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Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Squeeze some lemon juice in a bowl.
Cut artichoke in half and toss in lemon juice.
Coat in grape seed oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place on a sheet tray cut side down and cook until golden brown and leaves pull out easily.
Remove from oven.
Remove the outside tough leaves.
Use scissors and cut in a v (the shape of the artichoke) to remove remaining prickly bits near the top.
Last weekend–– a flower garland to frame and escort card board for a wedding at River Farm that I did with Karson Butler Events. Bay, camellia, salal, variegated ivy, polo roses, vitality garden rose and a dutch open cut spray rose.
I recently finished developing, writing and testing recipes for a Pescetarian book (vegetarian + fish), written by Janis Jibrin R.D. and photographed by Kate Headley. It will be released by Ballentine Books Spring 2014. Janis' meticulous research concludes that eating this way will–– help you look great, feel great, boost your mental acumen and reduce the risk of major disease...
This is a recipe I developed for the book that did not make it in but has become a staple snack for us. Love Kate Headley's photo and the many others that will be included in the upcoming book.
Berries with Sesame Sauce/ Snack
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
1 tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoons honey
tiny pinch of cayenne
½ teaspoon sesame seeds
1 cup berries
On a walk this morning in between the capitol and the Nationals Stadium we came across tons of chicory and other wild flowers. Experience has shown me that none of these cut well and it is best to enjoy them where they grow.
A friend recently moved to Paris to work as an editor for Paris By Mouth a blog in English about food in Paris, it is a fabulous resource for all things food related in Paris... check it out.
Anyway in a recent email she wrote,
p.s. you're definitely going to want to check out cafe pinson when next here. all vegan but doing typical french foods and doing it well. it's a beautiful space too.
I was excited to get a preview photo yesterday from one of my favorite spring weddings–– Lambs Ear, Anemone, Free Spirit Rose, David Austin Juliet Rose, Ranunculus, Brunia, Double White Freesia, Peony, Bush Ivy, Seeded Eucalyptus and Green Hypericum Berries.
Thanks to Vicki Grafton for the photo... more to come.
Lovely guests on Saturday night gathered to celebrate a friends engagement. They were a pleasure, fabulous wine pairings by Tom, so many great ingredients makes cooking super fun– all good!
PASSING
Flat Iron and Broccoli Rabe, Porcini with Leeks, Chicken Thigh on Cabbage with Preserved Lemon and Olive (Red Lentil for Vegetarians), Soft Shell with Sorrel and Avocado (Sweet Potato for Vegetarians), Scallop and Rhubarb on Cucumber and Mustard (Giant Lima Bean for Vegetarians), Beet Noodle with Black Walnut
Lemon Verbena Vodka Cocktail, (Delaunay) Touraine ROSE 'Cabotieres' 2012
SEATED
Asparagus, Ramps and Morels with Arugula and Radish– Corn Meal Bread
(Dutheil) Chinon 'Les Gravieres' 2012
Fava Beans, Baby Artichoke, Black Rice, Green Onion, Celery, Parsley and Basil– Spelt and Oregano Bread
(Frabcois Cazin) Cour-Cheverny 2009
Halibut with French Summer Truffles, Mashed Potatoes and Baby Collard Greens (Poached Egg for Vegetarians)– Buckwheat Bread
(Bart) Bourgogne, Marsanney 2011
Moses Sleeper Cheese and Walnut Cracker
Chocolate Cake with Frozen Chocolate, Coconut Cream, Local Strawberries and Pistachios
(Champalou) Vouvray NV
Bites: Tiny Carrot Cakes, Popcorn Cookies, Lychee Nuts
Give Away: Chocolate Chip Sesame Cookies
Maybe it was the beautiful long spring followed by the intense heat?? Whatever the cause the oak leaf hydrangea are amazing this year!
I am asked often if I can deliver food for families and until this week I could not quite figure out a way that made sense. Yesterday we did a trial with one family and are planning to start providing food for a handful of families on a weekly basis. We will work closely with each family to determine preferences, take care of any eating restrictions and meet any health goals.
This is the plan–– on Wednesdays (this day of the week was chosen to coincide with Path Valley Cooperative Farms delivery) we will deliver a variety of vegetable, grain and bean dishes as well as a just out of the oven whole grain bread, a couple snacks, a no sugar high protein breakfast and a low sugar dessert. The idea is that that these items can be meals or complement a simply cooked piece of fish, chicken or meat that the individual families prepare themselves. All the food will last for a few days. This is the way that we eat in our house and are excited about sharing it with others...
May 29 Delivery
Wood Grilled Asparagus and Leeks
Fava Beans with Baby Artichoke, Preserved Lemon, Celery and Parsley
Black Rice with Sesame and Spring Onion
Wilted Pea Shoots
Red Lentil and Sorrel Puree
Stewed Tomatoes with Garlic and Basil
Whole Grain Bread
Quinoa Granola
Power Bars
Mini Strawberry Almond Tarts
This weeks trip to Eden Center provided mangosteen which are only available for about 6 weeks in the spring-early summer. Most mangosteens sold in the US are grown in Thailand. Flowery, sweet, tangy and juicy– I adore them.
The journalist and gourmand R.W. Apple Jr. was quoted as saying about mangosteens,
"no other fruit, for me, is so thrilling, intoxicatingly luscious...I'd rather eat one than a hot fudge sundae, which for a big Ohio boy is saying a lot."
David Wolfe, a raw foodist mentions the benefits of mangosteens repeatedly in his book, Eating for Beauty. Some natural foodists believe that the peel contains important cancer fighting phytochemicals.
This weekends New York Times article, Breeding the Nutrition Out of Our Food, discussed the need to choose the correct fruits and vegetables to ensure we are getting high levels of phytonutrients from our produce. I found the article prescriptive, some stated and some is my interpretation.
I am anxious to read the author, Jo Robinson's book, Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health.
A guilty pleasure of mine is tropical fruit–– It comes from far away (think all those air miles) and nearly all have inedible peel which means that the sugar in the fruit is faster acting in your body... Regardless I adore tropical fruit and eat it whenever I have the chance. On a trip to Eden Center yesterday we picked up a box of rambutan that taste similar to lychee nuts but not quite as sweet. In New York in the spring and early summer you can buy them from street vendors in Chinatown.
Photo Abby Greenawalt
Local Red Charm peonies are only available for a couple weeks each year. I can get them prior to the local season for a couple weeks from Holland and for a couple weeks after the local season from New York, Vermont and Maine. Right now I am getting them from close by, Virginia and they are gorgeous. I just used them in arrangements for a mid-week event at the Mandarin Oriental and have more coming for a wedding in a private home this weekend.
Lunch today: sunflower micro greens, shredded cabbage, avocado, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, giant white lima beans dressed with olive oil and cider vinegar––
Yesterday a friend brought us a bag of sunflower micro greens from a 2.75 acre farm within the city limits of Columbia, South Carolina called City Roots. I had never heard of it before but it looks incredible– In addition to intensive production of fruit and vegetables they have bees for honey and pollination, chickens for eggs and enriching the soil and an aquaponic system which produces tilapia and hydroponically grown vegetables. Inspirational!
Their stated mission:
Our vision is to produce clean, healthy, sustainably grown products while enhancing and educating our community about the benefits of locally grown food, composting, vermicomposting and other environmentally friendly farming practices.
Photos by Amber Wilkie, thanks.
Bride and groom with a vision + A. Dominick Events + National Museum of Women in the Arts + Food by Susan Gage and Rasika. Memorable Wedding!
