family + friends + food = LOVE

rustic rosemary-feta heirloom tomato tart

A pause in North Carolina has allowed us to indulge in some baking with family and friends... and to stretch our legs and eat good food again.  We arrived in Hendersonville by Monday afternoon and by dinner time we were indulging in a meal fit for kings at our friends Dave and Amy's house with everything on the table being freshly plucked from their wondrous garden out back. We also arrived just in time to have the opportunity to stroll through Ashville's farmers market on Wednesday, which of course made us dearly miss Portland's farm fare, however, there were goods enough to fill our bags:  heirloom tomatoes, fresh goat cheeses, beets, greens, carrots, onions, fresh eggs, and of course one of my favorite bakers in North Carolina...Dave from Farm and Sparrow.  This man knows how to bake, offering naturally leavened wood fired breads, pastries, and bialys.  We had a feast that night with Dave Mac's family of rosemary tomato tart,  fresh mushroom, red pepper, and tomato fritatta, and a salad simply garnished with pears, toasted almonds, olive oil and lemon juice.  All of this accompanied by plenty of laughs and stories.

In the middle of all the madness, it is so incredible that good food, family, and friends can calm the nerves, fill the belly, and provide all the nourishment one needs in life.

Thank you to all those who fed, housed, and love us in North Carolina, we are forever grateful to you all. XOXO.