City Roses

I am always amazed this time of year by how many roses I see in the city.  I am less intrigued by the ones in well kept yards than by the tenacious ones that are growing in empty lots and on properties that have been abandoned for years.  This seems to be a particularily good year for abundant fat blooms– maybe because of the regular rain and the alternateing cool and hot days.

In my own garden we have six thriving climbing roses that we planted about 13 years ago.  Once half of them had to be temporarily transplanted into pots when the wall they were growing on got knocked down by a truck– when replanted they continued to grow un-phased.  I can see the blooms from my kitchen and I pick buckets of them every year...I must admit that I did not intentionally plant pink roses.  The variety we chose was Madame Alfred Carriere and we were under the impression that they would be a creamy white.  Even though I am not generally drawn to pink the plethora of gorgeous roses these vines produce every year are impossible not to love.

Family 21st Birthday Celebration

Photo by Kate Headley

Last night I was honored to host of a multi-generational 21st birthday celebration here at 1508.  Fabulous guests and spirited conversation seemed to pair well with bountiful early summer ingredients and wonderful wines picked by Tom.

Friday the 13th of May, 2011

Passing

Pork Tongue with Kimchi and Corncake

Softshell Crab with Lemon and Curly Parsley

Quail Egg with Sorrel

Fennel with Caper, New Olives and Golden Raisin

Ramp Broth with Shiitake Mushroom

Chicken Liver with Lemon, Garlic and Dry Cured Pork

Lemon Verbena Vodka Martini

Chateau de Eperonniere, Rose de Loire 2009

Seated

Bresaola with Girasol, French Breakfast Radish, Grainy Mustard, Mustard Sprouts and Asparagus- 48 hour farm bread

(Grosjean Freres) Torette Valle d'Aoste 2007

Butter Lettuce with Fava Bean, Leeks, Morel, Fiddlehead FernsLeeks Greens- herb foccacia

(Gerard Boulay) Sancerre, "Clos de Beaujeu" 2008

Quail, Duck and Chicken Fricasse with Peas, Carrots Potatoes and Chard- oatmeal bun

(Chateau de Vaux) Pinot Noir, "Les Hautes Bassieres" 2009

Oma Cheese

Banana Rhubarb Crumble with Frozen Strawberry Fermented Grains and Caramel Sauce

(Tissot) Cremant du Jura Brut NV

Bites: Mini Chocolate Cake with Fresh Mint Glaze, Chocolate and Vanilla Shortbreads

Take Away: Coconut Macaroons and Warm Sesame Bread

Friday Bridesmaid Lunch and Saturday Wedding Flowers, Late April

Photo Kate Headley I had a great weekend preparing food and flowers for Andrea who got married at the Decatur House yesterday.  I met Andrea quite recently as she was working outside of the country and just returned several weeks in advance of her wedding.

I was contacted a few weeks ago by a family friend of the brides who wanted to plan a "Bridesmaid" (there were no bridesmaids in the wedding) Home Restaurant Lunch.  Late April is full of some of my favorite ingredients, many of which are only available for a moment– helleborus, fava beans, viburnum, fiddlehead ferns, morels...

I will post flower photos when I get them in a few weeks, in the meantime here is the menu from Fridays lunch.  Friday was chilly and damp, lunch was served in front of the fireplace.  For the wedding however on Saturday the sun was out and the temperature was in the 70's...

Passing

Wild Rockfish Cake with Grainy Mustard

Chicken with Tarragon on Sweet Potato

Fennel, Caper, Golden Raisin and Lucques Olives on Endive

Scrambled Egg with Sorrel

Girasol Soup

Roasted Beet, Stem and Green with Pickled Beet

(Moutard) Brut Grand Cuvee NV

Seated

Blond Morels with Fava Beans and Fiddlehead Ferns on Arugula dressed with Chive Banyuls Vinaigrette, Whole Wheat Farm Bread

(Domaine de la Feuillarde) Saint-Veran V.V. 2008

Lamb Shoulder and Lamb Suasage with English Peas, Pea Shoots, Carrots, Leeks, Tiny Potatoes with Herb Leek Broth, Spelt Foccacia

(Domaine des Hauts Chassis) Crozes Hermitage, Les Chassis 2007

Winnimere Cheese on Walnut Cracker

Banana Cake Frozen Coconut Sandwich with Champagne Mango and Candied Macadamia Nuts

(Moutard) Brut Grand Cuvee NV

Chocolate and Vanilla Shortbread

Take Home: Salty Rosemary Walnut Biscotti

Shortbread– no dairy

This recipe is adapted from a recipe John has had for decades that he learned from Shaun Hill at Gidleigh Park in Devon, UK.  I removed the butter and replaced it with Earth Balance, a non-hydrogenated margarine, and added a little vanilla.  These melt in your mouth cookies are great with a cup of tea or paired with any frozen dessert or fruit compote. No Dairy Shortbread

24 ounces Earth Balance, non hydrogenated margarine

2 cups Confectioners Sugar

2 cups Organic Corn Starch

3 cups All Purpose Unbleached Flour (for a slightly grainy taste you could substitute 1 cup for whole wheat flour)

Seeds from the inside of 2  vanilla beans

Combine shortening and sugar and beat until thoroughly combined. Add corn starch, flour and vanilla and beat until thoroughly combined.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling.  Roll to 1/8 inch thickness and cut with pastry cutter or score with a knife so you can break into individual cookies after baking.  Prick cookies with a fork and bake in a 350 degree oven until the cookies just turn a light golden color, do not over bake.

Planting Lilac in the City

Plants in my garden are carefully chosen.  I do not have any extra space for plants that do not produce lots of food or flowers that I can cut.  Lilac does not fit my usual plant profile– it needs a fair amount of space, produces a few flowers very briefly once a season, does not look very good when it is not in bloom and needs to be pruned before July 4th in this area if you want it to produce flowers the following year. Regardless I have a Madame Lemoine lilac bush, tucked in a back corner near where extra pots and tools are stored.  It is essential because it's short lived blooms bring me so much pleasure.  The warm weather yesterday resulted in an explosion of full, sweet smelling white blooms.

.......

A country dance was being held in a garden I felt a bump and heard an "Oh, beg your pardon" Suddenly I saw polka dots and moonbeams All around a pug-nosed dream

The music started and was I the perplexed one I held my breath and said "May I have the next one?" In my frightened arms, polka dots and moonbeams Sparkled on a pug-nosed dream

There were questions in the eyes of other dancers As we floated over the floor There were questions but my heart knew all the answers And perhaps a few things more

Now in a cottage built of lilacs and laughter I know the meaning of the words "Ever after" And I'll always see polka dots and moonbeams When I kiss the pug-nosed dream

Polka Dots and Moonbeams by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johny Burke (a favorite version is by Cassandra Wilson also enjoy the one by Sarah Vaughan and another by Ella Fitzgerald)

Almond Torte with Celery Almond Sorbet, Candied Almond and Celery Seed and Sugared Celery

Talking about spring ingredients a couple weeks ago led to the idea for this dessert which is a new favorite and certain to be returned to in springs to come. Almond Torte, Celery Almond Sorbet, Candied Almond with Celery Seeds and Sugared Celery

Almond Torte

3/4 cups sugar

4 oz almonds

1 1/2 teaspoons honey

4 oz earth balance

seeds from the inside of one vanilla bean

3/4 cup pureed silken tofu

1/2 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a food processor combine sugar, almond and honey.  Process for 2 full minutes.  Put aside.

In a mixer cream earth balance and add almond sugar mixture, process until combined.  Add vanilla bean, pureed tofu, flour and baking powder and mix until just combined.

Bake in individual cupcake molds or any shape individual silicone molds.  Cook until cakes test clean, about 20 minutes.

Celery Almond Sorbet

2 cups almonds

2 cup water

4 cups chopped celery

honey to taste, approximately 6 tablespoons

pinch sea salt

Pour boiling water over almonds and let them sit for at least half an hour.  Combine all ingredients in a high speed mixer.  Adjust honey to taste.  Strain through a fine strainer pushing out as much liquid as possible.  Discard the solid and freeze the liquid in an ice cream maker.

Candied Almond and Celery Seed

1 cup almonds

2 teaspoons celery seeds

2 tablespoons honey

large pinch of sea salt

large pinch of sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all  ingredients on a baking sheet and place in oven.  Cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Sugared Celery

2 stalks celery

2 tablespoons sugar

Thinly slice celery and toss in sugar

To Assemble Dessert

Top torte with a scoop of sorbet, a small handful of almonds and a pinch of sugared celery.

......

note: I made a big batch of this for a couple Home Restaurants and then reduced the portions for this blog post.  I am not certain that the there is the perfect ratio of cake, sorbet and garnish– no worries, any left overs can be enjoyed on their own!

Twice used wedding flowers!

Photo Abby Greenawalt

Several months ago I met with a bride who was getting married in the evening on April 9, 2011 at Woodend.  She was interested in lush flowers with with lots of textures in white, ivory, green and touches of soft pink.  A couple weeks after we met I got an email from a bride who was getting married the same day at Woodend in the morning.  She explained that she had talked to the evening bride, they seemed to have similar taste, and wanted to know if I would be willing to meet with them together and figure out if they could share the majority of the flowers for their weddings.  I loved the idea!  I am always concerned about waste with wedding flowers.  Often I provide parchment paper and twine for guests to take flowers home in, I always offer to lend vases free of cost so they can be reused for another event and regularly I facilitate flower donations after weddings.

The idea of two weddings on the same day at the same venue with the same flowers makes sense.  Since they were sharing the costs we were able to do slightly larger centerpieces to achieve the very lush look both brides were looking for without excessive expense.  We figured out that ceremony pieces, guest book flowers and centerpieces would all be shared.  Each wedding party had their own personal flowers and their own flowers tied to chairs going down the aisle.  One bride added an arrangement for the place cards the other added small arrangements for cocktail tables.  Yesterday the weather was cool and damp and the flowers looked just as fresh in the evening as they did in the morning.  I arrived at Woodend ready to refresh the centerpieces between the two weddings but they needed nothing except to be placed on fresh tablecloths.

After the second wedding we delivered all of the flowers to a senior home in my neighborhood so they could get one more use!

Merci the store

On our recent trip to Paris we discovered a new favorite, a store called Merci– a seemingly casually and clearly perfectly curated and designed space that includes– dining, men and women's clothing, a used book store, art, sculpture, a home section, art supplies, bedding and kitchen supplies.

Not only was it possibly my favorite store I have ever been to but all money made beyond operating costs is donated to charity– the following is from their website.

..................

THAT THANK YOU, THANK YOU WHAT?

"I have what I gave 'Jean Giono

Thank you ...

IS AN IDEA in response to a question: How TO How to be FIXED? How to generate funds in a sustainable manner without calling for donations or charity?

IS THE IDEA that one can give his expertise, his time, talent, energy ... by creating success. This was done by the founders, Marie-France and Bernard Cohen, after selling Bonpoint imagining AN EXCEPTIONAL run as a commercial classical and effective and not as a charity store.

That's what some DESIGNERS by producing a special model for Thank you and agreeing to give up their margins. These products are identified by the small gold medal.

That's what the founders being totally volunteer and donating the profits of that business to an endowment they have created to HELP the poor children of the poorest, especially in Madagascar.

This is what the providers PARTICIPATING Thanks, if they wish, to the endowment fund.

We look forward to you reporting the results of this first year. You are SUCCESSFUL thank you! Without you nothing is possible. Thank you.

Making Energy Bars

What to eat on the run, on a plane– what to send with your child as a school snack or to eat after school before an after school activity that burns lots of calories?

Power bars or energy bars are perfect, not too filling but filled with calories, easy to eat on the run, non perishable...Unfortunately many are filled with sugar and have a really long list of ingredients.  In addition I am not comfortable having a pre packaged food be a part of my daily diet.  As a result I started playing around with a recipe of my own.

Once I came up with a recipe that everyone liked I decided to analyze it nutritionally, it looked good when I compared it to other options you can purchase.  I asked Janis Jibrin the nutritionist that I work closely with on Bob Greene's Best Life Diet to take a look at the ingredients and the analysis.  She enthusiastically approved!

Every Day Energy Bars

Makes 26 bars

5 cup oatmeal

½ cup grapeseed oil

½ cup almond milk

1 cup peanut butter

¼ cup ground flax seeds

¼ cup sesame seeds

¾ cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

¼ cup maple syrup

½ teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a stand up mixer add all of the ingredients and mix everything is thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes.

3. Measure out 1/4 cup servings, you could bake them in cupcake molds, I baked them in silicone baking molds that accommodated 1/4 cup servings.

4. Bake for 15 minutes.  After cooling completely I wrap the bars individually in a small piece of parchment paper covered with tin foil.  I store these in the freezer and for me the recipe yields nearly a months supply.

Nutrition Information for One Bar–

calories: 205

protein: 6 g

carbohydrate: 18 g

fiber: 3 g

sugar: 3 g

total fat: 13 g

saturated fat: 2.6 g

monosaturated fat: 3.7 g

polysaturated fat: 5.4 g

cholesterol: 0 mg

calcium: 26 mg

potassium: 182 mg

sodium: 70 mg

Wine, "Les Chassis"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Kate Headley

At Friday nights dinner thanks to Tom, a wine importer we work with, all the wines were stellar.  Tom looks at each Home Restaurant menu and helps us pair wines that complement the food.  He imports wines from small vineyards, lots from France and some from Italy and Spain.  His contribution to our dinners is enormous.  We share the belief that wine should highlight food and food should highlight wine– the combinations should work in concert.

The final savory course on Friday night was lamb shoulder with canellini beans, a sauce of girasol and salsify puree, wilted spinach and shaved black oregon truffles.  We poured Domaine des Hauts Chassis, Crozes Hermitage "Les Chassis" 2007 to go with that and the Winnimere cheese course that followed.  The wine was a stand out.  I asked Tom if he had any additional information to share about the wine, this is what I got from him–

Frank Faugier of Domaine des Hauts Chassis in Crozes Hermitage took over the family's 12 hectare domaine in 1998 and made the decision to leave the local co-operative and go it on his own. His first official vintage was in 2003, and luckily for us, all of his hard work has paid off. On predominantly large galets size stones over coarse sand and red clay, Frank produces 3 deliciously distinct wines. Last spring I was fortunate enough to meet and taste with Frank at the domaine located in the commune of La Roche de Glun. Although I was most impressed by the purity of fruit throughout the range , my hands down favorite was the 2007 "Les Chassis".   This 100% syrah hails from vines that are more than 50 years old. Deep and intense with beautiful structure (i.e. rich fruit, ripe medium tannins and excellent underlying acidity) this is a syrah that in my estimation could only come from the northern Rhone.

Home Restaurant April 1 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo Kate Headley

We had an excellent evening last night at 1508.  It was an open night full of lively discussion, new friends and early spring ingredients including the first morels of the season from a forager in Oregon–

Passing

Shad Roe and Sorrel

Beef Tongue, Grainy Mustard, Tarragon and French Breakfast Radish

Tiny Potato with Capers, Olives and Vegan Yogurt

Chicken Liver and Parsnip with Paprika and Lemon

Noodles with Sage, Rosemary and Paolo Olive Oil

Turnip Soup

(Chateau Les Valentines) Cotes du Provence ROSE Estate 2010

Seated

Scallop with Black Rice, Pea Shoots and Beets– Whole Wheat Boule

(Domaine des Roy) Touraine ROUGE "Les Linottes" 2008

Micro Arugula, Baby Tat Soi, Leeks, Baby Carrots, Fava Beans, Fennel, Blond Morels and Crunchy Quinoa dressed with Argon Oil and Banyuls Vinegar–White Spelt Roll Stuffed with Sesame and Curly Parsley

(Domaine de la Feuillarde) Saint-Veran V.V. 2008

Lamb Shoulder, Cannellini Beans, Salsify and Girasol Puree, Black Truffle with Spinach– Whole Grain Foccacia

(Domaine des Hauts Chassis) Crozes Hermitage "Les Chassis" 2007

Winnimere Cheese on Walnut Cracker

Almond Torte with Celery Almond Sorbet, Almond Celery Seed Brittle and Candied Celery

(Grange Tiphaine) Nouveau Nez - Sparkling Montlouis 2008

Chocolate Coconut Macaroon, Chocolate Beet Cupcake, Fresh Champagne Mango with Mandarin Orange

Goodie Bags- Warm Sesame Bread and Salty Sweet Rose Pistachio Biscotti

A favor turns into the present of photographs, thanks Naz!

A talented photographer friend of ours, Malek Naz Freidouni, asked if she could photograph our daughter Martin-Lane for her portfolio.  Martin-Lane said she was up for it.  We set up the shoot for a Sunday morning and Naz promised she would work quickly, which she did. The photos are awesome, this is one of my favorites and it seems to be appropriate today with so many cherry blossom petals just beginning to fall– taken in the room where the Home Restaurants happen.  Check out more of her work on her website.

perennial vs annual grains and the environment...

This is kind of arcane but I found it of interest... I have read in a few different places that the choice to cultivate annual plants about 10,000 years ago instead of perennial plants continues to greatly impact our world today.  There is much about this that I do not understand but in short perennials have longer roots which make them need less soil, water and fertilizer resulting in little negative environmental impact.

Yesterday sitting in a waiting room I read a recent National Geographic article– the following excerpt and photo below explains this concept well:

"We pay a steep price for our reliance on high yields and shallow roots, says soil scientist—and National Geographic emerging explorer—Jerry Glover of the Land Institute. Because annual root crops mostly tap into only the top foot or so of soil, that layer gets depleted, forcing farmers to rely on large amounts of fertilizers to maintain high yields. Often less than half the fertilizer in the Midwest gets taken up by crops; much of it washes into the Gulf of Mexico, where it fertilizes algae blooms that cause a vast dead zone around the mouth of the Mississippi. Annuals also promote heavy use of pesticides or tillage because they leave the ground bare much of the year. That allows weeds to invade.

Above all, leaving the ground bare after harvest and plowing it in planting season erodes the soil. No-till farming and other conservation practices have reduced the rate of soil loss in the U.S. by more than 40 percent since the 1980s, but it's still around 1.7 billion tons a year. Worldwide, one estimate put the rate of soil erosion from plowed fields at ten to a hundred times the rate of soil production. "Unless this disease is checked, the human race will wilt like any other crop," Jackson wrote 30 years ago. As growing populations force farmers in poor countries onto steeper, erodible slopes, the "disease" threatens to get worse.

Perennial grains would help with all these problems. They would keep the ground covered, reducing erosion and the need for pesticides, and their deep roots would stabilize the soil and make the grains more suitable for marginal lands. "Perennials capture water and nutrients 10 or 12 feet down in the soil, 11 months of the year," Glover says. The deep roots and ground cover would also hold on to fertilizer—reducing the cost to the farmer as well as to the environment."

After a bit of research I found that the Land Institute is investigating perennial grains that could potentially have high yields.  There is quite a bit of information available on the internet and I found an interesting site called Agricultural Biodiversity that has several posts about the issue.