I've won over the apple lady! Cavolo nero-ricotta tart to be made! Woman-hear-me-roar tree didn't make it

  This morning found all four of us headed to the market, and boy did we make a haul. Jack and Tom hit Bonaparte for their regular breakfast treats: raspberry Palmier for J, ham and cheese croissant for T. I bought another olive boule while there- it's such a lovely, light bread. Mmm. When I got home, I toasted some, spread it with goat cheese and then with that sour cherry spread I opened a couple weeks back. Anyway, we also picked out these technicolor cauliflowers and related cruciferous veggies. The boys swore they would taste each one, and I'm planning to hold them to that. Also picked up these incredibly fresh and gorgeous radicchio heads, kohlrabi, daikon and many pounds of wonderful apples. Speaking of apples, do y'all recall my previous post about how scary the apple lady is? She knows her stuff and has sooo many kinds of apples and pears, but darn it, she is strict and generally lacking in the humor department. Friends, I have won her over. She gave me a $2 discount and Oliver a seckel pear as a treat. We even shared a laugh. Perhaps this is because I took all of her advice or because I bought so many apples, but I'm not asking, and I don't really care. I'm just happy that we connected!

For dinner tonight, I'm going to make some ricotta and then use some of it plus the rest of my lacinato kale to make a tart that food52ers were raving about in an enthusiastic online dialogue recently. Friday was, so(!) sadly, the season finale of Bill Maher, so T and I will enjoy the tart while watching the last episode.

Do you remember, back in April or May, when I was determined to uproot the tree under our deck before construction on the new deck commenced? I toiled and struggled, riddled with sweat and sore muscles, ignoring T's suggestions that I probably wouldn't have much success, and did get that damn tree out and replanted. Whoo-hoo. Sadly, the tree ultimately didn't make it and Oliver and I had to dig it up and toss it out last week. It was dead as get out. Ah well, you can't win 'em all. I replaced it with a lovely tower boxwood.