Congratulations on the Book Maria and Kelly!

My friends and colleagues Maria and Kelly of Ritzy Bee recently finished a new wedding book for Southern Living.  Rumor has it there is one advance copy floating around The Hive and it is gorgeous but I have not seen it yet!  The Southern Living Wedding Planner and Keepsake: What to do before saying "I do" will be available to all of us on January 3 next year at bookstores and through Amazon.  With their radiance and knowing that all of the photos were taken by Kate Headley I cannot wait to see it!!  In the meantime you can sneak a peek on a recent Ritzy Bee blog post. Congratulations!!

xos

Home Restaurant, November 18, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Kate Headley

Very much enjoyed our lively guests at Friday night Home Restaurant!

Passing

Brussel sprouts, pickled ginger

Lamb sausage, fig, carrot

Egg, jowl bacon, toast, sorrel

Rabbit, apple, corncake

Roasted tomato garlic soup

Chicken, sweet potatoes, grainy mustard

Lemon Thyme Vodka Martini

Seated

Flat iron steak, parsnip, broccoli greens

(Pierre Gauthier) Bourgeuil "Soif du Jour" 2010

Spaghetti squash, celeriac, chickweed, pickled beets, chanterelle and fried chicken mushrooms

(Thevenet) Macon Pierreclos 2009

Sablefish, stinging nettles, leeks, tiny potatoes, truffle salt, fennel

(Henri Jouan) Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grain 2009

Jasper Hill Harbison cheese with walnut cracker

Huckleberry custard with salty rosemary walnut biscotti

(Eudald) 'Familia' Brut Cava NV

Squash pecan pie chocolate sorbet and cocoa nibs

Cookies: Coconut cashew, chocolate mint, gingersnap

Take home

Seeded bread

Cooked Huckleberries

Personal Flowers from an October Wedding

Lovely bride, church ceremony followed by lunch at Longview Gallery, got to work with Teresa from Rex and Regina for the first time. Used lots of dahlias that are now done until next year from Bob Wollam, whites for personal flowers and bright oranges and reds for centerpieces at the lunch.

The bride picked up the different black and white ribbons at a favorite store of mine in NY M&J Trimming.

Photos: Chris Baltazar

Pili Nuts?

Until very recently I had never heard of pili nuts...found them online at One Lucky Duck.  They are very rich and kind of buttery tasting– great for eating on their own, baking with or making into a smooth sauce.  I learned they are native of the Phillipines and grow in volcanic soil. They are healthy like most nuts but in addition contain a large amount of magnesium and Vitamin E as well as omegas and all essential amino acids.

Jura Wine Dinner

Last night we hosted a dinner at 1508 with Tom Calder, a wine broker from Paris and Tom Kiska, a wine importer who regularly helps us with our wine pairings at dinners.

All 11 of the wines were from the Jura region in France, 2 from the 1950's!!

Tom and Tom's combined knowledge is astounding, a wonderful group attended– a memorable night.

Passing

Rabbit with Apple on Carrot

Kobacha Squash Puree

Brussel Sprout with Pickled Ginger

Celery Root with Lemon and Argon Oil

Eggs with Jowl Bacon

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cremant du Jura Brut NV

(Tissot) Cremant du Jura Brut Rose NV

Foie Gras Terrine on Brioche

(Tissot) Vin de Paille 2004

Seated

Cornmeal Soup with Parsnip and  Sorrel

(Tissot) Arbois Chardonnay "Classique" 2009

Scallops with Cauliflower and Vanilla, Salty Oat Bread

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cotes du Jura Blanc 1992

Sweetbreads and Figs, Farm Bread

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cotes du Jura Blanc 1953

Guinea Hen with Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and Burgundy Truffles and Collard Green Sprouts, Multi-Grain Roll

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cotes du Jura Rouge 1959

Lamb Leg with Chanterelle Mushroom and Wilted Romaine, Spelt Olive Oil Focaccia

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cotes du Jura Rouge 1990

Franche Comte Cheese and Cracker

(Caves Jean Bourdy) Arbois Vin Jaune 2001

Chocolate Pudding with Chocolate Cookie

(Tissot) Trousseau Arbois 2009

Roasted Pear and Almond Sorbet

(Tissot) Cremant du Jura Brut NV

Cardoons

Cardoons from Path Valley Cooperative in Pennsylvania. To cook– slice (some varieties have sharp edges so take care when handling raw), bring salted water to a boil, add cardoons, return to a boil, drain.  Repeat this process until the cardoons are tender but not mushy, this usually takes 5 or 6 times.

At our last Home restaurant we made a salad with the cooked cardoons, wild capers, golden raisins, picholine olives, fresh parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper– and served the salad passed on a warm corncake.

Bandol paired with Lamb, Basil Mashed Potatoes and Cipolline Onion

I often mention Tom a local wine importer who looks at each of our menus and helps us pair our food with wines from his fabulous cellar of small vineyard, primarily European wines. Last Friday night we served a dish of Whitmore Farms Lamb Chop, Leg and Sausage with Basil Mashed Potatoes, Braised Cipolline Onion and Chard from our backyard...with Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rouge 2003...the pairing was memorable.

More about the wine from Rosenthal the exporter of this Bandol...

There is the appellation of Bandol with its plethora of producers, some good, some mediocre; and then there is Chateau Pradeaux, the unique, inimitable, standard bearer for this ancient wine-growing district. The Chateau Pradeaux is situated on the outskirts of the town of St. Cyr Sur Mer which lies directly on the Mediterranean Ocean between Toulon and Marseilles. The estate is owned by the Portalis family which has owned this property since before the French Revolution. The domaine is currently under the direction of Cyrille Portalis, who continues to maintain the great traditions of this estate.

The vineyards are cultivated in as natural a manner as possible with reliance on organic methods. In fact, during the spring months sheep are permitted to graze in the vineyards thereby eliminating any need to use herbicides and at the same time providing a natural compost.

The wines of Pradeaux are brooding and difficult. Produced on the back of the noble Mourvedre, Pradeaux in its youthful stages is tannic, backward, and sometimes ornery. The wines are not destemmed; "elevage" in large oak foudres can last as long as four years; the essential blend is at least 95% Mourvedre; vines of less than 25 years of age are not used for the reds.

September 2011 Home Restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Kate Headley

Friday night we had an open Home Restaurant, fabulous group!

This is what we ate and drank–

PASSING

Whitmore Bacon and Eggs on Buckwheat Toast

Cardoon, Golden Raisin, Young Olive, Fennel and Caper

Rabbit and Rhubarb Ketchup with French Breakfast Radish

Stuffed Squash Blossoms 

Roasted Shishito Peppers

Cold Beet Soup with Grain Yogurt

Scallop on Cucumber with Sesame and Ginger

Basil Lime Vodka Cocktail

(Chateau de Roquefort) Cotes de Provence ROSE 'Corail' 2010  

 SEATED 

Black Cod with Butterhead, Okra and Shallot Dressing

48 Hour Bread

(Tenuta Roveglia) Lugana Classico 2010    

 Baby Lima Beans, Green Tomatoes, Eggplant and Spaghetti Squash and Baby Collard Greens

Garlic Bread

(Villargeau) Coteaux du Giennois Sauvignon Blanc 2010

 Lamb Chop, Loin and Sausage with Basil Mashed Potatoes, Cipollini and Chard

Spelt Olive Oil Bread

(Ch. Pradeaux) Bandol Rouge 2003

 Mayor of Nye Beach Cheese and Cracker

 Zucchini Cake with Frozen Winter Squash and Candied Walnuts

(Tissot) Cremant du Jura "Indigene" NV  

Bites: Warm Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies, Celeste Fig

Take Home: Sesame Bread, Salty Rosemary Walnut Biscotti, Fresh Bay Leaves

A La Mode Dahlias

Maybe it is the name that attracts me...personally I like ice cream and I like baked goods but I have always been partial to any baked good served with ice cream– a la mode... Dahlias do not travel well.  I only use them when they are available locally, most years they are at their best in the DC area from August through mid October.  Most of the dahlias I use are from Wollam Gardens.  I use as many as possible, especially these bi-color white and orange a la modes, while they are available.

Mash Celery Root

For the last five nights mashed celery root has been part of our dinner. This is not the first time that we have gotten stuck on a particular food and it often happens at the beginning of the season when the food is available for the first time after it has been out of season for awhile...I assume that once we tire of the mash we will move on to roasting, marinating...

Mash Celery Root

Celery Root

Favorite Olive Oil (we used Tuscan Laudemio)

Favorite Salt (we cooked with a fine ground French sea salt and finished with pink Himalayan)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper (we used tellicherry)

Peel the celery root and chop into roughly 1 inch cubes, the pieces need to be more or less uniform so they can cook evenly.  Place in a pot, cover with water, season with salt and bring to a boil.  Cook until celery root is tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the celery root, place in a high speed blender,  add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and process until very smooth. Serve hot.