summer daze.

 I woke up this morning with a start, wondering what I am late for and realized that I actually have today off! Summer has been flying by this year. I have no idea where the days have gone... one seems to tumble into the next until weeks have passed. I am looking forward to a few days off in August spent upstate and in the company of good friends. I have had no time for blogging this past month, life and work have been busy and the heat wave somewhat unbearable in our non air-conditioned loft. While busy is a good... I have reached the point of a much-needed break. I have had to reconcile that I am not going to be able to get to all the ideas, shoots and recipes I have had in mind for the summer season. I will do what I can and put some things off to next year. Sometimes you just have to take a moment.

Jam, however, is definitely on the agenda. It looks as though the blackberries upstate are about to burst, hundreds of them dripping from tangled thorny bramble. They, unlike me, seemed to have thrived in this heat! The black raspberries and blueberries in the photos below came from Flying Fox at The New Amsterdam Market. When I am in town on a Sunday it is my very favorite place to go.

Have a great weekend friends! 

x

where the wild things are no. 7. the colors of winter. a photo essay for kinfolk magazine.

I just received Kinfolk Volume Two. It is full of beautiful words and images created by over 60 artists and writers. Below is a photo essay we shot inspired by wildcrafting and the colors of winter. When I get upstate tomorrow, I am going to brew myself some tea, curl up by the fire and savor it cover to cover. Now, let it snow!!!

 To order Kinfolk Volume two click here and then run to your mail box everyday to see if it has arrived!

 

Prop styling by the lovely Angharad Bailey.

To see outtakes and an extended story click here.

All photos copyright Gentl and Hyers 2011.

late summer berries.

 

 The  wild blackberries had another good season on our side of the mountain this year. We are on a north facing slope where the berries seem to thrive. Every year the tangle of brambles takes over more land on the slope.

I wasn't able to pick too many berries this year, summer was far too hectic and I found myself in the last hours of upstate time frantically gathering berries before heading back to the reality of the city. I am trying to embrace "small batch" or very "small batch" to be more specific. I don't need to pick every last berry in Delaware County! Last year's larder is still full of jam and pickles... what more do I need?.  This year, I picked just enough for a couple tarts and a few jars of jam.With an apple and blackberry tart in mind, I gathered a few fallen apples from our old but giving trees and headed south.

 

 wild blackberry and apple galette.

 

 Copyright © 2011 Andrea Gentl all rights reserved 

a little taste of summer

 

   All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Andrea Gentl all rights reserved