Oh the Joy of Spring

Living in California my whole life spoiled me when it came to the weather. I had absolutely no idea what to expect 11 years ago when I moved to Texas. Since then I have learned much about the seasons in Texas. Like the hotter than Hades heat that kicks up in June and stretches it's sultry (I say sultry because I am trying to behave like a Southern Lady) hand deep into the fall at which time the chance of ice and sleet always seems to only be a few hours away. Don't believe me? Just ask any Texan about our crazy weather and they will most likely tell you, “Texas has four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, Still Summer, and Christmas.” Therefore, when Spring rolls around for it's brief annual visit, we like to get out of the house and soak up as much as we can. Getting outside is not hard to do as the wildflowers blanket the highways and roads all over this big beautiful state. Taking a drive through the Texas Hill Country will make you quickly forget about the merciless heat that is around the corner. Yes, the cool breezes, the colors, and the smells - it is all so breathtaking that even the morning commute is quickly forgotten. The summers can be pretty tough if your not used to the heat, which is why Spring is so cherished in these parts. I consider it a blessing to have been born in a beautiful state like California but I must say it's been an absolute pleasure to be raising our family in this gorgeous big state of Texas, too. Yes, there are many ways to survive the weather in Texas, but I prefer to look at it as a fun amusement park ride where I learned years ago to keep my arms and legs in until the ride comes to a complete stop - stopping to smell the flowers, that is. I'm jus' sayin!



I am fortunate enough to live within walking distance of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Lady Bird had a very special gift when it came to beautifying our lovely town. It would have been an honor to have met this Southern gem and in her honor, I am sharing her famous Lemon Cake. This recipe is all over the internet and it appeared to be one of the specialties the First Lady served in the White House.

3/4 cup butter or margarine (at room temperature)
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
8 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Lemon Icing
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine (at room temperature)
1 lemon, grated rind only
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons cream (or more, until spreading consistency)
yellow food coloring, if desired

DIRECTIONS:
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks until light and lemon-colored; blend into creamed mixture. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; resift 3 times. Add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture in thirds, alternating with milk. Beat the batter thoroughly after each addition.

Add vanilla extract, lemon rind and lemon juice; beat 2 minutes. Bake in greased 10-inch bundt pan in preheated oven at 325 degrees F for 1 hour or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. You can also can use three 9-inch round cake pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Double the frosting recipe for a layer cake.

Lemon Icing: Combine ingredients and beat, adding cream until desired consistency.

"The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances."
~ Robert Flatt

On this Easter Sunday… Forgive someone. Tell someone you love them. Let your light shine.
~ Author Unknown

Purple Houses & Warm Smiles

I know that I have mentioned one time or another that there are a few perks to being married to a writer. If you are lucky enough to accompany them when they go out to conduct research or attend events, you may have keen opportunities to learn all kinds of new things. I have also learned that when you are invited to a stranger's home based on a common interest shared with your spouse, don't hesitate to grab your stuff (pen, paper, camera and, in this case, maybe a bottle of tequila)!

This past weekend, I had the honor of meeting Lucinda Hutson, yet another deep, creative Austinite who has been living in her amazing purple house for 35 years. I am always filled with joy meeting such interesting people. From the moment she greeted us with a soulful hug at the gate of her garden I knew we were not going to be just dropping in for a quick "meet-n-greet". I'm not exactly sure if it was her whimsical garden that first took my breath away or the bright purple colors of the house. It was as if you stepped back for a moment and found yourself transported into one of those intricate pop up books. It was all quite surreal and nothing was nudging me to think about that "to-do" list or the errands we were actually out running. With the sounds of babbling water fountains adorned by mermaids and the constant bits of nature catching my eye (butterflies galore and a little squirrel chomping on a front porch pumpkin) I instantly forgot about the city around me. I think it's safe to say that I could write a volume on just her front garden alone. I will try to give you a quick tour from memory but I think the pictures below provide a much more vivid account.

Just seeing her front yard inspired me and with each step I took on her pathways my creative garden juices that have quite honestly been dormant this year due to our state-wide drought began to return. I particularly enjoyed her "salad garden". Full of herbs, lettuces and all things waiting to be adorned by a tasty dressing, it was thriving quite well. The specs of orange popping out from kumquat trees and the beautiful Meyer lemons greeting me on the pathway of joy! Particularly eye catching is the clever way her love for the Latin culture is so predominately portrayed, from mosaics to pottery to agave plants. Oh, I mentioned agave! Before I continue with my story I must say that not only is Lucinda a well known food writer but she is also a tequila aficionado that has been drinking, writing about and enjoying the world of agave way before it became the latest trendy "new spirit". Her love for the juice and it's culture humbly comes through in her lively stories and the way her eyes light up while sharing them. It was because of her love of the agave that we were there in the first place. Lucinda was doing some research and contacted my husband after finding his tequila blog. After trading a few emails, she invited us out to her home and that's where we now found ourselves. As her gardener worked his magic around us, we wandered throughout her garden and unique backyard spaces. Then we were invited into her casa.

The inside was just as whimsical as the outside. I felt as if I were stepping into a casa straight from old world Mexico. Lucky for me, Lucinda still had her Día de los Muertos decorations out as beautiful sugar skulls adorned her dining room. The moment I was waiting for came when she took me into her kitchen. The colors, the food, and the energy were just seeping through the pottery and mosaics. I had no doubt that in that small oasis the inspiration for her books were found and her recipes tested. She quickly fixed us a refreshing "coctel" in lovely Moroccan mint tea glasses. While Bob discussed tequila I found a cozy place to sit down and skim through her tequila cookbook, first published in 1994, and ordering one for myself quickly became the first item on my to-do list (and which I did later that night). It was hard to say goodbye (I truly believe we could have stayed well into the night chatting) and I quickly realized that Lucinda was the true epitome of "Mi Casa, Su Casa." I'm already looking forward to going back to her lovely casa and hearing more stories. Thank you Lucinda for bringing such joy to my afternoon "to-do" list!

It's been over 10 years since we moved from California and I only knew one person in Austin. Now we are surrounded by friends that have become La Familia and I can't imagine having my casa anywhere else. Now if you will excuse me I have some creative gardening to attend too I'm jus sayin!



Delicioso Coctel by Lucinda Hutson

In small glasses
2 part fresh pomegranate juice
1 part good silver tequila
1/2 key lime (squeezed and dropped in)
5-6 frozen pomegranate seeds
1 Allspice leaf
1-2 ice cubes

I plan on making some more of her recipes in the future and posting them.