New Blog Addition ❤ for the love of food ~ barefoot in the orchard

Food - Photography  Ethical - Local

Transforming the ordinary meal into something special, created with love, for all those beautiful faces I live with and share my life with. This hasn't been an easy task but has been very -- full...filling. ;)

for the love of food ~ barefoot in the orchard 

My Dad - Lewy Body Dementia & a Slow Fade

These last 5 years, finding out my dad had Lewy Body Dementia and watching him slowly lose all of his abilities, has been rough. He had always been my go-to-guy when something went wrong. Car is making a funny noise, kitchen sink leaking -- time to call dad. He taught me how to install a new hard-drive in my computer and drive a stick shift. When I was a child, I watched him build an entire horse corral and small barn (almost single-handedly), restore a vintage car he found out in a field, and fix just about anything you could throw at him. I tried to learn everything I could from him. As I grew older I found he was rather deep and serious about many of life's great questions but his easy laugh, light Texan drawl and smile masked this side of himself. Early on in this disease, we still carried on long, serious conversations about everything. However, when those conversations slowed and eventually stopped, there was a terrible feeling of loss. Each day now, as he reaches the final stages of his journey, I put my hand on his shoulder and say, "I love you, dad." In this moment, his eyes open and brighten up and he says with affection, "I love you too, Bean (my nickname)." I know he's still in there. And even though caring for him, with the help of my mother (who works selflessly and tirelessly), is a daunting task each and every day -- it has been worth it. I don't know how far we we’ll make it, but we are hanging in there. 

P.S. This has also been made possible thanks to "my Mark," the greatest guy/husband/friend a woman could have.  Likewise, this journey has been made possible thanks to my three youngest kids, who are still at home -- and who, because of their own life experiences and how they came to us, show incredible empathy and selfless caring.


More about Lewy Body Dementia

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes

Ingredients
4 SERVINGS
2 cups ricotta
2 cups mixed fresh berries
1/3 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chestnut flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Melted unsalted butter for brushing

Preparation
Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth; set over a small bowl. Add ricotta to strainer and let drain for 15 minutes; set aside.
Gently combine berries, 1/3 cup sugar, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Let macerate, tossing occasionally, until sugar dissolves and juices are released, about 15 minutes.
Whisk both flours, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until peaks form. Whisk the egg yolks, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and zest in another medium bowl to blend. Whisk in milk. Add the yolk mixture to dry ingredients; whisk just to blend. Add half of the egg white mixture; fold just to blend. Fold in ricotta, then remaining egg white mixture.
Heat a griddle or large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-low heat; brush with melted butter. Using scant 1/2 cup batter for each pancake and working in batches, ladle batter onto griddle and cook until bottom is golden brown, edges are dry, and bubbles form on top of pancake, about 1 1/2 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer pancakes to plates. Serve with berries and their juices.

Sustainable Rainbow Trout

Ingredients

1 whole (2-lb.) rainbow trout or red snapper, scaled, gutted, and cleaned

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

¹⁄₂ lemon, sliced into thin rounds

¹⁄₄ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Heat oven to 450°. Season the trout cavity with salt and pepper, and stuff it with the thyme, parsley, and lemon slices. Using kitchen twine, tie the trout crosswise with 2 lengths of twine, spacing them 2″ apart. Rub the trout with 1 tbsp. oil, and then transfer them to an aluminum foil—lined baking sheet. Bake trout, turning once with a metal spatula, until cooked through and golden brown on the outside, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining oil with the juice in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Remove the twine from the trout, and cut away the filets. Transfer the filets to serving plates, and drizzle with sauce before serving.