100% Lemon!

There were lots of ideas floating around for this season's print and none of them felt quite right until...we landed on lemons. They bring us vitamin C in the winter and pure joy in the summer. They are 100% California and the scent of their blossoms (along with those of oranges) brings me back to my childhood in Pasadena. 

We have Meyer lemons and Eurekas growing in (and perfuming) the garden, so we can head out and pick as needed. I'm not one to start my day with a warm-water and lemon elixir (though I try to remember to) but we use their juice, their zest, and their essence all the time. 

Lemons and olives are one of my favorite combinations. Think Moroccan tagine. Or tapenade! We just got back from a family trip to a village near Nîmes, France, where most meals kicked off with a little serving of the olive paste (and, in my case, a glass of chilled Picpoul). 

TAPENADE

Ingredients:

2 cups of pitted olives of your choice (black kalamatas or green castelvetrano are good) 

3 filets of anchovies

1-2 peeled cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon of capers

1-2 teaspoon of lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

A bit of olive oil

Instructions:

Toss everything but the olive oil into a food processor and blend. Add a tablespoon or two of oil to help bind and to acheive the consistency of a spreadable dip. Serve with toasted baguette rounds and a glass or rosé or Picpoul!

While we were in the region, we went horseback riding through the marshes of the Camargue. Needless to say, my Shoo for Good wrap, tied tightly around my neck, kept the omnipresent mosquitoes at bay. I asked our guide how she deals with the pests. She responded: "C'est tout dans la tête. Il ne faut pas y penser." It's all in the head. You just can't think about it. Well, okay, but I was glad to have my wrap with me, all the same!

Here's a (not so great) photo of the tapenade served to us at Chez Chico in Saintes Maries de la Mer after our ride. A simple restaurant with fabulous food.