Saturday, In the Park

The Big Bean

As autumn slowly unfolds and the trees dip themselves in gold and red, the desire to explore new places and new spaces takes hold.  Recently, it was Chicago's Millennium Park and The Art Institute of Chicago.  In the park, it is impossible not to be fascinated by Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate, a 110-ton elliptical sculpture of polished stainless steel, and the Frank Gehry-designed pavilion.  Highlights from the Art Institute include an Edouard Vuillard painting; a Van Gogh self-portrait; Georgia O'Keeffe's Sky Above Clouds IV painting from 1965, so perfectly presented on a staircase landing; two contemporary chairs, Honey-Pop Armchair by Takujin Yoshioka, and the pleated paper Cabbage Chair by Oki Sato that is shipped to the consumer as one compact roll to be open, cut and rolled back into shape upon installation (How cool is that?); a close-up of a must-see-to-believe Jackson Pollack drip painting; and the intensely beautiful stain glass window by Marc Chagall, one of three.  Finally, no weekend visit would be complete without a viewing of George Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. 

Click on images to enlarge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images by D. Sleziak

Crisp

With crisp evenings, leaves turn colour seemingly overnight

While on a walk, you know it's autumn when delightfully warm days fringed with cool nights bring a touch of bright colour to the foliage; when the shadows lengthen to ghostly delight and trees fill with the trill of song birds migrating south; when a forlorn leaf clings to newly barren branches; when the silky tufts of milkweed burst forth from their pod.

 

 

You know it's autumn when the fresh and light tastes of summer are replaced with a longing for a not-too-sweet yet substantial treat; when what seems perfect is fresh dough rising in a cosy kitchen and baking for a three-hour period is where you find your bliss; when after a walk you return home to a slice of warm Cherry Cheese Sweet Bread.

Softening cream cheese and thawing sour cherries

combine on a rolled yeast dough.

Rolled and placed on parchment then into the oven

followed by cooling, glazing, slicing and serving.

 

 

 

 

 

Images D. Sleziak

Autumn's Gift

It all starts with this

Jam-Making Time

Autumn brings its own gifts of the season, including juicy and sweet plums.  To capture this fruit's essence for enjoyment through the coming cold, prepare a shockingly simple preserve: lekvar.  Well not exactly jam (it is so much easier to make), this classic plum spread is thick and chunky, tart and tangy.  Use it as a spread for buttered toast or to fill cookies, sweet rolls or doughnuts.  For a finer texture than the recipe below, a quick grind of the plums before cooking will give you a smoother more delicate spread that is perfect for baking.  Either way, it is just one of the the simply delicious tastes of autumn.

Plum Preserves

          
             Two 11-quart baskets of ripe Italian plums
           
      Wash, pit and cut plums into quarters.  Place into enamel-ware roaster and cook in 225-degree
      oven overnight. 

      In the morning, raise heat to 250 and stir every hour.  The mixture should cook slowly and juices
      will evaporate.  If leaving unattended or overnight, turn temperature down to 225 degrees to avoid
      burning.  It will take 48 hours before the mixture cooks down to a thick, dense spread.  If making
      a smaller amount, it can be ready in 24 hours.

      Once the spread reaches the desired consistency, prepare the jars: immerse clean and sterilised
      canning jars in a pot of boiling water.  Let boil for four minutes.  Boil lids and screw tops in
      a smaller separate pot.

      Remove one jar from the pot and fill with hot spread.  Top with lid and screw top, turning to
      secure firmly.  Place filled jar on counter to cool and fill remaining jars in the same manner. 
      As the jars cool, you should hear a popping sound indicating that they have sealed.  Test by
      pressing the centre of the lid with a finger.  If it pops, the seal has not taken.  Place any such
      jars in the fridge for eating.  Sealed jars will keep in cool storage through the winter.

 

 

Images D. Sleziak

Mellow Yellow

Harvest gold

Yesterday at night, the full-bodied glow of the harvest moon; today in sunlight, a riot of golden yellow dances through the garden.

 

Images D. Sleziak

 

Inside Out

The view from the kitchen window

As the garden transforms from green to gold and beyond, the kitchen keeps pace matching hue for hue, delight for delight.

Outside, as this little beauty cast off her chartreuse green hue of summer for a pale copper shade of autumn,...

inside these darlings traded their pungent sharpness for a slow-roasted mellowness in Todd English's take on creamed onions -- Six-Onion Roast with Goat Cheese and Walnut Crema.



Outside, as this tree sang with the most dazzling yellow leaves, inside this spaghetti squash soared with the bright taste of lemon and the nutty flavour of Parmigiano-Reggiano in a Shrimp and Squash symphony.

 

Outside, while the cool nights coaxed the intense vividness of this flaming burning bush, inside the red richness of these jewels added depth and zing to Cranberry Crumble Muffins.

Outside, as these crisp orange-brown leaves struck a pose against the brilliance of the bright blue sky, inside the creamy texture of pumpkin lent a satisfyingly smooth denseness to Fudge Brownies.

Outside, while these red-orange leaves danced in the clear afternoon light, inside this tureen of vegetables was whirled into the full-flavoured silkiness of Pureed Cauliflower Soup with a touch of Sharp Cheddar cheese.

Outside, while the trees and branches now all lay bare,...



inside our bellies purr with pure satiated delight.

Photos D. Sleziak