Wrap me in clover; friends, wine & secret skies.

 

 

I make my own version of bruschetta using grape tomatoes.  It is rich with balsamic, freshly chopped basil & garlic.

Sea salt...sprinklings on freshly chopped tomatoes.  Homemade bruschetta prepared by dear friends, and served up with goblets of fine French and Italian wine helped me to blow off steam recently (bills, work, life :). 

So this week I am loving crazy living room dances, the laughter of my friend Deb who is quite frankly one of THE funniest people you will meet {and her husband Simon prepares the most delicious food in their beautiful kitchen), and prosciutto-wrapped melon while listening to this lovely rendition. Oh and if you want to hear funny stories, this friend tells them with such hilarity you think you may wet your pants. 

Oh, I value friendship.  It is rich, rare and precious. Time can not wither it. Not if it is true.

What do you whip up in the kitchen for friends? What is your comfort food? Do you prepare it while gathered in the heartbeat of your home, your kitchen? (Tiny apartment kitchens to large all-encompassing kitchens...kitchens are special places, all of them!) Kitchen gatherings make me swoon, there is something nurturing about feeding people you love, as keenly observed by Louise the other night.  Weezy, you are most perceptive.

For your viewing pleasure and a great story to boot: A Sunday at the Southern.

In addition, a superb and emotive photo essay here.

Talent abounds.  These make me weep...the beauty of Frida is captured so wonderfully, not just her physical image but who she was.  Christine's shop is bursting with contrasts of life, and death, and Frida Kahlo. Beautiful.

Isn't this breathtaking? {I've read it a trillion times these last few days}

"This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet." ~Rumi

xo {Email me if you would like the secret bruschetta recipe}

{An aside: We never found a Frida.  Sadly, we were too late. :( }

 

Comments

[Samosasforone]

I want to come hang out with you!

[Debi]

Oh man. This looks gooooood! GOOOOOD!!!

A gorgeous post, in words and thoughts and honesty and generosity.

:) Debi

[Gigi]

Yum! Those tomatoes look amazing, Gillian! I so agree about kitchen gatherings. I'll have a houseful of people visiting this coming weekend, and I can't wait to cook, cook, cook for (and with) them--especially the kids!

Thanks for a lovely post.

xo Gigi

[Rochambeau]

Yes to homemade Bruschetta fun with friends.
Yes to Christine's wonderful Frida (s). Yes to laughing and wind and dancing and to being silly whenever possible. Hear Hear!!

Without beautiful friends like you Gillian, life would be nothing!

Have a faB Sunday.
Enjoy EVERY moment!
xox
Constance

[tifanie]

beautifully written and gorgeous photos. xo

[Stephanie]

Nothing better than good food, friends and wine. Yours all look cozy and inviting and welcoming!

I have been cooking up piles of tomatoes into sauce and baking bread and freezing pesto....I feel like the squirrels storing up for the long winter ahead!

x..x

[Randi]

nothing better than good food and good friends, seriously! You painted a beautiful picture in my head of dancing and laughter.. :)

[Tracy]

LOVE the touch of balsamic in your bruschetta, Gillian! Do please send you recipe...thank you, thank you... :o) Food & Friends--a perfect pairing. It has be be easy to prepare, as much more talking than work will take place--LOL!--so a combo of easy, yet comforting to the soul fare definitely! Just thrill to Rumi's words here to today...*sigh*... Happy Week ((HUGS))

[pam aries]

Yummmm...! Good food Good Friends Good wine. Yes.

[Tara Bradford]

That bruschetta looks like a fantastic meal in itself! Such deliciousness in your post. As for Christine's Frida dolls, aren't they fantastic??!! So impressed with her talent (and lucky to own some of her dolls; wish I owned a Frida one!). I owe you an email; hope to catch up very soon. xoxox

[gemma]

I make my own bruschetta too. Would love to try your grape tomatoes recipe. I use plum roma, homegrown basil,lotsa garlic. "At Last" knocked my socks off!

[Prasad]

gillan! came after long long time and you are here as always clicking better and better photos :)
The mirror and camera pic is so beautiful! too good .. keep clicking lovely photos!

[urbaniche]

gillian i couldn't agree more with you when you say theres something in the act of feeding people you love. i love feeding people i love , having them over and taking care of them and maybe thats why the kitchen love!
http://urbaniche.blogspot.com/2009/09/summer-freshness.html

and Rumi and Khalil Gibran have been my all time poet crushes!!
xox

s

[jammie]

bruschetta recipe please!!

thanks for hopping by the blog :) and for being inspiring!
we have this place here that had the most heavenly bruschetta so i asked my husband who is a wizard in the kitchen to please please please figure what they do to give it that kick and after 2 tries (and several delicious trips back to figure out the missing link) we got it!! :)
its the ultimate in swoon food.

[simon]

looks good! I :o)

[A Fanciful Twist]

Hello you darling you!!! I LOVE your version of bruschetta! Yummy, and friends - oh friends, the good kind that are not too negative and don't suck you dry are major keepers. The ones you can laugh with and cry with and there is balance with, they make my heart skip a beat indeed!!

I love having people over, although I am quite hermity these last two years with my full time art career - I love to cook, and if I am having people for dinner I almost always make mole (not mole the animal, but mole with an accent on the e, haha!!)

xoxo, V

[margie]

you sent me on several journeys today with your links. thank you.

[Sheila]

This looks delish.
But then your food always is..
big hugs
Mum
xox

[Scarlet]

I ADORE Frida, and that doll is beautifully created to represent the wonderful woman that she was. I'd buy one if there were more!!

Those chopped tomatoes look divine. I need to grow basil because (as you know) I love everything FRESH...FRESCO...including my friends, like you, Chica! I wouldn't want you any other way. ;)

I like to make my family and friends my specialty, pork tenderloins in cream sauce with a side of firm asparagus, red wine and hot Cuban bread smothered with REAL butter.

It's time for another get together at my place. What time can you be here???

[Art Dolls by Du Buh Du Designs]

I could eat bruscehtta every day~sometimes the best meals/snacks are the simplest:)

Thank you for mentioning my Frida dolls..the more I read about her life and view her work the more I feel a deeper connection to her~
Viva Frida!

[Relyn]

I do enjoy your links. And, oh! I want to join you for exactly that little supper.