Las Noches de Las Luminarias

JWise Photo of the Day

A tree full of Christmas lights next to a path lined with Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona during the annual Las Noches de Las Luminarias

One of the highlights of December in snowless Phoenix, Arizona is the annual Las Noches de Las Luminarias held at the Desert Botanical Garden. While many tens of thousands will crowd in at the Zoo Lights Festival, a much smaller and quieter group of people buys early tickets to the nearly always sold-out holiday garden event. The garden staff and volunteers line paths throughout the garden with approximately 6000 candle-lit luminarias. Walking along the chilly trails we are serenaded by musicians, enticed by lubricous hot drinks, loomed over by the towering saguaros as shadows dance on the path from the candlelight of the luminarias.

Garlic Dill Pickles

JWise Food, Photo of the Day

Cucumbers, spices, salt, vinegar, and water ready to ferment and become homemade garlic dill pickles

After a wild goose chase to find the required spices (but still missing one), Jutta and I started a batch of homemade garlic dill pickles. We started with cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, whole cloves, whole allspice, juniper berries, couldn’t find mace so it has been left out, dill seeds, bay leaves, dried ginger, coriander seeds, 4 cloves fresh garlic, and a few sprigs of fresh dill. With our pickling spices ready to go, we mixed white vinegar, water, and sea salt to make a brine, then scrubbed the cucumbers. One-half our spice went into the bottom of the crock, next came the cucumbers, then more spice, and finally the brine. The hardest part of the process was finding something to put inside the crock that would keep the cucumbers below the surface of the brine, once that was found, I filled a plastic bag with more brine to weigh down the plastic lid. In 2 to 3 weeks the cucumbers should have fermented enough to be called pickles.

Pick’n’Citrus

JWise Photo of the Day

Jutta Engelhardt picking oranges in Phoenix, Arizona

Visited my mother and aunt Eleanor today. Caroline and her mom spent part of the afternoon picking fresh tangerines, tangelos, and grapefruit in the backyard. Afterward, we sat down for dinner featuring the leg of lamb Caroline and I had brought back from Brown’s Orchard in Wilcox, Arizona. My mom prepared the lamb along with half a dozen of the artichokes she had received as a gift from a friend in Monterey, California. At home, Jutta and Caroline made juice. All in all, a pleasantly nice slow day, the way Sunday should be.

Digital Yayoi Pollock

JWise Photo of the Day

From the exhibit "You Who are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies" by Yayoi Kusama

“You Who are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies” by Yayoi Kusama is on display at the Phoenix Art Museum. This light and mirror installation is a terrific work sure to disorient all who enter the darkened room on the upper floor of the new wing of our local art museum. The Ansel Adams exhibit in comparison is quite disappointing with prints no larger than 8×10 making detail difficult to come by. Demonic Divine, an exhibit showcasing Himalayan religious art, on the other hand, was outstanding. Sadly, instead of publicly celebrating the art that is here, there are very strict limits on photography so few photos such as this will be available that might persuade the general public to drop into our recently renovated museum.

Mandala Tearoom

JWise Photo of the Day

A tea sampling at the Mandala Tearoom in Scottsdale, Arizona

Could the Phoenix area be turning a corner? A recent newcomer to Scottsdale is the Mandala Tearoom, billing itself as an Urban Tearoom. Located on 5th Avenue near the new Riverwalk development, this new cafe features a wide assortment of gourmet teas and an interesting vegan menu – which we enjoyed and will return for. While on the pricey side, it is an improvement to the ever-multiplying chain restaurants that are wreaking havoc across our landscape. On a sad note, Henry’s Markets have closed shop. Owned by Wild Oats, the Henry’s Farmers Markets are thriving in the more sophisticated California market – here in the backwoods of Arizona our consumers would rather eat fast food.