Valentines

Valentines

Who am I without them?

There’s this rawness that happens to people when they become parents. Emotions live on the surface: yours and your child’s. It’s all about immediacy. You spend about 18 years—give or take—showing your offspring a good time with holidays, birthdays, vacations, play dates and field trips. You worry, push and prod. You shop, cook and nurture. Just being at home can be joyous. My daughters and I danced and laughed and sang together, a lot. It was just the three of us for many years so we made our own fun, but we loved it when the rest of my family was around, or with their father’s family. His beloved mother was a wonderful cook and dinner party organizer. Traditions abound in both our families. And when the kids were all young it was wonderful.

We left the baggage at the door and lived happily with our kids –who needed us—rambling around at our feet, and then knees. Then they became teenagers. But they were still there. At last they are out of the house, in college or off on another growth oriented activity (we hope), and then they are on to their own lives.

And then we are alone again.

A friend is newly pregnant and watching her going through all the early dreads and hopes, I am taken back to those days in a flash: The nausea, the light headed-ness; the fear, the hunger, and the bizarre need to wear sweatpants even before showing. And let us not forget the joy of those fashion-less hand-me-down blousy tops; sadly this was before all the chic designs now available. But I was whole, and solid. Like I’d been meant for this all my crazy, unhinged life.

I feel weightless without my children now, as if I could float into oblivion. I always knew they’d grounded me, both in the present and in my life. They still give my life meaning. And even though, due to our high tech lives, we are able to keep in really good contact, I miss them horribly.

Stolen recipe

Lovage, Tomato and Cheese Tart

Lovage is a herb with a long culinary history. It was much used by the Romans and has inspired many a cook to plan his meals long before he needed to. A famous Roman saying was 'first pound pepper and lovage', rather like the Elizabethan cook's saying 'first take six swans', and lovage appears in many old Roman recipes. As its name indicates, lovage was often used in classical and medieval times as a love potion but was also used as a common and valued cooking ingredient. Lovage is used much less today, although it is an attractive and easy herb to grow. It has a distinctive and strong taste, so you don't need much of it, and it can be used in the same way as celery. If, as is likely, you do not have a clump of young lovage in your herb garden, and can't get hold of any, then use celery (but you will need to use a slightly larger amount of celery and cook the tart for a little longer). ingredients serves 4 - 6 175 g (6 oz) plain shortcrust pastry 25 g (1 oz) unsalted butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 onions, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Lovage (only the young green leaves) or 4 small stalks celery, finely chopped 3 eggs 300 ml (1/2 pint) double cream salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 ripe tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped (throw away excess liquid) 115 g (4 oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated method 1. Line a shallow 23cm (9 in) tart tin with the pastry and pre-bake or bake blind. 2. Pre-heat the oven to 190‚°C (375‚°F) Gas 5. 3. Melt the butter and olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 2 minutes, stirring. Turn the heat down to very low, put the lid on and gently cook for up to 10 minutes or until the onion is soft and beginning to look golden, stirring occasionally. 4. Add the lovage and stir for 1 minute (if you are using celery, replace the lid and cook on the very low heat for a further 5 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. 5. Put the eggs in a bowl and beat lightly. Add the cream and beat for a few seconds, then add salt and pepper to taste. 6. Drain as much juice from the tomatoes as possible and add them, together with the lovage mixture and three-quarters of the cheese, to the egg mixture. Stir, then spoon the mixture into the pre-baked pastry case. 7. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the tart and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling brown and the filling looks set. 8. Serve warm

Horse Power - Sun Valley Magazine - Winter 2010 - Sun Valley, Idaho

Horse Power - Sun Valley Magazine - Winter 2010 - Sun Valley, Idaho

The Age of Salander - The Barnes & Noble Review

The Age of Salander - The Barnes & Noble Review

This Is Just To Say

This Is Just To Say
by William Carlos Williams
I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold

Acquisitions at Sundance

The heads of Exclusive Media’s Newmarket Films has acquired U.S. rights to the Sundance favorite, "Hesher," directed by Spencer Susser and starring Joseph Gordon Levitt and Natalie Portman.  The seven figure deal was reached early this morning following an extremely successful screening in Salt Lake City last night.

Since premiering at the festival last Friday, the film has picked up momentum and sites such as Aint it Cool  News have lauded the film as one of the best of the festival. Susser, was recently named one of Variety magazine's Ten Directors to Watch.

In other news, Joel Schumachers' "12" about the life of poor little-rich kids in Manhattan, and "The Kids Are All Right" was acquired by Hanover.