April 20, 2015 -- Snow Day!

Real snow. It fell all day long, until early evening.

Most of it didn't stick, until later in the afternoon; then it melted quickly after it stopped falling.

Crocus collecting snow, Providence Hospital.

The buds continue to swell on the trees, despite the weather. These are birch.

Larch branch budding, with snow flake streaks behind.

Bowl in art gallery at UAA student union.

Rabbit woman sculpture at UAA student union.

Phyllis the Amaryllis, a gift a few years ago from friends who were moving away. She blooms every year, remarkably - none of the other dozen or so amaryllis bulbs are nearly as bountiful.

Snow day -- April 8, 2015

Fresh snow on the Chugach Range.

According to the US National Weather Service Alaska: "Today's snowfall totaling 1.7 inches in Anchorage ranks 5th for winter snowfall this 2014-2015 season. In fact, today's snowfall is more than all the snow from February and March combined."

It was hard to get a photo of it because most of it seemed to melt as soon as it hit the ground. Mid-afternoon the sun came out, and by 5:00, the streets were dry and the grass was brown.

Snow lingering on a railing,

in the tree branches (buds are swelling there),

at the feet of the sprouting bulbs.


In the warmer places, indoors, some flowers --

orchids at UAA in one of the skyways, and

hellebore at Fred Meyers, waiting for nicer weather to go back outside.

April 5, 2015 -- Easter Sunday, Anchorage

The daffodils at Hohn Apartments -- still not quite ready to bloom.



Snow this morning, for Easter.

OK, a whole 1/2 inch of snow around Anchorage, but it was most definitely snow -- our first in weeks.

After the early morning Easter Mass, Jim and I drove to Alyeska. Snow powdering trees at 36th and Seward Highway.


Potter Marsh had a couple of gulls, and a few open patches of water, but no swans yet. Jim said I shouldn't be greedy.

Sheep at Mile 106.5.

Around every bend, another bit of scenery, and through the middle stretch of the trip, often some sun.

Girdwood had several inches of snow.

Apparently it wasn't enough to open the lower chair lift, which sat silent. But dozens and dozens of cars were parked near the tram that goes to the top of the mountain.

The shrubs near the Alyeska Bakeshop had both buds and puffs of snow.

Sun appearing over a mountain, through clouds.

Going back, the sky began to clear again between Girdwood and Anchorage.

Later in the afternoon we walked around Bootleggers' Cove and South Addition. The ship that comes twice a week was heading south.

Another house with a Buddha -- there are many more of these in Anchorage than I realized. This house also had

an angel, and

two chickens.

We wanted a photo of Star, the reindeer who lives at 10th and I streets, and goes out every day for a walk around the Park Strip. This is as good as it gets -- she has several layers of wire fence because earlier Stars (reindeer have lived there for decades, and all of them are named Star) have died from eating plastic bags pushed through the fence.

The day wound up cloudy, although not as much as in the morning, with a forecast of high winds on Monday, and maybe some rain.

We'll be keeping an eye on the daffodils.

Who gives a fig for brownies?

                                       Figs ripening in Rome, September 8, 2013.

For me, the first snow in Anchorage either means crawling under the covers and spending the afternoon in deep denial, or looking for an antidote, usually involving decadently rich chocolate concoctions. Caramel-cherry-fig brownies captured my attention with this weekend's snowfall, and proved worthy of every delicious moment of anticipation during the making and baking. No dried cherries? Use all figs. The only thing I’d do differently is try to remember the vinegar, which would have added just a lingering note of brightness.

                                             Anchorage snow, November 11, 2013.

                                        Ingredients for fig-caramel brownies.

Fig/caramel sauce

• 8 ounces dried black mission figs, chopped
• 3/4 - 7/8 cup prepared caramel sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Mix together, set aside.

Brownies ingredients

• 8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (Guittard wafers work well)
• 9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon)  butter
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/4 cup white sugar (or use all white sugar)
• 3 large eggs
• Two teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (Ghiradelli makes good chips)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 13x9x2 inch metal baking pan (I lined the pan with parchment paper).

         Chocolate mixture

Stir 8 ounces chocolate wafers (or coarsely chopped chocolate), butter, and cream in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth. Cool to lukewarm, about 15 minutes.

         Sugar, eggs, vanilla

Whisk sugars, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended, about 1 minute.

       Combining brownie ingredients

 ∙ Whisk chocolate mixture into sugar, vanilla and egg mixture.
 ∙ Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt over, then stir to blend.
 ∙ Mix in chocolate chips.
 ∙ Spread batter evenly in the pan.

        Adding fig caramel

Drop the fig/caramel mixture onto batter by tablespoonfuls. Use the tip of small knife to swirl the fig/caramel mix slightly into batter.

Baking and cooling

Bake brownies until the caramel on the top bubbles, the top of the batter is dry, and a toothpick inserted near center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 - 35 minutes. Cool brownies in pan on rack.

Serving

Cut into one-inch squares. Eat as is, or top with whipped cream, ice cream, or rum sauce -- anything suitably over the top.  They might be good with a lemon or raspberry sauce or sorbet too.

                                  Brownies, glazed with buttery caramel and rich with figs.



Adapted from a recipe for brownie with caramel, fig and dried cherries jam. http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/2268796-BROWNIES-WITH-CARAMEL-FIG-and-DRIED-CHERRY-JAM?full_recipe=true.   Source: Lulu Petite in San Francisco