These are some moments. Some winter moments in the mountains from Colorado to Tennessee. A silhouette of my father and I on a chairlift. A cabin morning with some of my favorite folks, Christian of 1924.us & my dear friend Ruthie Lindsey—with whom I’d share just about anything from a bed in a little cabin to secrets, heart aches, work, and ridiculous, effervescent joy. I’m pretty sure she lowers my blood pressure. Which is, at least figuratively, high. And then the last mountain weekend, a weekend spent with my soul mate overlooking the river our lives have both run parallel to. A brief weekend during which I expanded, collapsed, did very little at all, made oatmeal and some of my favorite savory suppers, and walked away anew. The mountains heal me. They always have, snow peaks to log cabins. This is farewell winter, ever again shall we meet. And this is soon, soon (though it snows here senselessly and maybe even spitefully) hello to spring. But for now. Here are some moments. And a recipe for milk oatmeal with salted candied bananas. Because it comforts me no matter the season. And because aren’t we all hungry?
The first night at the last cabin I sat next to my other half (he’s the one in the aviator’s…the one with the dashing camera is Christian, to be clear). The water churned hot around me, steam rose. I wore the bikini, the high waisted one I never got around to wearing last year. I drank a kombucha like a beer, brown in its bottle. The water it was hot. And dark. It was dark and cold but the water was so warm and bubbling and all the lights in the valley they were there far below, the sky inverted. And I panicked. I’m relaxed. This is so perfect. I’m relaxed. I feel good. Why don’t I feel good? This is perfect. I should feel good. I’m relaxed. I’m relaxed. I’m…I can’t breath. So I spoke. I spoke of it. Of what he dubbed my “pathological inability to relax”. And it is so. Generally so. And all in a moment I let my face crack through apologies I’m sorry I don’t want you to have to deal with this. I’m fine. I should be fine. And I cried in a whirlpool, the air crisp in the mountains and the valley lit up. The stars out. And as soon as I wasn’t ok, I was okay. Something so heavy wasn’t heavy. And I felt great. I cried and felt present. I didn’t think about to do. I just thought I have to take care of myself & sometimes I get so tired. And so I was tired. I sat in his lap. It was slippery. I laughed through my tears I’m crazy it’s true. He kissed my face. And the air was cold. The water was warm. And the valley—inverted stars electrical aglow. It began to rain, only a little, and felt good.
In the morning I made oatmeal with milk and salted, candied bananas. I’ll tell you how. It’s not hard. We walked during the day, and mostly sat for nothing. There was no internet. My cell phone was dead with no charger. It was good. It made me nervous. But it was good. For dinner I made things I like to make: saffron clams with orecchiette, rapini, burrata, and crispy bits of proscuitto. The next night I made farro with dandelion greens, golden beets, and a poached egg. I cooked just to cook. I don’t do that as often as you’d think; it’s work a lot of the time, and sometimes I miss cooking for no one but us. But it’s worth it, to share. With you. I’ll share those recipes one day, probably. Maybe even early next week. No promises, but I might just be having a little get together with Ruthie this weekend featuring those clams and that farro. And chamomile panna cotta? Maybe. So much maybe! They weren’t really recipes though. Just garlic and oil. Salt. Fresh things in pots. Intuition and a splash of white wine. At night we watched Portlandia and The Big Lebowski (which ranks among my favorite films of all time up there with Star Wars), and we went to bed early in a loft across from a yawning picture window that played the river valley view day to night on repeat. The next morning, oatmeal again. This time with apples because I was out of bananas. And then a drive down the mountain. Everything was, in the parlance of our times, cool.
what I’m wearing—pants: Imogene + Willie; shirt: cloth & stone; hat: vintage pendleton; woven leather shoes & leather backpack: vintage; anorak parka: nasty gal (this one is kind of like it); sunnies: madewell
Ingredients
- 2 cup whole milk, cow or goat
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (I'm obsessed with Noble)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 banana, ideally almost completely ripe but not quite, sliced on a bias
- 1/4 cup sugar (I used demarrara)
- 1 Tablespoon of butter
- pinch of good, flaky sea salt (essential)
- almond slices for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Bring the oats and milk to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; and cook about 5 minutes or until the oats are tender and most of the milk absorbed. Add the maple syrup to finish.
- Meanwhile fry up your bananas. Srinkle the slices liberally on both sides with sugar. Melt the butter in a skillet. Turn the heat to med-high or high (depending on your stove) and fry them until the sugar is melted and they're golden brown. About 2 minutes per side. The sugar will candy on the outside, leaving the banana warm and creamy on the inside. Lightly sprinkle the fried slices with the flaky salt, and top your oatmeal with them. Add almond slices if you like!
This is a beautiful spread, magazine worthy! And the oatmeal is just the thing for warming up this (so far) very cold spring.
I agree. Put this on a magazine cover.
Such perfect tone in these too. I am envious of your talent
Gorgeous, gorgeous photos. Love the mood.
Beautiful photos, Beth. Nothing makes my heart dance like the sparkle of new snow in sunshine.
This is so beautiful and I’m out of words. Love the poetry both in your words and in your photos.
What a delicious recipe for oatmeal! I will definitely be trying this! And I too love the mountains…they bring such peace and serenity. Beautiful pictures!
Filled with beauty and goodness. I enjoyed every bit of this.
Two posts in one week what a delight! I am simply addicted to Noble Maple Syrup, I adore the packaging especially.
As usual I love the post and thanks for including your soul mate. That made it even more special.
I’m in love with your words, pictures, and recipes. Will you move to Idaho and be my friend?
I would love to try this recipe, and the photos are stunning…but I was wondering if there was a way I could cut back on the sugar. 1/4 cup maple syrup and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar seems a bit to much at breakfast time.
A million times thank you! I’m not immune to typos and it was supposed to read 1/4 cup maple syrup….not a full half! Of course, if you want it sweeter or less sweet…you can always simply sweeten to taste!
I think this would be great with apples
it is!
Gorgeous. So refreshing to hear another woman voice her “pathological inability to relax.” It’s suffocating, yet we just can’t let it go.
We went up to the mountains last weekend–a big deal, when you live in a coastal marsh and they’re 5 hours away. No signal, no schedule, no map…it was nothing short of medicinal.
I thought I was ready for spring, but this post made me long for a weekend in the snow. beautiful! Thanks, Beth
Hi Beth ! Just had to say how beautiful that b/w is of the mountains. Superb!!! It has that wonderful feeling of endless space, a reason why I love Namibia so much. How are you these days ? I am getting closer to opening an ultra modern patisserie in Central London. Always read your posts.
Best, Stephen 🙂
Hey, this looks beautiful! Warm creamy oatmeal and all these stunning pics are a treat!
The tall saplings/shadows/snow and the evergreens/shadows/snow almost redeemed snow, after I had broken up with it, a lifelong love. We’ll be back together by next November, no doubt. But these stunning photos could make it happen even sooner. Thank you, Beth.
Your pictures are gorgeous!
I love this. Such a beautiful piece. ‘As soon as I wasn’t ok. I was ok’ – that has happened to me so many times and I’ve never been able to put a label on it.
wow… these pictures are breath talking. it looks like a good time!
I just came across this through another blog and I LOVED your writing, especially the bit about not being able to relax and having a partner who understands and can comfort. I just had a similar experience this weekend and you were able to articulate it so perfectly in words. Inspiring stuff!
Oh, and I want to make the oatmeal too 🙂
Beth – I made this recipe this morning for breakfast. Loved it! I wasn’t sure I would like my bananas fried but I what a treat. I didn’t have Noble maple syrup but had another brand in my pantry. Can you get the Noble brand in Chattanooga or do you buy it online?
Hope you are feeling better today.
Your photograph of the snow, I can hardly stop looking at it. I live by the sea – I never see the snow. I saw it, felt it once about 15 years ago, but that is all. It hardly ever even gets cold enough for a jumper in my world. Your photograph, so beautiful, it is like a dream.