Good morning!  For a change it is an absolutely radiant, though windy, day here in the D.C. area.  I want to start off apologizing for the long radio silences this spring.  To be honest, cooking has simply not been my number one priority.  Innovative cooking and recipe testing have given way to tried and true recipes that take little time  and preparation as I’ve been busy painting these,

hand painted stripes on bathroom wall. . .10.5 ft. tall bathroom wall!

making this,

my new shirt ( I have mad love for navy blue gingham)!

tagging along on work trips, visiting family and . . .preparing for Australia part 2!  That’s right, on May 30 we will once again be heading down under for a month of work (for J), play and exploration.  We are hoping to expand beyond the bounds of Canberra this time; any suggestions on must see places in the Sydney/Canberra region (remember, it will be winter while we are there)?

All of that said, I hope to have some good food to share with you soon.  For the time being, I encourage those of you in the Northern Hemisphere to take advantage of the amazing fruits and veg that are flowing into stores and farmers markets:  succulent strawberries, mind-blowingly sweet melon, refreshingly tart rhubarb.  My challenge to myself every spring/summer is to try a seasonal food that I currently think I do not enjoy and see what happens.  Our taste buds and perceptions of flavors are constantly changing; that formerly belittled berry may be your mouth’s new best friend!(On the opposite end of the spectrum you may still hate it and have the fun of lots of spitting and pulling faces.)

For anyone who is not yet entirely sick of hearing about our first trip to Australia, here is a video my husband put together from the hundreds of clips he took in January (he went recorder crazy)!