para a minha mãe. { clafoutis dutch baby pancake }

She is a one in a zillion kind of woman.

She may not be easy to deal with at times, for she has the boldest of personalities. She will teach you how to stay strong no matter what, how to stand up for your ideas and ideals. She is the strongest person you will ever meet. She will, without even knowing it, show you to be that woman - in a man's world. She will teach you not to care about petty things and to treasure authenticity and essence. She is not afraid to speak her mind, and although she is transparent as she can be with her emotions, she will always remain a mystery to you.

That makes her infinitely sexy.

She may seem unattached at times, but she has the biggest heart you could ever imagine. She will come off as though she won't easily get off her own track for something or someone - yet she definitely will. Don't let the looks fool you and make her regret that later on. If you find her, beware that you have found a rare gem. You will have to - and you will want to - catch up with her unique pace.

She's not for the faint of heart. 

She embraces challenges and change. And she likes to live with her head up in the clouds. She is a dreamer. She will tell you all about some crazy idea she has had, right in the haze of it, and then she will leave you puzzled as she moves on to the next one, for her mind is both restless and reckless. Don't be fearful and don't try to stop it, it's not like she cannot commit or care. She is merely capable of seeing countless roads at the same time. She's witty and creative and she will definitely inspire you. Her endless unfinished projects may always remain so, for she has already accomplished so much. She has achieved so much in her life, you can only feel profound admiration for her. That is both insping and intimidating, for it's not easy to live up to that standard.

She is larger than life.

We do have a lot in common, and I am glad for it.

And I hope and like to think that, one day, I will be worthy of these words of my own myself.

mãe, tenho pena. esperei sempre que entendesses

as palavras que nunca disse e os gestos que nunca fiz.

sei hoje que apenas esperei, mãe, e esperar não é suficiente.

pelas palavras que nunca disse, pelos gestos que me pediste

tanto e eu nunca fui capaz de fazer, quero pedir-te

desculpa, mãe, e sei que pedir desculpa não é suficiente.

às vezes, quero dizer-te tantas coisas que não consigo,

a fotografia em que estou ao teu colo é a fotografia

mais bonita que tenho, gosto de quando estás feliz.

lê isto: mãe, amo-te.

eu sei e tu sabes que poderei sempre fingir que não

escrevi estas palavras, sim, mãe, hei-de fingir que

não escrevi estas palavras, e tu hás-de fingir que não

as leste, somos assim, mãe, mas eu sei e tu sabes.

José Luís Peixoto

Palavras para a minha mãe

in A Casa, a Escuridão

Panqueca de forno Holandesa com ares de Clafoutis,

uma receita rápida e deliciosa que a minha mãe ia adorar.

(para dois)

2 ovos L

1/2 chávena de farinha

1/2 chávena de leite de soja

1 colher de chá de açúcar

1/4 de colher de chá de sal

25g de manteiga

uma dúzia de cerejas morello, bem escorridas

açúcar em pó para polvilhar

Bater os ovos, farinha, leite de soja, açúcar e sal com um fouet até obter uma mistura líquida mais ou menos homogénea. Deixar repousar por meia hora à temperatura ambiente. Ligar o forno a 220-250ºC.

Colocar a manteiga numa frigideira de ferro fundido e levar ao forno até esta derreter. Remover do forno e girar a sertã de forma a que os lados fiquem bem untados.

Incorporar as cerejas na massa, verter no centro da sertã e levar de novo ao forno. Cozinhar cerca de 15 minutos, deixando a massa subir e ganhar bolhas, até os lados estarem bem dourados. Remover do forno, polvilhar com açúcar em pó e servir imediatamente.

~

Clafoutis-inspired Dutch Baby Pancake,

a quick and delicious recipe that my mother would love.

(for two)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup soy milk

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

25g butter

a dozen morello cherries, well drained

confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Cream eggs, flour, soy milk, sugar and salt with a whisker until well combined. Let stand for half an hour at room temperature. Heat oven at 220-250ºC.

Place the butter inside a oven-proof cast iron pan and place in the oven until melted. Remove from oven and give the pan a swirl, to coat the sides.

Incorporate cherries in the batter, pour inside the pan and place it back in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, letting the batter inflate and bubble up, until the sides are well golden. Remove from oven, dust with confectioner's sugar and serve immediately.

~

(this was a belated Mother's Day post!)

love,

inês