Who first believed in you? Family members don’t count. For me, it was Mr. Serie. He was my 8th grade art teacher. Art was a 6-week elective then. Or was it 12-weeks? I can’t remember. But despite all my goofing off in the class, he pulled me aside and told me I was good at art. He didn’t have to do that. And I probably wasn’t all that good. But I went on to paint lots of pictures, take lots of art classes, and major in graphic design. All because Mr. Serie told me I was good at something. Words are powerful.
And you guys, you told me you like my vinaigrettes. I’d never in a million years guess that “balsamic vinaigrette” would consistently be the most popular search term on this site. I get it, you’re scrolling through baked donut recipes and you think, she must make a killer vinaigrette. I make a fine dressing, but we need to discuss the reasoning behind this. Either way, here’s something new for your search—sun-dried tomato vinaigrette (I spell that word wrong every time). It’ll be the star of an upcoming recipe as well as another one I’ve been meaning to recreate. But go ahead, make it now, and top whatever needs topping. It’s bright and tangy. And it tastes like spring.
We’re off to drive around town in search of Playful, a super cool craft book for kids. It’s spring break and little Hal needs lots of stimulation. 8th grade art class is about to start early over here. It’d be fun if she took up a liking for painting. I’m much better at that than history. But what I really hope is that she has a Mr. Serie or two in her life.
Dry sun dried tomatoes, or those packed in oil?
Good question–I used the ones packed in oil.
Hmmn. I bought the dry type. I wonder if I’ll need to use a little more oil to get a similar effect… I’ll let you know how it comes out!
Yes, please! Let me know. In the meantime, I’ll clarify the recipe. You also might want to try rehydrating in warm water. I haven’t done it though, so I’m not 100% sure.
This will totally brighten up my salads. It looks delish 🙂
This is a beautiful post, Melissa. Having an adult believe in you is so wonderful. It motivates you to keep trying & pursue a career that you love.
Your photos are beautiful! They’re like the kind of photos I want to print out, frame, and hang on my walls. I’m a new blogger that started in January, and I’m so happy I found your site! It’s been fun getting inspiration from other bloggers.
Also random, but I saw under your one pantry pasta post that you listen to Phox! My boyfriend just told me about them and I can’t stop listening to that album! I got excited when I saw that you made a video with their music in the background.
I can’t wait to see the recipe that this goes with because this looks delicious by itself!
Mr. Serie! I had completely forgotten his name until I read this! He was such an awesome teacher…sometimes I wish I knew how to contact teachers like him to let them know their impact. I’m sure that is probably one of the most gratifying things for them!
Stace, I found him on facebook last night. I should totally message him.
You really totally should! I’m sure he would be thrilled about that. I wrote a paper about a high school English teacher in college and what an impact he had, and I sent it to him. He was really touched that I had done that–I bet Mr. Serie would be blown away if he heard from you! Ps, I really miss you, friend…can we have a phone date soon?
Your stories are always the sweetest – so beautifully put into words.
We all need a Mr. Serie…or lots of them throughout our life. This looks delicious. xx
Mine was an art teacher also. My 9th grade art teacher, Mrs. Wolf. She was eccentric and totally batty but a true artist in every sense of the word. She was also one of the first people that gave me a sense of woman empowerment. Thank you for allowing me to dredge up those memories!
I love this idea and I will definitely try it.