September 30, 2008
To foster that feeling of abundance , even when living in one-room affairs which I have done all through my working life , I try to always have in stock at least a bottle of affordable Italian, French or Spanish (haven't tried Portuguese yet) red or white wine (mostly red) , a small bottle of olive oil and a small bottle of honey ..so that even when cash is low , the presence of these bounties of nature remind of the bountiful life, of the possibility of it in my own life ... Mediterranean at that ... it was only during my early fifties that I started to develop this interest and taste for things Mediterranean ... the the sparkling honey-colored sunlight, the medieval villages which speaks of continuity of culture and tradition well into the present time, the relatedness to nature and to the soil, the vineyards,lavender fields, perfume,wine,herbs and spices, family kitchens with age old recipes, meals as family bonding time, culinary artistry ... such warm and down-to-earth ideas and images .... fine and elegant earthy food for everyday meals and relaxation... I've even started to make my own pesto .... and thanks to a diet to reduce/balance my cholesterol levels,
I'm forced to cook my own food and I am able to choose and use Mediterranean ingredients as olive and grapeseed oil , vegetables such as fennel, asparagus, spinach, celery ... And now, I'm reading a lot about wines ... I've also started collecting china and kitchen things with Mediterranean motifs and designs... as my home pictures above show ... including my cats in a Mediterranean inspired setting ....
