*plum season

The past few days I have been busy preserving plums. Despite the drought, it turned out to be a fabulous plum year! I have been making jam, and I made plum butter for the first time. The plum butter took so long to make that I don't think I will be making it again anytime soon. Finally, my long-awaited summer asters have started to bloom, along with another variety of dahlia. Our days are still hot and very dry. Only last night did it rain a little, so I am still busy watering the garden. Slowly but surely, though, I am looking forward to taking a break from gardening and being able to enjoy nature in other ways, like crocheting in the garden or going on more nature walks again. I am especially looking forward to collecting walnuts and looking for mushrooms, if the rain ever comes back to help them grow.

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*ceramics 25 | part 4

The last part of my little online ceramic show for now.

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*The first mist, myriads of starlings, late summer kitchen moments & finishing my ceramics

{Music: Nocturne II – Steven Gutheinz + No 10 Right as Rain – Andreas Hauschild + Go not against the wind – Goldmund + Bonsai – Gideon Matthew + Gentle Rivers – Gideon Matthew}

The end of summer feels like a mix of everything. We had our first misty morning, but also more hot and dry days. I focused on finishing my ceramics and had some calm moments in the kitchen, making vinegar from windfall apples, more tomato sauce, and finally trying the Italian almond cookies I had wanted to make for such a long time. All in all, I’m really enjoying the transition into fall and hope you are too!

Italian almond cookies

• 300g almond flour

(I used peeled almonds and ground them fresh)

• 90g powdered sugar

(I used raw cane sugar and half the amount)

• 1 large egg white

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 orange for grated zest

(I skipped the orange zest, because I did not have one at home)

Mix almond flour, powdered sugar, egg white, honey and the orange zest in a bowl. Stir with a spoon, then use your hands to gently squeeze and pinch the mixture together. Sprinkle 3 teaspoons of powdered sugar onto a plate and break off pieces of dough and roll them into small balls. Roll each ball in the powdered sugar and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Then gently press your thumb into the center of each ball, so the edges crack a little. Bake at 170ºC (340ºF) for 12 minutes.

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