I Blame the Birds.

I do...I blame them for making my tiny baby plants their breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Not only are my seedlings their meals...the seeds are as well. After watching my new favorite show, I was inspired to sow some cut and come again baby lettuce. What did I find the next morning? All of the soil that I carefully planted had been foraged through. Oh well...I'm definitely learning my lesson and taking each one in stride. The lettuce has been re-sewn and has been covered with berry baskets.

The only true success I've had so far has been with my nasturtiums. I think they might be my forever favorite since they're my first. Do you know what they are? I didn't.

Pretty...yes?

They're also edible and apparently for me, easy to grow. We'll see how they do as the season progresses. 

I've found out that the birds like them too. So as soon as a baby seedling pops out of the ground, I have to cover it with a cloche (which I use a water bottle cut in half) to keep them safe.

It's a bit trashy looking and not up to my personal garden aesthetic (in an ideal world they all be beautiful vintage glass). Alas, they work and really...that's all that matters.

I love how fast they grow! This one has only been above ground for a few days! I have some now that have 4 leaves!! I consider that quite the accomplishment for my black thumb.

It was a crazy weekend last weekend and so far a very hectic week. My parents are out in Pasadena to visit so there's been plenty to do.

I've not really made much progress in my little garden beyond continually covering seedlings as they pop up but I did acquire some new plants from the Pasadena City College Flea Market last weekend that need to be planted. I also got some nifty new (old) pots there as well (among other things for Antiquaria).

xo

Bailey

Scallops + Corn= Magic

Scallops aren't something that I grew up with eating. I don't really know why that is but it seems as though most of the meals growing up centered around chicken. Not that we didn't have the occasional fish or shrimp dish, scallops just didn't ever seem to make the cut.

As of late, it has been so blasted hot here that I have not been inclined to heat my kitchen up by cooking for longer than about 15 minutes. This scallop dish has turned out to be the perfect thing.

note: Scallops are kinda pricey so I tend to by one (I select the largest one out of the case) and treat it if it were a fillet Mignon, meant to be a buttery, small, heavenly part of the meal. The most recent scallop I bought cost $2.30.

Scallops and corn have a natural affinity for one another therefore the clean, simple flavors of this dish work perfectly.

Scallop on a bed of corn

For the corn:
3 ears of corn (for one I used yellow and one red...both delicious)
butter
salt and pepper

Cut the corn off the cob. Over medium heat, melt butter (I really don't use very much, just a swipe) and add corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cover until corn is tender but still vibrant, about 10 minutes.

For the scallop:
4 very large (2-3oz.) scallops
salt and pepper
butter
white wine (what you will be drinking with dinner), if desired

Dry off the scallops very well and season with salt and pepper. Melt butter (again another swipe) in a skillet over medium/high heat. Once the pan is nice and hot, sear scallops, forming a crust on both sides. Once scallop is cooked, off the heat, pour a bit of wine in the pan and let cook out.

Place corn in a bowl or on a plate and top with scallop. Garnish with olive oil, basil or parsley and a lemon wegde if desired.
Serves 2-4

Then, Let them Eat Cake!

I like cake, yes the band...but especially the food. I mean, put it in a bowl with some ice cream and I am darn near heaven.

Ready to drool?
This cake is a three layer sour cream cake, filled with homemade lemon curd and iced with a lemon mascarpone frosting.

This cake got its start about a year ago when I planned and catered my grandmother's 90th birthday party. I was cake testing to figure out what sort of flavor combination/s I wanted to do and I stumbled upon this. I knew it was the perfect trifecta when, sitting at my dining table, fork in hand, I couldn't stop eating it. It took my mother (who was visiting me at the time/taste testing) prying the fork out of my hand and promising me that it would still be there tomorrow. It was a sheet cake meant to serve 75 people and I devoured about a fourth of it (no joke).

Here is a photo of the original test cake.

After this experience and the sugar coma that ensued, for me, recipe testing, especially baked goods is a mighty dangerous thing.