UM looks slightly different from the environs of the University of Virginia, especially at this time of year, and I found myself thinking how nice it must be to hold classes outside under trees and surrounded by flowers hidden under archways.

That night, my fabulous friend Jenne and I were ushered into Tap Tap in South Beach by a nice man in a grey hat, who turns out to be the owner of this vivacious Haitian restaurant (that’s 2/2 weekends meeting the restaurant owner if you’re keeping count) with bright paint on the walls, the tables, and the food.

We’ll return with Jess (she was dancing at talented local musician Rachel Goodrich‘s concert and then a performance that involved glow sticks) to explore the menu further; this time we liked the fried malanka, pork chunks, and their famous mojitos.

The next morning, I found a yellow canistel in the CSA farm box; the fruit splits when ripe and has the texture of a boiled egg yolk (it’s also called eggfruit)—and was hidden beneath lettuces, tomatoes, and zucchini. How strange and wonderful to open the box each week and find a fruit I’ve never heard of.

This morning, Jenne, Jess, and I explored the Pinecrest market that has just opened for the season; Redland Organics (they are part of the farm collective that make up the CSA farm boxes) displayed more canistel along with black sapote and starfruit.

And one of the enthused crowd from Redland explained how to use black sapote (making “chocolate pudding”) as I panned the small, but important farmers’ market:

Heirloom beans like these ‘rattlesnake pole’ beans are in season,

along with watermelon radishes,

and I want to scribe the cycles of the Miami market season with a pen whittled from a garlic chive—

Knobby carrots were shockingly orange,

fresh epazote (the herb that gives Mexican cuisine its distinctive flavor—there’s really no substitute) disappeared quickly,

and local plants glowed in the sun.

Spices and tea spread across nearby tables and drew shoppers toward one bowl, then another;

all the while, dozens of avocados were being mashed into guacamole.

From the market, Jess led the way to the Muffin Tin, where we started with toasted corn muffins and proceeded to make our way through half of today’s specials:

Then we walked under those new flowers around the magic cottage,

and we settled into making our baking pick for January: the scone. Jess explains:

After she brushed the cherry scone batter with an egg wash, we let the large scones brown in the oven,

to emerge moist and shiny, an excellent first attempt—and notes were taken while we analyzed the crumb, the crust, and the concept.

In between taste tests, we sampled local strawberries that need no alteration,

and as these two friends went off into their days, Jess called to say there was a spider web out in front of the cottage, waiting for me.

So many things ahead for all of us in 2009…here’s to your week—

Related posts:

1. the salad you have been waiting for
2. first Miami food exploration of the new year
3. I recognize that smile

My friends Jenne (here, Skyping with a friend in France) and Jess came over to help with the greens and make Abba gingerbear cookies:

Our friend Pilar arrived with dulce de leche pastelitos from Half Moon, the empanada shop she owns with her husband Juan. Pilar demonstrated how she refrains from eating these wonderful pastelitos all day long–

Jenne styled Pilar at an angle,

and these three friends laughed as we collected the requisite props for a flying trapeze outing…

Jess took to the air with her usual spirited energy;

I was happy that my pink tinsel hair swung with me:

Jenne and Jess danced through downtown Miami,

and I felt grateful for the amazing, silly, strong women I call friends here–

Related posts:

1. the month of the scone
2. the sparkle of the salt
3. first Miami food exploration of the new year

She smiled as we heard the sounds of things uncivilized approaching…

and an ATV trio rumbled past in their mudded glory.

We stopped for local fruit on the side of the road (more on that when it ripens),

and continued on to Bee Heaven Farm in Homestead where Jenne gracefully shook the avocados.

We tested the farm’s raw honey (wildflower was my favorite), I procured fresh bee pollen that will keep well in the freezer, and on we drove to the Homestead flea market produce area.

Two girls were taking pony rides together, and shortly, saddled with bags of local vegetables, we two drove back to the magic cottage to toast our adventure into the Miami afternoon…

Related posts:

1. colour my world, chicago
2. when I’m 88
3. all roads lead to brooklyn

There is a severe sense of fabulous in some Miami areas, where women dress entirely in white, there is always a rooftop beckoning with undulating conversation in many languages, a highlighted liquor in the drinks being passed (last night, rum), and the sense that the heat rising from streets can somehow be contained, shaped, repurposed.

But I’ll let video tell this short story—if you live in Miami, the exhibit runs this Saturday through August 12th (51 NW 36th Street, Facebook event page) and is worth a visit, if only for my favorite Tetris piece—

(see the rest of the story after the jump)

wait for the fanciful object seemingly left by Edward Scissorhands (Jenne and her friend (and happily, my new acquaintance) Stefanie are in the beginning),

my favorite, a Tetris game by Max Gomez Canle of cities and skylines, as if buildings were scraped from the sky (the ongoing construction in Miami does transform light patterns as you discover when walking the city):

burnt pages next to plastic ties affixed to a pole light:

Sebastien Laboureau explained why the rooftop is liberating:

and we enjoyed beautiful burrata at Michael’s Genuine afterwards:

I’m lucky to work with the lovely Jenne and beginning to piece together what Miami—this strange amalgamation of culture, beauty, danger, and fascinating people—holds for those of us who have, like the buildings in the citified Tetris, dropped from the sky to fit into this game logic…

Related posts:

1. first Miami food exploration of the new year
2. of leaves and light
3. sun light, Ms. Albright, first spider I see tonight