William Baffin Rose

 

The William Baffin Rose is a climbing rose from the Canadian Explorer Rose Series. It has free-flowering, slightly fragrant, raspberry pink semi-double flowers with golden centers.

Like all the roses in the Explorer Series, they are hardy roses that can survive our Northern climate and are mildew and disease-resistant. The William Baffin Rose is not really a climbing rose but rather a tall shrub rose whose thorny canes can be trained to climb.

The William Baffin Rose is very easy to take care and is a vigorous grower; it can easily reach heights of 8’ to 10’ in a couple of years. The eye-catching showy clusters of flowers bloom in June and re-bloom in August.

A real beauty!

Read more on Explorer Roses at The Canadian Rose Society.

Brebichon

Brebichon is a soft artisanal pasteurized sheep-milk cheese. The light wheat coloured rind is washed with apple cider. Brebichon has a soft mild creamy texture that is luscious with a light apple flavour and aroma. 

Brebichon is produced by Les Fromages du Verger operated by Michel Guérin et Brigitte Maillette, situated on a lovely apple orchard located in St-Joseph-du-Lac in Quebec.

Apart from harvesting fourteen varieties of apples, the farm produces a variety of both fresh and refined sheep milk cheeses. The dairy ewes of East Friesian and Lacaune breed of sheep are fed apples from the orchard, which results in a rich and unique milk that is highlighted in their original and consistent cheeses produced at Les Fromages du Verger.

http://www.lesfromagesduverger.com/
 

Corsu Vecchiu

Corsu Vecchiu is a traditional semi-firm unpasteurised sheep milk cheese from the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea.

Corsu Vecchiu is aged between 6 to 9 months. The cheese has a washed rind that is light grey with golden overtones and the ivory colored uncooked pâte has a dense texture with a few holes.

Its flavour is rich, buttery, nutty and somewhat sweet with a subtle saltiness that comes through at the end. 

Corsu Vecchiu pairs well with dried apricots and Pinot Noir wine.

Most of Corsica has a Mediterranean climate but in the mountains it has a colder Alpine climate. The mixed climate, varied terrain, robust vegetation and semi-wild sheep are ideal ingredients for a rich variety of cheeses. I recommend you try Fleur Du Maquis another excellent sheep-milk cheese from Corsica.

http://ditesouiauxfromagesdebrebis.com/corsica.php

The Mavericks - Dance The Night Away

The Mavericks is a country music band from Miami, Florida. This hot single is taken from their 1998 album "Trampoline". This track just lifts my spirits up and gets me movin' and I can’t help but want to "Dance The Night Away".

"I just wanna dance the night away

With senoritas who can sway

 Right now tomorrow's lookin' bright

 Just like the sunny mornin' light"

http://www.mavericksmusic.com/

Tartiflette

This past Saturday, I ate Tartiflette for the first time. Let me tell you, this French dish from Haute Savoie, can easily become one of my favourite comfort foods. Potatoes and Melted Cheese – Mmmmm!

Tartiflette is traditionally made with potatoes, Reblochon cheese, garlic, onions, cream and lardons.

If Reblochon cheese is not available in your area, one can easily substitute it for another ripe, soft paste, washed rind cheese. Lardons can also be substituted with smoked salmon for a tasty alternative.  

I would like to thank Jacinthe, our wonderful hostess and the gang from La Fromagerie Atwater for the delightful experience of relishing this yummy dish.  

Tartiflette Recipe

Serves 4

1.5kg (3.5 lbs.) medium-sized red potatoes

1 large white onion, peeled and diced

2 thick rashers of smoked streaky bacon, diced

25g (1 ounce) butter

1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 ripe Reblochon cheese

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 5.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the potatoes whole, in their skins, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the onion and bacon in the butter in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat; they should sweat but not brown.

Drain the potatoes and as soon as they are cool enough to handle peel them — the quicker the better. Slice thickly across.

Choose an ovenproof earthenware dish and rub it well with the out halves of garlic. Layer half the sliced potatoes across the base, season, then scatter over the onion and bacon mixture. Add the remaining potatoes and more seasoning.

Place the whole Reblochon on top. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C/350’F/gas mark 4 for a further 20—25 minutes. The Reblochon should melt within its skin and the fat drip down while the potatoes crisp.

Tartiflette is a filling dish and all you really need to go with it is a nicely dressed green salad.

Recipe source: The Food of France by Sarah Woodward

Maria Martinez

Maria Montoya Martinez was born in 1887 at San Ildefonso Pueblo, a small Tewa Pueblo community north of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Maria learned pottery at an early age from one of her aunts. In San Ildefonso, polychrome pottery was dominant and this is what Maria made at first. Red clay was used to make the body of the pot and over this a white clay slip was applied and polished. The wares were then decorated with either rust-orange, brown and black paintings over the white background.

 

Maria had a strong interest and willingness to experiment with techniques and this helped in preventing the art of pottery from going into extinction, in a developing world where inexpensive Spanish tin ware and Anglo enamelware was replacing the traditional containers and cooking vessels made by the Pueblo potters. Maria paid attention to quality of line and form and perfected the art of making pots in the traditional method of making pottery with coils instead of with a potter's wheel. Maria was able to coil large pots with thin walls and perfect symmetry.

Jar, ca. 1935-40, H. 38 cm. - Platter, Maria and Julian, ca. 1940 D. 38.1 cm.

Maria married painter Julian Martinez, he along with other members of her family through the years, helped with the decoration of her pieces as she expertly executed pots at three times the speed of other potters.

 

In 1909 Maria was asked to replicate examples of black-on-black pottery that had been excavated by an archaeology dig led by Professor Edgar Lee Hewett. After many challenges and experimentation Maria and Julian's skills and techniques developed into a business for the renowned black ware pottery.

Maria and Julian, Jar, ca. 1939, H. 45.7 cm. - Platter ca. 1936, D. 50.8 cm.

Maria continued to live in San Ildefonso till her death at age 93. The pottery of Maria and her family has become increasingly more collectible and difficult to find.

Above photos taken from The Living Tradition of Maria Martinez by Susan Peterson
Read more on Maria and her family who continued the tradition of making pottery.


My inspiration
It was Maria Martinez' pottery that inspired me and ignited my interest and appreciation in the art of the Pueblo Pottery of the American Southwest.

Here are examples of some of my own hand coiled pottery pieces inspired by Maria Martinez.

 

Salt Spring Island's Flower Chèvre

Flower Chèvre is a fresh pasteurized goat milk cheese decorated with edible flowers.  This is a soft creamy mild flavoured chèvre that can either be served for breakfast or a lovely addition to any cheese plate. Salt Spring Island's chèvre frais is also available in a variety of flavours; basil, hot chili, lemon, pepper & truffles.

Salt Spring Island Cheese Company is located on Salt Spring Island off Vancouver Island in Canada’s west coast. They produce wonderful handmade goat and sheep milk cheeses.
http://www.saltspringcheese.com/

Visit their site for a great description on the process of cheese making. http://www.saltspringcheese.com/cheesemaking.html

Nampeyo

Nampeyo with numerous examples of her work. C-1901

Nampeyo was born in the village of Hano on First Mesa in the north east of Arizona around 1860. Hano was inhabited by descendants of Tewa-speaking Pueblo people from the Northern Rio Grande river in Arizona. From her people the Tewas, Nampeyo learned the art of molding and shaping the clay to make beautiful cooking vessels. She learned the art of making pots with fine designs from her grandmother who was a Hopi potter.

Top and side view of jar made by Nampeyo and Lesou circa 1895-1910

Nampeyo established a name for herself making pottery with designs inspired by ancient Sikyátki pottery shards that her husband Lesou had excavated from the nearby abandoned ruins. These well-styled designs and geometric patterns are from a type of pottery dating to the 14th and 15th centuries presently called Sikyátki Polychrome common in the Hopi villages of the southwest.

From the time of her teens until her death in 1942, Nampeyo developed her personal style that earned her international legendary status. Her style of pottery has also served as a foundation and inspiration for her children and subsequent generations to follow in her footsteps and become master pottery artists themselves.

Here are examples of some of my own hand coiled pottery pieces inspired by Nampeyo.

 

Nampeyo pottery photos from American Indian Art magazine - Summer 1976

Dextra Quotskuyva

 

Dextra Quotskuyva was born in 1928 at Polacca on the Hopi First Mesa in Arizona. She is a fourth-generation descendant of renowned potter Nampeyo. Today, Dextra's pottery is among the most highly regarded of all Native American pottery.

Dextra Quotskuyva, Shard Jar, Hopi clay, vegetal and mineral paints, tradionally fired, 3 1/2" high, 13" diameter, 1981

 

Dextra's pottery is fundamentally rooted to the ancient traditional pottery of her Tewa-Hopi people. As with her great-grandmother Nampeyo, Dextra has combined her fine technique and her own creative style to perfection. No wonder she has received numerous honours including the Arizona Living Treasures Award and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dextra Quotskuyva, Awotovi-style jar, Hopi clay, vetal and mineral paints, tradionally fired, 5 1/2" high, 8 3/4" diameter, 1996

 

Photo source: Indian Artist Magazine - Dextra Quotskuyva -  Listening to The Clay - Summer 1996

Echinacea

(Echinacea purpurea)

I can't help it... it's the 1st day of spring... the sun is shining... I have the gardening itch...

Even though the echinacea flower is not due to bloom until July - August, I've enjoyed the lovely presence of last year's dried blooms peeking through the snow covered bed over the winter months.

The echinacea plant commonly known as purple coneflower is a drought-tolerant perennial herb flowering plant that belongs to the daisy family.  Echinacea is native to North America grows to 1 m (3 ft) and has stuning purple pompom bloom with its daisy-like petals. There are a variety of different types of echinacea available in pink, white, yellow, lime green & red.

The echinacea has been used historically in North America by indigenous people, as one of their major medicinal herbs. It is also commonly used today as an immune system booster.