So, this past 4 July, I walked down the aisle and met my husband-to-be on the most incredibly beautiful Monday afternoon. Ari's best friend from forever officiated an emotionally-charged, heartfelt ceremony and our siblings read the truest passages we found as we searched endless places for the words that most reflected how we felt about each other, our families and friends, the rite of passage that we were about to celebrate. We were joined, among the pine trees at Perona Farms, by the people most important to us and then, just like that, it was over. There was a reception, of course, and fireworks in our hometown of Washington, too. But somehow, it's next week already. And I imagine the passing of time will continue to be just as aggressive and unforgiving the older we get!
Ari and I got away for two and half days, escaping down to Spring Lake this Sunday, returning late last night. As my new husband said, "Spending the day on the beach really beats the stuffing out of you!" Well, he's not kidding. I went back to school today for a workshop and was I ever destuffed... It won't be long before we'll both be back out in the fields (Ari's in the fishing fields today; he wondered back out to the Atlantic Highlands to fish with a work buddy today). I imagine the farm's call will be answered tomorrow, tonight, even, if Ar returns in the next few hours. When it does, I am really excited to put my new FoodSaver vacuum sealer into action and blanch up all the greens we've subsisted on for the inevitable winter ahead. We've also received as a wedding present a food grinder attachment for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer which should, hopefully, make canning tomatoes a breeze! The maters aren't here yet, but when they do arrive, they demand immediate and constant attention. What I'm most itching to do though, is make some artisinal ice creams of the unusual sort, with the help of my KitchenAid Stand Mixer (love this thing!) ice cream maker attachment. I am most currently dreaming of a creamy lemon basil sorbetto, but searching for other inspiration, starting with The Bent Spoon's ice cream board. Plum lavender sorbet anyone? How about raspberry goat cheese ice cream? Blueberry mascarpone? What am I not thinking of that I can't find in the store?
But for now, time to replace my stuffing, last seen on Spring Lake Beach, with a good, ol' fashioned veg out on the couch!
