Humid 'Dog Days' of August -

Mornings with fog and a whiff of delightful coolness in the air. Doesn't last long 

though as the humidity seeps through with the harsh rays of the August sun.

Early, whilst the neighborhood is 'sleeping in', I cross the damp grass

 in my Nike 'pool shoes'. I don't have the pool but love those slip on sandals

 in the garden as I can hose them off, even run them under the faucet, 

to easily keep them clean!

Ms. Nala, in my care for a few weeks, waits patiently for breakfast and 

 now and again, plops on my lap and permits a cuddle for a few minutes, 

purring loudly. It always takes about a week for her to do this when

 I'm cat sitting, cats are like that.

Bees, bunnies and noisy cicadas are busy.

Our baby bunny is growing fast and is now almost as big

as his mama. He's not shy and will allow me to walk close by 

for a "hi little one, how are you today" chat. 

Who knew cicadas had such lovely colors close up - they are dull and grey 

from a distance.

Robust looking American robins are everywhere now the figs are

 ripening. . . . . . in the tree nibbling and on the ground nibbling again 

when fruit fall to earth. They really love figs, and they love water breaks

on hot days.

Celeste fig harvest is awesome again this year. We've picked pounds

and shared with neighbors, friends, the mail carrier, and the gardener we've 

employed to help with some backyard work this week.

I'm eating some fresh from the tree, and this week will most likely bake

 these really yummy fig frangipane pastries. Click HERE for the easy recipe

shared back in 2015!

My neighbor's large tomatoes are wonderful now and I'm harvesting

 several daily. Whilst he's away I get to pick and eat as he insists

 they're 'our' tomatoes! Today I plan to make panzanella, that great

 Italian salad I first enjoyed in Cortona, Tuscany so many years

ago. It will use up some of the last basil from the garden and the

 few days old bread - Italian style with rosemary and olive oil - we try

 not to waste good food around here.  

Hope your week is going well.

Mine will continue to be busy by the looks of it. . . . .something penciled

in on the calendar for each day.

Thanks to Italian kitchens. . . . . . . . . . .

No, not from my kitchen this time!

Sometimes you just want someone else to prep, cook and clean up, don't you?

A recent hot evening drew us out of the house. Our a/c was still on the

 blink upstairs and it was Hades in reverse with the temp. reading 90F.

 So, a quick drive over to Midtown where we allowed Mia Francesca's

 chefs to cook for us, and the great staff wait on us.

Loved every moment, and even came home with enough of my

 Pizza Napoletano for another day!

Bob of course had a chance to eat meat which he rarely gets at home!  

Must admit the bowl of spaghetti and meatballs looked fabulous. . . . . .he said

 it was, and gobbled the whole plateful. Fortunately we don't eat lunch!

Photos via iPhone

Pesto for Summer dishes..............................

I'm literally wilting as our upstairs air conditioning is on the blink and we are

 expecting another 95F day - pray the fix-it guys show up as promised or the

very hot weekend will be miserable.

However the basil is growing like wildfire!

 With the heat of the sun, and the addition of a few good heavy rain

 showers thrown in late in the day, I could almost make pesto daily now -

and those cucumbers from my neighbor's patch are non-stop - looks like

 more chilled gazpacho is on the menu tonight!

My first pesto of the season was so good!

Served over a short pasta shape which soaked up the sauce perfectly, 

it only required an additional grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano plus a

 twist of the pepper mill. . . . . . . .and Italy was in my bowl!

Dessert that evening was the simple French fresh plum cake. . . . . . 

. . . . . . . .beautiful colors, easy foods to prepare, delicious to eat.

Nothing is really more enjoyable than eating at home for me.

The real Origano di Montagna. . . . . . . . . . .

OREGANO ~ ORIGANUM vulgare
A flowering plant in the mint family(Lamiaceae). Native to temperate western and southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region. Oregano is a perennial herb (although grown as an annual in colder climates as it often does not survive the winter), growing 20-80 cm tall with opposite leaves. Flowers are purple and
produced in erect spikes. Sometimes called wild marjoram.

As we wandered through the charming alleys of Sicilian towns, stopping

 to glance at little shops and their offerings, there were many dried herbs

 bagged and bunched for sale. . . . . . oregano was definitely a favorite.

My own bunch of sweet smelling dried oregano is now on the dining room 

table both as a decoration and also to be used in many Italian dishes 

over the summer months. Have to say it smells and tastes so much

better than the contents of that little glass jar in the kitchen!

There are many subspecies of Oregano each with their unique flavor. 

Tastes range from spicy or astringent to more complicated and sweet.

Sicilian oregano is usually sweet and spicy with little bitterness, and is

prized for flavor and compatibility with various recipes and sauces.

Leaves are more flavorful when dried than fresh, warm and aromatic.

Taormina, Sicily - May 2017

Oregano's most prominent modern use is as the staple herb of Italian-American cuisine.

Its popularity in the US began when soldiers returning from World War II brought back

 with them a taste for the "pizza herb" which had probably been eaten in southern Italy for

 centuries. It is eaten with roasted, fried or grilled vegetables, meat and fish, and combines

 well with spicy foods popular in southern Italy. . . . . . . and of course in pasta sauces.

Italian cooks love their food full of flavors from the countryside and, although

 fresh herbs are often best, dried versions have to be used when they are

 out of season. Perhaps I try to keep my dried herbs purchased from grocery

 stores far too long - you know how they eventually lose their flavor and turn

 into dust in those jars - probably adding little of the original brisk fresh taste.

Do you enjoy using herbs when you cook?

Are you growing fresh herbs this spring?

My annual basil, chives, fennel and parsley are all coming along in large pots -

and my perennial rosemary bushes (2) are now huge and in fact need to be

pruned way back.

I so love walking into the garden and clipping a few leaves to add to 

the evening meal - today it will be basil for the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.

BUON APPETITO!