Ceramic Bowls, oil on canvas, 16"x20"

©2005 Giuseppe Luciani

Brooklyn artist, Giuseppe Luciani's "Ceramic Bowls", as well as other still-life, works on paper, and interior & urban views can be viewed at http://www.giuseppeluciani.com.

©2009 Amuse-bouche for Two

Basil

Making pesto in mid-July has become a tradition in our house. Our first batch this year, which rendered about 96 servings, sans the pine nuts and parm, was frozen in ice cube trays and then transferred to large freezer bags for storage. This will cut down on waste and carry us through to the next growing season.

I estimate that we have about two more batches to make. The trick is to stagger the growing season so you're not overwhelmed. It can be scary to see a mature basil plant start to flower when you're not ready to pull out the food processor or you don't possess the energy to literally nip things in the bud.

©2009 Amuse-bouche for Two

Aubergine

We had just gotten home from the beach. The fridge was empty. We had no desire to make a run to the market. So, it doesn't amaze us that we can bring excellence to the table with next to nothing to work with.

Our first eggplant was ready. It was just the right size. We sliced it lengthwise and with just a brushing of olive oil popped it into the toaster oven, set to broil. In just minutes it was ready to be dressed. With some finely chopped garlic, parsley from the garden, salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil, we had the perfect second which was eaten along with our garden salad of oak leaf, romaine, celery, basil, and red onion. The salad was also dressed simply with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

We ate pretty well our first day back from vacation. Having a full pantry made all the difference in the world. Having a garden was the icing on the cake. You can go away for an extended period, knowing full well that when you get back home there will be something to fill your belly and ease you back into reality.