charmcitycook

Pie crust...buy or DIY?

2012-02-14T07:21:00.000-08:00

I didn't grow up eating pies...we were more of a cake family. Cake mixes, to be exact. I grew up with five older brothers, so Mom was a little busy. So when I started baking a few years ago, I thought...hmmm, what about pie? Who doesn't love pie? Pie sounds good. Let's make pie.

I started with a simple pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie (my fave) and then I got into strawberry rhubarb pie. Rhubarb completely fascinates me...it's both beautiful and tart and is the perfect companion to sweet things like fresh local strawberries in the springtime. Last year, I planted rhubarb in my back yard and I can't wait for it to start sprouting!

I tend to make pies based on what's in season and fresh at the market, but usually use pre-made crusts from the grocery store and they've always served me well. Those food engineers really know what they're doing!

Then, I finally decided to make a crust from scratch with the help of Smitten Kitchen (thanks, Lesley!) I followed the Cooks Illustrated recipe using part butter, part shortening and...vodka. Who would ever imagine vodka in a pie...not this novice baker! It turned out well and I shared it with some friends. They all raved, but they had also said they loved the ones I made with crusts I'd purchased.

Then...I had a bake-off in my tiny little Hampden kitchen. I made two blueberry pies - one with a homemade crust and one with a Pillsbury crust. I used blueberries simply because Whole Foods had tweeted about a buy-one-get-one-free dealio a few days prior.

My neighbors and friends were my taste testers. While they loved the flakiness and texture of the scratch crust, the taste overall was not THAT much more amazing to us overall, so I doubt I will be a faithful homemade crust girl. Maybe I would if I had a little more free time...but also, baking requires precision...and I think I'm more of a 'smidge of this' and 'handful of that' kinda cook. Much like my grandmother - she didn't even use recipes. I have a lot of friends who would never-in-a-million-years buy a pie crust. I respect them completely. I just cannot hang with them on this.

Here are a few of my fave pie recipes:

Peach creme fraiche pie
Strawberry rhubarb pie
Chocolate creme pie

Do you bake? What's your specialty? Cake? Pie? Recipes? Tips?

Ready, set, Gojee!

2012-02-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

In a past life, I worked at the Baltimore Museum of Art. I loved working amidst amazing old masterpieces, contemporary art and everything in between. One of the huge perks of my job was the behind-the-scenes sort of access which comes from a private curator-led tour. I always felt so cool and 'in the know", learning from the people who put the show together. I loved hearing their insights on how and why they selected certain pieces and how it all worked together.

When I first started cooking, I'd visit sites like My Recipes, All Recipes and other big websites filled with user generated content. The sheer number of chili recipes, for example, can be quite overwhelming - and don't get me started on lasagna. And ratings or not, how do you really know if that "Katie's Heavenly Chocolate Cake" will live up to the name. Sometimes the recipes on those big sites were good...but the time spent searching for them was just too precious to me. Don't you have better things to do than scroll through hundreds and hundreds of pie recipes?

Enter Gojee...a recipe site that is actually curated, meaning that not all recipes make the cut. You can search for recipes by ingredient, either via ‘cravings’ or by one key ingredient you might have in your pantry. You can also add your dislikes and allergies, which is a great time saver. What you get is a very manageable list of recipes. Gorgeous photos, too.

So, say I have a butternut squash staring at me from the kitchen counter or maybe soba noodles in the pantry that I bought on a whim at H Mart. (Both true for me right this minute.) I simply put that in the crave section...and get hand-picked recipes from great bloggers like Food 52, Eat Boutique, Sassy Radish and tons more.

Here are a few dishes I've made from Gojee (the photos are from the site, not by me):

Soba Noodle and Warm Vegetable Salad

Butternut Squash Risotto with Sage and Saffron

Chicken Soupy Stew

The editors of this beautiful and succinct cooking website are much like the curators at the BMA...only with food. It's pretty amazing.

Search, cook, eat.

p.s. Gojee has a Drinks site, too!

The Source

2012-01-31T10:11:00.000-08:00

I enjoy an adult beverage from time to time. And, by "from time to time" I actually mean a few nights each week, to be honest. That's okay, right? Say right. After a long day, there's nothing like putting your feet up, watching some tv and sipping on your favorite drink. Happiness.

Luckily, I live just a few measly blocks from The Wine Source in Hampden. I noticed a while back that I must go there a lot - it's funny to be greeted with "Hey, Ame!" Perhaps I need to slow down on my wine sourcing...but I know I won't.

Not only is the Wine Source's selection of beer, wine, spirits, cheese, etc, wonderful, the people and service there are even better. I coordinate lots of events in my day job at an independent school and when I need beer or wine, the folks at the Wine Source make it easy as pie. I simply email the seemingly unflappable Ian Stalfort and tell him about my event (# of guests, type and time frame of event, menu, etc...) and he figures out what we need and has it delivered - and the drivers are always courteous and on time. Every time. They just send me a bill and also pick up any unopened bottles and credit our account. The prices are excellent, too - Ian never recommends anything over the price point I give him - and we get GREAT stuff! They make my work life sane and for that I am eternally grateful. Also, he suggested a wine for an event several years ago and it's still one of my all-time favorite whites, Ducasse White Bordeaux. I buy it all the time and it's super affordable. Perfect.

Other folks at the Wine Source we love: David, Carey and Jed.

David Wells is one of the owners of the joint and is such a nice man. Whenever I volunteer on something around town, he is always happy to donate. Love that. Recently, I organized an event at for Dishing Up Maryland, a local cookbook shot by a friend of mine. David was kind enough to help us out with some amazing local beers from The Brewers Art and Stillwater as well as wonderful local wines from Boordy and Black Ankle Vineyards.

To say that Carey Williams knows wine is quite the understatement. And she knows my wine...and how to steer me to ones I might never even notice or think of trying. She respects my budget, too, which is very imporant. She even helped me find a great boxed wine to try...hey, don't mock it til you try it, smarty pants. It's not for everyone, but I do enjoy it every once in a while.

When I started getting into wine years and years ago, I tried a sip of my friend's White Zinfandel. Hmmm, that's kinda tasty, I thought. Well, fast-forward to now: not so much. But don't call me a wine snob. I'm not one. I will try almost any wine, but do tend to avoid wines that might be described as sweet or my most unfave description, buttery. But...to each his/her own, and I say drink up!

Back to Carey...she has guided me from Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc to Prosecco and unoaked Chardonnay...and now I'm way into Viognier and Torrontes (but I gotta give my friend Lucien at the oh-so-fabulous Wine Market in Locust Point credit for introducing me to Torrontes a few years ago.) I'm also trying lots of reds, too...my fave lately continues to be Pinot Noir. Last summer, I was remembering having a chilled red wine in Paris a few years ago. That experience has stayed with me not only because the wine was delicious and the lunch was with someone amazing, but also because I'd never had a chilled red before. So, I stopped by the Wine Source and Carey suggested again, something different, a Claret. Oh my gosh - it was perfect (and on sale for $14.99.)

Then there's Jed Jenny. He's my beer guy and he really, really knows his stuff (much like my great pal and fellow blogger Scribbleskiff.) The beer selection at the Wine Source seems quite overwhelming at times, but at the many tastings I've attended there (especially during Baltimore Beer Week) I've discovered lots of my now-favorites like Lagunitas, Ommegang, Allagash, Weyerbacher, etc. Yet there is still a huge number of beers I've yet to try. Jed patiently guides me through the maze like the pro he is and if he suggests it, nine times out of ten, I will give it a shot. Like Carey, Jed knows my likes and dislikes. That, my friends, is service. A few years ago, he suggested that I try Dale's Pale Ale (it's in a can and is a longtime fave of one of my best friends, Jimmer - he even has a Dale's hat!) I now love Dale's - thanks to Jimmer and Jed.

The Wine Source also has a fabulous cheese shop within the shop. Adam, Caitlin and Scott in the cheese cave are so, so good. They can help you maneuver through the cheeses, cured meats and more. I am obsessed with chorizo and coppa at the moment...and, the asiago cheese dip is insane. Insane.

Here's what I wanna know...if you live in Baltimore, do you shop at the Wine Source? (Do you wear a disguise so they can't track how often you go?) Maybe you have a similar shop where you live? Create a working relationship with your local wine/beer person - chances are, they will help you find many new faves - the folks at the Wine Source certainly have done that for me.

Oh, and when I hiked up to the Avenue during Snowpocalypse 2010, they suggested that I try Bulleit Bourbon. I'm not sure if that was a good thing or not, but whatever. I am still in love with them for that.

Salty sweet goodness

2012-01-26T11:53:00.000-08:00

Are you a chocoholic? Love it, crave it, obsess over it? Would like your world to be covered in it? Or maybe you're all about salty snackage like olives, salami or pistachios, maybe? Choose an appetizer over a dessert? Well, this dessert could just about everyone happy.

Salted caramel is quite the food darling right now. Ice cream, desserts, candies...it's everywhere. Have you ever had those amazing Mouth Party caramels? Holy-eat-the-entire-bag goodness. One reason salted caramel is big of course, is that it's not too sweet and not too salty. I'm not a big sweets person. Give me some salty onion dip and potato chips...that's a guilty pleasure for me, hon. But I know plenty of people who'd much rather have a chocolate bar, mocha latte or some other sweet tooth craving. I still like those people. They are my friends...and my mom, totally.

I found this dessert on the absolutely addictive website, Pinterest, which my friend calls 'crack cocaine' - not really appropriate but you get the idea. Try it out, you will get hooked - it's sorta like a virtual bulletin board. Super fun. Anyhow, I looked at the photo of these brownies on the site and clicked through to the recipe. Repinned it. Looked at it again. Then, I put my computer away and it kept coming back into my head.

Salted Caramel Brownies. Salted Caramel Brownies. Salted Caramel Brownies.

So, I checked the 'ol pantry and somehow, I actually had all of the recipe ingredients on hand. Since I don't have the sweetest tooth in Charm City, I don't really make that many desserts - usually just for other people or if I happen to taste something amazing and want to replicate it. However, I am completely in love with Taharka Brothers salted caramel ice cream, so...duh. There I went into my tiny Hampden kitchen.

Let me say this recipe very simple - AND is 100% better the next day. It becomes more solid and kinda like fudge. Hellouuu. You will have leftover salted caramel sauce, too, which I recommend warming very slightly and adding to the brownie when it's cold or room temp. Also these brownies are extremely rich, so cut them into bite size pieces.

I took them to work the next day and everyone FLIPPED out. Shared the recipe on my Facebook page and three friends made them!

The perfect little sweet salty bite. Bliss.

Again, here is the recipe. Insanely good.

Food memories...

2012-01-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

Food memories...everyone has at least one. Maybe it's your mom's potato salad that takes you back to 4th of July barbecues...your grandmother's coconut cake that makes you remember special birthdays...or maybe crepes make your mind go to Paris or beignets make you wish you were in the Big Easy?

For me, my strongest and most beloved food memory is steamed crabs. As soon as I open that shell and see the mustard, I'm back in my parents' backyard. We never ever went out to eat crabs...we could barely afford them, so it was a real treat to have them. We sat out there for hours...watching the lightning bugs and telling the same funny old stories over and over and over. Rolling in laughter. We took turns picking for my dad...his MS didn't allow him to actually pick the crabs...but he did get to enjoy the meat. Real love is sharing your backfin, don't you think?

And the other big one - foodies will scoff but I don't care - is a cream cheese and olives sandwich. My fave comfort food to this day. It has to be on very soft, white bread. Big 'ol pimento stuffed queens sliced nice and thick and laid in a layer of cream cheese. Smoosh the bread a bit. Yum. That sandwich, that's my mom right there.

What are your food memories? Do tell...

Lunch with Ina

2012-01-10T06:04:00.000-08:00

I love having parties. It's so much fun to get people together to share great food and drink. It doesn't have to be fancy. For me, it's about the people, not just what's on the plate. Whether it's a barbeque, dinner party or holiday soiree, I'm in. So, years ago when I saw Ina Garten's book, Parties, I snatched it right up.

In the cookbook, she describes a terrible party she gave early on - a sort of cautionary tale of what of how not to do it. She tried to do too much and everything just fell apart. Not many people would put their mistakes out there for the world to see, so naturally I liked her right away.

She gives great advice for folks who might be new to cooking or intimidated by entertaining. For example, she recommends buying some simple hors d'ouvres like tapenade, pate, cheeses, nuts, olives, etc. Don't make things that are too complicated and prepare as much as you can ahead of time. You should be with your guests having fun, not working in the kitchen while they're noshing. After cooking from the Parties book, I began buying the rest of her cookbooks over the next few years.

Then, something really fun happened.

My best friend of 30 years is an architect in Paris and she often works with American clients who have homes there. She told me she was designing an apartment for Ina and her husband Jeffrey. I must admit, I was thrilled. Like, silly giddy, actually. When she came home for the holidays, she took my Parties book back to Paris and had Ina sign it for me. Oh, how I love my bestie.

Fast forward a few years: I took an amazing trip to London and Paris for my 40th birthday - the trip of a lifetime for sure. Before I left London for Paris, my friend called to say that Ina was going to be there at the same time as me and that we might have lunch with her. Deep breaths. This is sort of like one of my five brothers grabbing a beer with one of the Ravens...seriously. After my friend set up lunch, I'm sure she was hoping to God that I didn't flip out and completely mortify her. I had to be on my best behavior.

As I walked with my best friend, in my favorite city, about to meet someone I admire immensely...I felt so, so lucky. How did I get here? What would we have in common? What could we talk about? Would she be as nice as she seems on television? Would it be awkward or fun or what?

It was perfect. Ina is incredibly warm, funny, engaging and full of life. We talked about food, music, travel, wine, flowers, parties, Paris, etc. I told her that I was really getting into cooking at 40 and that she'd been very, very helpful to me. She seemed pleased and kind of touched, actually. I also had the pleasure of meeting her husband, Jeffrey. He's quite friendly and genuine. As we sat in their lovely, yet simple, Paris living room, he asked about my work and life in Baltimore. Seriously nice people.

I have no idea what we ate at lunch, but remember that we had chilled red wine. Don't you just love Paris...wine with lunch. Wish the US would embrace that concept. As we neared the end of our visit, I felt a little silly asking her to sign my favorite of her cookbooks, the first one - The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook - but she was so nice about it. We chatted some more and said our goodbyes.

Best day ever. Ever.

To me, Ina makes everything she does look un-scary. You think, "I could do that." And then you actually do. I made roast chicken for the first time after I saw on her show. Grilled a pizza on the grill for the first time after I saw it on her show. Bought my first Le Creuset dutch oven after I saw it on her show. Yes, I'm a nerd, but I know what I like. Of course, I do use other cookbooks, but I tend to look in my Barefoot Contessa cookbooks first. For the most part, her recipes are not super complicated, with very few ingredients you can't find at an area grocery store. I like that.

Here are some of my favorite Ina recipes.

Perfect Roast Chicken
Cheddar Corn Chowder
Fresh Pea Soup
Bibb Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
Salad with Warm Goat Cheese
California Pizzas
Mac and Cheese
Outrageous Brownies
Coconut Cake

Being able to meet someone who's inspired you and thank them for that, well...that's something special.

Thank you, Ina.

Gastro Goodness

2012-01-02T13:01:00.000-08:00

In my twelve years in the Hampdens, I'd walked by the Aveue Diner at the corner of 36th + Elm a hundred times. Quite the non-descript, local joint. Always seemed fine, but nothing I'd really seek out.

Then last spring, the Avenue Diner became Corner BYOB. While I don't want my 'hood to become too fancy pants [I don't really do fancy pants], after visiting for dinner I was positively giddy about this change. Chef Bernard Dehaene serves up an eclectic, kinda Belgian-inspired menu like moules frites, potato leek soup, beef stew and so much more.

On my first visit, I tried the mussels bruxelles with goat cheese, bacon and leeks. Mellow, smooth and tasty. If you like a bit of a kick, try the red devil mussels with tomatoes, garlic and peppers. And, the fries - wow! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside - and excellent dippage on the side. Also, I had the crab and corn chowder, which was ridiculously good. I'm a soup gal - I love making it - so I'm pretty picky about soup. I'd gladly have that again anytime.

On my next visit, I had the dover sole in caper butter sauce over whipped potatoes. Extreme goodness filleted tableside. My friend had the steak with potato croquettes and applewood smoked bacon sprouts. She pretty much licked her plate.

Third time was the absolute charm. I had one of the specials - I highly recommend seriously considering the specials here. This special entree was sauteed [no breading, thank you] soft crabs over fiddle heads and a fava bean aoili. Oh. My. GOSH. The soft and oh-so-slightly crisp soft crab dipped into the creamy aoili. I was done. For my friend, it was the dragon herb moules frites with tarragon and cream. We shared a lovely bottle of Muscadet and the wine was a great match for our food.

The Corner is a tiny place. Tables are close together and I find that creates a bit of comraderie with your neighbors [if you want...if not, you're fine.] On a recent visit, I sat smack dab between lovebirds holding hands between sips of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and an older group enjoying mixed drinks made from miniature bottles of Glenlivet. Most everyone's libations, of course, were purchased at the wonderful Wine Source. The Corner offers a small selection of mocktails, to which you can add your own vodka, gin or rum [or not...and just leave it mocked.]

Some friends of mine have told me they think Corner BYOB is expensive. I disagree completely! If you enjoy an alcoholic drink (I do, I do) you save right there. Yes, there are corkage fees, but you still are saving dough. I'm a big fan of hors d'oeuvres for dinner and love making a meal out of snackage. Here, you could certainly make out of the appetizers like escargot and wild mushrooms in a Zinfandel reduction over brioche, inventive salads, in-season soups, etc.

Or...dive into the entrees and you can have a really fabulous dinner for a pretty reasonable amount of money. Menu entrees run from $17 for the Resurrection Ale beef stew and fries to $26 for the dover sole...more for some of the specials. But I don't mind paying a little more for something I really wouldn't make at home. Chef Bernard and the kitchen consistently turn out fun and inventive dishes. From time to time, you'll see foodie-esque items on the menu like things topped with a quail egg, bone marrow, bear and yak. On a recent visit, I enjoyed a perfectly tender kangaroo steak! If you are particularly interested in adventurous dishes, consider joining their Gastronaut Society. Membership entitles you to prix fixe Gastronaut Society Dinners throughout the calendar year at membership prices, 10% plate discounts on special adventurous fare featured on the menu, as well as an Official Gastronaut Society knife engraved with your name, identifying you as a member. A knife with your name on it. Seriously. In Hampden.
Check out Richard Gorelick's review. When Corner BYOB first opened, they did not take resies. That's now changed [you called it, Richard!] And..even though they prefer cash, you can use a credit card with a small fee attached. this note on the menu cracked me up: "Behaved children are most welcome." Classic.

I've been to the Corner about six times now. Stalker much? Each time I've gone, the service has been good. a little odd, quirky at times - but never rude or super slow. One thing I wish they would do? Print up the specials so that you can refer back to them. Sometimes the server lists about six or seven things and you definitely lose track of the first one they mentioned.

On my most recent visit, I ran into one of Baltimore's most beloved filmmakers, perfect mustache and all.

The Corner is not your average restaurant. That's why I like it - you will, too!

Sit, relax, sip in Hampden

2011-12-18T17:08:00.000-08:00

Don't get me wrong, I actually am happy to grab some quick caffeine from Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts and even Rool Farms sometimes. Feel free to judge me, coffee snobs. But...when I can, I love to go to the fabulous Spro Coffee on the Avenue in Hampden.

Spro is described as a progressive coffee shop - and it kinda reminds me of the wonderful Blue Bottle in San Francisco's Ferry Building. Think slow, creative coffee. Be prepared to sit and wait. [Feed yer meter, hon.]

Spro owner Jay Caragay via Osmosis-Online: “Six different roasters, offering up to eight different coffees, all brewed by the cup, to order, in one of seven different brew methods. Quite simply, what we’re going to attempt to do is insane. But really, there is no coffee shop in the world that does what we’re attempting, which is what makes it so attractive. It’s about expressing coffee as far as we can take it. No holds barred."

Whether you like to do regular coffee, cappuccino, macchiato, french press [and the list goes on], you know you're in good hands. The warm, friendly, helpful baristas are there to guide you to the right coffee for you. They are the nicest, most UNsnobby people - and for that I'm thankful.

Since I brew French press coffee at home everyday, when I go to Spro I usually try something richer [and higher octane] like macchiato or espresso. On a visit a few weeks ago, I had two espressos and let's just say I got a lot done that day. Whoa. If you're in Charm City, give Spro a try. It costs a little more than Starbucks, but the quality of the beans and brewing choices...no comparison. They change their coffee selections often, so you can always try something new.

Thank you, Jay and company!

Soup's on

2011-12-18T17:04:00.000-08:00

Soup is the most comforting, satisfying thing to me - especially in winter. My fave in the whole world is Ina Garten's Cheddar Corn Chowder. Cheese, corn, onions, potatoes...um, bacon...what's not to love? Ina is not known for light cooking, so I use a little regular milk in place of the heavy cream and it's plenty rich. I've made this soup about ten times over the last few years. Obsessed? Yep. Make it, you will not be disappointed.

Here are two more great winter soups, both from my favorite food blog, The Kitchn.

First up, Baked potato soup with bacon, onion and cheddar. No, not the healthiest, of course, but quite tasty.

Recipe note: it calls for two cups of bacon bits. I love me some bacon and the thought of buying bacon bits made me think, um, no. So, instead, I cooked an entire package of sliced bacon and made my own - but I didn't end up with enough. I'd probably use bacon bits next time - Oscar Mayer makes some that seem less scary to me.

This soup is, of course, very filling. Pace yourself.

Here is a healthier soup option: Sweet potato soup with miso and ginger. My local grocery store didn't have the miso paste, so I went to Asia Food on York Road [thanks, Lauren] and while there, I also picked up some buckwheat noodles for a future cooking adventure. This miso paste has such bright flavor and the ginger gives the soup a nice little kick. This would be great with a salad and good crusty bread for dippage.

Recipe note: I'd use a smidge less ginger than what the recipe suggests.

Highly recommend this soup - I'll definitely make it again! And I've gotta give a shout out to my awesome Cuisinart immersion blender - they come in fabulous colors, too! No more pureeing soups in batches in the food processor. It makes life so much easier!

Winter + soup = comfort and warmth.

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Finally...eggs!

2011-12-15T15:38:00.000-08:00

Last week, people in neighborhoods all over Charm City most likely heard screams of delight coming from my Hampden backyard. Holy s#&@! After six months of loving care, organic veggie scraps and weekend free-ranging, the chickens began to lay eggs. Well, Dottie [Ameraucana – fancy pants Martha hen] laid a gorgeous blue-ish green egg. And now, a week later...three more in varying shades of that blue-green. A few of my friends commented that they were too precious and beautiful to eat. Sorry, people - these are for eating!

I did a test…poached a store-bought white egg, a farmers market brown egg and Dottie’s egg. As you can see, the yolk of my home-produced egg was thicker and very vibrant orange. The farmers market egg was also really good - as they always are. The main difference was the brightness and consistency of the yolk. Dottie's egg was the best!

So, we've come to the beginning of life with super delicious fresh eggs in my little backyard. Can't wait til I have enough eggs for baking. Yesterday, I found a latte-khaki-ish colored egg. Not 100% sure who laid it...but I'm on the case!

Thanks to everyone who helped me get here - especially Joan, Rob and Joanne - you all are the best.

Check out this article about the nutritional value of eggs - and eat some eggs, hon!

Are chickens for you?

2011-12-11T09:13:00.000-08:00

So, you have a friend with chickens. You think...neat! Fresh eggs! I wanna do that! Before you order that super schwank coop you saw on Pinterest, check out some advice from someone who's recently jumped into city chicken keeping.

This informative article from Earth 911 asks some key questions to see if chicken keeping is for you.

If you live in Charm City, here is an article from Baltimore Magazine - it gives the basic info about Baltimore's chicken keeping rules and regs. Here are the basics:

The biggies:
You must obtain a permit from Animal Control (410-396-4698)
The coop must be movable and cannot be within 25 feet of any residence
Only four hens per coop - no roosters

When I got my chickens, I did it completely backwards. Here is the order o' biz if you live in Baltimore City: 1) build your coop 2) have it inspected...then...3) get your chickens. This is not completely clear when you call the City, but I'm told the coop needs to be approved sans chickens. I already had chickens in my coop when it was inspected. I was nervous about it...I'm such a rule follower! It seemed fine...no big drama. The Animal Control officer could not have been nicer.

Once you have built your coop, figured out a routine and have your permit...you're good. Chickens are excellent low-maintenance pets that give you something amazing in return for your love and care - those precious eggs. They are not, however, leave-for-a-long-weekend pets. They need to be checked on daily - fresh food and water are both key. You'll need to clean out the coop no less than once a week - otherwise, you might have a smelly coop and NO ONE likes a smelly coop.

I've been doing a little consulting for city peeps interested in keeping chickens. If you need advice, direction, an objective opinion, email me and I'd be happy to help for a very minimal fee. I can help with advice on things like working with the City, coop design, supplies, egg laying, dealing with predators, etc. My chickens bring me so much joy. They are chatty, friendly and very smart. And, now six months in, they are laying gorgeous, delicious, fresh eggs.

I love my girls.

p.s. Consider a backyard composter - your chickens will poop a LOT and that stuff makes the best fertilizer ever! Also...giving your chickens vegetable and other food scraps from your kitchen creates delicious eggs for you to eat.

waverly in winter

2011-12-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

I'm a big Waverly Market fan. Since it's a year-round market, I go every week for staples like milk, eggs, bread, lettuce, apples, potatoes, onions and bacon (yes, bacon is a staple in my house.) The selection of fruits and veggies, of course, is a bit more limited in the cold winter months...but I feel good supporting local folks as much as I can - not just in the summer. There's everyone from South Mountain Creamery where I get my milk, butter and cheese, Andy and those great fresh eggs, Cindy for ice cream, bacon and other meats...and the list goes on. Whatever I can't find there, I can get at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. Also, whenever my wallet allows, I try to buy one special item not on my list. Things like a bouquet of tulips, goat cheese or some ginger hemp granola. Oh, and I'm fueled by Zeke's, too.

This week, my "special" purchase was some porcini mushrooms from the nice gal at Woodland Mushrooms. I'm hoping to make mushroom risotto and she said the porcini variety are excellent for that. She invited me to take a wiff. They smelled amazing. The way she handled them - putting them oh so carefully in a paper bag and advised me how to use them - it was almost like she was selling me her offspring - it is clear that she's passionate about her 'shrooms.

Even though it just ended, I'm already looking forward to my One Straw Farm CSA share next year (June - November.) If you've been thinking about joining a local CSA, give it a try. You can always split it with a friend, so don't be worried that it's too much food. Not only are you getting fresh veggies (and other stuff depending on the farm) and supporting a local farmer, it also makes you get creative with your cooking. When I first started participating in the five years ago, I wasn't familiar at all with things like swiss chard and kohlrabi and thought, "Holy dirt, what am I gonna do with this?" Joan Norman changed all that. Each week, I'd chat with her about what I'd picked out and she'd give me great ideas for preparing it. I'd never really loved eggplant...but last year, she suggested I try baby eggplant - slice and roast it with thyme, olive oil and salt + pepper. So flipping good! And this is just one of the tons "off the top of her head" recipes Joan that has given me. Also, there is a great feature on one straw's website: Name that Veggie. It's a great way to learn more about the items you see at the farmers market. Check it out!

If you are a meat eater, check out Clementine's meat CSA. You will receive 20lbs of meat (choose from beef, chicken, pork and lamb) per week - locally sourced, humanely raised. If you've ever eaten at Clementine, you know Cristin and Winston know their stuff. Taco Tuesdays are one of my favorite things. ever.

GO LOCAL!

we've got the beet

2011-12-02T08:31:00.000-08:00

beets are a delicious, simple prepared food i like to have on hand - especially the ones i get from my CSA share with one straw farm. i almost always have a container of beets in the 'ol fridge.

say you don't like the beet? have you tried fresh, roasted ones? here's how i make mine: inside aluminum foil, cut the beets in half and add olive oil, raspberry balsalmic vinegar, orange juice, a few sprigs of thyme and salt + pepper and roast @ 400 for an hour. let them cool, then peel. i've also peeled them before roasting, but i like cooking them really well first, then they're easier to peel - either way, it's a little messy, hon. p.s. feel free to add any herbs you like...beets are easy that way.

one of my favorite dishes i've had recently was a roasted beet salad at demi. and my fave dish at rocket to venus? beet salad. i even asked the food service folks where i work to consider putting roasted beets on the salad bar [and, they did - thanks, chef bob!]

you can enjoy roasted beets as a snack, side dish or salad. for example: mixed greens, goat cheese, candied pecans. this weekend, i'm making beet & dark chocolate ice cream.

you might say i'm obsessed...but i like to say i just know what i like.

better than bouillon

2011-12-01T11:14:00.000-08:00

i have to agree with the folks at my MOST FAVE food blog, the kitchn.

better than bouillon is the best. when you've run out of your homemade stock...drop a little of this super concentrated flavorful goodness in a pot with boiling water...and you're good to go. comes in many flavors - i've used the beef, chicken and vegetable. don't buy those yucky dry cubes...this is so good.

tell your friends...or save the secret for yourself, hon!

the "f" word

2011-11-27T17:50:00.000-08:00

I'm not the biggest fan of the word foodie. Yes, I'm pretty sure I am what people would call a foodie [hellouuu, I write a food blog and keep chickens] but I really just think of myself to be someone who really loves good food. Eating it, preparing, sharing it.

Don't get me wrong, I like foodie things. I shop at my local farmers market every Saturday. I've participated in a weekly CSA for years. If I had the chance to go to one of these amazing Outstanding in the Field dinners, I would go. I would run, actually.

One of my strongest food memories was made when I visited Dan Barber's fabulous NYC restaurant Blue Hill several years ago - possibly the best meal I've ever had. Tons of courses, interesting and unique ingredients, amazing wine, the freshest of everthing. The folks from Blue Hill also run the Stone Barns Center, a wonderful farm in West Chester County where they raise everything from vegetables to livestock. It's all about sustainability [ah, there's that word...] and having the very freshest food possible. Love that.

And...my taste in food varies - doesn't yours? People who say they only eat this or would never eat that...that is so not me! One night, I might have a meal of local and organic stuff like roast chicken, bibb salad or maybe some homemade soup. Then, another time, I want something super simple [and greasy] like a grilled cheese sammie. And I must add that to me, grilled cheese means just 'normal' cheese, no fancy bread, with butter in the pan. Yum.

Speaking of CSAs, did you know that Clementine has a meat CSA? Check it out! [I'm hoping to split a share with a friend.]

Life's short. Dig in. And don't take yourself too seriously.

wines fit for a thanksgiving feast

2011-11-20T17:37:00.000-08:00

when it comes to wine for thanksgiving dinner, lots of people will tell you what goes best with turkey. and stuffing. and potatoes. and...pumpkin pie. i wanted to get some insight from a pro, so i visited my friend carey williams at the wine source in hampden for some advice. found some easy, happy crowd pleasers, as well as a few choices that are little bit different. here we go...

i used to be one of those 'i don't like chardonnay' people. but all these years later, i now know that i simply prefer a cool climate chardonnay like eve chardonnay from washington state. you'll taste apple and a hint of honey...thirst quenching, too. it pairs well with mashed potatoes, green beans, etc. definitely a great basic, easy drinking wine many folks around your table will enjoy - a real crowd pleaser. $10.99

rose makes many people think of summer. some people think it's white zinfandel. um, no...but it's a great choice for thanksgiving! one great option is the 2010 artzuri garnacha rosado - a luscious, dark pepper rose. this always seems balanced, soft and fresh - really great with turkey. $9.99

for a little more&nbs adventurous palate, you might consider 2010 francois villard viognier from the rhone valley in france [the fancy name on the label is les contours de deponcin.] when you smell this one, you get rosey, perfume, exotic fruit. yet...it drinks so nicely! medium weight, not super acidic, very elegant. really nice with sweet potato pie. $31.99. [treat yourself for the holiday.]

you often hear about medium bodied reds for thanksgiving and if you'd like to go that way, give the 2008 kesseler spatbergunder a try. it's a german wine using a grape transplanted from burgundy where it's known as pinot noir. this wine has a nose of blackberries and a hint of cherry and is on the rustic side. this would be a great red wine for someone just getting into reds - not too intense, with a juicy palate. $19.99

want a red that's a bit more spicy? give the 2010 tramontane roussillon rouge a try. carey described it as "juicy, forward and brimming with spicy red fruit." i agree! bold, juicy, complex. $9.99 [a great value, by the way.]

don't be intimidated or try too hard to make 'perfect' pairings with your entire thanksgiving meal. for example, it's close to impossible to pair sauerkraut with wine. beer is great with it, though...in fact, if you're more of a beer person, do your thing and have some really good beer! the folks at scribbleskiff have some great suggestions for beer pairings. and i also recommend that you visit my friend jed at the wine source for some advice. he has introduced me to so many of my favorite beers over the last few years.

so, as we enter the holiday season, make sure you try something new and HAVE FUN!

eat, drink and be you, hon.

giving thanks

2011-11-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

cooking. relaxing. friends and family. great food. i love thanksgiving.

when i was a kid, my parents would host all of our aunts, uncles and cousins for thanksgiving dinner at our house in kingsville. it was so fun...laughing, catching up, hearing old stories from our parents, watching football and the best part...eating! we had a traditional meal of roast turkey and sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, sauerkraut (you have to have it, no questions), gravy, soft dinner rolls and butter. old school. so many great memories. i loved every minute of it.

over the years we got together as a big family less often, cousins moved south, my brothers had their own families and in-laws, etc. so, during much of my adult life, i've celebrated the holiday with different groups of friends and family and it's actually been lots of fun. once i went to the home of a vegetarian friend and had tofurkey - not bad at all, but i kinda missed the real bird. one year, my friends and i made pizzas using ingredients from baltimore's amazing italian grocery, trinacria. wow, that was a thanksgiving i will never forget!

while i do miss the old days, it's also fun to mix it up and also to start new traditions, too. the last few years, i've hosted my mom at my house in hampden. as the youngest of six kids, it's pretty neat to get to be in charge! i do the turkey, a few sides and a sweet potato or pumpkin pie and mom brings a few sides, too. last year, we just roasted a turkey breast and a couple of legs...and that was great for the two of us. but this year, i want lots of leftovers, so i ordered a whole local, organic bird from andy and woolsey farm at the waverly market. thanksgiving is the one time of the year when i actually love leftovers. nothing like hanging out in your jammies the day after thanksgiving (you will never ever catch me shopping on black friday) enjoying a plate of leftovers for lunch. heaven.

these days, thanks to tyler florence, i butterfly the turkey. i happened to catch him on the today show last year and he showed how to easy it is to split it in two right down the back. he said that this way, the turkey only takes an hour and a half to cook, stays very juicy and the skin is nice and crispy. i thought...i can do that (you need a good, solid sharp chef's knife or kitchen shears.) and, i did it. it was delicious.

also...check out this piece from the food lab over at serious eats - some very helpful advice to guide you as you prepare to cook your feast!

after thanksgiving, two of my favorite things to make are turkey pot pie and pumpkin ice cream.

photo by the kitchn

for the pumpkin ice cream, it couldn't be easier. scoop filling out of leftover pumpkin pie, mix with some really good vanilla ice cream, freeze and enjoy later. ridiculous.

here's what i want to know: what are your favorite things about thanksgiving? do you and your family or friends have any interesting traditions? any recipes you'd care to share? post them on my facebook page!

happy thanksgiving! remember to SAY what you are thankful for...and tell people what they mean to you. it's so important.

baltimore chickens: life in the coop

2011-10-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

drama in the coop...

we've had a few lineup changes. as the 'girls' approached five months, things really got interesting! first, gertie [ameraucana] started to CROW! oy, it was out of nowhere and...it was loud. she [well, he...] was quickly taken back out to the country where that sorta behavior is a-ok. my neighbors have been so nice, so i wanted to make sure we had no more early morning wake up calls.

i had long suspected gertie was a rooster, due to the fact that he was always 'odd man out' from the other three...they wanted nothing to do with him. when i dropped him off, i was actually sad. gert had been my fave...the prettiest, easiest, sweetest. and would have laid blue/green eggs...the whole thing was a bummer.

coming home in gertie's place, was edith. she's brown and quite beautiful. and a total spaz - and afraid of everything, everyone. i think once she gets more used to her new city home, i think she'll be more fun and saucy.

here's edith. thinking she might go by 'edie.'

when i brought edith home, clara [very bossy rhode island red] became quite aggresive and wouldn't leave edith alone for a second. i scooped edith up and put her in a separate area to catch her breath. tried again the next day and it was even more dramatic. so, i called an old friend in my hometown who is a more experienced chicken keeper and she was willing to take her. we'll see what happens. when i left clara in kingsville, she was doing fine. my friend emailed me recently to say she suspects clara might be a clarence. we will see.

now...in clara's place [man, this is like menudo or something...], comes agnes. only took me twenty minutes to catch her - i thought that was pretty good. i wonder how long it took rocky. what a workout. here's agnes:

with all of these changes, my girls dottie and millie are being pretty good. a few little chases and intimidating 'i was here FIRST!' sorts of actions...but nothing too scary. edith might have a different take on that...

so, it's one day at a time here on my little urban farm. they're keeping me on my toes fer sure. henry, my 4 yr old yellow lab, is also rolling with the punches. he's been quite sweet, actually. what a good dog. here is a photo i will cherish...me with henry and gertie.

i'm hoping that dottie and millie will start laying soon. right now, they're investigating the nesting boxes.

gotta be patient, hon.

wow, you're sorta crunchy...

2011-09-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

the other day, my friend said, 'hey, you're sorta crunchy.' hmmm. he meant it as a compliment...and i took it that way.

i'm not sure when i became so crunchy. okay, so i shop at the farmers market every saturday, year-round. some say that's a little crunch. i reuse as many things as humanly possible...cups, jars, ziploc bags, etc. i don't have cable. i take my dog for hikes in the woods. i have chickens. [hello, crunch and a little odd, i'm told.] and my newest thing...i have a composter. holy crunchy granola goodness. check out gertie the chicken enjoying a compost boo-fay. and check out this great composting news from san francisco.

i'm still learning...but with the web, you can google just about anything! here are a few sites with very helpful basics on composting.

composting 101
how to get started
reducing kitchen waste

and this list is great - i consult it all the time.

between composting and recycling, there is very little in my trash can these days. and that's the way i like it! and...here is a really great stainless countertop compost pail to collect kitchen waste.

last week, i saw the documentary bag it and it really opened my eyes about plastic and waste. i'm now on even more of a mission to minimize my impact on the earth. [geeeez, that sounds so high and mighty and obnoxious.] but i mean it in the best way possible.

last year, a work colleague [age 92] gave me two boxes of gorgeous mason jars with zinc lids. she said they are from the 1940 or 1950s. i did some research and quickly learned that i could not use them for their original purpose...too old and not safe. buzz killed, thanks. so instead, i'm going to take the suggestion of a friend [thanks, lucien!] and use them instead of plastic containers to store things like leftovers, pasta and baking ingredients. love that idea, don't you?

i love my grocery bags...i take them everywhere [the ladies at talbots gave me some funny looks, but i don't care.] i wish everyone would use them! every time i see someone leaving the grocery store with loaded with plastic bags, it makes me a little sad.

i don't really think i'm crunchy. i just want to do a little better.

yes, we can!

2011-09-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

serious eats

whatever you choose to call it - canning, preserving, putting up - i'm into it. last year, it was fig jam [which i am making again this year] and now...i'm canning tomatoes. it makes me so sad every year when those gorgeous, flavorful locally grown 'maters are gone...womp, womp, wommmp. but it doesn't have to be that way...get yourself the gear and a large amount of whatever foods you love [cukes for pickles, radishes, tomatoes...etc] and go to town.

today, i canned my first tomatoes EVER. very exciting day in my house. [yes, i am a total dork.] i found a fab and simple way of doing it via my very, very, very favorite food blog, the kitchn. as you will see if you click on the link, you just put fresh tomatoes in a roasting pan under the broiler for about 8-10 minutes on each side and just let them cool...then they peel very easily.

onto the canning...grab your jars and lids and boil them in a stockpot for about 15-20 minutes. then, let them cool, fill them with the tomatoes, put the lids on and boil the filled jars for another 20. [make sure the entire jar is submerged.] remove the filled jars from the boiling water, let rest and cool on a kitchen towel. this is the important part: you will hear each one seal with a "thump" sound. they don't all do it right away...don't panic. one of my jars of tomatoes took 40 minutes to seal.

here a few photos of the process. i can't wait to get a case of tomatoes from my CSA farm and put up a bunch more! and...i'd like this book for christmas!

get the picture?

2011-09-13T18:36:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite parts about the blog is the photography. my friends now know...when the food comes to the table...when you make your plate at thanksgiving...when the pie comes out of the oven...

stop, style, snap...then, EAT!

here are some of my faves...

FOOD IS GOOD!

ay, chihuahua!

2011-08-30T17:31:00.000-07:00

i don't have a huge sweet tooth. it's not that i don't enjoy sweets...i just don't always seek them out. desserts have to be really, really good for me to want to make them or order them when out to dinner. salty foods? um, the opposite...

for that reason, i don't own any dessert cookbooks. til now.

earlier this summer, a friend told me about a cookbook she'd just gotten, paletas. paletas are mexican ice pops...fruit based and really refreshing vs super sweet, for the most part. i decided to give it a try.

i ordered myself a copy of the cookbook, along with popsicle molds and those cute little wooden sticks. i had never made popsicles before...but now that i have, i can't help but think there have got to be endless flavors you could try. i plan to consult one of my fave cookbooks, culinary artistry, and its awesome [i mean, really awesome] list of 'food matches made in heaven.'

so far, i've made two kinds: watermelon and sour cream, cherry + tequila. [don't worry, you won't get drunk from those...but now that i think about it, you could add more tequila!] on the watermelon ones, i used a tad more sugar than the recipe suggested. also, on the cherry ones, i'd add more cherries and the leftover cherry juice, too. both kinds were delicious! i shared the watermelon ones with some of my friends' young children and even they said, "do you have more??"

next up, spiced tomato + tequila. [wait...more tequila? is that a problem? define problem.]

the cookbook also includes recipes for raspados [shaved ice] and aguas frescas [refreshing drinks.]

get it!

p.s. thanks, nicole!

feast your eyes

2011-08-30T04:50:00.000-07:00

last week, my neighbor and facebook pal, elaine, suggested that i submit a few photos for a feature on TODAY.com called feast your eyes. it sounded like a great idea, but i was up to my eyeballs at work and i barely had time for lunch [granola and yogurt] at my desk. i was also having a day where i just couldn't focus. but this seemed like a great opportunity, so i found the photos i liked best, i hit send and got back to what i was doing. thought nothing more.

until today.

i opened my email to a lovely message letting me know that my photo of delicious caprese skewers that i'd made for a friend's july 4th barbeque had been chosen as a featured photo! seriously. very, very exciting in my little world.

what's next...matt lauer eating my food? yes, please!

kitchen MVP

2011-08-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

a few months ago, i was on the lookout for a new grating tool and a chef friend of mine recommended a microplane. so, i hit up williams-sonoma at towson town center [and that store is dangerously close to anthropologie...] and got one. I LOVE THIS THING.

i use it to grate cheese, zest lemons, mince garlic, onions, chocolate and more. i only wish i'd been able to get one of the cool new colors - i've seen green, fuchia, purple, blue, yellow...quite cute.

do you have one of these? highly, highly recommend. check out this set...it contains a zester/grater, medium ribbon grater and extra coarse grater.

not your grandma's peach pie

2011-08-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

a friend of mine sent me this recipe. she said, 'it's not your typical super sweet peach pie - it's a little different...i think you'll really like it." um, yes. i loved it!

if you do want it on the sweeter side, try adding an extra tablespoon of sugar [i used 3] or even sprinkle a little confectioners sugar on top. and...there's always vanilla ice cream...

so, make this peach creme fraiche pie, hon - it's easy, gorgeous and delicious! make your crust, too, if you have a little bit of time. i don't usually make my own [god bless those food engineers], but sometimes it's fun. here's a tutorial.

also, if you don't want to buy creme fraiche, you can make your own.

photo credit: kristin kluge

urban farming, hon

2011-08-13T14:41:00.000-07:00

wow, look how little they were back in june...

the girls got their big break on the local news yesterday! i even got the title of 'urban farmer' while on camera. hilarious. and...since getting their two minutes of fame, the chickens have been prancing, strutting...beaks up in the air. i swear i saw dottie smiling - she really liked that mike schuh guy. i hope the piece convinces some city folks who'd been on the fence to jump in and become chicken keepers!

unfortunately, they are also beginning to display some j-lo-esque diva behavior...

clara is demanding cotton candy for bedding instead of pine shavings.

millie would like sauvignon blanc instead of water. she actually could use a drink, so i'm considering it.

dottie? she's all about black truffles. says they need to be from a specific region in italy. i'm googling.

good old gert. she's too polite to ask...but i think she wants something...maybe old bay on her corn cobs?

whether on the actual blog or on facebook, please do share and make comments! i want to know what foods you're growing, cooking, eating and obsessed with - for me, lately, it's watermelon, tomato and feta salads...

charmcitycook turned one year old last month - it's been such a great creative outlet, emotional comfort when needed and it's inspired me to try even more new things all the time. i guess 40 actually is the new 30, because that's when i fell in love with food.

thanks, hon. keep on cooking.

chicKENS!

2011-07-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

UPDATE! we finally, finally had the all-important coop inspection, hon. as he came into the house, the nice city animal officer said "well, hello again...how are the chicks?" turns out he was the same inspector who came by last month when someone reported me. he took pics, asked questions and said everything looked fine and that the chickens looked really healthy. next step, he sends a report back to his boss and then...the girls will be full-on legit. bring it on.

the girls...

millie [white] is a nervous little girl and hard to catch.

gertie [black/grey] is sweet and calm. she takes a lot of crap from the other three. love her.

clara [reddish] is full of sauce. large and in charge. do not mess with this one.

dottie [light greyish] is sort of switzerland-esque. just goes with the flow and tries to blend in.

think i know their breeds, but still waiting to see if they are - in fact - girls. will know in a few months. if any turn out to be boys, they will no longer be city chickens. wonder if they'd lose their hampden accent when they go back to the farm? whaddayous think?

oh and...one of my neighbors actually reported me! a knock at the door on a sunday night...very nice animal control officer informs me that someone has anonymously - of course - called to say i had illegal chickens. wowwww. he asked to see them, i said, sure thing...and he took a look in the coop and said with a smile and a slighty raised voice, "clearly, someone has too much time on their hands. your chicks look great and you're fine." thank you, sir.

well, they've been living in a rabbit hutch for the last six weeks or so. [big thanks to joanne!] thankfully, they are now in their new digs. they are doing lots of perching, pecking, chirping, eating and napping. and...they've figured out the whole 'ramp that leads to the coop' thing. sort of. huge thanks to my friends rob and lauren for all of their help with design, supplies and the actual building of the coop and run. i have the best friends. lovely, fresh eggs are coming their way in the fall...

here the chickens head up the ramp for the first time.

they love bananas [and melon rinds, strawberries, potatoes, etc...and of course, chicken feed.]

take a look at how LITTLE they were just six weeks ago...holy cuteness.

the adventure continues...so far, i like this whole city chickens thing.

market faves

2011-07-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

what are some of your favorite things at the farmers market?

here are some of mine from waverly...

berries, berries, berries

thomas' peas

broom's bloom ice cream

andy's eggs

rhubarb - for pies and...making rhubarb vodka right now...

one straw farm beets

fiddlehead ferns from the mushroom lady

corn

tomatoes

chesapeake microgreens - love their boston lettuce, too

zeke's coffee - tell tale dark and gunpowder espresso are faves

p.s. my friend [and former babysittee] peter elmore is writing a great blog about farm life at one straw farm, the organic farm run by his aunt and uncle, joan and drew norman. check it out!

garlic scapes

2011-06-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

i first saw garlic scapes in my one straw farm CSA share last year. they are like garlic, only milder and they come in season earlier than garlic. to me, they look sort of sculptural...beautiful, actually. as i walked out of the farmers market this morning, three people stopped me to ask what they were and how to use it. since joan norman had schooled me in this [and so many other areas] i told them i'd planned to make white bean dip...and but you can use it in lots of other ways. here are some ideas.

here is the recipe i used for the dip - really, really good. i took the blogger's advice and added more beans and it came out great. distinct garlic taste, but not overwhelming. i also recommend blanching the scapes before you puree them if you want a more mellow garlic flavor. i dipped into mine with some warm, soft sour dough bread.

white bean and garlic scapes dip

by melissa clark, new york times
time: 15 minutes

1/3 cup sliced garlic scapes [3 to 4]
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, more to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 can [15 ounces] cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
[note: add a second can of bean if you want it to be less garlic-y]
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

1.in a food processor, process garlic scapes with lemon juice, salt and pepper until finely chopped. add cannellini beans and process to a rough purée.

2. with motor running, slowly drizzle olive oil through feed tube and process until fairly smooth. pulse in 2 or 3 tablespoons water, or more, until mixture is the consistency of a dip. add more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice, if desired.

3. spread out dip on a plate, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with more salt.
yield: 1 1/2 cups

city peeps

2011-06-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

over the weekend, i went to one straw farm for a picnic. they have these really fun gatherings with music and food out on the farm in white hall for all of the CSA members a few times each season. i've known the farmers - joan and drew norman - a long time now. they are good peeps. which brings me to my new peeps. but first...take a look at this goodness we enjoyed at the picnic.

at the picnic, i was talking with joan about keeping chickens and she said, "do you want some chicks? we have some!" i immediately said, "oh, yes - that would be so great!" yes? am i insane? well, not really. i'd been thinking about keeping chickens for a while..did some research last year and just never did it. so, when she offered the chicks, it was the perfect opportunity to jump in. full on. i picked four chicks out of the brooder - each one looks different which not only means they are different breeds, but also i can tell them apart very easily. on the way home, i called my mom to tell her the exciting news and her reply was, "you got WHAT?"

even though i've lived in the city for about twenty years, i don't really consider myself a city slicker. i grew up in the country...not on a farm, but surrounded by farms in kingsville, md, which is a gorgeous place, even now with many more houses than farms. my mom grew up on a working farm in harford county - my grandparents - clark and mary fitzpatrick - ran the "county home" in bel air, a very early homeless shelter. the house is known as the aquila scott home and had many interesting characters staying there - i've heard so many great stories of that place from my mom over the years. my grandfather was a farmer and my grandmother was a fabulous cook. everything was fresh, of course...milk and butter came from the cows, fresh eggs and meat from the chickens, etc. she was really known for feeding people [i like to think that's where i got my love of cooking.] she made fabulous cakes and usually didn't follow recipes - i love that. my grandparents' home is still there on tollgate road and houses the harford county park + recreation offices. just look for the duck pond.

so, as i enter the land of city chicken keeping...i'm finding that my roots are beginning to really come into play and it makes me think of the generations before us. sadly, i never knew any of my grandparents. my mom's mother, mary, whom i described earlier, was our last living grandparent. every time my mom would become pregnant, she'd buy dresses and dresses. and, each time...six in a row...mom delivered a boy and the dresses just piled up. then, she finally had me. but my grandmother died on may 16, 1967...one month to the day before i was born. everyone said mom should name me mary. but mom was defiant! she named me amy from the book, little women. i would have been happy to be mary, amy, margaret [after my mom] whatever...it doesn't really matter to me. i've got my grandmother in my blood. i'm a cook. it's just so funny that i didn't realize it til i hit 40.

...back to the langrehr chickens of 2011. they are growing fast, so i'm hoping to document their progress weekly. today, i'm heading to kingsville to borrow a rabbit hutch, which will be the chicks' home over the summer, until i get a proper coop. here is one that i like - but, it's too big and expensive for my little rowhouse backyard and budget.

right now, the chicks are in my dining room in an old lobster crate i picked up at an estate sale - it's perfect. my labrador henry is interested, but knows "leave it" and "no" pretty well...and when they get big, i'm pretty sure they will show him who's boss. that, i can't wait to see. here he is meeting the chicks when i first brought them home on sunday night.

thinking about keeping chickens at your place? here are some good sources of info:

my pet chicken

backyard chickens

urban chickens

p.s. i will still buy eggs from andy at waverly...just not as many, i guess!

what's your pleasure?

2011-06-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

my dad was not a big drinker, but he did enjoy a cocktail every once in a while. when i was about twelve, he let me take a sip of his manhattan and of course, i thought it was completely disgusting. definitely not ready for brown liquor at that point. [can you imagine if i was ready? rehab at 13 like drew?] fast forward 30+ years and i am in LOVE with bourbon. in moderation.

i blame two people. first my great friend and fellow blogger, chip mortimer. he makes a mean cocktail and first introduced me to bourbon + ginger beer last summer. it is one of the most refreshing drinks ever. ever. love it so, so much - especially when b'more gets hot and oh-so-humid.

second culprit, nelson carey, owner of grand cru. [my fave bar in charm city.] they make the '1792 old fashioned' with bourbon, bitters, sugar, orange and...these amazing, amazing cherries ($20/jar - sadly, not in my home drinks budget...) muddled drink heaven.

wanna learn how to make an old fashioned? watch this video.

do you have a favorite drinky drink? what's your bourbon of choice? mine is bulleit -yummmm.

enjoy. responsibly, please.

strawberry rhubarb compote

2011-05-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

photo by the bitten word

strawberry rhubarb compote
from smitten kitchen

ingredients:

1 pound strawberries, rinsed and hulled
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed
1 lemon
3/4 cup granulated sugar

instructions:

1. select about 4 ounces of the smallest strawberries and cut lengthwise into quarters. these will be added raw to the cooked compote; set aside.

2. cut the remaining larger berries in halves or quarters so that the pieces are about the same size. (you should have about 2 1/2 cups.) place them in a medium saucepan.

3. with a paring knife, pull away and discard the strings that run the length of the rhubarb stalks. cut the stalks into 3/4-inch pieces (you should have about 3 cups) and add to the saucepan.

4. use a fine grater or a microplane to zest the lemon. add 1 teaspoon of the zest to the pan. squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice and add it to the pan. add the sugar and stir to coat the fruit.

5. place the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. by the time the sugar has dissolved, the fruit will have released a lot of juice. boil for about 4 minutes to reduce the liquid somewhat, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the rhubarb is soft. don’t worry if some of the rhubarb falls apart.

6. take pan off the stove and stir in reserved strawberries. cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in a covered container until cold.

this makes about 4 cups of compote - it will keep for a couple of weeks and is delicious for breakfast, especially with crème fraîche.

i LOVED this over vanilla ice cream. ohhhh. my.

donna's inspired pasta creation

2011-05-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

when i worked at baltimore museum of art in the 90s, i became addicted to a particular dish at donna's at the BMA. it was penne pasta with salmon and peas in a very light and subtle cream sauce. i must have taken it home with me for dinner a dozen times, mainly when i could afford it. this was way before i got really into food and cooking...and it surprised me to have this come back to me so many years later. but...it did.

perhaps having the wonderful fresh shelled peas make their debut at the farmers market last weekend was what did it. all week, i've been thinking...how did she make that amazing sauce? it was so light and perfect, barely coating the pasta. so, i finally tried to make it today, however, no salmon in the house, so i just made it with peas and asparagus, with some fresh tagliatelle pasta [cavanna pasta from the JFX farmers market.]
and, adding bacon seemed like a good idea, of course. duh.

pasta with peas, asparagus and bacon

ingredients:

1 lb fresh pasta
1 tbsp butter
bacon [chopped to 1/2 " pieces = about 1/2 cup]
6 fresh pearl onions - sliced thinly
1 bunch thin asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups fresh peas
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

for the sauce:
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp crème fraîche
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

directions:

sauce:
in a small saucepan, heat broth over medium heat.
simmer for 5 minutes, then add flour to thicken,whisk until incorporated.
[add more flour or some milk depending on how thick you'd like it.]
add creme fraiche. stir well.
add salt and pepper.
reduce heat to low and keep warm on stove.

cook pasta as directed in large pot [remember, fresh pasta takes much less time than dried pasta.]
drain and return cooked pasta to pot.

add butter and bacon to large skillet, cook on medium high for about 5 minutes.
remove bacon and drain on paper towel.
add onions to the skillet, cook on medium for about 5 minutes.
add asparagus to the skillet, mix with onions, cover and cook on medium for about 8 minutes.
add peas to the skillet, mix, cover and cook for about 3 minutes.

add onions, asparagus and peas to the pot with pasta.
add bacon to the pot, stir well.

transfer to serving dish and add freshly grated parmesan cheese. [i also recommend fresh parsley, but sadly, i was out...]

you could actually do this dish sans sauce and i think it would be delish. i just wanted to see how close i could get to that donna's sauce...i got pretty close.

also, i enjoyed a glass of pine ridge chenin blanc-viognier with this...thanks to my friend carey at the wine source for turning me on to this fabulous, affordable wine a few years ago!

yum.

fire up the grill, hon!

2011-05-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

when you fire up the grill this weekend, try grilling some foods besides the usual suspects. check out this great list and think outside the box! [i love a grilled lettuce salad.] and...i'm gonna use the last of my limoncello to make this tasty little cocktail!

if you do plan to cook meat on the grill, here are some very helpful guidelines from real simple on safe temps, etc. and here, epicurious offers a great grilling and barbecue guide, while food & wine shares a fun and delicious backyard barbecue party menu.

fancy a drink?

2011-05-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

a brief post this time around...all about COCKTAILS!

just wanted to share some great resources for drink ideas and recipes.
(these are not my photos...)

chow

saveur

epicurious

what's your favorite summer drink? do tell!

dear rhubarb, i love you.

2011-05-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

rhubarb is a wonderfully tart vegetable [sometimes mistaken for a fruit] and people often say they either love it or hate it. i am on the love side. pies, jams, syrups...yum. one very important detail: the leaves are poisonous and should not be ingested. the stalks should be as firm and dark pink/red as possible. however, the light pink stalks can also be just fine in most recipes...but for jams, etc, i try to use red stalks, as they are more visually striking. i've fallen hard for rhubarb...much like i did for figs last year. now i have rhubarb growing in the back yard right next to my new fig tree.

here's a very tasty and simple recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie. every time i make it, i'm asked to make it again!

strawberry rhubarb pie

ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound fresh rhubarb, chopped
2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons white sugar

directions

preheat oven to 400 degrees

in a large bowl, mix flour and sugar. add strawberries and chopped rhubarb. toss with sugar and flour and let stand for 30 minutes.

pour filling into pie crust. dot top with butter, and cover with top crust. seal edges of top and bottom crust with water.

apply yolk to top of pie, using a pastry brush. sprinkle with sugar. cut small holes in top to let steam escape.

bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly and brown. cool on rack.

serve with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.

[also, i use a pie crust shield and it helps so much - i don't like a burnt crust, hon!]

here are some other great rhubarb recipes:

rhubarb clafouti by the kitchn

rhubarb vodka by nigella olsen

rhubarb salad with goat cheese by martha stewart

rhubarb syrup by the kitchn

rhubarb compote by i made that

rhubarb basil cocktail by the kitchn

do you have a great rhubarb recipe? never used it? try it, you just might love it!

milk + honey = happiness

2011-04-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

visited milk & honey today while running a few errands in mt. vernon. i've shopped there for groceries, but today was my first actual lunch visit. so glad i decided to take a load off instead of taking it to go - the folks who helped me - ally and bolt - were warm, gracious and quite talented!

my sammie: coppa, thinly sliced apples, manchego cheese, fig spread (yeah, we love figs...) on ciabatta. on a kinda weird, rainy day, it was warm, salty, sweet perfection.

milk & honey was a lovely detour from boring old errands. if you haven't been there, GO!

a chip without the side of guilt...

2011-04-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

kale is H.O.T. to quote one of my fave shows, modern family [mitchell to cameron as he gets home from the farmers market...] "do you know what the new spinach is?! KALE!!"

mitchell is right. it's super hot right now and so are kale chips. as i chatted with cinda at gardeners gourmet at the waverly market this morning, she said, "wow, was there some story on NPR this week or something? everyone's talking about kale chips!"

a friend of mine commented on making kale chips a few weeks ago on the book of face. i figured if i could devour a bag of veggie booty [they are no longer allowed in my house], i'd like kale chips...and i was right. so easy, inexpensive and delish. make 'em, you'll love 'em.

there are many recipes out there...but here's one i used from smitten kitchen. [i did mine @ 350 degrees for 12 minutes...they came out perfectly crispy and thin. [sea salt is key to the yum taste.] you can also add a little dusting of parmesan reggiano cheese, too. yum.

hey, ice cream man!

2011-04-06T13:20:00.000-07:00

when i went to san francisco last fall, my friend told me that i needed to visit a foodie mecca, humphrey slocumbe. it's this amazing ice cream joint serving creative, unique flavors like honey lavender, cinnamon brittle and boccalone prosciutto. i'm not a huge sweets person -- give me olives, cheese or otherwise salty goodness and i'm happy -- so i wouldn't have gone had my friend not had such a strong opinion that i not skip it. so, there i go...a total tourist in a $25 cab ride for a $3 ice cream. but holy peanut butter curry, it was worth it. if you go to the bay area...hit 'em up [but take bart.]

charm city has some very good ice cream, too. the choices are not quite as extensive as what i found in san fran's mission district, but very, very tasty stuff. for example...one of my very fave restaurants in town, b, makes their own ice cream and i make a point to get it when i go there. on my last visit i had a trio of delicate scoops of cardamom, beet and malt ice creams. happiness.

at the waverly market, you can get both broom's bloom and south mountain creamery ice creams. i like both of them and take turns buying from them. broom's bloom's dirt ice cream is amazing. south mountain also delivers, along with their other good stuff. talk about trouble...

i get taharka brothers ice cream [you may remember them as sylvan beach] at the baltimore food coop and also at their shop in mt. washington, which is reopening this friday. OH so many great flavors like salted caramel, candied fennel and key lime pie. scary good.

then there's dominion ice cream - they're all about making ice cream a wee bit healthier. yes, healthier and DEE-lish flavors like sweet corn, spinach and cucumber. yes, it's a little bit weird if you think about it. don't think about it. just EAT it.

[and as i write this...the scary hampden ice cream truck rolls by my house...]

since i'd been bitten by the 'better than the grocery store brand ice cream' bug, i wanted to try my hand at making ice cream. i researched lots of ways to make it without a machine [i love you, david lebovitz] and quickly realized my time was better spent making other stuff...so i borrowed my friend janna's cuisinart ice cream and sorbet maker. first up, strawberry...mainly because i bought some super sweet strawberries at the market. wow - it was super delicious [i say was because it's gone...] i even got a comment from my 4 yr old friend, eliza, as she ate a scoop of strawberry ice cream - "you're great." that made my day.

then, i made cardamom ice cream. big thanks to my friend elaine for the recipe and cardamom pods. it turned out so well...i'm actually glad i only made a small amount!

next up, lemon sorbet and testing of some lactose-free recipes, too. here are a bunch of basic ice cream and sorbet receipes from cuisinart and photos from my batch of strawberry.

and...since i'm kinda obsessed with beets, that's on the list. oh and salted caramel. [word.]

are there places where you actually seek out the ice cream in baltimore??

happy cooking...thanks for reading and sharing my blog, hon!

out and about - food and fun in charm city

2011-03-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

what's the best meal you've ever had in b'more? that's a tough one. for me, it's more than just the food. it's the people i'm with, the surroundings, the service, the vibe, etc. and yes, of course...the food. if the food is bad, what's the point?

some friends and i were talking the other day about our favorite restaurants in baltimore. there were some strong opinions! here are some of mine...not really in order. i love them all for very different reasons.

b
cozy, warm space. lots of amazing in-season cooking going on here. love the salads, especially the arugula with grapefruit vinaigrette (i still miss the bibb salad with green goddess)..also really enjoy the great starters like heirloom beets, forest mushrooms or burgundy snails (don't be scared!) oh, and the homemade ice creams and sorbets. excellent wine selections. al fresco dining in charming bolton hill on a warm summer night - perfect. it feels like a nice night out but not too fancy (i love 'not too fancy'.)

woodberry kitchen
spike and amy gjerde's comfy supper joint. they got it all right. the space, the people, the vibe, the menu...oh, how i love this place. sometimes i just meet a friend at the bar on the early side to have a cocktail and nibble on simple snacks like kitchen pickles and smoked onion dip. what you cannot skip when here for dinner: dessert. i am not a big sweets gal, but holy dirt...i fully agree with duff goldman that the CMP is amazing. it comes in a glass with a hard sugar top. you have to tap the top of the sugar to break in and then you find malt ice cream topped with marshmallow fluff, chocolate sauce and wet peanuts. so flipping good.

peter's inn
part neighborhood bar, part gourmet restaurant. the new york strip, mashed potatoes and garlic bread make this girl very, very, very happy. the menu changes a lot, which i love. they do 1/2 price on wednesdays and have a great selection of draft beers. i do not get down to peter's nearly enough.

the helmand
afghani heaven. they serve my very favorite appy in town, kaddo borwani - pan-fried and baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and served on yogurt garlic sauce. i could eat a huge bowl of it. tried to replicate it at home...not nearly the same. i've taken many friends there for their first afghani food and they've all loved it and have gone back often. also, white tablecloths, nice service, not expensive at all.

grand cru
technically a wine bar vs restaurant, but i love it immensely. fantastic cocktail menu and delicous snackage. last time i went i had the raclette - oh, for the love of perfectly melty cheese, potatoes, gerkins, bread and prosciutto. they have the most delicious thin pastry crust pizzas - or tartes flambées. my fave is the leek + goat cheese. i also love the warm, soft house baked pretzels. what makes this place great is its staff. they make you feel at home. it's definitely my favorite bar in town.

iggie's
if there is ever a time when i like "fancy", it's on my pizza. you know, interesting toppings like red onion confit, roasted duck, mushroom ragu...stuff like that. but then at a place like iggie's, even a basic cheese pizza is not basic..it's insanely good. you can also "take and bake" your pie if you want to cook it at home, too. and, hon...my fave...it's BYOB! sunday afternoons are a great time to go. i think it's the best pizza in baltimore.

the wine market
locust point seems like a hike, but it's really not...go! the wine market serves up some very interesting cocktails using seasonal ingredients (can't wait for rhubarb to be back in season) and they have daily happy hour specials, too. had a cheese plate recently that had the most amazing quince paste and cardamom spiced almonds and of course...lovely cheeses. other fave dishes include the steak salad, lobster bowl and seared scallops. oh, and don't miss the shrimp and pork dumplings - with sweet jalapeno dipping sauce. they are serious biz.

rocket to venus
R2V has the best l'il happy hour deal in town if you like beer - 3 little "toddlers" (8oz drafts) for $3. nice beer selections, too. what else? fried pickles and chipotle ranch dipping sauce two blocks from my house? trouble. there are so many great choices...beet salad, brussel sprouts, mussels, burgers, chicken + waffles, etc. don't be intimidated by the hipsters working there. they're a nice bunch.

here is baltimore mag's list of top restaurants for last year.

also, check out some new dining spots in charm city and let me know what you think. i liked all of these!

demi
corner BYOB
alchemy
bistro rx
mari luna

what restaurants do you LOVE? fave dishes?

here some yum plates from some of my faves (and others i didn't write about this time around...)

cipolla pizza at iggie's

raclette at grand cru

scallops with asparagus and limas at chameleon

spinach with chickpeas, dates and pine nut butter

candy bar dessert at blue hill

dirty martini at dogwood

duvel at alonso's

all things irish

2011-03-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

my mom (um, hello...peggy fitzpatrick) is 100% irish. so every year when st. patrick's day comes around, i think i really should honor my potato and whiskey loving ancestors and make corned beef & cabbage, drink some green beer or go to mick o'shea's or something...but i never have. so, finally, this year i'm doing the corned beef thing and a potato gratin. (and maybe a salad...but do we need salad?) and, yes, there will be guinness. maybe even a car bomb? oh my...prolly not.

if you're planning on doing an irish feast this thursday, here are some ideas and recipes!

guinness beef stew

irish soda bread

corned beef and cabbage

guinness moonpies

irish beers!

irish coffee

may your troubles be less and your blessing be more,
and nothing but happiness, come through your door.

enjoy st. patrick's day, lads and lassies!

food: life on the street

2011-03-01T06:22:00.000-08:00

years ago, my friends in california kept telling me about all of the great street food in LA. totally jealous.

i thought...will we ever have a taco truck in charm city? after all, baltimore is a pretty traditional place. and...it's not a big city. it's not LA, not NYC, not SF...it's b'more. then, thankfully, i stumbled onto the curbside cafe parked in my neighborhood last year - not tacos, but really super delicious burritos. a warm burrito = happiness. [pete yorn even wrote a song called burrito...check it out!]

there are a bunch of food trucks around town serving up everything from chocolate cupcakes to bacon cheeseburgers. all you need to do is just follow them on facebook or twitter to find out where they will be. excellent eats, hon!

iced gems - my fave is the red velvet with cream cheese frosting

creperie breizh - sweet or savory...so many great choices

koopers chowhound burger wagon - yum. love the angus burger with sauteed mushrooms, jack and cheddar

curbside cafe - i really like the spicy chicken burrito with jalapeno pineapple hot sauce

haute dog carte - okay, so this is not an actual food truck...but wanted to share it. highly recommend the signature dog with the tomato & onion jam. yummmm.

know of other food trucks? tell us!

p.s. be sure to follow richard gorelick on dining at large. he always shares the latest news!

** blogger note: just heard about gypsy queen cafe - check 'em out!

easy and delicious mushroom risotto

2011-02-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

i've always been told that making risotto is a bear. all that stirring, stirring, stirring. blah, blah, blah. but thanks to the amazing folks at america's test kitchen, i've found that is untrue, hon.

i've written about this show before, but it is well worth repeating. america's test kitchen is like no other cooking show. these talented home cooks prepare recipes over and over, modifying them along the way in order to find the best way to make just about anything. if you like to cook and you've not watched this show on public television (and it's sister show, cook's country) - get on it! they also review products and cooking tools on each episode, which i find especially helpful. host chris kimball is adorably nerdy and fun, so that's a plus, too.

i just bought their MAMMOTH new cookbook, which lists all of the recipes from the last ten years of the show, plus a shopping guide (ie: what's the best hot sauce, cheese grater, chef's knife, for example) and also a great conversion and equivalencies guide. so far, i've made mushroom risotto, oven fried chicken and beef stew. yummm.

if you cook a lot, i highly recommend becoming a member on their website. you can try a FREE 14-day trial membership, then if you want to continue after two weeks, it's about $30 for the year. this gives you access to their excellent recipes and videos. i am a member and use their website all the time now.

here is their fabulous mushroom risotto. honestly, the best thing i've eaten in months.

spicy cold relief

2011-01-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

about ten years ago, i stumbled upon nam kang restaurant. very random place, random location, but excellent food. there is a bit of a language barrier (i once ordered lemonade and got a glass of milk...) but the people there are extememly nice, so it's all good. they serve japanese, chinese and korean food and my favorite item on the menu is jampong. it is a korean spicy seafood soup served over thick udong noodles. when i say spicy, i mean - nose running crazy (good) spicy. whenever i get a cold, i go and pick up some jampong and it clears my head like nobody's business. it's a little smelly for some folks - one of my coworkers asked me not to bring it into the office again (but then, she is 93, so i figure she's earned the veto.)

they also have surprisingly good sushi (but do not offer it on wednesdays.) one of my favorite photos in my etsy shop is of sushi from nam kang. yum.

try out nam kang - 22nd and maryland.

charming new spot

2011-01-03T16:44:00.000-08:00

have you been to charmington's? it's on howard street [at 26th] - the name indicates it's between charles village and remington. i'm told that it's technically in charles village, yet it feels like it's in remington....but who cares? it's a great place to grab a cuppa [fair trade] joe or meet a friend for lunch or dinner. i thought it might never open...but, happily, it is now and it's a nice little spot. i had a delicious powerhouse sammie when i visited. quite yum.

check out rob kasper's review.

pesto alla trapanese

2011-01-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

this is my latest fave dish from my very FAVE show, america's test kitchen. yes, i am a nerd.

i was intrigued by the alternative to the usual type of pesto. in trapani, italy, this is a peasant meal, so it's very inexpensive to make. the sauce barely covers the pasta, which is typical in italy...not so much in the good 'ol USA.

mangia!

Pasta with Tomato and Almond Pesto (Pesto Alla Trapanese)

Serves 4 to 6

A half teaspoon of red wine vinegar and ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes can be substituted for the pepperoncini. If you don’t have a food processor, a blender may be substituted. In step 2, pulse ingredients until roughly chopped, then proceed with the recipe, reducing processing times by half.

Ingredients

1/4 cup slivered almonds

12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves

1 medium garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)

1 small pepperoncini, stemmed, seeded, and minced (about 1/2 teaspoon) (see note)

Table salt

Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound pasta, preferably linguine or spaghetti

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup), plus extra for serving

Instructions

1. Toast almonds in small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until pale golden and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Cool almonds to room temperature.

2. Process cooled almonds, tomatoes, basil, garlic, pepperoncini, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes (if using) in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, slowly drizzle in oil, about 30 seconds.

3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.

4. Add pesto and ½ cup Parmesan to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that pesto coats pasta. Serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.

best dressed

2011-01-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

a few years ago, i stopped buying bottled salad dressings. homemade versions are so much tastier and free of added sugar and preservatives. i'm a big fan of vinaigrettes, but every once in a while i'll make a creamy dressing. here are some great recipes so you can make your own, too!

i'm always telling everyone about the kitchn's blog. it is a FABOO resource for anything you need. search for recipes, techniques, ideas. you will love it!

creamy, delicious hummus

2010-12-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

as i continue down this fun and exciting path of cooking, next on the list to master: hummus. and, again, thanks to a fave blog, i found this super delicious recipe. the key, according to this blogger, is to add the ingredients in a very specific order. you blend the tahini and lemon juice in the food processor first. that creates a smooth and creamy base for the rest of the recipe. i also added roasted red peppers and some cayenne pepper to give it a kick. i know i will make this over and over.

delicious!

make some today! (get some stacy's pita chips for dippage.)

herbed goat cheese

2010-12-23T15:57:00.000-08:00

i saw a blog post recently on serious eats about making goat cheese. i had never really thought of making cheese, but since it sounded so easy, i thought i'd give it a shot. i got the goat's milk and cheesecloth at whole foods, borrowed a candy thermometer from a friend and headed home to start my little science project. here's how you do it...

first, you heat the goat's milk

once it hits 180 degrees, remove from heat and add lemon juice and wait for it to curdle

be sure to have the cheesecloth ready for the warm, curdled goat's milk

spoon goat's milk into cheesecloth, tie it up onto a wooden spoon and let it drip for 1.5 hours

remove goat cheese from cheesecloth and add garlic, salt + pepper and your choice of chopped herbs

top your favorite crackers or bread with the creamy herbed goodness.
i dipped big, warm garlic croutons in it. ridiculous.

next time i make this, i will probably double the recipe, as it only makes a small amount.
be sure to eat it while it's very fresh. it would be excellent on pizza!

italian lemon goodness

2010-12-15T18:54:00.000-08:00

limoncello is a very tasty italian drink and i'd been hoping for years to make it. and, now that i've made it...i'm wondering...what took so long?! it is delicious and so easy. you just have to be patient [it takes a minimum four weeks.] here is the recipe.

make yourself some of this wonderful digestif!

small wonders

2010-12-11T09:10:00.000-08:00

i buy fresh eggs every saturday from andy's eggs (fallston, md) at the waverly market. many of my friends prefer the sunday market under the JFX, but i really like waverly. it is smaller, i know many of the vendors...and it's year-round, so i can get my weekly milk, eggs, bread, lettuce, etc, even in the dead of winter.

i get a weekly email from woolsey farm and this week's entry had a message from andy about his recent trip to pick up some pullets (young chickens.) he suggested their lovely little eggs for the holidays (i saw the words DEVILED EGGS and i was in.) so, i went this morning and picked up two dozen pullet eggs from him. they are beautiful. and delicious. look how orange-y that yolk is - yum.

go see andy (get there early) and get some for yourself!

visit my etsy shop!

picture this...

2010-11-20T15:11:00.000-08:00

i sold some of my favorite food photos today at a holiday bazaar at friends school. it was a HUGE success. people really seemed to love them, which makes me so happy. i also sold my delicious fig jam...and all 24 jars sold out! (and someone pre-ordered 10 more jars from my next batch!)

a good day...

i am matting some more photos and making more fig goodness...let me know if you would like to order either (or both!) for holiday gifts. you can email me at amylangrehr@me.com for more info.

here are the photos available: http://picasaweb.google.com/113365198657788640694/HollyFest#

here are two last minute additions to the show that were BIG sellers...

i am so glad i finally did this. happy cook.

my favorite time of year

2010-10-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

fall is the best. there's a chill in the air, the leaves are changing and football is here. fall also means heartier cooking - for me, it means lots of roasted veggies, soups, stews and other comfort foods. go to any local farmers market and you'll see tons of squash, pumpkins, beans, apples and more. just this morning, i bought hubbard [blue] squash - mostly because they are beautiful - and, i thought i had a recipe using them in soup.

at the waverly market, i love the people who sell beans. they are quiet, friendly folks selling fresh, shelled black beans, chick peas, dixie butter beans, white beans and more. you can make so many great soups using beans - and if you add greens like swiss chard, you add a whole lot of flavor and vitamins, too (don't forget to use the stalks, too!) a few weeks ago, i made a great butter bean and ham soup - it is now a fave. i changed it a bit, using fresh beans and adding rainbow chard. yummmmm.

last week, i got yellow spaghetti squash from my CSA. wasn't sure what to do with it...so i asked my 'go to' gal, joan norman of one straw farm. she said to prepare it like butternut squash (cut it in half, remove the seeds and roast for 40 minutes.) once done, though, she said to use a fork to shred the inside of the squash. it was amazing how easily it shredded and had a consistency like spaghetti (thus, the name...) when i roasted it, i added honey, sea salt and olive oil and it made a great side dish.

whether your favorite fall dish is mashed sweet potatoes, turkey chili, butternut squash soup or something else, get to that kitchen! host a supper for friends, share with neighbors or freeze the goodness for enjoyment later this winter.

here are a few of my fave fall-esque recipes:

mashed sweet potatoes
pappardelle with butternut squash and blue cheese
cheddar corn chowder
white bean and rosemary soup
beef chili with kidney beans
butternut squash soup
perfect pot roast

what are some of your favorite fall dishes?

oh, for the love of figs

2010-09-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

figs...

they always seemed like a fancy food...a little too fancy for me. i liked them, but i really didn't cook with them. and then, i discovered an amazing thing about a month ago...fig paste. it was on a cheese plate and came with thinly sliced manchego cheese on toasted baguette slices with olive oil, sea salt and pepper...it was the best flavor combo. oh, yum. quickly, i became fig-obsessed. the next day, i saw bought some fresh figs and i was off! i made one pint of the sweet and savory goodness and shared it with some friends. they raved, so i thought i had to make it again. but this time, i went a little crazy. i made many, many tiny jars full...and this time, i PRESERVED it! (i'm feeling soooo domestic, hon.)

i consulted with my friend lauren since she seems to know how to do pretty much everything. she loaned me a pot, tools and a resource book - and i got little 4oz jars...and i became someone who cans food - something i never, ever thought i'd do.

here are a few great references on both figs and canning:

successful home canning

hot water bath canning

the fig and the wasp

here are some photos of the process.

i think i might actually sell this stuff...who knows...

also, check out this great sandwich recipe...i made it today and it was unbelievable. make it!

oh, and i bought a fig tree today at whole foods and it has a great spot in the backyard. i think it will make me very happy. but then, i'm sort of easy to please.

heirlooms, sauce and friends

2010-08-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

thanks to the miracle of over the counter medications, i can now enjoy tomato sauce. sometimes i follow recipes in the joy of cooking or on the kitchn, but sometimes i just wing it. sometimes i add carrots, sometimes chicken stock, sometimes wine, make it spicy, make it sweet...and always, always fresh herbs from my front porch. but no matter how i modify the sauce, i use tomatoes affectionately called "tony romas." they come from white hall, MD, at one straw farm.

tony romas are kinda funny looking...i often see people at the market pick them up and examine them. they are large roma tomatoes that also resemble a pepper, very meaty with not much liquid in them and have so much flavor. (great for just slicing and eating...) joan norman at one straw told me the story of how she and drew began growing them. she says "a friend of ours worked with a man from italy. he had just moved here and thought the tomatoes in the united states were terrible. he had his father send him some of his seeds from his family's home garden in italy. when our friend tasted the tomatoes grown from these seeds, he asked for a few seeds. he grew them for several years and then told us about them. he gave us a few seeds, maybe ten....that was about 15 years ago. we've been growing them and saving the seeds ever since. the first year, only a few of the tomatoes were eaten. even then, the seeds were saved." how nice that all these years later we get to enjoy these delicious tomatoes.

so...how did they get the name tony romas? they are named for a gentleman who shopped from and then worked for joan at the waverly market every saturday and also out at boordy vineyards. tony loved these long heirloom tomatoes so much that in the beginning he would take all them. (he came bright and early and brought delicious homemade sandwiches for joan and her crew.) when one straw had enough of these romas for him, only then did he sell them. his favorite customers were offered these tomatoes. if you tried to touch and squeeze them, you were off the list. he would carefully pick them up and put them in a bag and if you didn't care for them, don't expect to get any the following week. tony was the guardian of these tomatoes. sadly, tony died at a farmer's market one evening. he said he was tired and thought he should go home. right there, holding a bag of these tomatoes, he turned to leave...and died. tony is gone, but not forgotten by all of the folks at one straw farm. tony is beloved.

i feel honored to be able to share in this great tradition. tony romas are my main ingredient when i make pasta sauce...although i also add yellow pear tomatoes, orange cherry tomatoes and all kinds of other heirlooms - all from my friends at one straw farm. a jar's got nothing on me.

thanks, tony.

squashed

2010-07-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

roasted patty pan squash with maple ginger sausage

6-8 patty pan squash
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp fresh chopped thyme or marjoram
1/8 cup chopped onion (or more if you like)
1/2 cup freshly cooked corn off the cob
1 cup shredded asiago cheese
1 gunpowder bison co. maple + ginger sausage - cut into 1/8" slices

preheat oven to 350

cut patty pan squash into 1/2" slices and place on sheet pan
top with all ingredients with slices of sausage on top
place in oven and cook for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted

i've done this recipe with maple ginger sausage and also with bacon. i preferred the sweeter taste with the sausage..

'go to' kitchen items

2010-07-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

this post is super duper basic. i want to know what you need in your kitchen. everyone has tools and ingredients that they use all the time. here are some of mine - a few of them are things i really didn't know existed a few months ago (the silicone pie crust thing rules...) to say that i can't live without these things is a bit dramatic - but they do make my life a whole lot easier!

silicone pie crust shield - no more burned crusts and no wrangling foil
accusharp knife sharpener - dull knives make chopping such a chore
henckels paring knives - excellent quality, price and the colors make them easy to spy in kitchen drawers
cuisinart hand blender - great for soups, salad dressings
weber electric outdoor grill - no messing with gas or charcoal (but charcoal does taste best!)
melamine mixing bowls - great because they have no-slip bottoms and spouts
giada at home pie plate - perfect classic white
salt and pepper mills - using sea salt and peppercorns gives much fresher flavor
silicone spatulas - i have three and use them constantly
and...my mom's old cast iron skillet and many other great pots and pans

when i cook, instead of finding a recipe and then going shopping, i do the opposite. i see what's good at the market, then figure out what to make (being a one-person household, i can do this pretty easily.) here are my basic ingredients to have on hand all the time...what are yours?

olive oil
sea salt and peppercorns
balsalmic vinegar
lemons
garlic
chicken stock
fresh herbs

please do take a moment to share, follow and add comments to my blog when you have time.

happy cooking!

home slice

2010-07-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

i love really good pizza. give me a crispy thin crust with delicious, flavorful toppings and i'm a happy girl. my hilarious friend richie would call my kind of pizza "artsy." you know...arugula, goat cheese, prosciutto, roasted veggies...that kind of stuff.

i've started grilling my own pizza on my snazzy Weber grill - it's so easy! the first time i made pizza, i used the kitchn's fantastic blog post on the subject as a reference.

everyone's so busy these days, so i think it's just fine to use pizza dough from the prepared food section at a store like whole foods or trader joe's. save yourself some time, hon. however, if you'd rather do the whole scratch thing, it's not hard at all. here's ina garten's recipe.

whether you make the dough or not, the key to grilling pizza is to work super fast with a very hot grill. be sure to have your crusts and toppings all ready to go next to the grill. put the crust on the grill, brush both sides with olive oil, grill both sides for a few seconds, add your toppings (i put the cheese on before the sauce like they do at john's in NYC) and close the top and grill for about five minutes. as ina would say, how easy is that??

what you choose to drink with your pizza can depend on the toppings or on your own personal preference - maybe a lush red, crisp white or light-bodied beer. my fave combo lately is goat cheese, mozzarella and arugula pizza with torrontes.

if you'd rather have a pro make your pizza, baltimore has several great spots for delicious artisanal pizza. my favorite is iggie's in mt. vernon. i love, love, love the cipolla pizza with red onion confit, mozzarella, pancetta and ricotta.

not only is the pie amazing at iggie's, they give a portion of their proceeds to charities and...it's a BYOB joint. i also like the pizza at joe squared in station north (they have live music!) and bagby pizza in oh-so-fabulous harbor east. at bagby you can BYOB (pop into bin 604) or enjoy their house selections of beer and wine.

life's too short for bad pizza - go for the best. abbondanza!

my happy place

2010-07-05T16:16:00.000-07:00

recently, the city of baltimore came up with yet another bizarre slogan. in the past, we've seen "the city that reads", "the greatest city in america", "get in on it" and now..."find your happy place." well, my happy place is the waverly farmers market. every saturday, i head to east 32nd street with my bags in hand and a set amount of cash to spend. once the bags are full and the money's gone...i'm out. oh, and the farmers market is also part social event, but with bedhead.

for me, the best part of the market is one straw farm. i met farmers joan and drew norman almost 15 years ago when i babysat their nephews out in white hall - and now, those boys are old enough to work at the market and i see them from time to time. it's funny how things come full circle - especially in smalltimore. i participate in one straw farm's CSA = community supported agriculture program. before the growing season starts, you send a check for a share of crops each week (one straw farm's is june through november.) i'm a relatively new cook, so it's fun to learn from joan about foods i had never used before like swiss chard, beets, tomatillos, kohlrabi, garlic scapes, etc. i now roast beets almost every week. who'da thunk it? (ina garten's roasted beets with orange vinaigrette is my go-to recipe lately.)

the other vendors i visit at the waverly market are andy bachman for eggs, chesapeake greenhouse for bibb lettuce, south mountain creamery for milk, neopol and broom's bloom for cheeses, fountain farm for rhubarb, asparagus, corn and other seasonal items, and hollow farms for fresh shelled peas and beans. after i get the essentials and i have a few dollars left, i sometimes buy flowers by the stem from john at locust point flowers or maybe some ginger hemp granola from michele's granola.

each week, i get this great local produce and cook it all up for the week, share with neighbors and friends and take photos of some of my work.

the farmers market allows me to shop like my grandparents did - directly from people they knew in their community. i'm old school, i guess.

p.s. my other happy place is the wine source, but we can talk about that another time...

tapas with a twist

2010-07-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

finally got to centro, the new federal hill tapas restaurant where the wonderful bicycle restaurant used to be. i'd heard so many raves from many friends and was really looking forward to it...and secretly hoped not to be disappointed.

since the sweltering heat in baltimore had just broken (holy dirt...finally) we sat outside in the lovely back patio. it was surprisingly free of city noise with buena vista social club playing quietly, simple potted plants placed to soften corners and white lights glowing along the walls.

the baltimore sun describes the food as traditional spanish tapas with a venezuelan spin and the wine list as "tidy" and i agree with that. there is something for every palette and the prices are excellent.

water for the table was served in very simple and attractive chilled glass bottles. then, sangria for my friend (they offered red and white) and viognier for me. one thing i loved was that the wines were served in rustic stemless glasses. perfect.

my friend has dairy and gluten issues and the waiter was really helpful and patient, consulting with the chef about what she could have. he also offered her a very tasty gluten-free beer. we shared some delicious marcona almonds (fried in olive oil and salted) and a shaved fennel, apple salad and arugula salad, which had great flavors and was beautiful, too. next, i had some amazing little sweet corn pancakes with queso blanco and topped with a chili glaze. my friend had (and i stole several bites of) wilted spinach with roasted chick peas, dates and this insane pine nut butter. i could've had a huge plate of that! i also loved the empanadas, which that night were filled with beef and spicy black beans.

the service was excellent and it felt like a nice night out...yet it was not stuffy or fancy - what a great spot. i cannot wait to go back. love centro. go!

blame it on france

2010-06-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

how it began...

when i turned 40 a few years ago, i went to paris and london with one of my best friends, kathleen. we visited our mutual lifelong friend, lia, who lives in paris and also has a home in burgundy. it was my first visit to the country. as much as i LOVE paris, burgundy was so relaxing and had all the good life basics: wine, food, books, naps. i haven't felt that at ease and happy in such a long time.

later during the visit, we were traveling around france and stopped for a lovely, long lunch. the food was so gorgeous that i started taking photos of our plates [lia and her husband daniel inspired me] and i've been doing it ever since...not every plate or every meal, but usually a few each week.

the next thing that changed things...my iphone and facebook. the iphone takes fantastic photos and facebook makes it incredibly easy to share them. people keep telling me i should do something with them...so here we are.

my blog is all about cooking in my tiny little kitchen, visiting the farmers market and eating and drinking in the various establishments all over baltimore.

i hope you enjoy it.
oh, and here are a few of my favorite photos from the trip to france - such a huge inspiration!