Summer Seminar

Tonight I am making lavender-blackberry scones: a summer seminar in delicious fruit and relaxation. I finally tracked down a place to get dried food-grade lavender (Whole Earth Center in Princeton town), and have a pint of freshly picked blackberries at home waiting for me.

Yesterday, John and I went to a friend's crop-share since she is away on vacation. Since she would be losing money on "wasted" produce, herbs, and fruit, she offered us her pass and wished us well. Aside from the heat and swarming mosquitoes, it was pretty much heaven. My favorite activity was picking blackberries and flowers. There's a lovely bouquet on my table at home. My favorite smell was standing amidst the lemon and lime basil. I probably could have stood there for hours. If the mosquitoes at the approaching dusk was a drawback, the perfect lighting made up for it a hundred-fold. Check out this pic I snapped on my iPhone in one hand while balancing a bucket of flowers in the other. Yeh. That one's like a gift from the photogenic gods...the fuzzy faded summer light at the back...come on, son.

But scones...I've been wanting to make these since initially discovering the recipe months ago, but was having trouble finding the lavender. I know this is counter-productive at this point, but I was too lazy to order it online. When I get the baking bug, I need to bake, and I need to bake NOW. No time for delivery! If I can't run out and pick up what I need spur of the moment, then the recipe gets tabled. I know. I told you it's ridiculous.

As I sit here and daydream about the aroma of these suckers baking, I'm also finding myself reading (and rereading and rereading) the recipe. You guys, I love reading about food as much as I love eating it. I have cookbooks at home that I will sit down and read cover to cover like a novel. (Also, a cookbook without photos is a waste...SHOW ME THE FOOD! In addition to being something delish to look at, I also like to know what to expect along the way as I bake...)

A good recipe is like Shakespeare (bold, I know...and you know I love Shakespeare). It's poetry in motion seeing disparate ingredients come together to form one beautiful sonnet. Oh, and then you get to eat that sonnet. Mmm.

Stay tuned for my latest work. I hope it turns out well. I hope to come back and post a photo of the finished lovelies, topped with lemon curd. Yes.