Valentine’s Day

Love the Grill-Meister, Love Haiku, Happy Valentine’s to All (#NaHaiWriMo)

~ Kim of Glover Gardens ~ 2 Comments

I committed to posting a haiku per day – no matter how much you protest! – during National Haiku Writing Month (#NaHaiWriMo). But today, I’ve got two, nay, three haiku. It’s Valentine’s Day, and I would like to celebrate my own special valentine, the Grill-Meister.

 – Don’t read this if you find other people’s love stories yucky! – 

It has been a hectic year for us since last Valentine’s Day, the low point being the unexpected death of my Dad on our wedding anniversary in June of 2017. That was a blow like none I have ever experienced. Dad was the best, an amazing person by all accounts.

Dad and Tom in Galveston in 2014, two scruffy guys
Dad and me, Thanksgiving, 2015

I was so grateful to have a loving partner to help me ride those grief waves without drowning, and to navigate together the myriad of other challenges that were 2017, so I wrote this haiku.

Love Poem for the Grill-Meister #1

life’s pace, chaotic

different challenges daily

you are the constant

Oak Tree
This oak tree reminds me of the support I get from the Grill-Meister

But I am at heart an upbeat person, and that little poem about the strength of Tom’s support of doesn’t reflect the celebration that is our life together. So here’s another haiku, the bookend to the first one.

Love Poem for the Grill-Meister #2

our pattern is love

our celebrations, daily

each of us chosen

Tom and Kim at Jazz Fest
Our wacky selves at NOLA’s Jazz Fest in 2015

And maybe there’s one more, this one reflecting why it works for us. A very simple formula for living happily ever after: acceptance.

Love Poem for the Grill-Meister #3

total acceptance

we gift this to each other

truly, simply, love

Tom and Kim and I Love You Sign
Redwood forest, 2011

 

I love haiku, I love the Grill-Meister, and I love all y’all Glover Gardens followers. Happy Valentine’s Day, and may it bring you love.

Copyright 2018, Glover Gardens

My Funny Valentine

~ Kim of Glover Gardens ~ Leave a comment

Happy Valentine’s Day! My “gift” to you is a reminder and a few versions of the wonderful classic from the American jazz songbook, My Funny Valentine. I just love this song by Rodgers and Hart, and it has been recorded beautifully by so many marvelous singers.

One of my favorites is the Frank Sinatra version from his first album with Nelson Riddle.

Another of my favorites is Chet Baker’s haunting rendition.  This one is in the Library of Congress National Registry of Recordings for its cultural heritage and historical significance.

And let’s wrap it up with another classic version by Ella Fitzgerald, with an intro not included in the others.

In talking with my son who is majoring in Jazz Composition and plays a mean piano, he suggested that any post such as this should definitely include the performance by Bill Evans and Ray Hall.  It’s a lovely instrumental that really does the tune justice.

Lyrics

My funny Valentine, sweet comic Valentine
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable, un-photographable
Yet, you’re my favourite work of art

Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?
When you open it to speak
Are you smart?

But don’t change your hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little Valentine, stay
Each day is Valentines day

Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?
When you open it to speak
Are you smart?

But don’t change your hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little Valentine, stay
Each day is Valentines day

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Happy Valentine’s Day, to my own special valentine, and everyone out there.  Love of all kinds is a beautiful thing to celebrate.

Valentine’s Day Truffles á L’Orange

~ Kim of Glover Gardens ~ Leave a comment

I posted earlier about a variation on a theme from a wonderful – and simple – recipe for chocolate truffles.  The earlier variation was Peanut Butter Frangelico Truffles.

Truth be told, I made a lot of truffles today.  Three batches, actually.  I had a big ol’ truffle party in the kitchen, with chocolate dripping everywhere and smudged on my cheeks, too.  In addition to the peanut butter richness I posted earlier, I made the recipe exactly as written by The Irreverent Kitchen, and then an á l’orange version to utilize some of our 2016 citrus crop.

We are in truffle high cotton here at Glover Gardens.

peanut-butter-frangelico-truffles
The peanut butter version, coated in dipping chocolate and displayed on a plate where I used a dry erase marker to leave the Grill-Meister a message with is Valentine’s treats

To make the Truffles á L’Orange, follow the simple and wonderful recipe from The Irreverent Kitchen, using Cointreau where it calls for a liqueur, and adding 1 tsp. of grated orange zest.  Then roll them in either cocoa or powdered sugar.  Of all the variations I created today, these had the most sophisticated taste.

Valentines Day Truffles.jpg
With three different chocolate bases and lots of finishes, these truffles all had a few things in common:  love, richness and exquisite taste

References

Copyright 2017, Glover Gardens Cookbook

 

Peanut Butter Frangelico Truffles

~ Kim of Glover Gardens ~ 1 Comment

For the longest time, I’ve been meaning to make the truffle recipe from the post by The Irreverent Kitchen.  I didn’t get to it with my 2016 holiday baking, but finally had time today in advance of Valentine’s as a gift for the Grill-Meister.  They were terrific!

Because it’s how I roll, I made two batches, one with the original and one with a variation – and it worked!  The Grill-Meister loves peanut butter, and thus the Peanut Butter Frangelico Truffles were born.

Visit The Irreverent Kitchen for the original recipe, and if you’re interested in my variation, use Frangelico for the liquor, and add 1/2 cup peanut butter after the chocolate and butter are melted.  Then dip them in melted dipping chocolate (the kind you would use to dip strawberries) and top with either sea salt or Heath Bar (toffee and chocolate) bits.  I highly recommend making both the original and a variation – there’s never a problem having a double batch of chocolate truffles.  (Some of ours are going to a friend’s house this evening as our contribution to dinner.)

YUM!  Happy Valentine’s to you and yours.

Peanut Butter Frangelico Truffles.jpg
Note:  you can use a dry erase marker to write your love note on a plate, like my “be mine” above