The Peonies are in Full Bloom

And Jess brought some over just for me! Dinner with Noah and Jess this evening was a wonderful and much needed event indeed.

Simple dishes that showed off all that spring has in season. Wonderful fresh veggies and eggs! (thank you Jonathan)

Soft Boiled Eggs with Seaweed Topping (looks like caviar, has a beautiful color and nice salty flavor):

to make the perfect soft boiled egg: place your eggs in the pan of room temp water, bring to a boil, turn off and remove eggs immediately after it's reached a boil. Don't put them in a cold water bath, but simply place in fridge to stand. Cut in half lengthwise, top with seaweed topping.

Gazpacho:
1 beefsteak tomato 3/4 lb ish
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 cucumber peeled, seeds removed
1 large scallion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

pulse all in food processor until desired consistency, if veggies aren't watery enough then you can add filtered water until soup like.

Zucchini Fritters:
1 3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 c aged goat cheese
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
2 eggs
1 1/4 c milk
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 large zucchini grated, makes roughly 2 cups

mix wet into dry, add zucchini at the end. Ladle 1/6 cup portions into pan loaded with butter, fry until golden and puffy and OOZZINGGGG with melted cheese.

Grilled Veggies:
Portobello Steaks
Golden Beet Rounds
the remainder of the Zucchini cut into strips.
rub with olive oil and s&p

you know what your desired grill doneness is. Kissed by the flames, grill marks and heated through, char.

Pear and Cardamom & Vanilla Crepes with Vegan Mallow Topping:
Sliced pears, you want a really well ripened pear here, nothing dry. Really thinly sliced, 20 for a whole pear.

Crepes:
1/2 c butter, melted
1 egg
1 c flour
1 c whole cream milk
2 tbs sugar, I used vanilla infused sugar here ( thank you Shaun)
3/4 tbs cardamom grond
1 tbs vanilla

mix well and ladle into hot buttered pan about 1/6 c portions. Cook both sides until golden brown.
Serve in stacks with the mallow topping OOZZINGGG all over the place. Dust with coconut sugar for a dash of color.

Enjoy with lovely friends while a thunderstorm rolls in and night makes you sleepy and cozy.