Cherry Tomato Salad

I am lucky enough to have a Sunday morning farmers market just up the road. It has many wonderful cheese, bread and homemade pie vendors who generously offer up samples as I stroll by, but my favorite is TheTomatoStall. They have the sweetest and most gorgeous cherry tomatos. The past few times I have only gotten a single punnet (theres a new measurement for me!) and that didn't even make it home. So this week I pick up two and made a cherry tomato salad that really highlights the sweet fresh flavor of these cherry tomatos and and hints at summer. 

Serve with crusty bread for a perfect garden lunch ~ 

Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a salad. 

2 punnets, or about 60 cherry tomatos 

1 large clove of garlic 

1/4 cup of good olive oil 

a small chunk of chorizo sausage cut very finely 

a few sprigs of thyme, 4 -5 mint leaves torn & half a dozen basil leaves. Or any fresh herbs you have. 

1/4 cup of feta cheese 

a few shaves of parmesan cheese 

salt & pepper 

a few red pepper flakes 

Crush garlic clove with a knife blade and place in a mortar along with the salt, fresh black pepper, red pepper flakes and olive oil. Gentle use the pestle to macerate these ingredients & let stand. Only crush the garlic a bit, do not make it into a paste. 

Cut cherry tomatoes lengthwise and place in a large bowl. Add finely minced chorizo, crumbled feta, thyme and torn mint leaves. Macerate garlic and oil mixture again and then discard garlic chunks. Pour oil mixture over tomatoes and toss. Just before serving, add torn basil leaves, a few shaves of parmasen & another grind of fresh black pepper. 

Add more or less of whatever you like, but I like to let the sweet flavor of the tomatos shine and have the other ingredients be background 

Possibility

Eights months huh. 

Thats is like a lifetime in the blogosphere. 

And in someways that is appropriate. Since the last time I blogged there have been many changes in my life. The most notable perhaps, is that I am now blogging from London. East Putney to be exact. And, this is the biggest reason for my returning to this space. Leaving a place and going somewhere new, totally unexplored, its quite possibly the largest source of inspiration I can imagine. 

I have never lived anywhere but the US for more than a few months, but it is something I always knew I needed to do. And thus far I am incredibly happy. The landscape here is stunningly beautiful. So different from the hugeness and ruggedness of Northern California. In ways it reminds me of the places I grew up, but then again not exactly. They are cousins I would say, but not sisters.  
Living among so many layers of history is mind-boggling and the architecture has grabbed my heart instantly. I am sure there is a ferocity to this city, but I have yet to see that side. No doubt however that I will. 

Everything seems full up with the very best kind of Possibility and there is something quite delicious in that.  

I look forward to sharing the newest chapter here, from 10A. See you tomorrow. 

Fruits of Labor: yogurt pumpkin cake

What is it about fall that just makes you want to bake? 
I love the spices, the newly in season ingredients, and pumpkins!

this cake is a treat on a crisp fall day with a cup of tea or coffee ~ a little spice a little subtle earthy pumpkin flavor and this great zip from the yogurt. 

If your looking for another cozy fall recipe, check out my Grao-De-Bico recipe in the recent 5th volume of Kinfolk 

Recipe:

1 1/4 sticks of butter, softened 
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 eggs 
1/2 cup of plain yogurt 
3/4 cup of pumpkin 
2 cups of self-raising flour, sifted
1/2 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg 
1/2 tsp of freshly grated cinnamon 

preheat the over to 325°
Place the softened butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat until the mixture is pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the yogurt and beat well until combined. With a spatula fold in the sifted flour. Finally hand mix in the pumpkin until smooth. 

Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased bunt pan or into two small loaf pans. Bake for 60 mins or until cooked through (if made in two pans cooking time will likely be shorter than 60 mins).

Remove from oven and let cool then turn out of the pan. Serve warm with tea or coffee on a crisp fall day!

enjoy 

lulu & co

I spied these sweet little dresses over on asos and couldn't resist giving them their own post. From Lulu & Co they are sweetly nostalgic in shape and anything but with their playful prints!!

cute, non?!

Monday Mood Board

fall colors abound. 
Yesterday was the most perfect of fall days and it was a beautiful day to stroll about the city and usher in the new season. the farmers market was full to the brim with every sized gourd, squash, green and orchard bounty. 
Lovely ~ 




images: gourd, house, mushrooms, shoes, necklace, portrait