A Rainy Spring Day

In Time of Silver Rain
by Langston Hughes

In time of silver rain

The earth

Puts forth new life again,

Green grasses grow

And flowers lift their heads,

And all over the plain

The wonder spreads

Of life,

Of life,

Of life!

In time of silver rain

The butterflies

Lift silken wings

To catch a rainbow cry,

And trees put forth

New leaves to sing

In joy beneath the sky

As down the roadway

Passing boys and girls

Go singing, too,

In time of silver rain

When spring

And Life

Are new.

_____________________________________________________________

A soggy start to the weekend was an excuse to put yard work on hold to bake cookies and start a new book.  

This is Molly Wizenberg's second memoir "Delancey" I really enjoyed Molly Wizenberg's first book "A Homemade Life"

I routinely check her blog "Orangette." http://orangette.blogspot.com/

So I was excited to discover that she was writing another memoir "Delancey." It is about the story of  creating a pizzeria restaurant of the same name with her husband Brandon in Seattle. I remember reading posts about it on Orangette. Delancey was named after a street in New York.

Cook/blogger Molly Wizenberg has written a charming memoir of the not-so-charming process of conceiving, opening and running a restaurant with her husband. The author indulges him, thinking he is not really serious. But to her shock, he is. This is the story of how a young couple fought to build a business and save their marriage.

Wizenberg gives the reader a sneak peek at the ways of a restaurant and the people who run it. The book also features pictures of the process and 20 or so recipes from Wizenberg's repertoire. 

Wizenberg is a good storyteller as demonstrated in her first book and in her blogs. Her stories feel real and honest. Wizenberg is creative the way she uses food to tell stories about serious emotional things in a lighthearted and sometimes very funny way about herself and her family. Included in the book are lots of stories about the restaurant and the people who enter their lives. But take note "Delancey" is not intended to be a handbook on how to open a restaurant. 

Wizenberg was quoted in an interview as saying,"Food writing allows me the lens for understanding my own life. It's the organizing principle behind my stories." 

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by Quaker Oats

Cook's notes: Yes,this really is the name of the cookie recipe and yes, I dared to adapt a recipe from Quaker Oats and yes, these cookies did vanish! 

By the time I made up two different plates for neighbors who had done favors for us it wasn't hard to polish off the rest.

The recipe called for adding raisins but I substituted chocolate chips, nuts and toasted coconut. Next go around I want to try dried cranberries and white chocolate. 

The cookies were crisp full of flavor and a perfect 'to go' treat for a rainy day of reading.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 6 TB. margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 cups quick Quaker Oats
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup toasted coconut 

Directions:

• In a large bowl beat butter and sugars until creamy on medium speed
• Add in eggs and vanilla;beat well
• Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; mix well
• Add in oats, chips and toasted coconut; mix well
• Refrigerate dough in freezer for an hour or in refrigerator until well chilled
• Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet
• Bake 10 minutes, cool 1 minute and remove to a wire rack

that the following food items are recommended not to be refrigerated

Tomatoes-lose their flavor and stop the ripening process.

Basil-will wilt in the refrigerator so set basil out in a cup of fresh water

Potatoes-store in a paper bag in a cool dark place

Onions-whole not cut, store in a cool dark place

Avocados-will not ripen if in refrigerator

Garlic-whole store in a cool dry place

Coffee-in cool dark place, lose its flavor if refrigerated