Soft Summer Evenings
This screen porch is the spot for soft, summer evenings. It is shielded from the neighbors by hydrangea, lilac, and blackberry bushes. It's the perfect place to strum the guitar and sing a little tune; or, to practice mindful listening by focusing on one bird call and then another. It reminds me of the summer nights of my Omaha childhood, night breezes orchestrated by crickets and katydids, sitting on a still-warm cement porch stoop.
It's the perfect place to enjoy a blackberry lime frozen yogurt pop. Made with blackberries that grow on the bushes right outside of this porch.
There are moments, small and quiet, that are everything. They are moments when my gratefulness hums through my body, when I am acutely aware of being alive in a beautiful place.
Blackberry Bonanza and Blackberry Cheesecake Galette!
Look at these blackberries! This warmer, drier summer actually seemed beneficial to them. I love blackberries. They are dark and sweet and their seeds don't annoy me as much as raspberry seeds. My husband likes to freeze them to eat all winter. That's okay with me, but I wanted to celebrate these beauties. My friend, Dodi, and I decided to try this recipe from Deb Perelman's Smittenkitchen.com. She said it tastes like a cheese danish, and I agree.
One of my great cooking challenges is making pie crust. Just. Cannot. Usually. Get. It. Right. This crust was different and easy, and making it in a cheesecake pan worked well.
I followed Deb's recipe to the letter, except that I didn't have any pistachios. This recipe uses lime rather than lemon. I like lime with most fruits. I especially like it with blackberries. Look at this glorious creature!
Yes, I know the crust is a bit of a mess, however it was tricky to fold it over in the high-walled, spring-form pan with the liquidy filling. It proves looks aren't everything : )
It tastes every bit as good as it looks. Make it!