Man, when it rains, it pours...literally and figuratively. Certainly with yesterday's storms, there was plenty of the literal wet stuff - much needed and quite welcome, actually. But the figurative type, not so much, at least not in the form of the fallen tree that crushed part of our fence (thankfully nowhere near the house) and a couple of plant beds. With hail damage from a few weeks ago (to both house and John's car), not to mention my own car breaking down, and a new, fun discovery today - chipmunks in our garage, trying to get into our trash and raising all sorts of chipmunk hell - I'm so ready for the storm to be o-ver. (So is our insurance adjuster!)

Luckily I had Michelle here last night to cheer me up. Michwheat! I love it when business brings friends and family to town - Bartley, Niko, Tom, Matthew, and now Michelle, yes! Nice to have an excuse to make dinner, open some wine, and have a good, long chat. The grilled salmon with couscous and grilled tomatoes/red onion worked quite nicely, especially with peach-blackberry pie - from Turtle Bread - for dessert. For an appetizer I sauteed wild mushrooms and finished them with lemon, fresh herbs, and creme fraiche. On top of slices of grilled bread, washed down with sips of prosecco, pretty damn tasty.

For the weekend, very low key. My LaFinca veggie share included bok choy, kale (yay!), scallions, lettuces, broccoli. And oh, how could I forget, perfect strawberries! So pretty, I'll save them for later this afternoon when I'm hungry for something sweet. Gosh, real strawberries, what a treat.

Moderate it: buying just a few slices of dessert is a nice way to enjoy a treat without leaving tempting leftovers lying around the house. No pie calling my name, just grilled salmon and whole-grain couscous - no problemo!

So, I mentioned below that on the 4th, Stu The Wine Genius made the most delicious shrimp appetizer - a saltimbocca of sorts, shrimps and fresh sage wrapped in pancetta and grilled. We devoured them. Enter a craving... When my car died on Monday, it cut out a grocery run that would have included a stop by Whole Foods for some wild-caught Key West shrimp. No! Luckily, John was able to stop on his way home, although I forgot to specify what size shrimp to pick up... Turns out he grabbed the smaller version, too small to individually wrap and grill, so I innovated last night and sauteed the pancetta and sage until crisp, sauteed the shrimp with lots of garlic and fresh lemon juice, and served the shrimp topped with the crispy pancetta and sage. Damn tasty if I do say so myself. (Recipe posted in comments, below.)

As I also mentioned below, My Minxes and their girls came over on Tuesday to swim with Nathan and me. Man did we luck out with a stunning day, perhaps the best so far this summer. We had a super-simple lunch - grilled hot dogs, chips, and strawberries - but I also made a batch of gazpacho for us ladies. I adore cold, crunchy, spicy, salty gazpacho, it really hit the spot on a hot, sunny day. I dare say that Kim & Suz agreed. Thanks for a perfect day, girlfriends! (Recipe posted in comments, below.)

Tonight, my friend Michelle (she of Cancun in March and UW-Madison in 1987) will be here in the Minneapple on business from the Big Apple. Yay! I'm thinking grilled salmon over couscous with dill vinaigrette and pine nuts, inspired by the to-die-for version (pictured here) at The Post Ranch in Big Sur which I ordered for lunch two days in a row. (As I write this, I send up a little prayer for the town of Big Sur to escape the fires raging at its door, sigh.)

Moderate it: gazpacho is a delicious way to eat your veggies, and it's quick to make too (no cooking, just some chopping). Make it crunchy, or puree and sip from cups - either way (or a combo of both, that's how I make it), it's a delicious way to use up the abundance of tomatoes and cukes that are about to hit us at a garden, farmstand, or CSA veggie share near you. Can't wait!

Where have I been all week? Sorry, it's been a bit crazy 'round these parts, what with wrapping up the school year, getting some time with my nephew Cooper Cuteness, preparing for a big upcoming trip, and working on the house. Throw in a few parties (the beginning of summer fun!) and even a little gift-shopping time with Susie (I kinda sorta hate shopping - but of course I had a blast with Suz!) and someone is a little behind on sleep. Oops.

Some good healthy eats help the energy level. Like last night's ridiculously, scandalously expensive Copper River salmon. I was extra careful not to overcook it since it was dear and the only piece we'll be having this season. Too bad - despite the fact that it's seriously overly hyped, it is outstanding. Silky. Unctuous. I enjoyed it completely over a quick saute of fennel, spinach, and (already boiled) new potatoes, seasoned with lots of fresh dill.

Tonight my neighbor Amy is stopping by for a glass of wine and some nibbles. I found a perfectly ripe cantaloupe at the store yesterday so am setting it out, cubed and tossed with a tiny bit of vinaigrette (just a little olive oil and red wine vinegar whisked together), salt and pepper, a scattering of minced scallion, and a few shreds of prosciutto. Alongside some grilled bread, olives, and marinated artichoke hearts, it is so pretty and delicious. The goal is to sit on the screened porch but with the gale-force winds we've had all day, I don't know if we dare! It's bad enough to have tree seeds and pollen thick in the air without the wind driving them literally up your nose and into your eyes. I discovered in rather short order that it is not a lip gloss day, yuck.

Tomorrow I'm having lunch with my mom and sister Stacey (to visit her newly adopted English Cocker Spaniel, Levi Sizzle!) at Stacey's house. I'm bringing a big couscous salad, basically just whole wheat couscous tossed with dill vinaigrette, sauteed red peppers, green beans, toasted pine nuts, and a pulled apart rotisserie chicken. I love couscous for just this sort of dish - a quick addition of any assortment of vegetables and protein makes up the tastiest, healthiest salad. Good stuff.

Moderate it: I can't say enough about how much I love Neutrogena tinted lip balms. They come in a range of beautiful sheer colors, with SPF 20, and they're nicely glossy without being sticky. Definitely good on a windy day. Unforch require re-application after eating a meal, even a healthy one - but at $5 a pop (Walgreens always has a good selection), it's cheap and easy to stash 'em all over the house and in every bag and pocket, ready for a post-meal swipe. NICE!

Hallelujah, dining al fresco has finally arrived! Everything tastes better outside, in the fresh air, don't you agree? It's all about hitting the Sensory Sweet Spot - a perfectly balanced stimulation of the five senses (my definition). A little wine and cheese in your kitchen? Nice. A little wine and cheese on your deck, alongside pots of beautiful, fragrant flowers, perhaps birdsong overhead, perhaps some favorite tunes, on a balmy summer's eve? Oh yeah, you want to die it's so perfect.

Simple foods taste best outdoors, otherwise that sensory balance is completely whacked. (Have you ever been full, sweaty, and sleepy at a picnic? We all have, and it sucks.) Grilled meat or fish, crisp salads, fresh fruit desserts - nothing too hot or heavy. The goal is not exactly cozy, but clean and light and of course, delicious.

That said, my family doesn't dig eating outdoors nearly as much as I do. The kids fret over every bug, John likes to eat as fast as possible and be done with it...but I don't care. I'm happy to sit there alone and savor the experience, it's rare (in Minnesota) and entirely lovely. Maybe tonight I can pull off grilling a piece of salmon and recreating the killer couscous with dill vinaigrette I enjoyed (twice) at the Post Ranch in Big Sur (yes, I'm still obsessing about it). If I achieve nailing it down, I'll post the recipe. Stay tuned...

Moderate it: look for whole-grain couscous; I've found it at Whole Foods.

Halloo! Still alive here! Sorry to be away for so long, I can't even totally blame it on being out of town since I've been back since Monday. (Oops.) John and I snuck away to Big Sur for a long weekend, to celebrate his birthday, and had ourselves a grand old time. What a scene, Big Sur, quite possibly the most beautiful place on the planet. Cool, dry air bathed in warm sunshine. Vast, raw, turquoise blue ocean framed by deep blue sky, red cliffs, and white sand. Soaring redwood stands towering silently over burbling creeks. Meadow after meadow of fragrant lavender and sage, dotted with equally fragrant stands of eucalyptus, perfuming the entire scene with the most heavenly combination of scents. Many Big Sur restaurants look out over these spectacular views - obviously, it does not suck to sip wine and eat fresh fish and veggies in the warm sun, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Our two favorite spots ended up being Cielo (at lovely Ventana Inn, where we stayed) and Sierra Mar (at the famous Post Ranch Inn, across the road). Not terribly adventurous of us, but damn, when it's good, it's good - no need to mess around. My favorite dish (of many, ha) was grilled Alaskan salmon and shaved fennel salad over couscous with dill vinaigrette. I literally couldn't get enough of it - I had it for lunch two days in a row! Perfect, butter-tender salmon, I wish all salmon were so delicious, I'm still craving it. Cielo's sauteed Pacific halibut over crushed purple potatoes - which I also enjoyed twice in a row, but for dinner - was equally delicious. Fresh, fresh, fresh. Yum. We pretty much ate fish and vegetables at every turn... Over-looking the ocean, or in our room in front of a roaring fire... Fresh fish and vegetables, thank God for California.

Walking off the great meals was easy - who wouldn't want to hike through such fragrant, stunning beauty? Even John (mos def not a Happy Hiker) happily set off through the trails that wind literally everywhere, including all over Ventana, right out our door. We had a particularly good time hiking with guide Stephen Copeland, along with another couple staying at the resort. From redwoods to ocean cliffs to a tour of historic Nepenthe restaurant, Stephen showed us the heart of Big Sur. Completely entertaining and utterly, ridiculously gorgeous.

So yeah, we're back in the Minneapple (sigh), but loving the balmy air and sunshine that welcomed us home (at least while it lasts, which apparently won't be long). Nathan's doing his homework on the deck as I write this, pretty sweet. I hit Whole Foods yesterday and stocked up on fresh (local) morel mushrooms and English peas - I thought I'd died and gone to heaven scarfing down freshly shelled peas and heavenly morels sauteed in a little butter for dinner last night. Couldn't think of a nicer, more delicious way to ease into home.

And oh! PS, three more welcome-home lovelies:

• Since I seem to be writing about all things fish lately, I must include this link to the Environmental Defense Fund list of fish/seafood that are safe (and not) to eat. Print out the pocket guide, it couldn't be easier to use, at home and in restaurants. The site even includes recipes. (I've provided a permanent link under "for foodies" at right.)
  
• Jeni's Ice Cream, particularly the Black Coffee and Smoked Almond flavors, The Best ice cream I've ever tasted, wowza - order it from here. (Also added under "for foodies.")
  
• Happy Passover - must try these Passover Popovers, we had them tonight, rich and deeelicious.

Is it...Spring? Dare I say the word? Oh, it's still colder than a witches you-know-what out there, brrr. But the snow-rain mix has ceased, the sun has peeked out, and the forecast is for sunshine! Sweet, warm, sunshine, well into the week. I think we may have had our last snowstorm. I think I may have pushed my last soup post (not that I won't be making soup, but you know, not all weekend). May you feel the warmth of sunshine on your shoulders, and may it make you happy. (I'll stop with the corniness there, don't worry. Lalalaaa!)

So, let's see, what to make on a Promises-to-be-Spring Sunday? Hmmm... Spring = lamb in my mind, but that won't work for tonight (and anyhow, I'm saving my lamb card to play at an upcoming dinner party). But I have to admit, some chops, rubbed with minced garlic, olive oil, and salt, grilled to crusty perfection... Yeah, that sounds pretty incredible.

Oh! I just had a lovely idea. There's a gorgeous Spring menu in Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook, simple and elegant. (I've never had the pleasure of eating at the restaurant - someday! - however, enjoy this blogger's terrific post about dining a la Alice; photo of the restaurant is from the post.) I'm including the three savory dishes from the Spring menu; any one of them would be lovely for dinner (and of course, altogether, they would be stunning). Her intro:

Wild Mushrooms on Croutons
Thin Pasta with Spring Vegetables
Charcoal-Grilled Salmon with Grilled Red Onions

When I think of spring, I immediately think of salmon - those first young delicate-fleshed fish that seduce everyone in the dining room. This menu is meant to directly complement the salmon; little croutons with the last of the fresh morels; the first peas and asparagus with very delicate thin pasta...

Suggested wines: This menu calls for new, young wines - perhaps a fresh Bourgogne Aligote and a Beaujolais with the grilled salmon.

Sheesh, just reading the recipes feels like a warm, fragrant breeze. So nice. (Recipes posted in comments, below.)

You're going to think this is so stupid, but I just tonight used a fish-grilling basket for the first time. Duuuuh... I've had it for years, I'm not sure why I never bothered to use it before. Or why I suddenly decided to today. Anyhoo, it's fabulous! I bought an early piece of Copper River king salmon at the store today, rubbed it with a bit of olive oil, gave it a sprinkle of coarse salt, and set it on a smokin' hot grill - no sticking! In no time (well, more like 15 minutes) I had crusty-on-the-outside, buttery-on-the-inside, melt-in-your-mouth grilled salmon. Lawdy that is good stuff, dang. I also grilled skewers of tomatoes, onion, and green pepper, and roasted a big ol' pan of skinny asparagus spears and had myself a feast, people. A healthy feast, antioxidant-packed, colorful, delicious - lovely in every way. After eating out for almost every meal last week, I'm ready for some home-cooked (grilled) healthy meals. And 'tis the season for eating as many colors as you can - red berries, yellow peaches, purple eggplants, orange salmon, dark green arugula, pale green artichokes, black beans...as many as you can think of and pack into a day. Mmmm... As my old boss used to say (he was referring to beer, usually after a belch, but no matter), Good & Good for Ya. That's the goal, friends - Good & Good for Ya. (Excuse me.)