Friday, August 9, 2013

Miller Time Friday: TOMATO LOVE and a new swoon-worthy shoe!

Happy Friday!

Last night I hosted a BBQ for 15 people - it was very casual, but 7 of those 15 people were teenagers, there was a brand new puppy in the room (not mine, my friend S's...) and mostly we just wanted to catch up.  The party was in honour of my friend S, who I went to high school with.  The wives in the  two other couples who came were also two of my best high school friends.

I always consider that I was very lucky in high school - I hung out with a great group of girls and we were all kind to each other.  We were neither popular, nor were we unpopular, which is an enviable position in life to be in if you know what I mean because all of the other high school cliques claim you as their own.  If there was such an award, we were THE GIRLS MOST LIKELY TO BE DEBATING BRONTE AT THE SLEEPOVER.  You can judge that all you like, and I would like to go on record to say that we did get into the odd drunken debauchery, but mostly we loved to read and write and were very nice to each other and everyone else, which is a lovely gift in high school, because sometimes the boys and the other girls are not necessarily like that.  So it was great to get together and have a wonderful visit!  Much wine was drunk, along with the newly beloved ST. GERMAIN COCKTAIL, which deserves an entire post about as we have gone ST. GERMAIN crazy in this house, thanks to shenanigans I got up to with Dani last month...

I feel that today we need to discuss tomatoes...

I LOVE tomatoes.  WAIT! Let me qualify that - I LOVE summer tomatoes.  Fresh-off-the-vine tomatoes. 


It is a love that is almost unseemly.  Sometimes, I just walk out to the potager and stand there and take a deep inhalation and think "Oh my - tomatoes" and then I eye each and every plant, willing them to go forth and multiply.


 


The tomatoes are just starting to ripen here and many of my plants have hardly any tomatoes on them at all, but I have patience - they have never let me down yet.




One of my plants is taller than I am now..


And these little yellow buds are just waiting to burst forth with lovely red goodness:

Is it just me, or can a tomato plant look sexy?
 
It is important to place them near the basil, as you are going to want them to get comfortable with one another as they are going to be spending a lot of time together later...




Yesterday at lunch I sliced up a lovely fresh tomato, sprinkled it with a wee bit o' sea salt, drizzled it with olive oil, added basil and peppered goat cheese and voila - lunch!  While I was picking the tomatoes and basil I happened upon a lovely zucchini blossom, just begging to come to lunch, so I honoured the request and this little blossom get pulled through the salty olive oil dregs on the pate and was divine as well.



Oh and a little shot of the dying days of the bee balm.  Never have so many given so much for the hummingbirds and the bumblebees...



I also have to share a shoe I came across that I am absolutely CRAZY about:

Enzo Angiolini Pointed Toe Pumps - Crystani3 Kitten Heel





Described thusly:

Take on the trends in this must-have pair with haircalf, pointed toe; sleek ankle straps and kittenish heels, from Enzo Angiolini. They're an instant update for your work wardrobe.
  • Calf hair upper, manmade lining, manmade sole
  • Imported
  • Pointed toe, buckled ankle strap; 2.5" heel
  • Available in full and half sizes


I know, I know - manmade.  But calf hair, ankle strap and only a 2.5" heel. I wonder if it is real or fake calf hair?  Is there such a thing as fake camel hair?  If there is this would be the perfect sexy vegan shoe!  Oh and besides the camel colour, it comes in a very fall-ish shade as well, beetroot:


You can pick yours up at Bloomies here.  I have mine on sale watch....

But it is Miller Time and I thought in honour of my obsession with tomatoes we would make a lovely fresh tomato cocktail.  But no Bloody Mary's for the summer for me.  I'd like something a little lighter and came across this recipe on the bon appetite website:

Summer in Seattle Ken Gray, Spur Gastropub, Seattle

1/4 heirloom tomato
1 oz. honey dew melon
1 medium strawberry
1.5 oz. gin

.5 oz. lemon
.25 oz. simple syrup

Muddle the tomato, melon, and strawberry together in a shaker to a consistent, smooth texture. Then add the gin, lemon, and simple syrup. Shake the ingredients together with ice vigorously, then double strain into a glass. Garnish with the heirloom tomato wedge.


hmmmmm....

Today I need to write, meditate and clean my house after yesterday's shenanigans!!!  What about you - you up to anything exciting this weekend?

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2013/08/tomato-cocktails.html#ixzz2bT6eBsqJ


 Have a great Friday and stay safe out there!

30 comments:

  1. I love real garden tomatoes soooo much that I will forgive you for that cocktail recipe.

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  2. Hi Wendy, on another note.....if you're interested in getting anymore Kikis for Fall, they're on promotion and J.Crew has a 20% off with code WIT20.

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    1. Thanks Anon! I am torturing myself this morning - cheaper plum leather ones or my other fall crush - the kiki in leopard print, which I have been eying and visiting in my cart for a month!!!

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    2. Oh, Anon. You HAD to point out the 20% off. Now the brown and black Kiki's are on their way to my door, along with a navy silk cami. WMM, you're now responsible for four pairs of shoes in my collection. I'm going to try very hard to ignore the Enzo's. I think you might need those plum Kiki's.

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    3. Elizabeth - you made me laugh out loud! I would be all over the brown kikis if I hadn't just bought the brown loafers last month.

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  3. Gorgeous shoes! And your lunch looks absolutely delicious. We are having a quiet weekend here thank heavens. Well there is much packing to be done, the camp bags are nearly finished but I haven't started on mine yet, and with a car trip I can overpack, oh yay!
    Are you St. Germain crazed? I've had so many headaches lately that drinking is not an option for me, hopefully this will change before our holiday.
    I've got my St. Germain bottle out, it reminds me very happily of you and Barry!

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    1. Oh we have been making every conceivable drink that can be made with St Germain - it is quite over the top! I think Barry just likes to get out the cocktail recipe sheet that came with the bottle/beaker set we bought as there are two lovely French women hanging off each other - don't worry - pics to come!

      I hope you don't have a restful weekend before the big events!

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  4. I LOVE summer tomatoes and everything summery in general! Summer is my favorite season:). Your lunch looks delicious and I am sure that it was.

    If the shoes feel comfy, buy them. Sometimes we need to indulge even if the quality isn't what we hope for.

    Have the loveliest weekend. Reading your posts lifts my spirits. You have a gift my friend:)

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    1. Oh thanks A - that means a lot! I haven't tried on the shoes sadly, as there is no Bloomies near here and so far, I haven't been able to locate a Canadian site that will ship them to me, as I refuse to pay shipping charges for shoes that I might have to return. There is also the whole aspect of aspirational dressing that I suffer from. I have to think about what the heck I would wear this to and with what! My mind is a-whirl with possibilities...

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    2. Whoops - just found camel version on ninewest.ca site. uh oh.. Until I can figure out where I can wear them, am holding out... although I love an ankle strap shoe for my wobbly feet...

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    3. Good idea to think it over, but don't think too long. I hate when I finally decide I want something only to find that it's sold out.

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    4. WMM, I was just going to tell you they are on the Nine West site, but you already figured that out.

      https://enzo.ninewest.ca/category.asp?catcode=480

      We have a couple of Nine West stores in walking distance so I will go check out the quality question for you this weekend. (Enabling slightly, but it is a question of SHOES...)

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  5. MEAN REDS WMM, now I want your lunch! Must go to St. Lawrence tomorrow and raid the farmer stands.

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    Replies
    1. Oh I am going to do it again today - it was too good!!!

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  6. I love tomatoes in the summer. And recently I really do love the black tomatoes... The taste is just a bit different so it is nice to change a bit.
    Lovely shoes Wendy, I love the beetroot version.
    And yes, we are doing some exciting things this weekend as we will FINALLY leave for our summer break. We will head to France first and we will stop in Normandy for a couple of days... Later we will head to UK where we will stay a little while. So I wish you a lovely weekend and I'll "see" you when I am back.
    Steph

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    1. Oh Steph - YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      I love Normandy. I think I could live in Normandy! Oh do share all of your travels with us when you get back!!!! Safe trip!

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  7. Love tomatoes & the shoes. Not to enable you or anything but I think the brand is known to be comfortable. I was bad last night & bought another cap toe Porselli with the 20% off (before Mickey pulls out the good stuff during sitewide promos). I don't know how it happened, I swear the shoes jumped right out of the monitor into my arms.

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    1. Oh that is funny! I am also really jonesing for the leopard print kikis...

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  8. Yummy lunch! The potato leaf tomatoes, like the one in your photo, get really big ( probably a brandywine?; I don't think it's a great tomato year here.

    I am off to big annual reunion-y event; we have the same menu every year for every meal. All the kids grew up together at this event. Friends we see once a year. I see wine and fireworks. Have a great weekend.

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  9. Oh have fun Lane - you'll have to report back to us! I hope the weather is good where you are going - it is raining cats and dogs and the odd horse here today!

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  10. Yes to tomato. Shoes are lovely, I just can't do the strap across my ankle. Okay woman, what is your style statement. I finally have mine! I can't find your email so send me a note at Htharri@gmail.com and we'll discuss.

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    Replies
    1. I am not quite done - am hoping to finish it this weekend - it is so interesting an daunting! I will definitely have to blog about this book!

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    2. Damn you.. I have discovered my style statement but have not gotten passed that...a very busy two weeks are ahead of me so I will just roll it around for now. Looking forward to what you think. i do believe mine is dead nuts on. Much love.

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  11. I used to grow all kinds of tomatoes: cherry, orange, yellow, black, pink. The orange were excellent for soups and sauces due to low acidity. The black and pink had the best taste, in my opinion. I would eat them with a slice of crusty rye or multigrain bread and a piece of feta cheese.

    The shoes look lovely.

    This weekend I'm off to renting a car (my hybrid died last week), making a clafoutis and visiting friends downtown.

    Have a good one!

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    1. pink tomatoes? I have never seen pink tomatoes around here!! Now I have to find some seeds for next year!!!! Have a great weekend Rose, I am sorry to hear about your car!!!

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    2. Here is where you can get them from. They are delicious.

      One piece of advice: don't buy a hybrid car. The cost of the repairs is horrendous.

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  12. Love tomatoes too!! I ate bruschetta for breakfast everyday in my twenties...you had a great high school era...all nice to each other?? Whoa. ;)

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    1. well we were nice to each other - the boys were less nice to us... ;-)

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Kindness is a virtue...