The low chuckle followed by a head shake. I've come to know it well. It's the reaction friends have when they stop by and get a glimpse at how this project has overrun our house. The towers of boxes, the tape guns, the bins of favorite things - it's all a bit much. I can't help but think of QUITOKEETO as my pretty little monster, one who only has an appetite for physical space. So, we've been on the lookout for the perfect place to move it, for months. And months. I drastically underestimated how long the process would take, but thankfully, we may have finally found just the spot. Please cross your fingers - I'd love to be able to have house guests again. We did the last round of shipments from the dining room and kitchen island, and I thought you might like a look at the process. In the midst of it all, we always try to break for a quick lunch, and this last time I threw together a ruby-hued fruit salad made with beautiful sweet cherries (and sweeter strawberries!), all from the weekend farmers' market.Continue>>

Simple steamed vegetables are one of the reasons I love eating in Japan. I mean, let's be honest, I probably like steamed vegetables more than most, but I enjoy them exponentially more in Japan. Somehow, many of the things I love about traveling there are summed up in this simple preparation. I'd often receive a sampling of seasonal produce as part of a combination lunch, the vegetables arriving at the table beautifully arranged in the bamboo basket they were steamed in. I'd work my way through a rainbow of vibrant, tender potatoes, squash, mushrooms, broccoli rabe, and the like, sometimes adding a pinch of zesty shichimi togarashi, but more often than not, a casual toss of a few grains of salt would be all. Each time, a vibrant, satisfying reminder of just how good vegetables can be when prepared simply with care and intent. After this past trip, my cheap, tri-level bamboo steamer was promptly dusted upon my arrival home, and put into proper rotation. The thing that never ceases to surprise me is the speed even the most hearty chunks of root vegetables or squash become tender - ten minutes, often less. Continue>>

I went to a lunch in Oakland a few weeks back. It was one of those special lunches that passes all too quickly - a warm April afternoon, a stretch of tables pushed together under a booming canopy of white flowers, good company, Lillet blanc, and some of my favorite cooks arriving with something to share, family-style. It was a celebration of Deborah Madison's new book, and after all these years, I was finally able to thank her for inspiring body of work in person. All in all, a pretty great afternoon. I would have been more than happy to stay right where I was, long after the plates were cleared, as I imagine dinner under the blossoming trees would be magic. But, that's not actually what I was thinking about after I left. There was this one salad I just couldn't shake. It was made entirely of cilantro, tossed with a simple shallot-forward soy sauce dressing, toasted peanuts, and a vegetable. It was so simple, so bright, and it got me thinking about cilantro in an entirely new way.Continue>>

The other day I posted a quick snapshot of my lunch on instagram (if you're there, I'm @heidijswanson). It was a soup I make quite often this time of year - with little riffs or tweaks each time. A few of you emailed me on the side asking for specifics, so I thought I'd share it here today. The gist is this - simmer a good amount of grated ginger and shallots in coconut milk, add the brightest spring vegetables you can get your hands on, and serve over egg noodles (or, alternately, pan-fried shredded yuba skins*). I like to finish with lots of cilantro and a squeeze of lime, but whatever fresh herbs you have on hand will do.Continue>>

If my count is correct, this is the second favorites list of the year. There was one in January, and now this. I kept ferreting away links, and never got around to organizing them. Apologies. My hope is that perhaps what I lack in frequency is somehow made up for here in quality. Enjoy the links, and I'll be back early next week with a recipe for what has become my favorite, go-to, springtime soup. xo -h

- The Ultimate Cold Cure

- To see: Stolen Seas

- I read this / then this, then this, and now this

- Twelve Countries, One Bag (via Naomi Starkman)

- Braised Fennel Wedges with Saffron and Tomato

- Pretty sure I would have cried.

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I made birthday cake for myself this year. Or maybe I should say cakes, plural. I made one small cake, and a pair of tiny cakes. When they were cooled and frosted I lined a plate with parchment paper, placed the cakes on top, then pushed them into the back of my car before slamming the trunk. We skipped town for Los Angeles, and took a leisurely two days to get there. We did things like look for migrating whales off the coast, searched for items for the next collection of the shop, and ate cake on a shaded picnic table outside Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad. The cake? The cake is worth making. Made mostly of almond paste and eggs, it's sort-of a cake version of these macaroons, flooded with a simple, smudge-proof buttermilk glaze. It's the kind of cake that can handle some time in the car, will stay moist for a few days, with frosting that sets instead of smears.Continue>>

Sometimes I open the refrigerator, the star's align, angels sing, and I end up with something off-beat and special. No special trip to the store, and no over-thinking ingredient or flavor combinations. I like putting ingredients together in ways I've never tried before, and sometimes having limited choices is exactly the nudge I need in that direction. I think that's what happened here. I made this simple side dish the other night using everything on the left-hand, bottom shelf. It's asparagus tossed with a garlicky buttermilk dressing, perky radish sprouts, lots of fresh cilantro, and a handful of cooked posole. I had cooked posole on hand, but beans (chickpeas?), farro, orzo, or toasted nuts would be an easy swap if you don't.Continue>>