Sunday funday.

Yesterday was really the epitome of what a Southern Sunday should be: morning church service that involved bagels, coffee, and chatting with friends; a Charlestonian brunch with old, Kentucky college friends on historic King Street; window shopping on our walk to the car, including a drop-in at Blue Bicycle Books, which we walked out of with three beloved purchases; an afternoon nap followed by an Italian-roast espresso (the grounds hailing all the way from NYC); a bikeride to a neighborhood seafood shop, followed by a ride in the opposite direction, through hidden marshland, to the neighborhood grocery; and, to top it all off, a simple, healthy, and exquisite homemade meal accompanied with a glass of wine and ample couch time.

 Please excuse Maple's shirt, messy hair, and overloaded backback :)

What a really good meal should absolutely leave behind: the prettiest array of scraps.

 The most simple, colorful, flavor-filled dish: three parsnips, a bunch of carrots, and a bunch of radishes, all sliced in half or quartered. Drizzle with olive oil, and pour this mixture on top: 1/4 cup bourbon, 1/4 cup water, 2 teaspoons brown sugar. Throw in about 8 cloves of garlic, smashed, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 400 until veggies are soft, but haven't entirely lost their color or crispness.

 Save the greens from the radishes--they make the perfect, plush bed to bake salmon atop. We did just that, brushing the salmon with olive oil, sprinkling with a bit of salt and pepper, and topping it off with sliced lemons. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until salmon begins to turn white. 

And here you have it, our Sunday Supper: all dished up and ready to be devoured. We did just that, and it really was the perfect melding of flavor, texture, and health. Oh, and see that heap of brown rice and peas? Equally delicous and easy: cook 1 cup of brown rice according to package directions and set aside. Saute one minced shallot until begins to brown on the edges; add 2 cloves of garlic (minced) and the zest of 1/2 lemon and a cup of fresh or frozen peas. Add the cooked rice to the skillet, and leave on the heat until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper...and enjoy.

It really, absolutely, no doubt in my mind was a perfectly perfect Sunday.

Hope yours was enjoyed all the same.