Stay present and embrace Winter fruits!

In our day and age, sometimes it is very difficult to stay present.  So many people live through the Winter just waiting for the Spring. Yet our lives, our health, our relationships and our hearts could really benefit from us taking it all in one step at a time.  Being here, being now.
I propose that we make a pledge to try and bring ourselves back to the present moment at least once a day, everyday. As Paul Simon says "little by little, bit by bit, little bit by little bit". In any way that we wish, at any moment of our day.
Today, I will  start this commitment by embracing the Winter and the fruits that it has to offer.  Over here in Northern California most of those fruits are Citrus.
Today, I bring myself back to this moment, by enjoying the flavors of Blood Oranges, Oro Blanco Grapefruits, and Meyer Lemons.

 

I sliced some of the Blood Oranges into my quick Castelfranco and Treviso Salad that I made myself to calm by hunger (my husband calls it my monster) so that I could actually have a drink to my Grandma (Mo), to Maura and to my friend Robin who all share today as their birthday.

Once I ate my salad, and my stomach was tricked into believing that I wasn't so hungry that I had to eat my cat after all,  I decided to put these gorgeous fruits into a cocktail in honor of the birthday Ladies.

I started with about an ounce and a half of  Corzo Tequila, (it's a long story, but there was actually a shot in the refrigerator, waiting for me since Sunday night!).

                                                                             
Then I added the juice of a one Blood Orange and half of a Meyer Lemon, about a quarter of an ounce of Cointreau, and Agave Nectar to taste.  The cook in me always has to add ingredients to taste.  Otherwise how do we know if it'll be good? I have to taste it at every step of the way.  That way we develop our palate to recognize what is missing, and which ingredients will add which flavors.
Then I poured it into a rock's glass, full of gorgeous little ice cubes (almost perfectly square ones at that!) , with a salted rim.  The salt for three reasons: because I love it, because this cocktail has some of the components of a classic Margarita and it it would benefit from the saltiness, and because the white rim is reminiscent of the snow, and therefore, of the Winter, that I am embracing, with this drink.
                       Here's to you Ladies! Feliz Cumpleanos! Joyeuse Anniversaire! Happy Birthday!

P.S:

Some of you will know that I am not exaggerating when I say, that I am almost always hungry.

Some of you will assume that I am exaggerating, as I am Dominican after all.

I am just telling you what happened, I promise it's not a lie.

After I was done making the cocktail, I had to make myself another snack because once again, my stomach was telling me that my cat might be delicious.

So here is an impromptu, very simple salad, of steamed Chioggia Beets and Oro Blanco Grapefruit segments in Olive Oil.

Enjoy!