Friends, hi! I had the very best of intentions to write you a May Almanac, but my six week old baby had other plans. Honestly, I was a fool to think I could pull it off and little baby John certainly got (and always gets) the last laugh. June’s Almanac comes to you by way of my dear friend Timothy Pakron. Timmy is the incredible gardener, photographer, and recipe developer behind Mississippi Vegan. We became fast friends in New Orleans and over the years I’ve always been able to count on his steady friendship, sleepover where we watch Sex and the City and giggle into the wee hours, and just so much genuine authentic inspiration. He’s truly one of the best people I know. You’re in very good hands here with Timmy this month. I hope you love his offering as much as I do.
As always, The Bakehouse Almanac is very much a shared table situation. In the comments, we’d love for you to check in too! Tell us how June feels where you are, what’s playing in your earbuds, what’s baking in your oven (or what you’re hoping to bake this month). We’re doing this together, one month at a time, with dirty dishes in the sink and the very best of intentions. xo Joy
Well hello there, friends! For those of you who don’t know me, hi—my name is Timothy. I am a cookbook author and food blogger from the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, and I currently live, work, garden (and sometimes get into trouble) here in magical New Orleans. This is actually where Joy and I first met! She befriended me quickly and warmly, no questions asked, and we haven’t looked back since.
For this month’s almanac, the theme is abundance and here are some offerings to reflect that energy. Follow your flow and enjoy what speaks to you. I thank you for being here and also Joy for having me. Now let’s go!
Stories from the Garden
The garden is bursting right now, y’all. We’ve had nonstop rain here in the Big Easy and when I tell you the vibrancy is off the charts—I’m not kidding. The other morning, while drinking coffee in the garden, I spotted some heirloom yellow cucumbers on the vine and decided it was time to harvest them. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.
Cucumbers are one of my favorite vegetables (err, technically they are a fruit but can we all relax?). I love their crisp, juicy texture and their subtle vegetal flavor. Normally I gobble them up like an apple, but on this fine day I decided to toss them together with a quick marinade. Paper-thin slices of red onion (or shallots would be lovely), one small clove of fresh garlic (smashed and chopped to smithereens), loads of vinegar (like, more than you would think), and, of course, a good drizzling of olive oil (this would be the time to use the fancy stuff, lovebugs). For an added kick of flavor, I grabbed one of my squiggly hot peppers from a bush out back. I only used half—because this particular variety is hot as hell—but it was the perfect little addition to turn the volume up. And then to finish? A handsome sprinkling of flaky sea salt and a few cracks of black pepper to seal the deal. Pop this in the fridge to marinate for as long as you’d like or eat it immediately out of the bowl like I do. Simply divine. (Photo in the collage above.)
As for my peach trees, well… they are showing off! Boasting loads of fragrant fruit, I feel like I am in a fairytale each morning as I reach my hand up to a heavy branch to pluck a fuzzy, round drupe to admire and enjoy. What a treat! Aside from me eating them for breakfast every morning, I’ve also been working on a new peach pie recipe (still perfecting my vegan crust, so stay tuned for that!) and have been itching to make a spicy chutney with them. I also had the idea of swapping out the mango for peaches with this salsa recipe. It was a very good idea.
On a more personal note, last summer, I needed to get out of New Orleans. Not because I don’t love this city with all of my heart but because I needed a little reset. And so I hopped into my dinged-up truck with a few dozen bagels and a weary heart and drove to Bellville, TX where Joy the Baker welcomed me into her home and her life. During that trip, we inevitably took a field trip to an H-E-B. (My first time ever, can you believe? It lived up to the hype.) Joy insisted on buying me a stack of freshly made tortillas, I grabbed plenty of vegetables to make a soup, and out front, we squealed when we saw a little native plant section. As our eyes scanned the offerings, my excitement peaked when I saw some bright, red flowers that looked like little baby hibiscus. They are known as Turk’s Cap and I have always adored them! I grabbed a few starter plants and as we loaded up Joy’s diesel truck with our goodies and laughed our way back to her cozy home, I told her I was going to plant them in my front garden. Wouldn’t you know it, they just started blooming this month and I was able to get a shot for all of you. Every time I see these bright, cherry-red flowers I throw them a wink and think of Joy.
Busy in the kitchen and zucchini is what’s for supper
As we head straight into zucchini season, we must all prepare for their abundance. These are three recipes I am definitely going to give a go, as my plants are offering them up and farmers markets are already flooded!
Zucchini Galette by Smitten Kitchen. I am so happy I stumbled upon this video from a few years ago of Deb making this delightful galette. My brain is spinning with fun ideas to veganize it so watch out world!
Creamy Zucchini Tarragon Soup by Joy the Baker looks just fabulous. A creamy blended base infused with anise-scented tarragon? And some truffle oil at the end? Chef’s kiss. ;*
Sweet corn, Basil and Golden Zucchini Pasta: Leave it to Amy Chaplin to always inspire me to make something lovely and seasonal. I am endlessly inspired by her ingredient combinations and this pasta dish sounds like the perfect invitation to a fabulous summer.
What I’m reaching for this month
The other week I picked up this Peppermint Hand & Body Lotion by Koala Eco. (I adore their cleaning products, so I figured it would be a good investment.) Ummm, I’m obsessed. The tingly and refreshing feeling this lotion provides is just glorious. And with the heat picking up, we need all of the help we can get!
Y’all, I can’t stop listening to this song. It’s been on repeat over here and it brings me such happiness. There’s a whimsical and mesmerizing quality to it, so give it a listen and let me know if you agree. And if you haven’t listened to Air, they are quite the vibe. My favorite albums of theirs include Premiers Symptômes from 1997 and Talkie Walkie from 2004.
Excuse me but have any of you tried this Island Punch Spindrift flavor? Girrrl, I am absolutely hooked! If you need a new favorite refreshing beverage to get you in the summer mood, I think this might be the ticket. Uh!
I finally received a very advanced copy of my newest cookbook (coming out later this summer!). It’s called Garden Variety and it’s the closest thing that I will ever have to a child (well, that and my cat Chichi). When I tell you that I have been reaching for it throughout most of my days… I’m not joking. I’m in love! If you are looking for new ways to cook with the seasons, you can preorder a copy here.
June Ins and Outs
Ins:
Doodling something silly for a friend.
We are all going blueberry picking this summer. No further questions!
Pasta salads.
Iced coffee in the afternoon.
Sending a voice memo to someone you love.
Outs:
Worrying about money. I’m over it and you should be, too. Our happiness can exist without it.
Checking my phone first thing in the morning. Ok, this one is tough, but my day is always so much better when I wait until after my morning coffee to look at devices. Can we try this?
Making time for emotional vampires. Not doing it this month.
Saying yes when you want to say no. Mmm, that’s out.
Letting strangers on the internet have control over your emotions. (We can just apply this to every month moving forward.)
Thank you for having me!
Alright folks, that’s it for this month’s almanac. Please let me know in the comments below what spoke to you. What are y’all doing with zucchini? Are you listening to (or watching) anything particularly good these days? I wanna know!
And before I let you go, one more thing: Can we all collectively decide to move through this summer with ease and happiness? Let’s work hard, play hard, and when things get tough, we can always just eat a peach.
Hugs, Timothy
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