A Green Summer

This trail is up a gravel road that starts well groomed, but the farther up the road, the gravel turns to rocks and the dips turn into holes to be swerved around. The beginning of the road is driveways to ranchland, but if you follow long enough, there's a few places to park and a circle of trail heads.

The forest near Philipsburg are filled with dead trees. There's a beetle (Pine Beetle) that are slowly killing swaths of trees. Some forests get cleared out-- either by fire or by humans, but this trail is not one. It makes the forest so busy

It snowed last night-- these pictures are from months ago, back when the earth was green and not brown and frozen. I thought people were exaggerating when they said Montana was brown, but they were not.

I'm dreaming of a green summer, or at least a month or so of green leaves.

WHAT SHOULD I MAKE FOR EASTER

HOT CROSS BUNS?

Traditional, beautiful, expected and yet when was the last time anyone even saw one? (Edit: the last time I saw/ate a hot cross bun was in Helena, Montana at a small bakery and it was raining/snowing outside and I was freezing cold and trying to walk through the farmers market and instead huddled on the side of buildings so my tepid cross bun wouldn't get damp)

PASKA EASTER BREAD/KULICH? 

It has sprinkles for Christ, Risen From the Dead on This Day's sake.

POTATO GALLETTE?

don't be fooled by a fancy name butter, salt, potatoes, fried omg.

BLOOD ORANGE MORNING SANGRIA?
move over mimosas.

PAN AU CHOCOLAT
did you know that on this very Earth there is croissant wrapped dark chocolate sprinkled with coarse sugar and you can go to a bakery and buy it. fuck you starbucks cake pops.

WOULD BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE BE INAPPROPRIATE?

photos
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obsessed: brown butter

Do you know about brown butter? I reallyreallyreally hope you know about brown butter. I was re-introduced to brown butter while through America's Test Kitchen Chocolate Chip Cookie, which I always thought was unobtainable until my friend Tori made them (and also spilled butter on her LLbean slippers). 

Food52 says that brown butter is grown up.

"Brown butter (or beurre noisette if you are feeling fancy) deserves a place in every cook’s repertoire, especially during fall and winter. With its nutty aroma and flavor, brown butter adds complexity to pretty much any dish, from vegetables to dessert. All you need is a good pan and a few minutes at the stove. Think outside the one-pound box of butter in your fridge with these delicious recipes, and enjoy butter -- all grown up. "

Once you brown butter, you can't stop, won't stop. Instead of feeling guilty for having butter and noodles for dinner, you're preparing an elegant dinner of brown butter and caramelized onion pasta.

Add it to everything.

pictures: tomatoes   pasta   tart