mipmup.

can spiders see?

we have a garden-guest in our backyard: an orb-weaver spider.

and it knows me.

each morning (after sunrise, mind you, so i don't run into its web), i pass by it and it scurries away after it sees me. it's mildly alarming, but i figure it's doing the garden good. (i'm pretty sure.) and, hey! the spider in "charlotte's web" was an orb-weaver. that means it can't be all bad, right?

summer heirloom double tomato salad.

for family events, i usually offer to bring one dish (in this instance, caprese salad which we did on crostini this time) and then, like on sunday, end up bringing a green salad, triple fruit crumble, kalamata tapenade with black pepper crackers and fresh fig plate with walnuts and honey. i planned to bring just the caprese, but our kitchen was bursting with food, so there it is. five dishes (six, if you count the garlic miso pickles i made for the birthday girl). since i'm a vegan, my family requests that i bmof (bring my own food), so i opted for a green salad. however, when i got to the site of the party, it was 94 degrees and despite the best efforts of our cooler, the lettuce wilted and browned. therefore, i improvised this salad instead.

summer heirloom double tomato salad

4-6 heirloom tomatoes, chopped (this season, i'm kind of in love with white queens and german greens — hey! that rhymes!)
1 cup fresh basil, torn
1 cup sliced hearts of palm
1 tbsp. lightly-toasted pine nuts
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. tomato dressing (recipe follows)

mix all ingredients, except pine nuts, together gently. top with pine nuts. serve at room temperature.

tomato dressing

1 heirloom tomato, chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard 
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. sea salt

place all ingredients, except olive oil, in a blender. process until smooth. while blender is running, add in olive oil until emulsified. serve at room temperature. refrigerate unused portion for up to one week.

photo credit: sustainable table.

women's equality day.

today is women's equality day. sometimes i take it for granted how well we have it in this country: i can vote, i can go where i want, i can make my own decisions. this day is a beautiful one in the united states, but i want to acknowledge the women who face innumerable atrocities around the world. from female genital mutilation, the global gag rule (reinstated by george w. on his first day of office) to the impact of religious beliefs on women in afghanistan (see photo), there is clearly much we need to do. therefore, i urge you in addition to signing the petition to advance the rights of women in the us, take action now to support the treaty for the rights of women "supporting basic human rights for women around the world."

photo credit depicting an execution of an afghan women by a taliban in kabul: revolutionary association of the women of afghanistan.

friday favorites.

here are my favorites for this week:

• little shopping book. gee, who could use this? 6.

• laptop computer sleeve. when my computer comes back from the repair shop, maybe it should have something to keep it warm. 33.99.

• jacket with belt. is it too early to be thinking of fall coats? 630.

• marimekko apron. if you've been reading these favorites for any length of time, you'll know i love all things marimekko. this apron (in red) is on my wishlist! 38.

• glass bead necklace. i think orange is my favorite color. fair trade and handcrafted necklace from india. 17.95.

photo credits:  fredflare.com  .  alternative outfitters  .  girlshop  .  saga living  .  world of good

fresh fig spread.

i discovered the joys of fresh mission figs only in my recent adult life. the only figs i had growing up — despite living in a state with an entire advisory board dedicated to them — were fig newtons, which i ate with abandon (have i mentioned my junk food past?). why did it take me so many years to realize that the real thing might just warrant a look-see? i bought two pints of fresh figs at the market last weekend, one of which was a pint of extremely ripe "seconds" i purchased for a buck. after cutting a sample for myself because the vendor "couldn't deal with the texture," (hilarious) i immediately starting thinking of how to use them up.

i love dalmatia fig spread, which is made with adriatic figs, and wanted to create something similar. with a little research, i came up with this no-stove-required recipe.

fresh fig spread
2 pints very ripe mission figs (about 20 figs)
1/8 cup filtered water
juice of one half fresh lemon
1/8 tsp. sucanat or brown sugar
1/8 tsp. maple syrup (i used blis maple syrup infused with tahitian vanilla bean, an artisanal syrup you can order from here)

add all ingredients to food processor and process until a thick purée is formed. add more water if a thinner texture is desired. serving idea: after dinner, offer with crusty bread or crispy flatbread, bleu cheese, honey and walnuts.

*sweeteners may be omitted.

makes about 1-1/2 cups.

more reasons to love figs courtesy of aforementioned advisory board (which has vegan recipes, too!):

• figs are fat-free, sodium-free and, like other plant foods, cholesterol-free.
• figs are high in fiber, providing 20% of the daily value - more dietary fiber per serving than any other common dried or fresh fruit.
• figs have the highest overall mineral content of all common fruits. a 40 gram (1/4 cup) serving provides 244 mg of potassium, 53 mg of calcium and 1.2 mg of iron.

photo credit: california fig advisory board.

the seven secrets.

all of a sudden, i'm finding out all these secrets about people i know. my manicurist is divorcing. so is my cosmetics rep. our old attorney is a swinger. our ex-friend's dad is a felon. all of these goings-on inspired me to create a meme: the seven secrets, so that we can all get things off our collective chest. i'll go first.

1. your deadliest sin (pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed or sloth)? anger.
2. tell us a secret. i'm in over my head.
3. why are you ashamed? i'm irresponsible in a major area of my life.
4. what is your secret fantasy (keep it g-rated, ok?)? to be a chef.
5. greatest guilty pleasure. celebrity gossip rags.
6. secret behavior. i think i have an addictive personality.
7. to where would you escape? toscana, hawai'i, new zealand or ol ari nyiro.

overkill.

maybe making everything (and adding tofu feta, ann gentry's cashew cheese, strawberry lemonade and vanilla-scented strawberries and figs with ladyfingers and soyatoo! of course) on the list for the turkish weekend buffet brunch (for three adults and two children — the nine-year old was mildly horrified, but remained polite) was overkill. ah, it was fun anyway. the highlight, for mom, the vip, was inspired by the "trio of reds" salad that evan kleiman, host of kcrw's "good food," mentioned during last week's show. i bought the beets from my favorite farm at the market on saturday and they were super small (read: super sweet). this salad is incredibly easy and goes well with the other "turkish delights" we enjoyed. (sorry, camera still broken, so no photo. wah.)

trio of reds salad
3 bunches roasted beets, sliced in wedges
3 red heirloom tomatoes, sliced in wedges
1/2 red onion, sliced lengthwise
1/4 tsp. pomegranate molasses
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. sea salt

mix all ingredients together at least one hour before serving. serve at room temperature.

serves four.

in my quest for all things turkish, i discovered an excellent turkish food blog you might enjoy.

soyatoo.

um. this vegan whipped cream is the greatest. the mouthfeel (i'm kinda beginning to hate that word) is incredible and just what i remembered from pre-vegan days. i disovered it today at a local health food store i never knew about (double bonus!). for someone that has been trying (ferociously) to mimic whipping cream in a vegan manner, i can't say how relieved i am that the experiements can heretofore cease. seriously. even omnivore better half concurs. it's worth five bucks. (did i seriously just spend five bucks for a "taste taste?") this just in: whole foods carries it for 3.99.

from their site, soyatoo! is:

• based on organic soy milk and 100% organic vegetable fats
• easy on the figure with a delightfully low fat content of only 11% (conventional whipping cream contains approx. 25% fat)
• cholesterol free and lactose free
• certified organic
  

ah yeah.

soyatoo! usa.

photo credit: soyatoo!

friday favorites.

here are my favorites for this week:

• hello kitty bento box. it's nearly back to school time, so order up your reusable, extra-cute bento box! straight from japan (but, don't worry, the shipping costs aren't that crazy)! 32.

• jewelry for your wall. i never know what to put on the walls since we're not art collectors or anything. i think this might be a good solution for me. small set, 42.

• dessous by sophie simmons. it's difficult to choose just one of "under pieces," which exude "nostalgic femininity," as my favorites, so i'm not gonna. i'll take the whole kit and caboodle. [via feeling is mutual.] pricey.

• hable construction letterpress notepads. just what every savvy blogger needs to jot down her ideas on the go. there's a handy pocket on the back, too. 18.

• you-can-still bbq tablecloth. summer's not over yet! go for that bbq outside and drape your table with this festive summer tablecloth. 240.

photo credits: jbox.com  .  urban outfitters  .  dessous  .   see jane work  .  quel objet 

grody customer service.

i have many idiosyncracies. one of them is never using pens in a store. color me ocd, but those things are germ-laden. i found yet another reason today. while buying running shoes, the clerk said to himself, "where's my favorite pen? it's the only one i can get to stay behind my ear." if you'd like to handle that, go for it. as for me, if you're behind me in line, be patient while i fumble for my very own sterilized writing utensil.