Spiced Buttermilk Bundt Cake

So now that fall is in full swing, how have you been spending it? Watching leaves changing? Buying new boots (yes!)? Yearning for food-filled holidays?

Or have you been drowning in pumpkin? I have seen so much pumpkin out there on the webs. Too much pumpkin I think. Don't get me wrong. I like pumpkin, especially in pie form. It's just that I'm feeling a bit overloaded with pumpkin recipes. Plus, there are some places that pumpkin (or its flavor counterparts) is not meant to be, such as in coffee. No more homemade pumpkin spice lattes please. Just stop. Please. I'm begging you.

Besides, there are so many other delicious, warm, beautiful fall flavors! Like pear and apple, which I've clearly been obsessed with recently. And spice!

Yes, I rang in fall with spices tossed in buttermilk cake. Mini bundt ones of course, because that's how I do. There's just something about allspice, clove, nutmeg, and the like that make everything feel and smell and taste like fall.

Lavender Champagne Grape Pie Bites

I sort of disconnected myself from the internets the past week and half or so in an attempt to savor the remnants of summer. Especially since the weather has been perfect post-torrential-downpours. So I've been spending time with my kitten, rediscovering my exercise routine, clearing out my kitchen and closet, and getting my act together, so to speak. I like to start a new (and final!) school year with a clean house and clear mind.

Last weekend, my mom visited and brought with her the Texas sunshine, minus the Texas heat. We hit all the high points food-wise, including my favorite farmers market, and did a little shopping, a bit of Olympics watching, and lots of balcony wine drinking and gossiping. It was pretty much perfect, although far too short.

Ah, summer, how I wish I could dip my toes in thee forever.

After making scones with champagne grapes, I still had quite a few left and wanted so badly to bake with them again. I began making a lavender dough with the idea of a grape galette but then decided that the grapes might not fare well when it came to slicing the finished product. Thus, something mini seemed to be in order.

Cherry Vanilla Pound Cake with Rosemary Glaze and Pistachios

This weekend, I said my goodbyes to this season's Pearson peaches. They were seriously gorgeous and juicy this season, all season! I ate them constantly and had to restrain myself from putting them in all my baked goods. My boyfriend and I celebrated Saturday night with a delicious peach crisp topped with vanilla ice cream.

We maaay have eaten the entire thing between the two of us. I can't say for sure.

Except that I can, and we did.

It's ok though. It was totally summer. Totally acceptable.

Luckily, summer is yielding other beautiful fruits. Figs have been bountiful at the farmer's markets, along with watermelon (ps: have you ever had a yellow watermelon? super duper crunchy awesome). And Whole Foods has been bursting at the seams with gorgeous plums and plumcots and pluots and some sort of velvet something plums. They also have sweet cherries. Look how lovely:

This summer has also brought mad heat and crazy downpours. Neither of which I'm a huge fan of. Sweat and frizz. Not attractive.

The heat has definitely put my balcony-housed herbs through the ringer. The downpours, however, have been so good to them, have made them big and vibrant and flourishing! Especially the basil and rosemary. It makes me happy.

Do you ever have those moments where you envision something that you know will prove to be pure genius? Me neither. (I'm a worried baker. Rarely certain.) Mostly, I just surprise myself after the fact.

I knew this combination would happen--sweet cherries, pistachio, rosemary--but I was a tad wary whether it would be as good in reality as it was in my head.

But let me tell you something. It's even better.