Can She Make a Cherry Pie, Charming Billy?*

Can you smell the cherry filling and the golden-brown butter dough?

It's 3:23 p.m. on Friday, a blue-sky summer day. Yesterday, Dan and I came over to this house, owned by his brother John in Belfast, Maine. Right on the coast. The bay is at the foot of the hill. 

We picked cherries (pie cherries, sour cherries) from his 40-year-old cherry tree and pitted them. It was an old-time chore, and it was nourishing. It felt like time stood still. 

Felt like we three were quilting together around a table, though not out on the prairie. We talked as we pitted dozens of pretty red globes. We talked about the milk delivered in glass bottles that the Hurleys got in Teaneck before their parents divorced, when money got tight. As the youngest of five brothers, Dan did not remember the milkbox. But as the oldest, John did.

Then today, when all of the Hurley brothers went for a walk at 1 p.m., I came back over to bake a cherry pie--actually two, since we picked enough for double.

John has turned to the recipe for Fresh Cherry Pie from The Joy of Cooking, a golden source for everything. But I used Melissa Clark's New York Times version from 2023, adding a little capful of almond extract.

This morning, I met my sister-in-law Sheila at the outdoor Belfast Farmers' Market (since 1980). I got a sweet-smelling sweet pea bouquet plus red and rainbow beets from New Beat Farm and a cucumber and cream cheese bagel sandwich from Spark Bagel (that had a very long line). Also: Hibiscus Rose Iced Tea, very good. I'm still nursing it.

I love these simple pleasures. For an extra $2, I purchased a small mason jar to ferry the sweet peas back to New Jersey tomorrow.

The jury is still out on how the pie will taste. The crust looks a bit too browned and hard but oh well. Melissa Clark suggests serving with whipped cream or ice cream.

I hope you can breathe in some simple joys. And I hope I can continue to do so once I return home.

*From an old English nursery song. Song lyrics here.

Bringing Home the Groceries

I went to Whole Foods in West Orange today and got a lot of quality things at good prices. But I was disappointed in the jumbo scallops from the seafood bar--$29.99 per pound. I got just over 1/2 lb., 6 big ones to pan-sear and divide among me, Dan and Punch. [Fig had dinner out with a friend.]

Next time, if I'm spending that many clams on scallops, I'm def going back to Gus & Co. Seafood on Valley Road in Montclair, which offers day-boat catches from the Jersey Shore. Prices are high but not higher than this and I swear, I can taste the sea in them.

High-ticket items in my cart, about $5 or more--but that doesn't mean they weren't a good buy per ounce or serving. Not listing things that didn’t cost $5 or more, such as heads of cauliflower, organic blackberries, garlic, feta, Cheddar, crackers, etc.

1. Dozen large eggs from Snoep Winkel Farm in NJ, $5.39. I'm getting more into slow food and eating local when possible, step by step.
2. Gallon 365 brand organic whole milk, $5.99.
3. Late July brand Cheddar sandwich crackers, 8 little snack bags, $5.99.
4. Vegan mock smoked "Provolone," $4.99.
5. Large jar 356 brand crunchy PB, $4.99.
6. Changing Seas smoked salmon, one full pound, $19.99.
7. Trio very large organic white yams, 4.36 lbs at $1.99/lb., $8.68.
8. Bag vegan Dandies brand mini marshmallows [no fish gelatin in them], $4.69.
9. Valrhona dark chocolate fèves , $8.64.
10. Friendship whipped cottage cheese, $4.99.
11. Quart organic strawberries, $4.99.
12. Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Magazine, a new food mag I haven't read yet...noticed recipe for Naples' Two-Cheese Pasta with Cauliflower and got all ingredients; mag was $6.95. [Recipe calls for 2 lb. cauliflower and 1/2 lb. pasta.]
13. Wedge aged Provolone to grate for #12 recipe, $6.90.
14. Wedge Romano Pecorino to grate for #12 recipe, $5.69.
15. Box fresh vegan ravioli, $6.99.
16. Box fresh cheese ravioli, $9.99.
17. Prosciutto and cheese tray for Punchy's lunch box tomorrow, $4.99.
18. Hot bar, jerk chicken and Mac and cheese, .69 lb., $6.20.
19. Jar Sriracha Vegenaise, $4.99.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND, ALL WHOLE FOODS: $201.34.

MONTHLY SPEND AS OF APRIL 28: $3,526.72.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR THIS MONTH: $125.95.

Big-ticket April spends so far [numbers rounded off], 28 days into the month:

Lamp, $79; luxe hand cream, $55; Giotto dinner to go + jar of imported Italian artichokes, $46; dog groomer/beauty salon, $75; vet for hamster, $157; necklace extension/repair/new clasp, $128; blowout, $55; Over the Moon, bday gifts for Punch friend + book for me, $60; Kings groceries, $132; liquor store, $32; bra/underwear/tights, $126; Joyist, $39 one day while working on assignments there; second blowout w service tips, $52; Punchy, Lululemon, $28; Justice, bday gifts and gift bag/pink tissue for Punch friend + shorts for Punch + $2 donation at register, $58; Kings groceries, $63; Joyist, $25 one day while working on deadlines; bike delivery, $35; Whole Foods, $69; CVS & Kings, Easter gifts/basket treats [counting lemon curd for tarts], $97; zoo day and lunch, spring break, $42; A.C. apps + drinks, treat Mimi & Poppy, $85; A.C. pretty lilac drape-neck top, $49; A.C. breakfast, treat Mimi + Poppy, $55; A.C. Skechers flip-flops, $35; A.C. sushi dinner, split bill, $52; Sis bday cards + gift, $35; Joyist, counting body oil, $71; Williams-Sonoma, gifts plus, $55; and Kings, Sis bday lunch of caviar/blini/lox/small layer cake etc., $113; and Whole Foods, a lot of groceries, including scallops and lox, $201. Steep subtotal of $2,204.

MONEY THOUGHTS: I haven't had enough healthy groceries in the house lately. I got some good ones at Whole Foods. We had baby kale with dinner. My friend Rachael posted an article with a reminder about "eating the rainbow," so I got orange cauliflower, plump blackberries, crimson strawberries. I piled the berries in my mother's crystal bowl and the family loved them. I ate zero. I think I will eat 1 black and 1 red berry before bed now. I have a hard time eating fruit. It's a learning curve.

keeping my eye on

SO FAR: TOTAL APRIL SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,526.72.

MY TOTAL MARCH SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $4,128.41.

TOTAL FEBRUARY SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,159.25.

Spiritual Food--and Luxe Cookie Dough

I went to the women's meeting again tonight. There's something deep and meaningful to tap there. Spiritual food. The group meets twice a month, usually on a Monday or Wednesday night, but no meetings in July and August.

School snow day tomorrow......it was called already here in Montclair, though not a flake has fallen yet.

TCOY

1. Had two of those high-fiber toaster waffles and a helping of those dainty blues.
2. Veg chili.
3. Nap.
4. Raw orange pepper.
5. Organic white yam, steamed broccoli.
6. Ate a couple of those chocolate-dipped strawberries.
7. Went to women's meeting; contemplation, listening, prayer. Seeing the bigger picture.
8. It's our 28th wedding anniversary this weekend, and Dan planned a Broadway show and glamorous hotel for us, one night in NYC. Punch will be with her Mimi and Figgy will watch Sug. It will be nice to get away. I hope. Sometimes we fight.

$ MONEY OUT OF POCKET

• Whole Foods again because it's right near Punchy's school, and I drove her this morning. I went in to get quality chocolate to make dipped strawberries for the meeting tonight. The excellent 70 percent dark Theo bars [from Seattle] were on sale, two for $6. Also got tiny frozen Maine blueberries; high-protein, high-fiber frozen waffles; fish sticks, a Punchy fave; organic milk; whole-wheat English muffins; bagels; and whipped cream cheese. But I did NOT buy the petite, upscale frozen log of Cappello’s gluten-free, vegan chocolate chip cookie dough, which was about $15 for 12 oz.!  Made in Colorado. Was tempted, for Figgy, and because I love trying new brands. $54.09.
• Got back late from meeting, about 10, and Punchy said she was starving. We had a healthy dinner at about 6 p.m. I brought her two small pink-sugar-dusted heart cookies from the meeting, but Fig's friends were heading to the diner, so I gave them money to bring back fries for Punch. Figgy can eat them, too. Wasn't sure how much to give. $7.

DAILY TOTAL: $61.09.

Very Big News: I'm Eating an Apple

 

If you know me, you know apple-eating at the airport is a monumental step! I bought this crisp NY State apple at the newsstand here in the Syracuse Airport. No Reese's peanut butter cups, pretty red Twizzlers or sweet Think Thin protein bars! Apples packaged by Tree Crisp 2 Go.

I'm kind of a martian, someone who doesn't generally crave or eat fruit. It seems like an effort. I'm not like Moey, who loves ripe summer peaches, plums and cherries; Figgy, who has long adored tart green apples; and Punch, who goes crazy with glee when H. gets her a juicy pomegranate.

I like Dad's boyhood remembrance of his Dad, whom I never met. Italian immigrant Charles Garbarini liked to peel a pear after dinner. I guess my Dad liked watching, and looked forward to the slices his father cut. Have I mentioned how much I miss my Dad?

Keep calm and apple on.