It's sweet inside: candied beets and strawberry; and cashew-coconut-dark chocolate crumble cake (the candies have been shaped to a face). It's a gift for my lovely landlord this morning, tied with such care as depicted, and the desserts are arranged on a cutout page from an old Martha Stewart magazine featuring a frosted cupcake. Ms. Cole, her usual generosity, selected the finest vegetables from her friend's farm and set those aside for me in a bag, waiting at my door when I came home last night. I grow the geraniums myself on the veranda porch where I live above her flat, I have a tall plant shelf with all kinds of potted beauties. I baked in the grain-free granola into a honey loaf bread with macadamia milk, and dusted custard sugar on top. I made a thick syrup from the juice of the beets and berries and toasted poppy seeds in brown sugar, mixed them up, and set to mold/hold them all together in the fridge. It's an easy process of affection for another individual (like a mother-figure) who's been good to you. And the result is a heart away. May is that time!
I am remembering the height of spring in Portland, Ore., where I used to live, and truly the essence is all around. Yellow daffodils and narcissus paperwhites are like wild grass/uncontrolled weeds in the neighborhood yards. Two-toned pink magnolias in trees burst in parks. I have a cherry and four dogwoods in my house, all in bloom, and in back two apple shrubs and their dainty florets are already out. The tulips and clematises are decorative and gorgeous everywhere, landscaped or wild vining at an old mansion's façade. Light purple hydrangeas are my favorite next to wedding calla lilies. And so are the butterfly bush. I almost forgot about my Italian plum tree which is a prolific producer, and around it I planted a peony patch. So you can imagine how abundantly floral Portland is in this season. It is reputedly called, after all, the City of Roses. Take the light rail to Goose Hollow on the southwest hill to see for yourself a forest of roses.
Bento is the art of designing a beautiful food gift, with the intention to joyfully surprise the eye of the beholder, inside and out. It is great for a small thoughtful thing to win the senses big and warm your feelings. I am already thinking about making my next box with fruits and vegetables and presenting it like a diorama, and each block thematic - a room with a view.
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