Deep Roots

There is a particular lily in my yard that has made its presence very well known. Where there is an expanse of soil, it has saturated the space. Where there is a crack between rocks, it has settled. Unfortunately it has taken residence in the very space I would like to grow some squash,  or potatoes, perhaps.

The task of clearing this very innocent looking flower at first appeared straight-forward. The leaves and stalks slid out of the ground with almost no resistance whatsoever. As with most issues that seem so simple on the surface, a little bit of digging reveals that the root of the trouble is much more complex. No single simple action will finish the job, small decisive steps are the only way to clear the dirt of it's deep-set, intertwined tangle of past growth.

Maybe that is why I like a garden project. Or a cake project. In one afternoon I can deconstruct and rearrange a space to become something new. In a few hours many different entities can be treated in a unique manner, melded together into something that will satisfy not only empty bellies, but aesthetic senses.

 It is good practice for me to create, to continually envision a projection of what I can do on my own. This weekend it was a nutty cake, and readied garden beds (two, mine and my parents). In the present I am trying to project bigger undertakings for myself, but that hasn't come into focus just yet.


Almond-Pear Torte for Mother's Day
Adapted from this torte

1/2 c. ground, blanched almonds
2/3 c. unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 stick salted butter
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 oz.  dark chocolate chopped into small rectangles and shards (I used 70%  Theo Dark Chocolate)
3 medium sized pears, sliced 1/8-1/4" thick
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp amaretto
1 tsp almond liquor

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan and place a circle of parchment paper on top. Combine the flour, almonds, and baking powder together. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients, chocolate and eggs. Mix to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, it will only be a thin layer. Overlap the pear slices in 2 circles on top of the batter until it is all covered by pears. In a small bowl mix together the honey, amaretto, and almond liquor. Brush this mixture on top of the pears. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until golden and puffy.