I have a few fun things to tell you. Since I don't use social media, I thought I would do it the old-fashioned way.
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I believe there are these experiences that connect with one's true purpose, something that whispers an inner truth back to you. A few weeks ago I attended an inspiring panel discussion hosted by four working artist mothers – the moderator, a writer, and three local singer-songwriter women. (It was recorded as a podcast, here, if you want to experience it for yourself.) I identified with their discussion about the difficulties of their work-life balancing acts, their real talk about being mothers in their industries and about the deepened connection between their identities of Mother and Artist as they nurtured each alongside the other with evident, palpable passion. I heard myself in their anecdotes as they spoke about witnessing their children grow, wanting to bottle it in song. One of the women sang her song called “More for Longer,” and I immediately recognized the complicated, layered joy of motherhood in her poetry and the timbre of her voice. As tears streamed down my face, I felt so lucky to not only be a working artist mother, but alive, too. I want “More for Longer,” so achingly like the singer’s voice, to hold them and let them grow into who they already are inside their sweet bodies. I wonder if I will be able to. (Photo courtesy Adair Rutledge, taken March 2017.)
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Wins This Month
Wahoo! These things have me toasting with some seltzer (you know, really letting loose) this month.
- The Dallas Morning News printed an article this past week about the genesis of my recent addendum to Cake Magic! and my grain-free, refined sugar-free cake mix. It's a total game-changer -- in fact, the whole book (over 100 cakes!) can all be made using this mix. Garth made his first cake ever for me, shown in the photos below, and I had a delicious birthday cake for breakfast earlier this month because of it. The bonus material showed up a bit online in January when it was launched, but it feels so good that the story made it to print! For some background, here is my post about it.
- The venerable Adair Rutledge and I worked on a top secret project that I hope to share soon. (Talk about a #momboss!)
- I taught a class at the Hot Stove Society last weekend on my most recent cookbook I wrote with Daniel Olivella, Catalan Food. It was notable for a few reasons: it marked my first savory demo-style class in almost five years (baking and talking about cakes is quite different than cooking a handful of dishes while talking, in my experience); it was my first demo class I taught since my brain surgery (and had me a little nervous for that reason, hoping I'd remember everything!); I had never taught a class of someone else's recipes before and I wanted to do Daniel's justice. Despite my nerves, though, I left feeling like I had made a roomful of new friends bursting with great cooking questions, which is always my indicator of a fun and successful class.
- I sent out the invite for this newsletter and received innumerable emails from long-lost friends and new ones alike, sharing raw details about their lives. It is so humbling to have this opportunity to connect here, a great honor that you have given me. By far my biggest "win" this month!
- Oh, and I feel excellent. And spring has arrived, flowers are everywhere. And I got a haircut, which makes me so happy because, well, I have hair!
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Open your eyes and see the friends
Whose hearts recognize your face as kin,
Those whose kindness watchful and near,
Encourages you to live everything here.
- John O'Donohue, "To Bless the Space Between Us"
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I write a blog every Monday. It's about food and everything else as told by someone who's cooked, eaten and seen some things.
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A taste of some favorite things I did, spotted and ate this month that you could have liked on Instagram (then immediately forgot due to some viral video of a cat licking itself). Oh how I miss cat videos.
. . .
Captions from left to right, top to bottom: 1) My 35th birthday breakfast at the moment of wish-making, the same one for a few years now, as helped by my two little guys in more ways than one; 2) Sharing tea with Willow Heath, my wacky and elusive friend who is also the illustrator on my newest book that's released this summer, Lasting Love; 3) My oldest son, Henry, who just learned to read a few weeks ago and is pictured here reading "Cake Magic!" to bake his very first cake-- the best birthday present ever; 4) Worth the wait: Spring has sprung in Seattle!; 5) I am soup-crazy these days.
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Top 5 Random Musings: March
(you know, to fill you up with the kind of intimate-yet-silly details that only Facebook can provide)
- My favorite recipe right now to cook for my family: Charred Cauliflower Rice
- A book I finished this month: "My Brilliant Friend" by Elena Ferrante
- Music I'm listening to while cooking these days: anything by Anderson Paak
- The best meal I had this month: My birthday dinner, an aged bavette steak at the gorgeous Renée Erickson restaurant, Bateau
- Funniest quote from an offspring this month: “Mama, this is the best dinner I’ve had since last night.”
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Me, in Seattle's first break of spring that's blooming all over.
(In other news: sometimes looping images are more satisfying than a thousand words. #GIFaddict)
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Have a win of your own to share? Or a comment about an article or book I wrote? Or a cooking question?
I want this space to be a conversation that celebrates both of our lives and our connection, whether I know you personally or not. I do read the emails sent in reply to this newsletter and make a sincere effort to respond.
Check out the FAQ page on my website if you want quick answers to common questions. xox
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