and the RED RED Robin.....

SPRING hangs in the air like a ghost..Snow is yet on the ground but the scattering of the birds,the chipmunks and the multiplying footprints in the snow each morning leave a tell tale tapestry of the approaching change..welcomed it is..

The robins are puffed up and singing so spring cannot be far behind..

Yesterday I was inspired to change my table to Easter/Spring..

I love dragging out all the little bits and composing a table landscape..This year it ended up rather feminine and soft..other years it has been playful,dramatic or pristine and simple.. we used to compose these as a family but since our grown children are on their own now the job is ours. Its a nice tradition : preparing for the festivities of seasons..



YEARS AGO when our young family lived in the hills outside of Los Angeles...spring brought on a flurry of wildlife..I had planted a small 2 sided patio garden from barren soil..It was a small garden masterpiece..One day I realized I would like to have it documented so I called up a friend who photographed for the LA Times in the garden section..We were all ready for the shoot..The morning of the appointment I awoke early and looked out the window to an animated scene of watching my garden disappearing into the ground...to my horror a groundhog had discovered restaurant central and was hoovering through my garden with such speed I was reeling........Plink..gone pluck..gone...like some Disney cartoon...

SHIT.... I had to call the entire shoot off..The left side of the garden looked like a grazed mini plot...It became a funny story as time passed...can't blame the critters.. they need food....Now when I plant things I keep barriers in mind. In my garden in France I have many items planted in recycled bathtubs..they make great containers as the iron is good for the soil ,they have predrilled draining,they keep the soil temperate and all the growth is kept well above ground to ward off night eaters ..they also provide a sense of scale..height in the potagerie...I can rotate the small crops more easily...I am thinking seeds..little shoots and reawakening.. can't wait to get my hands dirty...and feel the warmth come through the soil as the days get longer,warmer and sunnier.....ahhhhhhh spring...

TORTILLA CREPE

you will need: 4 large flour tortillas

3 different cheses

one red,orange and green pepper

1 white onion

Fresh basil leaves

1 small eggplant

grate 3 different cheeses of your choice.... manchego,spicy montery jack, smoky gouda as a suggestion

finely slice red,green,and yellow peppers

finely slice some white onion

saute these until soft in a fry pan

set aside

slice very thin a small eggplant lengthwise

saute the slices browning a bit on each side in a little olive oil

set aside

Assemble the tortilla crepe using 3 tortillas..place a generous amount of the cheese and pepper mixture on the first tortilla

press the second tortilla on top of this

place cheese and a couple of the eggplant pieces on the second tortilla and cover with fresh basil leaves

Repeat the third tortilla as the first with the peppers and cheeses

Add a 4th tortilla to complete the crepe

Heat some oil in a pan larger than the tortillas...keep the pan hot but not smoking..the heat should be consistant and moderate..

Gently "fry" the tortilla crepe until browned on one side..... turn the crepe and brown on tthe other side....press the crepe down a bit with a plate to ensure the cheses melt into the layers...

Remove from the pan

serve immediately with your favorite salsa...

Albondagas Soup is good with this......another posting