the dog ate my homework
no, seriously
When we brought Violet home, I knew her presence would impact my ability to work. Such is the price we pay for puppies. That being said, I had no idea she would show such a penchant for paper! Behold my notes on our recent trip to Las Vegas.
Oh, Violet.
Look for my essay at the end of the week because, in the meantime, it’s all about basketball (and baking) on Buffard Drive. Baylor’s loss busted my Final Four, but I’m still humming along—1,538,734 out of 22 million in the country!
Although I did not have Texas A&M advancing, with buzzer-beaters like this, what’s NOT to love? Tell me, how is your bracket doing?
It never ceases to amaze me that after six years with my sweetheart, so much of sports continues to be a revelation. Such as, there are only three periods in a hockey game, or that the LA Rams played in St Louis from 1995 til 2015?! To be fair, the Rams’ tenure corresponds almost precisely to the years I was married or, as John calls it, the “dark (sports) years.” All of this is a roundabout way of saying that while I may be late to the arena, I’m enjoying the ride and the possibility of embracing something new late in life.
I recently read an (older) essay by one of my favorite food writers, Tamar Adler, “Learning How to Eat,” written on the anniversary of Julia Child’s 100th birthday, in tribute to the multiplicity of ways we do just that—referencing the French phrase l’appetit vient en mangeant, which roughly translates as appetite grows by what it feeds on.
Adler reminds us of how Julia learned to eat: by encouraging and tasting in a way that lets us be formed, neatened, and honed; that lets us take on eating as a thing to learn, a path that may leave us, god forbid and god grant, tasting and thinking of things differently than we do now.
This epitomizes my relationship with my sweetheart and the ways we feed one another. It’s what happens when a teaching artist opens her heart to a former sports bar owner and both become willing to balance a Sixers/Heat game with a visit to the Barnes Collection. This too, is a gift.
Appetite grows by what it feeds on.
Which brings me back to baking—the baking that truthfully began long before March Madness. I’ve stopped blaming it on the cake dome and have surrendered to the fact that I simply like to bake because there is something so satisfying about returning to familiar recipes, those never-let-you-down tried and true. It’s like meeting up with a dear friend in the making itself, but equally in the coming home to something sweet just waiting for you on the counter.
“Why hello, I’m so glad you’re here.”
It started with an obsession with olive oil cake:
before becoming multiple batches of toll house cookies:
I know you know the recipe but I’ve made a few modifiocations which you may wish to consider
and then this past week, BROWNIES:
I’ve previously shared my recipe for better-boxed Brownies, but learned of this recipe for black-sesame brownies from
. If you don’t subscribe to her newsletter, I highly recommend. These brownies require black sesame butter which I ordered from Rooted Fare, but if anyone has a local Rochester source, do tell! The recipe was originally published in Snacking Bakes (my copy of the full cookbook arrives today, yay!). The recipe is prone to riffing, and the version I uploaded is slightly different than the one Marian Bull published, which is slightly different than Yossy Arefi’s original. For example, yesterday, I substituted chopped peanut cups for the semi-sweet chocolate, which I can highly recommend. Don’t be afraid of the olive oil seemingly pooling on the top when you remove the pan from the oven. Trust me, it’s done.Next up I’ll be making
‘s s’more squares, from Cook and Tell, another newsletter I adore.The baking may be getting the better of me, not to mention my waistline, so if you happen to be in Rochester, please stop by. Because appetite grows by what it feeds on, and mine always grows in good company.
What have you been cooking or what is it that feeds you?
I’ll be back in your inbox by the end of the week. Violet willing.
thanks for reading ~ xosew
UPCOMING:
The Faraway Nearby: stillness, story, sea
September 18-22, 2024
Monhegan, Maine
what’s your story? it’s all in the telling… . .
THREE SPOTS REMAIN for The Faraway Nearby: stillness, story, sea
If you have ever wished to experience Monhegan, this retreat is your invitation. With Rebecca Solnit’s poetic memoir as our guide, we will write through the island's topography and the geography of our senses to embody our storied experiences.
The Faraway Nearby is for anyone who longs to learn or return to the practices of writing and meditation in honor and celebration of our authentic voices, as can only happen when you find yourself on this artist's island 10 miles out to sea.
thanks for reading ~ if you enjoy this newsletter, i’d love to know! you can leave a comment, send me a message, or restack/share this post with a friend. you can also subscribe as a free or paid member ~ or manage an existing subscription. as always, i’m grateful for your readership.
Looks delicious!! I wish I was nearby! I’ve been making a lot of bone broths and soups lately ~ I love having it on stock and available for a last minute meal or to prepare a nourishing soup. Xo
Try adding a couple of teaspoons of lemon or orange zest to the olive oil cake… it’s delicious!