Photographer Ellen Silverman recently sent us photos of her Kintsugi mending project which we SO admire. We’ve had it on our list to try kintsugi, the Japanese way of repairing broken things with the mend celebrated rather than hidden. Ellen repaired two beloved vessels in no time, while amplifying their history and personal meaning, and the ideas of impermanence and imperfection.
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Blossoms that might in one way seem broken or damaged can transform into something of startling beauty…
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This came over our transom this morning via Ellen Silverman: a poem by William Stafford that immediately enlivened the day. It tunes the self to seeing, and being more fully here.
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The Cuban Table’s recipe for el pecado, which layers three kinds of milk with strong Cuban coffee, is so compelling, we’re going to make it this weekend…
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The Blueberries, Feta and Mint recipe I love from Mindy Fox’s Salads: Beyond the Bowl is a play on a classic pairing of watermelon with feta. The possibilities for improvising on it are endless when you’re shopping summer markets. Here are some ideas.
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Two teeny videos and a poem, for those in need of refreshment, a shift of view or just plain RELIEF from whatever is going on.
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This Sunday, we’ll celebrate Spring and Easter with a simple, of-the-season breakfast: soft boiled eggs with toast soldiers, and good coffee, inspired by Ellen Silverman’s Girl with Egg. Here’s how to make perfection out of something so simple.
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The Italian technique of panfrying a chicken with a weight on top yields a bird with an utterly crispy skin and succulent flesh in less than half an hour. It works for all manner of poultry.
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Recently, we got a New Year’s card that provided a welcome strategies for this anxious time. As soon as we think about doing them, we calm down.
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Shards of chocolate embedded with surprising flavors and crunchy elements make terrific gifts for much less cost than pricey “artisan-made’ chocolates. Here’s how to make them.
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At dinner at photographer Ellen Silverman’s house, I noticed a beautiful on-the-verge-of-flowering Amaryllis plant on her kitchen island…and next to it her clever, fast save of a cluster of buds that had broken off. It was as beautiful as the plant itself and embodied the elusive quality of wabi-sabi.
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Leafing through a file of good ideas, I found this image of a ripped linen room divider by Ellen Silverman. Ripped linen is so beautiful, there’s no need to hem it…witness this tablecloth and napkins…
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When Ellen Silverman came by, she asked for some EV olive oil for her breakfast of yogurt, berries and nuts. It was incredibly delicious and deepened the flavors dramatically. It was the first time I had olive oil on breakfast yogurt, but not the first time I had olive oil as a sweet.
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Ellen Silverman spotted this sign in tiny street garden in Paris. The curiously personal, handwritten note of fierce protection and thanks got us thinking about the loose, personal-yet-targeted messages left in public that we sometimes see that are quite different from graffiti. And that we could make some ourselves.
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For summer and blueberry season: Mindy Fox’s riff on the classic, ever-surprising, utterly-refreshing combo of watermelon and feta cheese: Blueberries, Feta and Mint from Mindy Fox’s Salads: Beyond the Bowl. Sometimes we replace the mint with basil, a hint of thyme leaves, fresh oregano, rose geranium, or even black pepper…to taste.
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When I saw the dandelion greens, sorrel and herbs from my CSA next to a burrata — mozzarella filled with creamy curds — in the fridge, I had an inspiration:
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We’ll be heading to the wild ramp supper in West Virginia this weekend to celebrate one of the first wild foods of spring. On the way, we’re stopping to see a friend who may not be able to go to the supper. We’re packing a frozen block of ramp butter in our bag to leave with him in case. It’s one of the best ways we know to make the most of a small amount of ramps,
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On Labor Day it was like a cosmic switch was flipped: suddenly we could smell fall and a chill crept into the air. We’re totally down with Thoreau and thinking of ways to spark summer’s lovely feeling even in the dark days of winter.
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Our friend Ellen Silverman, who photographs frequently for Improvised Life, sent us a compelling email the other day, with equally compelling photographs. She wrote: What you do when you don’t know you are having an emotionally challenged day, and then you suddenly do something that makes you realize that you are deeply distracted by…big emotions you…
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When photographer Ellen Silverman first visited Cuba in 2010 little did she know that the visit would change her life/ Just as Cuba is on the verge of its own big changes, Ellen will be leading a tour there. It is a rare opportunity for just about anyone who wishes to visit private homes in Havana and engage with their owners. Here’s a glimpse:
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