Vegetables As Art: Part II

If you love the look of letterpress and you enjoy cooking

you will thoroughly enjoy 

Patrica Curtans book featuring 

the 

Menus for Chez Panisse

 The book is written in a chronological format, 

which is really interesting when you see how 

the menus, the artwork  

and the PRICES 

have evolved since 1971!

 many of the menus in the book 

were created for specific celebrations...like Birthdays,

 New Years and Bastille Day

 there are wonderful menus 

for special guests as well

Patricia shares her process of print making

 and you really can see how time consuming 

these menus were for her to create

I suppose the menus most importantly reveal the art of simple food

 and what is in the forefront 

of the slow food movement...

 the farm to table philosophy of eating well,  

supporting our local growers 

and educating children and adults alike about 

what "food" really is

Alice Waters most important project, aside from the restaurant,

has been a non profit program called 

the edible schoolyard

the project started about 17 years ago at 

Martin Luther King middle school in Berkeley California...as a way to teach children about the importance of healthy food...growing, cooking and sharing food at the table 

Chez Panisse almost was almost lost to a fire this past year 

but has since reopened 

I truly appreciate the art of letterpress and of course 

the beauty of the garden and a well cooked meal... 

Chez Panisse seems the embodiment of those things

in my own kitchen

 I have a few of Patricia Curtans prints framed 

and haphazardly placed  them on open shelves 

along with dishes and glassware

I had to take apart my cook book in order to frame these little prints

 but I love how they look 

and they remind me of the simplicity and beauty of vegetables

even if you are not a gardener...

 we can appreciate the

beauty and art 

of a ripe red tomato

Enjoy the day

!

~kelley~

Trees

 The trees on our property give us many things... 

beautiful silhouettes 

 shady spots to sit

 big branches for swings

they draw your eyes to the sun and clouds

a tall lacy country skyline 

they welcome visitors along the gravel drive

 and invite you to walk barefoot in the grass 

beside the creek

and the fruit trees give us wonderful sweet oranges and lemons

 and crunchy apples

and the peaches...yum

(I had to pick them all early because the squirrels love them too)

but the trees provide a place for animals and birds of all kinds
wrens, woodpeckers and finches
owls, hawks and orioles...are just a few of the birds we see (and hear) every day

yes...more eggs now!

the little Junco laid 4 last week

and this week we have babies

 not a cute as I thought they would be...

but I'm sure mama thinks they are just beautiful

so this is why the trees are so wonderful,

they provide so much my family and for other families too

I feel like I need to hug a tree...you too?

~*Kelley*~

Beautiful Food Photography: Donna Hay Cookbooks

Cookbooks can be inspiring in many ways...

of course they inspire us to be a better cook

but there are those cookbooks that inspire us to eat a bit more healthy 

and to take more time and care in the preparation of a great meal

I have found food photography can inspire me to take more care 

in how I use my camera too

A food photography 

feast for the eyes are the cook books

 by Donna Hay

Donna is the Australian equivalent of Martha Stewart

 Her books are full of wonderful simple recipes 

and impeccably styled photo's

She has a cookbook out called Seasons

which has wonderful recipe's sorted by the 4 seasons of the year

If you see it take a peek

Here's to the start of a delicious week!

all photos from Donna Hay Cookbooks