Weekly Love Letter for Friday, July 17th

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“The hubby and I took a long weekend to travel to an underrated part of Japan.  Hokkaido, the northernmost island, is known for its fresh seafood, amazing dairy, grass-fed beef and lamb, and great skiing (Sapporo, the largest city on the island, hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics).  We visited in the winter for their Snow Festival a few years ago, but this summer trip made me really fall in love with the area.  Sapporo has brutal winters, and this vibrant city takes advantage of mild summers with festivals, music, outdoor patios and beer gardens.  We took a bus trip to see the lavender fields (where we ate lavender soft serve with a little too much lavender in it…tasted vaguely like your grandma’s soap), went to a craft beer festival, saw a baseball game, and just walked around the city.  I highly recommend a trip to Hokkaido if you’re visiting Japan.  Look for a Sapporo city guide in the next few weeks!”

*How Jacques Pepin Saved My Life.  Good read.

*We ate uni right out of the spiky shell while we were in Hokkaido (it’s in season, apparently!), so this uni over fresh nori tagliatelle sounds absolutely, decadently amazing.

*Replace the oj in your mimosa with sorbet or sherbet/sherbert (your choice).  Perfect for this heat!

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“YOU GUYS.  You guys!  I GOT A GRILL!  How is it even possible that I’ve never had a grill until now?!  Based on the amount of meals we’ve eaten this week where grilling was involved, it’s amazing that we even were fed before.  The current favorites are organic, grass-fed beef burgers with Parmesan-Romano corn on the cob.  What else do I need to make?  I also just got my first CSA box so I’m looking forward to zucchini, tomatoes and more corn on the cob.  We even have lamb chops in the fridge ready for the weekend!”

* One of those articles to keep in your back pocket: What’s The Best Gold Spray Paint?

* First I need to go Big Sur and then I need to stay at this beautiful resort.  Say no more.

* Alyssa just turned me on to Food 52’s Burnt Toast podcast this week and I loved it!  Do you have any favorites?  This list might be a good place to start too!

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One year ago: Pork lettuce cups with cucumber salsa make a bright, light summer dinner.
Two years ago: DIY essential oil sugar scrub and a cinnamon horchata milkshake.