Anniversary

My heart is a house
where you live in a room
close
under the eaves.
I feel you at night
fingering secrets
in rooms down the hall. Strange -- 
I don't stop you.
Soon you will touch
from attic to cellar,
knowing baubles I have forgotten
in my own house
you are at home.

I wrote this for Clark for our wedding, 37 years ago today.

Autumn at Phipps

This looks so much like Fall that I'm going to make three more -- one for each of the seasons, inspired by Phipps Park wildlife. These are simplified oak leaves, and the others are from a red-leafed spray I can't name. The yellow branches are from an element Marsha designed. I cut it down the middle into two narrower curves. It's 16 1/8" x 14 1/2".

Quilters Unlimited, the Tallahassee quilt guild, is dynamic, recently sponsoring 2 days of classes with internationally famous artist Jane Sassaman. Jane juggles shapes on her dramatic, Art Deco-influenced pieces. She suggested that for practice we play with 3 contrasting shapes. Here's a trial of mine, inspired by Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park north of Tallahassee, where I often jog. "Don't think too much," Jane said. "This is just a start. This is not your masterpiece." Clearly.

Pumpkin pi

I saw a man wearing this Pumpkin pi T-shirt. He said he's a biologist, not a mathematician.

Pumpkin Pie

This year I discovered heavenly little pumpkins with green and white stripes. But I'm making our Thanksgiving pie from a can. I remember copying this recipe from a magazine in the Miami Shores library a long time ago. It remains delicious.

Pumpkin Pie

2 C. pumpkin (I use a 15 oz. can -- a little less than 2 C.)
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg (or more -- preferably fresh-grated)
3 eggs
1/2 C milk
1/4 C. bourbon (or more milk)
1 t. vanilla if you don't use bourbon
3/4 C. whipping cream.

Make pastry. Line a 9-inch pie pan with it. Make the ridges along the sides high and strong.
Put a thin layer of apricot jam n the bottom as a glaze. Mix all the above ingredients. (I use a mixer, but not necessary.) Fill the pie crust. I put the pie pan on a foil-lined cookie sheet because this fills the pie pan to the top and usually drips some. Bake 15 minutes at 425° and then 30-40 min. at 350°. Cool the pie.

Topping

Melt 3 T. butter in a small saucepan. Add  2/3 C. brown sugar, 1 T. whipping cream, and 1/8 t. salt. Cook it gently until the sugar melts and a tiny bit after that.  Spread it on the cooled pie. Put foil over the pastry edges so they don't burn, and broil until the topping bubbles.

Pecan pie: It just gets better

After several fine meals out this weekend, we had a crazy-delicious dinner at home: rosemary-roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts, and pecan pie. Clark said the pie is the best he's ever had, which is odd, since I've been making the same recipe for more than 20 years. This year, though, I froze the butter before cutting it into the flour, and I roasted the pecans (325° for 5-10 minutes or maybe more, just until lightly browned) before putting them in the pie. And nothing is better than the fresh Georgia pecans we get at the farmers' market. Also, we've been buying eggs at the farmers' market too.

Pecan Pie

First, make the crust.  Line a 9-inch pie pan with it. Be sure to prick the pastry with fork tines (not too much!). Then make the filling:

3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 C. dark corn syrup
1 C. sugar
pinch salt
2 T. butter, melted
1 C. - plus as many more as you like-- pecans, about half of them chopped and half whole

Mix all ingredients. Pour into pastry-lined 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes, then at 350° for 35-45 minutes longer. A knife in the center should come out clean. The pie begins to get a set, shiny look. Cool. It is good with whipped cream.