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Just got photos back from my last wedding of 2011– The couple has impeccable taste down to the brides Roger Vivier shoes... planning and endless memorable details by Maria and Kelly of Ritzy Bee, the Georgetown Four Seasons, my first time working with both K. Rose and Mr. Boddington's Studio... lucky for me it was all documented by Kate Headley. These photos make me excited for my first wedding of the year this coming weekend!
I recently discovered savi seeds. They taste like a cross between and a soy nut and an almond but they are actually seeds, which we are all supposed to be eating more of these days. I have been eating them on cereal, on their own as a snack and on salads.
According to the package they are nutritionally extraordinary– they have 7000 mg of Omega 3 per ounce which is 13 times more than in an ounce of salmon, lots of protein, tryptophan, vitamin E and fiber.
Photo Brian Johnson
Very excited to see a wedding I adored in the January 2012 issue of Southern Living Weddings– daydreaming about the beautiful June day on this chilly January morning!
Fabulous couple, the Goodstone Inn in Middleburg Virginia and an incredible team of Ritzy Bee Events, Brian Johnson Photography and Maggie Austin Cakes.
Rang in 2012 at 1508 with fabulous guest, thanks to all in attendance!
Passing
Salsify, Celery Root, American White Sturgeon Caviar
Beet Noodles, Chives
Egg, Jowl Bacon, Sorrel
Kale, Sesame
Lamb BBQ, Kohlrabi
Parsnip and Baby Turnips
(Jacques Lassaigne) Blanc de Blancs Brut 'Les Vignes de Montgueux' NV, Vodka Bay Leaf Martini
Seated
Hangar Steak, Avocado, Brussel Sprouts, Farm Bread
(Monpertuis) Cotes du Rhone 2009
Lima Beans, Squash, Black Walnuts, Collard Greens, Oregon Black Truffle, Herb Flatbread
(Vincent Dampt) Chablis 1er 'Cote de Lechet' 2008
Rockfish, Saffron Broth, Leek, Carrot, Smashed Potato, Salted Spelt Bread
(Chezeaux) Bourgogne Rouge 2008
Appalachian Cheese, Cracker
Date Sesame Custard, Fresh Date, Meyer Lemon, Sesame Brittle
Frozen Truffle, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Sauce, Shaved Truffle
(Tissot) Cremant du Jura Brut Rose NV
Cookies: Sparkly Tonka Bean Stars, Coconut Pistachio, Ginger, Chocolate Mint
Take Home: Chocolate Fig Walnut Bread
Martin-Lane had a fun part in the Washington Ballet's Nutcracker this winter, she was a frontier girl. We celebrated with lots of post performance get togethers back at 1508...like most gatherings over here there was food... one night chili, one night vegetable bao, another gluten-free pizza...
It has been so much fun watching her dance, preparing the meals and taking the time to sit down to meals with old friends, new friends and family...
Photos, Martin-Lane Cochran
We are hosting a dinner on New Years Eve at 1508. So far we have a fun group join...still have some available seats, want to join? Still working on the menu but it looks like it will include truffles, saffron, caviar, rockfish, chocolate, sparkling Jura wine, champagne, jowl bacon...
If you have any questions or would like to join let me know, sidraforman@gmail.com .
Last week I got flowers for an event I did at 1508. They were tremendous... Tulips from New Jersey, Peonies and Ranunculus are from Holland, Anemones for Upstate New York...I know they all had to travel to get here but they were very much enjoyed and appreciated!
Home Restaurants are where we feed most people these days...It continues to be a pleasure welcoming people to our home, sharing our favorite foods and wines and creating an in between place to dine and visit.
In December a few people who eat at 1508 often and who I have cooked for and done flowers for over the years asked if we would be willing to do small Sunday night dinners at their homes. Fully understanding how much pleasure this brings me, I said "of course"!
One of the dinners–
Passing
Guinea Hen Confit, Kohlrabi, Thyme
Jowl Bacon, Egg, Toast, Chive
Scallop, Sorrel, Pickled Beet
Seated
Baby Mizuna, Baby Arugula, Chestnuts, Parsnips, Pomegranate, Banyuls Vinaigrette– 48 Hour Farm Bread
Beef Short Ribs, Tiny Potatoes, Celery Root, Turnip, Carrot, Shallots, Young Kale– Sorghum Wheat Berry Bread
Appalachian Cheese, Walnut Cracker
Soft Gingerbread, Pear, Chocolate Sauce, Whip Cream, Cocoa Nibs
Tiny Cookies: Pistachio Coconut, Salty Rosemary Walnut, Chocolate Mint
I did flowers for a close friends sons Bar Mitzvah which was all about family, friendship and community...my friend happens to be a talented designer– it was meticulously conceived, I did the flowers and Kate Headley took photos...so, in addition to enjoying the celebration I got some fabulous flower photos–
photo Kate Headley
We hosted a Home Restaurant last Saturday filled with old and brand new friends...
Passing
Scallop on Potato with Sorrel
Jowl Bacon and Eggs on Toast with Chives
Pickled Beet with Chestnut
Flat Iron Steak on Kohlrabi with Caramelized Onions
Guinea Hen Confit on Sweet Potato
Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Broccoli
Bay Leaf Vodka Martini, (Domaine Brazillier) Coteaux du Vendomois Rose 2010
Seated
Lamb Shoulder with Kale Salad, Pumpkin Seeds and Watermelon Radish– 48 hour Bread
(Roger Perrin) Chateauneuf du Pape 2008
Delicata Squash, Black Walnut, Garlic, Chard, Oregon Truffle– Sorgum Syrup Bread
(Chateau de Roquefort) Provence BLANC "Genets" 2010
Rockfish with Corn Grits, Turnip, Celery Root and Carrot– Olive Oil Spelt Bread
(Chateau de Vaux) Pinot Noir "Les Hautes Bassieres" 2009
Gabietou Cheese and Cracker
Black Rice Pudding and Persimmon
Gingerbread, Frozen Chestnut and Chocolate
(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cremant du Jura Brut NV
Bites: Coconut Pistachio, Chocolate Mint, Salty Sweet Rosemary Biscotti
To Go: Chocolate Fig Bread
bread making photo by Erik Johnson from a sunny day...today, it was dark and rainy– perfect bread making weather!
An enthusiastic group came to 1508 this morning for a bread class– it was fun.
We all kneaded bread, talked about gluten, different types of flours and grains, how to comfortably fit bread making into everyday life...and we made a whole lot of bread.
The recipes–
48 Hour Farm Bread
1 tablespoon fresh compressed yeast
1 ½ cup water at room temperature
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
2 teaspoon salt
1.Combine yeast and water in a large bowl.
2.Add additional ingredients and mix until incorporated.
3.Cover with plastic and let sit in a warm spot for 48 hours.
4.Lay a dish towel out on a flat surface and dust generously with flour.
5.Dump dough onto the towel and make into 10 inch square.
6.Fold square into thirds, dust top with flour, cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
7.Fold in thirds using short end.
8.Brush off excess flour and gently stretch top layer over the seams visible on 2 sides of the dough.
9.Cover ½ of a clean dish towel generously with flour and top with several tablespoons of wheat bran.
10.Place bread on part of towel covered with flour and sprinkle top with more flour and bran.
11.Cover with the remaining half of the towel and let rise for 2 hours.
12.After 1 hour of rising place a 2 quart casserole (I use a Le Cruset, enamel covered cast iron pan) with a cover in a 500 degree oven.
13.After an hour remove cover, place dough in the casserole and cover and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.
14.Remove bread from the casserole and let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Cracked Wheat Bread
*¼ cup cracked wheat, soaked for 24 hours in 1 cup water
1 ½ cups warm water
3 tablespoons fresh compressed yeast
¼ cup good quality olive oil
¼ cup molasses, maple syrup, honey or sorgum syrup
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup flax seeds roughly chopped
¼ cup chopped walnuts
4 cups plus stone ground whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1.In a large bowl combine yeast and water.
2.Add oil, molasses (or other), sunflower seeds, cracked wheat, 2 cups flour and salt.
3.Mix until thoroughly combined.
4.Add remaining flour and knead until smooth, add a little more flour if sticky.
5.Lightly coat a clean bowl with olive oil, place dough in bowl and cover with a damp cloth.
6.Let dough sit in a warm spot until doubled, about 40 minutes.
7.Divide into two, shape into loaves and place in oiled loaf pan.
8.Put in a warm place, cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
9.Bake in a 375 degree oven until top is browned and loaves sound hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes.
Foccacia
1 ½ tablespoon fresh compressed yeast
1 ½ cup stone ground whole wheat flour
1 ½ cup all purpose unbleached flour
2 heaping teaspoons of salt
about 2 tablesoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano, rosemary or thyme
¼ cup roughly chopped olives (optional)
1 teaspoon medium coarse sea salt
1.Combine 1 ½ cups of water and the yeast, mix until smooth.
2.Add the flour and salt.
3.Knead this dough until thoroughly combined and then an additional 2 minutes.
4.Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
5.Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
6.Take a large baking tray, and lightly cover it in olive oil. Spread the dough on the tray, and create little indents with your fingers for the oil to soak in.
7.Coat top with a thin layer of oil and top with oregano, sea salt, and olives (if using).
8.Cook for 8-10 minutes in the oven.
9.Cut as soon as you take the focaccia out of the oven.
Pizza Dough
1 cup all purpose unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup 00 flour
2 tablespoons fresh compressed yeast
1 ½ cup lukewarm water
2 slightly heaping teaspoon of salt
1.Mix the flour and salt.
2.Dissolve yeast in the water and add to the flour mixture.
3.Knead this dough by hand until thoroughly incorporated and then continue kneading for 2-3 more minutes.
4.Cover with plastic and leave to sit at least 45 minutes or up to 24 hours.
5.Pat out dough by hand to desired thickness and cook in pizza oven or conventional oven at 450 on a stone.
No Recipe Bread (this is a rough recipe, start with this experiment and make it your own)
3 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh compressed yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons finely ground sea salt
4 cups spelt flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 1/2 cups organic all purpose unbleached flour (exact amount determined when making)
Olive oil or olive oil spray for pan
1.In a large bowl combine water, yeast, sugar, and salt . Mix until smooth. Gradually add flour, about 2 cups at a time, switching back and forth between the spelt, whole wheat and the all purpose unbleached. Knead in flour after each addition.
2.When the dough can stick together as a ball take the dough out of the bowl and place on a clean surface. Knead the dough adding more flower until it stops sticking to your hands. Knead dough vigorously for about 2 minutes.
3.Place bread in a clean bowl and let rise at room temperature or place in refrigerator to use later.
4.When ready to bake you can bake in a loaf, in a boule shape, as a flatbread...in a 375 degree oven until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
5.Possible additions are wheatberries, rosemary, nuts, seeds, olives...
I have had a great year of weddings– this one I am particularly fond of...lovely and generous couple with a great vision, elegant Decatur House, a gorgeous early November day, an abundance of fall flowers, coordination by Alexandra Kovach and... lucky for me all of that documented by the deeply talented Kate Headley!
Last week fried chicken mushrooms were available through the wild mushroom forager in Oregon that I often rely on when wild mushrooms are not available locally or I do not have the time to hunt for my own. I had never heard of them before... They were delicious, fairly mild flavored with a slightly sweet and woodsy flavor and a meaty texture. We served them roasted with spaghetti squash, celery root sauce, chickweed and a little bit of pickled beets. I will order them again...and am wondering if I might be able to find them in the woods locally.
When I saw huckleberries were available from the Amish cooperative Path Valley I immediately added them to my list despite the fact that I had no specific plan about what I was going to do with them. Some became part of a pudding (recipe below) for a tiny first dessert course that I served with a salty rosemary walnut biscotti. The remainder got cooked and sweetened with local honey, put in little jars and given away as to-go gifts for guests at last Friday nights Home Restaurant. I am now a fan of huckleberries!
Huckleberry Almond Pudding
1 cup huckleberries, cooked, pureed and passed through a fine sieve
2 cups almond milk
1/4 cup sugar or more if you want a sweeter pudding
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
In a small saucepan combine huckleberries, almond milk, sugar and salt.
Heat over medium heat stirring often until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl combine cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and mix until smooth.
Slowly add the cornstarch to the huckleberry mixture and combine thoroughly.
Heat over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
Pour into individual serving cups or 1 large bowl and chill until set, about 12 hours.
November 5th was a big day for me...I did flowers for a few fabulous couples. I have seen glimpses of photos from the other weddings I did that day but these are the first complete set I have gotten back. As always it was a pleasure to work with Alexandra Kovach. Thank you to Michelle Frankfurter for the photos– her unique point of view is clear through the images that she captures...below are a few of the more flower-centric ones.
