Confession and favorite

I lied...  on accident.

Last year I read 2 books cover to cover.

The second book has become one of my favorites.

It is a cookbook.

Urban Pantry by Amy Pennington

and I have read it multiple times.

It is a cookbook you can and want to read like a novel...

not just flip through while searching for a recipe worth the work.

I curl up with it on the couch.

I have even read it in bed.

I have tons of pages bookmarked with post-its.

I made my first homemade chicken stock and whole chicken with "recipes" from her book.

Sorry Swanson - mine is way better.

I say "recipes" because many things in the book are tips and ideas...

things for you to adjust and tweak

cook with what you have or grow

 what you like to eat and what is in season...

not just by cups of this and tablespoons of that.

I have been impatiently waiting for lemons to come into season...

for this...

Preserved Lemons

Oh so easy...

First you need lemons...

knife and salt...

and a jar that closes tight.

cut the lemons and sniff the amazing smell

rub-a-dub dub them in the salt

kosher or sea salt works better

pack them tight, tight, tight in a jar

They are really pretty.

Your hands smell great.

Then you wait.

First a day...

 to make sure the juice their tops...

the salt makes them leaky

(If not, add some juice.)

Then a least a month...

stored in a cool, dark and dry place.

As I wait I am dreaming up ways to use them.

More to come later.