Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Mixing Bowls




We shared a single mixing bowl of fresh pasta, ripe cherry tomatoes and greens, with two forks and a bottle of wine. In the midst of major transitions, it almost felt like a normal mid summer evening. 

We had spent weeks wining and dining in some of New Yorks finest hotspots. We had our fair share of the pricy, the chefs choice and tasted the latest in review. All to say that I think my favorite meal took place on my back patio, barefoot, messy and tired, eating al dente out of a Costco Tupperware.

This week I'm thinking about France. Hunched over boxes and throwing away papers I'm imagining a green landscape. Bubble wrapping prints I'm thinking of inky fingers and transparent creations hot off the press. Lugging bags to and fro I stay cool remembering long afternoons lingering over gelato, wine and cheese. This month I am sending a slew of messengers to France while I make my way to the Greek Islands. 

I am looking forward to the Mediterranean. I am hopeful that the salty air will clear my head. I can't wait to celebrate two amazing friends. I am ready for an escape to calm and quiet. 

Summer is the time to reboot, to soak up some much needed vitamin D and gather. It's a time to explore, adventure and collect your thoughts. Summer is the chance to throw together a meal in a mixing bowl, get your arms sticky with peach juice and smell fresh cut grass. 

These are the things I have to remember as I complain of having to wear shorts, wait on humid subway platforms, slather on sunscreen or endure spaceship sized mosquitos. 

This summer I am going to make time for picnics, read good books, journal, and roam the farmers market. This summer I am going to make a point of slowing down, breathing and checking in with my head and my heart. This summer is a clean, white page of new beginnings and more mixing bowls filled with goodness. 

Make a Mixing Bowl of Goodness:

Gluten free pasta
Olive oil
Fresh sliced cherry tomatoes 
Fresh Arugula 
Feta cheese 
Salt and Pepper

Cook pasta to al dente  
Toss with olive oil, tomatoes and arugula
Add a generous amount of feta 
Serve in a mixing bowl with two forks
Grab a friend, a mom, a roommate, or a neighbor, a patio and a bottle of wine 
Enjoy slowly

This cup is for my mom, aunt Nancy and Chris-- thinking of France with love.