Over the weekend I made my favorite cornmeal and olive oil cake for my mother's birthday dinner. It is a dense, moist cake with notes of honey and lemon. In the summer I serve it with poached peaches, but this time I topped the cake with slices bosc pears I had poached in a honey-lemon syrup infused with fresh rosemary sprigs.
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January 2012
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Yatta & Yetu
I am always amazed by how very tiny elephants are when they are born. They walk among their giant herd, weaving in and out of tree trunk sized legs, and somehow are never ever stomped on by mistake.
In November I blogged about Mulika, a former orphan who had been reintroduced back to the wild, who brought her wild born calf Mwende back to the orphanage to meet those who reared her. This week another former orphan, Yatta, brought her newborn, Yetu, to the Ithumba Camp. It turns out Yetu and Mwende are half sisters sharing the same wild father. To read their story and see some incredible photos of this new small creature click here. Next month, after a day in Nairobi visiting the nursery, Cam and Chris and I are driving deep into to the Tsavo wilderness to stay at the Sheldrick Ithumba Camp before continuing our safari in Tanzania. Along with our guide we will be the only guests at the camp, where we will be immersed in the daily lives of the elephants, and hopefully meet these two new additions. Below is Sheldrick's description of the Ithumba Camp and the adventure that awaits us.
The Ithumba Camp was built as a self help camp, in an effort to open the Northern Area of Tsavo East to the discerning traveller. This area is remote, wild and untouched, and is not for everybody, but for those that seek solace in Nature and Wilderness; this is Kenya’s largest untouched wild expanse, where a visitor can spend time undisturbed in a pristine area.
January 27, 2012
Puerto Vallarta Orange
The Puerto Vallarta sunsets over the Pacific are breathtaking. I took these photos during Chris and Camilla's beachside rehearsal dinner.
January 26, 2012
Puerto Vallarta Blue
The blue view from Casa del Quetzal's pool, high up in Puerto Vallarta.
January 25, 2012
Vegetable Soup
With carrots, turnips, leeks, garlic, spinach and parsley.
January 24, 2012
January 23, 2012
Shirataki Noodle Soup with Scallops & Squid
These shirataki noodles come in a variety of shapes and are a great, almost calorie-free, alternative to pasta. I think they work best in soups. Here I combined them with scallops, squid, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, saffron and cilantro for a light Asian meal. These mexican fish bowls made the perfect presentation.
January 20, 2012
January 19, 2012
Palatine Hill, Rome
Rome's Palatine Hill, with its views of the Forum below and the Colosseum in the distance, is one of the most beautiful, peaceful places I have ever been. I wandered for hours in the hot sun, among the citrus trees and olive groves, and never wanted to leave.
