton, PA

My Sous Chef

Squeezing out the excess whey

And my very own taste tester!

I have to attribute my cheese making success to The Pioneer Woman;

 Her photo blog made the step by step process less intimidating, and so simple. 

Thank you Ree!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/07/making-fresh-mozzarella/

For my PA friends, you can buy raw milk at Klein Farms down near Easton, and Earthlight Organics in Stroudsburg carries their products as well. 

http://kleinfarms.zxq.net/index.htm

I am really glad that I tried this.

 It was so rewarding! 

I was really intimidated, but it truly is very easy to do. 

I hope you all had a great weekend, 

and if you are looking for a fun Sunday project, this is it.

Say cheese!

ps. Do I smell a cheese party in our future!?!

September Art

Now that my son is back in school, and I have a moment or two to myself, it is time for me to bust out some new work.

Here is a glimpse of a new series I just began.

I'm pushing back towards abstraction, 

a place I always feel most expressive.

Although still in progress this one is titled
 "Big Sky Country"
Oil on Canvas
2014

I hope you guys like my new series!

If you want to come see it, up close and personal, it will be on display at 5 Corners Cafe starting in October through the winter season!

Link to 5 Corner's Cafe

Labne Love

On a recent trip to Barnes and Nobles with my son, I haphazardly grabbed a cookbook off of a display table as we rushed to the wooden train set. 

Yes, I use the train set as bribery to get my son to the bookstore.

That's right.

Regardless, much to my perusing delight, I grabbed 'Balaboosta' by Einat Admony. 

It is not only a beautiful book, filled with delightful stories and photographs about family and inspiration, but the recipes are manageable, loaded with fresh flavors, and a nice diversion from our regular cooking repertoire.

Today, in preparation for a dinner party tomorrow, I am making super simple, super delicious Lebanese labne.

I have joked that I could eat an entire tub of yogurt or sour cream given the right circumstances.

Well, here we all can with social acceptance!

Buy or borrow this book.
You will love the recipes, images and stories!

Stay tuned for after images!

YUM!

My Poor, Poor Garden

I am truly devastated about our garden.

Bottom line, what the animals didn't desimate in July, they finished off in August.

The only thing that survived was a lone few pepper plants and one tomato plant...well, I take that back;

When we went to pick them yesterday, something had literally eaten my heirlooms off of the vine.

Even most of my sunflowers were mowed down.

I'm so sad.

It is a good thing we don't have to live off our bounty...

sniffle, sniffle...

My only pick of the season...

At least the animals saved us some peppers!

Spicy Pickled Farmer's Market Carrots

Pickled Farmer's Market Kirby's;
A mix of bread and butter, dill and spicy...

That's all she wrote, folks...

So instead of growing, processing and canning our vegetables this year, making sauces and relishes, experimenting with pickling and preserving, 

we will have to do it the good ol' American way...

We thank you in advance Wegman's...