You can fool the fans - but not the players.... John Cage

Anthopologie Fresno is looking for a design intern

 

Anthropologie Fresno has a little sign in the front entrance: "Design Intern Wanted. Must be able to receive college credit". If I lived there, I'd apply. I think it would be a great opportunity to work with very talented, creative, resourceful artists.

 

I rarely pass up an chance to visit an Anthropologie. And it isn't always to buy stuff although it is pretty hard to resist once you get in the door. The big reward is getting inspired.

Of course, I do want this mirror.

 

From big to little there are color combinations, fresh ideas, simple to complicated, most of them using very ordinary materials. It is the one of the best things to come along in retail. What better than to be inspired by the ordinary taken to the extraordinary? Who wouldn't want to be a part of that brand? I never mind spending money at Anthropologie since I most of the time feel like I am getting something huge for free everytime I walk in the door. And when I ask if I can photograph it is always "yes, of course".

 

There just aren't many brands out there like Anthropologie. It seems that the corporate philosophy embraces design and creativity as an intregal part of each and every storefront. It isn't cookie-cutter either. Each location is given freedom to explore the use of the current materials and concept. I'd jump at the opportunity to work in an environment like that. I'm sure there are egos to work around, but the benefits would be huge.

 

I'm on my way to Portland soon and it occurred to me that I haven't visited a Portland Anthropologie. We'll have to find one! We did visit a pretty neat antique mall last year that I'd like to get back to - and I recall some splendid displays there. I'm on such a budget this year I'm only taking one class, a letterpress class, and the rest of the time I'm going to be visiting with my sister, selling jewelry, and soaking up Portland.

 

Isn't this fabulous? T-shirt fabric. I absolutely love this and want to try it. Again, I'm thinking wedding. Do I have time? Can I pull it off? There's no sewing involved here - it is only a matter of cutting and pulling the strips to get them to curl. Cake.

Mill End Fabrics - here I come.

 

So many ideas, so little time.

 

If you live in Fresno, or you know someone living in Fresno, pass the word. I don't know what it is like to work for Anthropologie but how could you not give it a try if you are an artist? Of course the downside is trying to navigate the awful parking in that mall every day that you have to work.... I'd think that taking the bus might be the best option. And then we could go on and on about working in a mall - I worked one year for a Crate and Barrel.... what do you do for your lunch hour? There's no where to go but more retail.

 

Maybe Anthropologie offers a cool little break room for employees with as much care put into the vibe of that as the rest of the store. That'd be nice, eh?

Mixer Love

It sort of snuck up on me but I now have a collection of vintage mixers. I just inherited one from my grandmother and as I cleaned it up and thought about where to put it I realized that there are probably enough of these mixers in my kitchen to qualify as a collection. My workhorse mixer is a KitchenAid but even that is vintage - the newer one lives at the resort.

 

This is the latest addition and it is a beauty - love the red. These old mixers were so sturdy - made of steel and aluminum with few frills - really very little to break which is why most of them are still serviceable today. Most of the time the bowls that came with them are gone, broken a long time ago, and sometimes it turns out the beaters aren't the right ones. But I think every one of these mixers still works.

They aren't built like this anymore. Now they are cheap, lightweight plastic and practically disposable.

 

These were manufactured to pass down from mother to daughter and they were made to make possible the baking of many, many cakes. Nowadays how many people actually bake cakes for birthdays and such? I know people who do, and do it well, but I also know a lot of people who just run out to the closest market for a cake. I'm guilty of it myself. Probably because I just don't know how to decorate them.

 

We'll never see mixers like this made in the United States again - the time for those manufacturing plants is done and gone. We live in such a different time now. So maybe part of the collecting of these is a nostalgia for a time I skirted but never really knew.

 

I can't remember the first one I bought or why I bought it but I think these stand mixers just have such great lines. They seem influenced by airplanes or something. This one I think I got at a yard sale and it came complete with the two white glass bowls. It is a Hamilton Beach and in great shape; I don't think it was heavily used by its owner. I believe this one works but doesn't have the right beaters.

 

I like to think about the kitchens these lived in - like my grandma's kitchen. Functional, workhorse kitchens. My grandmother cooked and baked food all the time. Every day. Practically three times a day, except that she worked part-time at the local drive-in in the small town in Oklahoma that she lived in and sometimes we ate lunch there.

 

Here's another one - again, with that rounded, aerodynamic look to it. I haven't purchased a mixer since the darling little blue Mixette - but the collection is still growing. I'm going to run out of room soon and then what? Will the vintage blenders have to go to make room for the mixers? Will we have to find a bigger house? Or will I find a way to display them at the resort - perhaps along the walls of the cafe?

 

Many of these were made to be both a stand mixer and a hand mixer, but hand mixers were also produced during this era. I'd have to say that most of these came out of the 50s but I've never really gone to the trouble of dating them.... any ideas out there?

 

I use this little mixer all the time for beating egg whites. It works like a charm, it just doesn't have a lot of power and will bog down easily. I use it but I don't want to burn it up cause then it becomes just a decoration. Part of the attraction of all of these mixers is that each and every one of them still works. Could still play a role in baking a cake.

 

And here is the beloved Mixette. Such a perfect shade of baby blue. Who wouldn't love one of these? This one I bought at a local collectables shop - and it has the wrong beaters too, so even though it works I can't use it. Someday I'll find the right beaters or maybe not - maybe it will always just be something the right shade of blue.

Autumn comes to the lake

Autumn is my favorite season, right alongside winter and spring. Oh, and I guess summer, as long as it isn't too hot. I like 'em all but I do love autumn. And it goes so fast. I remember moving up to the Sierra many years ago after living in the Pacific Northwest, the South and Southern California. The four distinct seasons were (and are) a continual delight, and I knew I was finally "home". I just love mountain weather.

The weather was unsettled last week, ushering in fall with morning and evening clouds, a few sprinkles, some wind, and a little chill to the air. We are counting down to the end of the season and change is in the air - with our beloved employees leaving one by one (or sometimes two by two as couples), the campground nearly empty, and mid-week very quiet in terms of guests, but very busy in terms of work. It takes a lot to shut down a resort.

 

I got to see and appreciate the fine burial Chance had - and the lovely heart of rocks and little pine tree that Biscuit used to mark his grave. She (only 10 years old) apologized that it was so messy - she complained that the other dogs had been running and playing in the area and had no regard for her work. Somehow I don't think Chance would mind. He's playing right alongside Abby and Denali and 1st Chance in dog heaven with no regard to what is under-paw.

 

I'm sad but I'm okay with him being gone - he had a really good life with us. Someday I'll scan in some of his puppy photos and blog about his adventurous life with Abby - but for now I'll just be grateful that he had 11 years and that he died quickly and without pain.

This time of year the light on the lake changes so rapidly - it seemed like every time I looked over at it I thought I should be grabbing the camera. Mornings are quiet and gorgeous (the sun comes up over these mountains) but I rarely have the presence of mind to step out and snap a photo... I tend to nurse that first cup of coffee and just enjoy it from my cozy chair. Mid-summer I sleep through most of the sunrises, but this time of year I get to catch them.

 

The sunsets have been the show-stoppers. All this alpenglow - everything turns a rosy pink. We've still got so much water in the lake and it is all pure luck of the draw this summer. Southern California Edison and the needs of the valley below are what determine the water levels in this lake (oh, and not to forget Mother Nature's role in it. She was very generous this year). SCE is draining Shaver Lake right now to work on the dam and the minute that work is finished - the water level in Edison will drop percipitously. But this year everything lined up just right and here we are, at the end, with a full lake.

 

Bella got her first water taxi ride last week and as you can see she was stressed out over it. She had her teacher with her and quickly learned that a sunny spot on the deck was the place to be. Until you get to the other side and then a quick romp hunting for chipmunks is in order.

 

These two are becoming quite the pair. Right now it is still the puppy latched on to the lab and the lab barely tolerating the puppy - but you can see the bonding and soon they will be the best of buds.

 

The ferry stops running soon as the hiking population is dropping off - the PCT hikers have come back through and picked up this section of the Sierra, the JMT hikers have just about finished for the year. This is the time of year you just don't know what the weather will bring - it could be sunny and warm all through October, or an early winter storm can blow through dropping inches of snow. It is beautiful and fickle.

I do hope to see a little snow before we leave, but it is not something JC wishes for. There is too much to be done and too much to be hauled off the mountain to wish for icy roads and snowy passes. I'll keep my little wish to myself and maybe modify it to include the word "dusting". There's plenty of time for real storms and feet-not-inches of snow after October.

Just down the road.... Mono Hot Springs

Like home it takes someone coming to visit to shake me out of my normal routine and out to experience the wonderful things around me. Sad but true. I am too guilty of getting locked into a small circle of activities - wonderful activities like horses and dogs and art and puttering - but a rather narrow range of experiences.

The VVR is my "other" home, my home on the west side, and I get as locked in here as I do on the east side. There is always something calling my attention at the resort; either trying to work at one of my jobs or fill in around the business and once here I rarely get past the pack station and only then to visit with friends slightly less connected to the resort.

This week we had family visiting and that was the push I needed to stop my work day at a reasonable time each day and do something else. And one day we packed a picnic lunch and traveled all of 5 miles but a world away to Mono Hot Springs.

 

This area is a jewel in the backcountry. Once you brave that windy road or walk in off the dusty trail - you have such a plethora of diversions to choose from. Right at the VVR we have plenty to offer - great food, friendly staff; an entire lake to fish, kayak, paddleboard, and pedal (on the hydro-bikes); hiking and socializing. One mile up the road we have High Sierra Pack Station with hour rides, day trips and backcountry pack trips; more friendly staff and willing horses and mules. Five miles down the road we have Mono Hot Springs. 14 miles away we have another big lake, Florence, with more hiking and another hot springs resort: Muir Ranch. Amazing. Amazing that this place isn't overrun with people.

 

Mono Hot Springs (the resort) has been around since the CCC built these stone buildings in the 1930s and the hot springs have been around much longer. The resort offers a cafe, a store, cabins and camping - and all that hot water. And a on-site massage therapist.

 

Many of the structures here are faced with these rounded river rocks and one can only imagine the amount of cement and time it has taken to do all this rock work. The front of the store boasts these big, sturdy rocking chairs and yes, there is wireless internet access to boot. And cell phone reception. Disconnected, yet connected.

 

There are some great old features around the resort and plenty to photograph. I have no idea how old this ice truck is but the rust was perfect.

 

The women's room behind the store has someone's loving murals painted on the walls and this fabulous mirror.

 

The cabins are super-cute from the outside. I haven't yet gotten a peek at the inside but someday one will be open and I'll have my camera ready.

 

And then there is the main bath house with the massage therapist, Cherry, on site with her hot stones and aromatic oils and the included soak in a private tub.... Why oh why am I not there every week?

 

The hot springs have the usual assortment of minerals and other elements...

 

There's a smallish tub outside the spa building that might hold 6-8 friendly people... I seem to recall soaking in this with at least 4 other women a few years ago.

 

The lobby of the spa building is tiled in stone but nice, flat stone and it is very serene inside. What I loved most were the photographs from the early days... including a honeymoon shot taken in 1916. I can't even imagine what it took to get here in 1916 - those were some hardy newlyweds.

 

This is one of the private rooms in the spa building. Simple and spare but you don't need too many bells and whistles when there is good, hot water to soak in.

 

And then there are the outside tubs across Mono Creek and free for everyone's use. That's right. You just have to get here.

 

I love the old tubs and the ruins from the bath houses built in the heyday of the 30s and torn down in the 60s. I'd love to know more about the history and why the bath houses were removed...

 

It must have been something to ride in on horseback or in an old Model T and find this place waiting.

 

If these tubs could talk!

 

But it's all over now and this is what it is today. And it isn't a bad thing either. To a hiker or a traveler or a worker up the road to have hot springs and all the amenities offered at Mono Hot Springs is a treat. It is a jewel.

 

I'm happy we went down there with our picnic lunch and I will remember to visit it more often.

 

Cherry will be penciling me into her appointment book and I will be crossing Mono Creek to soak in Old Pedro.

 

Life is short and goes speeding by. This is just five miles away.

Wedding craft day

Yesterday I finally possessed enough energy to putter around the house and try out a few ideas I've been mulling over - wedding ideas. It wsn't as if I was a ball of fire or anything, but the sun was out, I could breathe without coughing, and these things aren't going to take care of themselves.

I've had some ideas about desserts and what to put them on, and I've been pulling out an assortment of plates, platters and candlesticks to play with. Yesterday I put two combinations together:

 

and

 

I used E6000 glue to bond them together and if I'd had any more candlesticks I'd have kept going. They don't turn out to be huge so I can see that I'll need a few more if we're going to have cupcakes...

 

They'd be great for holiday parties, BBQs, and taking dessert to a dinner party after their use at the wedding. I can see that we'll have a stack of stuff to sell or giveaway after January - a couple only needs so many galvanized flower buckets after all. And branch lights. And dessert trays.

 

I'm keeping all these damn flowers though. If I ever even finish enough to use. Maybe I'll end up with one arrangement and then have to think of something else for the tables.

 

I worked pretty diligently on flowers while I was sick and finished a few... I have about a dozen total now. They are time-consuming. I still love how they look, I'm not giving up, but my original thought of having three per table might be a little skimpy and even that is twice as many flowers as I have now. We'll just have to see how it goes. I'm taking the raw materials with me this week and I'll try to stay focused on flowers.

 

The buckets were the next thing to tinker with. I tried spritzing them with bleach and water but that wasn't the look I wanted. So I took the plunge and started painting them with chalkboard paint.

 

I think I'm going to like this - especially after letting them cure and then rubbing them down with chalk to prime them - that will gray the black quite a bit and I think the color will be just what I want. Each one can have a message or the date or just some whimsical wedding trivia..... and I think this dark color will help the lighted branches pop more than the galvanized metal color.

That is it - that kept me busy yesterday along with errands and packing up to head back over the Sierra. Little one and I are heading out this morning so I've got to wrap this post up. It is good to have a little energy back and good to be making progress on the wedding plans.

Late summer

The seasons are shifting. You can see it in the quality of light and here in the high desert you can feel it in the mornings - the air is cool and fresh. In our hillside community the sun is slipping behind the mountains around 6 pm these days and soon it'll be 4 pm, then even 3 pm during the shortest days of the winter. I've had plenty of time to notice this the past few days as I've been pretty much housebound and cranky all week.

 

These photos are from outside San Diego but they are great late summer colors. They are the wild artichokes that grow on the hillsides where we walk the dogs when we're down visiting my mom and I love seeing these plants all seasons. They have big blooms that turn to fluff as the summer progresses.

 

Autumn has always been my favorite season although the last few years I have been so busy in the autumn, too busy to enjoy it. I'm not sure why that would be - and maybe I can prevent it from slipping by unappreciated this year. Maybe even get a couple of autumn leaf hikes in.

 

These are a type of buckwheat blossom (I think), and they are from the same hillside. The last time I was down visiting the heat broke, the fog rolled in and it was a great opportunity to get some good shots of these colors.

 

The plan is to be over at the resort at the end of the season - I've never yet made it there for closing and I'm sure it is a beautiful time to be up there. Its a beautiful time here too, and when JC gets home we have to make sure that we get out for some walks and not spend all our time doing whatever it is we seem to do that makes us so surprised when winter hits.

 

Portland is on my radar too. It'll be a different experience this year as I'm barely signed up for any classes - there just weren't many that I felt I wanted to spend the money on. I do have a letterpress class, though, and if I feel like I can swing it there is one other class with the same instructor I might take. I love just being in Portland and I love spending time with SF - her creativity never fails to inspire me.

 

This summer was a blur. I rode very little, not nearly as much as I would like. Smokin' never made it over to the resort. I'm struggling with what to do about Rhea and how to manage my fear of getting hurt again. Not one hike - how can that possibly be? We've made some changes, though, so there is hope for the fall and for next summer. I was too busy. Too many responsibilities in too many directions. We've narrowed the focus to the resort and home.

 

It always worries me to give up something - I'm one who thinks she has to keep all the balls in the air just in case. But life is so short and moving so fast that if I don't give up some of it I'll never get to enjoy the rest. These are uneasy times in the U.S. and you can't take anything for granted, but at the same time you can't live your whole life wondering when the bottom is going to drop out.

 

This week I've been surrounded by memories - maybe it was talking to people I haven't seen in years that brought it on, maybe it has been thinking about Chance and my decade with him... maybe it is just the change in the air. Maybe it was being so sick. I'm ready to dust off the cobwebs, though, and start moving forward again.

 

The past is okay to look back at with a fond glance - but what is done is done and there's no undoing it. I was who I was, I did the foolish things I did, and now I'm here. Moving on.

 

Towards autumn.

 

Towards a wedding, towards the next big adventure, towards another fork in the road!

To life and all its grand possibilities.

(If you read this post to the end - thanks for sticking with the rambling thoughts)

Second time around weddings

I love the weddings I'm going to lately, especially the ones my friends my age are having. The second ones. The ones that reflect having lived a little, loved and lost a little, and are all the more precious because of all we've been through. That isn't to say the the big, grand first ones aren't fun (they are) but there is something so very sweet about these second marriages. It takes a greater leap to do it again, there's more of a recognition of how tough it can be, and frankly, they are usually more of a party. The pressure is off!

Tina and Brad were married out at Law's Railroad Museum. It was a perfect location for them and an absolutely beautiful day. The staff on site was wonderfully accomodating and everything went like clockwork. 

 

The groom wore Frontier Clothing Company and looked amazing. His horse wore a vintage Lee Roeser saddle and  a little touch of Ace (just to take the edge off).

 

The groom's son and friend kept him company at the saloon while he waited for his bride to show.

 

The bride got ready at the Agent's House with her sister and best gal pals... she wore Lucchese boots and a beautiful floaty dress.

 

The little cowgirl trailer was supplied by Mike and Tess Morgan, and was the source of pre-wedding mimosas.

 

The couple's four dogs all got dressed up for the occasion and were allowed to be on site for the ceremony, although they weren't able to stay for cake.

 

The couple had a few minutes to ride off and ground themselves and their steeds...

 

before riding in and gettting married at the train depot.

 

Bride and groom were all smiles - they are such a great couple....

 

And a wonderful time was enjoyed by all. The end and happily ever after!

Places you love

A couple of  weekends ago when we were reeling from the suddden loss of our dog we fled north to visit friends in Sierra Valley. We knew instinctively that it was the best place and these were the right people to be with as we tried to assimilate the news. The valley is a ranching community and our friends have been cowboying in the cattle-ranching industry for decades. They understand life and death, right and wrong, and what really counts in the long haul.

 

This place is near and dear to my heart. I only spent about four years living in this valley but they were special years. They represent a time when I was beginning to appreciate the value of community and the valley shaped my ideas of what community is and can be. It is very rural. At our friends' house we had neither cell service nor internet. It was disconcerting at first but ultimately very freeing as we were undisturbed in our conversations, meals, walks, and sleep. I worried over my online class but ultimately found an internet cafe where I caught up, voice mails were recorded and listened to when we had service, and the world kept revolving, the sun kept shining... it really was not a big deal that we were temporarily disconnected.

Years ago I bought a cafe in this valley because I was interested in community, and wanted to create a place where people would gather and share ideas, where bonds were forged over coffee and food, where different opinions could be aired and discussed. (That, and I love to bake). The cafe was successful in becoming a part of the community but financially it was a bust and ultimately I had to shut the doors and move on. It was heartbreaking at the time but the memory of that cafe lives on in this place and that makes the endeavour worth every minute I spent at it.

What I love about this place is not unique but it is uniquely rural. What brings people together here are work, food, and conversation. Brandings are big social events where neighboring ranchers join together to innoculate, castrate and brand cattle. If you are fortunate enough to be invited you are assured of laughter, sweat, cold beer, the acrid smell of burning hair, massive amounts of grilled beef, beans and coleslaw, and an endless array of photo ops. It is the type of day you want to hold on to forever because it represents the very best of being a part of a community. It creates memories both personal and place-based that become a part of the history of the valley.

 

There wasn't a branding the weekend we were there, but there were the best biscuits and gravy you have ever had - even if you think you don't like biscuits and gravy. There were dogs and horses and goats, walks through the woods and pastures, cold beer and creamsiccle drinks, grilled tri-tip with incredible potato salad and home made cole slaw that was so good you filled your plate again and again even though you were full to the brim. And there was no shortage of laughter in that house. College student home for the weekend, visiting married sibling from the big city next door, we were fortunate enough to share it all.

 

And it was so good for us. Our friends were so good for us. We got our feet back underneath ourselves and were able to pick up and move on once our visit was over. This isn't the only place this could have happened, of course, but for this weekend I think it was the best place. The Sierra Valley holds a special place in my heart and of course, Chance had lived a large part of his life there.

 

I'm sure I'd move back there in a heartbeat - but it is a tough place to make a living. We aren't ranchers and we aren't wealthy so we'd have to take some sort of work with us or commute (which in my opinion cancels out the whole point of living there).

 

Meanwhile we'll try to get there more often to visit our good friends and reap the healthy benefits of having friends who live in Sierra Valley. We'll help with the work, contribute to the beer cooler, join in the laughter, and add our opinions to the mix.

 

And continue to feel fortunate to be living this life, right now.

Thoughts on the time you lose

I've been sick for about 5 days now, unusual for me, and it has really kept me down. Yesterday I spent just about the entire day on the sofa - unheard of! Watching daytime TV. And feeling like crap. My whole body ached and every once in awhile a deep, racking coughing fit would leave me even more achey and exhausted.

I didn't feel like writing, or blogging, or doing anything. I managed to lethargically roll up strips of cotton knit jersey for our wedding flowers.... and then, when I had to pull out the cutting mat and cut some more strips it just about did me in. Puny. That's how I felt.

 

And not much better today. I tried to accomplish a few things this afternoon just to get out of the house - like turning out my mare, picking up a couple of items from the market, getting the puppy out, and it was work. I could feel a thin film of sweat over my entire body and I cringed if anyone tried to strike up a conversation. This is not like me. I like to go out in our little town with my lists and my dog(s)... pick my route, run into people, squeeze in a visit to one of the thrift stores.

 

The brain just shuts down when it is feverish. I made tea this morning and then sat down at the computer to try and get a little work done. 40 minutes later I wandered out and noticed that I had left the burner on high.... luckily I had removed the teapot but managed to waste a fair amount of propane just heating up an already warm kitchen. I feel sluggish and dull. I wish I could wholeheartedly follow my friend's advice and embrace the need to rest.

 

I'll probably end up on the sofa again as soon as I sign off here... and if I manage to roll up more cotton mums then at least I'll be making progress on the wedding plans, and it isn't a strenuous activity.

But what I'd really like is to be well and energetic again. And not take a day of it for granted.

 

Stay well my friends!

 

PS - These are shots of a box of vintage doilies I found a week or so ago at the thrift store... I thought there were just a couple of the rectangular ones inside but when I looked - all those round ones were in there too. Most of them in great shape. And I just love the packaging....

Recipe: Baked Eggplant w/ tomato sauce and mozzarella

This one is a keeper, folks. We've been getting a lot of eggplant in our CSA deliveries lately and I pulled out a book everyone on our staff received last year - Placer County Real Food by Joanne Neft.  It is a book that celebrates seasonal food grown locally and I dearly love the way it is laid out into the 52 weeks of the year. I didn't do it this year but if I remember I'll make it my new year's resolution to try a recipe out of every week next year. Could make for good blogging!

For now - make this using home grown tomatoes and any other ingredient you can pull from your garden or the farmer's market instead of the grocery store... you won't regret it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

4 small or 2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch slices

(I did not peel mine and it turned out delicious)

1/4 cup plus 3 TBSP olive oil

1 cup bell peppers, diced (I used red and green)

3 cups tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeds removed and diced (because I am basically lazy - I did not peel, blanch or remove the seeds - I simply diced and threw them in the skillet - and lived to tell about it)

2 cups onions (it doesn't specify what to do with the onions so I just sliced them)

1 lb fresh Mozzarella, sliced (I didn't have fresh on hand but I bet it would be even more fabulous had I)

1/2 cup Thai basil, diced (I just used plain ole' basil from my garden)

Salt and pepper to taste

Brush olive oil on both sides of eggplant slices and place on parchment lined baking pan. Bake until eggplant is easily pierced with a fork. (Check at 15 minutes and then every few minutes until done.)

Remove from oven, leave on pan.

Saute peppers in 1 TBSP olive oil until soft. Add diced tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add diced basil and hold on low heat. Salt and pepper to taste.

 

In another large saute pan, place 2 TBSP olive oil and over medium heat, carmelize the onions until soft. (7-10 minutes, maybe longer if you like them really carmelized)

 

Top each slice of eggplant ith a small spoonful of onions,

 

then a slice of mozzarella and a sprinkle of salt.

 

Return eggplant to the oven until the mozzarella melts.

The directions say to next spoon 1/3 cup tomato sauce on to a plate, top with eggplant and garnish with basil. I did it backwards:

 

Put the eggplant on a plate and top with the tomato sauce. And it was just delicious. This can be an appetizer or a main dish and is just as good the next day (as I can personally attest).

Yum. Summer food.