Finally, tomatoes...

Thanks to the cold summer we are experiencing up here in the hills and the thieving squirrels (Lorili 4!), I haven't picked very many tomatoes from my potted deck garden.  This week, I received an email from a local organic farm, Yellow Wall Farm, that they had tomatoes in abundance and would have them at the farm stand in Santa Cruz on Saturday.  Hoo-ray!!!! 

A quick drive into town, and I had twenty pounds of some of the ripest, best looking tomatoes I have seen in a while.  First off, I had to pop one in my mouth, warm from the sunshine, rinsed in cold clean water. Oh, so sweet!  And I wasn't even home yet.  Once I got home, I immediately made one of my Mom's favorite summer "salads" - slice a tomato, sprinkle some salt and pepper, dollop of mayo on the side.  Who needs bacon and lettuce or even bread?

Sunday morning found me roasting tomatoes in the oven.  A long slow roast, at 275, a slide of olive oil across the tops, and again, a grind of salt and pepper.  Two and half hours later, and a quick mash and I have four cups of the freshest, sweetest tomato sauce/paste.  I put two cups in the fridge for later - we'll add them to some fresh sage & oregano and make a beautiful meat sauce for pasta.  The other two cups I turned into some cream of tomato soup, inspired by Smitten Kitchen's recent recipe for "Roasted Tomato Soup w/ Cheddar Cheese Lids".   Since I already had the kitchen in a state of major mess, I sliced up some more tomatoes, along with some peaches, onion, and jalapeno for a fresh peach and tomato salsa.  They will come into play sometime this week for a quick dinner of chicken and rice. 

I still have tomatoes for a nice caprese salad, as well some rocket for a spicy lunch add-on.  The roasted tomatoes are so very yummy, that I just know I will have to go back next weekend and see if I can't find some more.

It's about time.

A family (and friends) affair!

The reception was held at a picnic site just outside of the park.  It was all dressed up with paper lanterns, hanging flower baskets, candles in colored jars and towers of cupcakes.

(photo courtesy of StO - Thank you!)

Just to point out all the DIY (that I know of!)....

Groom - ingenious hanging of paper lanterns with lights that came on in the dark....
Bride - gorgeous hanging plant center piece, as well as plants and flowers scattered around
Father of the Bride - sturdy, huge, cupcake towers
Mother of the Bride - hundreds of napkins and table runners for all of the tables
??? - painted jars, filled with sand and candles
Aunt and sisters of the Bride - cupcakes
Many hands - cupcake wrappers
StO of the Bride - coconut cake for cutting
Many many hands - clean and set up of site

I'm pretty sure that someone on the groom's side of the family designed the invitations and did much more that I just don't know about....

Congratulations and Best Wishes!!!

Teary-eyed and tired...

We're back.  And they are married.  We had a great time visiting with everyone.  I even managed to beat Dad in a game of Cribbage the first evening we were there, but it was a very close call and really came down to the last two hands. 

Thanks to my sister and aunt, all the cupcakes were done and frosted and looked and tasted fabulous.  I did help (baked three batches of the S'mores and frosted two more), but it seemed short to me.  Since I wasn't in charge of the camera this trip (too much else to do in too short a time), I don't have any pictures of the reception and the mountains of cupcakes to share with you.

What I do have, are the pictures of the Canyon that Mark took on his excursion with the boys.

That white tip is where the bride & groom hiked to on their first date...

(photo snapped right as they were pronounced "man & wife")

And this was the wedding ceremony site

 

Me & Mark, all dressed up