September 30, 2010 · 9:29 AM

Let’s Go South of the Border for Carnitas (a.k.a. Mexican Pulled Pork)

You Gotta’ Try Carnitas – Mexican Pulled Pork

You Gotta' Try Carnitas - Mexican Pulled Pork

This recipe was featured on the America’s Test Kitchen on PBS, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to try it after the host, Chris Kimball, proclaimed that it is one of their “Top 10 Recipes of All Time.” We love Mexican food, and The Complete Package (my beloved) is a nut for pulled pork. Trying this one was a no-brainer for us. The technique is a little unexpected, but the results are fabulous.

Here’s what you’ll need:
1 pork shoulder roast, boneless, 3-4 pounds
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1 orange, quartered with seeds removed
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
2 bay leaves, whole
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground oregano
2 cups of water
To serve: flour tortillas, guacamole, minced red onion, cilantro, sour cream

Preheat your oven to 300F. Trim the pork roast to remove most of the fat (leave some on); cut into 2”x2” cubes. Place into an oven safe saucepan or Dutch oven along with the water, onion, orange, the juice from the limes, the bay leaves, salt, pepper, cumin & oregano. Place on the stove over medium-high heat and bring up to a full simmer, stirring occasionally. Place a lid on the saucepan and move it to the middle lower rack of your oven. Bake at 300F for 2-3 hours, or until pork is fork tender (if you poke it with a fork, it easily slides off the fork). Remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven to broil. Using a slotted spoon, move the pork into a bowl, and strain the liquid, placing it back into the pan for a glaze. Reduce the liquid over medium-high heat until the liquid reduces to about one cup.

Using two forks, pull each chunk of pork into two pieces, placing them back into the bowl. Toss with the reduced glaze to coat all pieces evenly; season with salt & pepper to taste. Place a baking rack onto a rimmed cookie sheet or a baking pan with raised sides (to contain any liquids). Place pork chunks onto the baking rack so that the juices will drip onto the baking sheet, about 1” apart. Put the baking sheet back into the oven on the lower-middle rack and allow to broil for 5-8 minutes, or until the meat starts to crisp on the top. Remove from the oven, flip all pork pieces, and place back in the oven to broil for an additional 5-8 minutes on the second side, or until edges are crisp but not burned.

Remove the meat from the oven. Squeeze some fresh lime juice over the top and give it a sprinkle of salt. Serve with warm flour tortillas, guacamole, minced red onion, cilantro, salsa and sour cream. The result – pulled pork so tender it melts in your mouth, with crispy broiled edges that will make your heart sing. The addition of fresh lime juice and salt at the end really perks it up. Leftover pork (if there is any) would be awesome as a filling for enchiladas, tamales, or burritos. Now go forth and get your carnitas on! Or in Spanish: Ahora ve en la cocina y hacer algo de carnitas para cenar esta noche!

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September 28, 2010 · 11:21 AM

Just in time for Halloween: Eeeeeeeeek! Brownie Spiders!

If you’re looking for something clever but deceptively easy for Halloween this year, try brownie spiders. Yes, I know…it’s a little early for Halloween, but I want to give you plenty of time to think about making these. Brownie spiders are fun to make, even more fun to serve and eat, and they’re sure to be a hit with both adults and children. For parties, everyone can make and decorate their own fudgy friend. They’ll be the best spiders you’ve ever eaten!

Brownie Spiders - Creepy, Crawly Fun!

To make 10 spiders, you will need:
Two boxes of brownie mix (and all ingredients for the mix)
1 small package of regular M&M candies
1 tube of black Wilton Black Sparkle decorating gel
Ice cream & toppings, for serving

To Make the Spiders:
Mix up the brownies according to package directions. Pour into a lightly greased 13”x9” baking pan lined with waxed paper. Bake as directed, until the brownies are completely set. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Using the waxed paper liner, remove the brownies from the pan and move them to a large cutting board. Use a biscuit cutter or an empty metal can to cut out circular brownies for the spider bodies. Using a small ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop and shape spider heads by rolling smaller brownies into balls using your hands. Press two M&Ms into each spider head to make the eyes. Using the sparkle gel, draw one quick dot onto each eye to make pupils. You can have some fun here – make some looking down, some looking up, some cross-eyed.

To Decorate the Plates:
Using the Wilton black sparkle gel, draw concentric circles on each plate, then go back and draw straight lines across the plate from side to side and diagonal lines across each corner (see photo). It works best to work slowly and hold the gel tube just above the plate so it doesn’t touch. Once the webs are complete, place a spider in the middle of the plate.

To Serve:
Using an ice cream scoop, place a rounded scoop of ice cream (any flavor you like) onto each spider’s back. If you’re feeling really creative, try the following for topping themes:

The Plain Garden Spider – ice cream with no toppings
The Brown Recluse – ice cream with hot fudge sauce on top
The Black Widow – ice cream with blackberry sauce on top
The Tarantula – ice cream with everything under the sun on top
The Itsy Bitsy Tipsy Spider – ice cream with a shot of Kahlua (for adults only!)

The best kind of spider - chocolate!

I know, I know….I have too much time on my hands. But they’re cute, don’t you think? And the sparkle gel really looks great when it catches the light. And they taste great. My personal favorite is the Black Widow with blackberry sauce. So good! Would you rather have homemade Booberry sauce? Hee, hee…sorry. Enjoy, everyone. And happy early Halloween!

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September 27, 2010 · 9:55 AM

Wahoo! My new camera is finally here!

I finally got all the parts to my new camera last week, and let me tell ya’, I feel like I won big on a scratch-off lottery ticket. I am so excited to finally have my first SLR camera. I’ve secretly dreamed of having one since I was in high school, but let’s not discuss how long ago that was or that dinosaurs probably still roamed the earth. I chose the Canon EOS Rebel T2i 550D with the EFS (IS) 18-55mm lens kit after The Complete Package (a world-class super geek) performed his usual high-level exhaustive research of the latest digital SLRs. Thanks, honey! This camera is awesome – lightweight, easy to understand and highly rated. The second most important part of my purchase was the “For Dummies” book that matches the camera, which was my main source of entertainment this weekend. I still have hundreds of pages to go, but I’ll get it eventually. I did, however, learn enough to snap a few shots of The Zigmeister and download them so I could take it for a test drive. The difference between the new digital SLR and my old point-and-shoot digital pocket camera is amazing. I have a lot to learn, and when I do I’ll share more about what this puppy can do. Until then, I’ll leave you with this simple photo comparison. Thanks for playing along, Ziggy. Oh man, I’m going to love this thing!

Ziggy Napping - Old Camera on the Left & New Camera on the Right

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September 22, 2010 · 2:06 PM

“Buy Local” Spotlight: Arriba Salsa

Lately, I’ve found myself gravitating towards local products at the grocery store. I like the idea of buying stuff made or grown close to home. It makes me feel like I’m helping make Houston a better, more self-sufficient place. For that reason, I’ve decided to start highlighting local products and/or producers I love. Don’t fret…there is no crass commercialism involved. I swear on a stack of Dove bars that I’m not being bribed or compensated in any way to promote any product. I just want to share the information; you can decide if you’d like to try them. Think of it like running into a stranger in the grocery store who turns to you and says, “Have you tried these yet? What did you think?” That’s not unusual for me. I seem to have random conversations with strangers in the grocery store quite a bit. I must have one of those faces. Anyway, here we go:

Local Product Spotlight #1: Arriba Salsa
I’m starting with this one because The Complete Package and I both love it to pieces. I’m not joking when I say that I have one jar in the fridge and three in the pantry at this very moment. We’re addicted. We eat it on everything and anything, but it’s also great straight out of the jar on tortilla chips. It’s good stuff.

Arriba Salsa - A Fiesta in a Jar!

Our favorite is the “medium” fire roasted Mexican style red salsa. It’s a perfect balance of roasted tomato flavor and heat. Not too spicy, but not too wimpy. It’s made by Riba Foods in Houston. They make a wide variety of salsas including Mexican style, California style and Texas style. They also have a line of pickles, peppers and olives as well as drink mixes, dips and sauces. We just tried our first jar of their Texas Pepper Works Candy-Krisp pickles and they are awesome! They’re sweet spicy pickles with a cayenne and garlic kick. Like the label says – not too spicy, not too sweet. I could eat the whole jar. I might not be able to feel my lips afterwards, but I could do it. If you don’t live in Texas or the Houston area, don’t sweat it! You can order directly from their website if you can’t find them at your local grocer. Here’s the website; the rest is up to you.
If you’re interested, you can check them out at: http://www.ribafoods.com/RibaCart/catalog.aspx

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September 20, 2010 · 1:57 PM

Apron Strings & Crafty Things

I love aprons. Old, new, retro, campy or classic…it doesn’t matter. I love them all and I actually use them; especially when I’m cooking splattery things like bacon. Aprons stir up memories of my grandmothers, my husband’s sweet granny, my mom when I was little, and Betty Crocker. They’re like a portal to my past. I have very fond kitchen memories from my youth. In 2008, my mother and I decided to make aprons as gifts for our annual Hoegarden weekend. For those new to the blog, that’s our annual “ladies only” family event held each spring. Yes, it’s named after a beer (you can read more about it in my Hoegarden blog tab). Mom and I like to collaborate on homemade gifts each year, and we wanted to make something fun but practical to share. We started this project by selecting a variety of unique fabric prints and patterns.

Hoegarden Aprons - A Fabric Sampler

Once everyone picked a fabric and a style, we went to work. For the record, my mother can sew anything. She made our clothes when we were little. She once made cheerleader uniforms for our high school (at least 10 girls, 2-3 uniforms each). She even made adult-size chicken costumes for a school play (one of which I was wearing when I had my car towed during a hail storm/tornado while I was in high school, but that’s a story for another day). She’s made curtains, shopping bags, baby gifts, pillows, etc. She can make anything, and probably has at one time or another. She has also created some amazing quilts. She’s very talented, but I’ve mentioned that before. Anyway, Mom really enjoyed this project. As she finished each apron, she would pose for a photo. She’s too cute.

Mom hams it up by modeling a few aprons

I should also clarify that I don’t usually ask my mom do all the work on these projects. It’s just that my old sewing machine died a violent death while making my first apron, so mom stepped up to help with the rest. She’s helpful like that. In the end, we (and I mean she) made ten aprons including a little pirate version for Jonah Bear, who had a “man pass” for the weekend (he was 15 months old). I made most of mine before my machine died and my daughter made her own apron (you go, girl!). Hey, I contributed the fabric and trim, along with lots of moral support, so I helped…a little bit. And now we each have a keepsake from our weekend together. One we can use and enjoy for years to come. Thanks, Mom. You saved the day again. Here’s a tribute to her lovely handiwork:

Aprons on a Fence - A Tribute to Petticoat Junction

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September 19, 2010 · 2:46 PM

Playing With Your Food, Recipe #1: Zesty Lemon-Garlic Hummus

It's okay to play with your food! Start by making hummus. You can do it!

Some recipes are so forgiving and fun, making them is more like playing with your food than following a recipe. They almost beg for experimentation. Once you get the basic formula down, you can free-style and add whatever you like. For me, hummus is one of those foods. It’s quick, easy and delicious and it’s actually good for you (but don’t let that turn you off). I make this in my food processor, but if you don’t have one you can use a blender. You’ll just have to stop more often and scrape down the sides as you go. Here’s how I like to do it.

The basic “starter” recipe:
2 cans (15-ozs. each) garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas)
½ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic salt
2 tablespoons of really good extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor, dump in one whole can of garbanzos, juice and all; drain the other can and dump the drained beans into the processor. Add the tahini paste (a required element – trust me), the salt and garlic salt, and the olive oil. Turn on the food processor and blend until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Don’t remove it from the food processor just yet. Now it’s time to play with your food.

I like my hummus chock full of lemon, garlic and cayenne pepper, so at this stage I add 2-3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, the zest of one lemon, an additional teaspoon of garlic salt and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne powder. I give it another minute in the processor to blend, and then give it a taste. I add more lemon or salt or cayenne to my liking until I think it’s perfect. Here’s a hint about the cayenne powder – it will get a little stronger as it sits, so don’t add too much. You can always sprinkle a little more on top just before serving. I also like to add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the top.

While you’re playing with hummus,
you could also add any of the following:
Extra lemon zest
chopped Kalamata olives
flat-leaf Italian parsley
coarsely ground black pepper
roasted red peppers
sun-dried tomatoes
pesto

Play around with ways to serve it. Try it on:
pita bread
toasted flour tortilla wedges (my favorite)
saltine crackers
carrot sticks
as a sandwich filling
on those toasted rye crisps I’m always stealing from the Gardetto’s bag

My point is to start with the basic recipe and then let your imagination run wild. Hummus is inexpensive and easy to make, so why not experiment and try new things? It’s also really yummy. You can eat it as a snack, as a side dish, or as your main meal. I had a bowl with toasted tortilla wedges for lunch today (pictured), and it was fabulous. You need to try it very soon. Don’t be intimidated – just get in there and be creative. Just because we’re grown-ups doesn’t mean we can’t color outside the lines from time to time. Be a rebel, experiment often, and don’t be afraid to play with your food!

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September 15, 2010 · 8:58 AM

Hi. My name is NanaBread and I’m a Peppermint Bath Product Junkie.

Is there a 12-step program for bath product addiction? There should be. I have a serious problem when it comes to peppermint scented bath products – I spend too much money on them. It’s a love that apparently knows no boundary. I’ve tried to control it, but I can’t. I’m weak and I know it, but I smell good.

A Peek Into My Minty Addiction - Peppermint Bath Products

Let’s literally start at the top with Nioxin’s Scalp Therapy. I picked this up at my hair salon on a whim and never regretted anything but the cost. I’ll be honest. I don’t use it every day because I just can’t wrap my head around using a $40 shampoo and conditioner twin-pack on a daily basis, but I do use it once a week or so (as a special treat). It’s especially refreshing in the summer after a hot sweaty morning pulling weeds in the flower beds. I don’t buy it often, but I love and appreciate it when I do. It’s lovely, and I hope you win the lottery some day so you can afford to make it part of your daily routine.

I was in San Francisco when I stumbled into an Origins store with bloody swollen feet crying for help or for someone to put me out of my misery. That’s what happens when you wear the wrong shoes to sightsee in San Francisco. (Travel hint: don’t wear brand new leather wedges if you’re walking the streets of San Francisco. Wear running shoes and put a pair of bunny slippers in your purse. Wear the running shoes when you’re in motion and the bunny slippers when you give up and stop for a margarita.) Origins saved my feet and my trip. I bought the 4-piece leg & foot rejuvenation package. I love their clever product names: Foot Rest, Sole Searcher, Leg Lifts and Reinventing the Heel. Don’t let their humor fool you. These beauties are seriously fabulous and effective. Thank you, Origins. Because of you, I was able to leave my heart in San Francisco instead of pieces of my wrecked feet.

My longest lasting peppermint crush (by far) has been the Oatmeal Peppermint bath bar from Garden Botanika. Oh, my…I have loved it for so long. If I had a dollar for every six dollar bar I’ve bought, I’d still be in the hole, but I’d be a happy camper. I love this soap more than life itself. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but I do love it fiercely. The oatmeal chunks set in a creamy peppermint bar will cleanse and exfoliate you like Helga the Baltic spa technician. I’ll warn you – you will look like you lost a cat fight when you first step out of the shower, but your skin will feel as soft as a baby’s backside.

J.R. Watkins Apothecary Peppermint Rejuvenating Foot Cream is my new lotion obsession. It’s labeled as a foot cream but it’s much, much more than that. Because it’s gentle and absorbs very quickly, I use it everywhere – even on my face. That’s saying a lot, because I have sensitive skin and mild rosacea. I can use this product without any fear of breakouts or that greasy feeling you get from some lotions. I put it on and a minute later, my skin feels smooth and dry. I am in love with this lotion. I will even go so far as to say that it has helped reduce the wrinkles on my face and neck over the past year. I put it on every morning before I apply my make-up and every evening before I go to bed. About the only place I don’t use it is on my feet. Go figure.

You’re probably thinking right now “geez…how many peppermint products can one woman use?” But wait! There’s more! My daughter introduced me to the most amazing liquid soap on a shopping trip to Austin’s SoCo district. We were snooping around the Farm to Market Organic Grocery on South Congress when she handed me a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Peppermint Pure-Castile Soap (certified organic and fair trade). She said it would blow my mind, and it did. For serious peppermint junkies, this is the hard stuff. It is a peppermint explosion in a bottle. Combined with a nice bath scrubbing poof, this will make your heart sing and your body parts tingle. I like to use it first thing in the morning when I need a shower to wake me up, or after an hour in the garage wrestling with my jiggly parts on the elliptical machine. Imagine jumping into a frozen pond. That’s how refreshing I find this soap. And it makes my entire bathroom and bedroom smell pepperminty fresh for half an hour after I shower. Here’s another secret: I use their almond scented soap at night when I want to unwind and smell good. And believe me, it smells really, really good.

Last but not least, I love the Savannah Bee Company’s Mint Julep Beeswax Lip Balm. You can buy it in a tube or in a little metal tin. While I usually favor lip balm tubes, my daughter found a great deal on E-Bay and we split the cost of a 12-pack of the cute little metal tins. I’ll be honest. She had me at beeswax. When they added Mint Julep, I was sunk. This all-natural lip balm is everything you want in a lip balm. It’s creamy, it’s long-lasting, and its peppermint oil content leaves your lips feeling quenched and refreshed. The Complete Package will testify that I am a lip balm addict. I carry 3-4 brands (a quick nod to Burt’s Bees tinted lip balm here – watermelon is my color). I carry it at all times. I use it every 15 minutes. I can’t stop. On the up side, my lips are always lush and kissable at a moment’s notice (the better to kiss you with, my dear!). I know my excessive use of peppermint lip balm is a problem because my 3 ½ year old grandson, Jonah, will now turn to me in the car and say, “can I get some of that?” I’m sorry, Jonah Bear. Nana didn’t mean to start you down the road to peppermint product addiction at such an early age. She should know better. But now that I have your attention, have you seen this peppermint lotion I got? AARRGHHH! Somebody stop me!

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September 13, 2010 · 8:15 AM

Things I Love, Volume 4: Guittard Extra-Dark Chocolate Chips

Get Yourself Some Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips - 'Nuff Said

Holy schmoley…this here’s some world-class chocolate! It would be criminal not to share this information with chocolate chip lovers everywhere. These really rocked my world. Bake them into cookies, mix them into brownies, or eat them straight out of the bag, but you have to try them. They are that good. I’m a dark chocolate gal, and these babies are right up my alley…not too sweet, but not bitter at all. I would rate them a 99.9 out of 100, five out of five stars, two giant thumbs up, and an enthusiastic “hell, yeah!” I’m not a fanatic chocoholic, but I am a huge fan of these chocolate chips. They’re just better than all the others. I swear on a stack of cookbooks. I would never joke about chocolate. Ever.

My favorite chocolate chips used to be the American standard – Nestle Toll House semi-sweets. It’s what I grew up on. It’s probably what most of us grew up on. Then I discovered Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips, and they became my new favorite for the past few years. This February, I stumbled onto a grocery store clearance rack and found Guittard extra-dark chocolate chips. They were marked down to 99 cents a bag (post-Christmas), which was more than I could resist. I grabbed 6 bags and for 99 cents each, I felt like I was stealing them. Now I wish I’d bought them all. I should have bought them all. I had no idea they would be life changing. Or that they would all be gone the next day. Or that I would dream of chocolate chip cookies (not usually my favorite). Or that I would struggle with the compulsion to eat them straight out of the bag. For me, that’s the mark of a great chocolate chip. If I can eat them plain right out of the palm of my hand and be completely satisfied, it’s a winner. I could put these in a bowl and eat them with a spoon (hypothetically, of course…wink, wink).

If you’re a chocolate lover, get to your store and pick up some Guittard chocolate chips as soon as you can. Run if you have to. If you don’t love them, I’ll be stunned. Then I’ll probably e-mail to ask if you have a cold and your taste buds are impaired. If your store doesn’t carry them, go straight to the manager and ask for them. Don’t take no for an answer. I’d throw around the idea of a hunger strike, but who on earth could pull that off in a grocery store? I’d be sneaking Bugles and Ding Dongs or green olives and Guittard chocolate chips after the lights went out. I’d make a terrible hunger striker. I have no will power, which explains my love for chocolate chips. Man, I could use a cookie right now.

Disclaimer: NanaBread is not an employee of Guittard or any other chocolate company, which she deeply laments. In fact, she’s not an employee of any company right now, which The Complete Package deeply laments (hi, honey). While she would make an excellent chocolate taste-tester, travel show host or personal shopper, she has never been approached by any company to promote any product known to man or beast. She is simply an opinionated Texan who feels compelled to share her innermost thoughts with her readers. End of story.

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September 11, 2010 · 7:30 PM

Dishin’ Some Dirt on Great Gardens

When I travel, there are always three things I look for as entertainment – museums, old churches and gardens. Today, I’m focusing on gardens. I love me some gardens. There’s a true art and beauty to a well maintained garden. I love and appreciate the people who toil in them every day seeking perfection and accepting that they probably won’t get it. When I visit a garden, I like to take my time and enjoy it slowly. Sometimes I’ll meander and take pictures for hours. It makes me a happy girl. I’ve been fortunate enough to see some really great ones. Here are a few I love. I hope you get the chance to see them, too.

The Japanese Gardens in Seattle:

Walking Path at The Japanese Gardens in Seattle, Washington

This small garden is a gem. It was pouring down rain the day I visited and I still enjoyed every minute of it. I’m not ashamed to admit that I have a serious crush on Japanese maples. I tried to grow one here in South Texas, but it just gasped and died and broke my heart. I strolled in this garden for 2 hours and only saw one other person. Maybe it was the rain, but I didn’t care. I was alone in a living piece of art, and it was spectacular. If you’re going to Seattle, put it on your list.

Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia:

The Sunken Garden at Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island

Oh, Canada! Words can’t begin to describe this remarkable garden. Privately owned by the Butchart family, it was started in 1904 by Jennie Butchart to beautify an old abandoned rock quarry. It easily wins my vote for best and most creative make-over of a giant hole. The sheer volume of dirt and plants it took to make this 55 acre masterpiece come to life are mind-boggling. It’s a top attraction in Victoria, and continues to stun and enthrall visitors year-round. There are many gardens within the grounds – a bog garden, a sunken garden, a rose garden, an Italian garden, etc. When you go to Vancouver Island, save some room in your schedule for Butchart Gardens. You won’t regret it.

The Gardens of the Palace at Versailles, outside of Paris:

The Gardens of Versailles and the Grand Canal

Most people visit Versailles to tour the palace and without a doubt, it is palatial. The Hall of Mirrors, the art collection and the lavender glass chandeliers alone are worth seeing. But it’s also miserably crowded with tourists who try the patience of even the kindest soul. For me, the real treasures are the gardens which date back to the 1660’s. They cover 800 hectares of land (that’s 8,000 acres). If this is on your bucket list, pack your walking shoes and your camera, buy a tram ticket to get out to the far ends of the property, and prepare to spend a full day taking it all in. Here are my favorite gardens at Versailles.

The Orangerie:

The Orangerie at Versailles - Part of It, Anyway!

It is exactly what it sounds like – a formal garden for Louis XIV’s 3,000 orange trees. Built between 1684 and 1686, it was one of the earliest structures at Versailles and was carved out of the southern slope of the palace to provide oranges in the winter. The formal design and its sheer size make this garden a stunner. I love how orderly it is. If you’re a neat freak, this is your garden. There’s not one thing out of place. This photograph shows less than half of this remarkable space. I found it hard to comprehend the history of this place. This garden is 350 years old. Wrap your head around that for a minute. Incredible!

The Botanical Gardens at the Trianon:

The Botanical Gardens at Petite Trianon, Versailles

In 1750, Louis XV commissioned the botanical gardens at Versailles. The Petite Trianon was built as a residence for the king so he could be closer to his new botanical garden and his long-time mistress, Madame de Pompadour, who died before it was completed. Eventually, it became the exclusive playground of Marie Antoinette, who (it is said) much preferred the peaceful gardens to the palace at Versailles. The botanical gardens of the Trianon and the adjacent hamlet became her refuge. It is said that no one was allowed to enter the gardens or grounds of the Petite Trianon or the hamlet without her permission. And it’s the hamlet that became my favorite garden at Versailles.

The Hamlet of Marie Antoinette:

I love this rustic arbor with its peek-a-boo garden view

I know why she escaped here. It is the anti-Versailles. While the palace was formal, grand and political, the hamlet replicated a small peasant village. Made up of small thatch-roofed houses and barns, it’s like a trip back in time to a rural French, well…hamlet. There are no palaces, no ballrooms, no pretense or snobbery. It is so peaceful here. There are barns with animals and gardens filled with vegetables and a vineyard that still grows grapes for the wines bottled in Marie Antoinette’s honor. I can’t describe it all, but I fell in love with it. If I had to choose between the palace full of fancy-pants politicians or the gardens with goats and cows and milkmaids, I’d choose the hamlet, too. If you do make it to Versailles some day, buy a tram ticket out to the hamlet and spend some quality time there. It will provide a remarkable contrast to the crowds inside the palace.

Cottage Garden in the Hamlet, Versailles

For me, gardens are magical places. It doesn’t matter if it’s a formal garden, a butterfly garden, a park or a small patch of dirt in your own back yard. I love them all. You never know what’s going to happen when you plant something. You could get something spectacular, or all hell could break loose. All it really takes is time, determination and hope, which reminds me of my pineapple plant that looks fabulous but won’t produce a baby pineapple. I don’t understand it. I’ve loved and nurtured it for 5 years, and I refuse to give up. I just want my baby pineapple! Okay, so gardening can sometimes require patience, but it can also be very rewarding. My motto for gardening makes a great motto for living: “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell, and fertilize” (credited to Emily Whaley). Some days it’s more about working like hell…some days it’s more about fertilizing, if you know what I mean. What do you think, dear readers? Post a comment. I’d love to hear more about your favorite gardens. Let’s dish some dirt!

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September 9, 2010 · 4:06 PM

Old Photos of My Mother

I’ve been scanning old family photos for my mother. We’re trying to create a digital archive so all the sisters have a copy. It takes a lot of time, but it’s a great way to make sure all five of us and our families have a complete collection of all the family photos. Today, I pulled out two pictures of my mother I wanted to share. I love both of these photos.

My Mother in Elementary School

The first one is an old elementary school picture. I’m not sure what grade she was in when this was taken, but I love that the photographer captured this exact moment. School photos aren’t exactly famous for capturing us at our best, but I think this one is perfect. She’s so young and innocent, but her smirk proves there’s mischief churning just under the surface. You can tell by the look in her eyes that she’s up to something. I wonder what it was. Something to do with her brother, perhaps? She’s a clever girl, and it looks like she’s definitely up to something. She still has a mischievious streak. I like that about her. I like it very much.

Mom Managing the Money

I think the second one was taken when Big Sis was just a baby. It’s obvious she’s paying bills or balancing the checkbook. Money was tight when we were kids, but it was extremely tight when she was little. Times were tough, but Mom was tougher. Because of her youth, my mother grew up very frugal. She had a gift for making something out of nothing on a daily basis. She made our clothes. She fed a family of seven on pennies. She grew her own vegetables and had a small orchard in the back yard. I once saw her pull a door off its hinges and plane it down so it wouldn’t stick. She knew how to do everything, and still does. She was alway conscious of how much money we had and how to stretch it. I never considered what she went through when we were kids. I never gave a second thought to how we would pay our bills or how she had to juggle things to make ends meet. Kids don’t think of things like that. Mom never had it easy, but she made sure we were taken care of. Thanks, Mom. I didn’t say that as a child. Thanks for all you did for us and all you sacrificed to do it. I think you’re awesome. I really do.

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