happy new year.....

here is a toast to bringing in all YOUR beauty this 2011!!

letting go of all the other things...

and allowing only beauty...

as it can save the world....

giving, loving, receiving, understanding,

stretching, growing, trusting, listening,

riding the waves of this beauty....

thank you so much for supporting RM &

my journey to inspire & empower BEAUTY

into your worlds, your kitchens, your hearts...

see you on the other side.... love & BEAUTY! xxx

persimmon bread.

first, i must acknowdledge the deep blog guilt i have been wrestling with.... i am 38 weeks pregnant & to get to this blog is a luxury, to sit here and make it happen is like baking a cake which can be really easy depending on the cake OR it can be next to impossible which is really what it has been! i had to get that out of the way to share this most amazing persimmon bread yumminess....

if you are at any of the markets or whole foods... you can find extremely ripe hachiya persimmons. that is what this breads pulp is made of... the fuyu's are harder and very crispy... (in a post below).. they are also amazing just cut, peel the skin (if you want.. you can eat the skin) and eat.. no cooking necessary... it's like the pumpkin fruit of the fall.

here is the recipe (created a hybrid of the james beard/david leibovitz recipes)

3 1/2 cups sifted flour (bob's red mill organic)

1 1/2 tsp. salt (coarse kosher)

2 tsp baking soda (bob's red mill/aluminum free)

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 - 2 1/2 cups sugar (organic cane)/ more sugar makes the bread moist

1 cup melted, room temp, unsalted butter

4 large eggs, room temp, lightly beaten

2 cups persimmon puree (you can put it in cuisineart to break up strands if you want... no need to)

1 - 2 cups toasted/chopped/walnuts or pecans

1 cup semi sweet ghiradelli chocolate chips

you can use (2) 9" loaf pans or (1) 9" and 3 little ones or muffin tins... i tend to try different

shapes out b/c i like to give the bread away as gifties and seeing how many ways it can happen.

*butter the 2 loaf pans, line with parchement paper & dust with flour

*preheat oven to 350

*sift first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl

*make well in the center (you can also do this in your kitchen aid)

*stir in butter, eggs, persimmon pulp

*then nuts & chips

*bake 1 hour or so....

enjoy every morsel, it's so good. see you in the kitchenxxx

gratitude.

stories inside the womb

of a wooden spoon.

the round, wide edges of my ancestory

that i continue to discover.

the warm healing in the kitchen,

over and over and over again,

showing me the way.

discovering a specific lingering that is in the

crack of the cuisineart, the scent of basil meyers soap.

whatever your story, the poetry, the song... they live in your

kitchen... maybe this is the time you come out to greet them...

lets thanks & give everyday....

lets roast, saute, baste & play everyday...

let's connect with this excited child that lives in the aroma

of a sweet potato souffle... connected to this nourishing piece...

lets feed her and nurture him everyday....

i am so deeply grateful to all the spoons, the patient creators of all the round things, the wide bowls, the stories inside the wood, the sterling silver, the cobalt, the gold, the kitchen connection, the planet for holding us,the circle, my family, the ocean, the beauty, the process of growing, caring, nourishing and nurturing everything...

feeding you and feeding me. xxx

RM gatherings...

hi mamas!

the next RM gathering is coming up!

Thursday, October 28, 10 - 1pm & there are a few spots left...

if you have not been to the gathering and if it's calling you, please make this time for YOU... allow me the honor to feed, sate & nourish you in this way... the fall comes with such an incredible array of aromas, colors and simple, rustic ways to have them cooking in your home... come to my table, take in the beauty & get inspired.

here is the revised schedule for the RM gatherings:

Thursday, November 11, 10 - 1

&

Thusday, December 2, 10 - 1

$75, donation

mt. washington

you can rsvp and send in your offering for any of these dates that fits your schedule.

i will let you know if i add any new ones and until then...catch one before i have to take a break with beauty arriving!!

**here is another post describing the classes in more detail: go here**

see you in the kitchenXXX

persimmon, my old friend.

sunday was a rainy day at the market here in los angeles...it was on the peek-a-boo channel. rain, drizzle, stop and then do it again...it was so beautiful, the dance of it, seeing everyone inside the dance weathering the slight storm of something unusual, the beginnings of fall tapping on the windshield and gently asking if it can nourish us and the earth.

and then.... there was a new sighting. it's like seeing a really good, old friend... i want to run towards the stand and hug them all, asking how it's been and how long they are staying. it's as though i saw they were coming on facebook but then i forgot and maybe i didn't know exactly when they were going to arrive... so i am still a little surprised like christmas morning... it's the best feeling.

it's not just my mind, my whole body, every cell aligns to it... calling out PERSIMMONS!! that thick orange flesh, crispy & tender at the same time, talking to my tongue about fall and what we can do this time around. it's such a beautiful feeling... reconnecting this way to old friends, excited to wake up in the morning, chat more about their journey... we start out just cutting, peeling & checking each other out again after such a long time. i have a feeling there might be a salad or cake in the future though...see you in the kitchenxxx

first hour.

that hour, I was most myself. I had shrugged

my mother slowly off, I lay there

taking my first breaths, as if

the air of the room was blowing me

like a bubble. All I had to do

was go out along the line of my gaze and back,

out and back, on gravity's silk, the

pressure of the air a caress, smelling on my

self her creamy blood. The air

was softly touching my skin and tongue,

entering me and drawing forth the little

sighs I did not know as mine.

I was not afraid. I lay in the quiet

and looked, and did the wordless thought,

my mind was getting it's oxygen

direct, the rich mix by mouth.

I hated no one. I gazed and gazed,

and everything was interesting, I was

free, not yet in love, I did not

belong to anyone, I had drunk

no milk, yet -no one had

my heart. I was not very human. I did not

know there was anyone else. I lay

like a god, for an hour, then they came for me,

and took me to my mother.

Sharon Olds (from 'The Unswept Room')

to stop, read something amazing & let it sit somewhere inside can be the best gift. i love this poem and this is how it feels, sometimes, when you are birthing a new part of you... see you in the kitchenxxx

WORKSHOP.

hello! i miss you mamas... how is it going in your kitchens?! i have been the busiest bee birthing women who are INSPIRED & EMPOWERED in their kitchens... working the RM magic & creating kitchens that serve us busy mamas & get us COOKING! it's amazing what happens when your belly grows.... so does your community!

with that said... i am finally creating a workshop for women who are ready to discover their story in the kitchen, or at best beginning the RM conversation of nourishing ourselves, stirring up the fire in our bellies, eating FOOD that sates us and more... here is all the info:

renaissance mamas: workshop for all the beautiful ladies

inspiring, empowering & nourishing YOU in the kitchen

are you single, taken, married? working hard for the money?

manifesting the idea of family? babes, pregnant, not sure?

whatever your story, everything happens in the kitchen.

it's where we heal, manifest, create, protect, nurture, nourish, sate, love, fight & bring it on. it's where our fire lives, no matter what size the match. it's where we our introduced to our beauty, cook up our power, heal our wounds in the most vital, rustic & simple ways... to nourish ourselves & our family.

what we will be cooking up in this workshop:

*your story/your kitchen: discovering who you are in this place,

where your fire is, how you want to create a kitchen culture in your home

*creating a kitchen that serves & inspires you (BEAUTY)

*RM basics in the pantry, food & tools

*empowerment in the kitchen, what this means & looks like

*FOOD! seasons, eating, beauty, connection

*includes a rustic, fall meal, lots of food & gifts to nourish you throughout the day

and so much more..

it's hard to explain the nurturing magic that happens in these gatherings...

if you feel called to this, come!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2010

10 - 2/3ish pm

los feliz or mt washington kitchen

$125, 4/5 hours + a rustic, beautiful lunch with gifts

rsvp asap with an email & send your offering via pay pal or check

**you can also give this as a gift or pass it on to those you think would love it**

praying.

praying

it doesn't have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try

to make them elaborate, this isn't

a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.

mary oliver

soaking beans overnight gives me this moment,

this steeping in gratitude that holds an inexplainable self-caring,

a nourishing, it's something that is taking priority over the noise

& delicately interrupts, in the most gentle way, my life.

it is a type of praying for me.

it also makes a really good soup.

see you in the kitchenxxx

from the hip.

here is a little photo story shot from my hip at the farmers market on wednesday in santa monica. we are truly in a food transition time... stone fruit has a few more weeks, tomatoes are abundant, asian pears are coming to the forefront, so many varieties of apples, incredibly crisp and good.... grapes are starting to show their sweet selves & squashes are beginning to round us out.... i wanted to share a little moment of the season to inspire you to get to your farmers market & see what is happening in your neck of the woods... as we come into october, there will be more roasting & soup creating to share... see you in the kitchenxxx

pear cake.

up

side

down..

boy you turn me...

inside

out..

and

round & round.

i guess i am into singing through my writing these days... this cake makes you sing too! we are sloooooowly coming into fall and PEARS are happening! local & such a beautiful variety as well... these are bartletts from the hollywood market.. each one seems to tell a story... pears are beautiful in that way.

this recipe is so simple...

that is why we love it. it's really good too.

(from fran warde's eat drink live)

3 pears, peeled/halved/ sliced thin/however you want to do it

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup + 2 tbs. cane sugar

3 eggs

1 cup + 2 tbs. flour

3 tbs. milk

butter & line an 8" or 9" cake pan with parchment or wax paper

arrange pear halves over bottom any which way you would like

use an electric beater or wooden spoon (i use my kitchen aid),

cream the butter & sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy

beat in eggs, adding one at a time & mixing well after each addition

add flour, gently fold in, then stir in milk ( i was still using my kitchen aid at this point but on low)

spoon cake batter over pears & smooth out the surface

cook in preheated oven at 350 for about 45 minutes.. until surface is firm & the cake has come away from the sides of the pan. remove from oven and let cool... then turn onto a serving plate... can add confestioners sugar to top if you would like .. i don't think you need it. let me know how it goes...see you in the kitchenxxx

making room for beauty.

i have not been one to put this on a newswire and yet i do believe you should know what else is cooking in the RM kitchen... it's not just soup if you know what i mean....due in the new year to this renaissance mama... see you in the kitchenxxx

photos taken by www.ifmphoto.com.. check her out.. her work, her story telling, her awesomeness is just the beginning to her & her talents... xxx

beet it.

you gotta run, you gotta do what you can......it sounded right for now. i can't tell you how deeply in love i am with this soup, this cocktail, this side note of genius that has taken over my idea of what the color fuschia was... it's got a whole new ring to it. so easy to make & store & drink & serve.... you got to try this and tell me what happens. please don't spill it... then it will have another story entirely....

first - roast the beets.. golden, red, candy stripe... the red have the most beet sugar, they are the sweetest... cut the beets in half, place in baking dish (flesh down, skin up is preferable), massage with olive oil and love... on 400 roast for 40 minutes. you can keep skins on as they come off so easy once cooked (no struggles in the RM kitchen)... then in a soup pot... start with a chopped up yellow onion, a vegan bullion (repunzel is my favorite with sea salt), earth balance or a little butter (not too much b/c the beets are coming in with oil from before),the beets, 2 cups water or so, maybe a garlic clove if you want....let it all hang out on medium on the stove top. steep together... cook... be & after about 45 minutes let cool...

blend when cooled... add cream to taste... could be 1/4 - 1/2 cup... then the best part.. taste it!!! and garnish with a myriad of beautiful things... a dollop of creme fraiche, lavender goat cheese, pine nuts, pistachio nuts, edible flowers and the list goes on... so beet it. i mean really.. how beautiful is this soup? see you in the kitchenxxx

fall into the RM kitchen.

hi beauty mamas.... i have decided to ground into this beginning of fall with a schedule for the magical gatherings that are happening in my kitchen on thursdays. it's good to have a schedule and since i know all of you do, i thought i would get on board and do it too.

what is this gathering in my kitchen? a friend says it best: "you can't explain it, you have to experience it." i agree. if you feel drawn to the beauty here and have the courage, the surrender, the desire to be nourished in this way: please come.

FALL into the RM kitchen....

september 16 & 30

october 14 & 28

november 11 & 18

thursdays

10 - 1ish pm

$75 donation

send check/pay pal to hold spot

(1 - 2 weeks in advance)

allow me the honor to feed you, making room for the beauty & inspiring the pieces to come back together...whether it's connecting to the disconnection or just continuing to sew these kitchen pieces together for you and your family....all our swatches of resistence, fear, shame, love, motherhood, broccoli, pasta... whatever your story: bring it. bring it to my kitchenxxx

sunday, sunday, sunday.

this sunday, i am creating a simple rustic food story for the MA YOGA opening happening at the bini birth loft (which is incredible and amazing in it's own right.. check it out) in north hollywood right off magnolia & cahuenga... jessica jennings (owner & yogi mama) has created a place to nourish your mama bodies with yoga in your pregnancy & beyond... i will be starting a little RM conversation at 3 - 3:30 pm... there are a lot of amazing people coming together to create a beautifully grounded & soul sating event... please come for YOU. see you in the kitchenxxx and yes - there is one there!!

here is the info:

Los Angeles is going to have a new yoga home for pregnant women and new moms! Please join me and other members of our LA yoga and birth support communities for a FREE Opening Meditation & Bash, and help us celebrate the birth of the MA YOGA studio for Pregnancy, Motherhood & Beyond.

RSVP now to sign up for complimentary mini-sessions with amazing practitioners who focus on women's wellness. Spaces will fill up so let us know and we'll write you in.

You don’t have to be pregnant to come! We welcome anyone who supports us and our intention to create a comfortable place where women can enjoy their journey into motherhood with Anusara yoga and much more, including birth prep classes, access to an amazing support system and a kitchen and couches where people can eat and chat before and after classes.

1-1:30 Opening Meditation with Jessica Jennings

1:30-5:00 Organic, delicious food provided with love by jules blaine davis/renaissance mamas

www.renaissancemamas.com

2:00-5:00 FREE mini-sessions with practitioners of:
THAI YOGA MASSAGE: Erica Lee, LMT, Melt Therapy
ACUPUNCTURE: Elizabeth Bachner, LM, CPM, L.Ac.
CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY: Deborah Gleisner, ND, Naturopathic Doctor/Certified Midwife
PRENATAL/POSTNATAL/THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE: Sara Pereira. LMT
CHINESE MEDICAL CONSULTATION: Abigail Morgan, L.Ac.
BREASTFEEDING INFO & CONSULTATION: Roza Baghdassarian, RN
YOGA THERAPEUTICS: Jessica Jennings, MS, Certified Anusara Yoga Instructor

3:00-3:30 Empower Yourself in the Kitchen Workshop: Jules Blaine Davis

5:00-5:30 Playful Anusara yoga practice

Please go to www.MaYoga.com for directions and more details about each practitioner, info and resources for pregnant women and new moms, our class schedule, photos and our birth story.

MA YOGA for Pregnancy, Motherhood & Beyond

Bini Birth Loft Space

5355 Cartwright Ave., Unit 313

North Hollywood, CA 91601