Dressing a table...

...because a naked table is indecent!

Last summer should be called: The Summer of the Sewing Machine. Although I have known how to sew for ages, and often sew gifts for friends and family, I produced an unprecedented amount of gifts. Last summer, I had many weddings and new babies in my life, so I spent my summer with a one-woman sweatshop in our den. I sewed seven throw-blanket quilts, four tablecloths with matching napkins, cloth party decorations (yay, being green) and assorted baby supplies, such as onesies and burpclothes. Poor A, he would come home and I would be excitedly showing him the random gifts and innovative changes I made with each generation. I became a regular on etsy.com finding unique fabrics and appliques. I scoured blogs for ideas, and spent much of my summer relishing creativity. In all the gift madness, I wanted to make something for us.

Ten years ago, my Great Aunt Julia passed away. I was fortunate enough to get two items of furniture from her home in Worcester, a steamer trunk and a dining set. Due to our relatively new presence in the United States, and because immigrants try not to bring baggage, we don't have heirlooms in my family. I have always cherished my little dining set from Julia, and I love that it fits perfectly in our townhouse. It normally seats two, but has a leaf that rotates up when you pull the table across--old fashion ingenuity, which allows a tight four. Due to the size of the table, we host many cocktail parties, but not many dinners. It is always an experience having four people eat together at the table, but I wouldn't want it any differently. That table is a Salmon table, and it fits our Minard life. However, there aren't many tablecloths that fit it right. So, I realized that this was a super easy project, and would compliment my love of serving good meals. Anyways, I ordered a Florentine fabric and made a reversible tablecloth and matching/contrasting napkins. I found I only needed a yard of fabric, so I made a few more. So, to inspire you to dress up your table, here are some shots of my summer projects...

This is a tablecloth set made for one of my closest friends from Georgetown, notice our cat, Cleo, who also loves the table.

And two more for us,

Brown Butter Sage Ravioli

The meal for the lazy gourmand.

Well, I made this meal awhile ago, so I don't remember the precise recipe. However, a general method would be to take a few tablespoons of butter, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a few leaves of fresh sage and saute. Then add peas and green beans. Saute until they are crispy good. Meanwhile, boil water, add in raviolis. In my opinion, the ravioli at the Italian Store is worth the trip. However, if you are too lazy to have quality Italian handmade raviolis, you can buy the Harris Teeter brand, which I find to be yummy as well. The key is not overcook the ravioli, it is always a beginner mistake. Combine your sauteed sage/butter/veggie mix with the drained ravioli. Sprinkle with Romano cheese, salt and pepper, to taste, but of course.

In Memorium...

Since October, it has been difficult for me to sit down and write for this blog, or even cook an inspiring new meal. In my family, there was always a cooking matriarch, my grandmother, Serafina Nankervis. In previous posts, I mentioned that she taught us all we knew about Italian cooking, but she was also an avid reader, if not the only reader, of my blog. She fiercely loved her family. She was relentlessly proud of the cooks in our family, and credited it to our Italian heritage. Last August, she was diagnosed with cancer, which very rapidly took over her vibrant life. We lost her in October.

It is quite unusual to be blessed with having your grandparents so active in your life, especially entering your thirties. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to live near them, while I attended graduate school. I lunched with them every Friday, where Grandma would make the world's best sandwich, which she was not modest about- at all. We sat and talked, sometimes joined by A., about their lives before children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I learned so much about my grandparents, and how they started their lives together. Although Serfina loved her family, and was the first to ensure we were together for all occasions, there was more to her than familial traditionalism. My Grandmother was a working woman, an award winning artist, a talented cook, and a funny story teller. Growing up, we painted with her, attended gallery openings, and spent every Christmas at her house. My last memory of her, well my last memory before the horrible cancer news, was sitting on my parents patio with her. My Grandfather and her best friend joined us, talking about politics, my PhD program, sewing, cooking, and the arts. Having tea with the June sun on our faces, I remember thinking how lucky I was to have grandparents who were so interesting and interested.

I don't have many memories without her, and now I am marking a new stage in my life where she won't be able to participate. We were able to tell her about the new baby, but the new baby will miss knowing her. Lately, I slowly started making things from scratch again, and I am interested in new foods. My new pregnancy diet is cracking up our family, including my Grandfather who watched me eat meat and chocolate at Christmas, a shocking site for people who have known me all my life, and my Grandmother would have found hysterical. I am hoping my cooking lull was just a form of mourning. It is time to nag my mother for my grandmother's recipes, so I can ensure Serafina is always present, while we are making new memories with Mini-Minard.

Suistanable Cooking in the News....

Another plug for Barton Seaver....
This month, Esquire magazine featured Barton Seaver, the famed chef of Blue Ridge and former chef of Hook, as he received chef of the year. A former classmate of A., Barton is a great example of a fantastic chef using sustainable cooking techniques. I might try the broccoli recipe at the bottom of the article. If you do, let me know how it goes!

Click here for the article on Seaver

NPR and the Sustainable Fish Movement.

On Fresh Air, Terry Gross interviewed Daniel Pauly about sustainable fishing. He gives specific advice for responsible purchasing, and explains why certain fish are considered to be more problematic. For example, farmed salmon requires an extremely large amount of chum, whereas wild salmon is much better for you and our resources. I also tend to think wild salmon tastes much better. Additionally, eating fish like catfish and tilapia are much better for the environment, and you.

Click here for the interview with Pauly

Vegetarian Chili....yum

Every Fall, I get in the mood for chili. Since I didn't grow up eating it, I have a very unofficial approach to chili throw a bunch of things together and taste constantly to prevent a crisis. So, the recipe below is a bit of a mess, and ridiculously simple, but people tend to love it.

Vegetarian Chili

• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tb of olive oil
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 chopped green peppers
• 2 cans of kidney beans
• 2 cans of navy beans
• 2 cans of cannellini beans
• 2 tb of cumin
• 3 tb of chili powder
• 3 tp of hot sauce, or more to taste
• soy crumbles (optional)
  
• salt/pepper
• Garnish with shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, etc
  

1. Heat olive oil, saute in garlic, in a large sauce pan. Stir in green peppers and saute.
2. Pour in tomatoes, beans, and spices. If you would like soy crumbles, throw them in now.
3. Simmer for 1-2 hours. Stir once in awhile so it doesn't burn too much on the bottom.
4. Add Salt and Pepper, and garnish.

This is very good reheated.

An apology....

Due to various reasons, I am not much of a cook the past three months. In fact, due to a very small, but quickly growing, munchkin, I can't stomach many of my past recipes. Instead, I subsist on pasta, egg&cheese, and....yes....poultry. In fact, I haven't been able to stomach vegetables or fish in four months. Alas, the Pescetarian is eating meat again. Anyways, I am starting to cook again, so I will be sure to post some of my recipes, and forgive my inclusion of poultry...

More soon!

Our (d)evolving relationship with food preparation.

Do you see cooking as a spectator sport? Watch the Food Network, but think heating frozen 'food' is dinner? Well, it is time to re-think your relationship with meal preparation.

My kind sister-in-law sent me this Times article by Michael Pollan. Using the new movie Julie and Julia, Pollan examines our relationship with food preparation and consumption. Definitely worth the read, Thanks J!


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02cooking-t.html

Lemon Zucchini and Artichokes

Because I wanted to cook from my garden....

Lemon Zucchini and Artichokes on Rice

• 1 cup of basmati rice
• 1 tb of butter
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup of white wine
• 1 squeezed lemon
• 2 zucchini (or one GIANT one given to you by a fellow gardener)
• 1 cup of grape tomatoes, yellow and red
• 2 cups of green/yellow beans
• 2 cups or 1 can (drained) artichokes
• 1/2 cup of chopped basil
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Romano cheese to taste.
  

1. Boil 1 cup of basmati rice in 2 and 3/4 cups of water (a dab of butter or a little olive oil)
2. Chop veggies, and salt the zucchini.
3. Saute the chopped shallot and garlic in 1 tb of butter until translucent.
4. Add white wine, lemon, and zucchini. Saute until the zucchini is medium softness.
5. Add grape tomatoes, beans, and artichokes, saute until cooked.
6. When finished, plate and sprinkle basil on top of each serving.
   
7. Add salt/pepper/ Romano cheese to taste.

Daring food of the week...

Earlier I said I would try new fruits and veggies that I was scared of preparing. Although I did not update the blog religiously, things have been a little busy this summer, I have been trying new ones.

This week, I bought a pineapple. Now, I know pineapple is not exotic. However, the past 10 years, the span of my grocery shopping existence, I ran from the sight of an entire pineapple. I mean, they are big, heavy and they can hurt you-- those spikes! So, I usually resorted to purchasing canned pineapple. So, on a whim we bought pineapple last week, because after close examination I saw they now come with directions. I can handle carving directions, Right? Well it has sat in my fridge since I took it from its fellow spikey-mohawk friends. I hear its laughter every time I open the fridge, like those oinking pig fridge alarms. And then, last night I was publicly shamed. A dear friend of mine, and food lover, completely chopped through a pineapple. At their house for a summer bbq, A. explained that I am afraid of REAL pineapple. And well, I realized then and there I needed to get over my fear of punk fruit. Not one to ever back down from a challenge, I anialated that sucker.

A little Moules Marinières for your Bastille Day...

The Francophile that I am, I make July 14th a mandatory feast. Tonight, I purchased mussels from Slavins and Sons, a good bottle of French wine, and turned up Edith Piaf.




Moules Marinière

• 2 bags of Mussels
• 1 Shallot
• 1 cup of onion
• 8 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1 pint of grape tomatoes sliced in half
• 2 tb of butter
• 2 cups of white wine, I use a white burgundy
• pepper
• 1/3 cup of flat leaf parsley chopped.

1. Rinse, soak for 5 minutes, then drain the mussels.
2. Meanwhile, saute the rest of the ingredients in a giant stockpot. Turn the heat down.
3. De-beard the mussels, which involves taking off the small hairy part of the mussel. Any open or cracked mussels should be discarded at this point.
4. Throw the mussels into the stockpot
5. Cook for 2 minutes or until the mussels open.
6. Voila! C'est fini!

Today, instead of making pommes frites, under my sister's suggestion, I went to the frozen food aisle. I am usually pretty lost in this section of the grocery store. However, next to the classic french fries I saw from childhood, sat a bag of organic fries by Alexia. No added chemicals and made with sea salt- excellent. We started cooking these before prepping the mussels, which takes only 10 minutes with two people. I drizzled olive oil infused with chilis over them before putting them in the oven, and they were crispy and ready to dip in the mussels when we were done!

Bon Appetit!!