Dreaming of golden tans, salty skin and cold treats lately. I’m trying to convince my husband that we need to take a weekend getaway somewhere sunny, and on a beach, like in oh I don’t know, California! It’s not too far of a drive from Portland, so it’s doable right? I need an awakening of senses after my first winter in years not spent in South Florida. Bring on the neon like it’s 1989 all over again! Here is my summer wishlist. And yes, I will be the glom floating around in a flamingo tube, don’t hate!
Bridges, lakes and flowers oh my! We went to the Rhododendron Gardens just a few blocks away from where we live today. These blooms are all over Portland right now and add the perfect punch of color to the landscape, so just imagine an entire park dedicated to them! We walked graveled paths through the many gardens where we were greeted by mallards and geese. There were perfectly positioned park benches every couple hundred feet. The gardens ground cover had wild berry patches that little critters nibbled on. While navigating the different nooks of the park you could hear the sound of water trickling down river rocks. Very pretty day today.
I’ve always been impressed by anyone who successfully jars food. I want to be THAT person. I sometimes daydream about living on a sweet little farm (not not too far away from modern amenities). I would grow my own fruit and veg and have a chicken coop for fresh eggs that come in all different colors. I would most definitely be the mom to a pig named Bob who really loves belly rubs and a few goat who enjoy mowing my lawn. My kitchen would have a huge walk in pantry solely for the purpose of housing my homemade jams and pickle jars. A girl can dream.
This was my first time EVER pickling and I have to admit, I was a little intimidated but it was surprisingly easy to do. The real test would be when I get to taste them after a few days of marinating. I’m not gonna lie, the jar of pickled radishes have been sitting in my fridge unopened since Easter! I I was a little nervous about tasting them until yesterday, I needed something to put in my salad. I twisted open the lid and it made a glorious popping sound, sealing was a success! O – M – G they are so delicious, they taste like bread and butter pickles but better! They still have a slight snap to them which is really refreshing. I’ve been putting them on everything since! Now I can’t stop thinking of what I want to pickle next and all the different spice combinations I can put into them. Here is the recipe I used.
Pickled Radish Recipe:
1 Bunch Radishes – Sliced Thin
2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup White Distilled Vinegar
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup Water
4 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
2 Whole Garlic Cloves
