ode to the tomato sandwich

One wonderful thing I love about summer: when tomatoes start rapidly turning bright red on the vine and you get to eat a tomato every day for lunch just trying to keep up with all the goodness...until you can the rest and think about how happy you'll be to have these garden delights for vegetable soup come winter.

One variation on this ode: picking up some liverwurst from Patak's and covering one piece of bread with this German spreadable sausage.

Any other variations going on with this Southern summer sandwich???

snoozing and shooting

a Sintos portrait in the morning hours--leaving the loft before daybreak to shoot a beautiful couple of friends in the Huntsville Botanical Gardens.

We stopped halfway on our trip in Jacksonville to pick up a more exciting seat partner for Bryan--another Bryan:)

 

while i was milling around the gardens with black dresses and tuxes (i know they had to be HOT!), Bryan and Bryan went on a field trip to the space and rocket center (where my mister captured the shots above and below!)

a shot of me taking shots of bubble-blowing guests...and their sweet get-a-way car!

the happy couple: mr. and mrs. hicklen!

we have another wedding we're excited to attend this weekend in rome, but my camera shall only be a guest.

happy friday treat yourself to a cupcake day everyone! 

peaches aplenty

While I was cupcaking away for fourth festivities, I was sad not to see more family, but I was happy, happy, happy to have a box of Carroll Farm peaches delivered--there are none better!

So what to do....

1. soft, fuzzy and fresh--eat one right away! Bryan and I devoured one while waiting on the train to go to the Braves game on the fourth with the fam:)

2. cut up two peaches--pour on granola and milk--instant breakfast goodness

3. peach bread--with three delicious peaches

4. i believe a cobbler and pie (by Bryan's pleading) are in order, but I may be freezing them first (lucky for us they're so sweet they don't need any syrup!)

 

can you believe we hadn't yet purchased baking supplies until this moment provided itself?

 

to the recipe i found here, there were, of course, a few slight modifications...one being that i thought cinnamon needed to be added (I'm sure my mom would agree)

i think the final product turned out pretty...and pretty delicious.

bryan agrees.

but there was just something missing...

 

Since I added the cinnamon, I was craving to put some tartinade de cannelle (cinnamon spread) on a warm slice: a canadian treat we got hooked on thanks to kyle and ness. 

problem: no cinna-licous spread left in the tub:(

solution: see if i can make some

half a cup of butter, one cup of brown sugar and two (rounded) teaspoons later...we're happy campers:)

i found varying recipes for this spread online, and if i have to try them all to find the best one, i accept the mission. we had a rule in the chupp house i'm happy to carry over...always add more cinnamon than the recipe calls for.

Peach Bread

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

3-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup plain yogurt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 TBs applesauce

2 cups chopped peaches

-preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)

-grease loaf pan

-stir together dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another

-stir both mixtures together until just combined; batter will be very thick

-pour batter into prepared pan

-bake for about 65 minutes

 

red, white and blueberry cupcakes

 

the deliciousness of celebrating the fourth at Miss Mamie's

 

Mamie amused me and let me make a flag out of cupcakes:)

 

there have been many people who do not believe we are two separate people, so here is a little picture proof that a real Mamie does indeed exist...and as talented as I try to pretend I am with fondant, I am not her:)

an extra baker we got to hire for the big July 4th celebration on the square.

i find him handsome already, but when he's holding a tray full of cupcakes...well, hello:)

happy birthday usa!