the Summer Day

There is a great comfort with blending butter and flour by hand. Whether it be working the mixture with your fingertips to create a crumb mixture for Scones, or for a pie or tart crust, the feeling is equivalent. When taking the time to do this by hand, not only do you get the perfect texture for your product, but you get to really feel your work. With every squeeze of your fingertips, mushing and crumbling, you sense relaxation, accepting everything around. You are in the moment. Life feels good and nothing is on your mind. The same experience is felt a bit when making a streusel topping. It is just so simple, but amazing. You get the best pleasure out of doing these few things by hand, or I do at least. And it takes little time at all.

And then comes filling them, which it is hard to go wrong and easy to just feel what you are working with by mixing your fruit with a bit of spice and sweetness in a bowl, and then additional ingredients to get the thickness you feel you need. Somehow I can just feel it. I couldn't tell someone else how to mix these ingredients, but the beauty of pies and tarts like these, you can just feel your ingredients and do it the way you prefer. Your creation can really be you and full of your own heart and love. My favorite ingredient is always ground cardamom. There is something about cardamom. A little bit goes a long way. But that little bit adds a strong, unique spicy-sweet taste with an amazing aroma. It is a spice that is more expensive than your average spice, but well worth it mixed with fruit for a nice warm tart or pie. It is especially good in Banana Bread to add a bit of uniqueness. I often like to throw in a bit of ginger with many of my fruits including pear, blueberry, cranberry. Ginger is another spice that adds a little kick to your average sweet/sugary. When working with tarts, it is also soothing to take time to lay fruit out nicely and it can help develop something absolutely beautiful - adding a bit of pattern, design, order, and perfection. They can look so clean and fresh - the perfect late summer treat to feel the joys of the season and lightness of your life.

But my joy really comes from the pastry blending with my fingertips and when I get to add a few sprinkles of cardamom. These littlest of things brighten my whole day and are the highlight.

However, lets not forget the simple joys of sharing with friends and family. They are such a quick and simple treat, but everyone enjoys them. My father would prefer a blueberry or peach tart over many things (but it may compete with key lime pie or a marshmallow malt!). A dollop of ice-cream on-top of these tarts adds even more comfort.

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?