Sunday, February 15, 2015

Fifty Shades of Red...


Cupid's Span  along the beautiful Embarcadero with views of the Bay Bridge
I hope that you had a lovely Valentine's Day and that someone made you and your heart feel extra loved this year...and if you're a celiac, that you dined out safely and without issue!

I was inspired yesterday by the brilliant shades of red that were abundant at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market in San Francisco and by other little goodies and artistic endeavors that caught my eye. Red, in all it's hundreds of shades, is truly one of my most favorite primary colors. I've decorated many rooms in my home with fabrics and furniture carrying a red theme or undertone.

The deepest and loveliest shade of red that one can find (in my opinion) is that of the Geranium. They are a joy to see when blooming in all of their brilliance in the heart of summer, and the Geraniums' deepest red is also reflective of the colors of our Basque heritage. If you drive through any Basque village in Spain or France your eyes will be treated to a robust display of overflowing Geraniums on every balcony, in this succulent "deep red" that just inspires happiness! It's my color - enough said.

Mother Nature never disappoints and this photo collection seems to support that fact. From shades of deep orange, vibrant cherry and muted raspberry, reds alerted my senses and drew me through the market yesterday as if I was following a guided path. Everywhere I turned I was witness to the beauty of the color and its robust offerings - was it a sign on Valentine's Day?? Hmmm, or rather the fact that in mid-February, in the heart of San Francisco, we're literally experiencing "summer-like" weather...wait, scratch that! The weather in the summer is never this great! With the warm temperatures we've been enjoying throughout the state, flowers are blooming, fruit tastes like it was picked in mid-July and colors are popping. We Californians should be grateful for such weather given that the other half of the country is inundated with massive snow and cold, but in truth, while we're enjoy the vibrancy now, we'll be paying for it later when we're drought-ridden!

In the meantime, here's my little curated photo montage in honor of a heart-filled holiday - enjoy!

Vibrant red chard for sale at the farmer's market 

Organic red berry jams


Little nectarines bursting with color! 
A favorite little ceramic Basque plate that I love
Pomegranates piled high


Sweet Basque dried peppers - always a treat to find!
All we need is love... 

Heart to Heart




Rancho Gordo beautiful beans 

Apple ciders

Remnants of my Mariposa Baking gluten free baguette, Frog Hollow Farm plum conserve and a latte
Cafe de la Presse

Beauty on a page from my newest cookbook, A Kitchen in France

The unstoppable bloom! 

As close to Pantone 186c as Mother Nature can get...or is it the other way around?!








What can I say...I'm all heart.

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