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Wednesday was a day of brooding contrasts--a morning with mere slices of blue sky appearing through grey overcast, bursts of rain, hints of sun, more clouds, uneasy weather.The local forecast warned of heavy winds, rain overnight.Late afternoon cleared enough for me to do some pruning and tidying in both wall gardens. Three lavender plants had succumbed to winter damp and needed removal;  several that remained in pots over the winter are alive and showing fresh growth, but need trimming.As dusk approached the air developed a heavy brooding quality.Dawn was concerned about getting to work in the morning if the creek...

Julia’s Mouth-Watering Semla Easter Buns With Cream + Almond Filling Food Julia Busuttil Nishimura Julia’s Semla (spiced buns with almond and cream filling) are best eaten the day they come out of the oven! Perfect for Easter! Styling – Annie Portelli. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. The buns are gently spiced with cardamom. Styling – Annie Portelli. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Traditionally, the buns are filled with almond filling and topped with cream. But, jam works just as well! Styling – Annie Portelli. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Julia says...

This skillet pepperoni pizza is a riff on classic Detroit-style pizza that’s topped with fresh basil sauce, garlicky blistered cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, and mozzarella. Need we say more? Adapted from Holly Erickson | Natalie Mortimer | The Modern Proper | Simon Element, 2022 As longtime fans of wood-fired pizza’s bubbly, thin crust, we never thought we’d have room in our hearts to love hefty pies, too. But then we fell for Detroit-style pizza—and we fell hard. While traditionally it’s rectangular, we created a skillet version to bring this chewy, cheese-loaded, focaccia-like base within easy reach for making at home. When...

Freedom is what you can buy with a left jab & a right cross. You’ve got the uppercut of a champ. On a sweaty August night, you watch Ramos v Ramos from the Olympic on TV. You turn off the blaring AC, want to hear the fighters’ tssiiuu tssiiuu, exhaling as they attempt to break each other’s skin. You’re light on your feet like Mando, got Sugar’s hand speed. Freedom is your girl by your side telling you to fight. She brings your boxing license in a lunch bag while you labor at Lockheed, roots for you in Rocky Lane’s...

A soft, fluffy, pillowy naan that also happens to be 100% whole wheat! If you love a good naan but hesitate to indulge because of all that white flour, here's the bread you've been waiting for. This whole wheat naan is made entirely with wholegrain flour, and it is just as soft and puffy as the Indian restaurant version you are used to. Use it to scoop up a spicy curry or sabzi for an exquisite--and healthy--Indian dinner. Around here we love a good naan, especially on weekends when we have a pot of tasty chana masala or a vegan...