BUTTERNUT SQUASH, YUKON GOLD POTATOES, ONION, GARLIC (LOTS), ROSEMARY, SALT, BLACK PEPPER, AND HOT PEPPER FLAKES, ALL TOSSED IN OLIVE OIL . . .
ROASTED AT 425F FOR 30 MINUTES, TURNED OVER ONCE HALFWAY THROUGH. WOW! DELICIOUS! THE GARLIC IS SO SWEET AND CHEWY, A PERFECT COMPLIMENT TO THE SALTY POTATOES AND ROSEMARY. YUM.
S. AND I HAD A LOVELY THANKSGIVING FEAST WITH FRIENDS IN THE CITY. BEFORE HEADING HOME ON FRIDAY WE STOPPED IN CHELSEA TO SEE WHAT WAS SHOWING IN THE GALLERIES. I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THE DAVID HOCKNEY PAINTINGS AT PACE WILDENSTEIN ON 25TH ST. IF I HAD KNOWN THE SHOW CONTINUED AT THEIR UPTOWN GALLERY I WOULD'VE RUN RIGHT UP THERE TO SEE IT. BOTH PARTS OF THE SHOW CLOSE ON CHRISTMAS EVE, SO VISIT IT SOON IF YOU CAN!
THIS TIME OF YEAR IT'S REALLY NICE TO HAVE AN OLD FASHIONED FOOD MILL. I USED TO HAVE A FOLEY MODEL - IT REALLY TOOK SOME STENGTH AND DOWNWARD PRESSURE TO MAKE IT WORK. MY FORMER SPOUSE HAS THAT ONE NOW, WHICH IS FINE BECAUSE HE'S GOT THE STRENGTH TO OPERATE IT! THIS LITTLE MODEL IS INEXPENSIVE (AROUND $25) AND WORKS LIKE A DREAM. I BOUGHT MINE AT DIFFERENT DRUMMERS KITCHEN IN NORTHAMPTON, WHERE THEY HAD FANCY VERSIONS FOR OVER $100! IT MAKES QUICK WORK OF APPLE AND CRANBERRY SAUCES, AND I'M SURE WOULD MAKE A MEAN MASHED POTATO. IT COMES WITH THREE DIFFERENT SIZED DISKS, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU'RE REMOVING FROM THE SAUCE (FRUIT OR VEGGIE SKINS, SEEDS, ETC.). I WAS HESITANT AT FIRST ABOUT THE PLASTIC, BUT IT DOESN'T ABSORB COLOR OR SMELL FROM THE FOOD. EASY TO USE AND EASY TO CLEAN. IT'S THE RSVP INTERNATIONAL VEG-3 ROTARY FOOD MILL.
I RECEIVED THIS VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK EARTH, WATER, FIRE, AIR: COOKBOOK FOR THE NEW AGE by BARBARA FRIEDLANDER AS A GIFT IN 1972. I PULLED IT OUT LAST NIGHT TO MAKE THE BEST POTATO SOUP - A FAMILY FAVORITE FOR 37 YEARS. (EEEK . . . I'M REALLY DATING MYSELF!) THE BOOK IS FULL OF HOMEY, SIMPLE RECIPES, AND AT THE TOP OF EACH RIGHT-HAND PAGE THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION FOR MUSIC, OR A BOOK. A FEW OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS: ALL AND EVERYTHING BY G.I. GURDJIEFF, KNOTS BY R.D. LAING, AND BEETHOVEN'S NINTH SYMPHONY.
THERE'S THE MIGHTY CONNECTICUT RIVER - LOOKING RATHER TAME FROM THIS VIEW. I LOVE THE WAY THIS RIVERSIDE FOREST LOOKS - THERE'S NO UNDERGROWTH. IS IT BECAUSE THE RIVER FLOODS THERE IN SPRING?
A TORRENT RUSHING TO THE RIVER . . .
THE SWIRLING POOL WHERE THE WATERS SLOW A BIT, BEFORE HEADING FURTHER DOWN THE EMBANKMENT AND OFF TOWARD THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
EVERYTHING WAS WET FROM SATURDAY'S RAIN - THE MUTED AUTUMN COLORS WERE POPPING! THE PATH FOLLOWS THE BANK OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER, BUT IT IS HIGH UP ON AN EMBANKMENT. THE STREAMS WERE TORRENTS, FLOWING DOWN THE MOUNTAINSIDE, THROUGH CULVERTS UNDERNEATH OUR PATH, AND ON TO THE GREAT CONNECTICUT RIVER.
OK, THIS IS MY SECOND CHICKEN & POTATOES POST IN RECENT HISTORY. I CAN'T HELP IT - IT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO ME IN THE FALL! :-) BUT THIS VARIATION ON THE THEME WAS PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL, MEANING DELICIOUS. I MODIFIED A RECIPE THAT CAME FROM MY FRIEND D.'S GRANDMA FOR PORK LOIN ROASTED WITH PRUNES & BOURBON. I MADE IT WITH CHICKEN BREASTS, PRUNES & TEQUILA INSTEAD - TO VERY GOOD EFFECT. THE POTATOES ARE YUKON GOLDS, MASHED ROUGHLY WITH OLIVE OIL, FRESH PARSLEY AND SALT & PEPPER. IF YOU'D LIKE THE RECIPE FOR THE CHICKEN, JUST LET ME KNOW. (I put the recipe in the comments section. Click on 'comments' below.)
IT'S JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF THOSE DISHES I GUESS. I'VE BECOME RATHER CAVALIER ABOUT FOLLOWING THE RECIPE WHICH I ROUGHLY DOUBLED FOR THIS DISH. (YOU CAN FIND THE RECIPE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THIS OLDER POST). I'M BOTHERING TO POST ABOUT THIS DISH AGAIN BECAUSE I HAPPILY FREED MYSELF FROM THE PIE PLATES, DOUBLED THE RECIPE, ADDED 2 ANDOUILLE SAUSAGES TO THE SAUTE, AND GENERALLY DID WHATEVER I FELT LIKE DOING, AND THE RESULT WAS LOVELY. IN THIS 8"x8" PYREX BAKING DISH, I ENDED UP WITH SIX SERVINGS. WITH A GREEN SALAD, IT GOT ME THROUGH MOST OF MY LUNCHES & A DINNER THIS WEEK. SO PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE WITH THIS RECIPE TOO - AND LET ME KNOW HOW YOUR FRITTATA . . . UM QUICHE . . . WHATEVER IT IS . . . TURNS OUT!
I FINISHED READING THIS BOOK LATE LAST NIGHT. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT. MICHAEL POLLAN IS BRILLIANT. THE RESEARCH IS THOROUGH, AND THE WRITING IS ENGAGING AND ENTERTAINING. IF YOU READ THIS BOOK, AND I HOPE YOU DO, YOU WILL NEVER LOOK AT FOOD SYSTEMS - AND THE FOOD ON YOUR PLATE - THE SAME WAY AGAIN. POLLAN HAS ALSO WRITTEN AN EDITED VERSION FOR KIDS. NOW I'M ON TO HIS NEXT BOOK: IN DEFENSE OF FOOD.
ALSO TAKEN A FEW WEEKS AGO: THE ASTERS AND OAKS ARE A FEW OF THE LAST HOLDOUTS TO SHOW THEIR AUTUMN MAGIC.
MOST OF THE LEAVES HAVE FALLEN NOW. THESE IMAGES ARE FROM A WALK S. & I TOOK A FEW WEEKS AGO. IN NEW ENGLAND THE LANDSCAPE CHANGES ARE SO DRAMATIC IN LATE FALL.
YOU MAY RECALL MY PREVIOUS POST ABOUT MAKING GREEK YOGURT AT HOME. I MADE REGULAR OLD YOGURT, THEN STRAINED IT THROUGH A PAPER TOWEL LINED STRAINER. I RECENTLY RECEIVED THIS NIFTY LITTLE ITEM AS A GIFT, AND I'M JUST THRILLED WITH THE RESULTS! IT'S THE 'CUISIPRO YOGURT CHEESE MAKER.' IT'S SUCH A SIMPLE DEVICE: A PLASTIC BOX WITH A TIGHT FITTING LID, WITH A SCREEN INSERT. YOU JUST SCOOP YOUR YOGURT INTO THE THE SCREEN, LEAVE IT IN THE FRIDGE TO STRAIN FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIKE AND THEN . . . VOILA! THICK, CREAMY YOGURT!
I'VE ALSO BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH USING DIFFERENT KINDS OF MILK AND/OR CREAM. I GOT ON THE EXPERIMENTAL KICK AFTER THROWING 1/2 CUP OF LEFTOVER HEAVY CREAM INTO A 1/2 GALLON OF 2% MILK TO MAKE A BATCH. HOLY SMOKES - THAT WAS DELICIOUS! I TRIED 4% MILK WITH CREAM, SKIM MILK WITH CREAM, PLAIN 4% MILK. . . IN THE END, I THINK I LIKE THE PLAIN 2% MILK, STRAINED, THE BEST. THE OTHERS ARE SO YUMMY, BUT REALLY TOO RICH FOR EVERY DAY EATING. I FIND HOMEMADE YOGURT SO MUCH SWEETER AND DELICATE TASTING THAN STORE BOUGHT. I'VE BEEN USING WHOLE FOODS 365 PLAIN YOGURT FOR THE STARTER.
Lately I've been following David Lebovitz on Facebook and Twitter, and reading his blog. He's a delightful American food writer, living in Paris. He recently posted a granola recipe that uses applesauce, or another fruit puree, as a substitute for a lot of the oil that usually goes into granola. Since going gluten free, I've wanted to make granola, using certified gluten free oats. So last night, I did.
I started by making the applesauce, using organic Braeburn apples, skins, seeds and all, roughly chopped, and tossed in a pot with a little water. I simmered them until they were very soft, and plopped them into my food mill. Yay for the food mill! It removed the seeds and skins with ease, and left me with a lovely, thick, unsweetened fruit puree.
Ooooh . . .
I didn't follow Mr. Lebovitz's recipe to the letter - I used what I had on hand: a few pepitas, some walnuts, lots of almonds and maple syrup instead of rice syrup. The applesauce-instead-of-lots-of-oil is genius - the resulting product is light and just sweet enough. I ate it this morning with extra apple sauce and homemade greek style yogurt. So good!
WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD MY BEST FRIEND'S MOTHER TAUGHT ME HOW TO MAKE THIS DISH - STEP-BY-STEP - IN HER KITCHEN. SHE WROTE THE RECIPE DOWN, AND I BROUGHT IT HOME AND COOKED IT FOR MY FAMILY. I WAS SO PROUD! LIKE SO MANY RIGHT NOW, I'M RE-INSPIRED BY JULIA CHILD. S. AND I COOKED THIS UP ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON. ALL I HAD TO DO TO MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE WAS MAKE THE BEURRE MANIE TO THICKEN THE SAUCE WITH POTATO FLOUR INSTEAD OF WHEAT FLOUR. MY FAVORITE PART WAS THE FRIGHTENING IGNITION OF THE COGNAC!
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT! THE BRIDE WILL BE WEARING BLACK . . . AND THERE'S A GLUTEN FREE ENTREE!
I NEVER HAD, UNTIL A FRIEND BROUGHT ME TO THIS POND ON POMEROY LANE IN SOUTH AMHERST. YOU MAY KNOW THE LOTUS AS A SYMBOL OF ENLIGHTENMENT. ITS ROOTS HOLDING FIRM IN THE MUCK AT THE POND'S BOTTOM, IT RISES ABOVE TO CREATE ITS GLORIOUS, TRANSCENDENT FLOWER. WITHOUT THE MUCK OF LIFE, WHERE WE MUST PLANT OUR FEET, WE CANNOT WAKE UP TO THE FRESH, ASTONISHING PRESENT MOMENT.
CAN YOU GRASP THE SIZE OF THIS BUD? IT'S BIGGER THAN MY FIST.
THE OPEN FLOWERS . . .
. . . ARE JUST HUGE . . . YOU HAVE TO SEE THEM TO BELIEVE IT!
WHEN THE PETALS FALL, THE YELLOW CENTER TURNS GREEN, AND THE SEEDS CONTAINED INSIDE DEVELOP FURTHER. (I CAN'T HELP THINKING THIS LOOKS LIKE THE MULTI-NOSTRIL NOSE OF SOME CRAZY ALIEN, GENTLY SNIFFING THE SUMMER AIR.)
AS THE POD DRIES, THE SEEDS MATURE. EVENTUALLY, THEY FALL INTO THE POND, SEEDING THE MUD FOR NEXT YEAR'S SHOW.
TINY, DELIGHTFUL, POPS OF COLOR AND FLAVOR . . . THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A HOMEGROWN TOMATO!
WHAT A LOVELY DINNER - IN THE WINE CELLAR OF AN ORGANIC ITALIAN RESTAURANT. IT WAS A DELIGHTFUL PARTY - SO SORRY WE HAD TO LEAVE EARLY TO DRIVE 2 HOURS HOME! ( I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF THE RESTAURANT - BUT IT'S NEXT TO THE PARK SLOPE FOOD COOP). HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIANE! WELCOME TO THE 50'S!
ON OUR WAY TO THE BIRTHDAY DINNER IN PARK SLOPE, WE STOPPED AT S.'S OLD LOFT ADDRESS, 247 WATER ST., IN DUMBO (DOWN UNDER THE MANHATTAN BRIDGE OVERPASS). HE MOVED AWAY FROM THIS LOFT 15 YEARS AGO, AND HADN'T BEEN BACK SINCE. THE BUILDING WAS BOARDED UP, BURNED OUT INSIDE.
HERE'S THE GRAFFITI DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET . . .
. . . AND THE GENTRIFIED BUILDING ON THE NEXT BLOCK, WHERE WORKING ARTISTS WERE OFFERED $100,000 EACH TO GET OUT. S.'S OLD BUILDING IS RIGHT THERE IN THE FOREGROUND.
S. AND I TOOK A TRIP INTO MANHATTAN ON SATURDAY FOR A VISIT TO THE MET FOR THIS WONDERFUL SHOW: 13th & 14TH CENTURY IMAGES - MAPS TO ENLIGHTENMENT - FROM THE VAJRAYANA BUDDHISM OF JAPAN. EVERY PIECE IN THIS SMALL COLLECTION IS A GEM.
I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH MY NEW MID-CENTURY SOFA FROM URBAN OUTFITTERS. I LOVE THE COLOR AND THE CRISP LINES. THE CUSHION IS VERY FIRM - IT COULD STAND TO BE A LITTLE SOFTER IN MY OPINION. BUT OVERALL, I REALLY LIKE IT. IT COSTS $480+ SHIPPING. THE ORIGINAL THAT THIS A KNOCK-OFF OF IS AVAILABLE AT DESIGN WITHIN REACH FOR $2100. I'M THRILLED THAT I COULD FIT A PIECE IN THIS SMALL SPACE THAT I CAN FULLY RECLINE ON - NAP TIME!
THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN THE ROOM WITH THESE WALL DRAWINGS BY SOL LEWITT IS NOT EASILY COMMUNICATED THROUGH PHOTOS. THEY ARE MOST IMPRESSIVE BY THEIR SHEER SIZE, AND THE BEAUTY OF THEIR SURFACES, WHICH ARE PRECISE AND IN SOME CASES, LUSCIOUS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUSH TO SEE THEM - MASS MOCA HAS DEVOTED AN ENTIRE BUILDING TO THIS WORK. 1ST FLOOR: EARLY YEARS; 2ND FLOOR: MID-CAREER; 3RD FLOOR: LATE WORK. IT WILL BE ON DISPLAY UNTIL 2033!
