{"id":697,"date":"2014-08-31T13:29:41","date_gmt":"2014-08-31T20:29:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/?p=697"},"modified":"2014-08-31T13:37:00","modified_gmt":"2014-08-31T20:37:00","slug":"chilled-melon-soup-and-lavender-plus-its-not-too-late","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/?p=697","title":{"rendered":"Chilled Melon Soup and Lavender plus it&#8217;s Not Too Late"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>FOOD AND RECIPES<br \/>\nThe melons, along with the fall fruits are peaking now, and it\u2019s the perfect time to make two of my favorite dishes of the season, <em>Chilled Melon Soup with Lavender<\/em> and <em>Oven-Roasted Fall<\/em> <em>Fruits<\/em>. You\u2019ll find the recipes\u00a0 in the Recipe section on this<a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0498.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-693\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0498-300x200.jpg?resize=300%2C200\" alt=\"IMG_0498\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0498.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0498.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0498.jpg?resize=700%2C466&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0498.jpg?resize=332%2C221&amp;ssl=1 332w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0498.jpg?w=1320&amp;ssl=1 1320w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/IMG_0498.jpg?w=1980&amp;ssl=1 1980w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a> website. I\u2019ll be serving the roasted fruits for the rehearsal dinner dessert for my son\u2019s upcoming wedding in early October.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll cook them in my outdoor wood-fired oven after the chickens have come out. Herb-stuffed chickens are the main course, along with a zucchini and gruyere gratin and a fresh herb salad with a cherry tomato vinaigrette.<\/p>\n<p>Appetizers will be grilled toasts with bowls of garlic cloves and tomato concasse for the guests to make their own, plus a creamy white bean and rosemary spread made with the giant-size Rancho Gordo Corona beans, and platters of my Sultan de Marabout figs stuffed with our housemade jambon cru. A simple meal, but the best ingredients.<\/p>\n<p>LA VIE RUSTIC &#8211; IT&#8217;S NOT TOO LATE<br \/>\nIt\u2019s is not too late to sign up as an early bird on La Vie Rustic and get $10.00 off your first order if you sign-up before midnight on September 3 when my on-line store officially launches. www.lavierustic.com<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll send you a special coupon code to enter on your first purchase.<\/p>\n<p>At La Vie Rustic you\u2019ll be able to purchase my French seed collections \u2013 and the overpack and the 6 inner packets were printed on a 1950 Heidelberg letter press by a master printer who is also a friend of mine. I love to run my hand over the print and feel the faint rise on the letters and images. The seeds themselves are heirlooms, some dating back more than 125 years ago. You can also purchase DIY charcuterie kits, <em>Sel de Figues<\/em> \u2013 which, by the way is an amazing addition to the roasted fruits \u2013 Herbes de Provence, of course, and a \u2018chicken scratch patch\u2019 a nutritious pasture mix to plant for your backyard chickens plus other items.<\/p>\n<p>IN THE GARDEN<br \/>\nIn my garden right now, I\u2019m picking okra and green beans, along with basil, the last of the summer squash and loads of tomatoes of all kinds. I like to cook the okra with some squash, corn from my neighbor, onions, garlic, and tomatoes seasoned with herbes de Provence and serve it with a chicken paillard.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/okra-photo.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-704\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/okra-photo-300x225.jpg?resize=300%2C225\" alt=\"okra photo\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/okra-photo.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/okra-photo.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/okra-photo.jpg?resize=700%2C525&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/okra-photo.jpg?resize=332%2C249&amp;ssl=1 332w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/okra-photo.jpg?w=1632&amp;ssl=1 1632w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/okra-photo.jpg?w=1320&amp;ssl=1 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>I\u2019m picking lots of the Sultan de Marabout figs right now and drying them to make my Sel de Figues for La Vie Rustic. It is such an amazing variety. Since it is a fig that needs fertilization, the seeds inside are crunchy and add a nutty taste to the fruits\u2019 honey-perfume flavor. Everyone who has ever tasted this fig says it is the best they have ever eaten. Even my 7-year old grandsons like them and pick them right off the tree to eat.<br \/>\nLa Vie Rustic still has some of the 1-year old trees for sale. They are $25.00 each. You can arrange to pick them up from me between now and Oct 15 by emailing me. After that, the trees will be available bare root in spring via shipping.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/117.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-707\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/117-300x200.jpg?resize=300%2C200\" alt=\"117\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/117.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/117.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/117.jpg?resize=700%2C466&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/117.jpg?resize=332%2C221&amp;ssl=1 332w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/117.jpg?w=1320&amp;ssl=1 1320w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/117.jpg?w=1980&amp;ssl=1 1980w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nRight now and over the next month is the time to plant chicory seeds to harvest from fall through winter and into spring \u2013 endive, radicchio, and escaroles. Ours went in last week \u2013 we started with transplants this year \u2013 80 of them. I harvest them with the cut and come again method, and they provide our salads for months.<br \/>\nIt\u2019s been a little too hot here to plant lettuces \u2013 those I\u2019ll plant in the next couple of weeks for a fall harvest, and again in January for a spring harvest.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/179.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-708\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/179-300x200.jpg?resize=300%2C200\" alt=\"179\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/179.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/179.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/179.jpg?resize=700%2C466&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/179.jpg?resize=332%2C221&amp;ssl=1 332w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/179.jpg?w=1320&amp;ssl=1 1320w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/179.jpg?w=1980&amp;ssl=1 1980w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>And, last but not least, my quinces are almost ripe- another few weeks. This year I\u2019m going to make Vin de Coing \u2013 quince wine. It\u2019s a delicious aperitif over ice, or added to sparkling with a twist of orange.<\/p>\n<p>So much to look forward to.<br \/>\nGeorgeanne<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FOOD AND RECIPES The melons, along with the fall fruits are peaking now, and it\u2019s the perfect time to make two of my favorite dishes of the season, Chilled Melon Soup with Lavender and Oven-Roasted Fall Fruits. You\u2019ll find the recipes\u00a0 in the Recipe section on this website. I\u2019ll be &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","column","threecol"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":903,"url":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/?p=903","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":0},"title":"The 13 Desserts of a Provencal Christmas and a Memory of Les Baux","author":"Georgeanne Brennan","date":"2014-12-06","format":false,"excerpt":"In old Provence, the table for Christmas Eve dinner, or the gros souper, was set with three white tablecloths to represent the holy trinity and decorated with three shallow dishes of sprouted wheat seed, planted on December 4th, the Feast of Sainte Barbara. The wheat seed symbolizes the promise of\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"terrace_view_south","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/terrace_view_south-300x260.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":798,"url":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/?p=798","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":1},"title":"Persimmons and Houses in France","author":"Georgeanne Brennan","date":"2014-09-26","format":false,"excerpt":"Persimmons In Quinson, not far from my house in Provence, on the road to the Gorges du Verdon, there is a persimmon tree that I have watched for more than 30 years. It is now huge. By November, its orange fruit is brilliant against a landscape of brown, turned earth\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"persimmon","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/persimmon-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":956,"url":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/?p=956","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":2},"title":"Spring is Coming &#8211; Recipes, Travel, and Updates","author":"Georgeanne Brennan","date":"2015-03-16","format":false,"excerpt":"Spring is Coming \u2013Recipes, Travel, and Updates Welcome! Here you'll find some recipes, travel notes from France, and some updates about me and La Vie Rustic. The lovely photo above is by Sara Remington. Spring is coming everywhere, but sooner in California than elsewhere. The hillsides are green, mustard is\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Baby Artichokes In Blue Bowl","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Baby-Artichokes-In-Blue-Bowl-682x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Baby-Artichokes-In-Blue-Bowl-682x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Baby-Artichokes-In-Blue-Bowl-682x1024.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1004,"url":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/?p=1004","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":3},"title":"Snails Then and Now","author":"Georgeanne Brennan","date":"2015-05-06","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 As a Francophile teenager growing up in Southern California I desperately wanted to try what seemed to me the ultimate French dish, snails. On a school field trip to Los Angeles I had my wish when were taken to Taix, a famous French Restaurant in Echo Park. I ordered\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"IMG_2352","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/IMG_2352-768x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/IMG_2352-768x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/IMG_2352-768x1024.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":820,"url":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/?p=820","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":4},"title":"FROM SEED TO SALAD","author":"Georgeanne Brennan","date":"2014-10-06","format":false,"excerpt":"My radicchio, escarole and frisee are on their way to the salad bowl. The young plants are flourishing in the garden, and I can see the thin red veining that promises radicchio. The escarole leaves are broadening and those of frisee are deeply notched and curling. I can hardly wait\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"IMG_1019","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/IMG_1019-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":867,"url":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/?p=867","url_meta":{"origin":697,"position":5},"title":"Contemplating the Holidays","author":"Georgeanne Brennan","date":"2014-11-09","format":false,"excerpt":"Early November In early November, I start getting excited about the holidays. I get out my big black book and start planning the Thanksgiving menu and the table setting. I visualize the long, extended table - how will I set it this year? A modern take with bright fall colors?\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"IMG_1533","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgeannebrennan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/IMG_1533-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=697"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":715,"href":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697\/revisions\/715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgeannebrennan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}