Seed planting time: Local seed savers have heirlooms for you
By Margaret Gilmour
The ancient tradition of seed saving sprouted in Chester County centuries ago when Native Americans discovered a rich mix of fertile soil, yielding topography and plenty of rainfall. In fact, Southeaster PA is a mecca for farmers and botanists, as just about any seed you sow here—planted in the right conditions of course–will thrive.
In our ideal microclimate we can cultivate anything from Mediterranean produce to Asian vegetables, along with a diverse variety of flowering plants and herbs. It’s no wonder, then, that we are home to a renowned group of seed savers interested in salvaging local history and making hundreds of species of heirloom vegetable, fruit, herb and flower seeds available to us. Many of the seeds are age-old Chester County varieties.
And since March is seed planting time, we’ve decided to devote this week to seed growing and saving.
I connected with two area seed keepers you’ll hear from this week:
William Woys Weaver, dubbed by the NYT as “the Julia Child of long-lost vegetables,” who “has transformed the field of heirloom vegetables;” and
Tim Mountz, an ethonobotanist, forager and local seed-saver extraordinaire. He and his wife Amy created Happy Cat Organics where they sell over 30 seed varieties online, at local whole food stores and farmers’ markets. Come back Wednesday to learn more about Tim and Happy Cat Organics.
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Dr. Weaver is a plant scholar and author of over 10 books, his most notable book being the garden bible for all of plant lovers: Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener’s Guide to Planting, Seed Saving and Cultural History. It’s available at area stores and online at Mother Earth News where Dr. Weaver is a contributing editor.
The book, which won a James Beard cookbook award, imparts knowledge on ancient plant varieties, plant lore and the future of our food. He wrote the book thirteen years ago before (more…)
Discovering ChesLen Preserve
By Margaret Gilmour
Around the first of February–just before the series of snowstorms hit our region–I set out with my family on a cold, Sunday morning to explore ChesLen Preserve in Unionville.
We parked in the small side lot just off Route 162, then climbed over the post and rail fence where this new-to-me tract of open space mushroomed ahead.
Nothing stirred on the frozen landscape. We were all alone. But we could see from the tracks on the snow-dusted ground that someone else had already visited that morning.
Still a bit sleepy, my feet crunched through the hardened land as I followed the footsteps, not sure which route to take. I was thankful for this early riser who guided me across the field.
The three of us walked straight ahead and over the small hill before I turned around to take in the view. No kidding: I almost gasped; the setting was so surreal. Dunes?
The sandy-hued, dried grass and cornfields on the slope were sprinkled with a touch of white from the snowfall the night before. The blue sky glossed over the terrain.
Later I showed the picture I took to a friend: “When did you go to the beach?” she asked. This was no beach. This was Chester County countryside.
We stood a moment to take in the scene, then proceeded down the hill toward the small stream. The only sign of (more…)
White Bean Soup with Pasta & Potatoes
By Leslie Kedash
Only eight more days until we can leave this forgettable winter behind. With cold, wet and rainy
weather still with us for now, I decided to try this hearty bean soup as a send off to the season.
It’s fast and easy and you likely have most of the ingredients in your pantry.
I upped the pasta, veggies and potatoes to make a hearty thick soup.
White Bean Soup with Pasta and Potatoes
Deborah Madison The Savory Way
Makes 6 servings
1 cup cannellini or other dried white bean, soaked 6 hours or over night
2 quarts cold water
2 medium-sized white or red potatoes
8 large sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
3 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks
2 medium-sized carrots
1 small onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dried pasta, short tubular variety
salt
freshly ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil, to finish the soup
Drain the beans, put them in a soup pot, and cover them with water. Slowly bring to a boil, then boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface; then lower the heat to a simmer. (more…)
Spring Fever: Growing Lush, Green Grass Indoors
By Guest Contributor, Hilda Brucker
During the winter months, one of my main gardening chores is to keep the grass green and growing. No, I’m not talking about the lawn outside – I’m referring to the little pots of oat grass on my windowsill and kitchen counter.
While not nearly as showy as the flowering plants of winter – cyclamen, amaryllis, and paperwhites – these little indoor meadows are a welcome touch of spring, and their lush greenery gives me a spiritual lift as winter drags on.
I first started sowing oat grass seed indoors for a cat that became housebound due to arthritis. The only thing she really seemed to miss about the great outdoors was the time she used to spend grazing on the lawn, so I came up with the oat grass solution to keep her happy.
Then I discovered that I really enjoyed watching the grass grow taller every day; it looked so lush and cheerful in the middle of winter that I was happy to have it in my kitchen. Before long, I was planting my oat grass seed in pretty ceramic containers rather than plain clay pots, and allowing it to keep company with the other houseplants.
Seeds of the common oat (Avena sativa) are readily available not only from seed companies, but from pet shops – a testament to how popular this little grain is with the kitties. I usually order a one-pound bag, rather than buying lots of little packets.
Although I tend to stick with oat grass, there are other grass varieties that will grow just as well indoors, including wheat grass (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare). Annual rye grass (Lolium multiflorum), also known as winter rye, is another option. Most local nurseries carry the grass seeds. (In mild climates, annual rye grass is often used to over-seed dormant lawns so that they stay green all winter.)
All of these grasses are incredibly easy to grow. I fill a pot with potting soil, sprinkle a thick layer of seeds on top, cover them with another very thin layer of soil, and then water well – and in a few days, Voila!
During much of the year, I set the pot outside on my kitchen porch to germinate, and I usually cover it with a garden cloche to keep the birds from snacking on my seeds before they sprout. The (more…)
Wordless Wednesday | Orchid
Special thanks to photographer Jim Graham who generously shared his image for today’s Wordless Wednesday. Like what you see? You can purchase this print and others by clicking: here. [Orchid | Longwood]
Barrel Tasting at Patone Cellars
By Roger Morris
Over the past few weeks, I have been participating in barrel tastings – the universal winemaking ritual – in 14th-century castles in Bordeaux and stately farmhouses in Emilia-Romagna, but it still has the same magic in Chester County.
One of my recent local stops was Mario Patone’s garage winery, where I looked into barrels with him.
Patone’s day job is as a CPA, and this is crush season for him – income tax preparation – and he still was wearing the tools of that trade, white shirt and a tie, as we walked into his garage on South Guernsey Road in the countryside south of West Grove, where he traded his hand calculator for a long pipette and glistening wine glasses.
He moved aside some blueprints, proof that he expects to soon start building his official winery for Patone Cellars a couple of miles away on Route 841 and have at least part of it completed in time for the other crush time in his two-career existence – the 2010 grape harvest.
In many ways, the delicate curves of an oak wine barrel, with its stoppered round hole in its side, is a winemaker’s oracle. Patone dips the pipette into the barrel and draws out the dark purple liquid, barely six months old, and he can see into the past – what the 2009 growing season and harvest (more…)
Pasta Piñon Verde
By Leslie Kedash
El Farol sits at the end of Canyon Road in Santa Fe, New Mexico and is that town’s oldest restaurant/bar. A small, funky but endearing combination of western and adobe, white walls, vigas and creaky wooden floors.
When out there we often make this our last stop on a night out. Local “color” is there in abundance and there are fine area musicians who play there each weekend. More than once a local has mentioned that in the late 1800s, hangings used to take place across the road where there tree still stands. Seems that folks used to gather at El Farol to drink coffee and such on those occasions.
It’s a bit more civilized today and the restaurant serves Tapas (a collection of small dishes brought out on a platter and eaten as a main course) in the evening before the entertainment begins. The menu is varied and well rendered. This recipe is from El Farol’s Cookbook: El Farol Tapas and Spanish Cuisine. Enjoy, we surely did.
Pasta Piñon Verde
Bow tie pasta with Pine Nuts, Cream, and Poblano Chiles
Makes 8 small plates of pasta as a Tapa
2 quarts of water
Pinch of salt
1 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta
1/2 yellow onion diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1/8 cup butter
3 tablespoons white wine
1 pint heavy cream
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, and chopped
1 handful of shelled piñons or pine nuts
1/2 cup grated manchego or Parmesan cheese
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
2 tomatoes, diced
Boil 2 quarts of water with a pinch of salt. Cook pasta for about 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. While pasta is coking, sauté onion and garlic in butter until soft, and then deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add cream, poblano chiles, and piñons to the sauté pan and bring to a boil. Cook on high heat for about 2 minutes. turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Drain the pasta and, while it is still hot, toss with the cream sauce. Add salt and pepper and serve topped with diced fresh tomatoes.
Gotta go: Philly Flower Show
By Margaret Gilmour
There’s still time to take in the Philadelphia International Flower Show, now blooming in full force downtown at the civic center.
I went with two friends Monday evening (from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.), a perfect time to escape most of the crowds––I think we could actually see from one end of the show to another. I took my time visiting each display and walking around the spot-lit exhibits, never bumping into another showgoer or missing a detail I wanted to get closer to.
This grand floral event is Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s oldest and largest indoor flower show in the world. And this year’s theme, Passport to the World, could easily have been called Passport to the Wilds. The showcase of exotic garden scenes transports you to mysterious environments throughout the world.
In keeping with Flower Show tradition, at every turn you’ll find your mouth agape either in awe, or in shock. Some settings are elaborate stages of artful plant life, others, blossoming naturalistic scenes. All of it unfolds into a botanical celebration you’ll only experience in Philly.
A favorite stop was the front porches decorated by local garden clubs. I could imagine sitting on several of them to idle away an afternoon. (more…)
Wordless Wednesday | Winter into Spring
Special thanks to photographer Jim Graham who generously shared his image for today’s Wordless Wednesday. Like what you see? You can purchase this print and others by clicking: here. [Snow Crocus (Crocus sieberi) | Winterthur]
Sponsorship Highlights
This March we continue our sponsorship initiative with Historic Kennett Square with great success. And we hope to keep adding more sponsors each month.
That way you can visit us for local happenings and area resources that our sponsors introduce.
In Historic Kennett Square you feel at home in one of Pennsylvania’s oldest neighborhoods. Be sure and visit the town where the culture is intimate, funky and fun, and where you’re surrounded by great shops and delicious dining options.
Click-back each week on the Historic Kennett Square ad to your right for regular updates. Here’s a peek at what’s going on in Historic Kennett Square in early March:
(click the ad to the right for more information and lots of details on the following):
Friday, March 5
John Lilley with Cliff Hills
Rock Show
One of Philadelphia’s most popular and well-known guitarists (Robert Hazard, the Hooters), John Lilley steps out with his own band to perform songs from his first solo CD, Lucky Kinda Guy, including “Second Chance,” one of WXPN’S Top 100 Songs of 2009.
Saturday, March 6
Mutlu with Rory Sullivan
Soulful Singer/Songwriter Show
Mutlu’s music is a cool blend of soul, reggae and hip hop. His first EMI/Manhattan album, Livin’ It was produced by T-Bone Wolk (music director for Hall & Oates).
Saturday, March 13
Mugs and Music at the Kennett Flash
The third annual Mugs-n-Music comes to the Kennett Flash where you can sip Victory beers in a handmade mug, which is available for purchase (cash and check only), take in some great local bands, sample local cheese along with light fare from Harvest Market, and check out mugs thrown by area potters (also available for purchase).
Proceeds from the event benefit the Chester County Buy Local Movement and the Chester County Food Bank.
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The Kennett Flash is open every Sunday for a Singer/songwriter Open Mic Night and every Monday for an Electric Blues Jam Open Mic Night.
The Kennett Flash is an intimate live concert venue in the heart of downtown Kennett Square. Sponsored by Historic Kennett Square, this listening room brings arts and entertainment to the entire Kennett region. Top regional, national and local artists are performing on a weekly basis. The Kennett Flash is an all-age, BYOB venue serving light fare.
Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper
By Cate Hennessey
Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, by C. Marina Marchese. Black Dog and Leventhal: 2009. 256 pages.
My first memory of honey comes from my father. Saturday mornings, he liked to spoon the golden sweet onto buttered toast and then fold the toast in half. Before bringing it to his mouth, he murmured, “The food of the gods!”
I agreed with him and ate my toast exactly the same way. I still do.
The other constant about honey in my life has been that it comes from the grocery store in a squeezable plastic container – sometimes bear-shaped, sometimes vase-shaped. It’s found in the aisle with the peanut butter and jelly, and then, once purchased, sits in the pantry with baking supplies.
C. Marina Marchese’s Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper has made me whisk that honey from the pantry and examine it – as well as the honeybees that produced it — in a whole new light.
At first blush, the book may seem like it belongs on the city-person-turned-agricultural-pioneer bookshelf. Certainly, Marchese chronicles the first year of her journey from bee neophyte to beekeeper extraordinaire. (She eventually leaves her “real world” job as a designer to begin her own bee business, Red Bee.)
But the book’s center is not Marchese at all. Rather, it focuses on the creatures that provide her livelihood. As a result, the pages delve into the intricacies of the honeybee — its anatomy, sociology, lifecycle, and vital role in agriculture. In short, the honeybees make fruit and vegetable production possible; without the honeybee, our food supply would collapse.
If the importance of the honeybee to agriculture isn’t impressive enough, Marchese details the role of honey, beeswax, and the honeybee in history, covering countries as (more…)
Witch-Hazel’s Blooming in the White Landscape
By Margaret Gilmour
This winter the branches of my Witch-hazel (Hamamelis x. intermedia) are covered in snow. There are a couple limbs reaching out above the mound, with a few blooms trying desperately to show off their spiked flowers, but for the most part I thought this was just a bad year for winter blossoms.
Then, yesterday, I took a walk at Longwood Gardens, where a group of Witch-hazel surprised me as I rounded the corner. Their bright colors a brilliant show against the white background. It was quite a contrast from what I saw last year at this time in the same spot: sun and grass. (Click here for that story.)
Thanks Witch-hazel, for reminding us that spring is so near.
Here’s a Winter Remedy: A Gothic-style Orangery
By Margaret Gilmour
It’s the end of February and it’s cold, snowing again. Winter lingers. My enthusiasm for the season withers as my hopes for spring swell.
What to do? Hide out in a warm and welcoming citrus grove of course.
Well, that’s what local Interior and Landscape Decorator Vincent Smith Durham does at his home in Embreeville: he finds shelter in his orangery. He’s taken to sipping his morning coffee in this slightly tropical room where he can gaze at winter—which is clearly happening outdoors—while he stays cozy inside surrounded by fragrant and lush vegetation including Philippine oranges (Citrus x sinensis), Persian limes (Citrus x latifolia) and Ponderosa lemons (Citrus limon ‘Ponderosa’).
Imagine having ripe and ready fruits available for picking year-round just a few steps from your kitchen.
Vincent indulged my curiosity about his orangery by inviting Leslie and I to stop over. He designed the addition over eight years ago with the help of friend and architect Peter Archer of Archer and Buchanan. Together the two created an artful, Gothic-style structure attached to Vincent’s 18th-century house. “I always liked Gothic architecture and Italianate farmhouses,” Vincent says. “The orangery is my folly.”
It certainly is a conversation piece, one you want to explore to discover its lively details—like the crenellation (perforated/cut-out openings) often found on castle walls and towers, the copper bells dangling from the tin roof, and the blue and red accents braided above the deep purple siding. All this playing against the dark, “Paris-mud” colored house.
The roof is topped with a small tower—adding that touch of Italianate–and the expansive, large windows are typical Gothic-style offering great views of Vincent’s (more…)
Wordless Wednesday | Flight
Special thanks to photographer Jim Graham who generously shared his image for today’s Wordless Wednesday. Like what you see? You can purchase this print and others by clicking: here. [Centreville, DE]
Got Snow? Might as well Snowshoe
By Margaret Gilmour
The first time I went snowshoeing was about 11 years ago in Warren, Vermont.
I wore lightweight, carbon fiber shoes that our innkeeper, a marathon runner, lent to me so that I could run through the groomed, single-track path that was also shared with the cross-country skiers.
I discovered that running on the snow’s packed surface is a lot like running on the beach: you get your grip by digging in with your forefoot as you run. The work-out is much more intense than on a road or in a field, and I managed to go only one mile before I slowed down to walk.
But, I was hooked after my first try. I loved cruising along on a carpet of snow, being outside. For me, this epic snowfall is a gift from February.
We’re freed from a cold, barren winterscape, and handed a snowy terrain adding new adventure to getting outdoors. You can sled (we loved sledding at Brandywine Creek State Park last week), cross-country ski, or snowshoe, which is just winter hiking. And like sledding, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on gear.
In fact, snowshoeing is so simple anyone can do it. All you need is at least six inches of snow on the ground, your warmest insulated clothes, and snowshoes, of course.
Clip on the shoes and remember to adjust your gait to a slightly wider stride, and you’re off. You walk normally—remembering not to waste energy by stepping too high or all that extra work will just tire you out.
If you’re thinking of buying a pair of snowshoes, remember that just as in any sport, there are different styles for various occasions. Around here, smaller, lighter recreational snowshoes are recommended for running and hiking where the trail has already been broken. They’re are also good for the conditions out there now: slightly packed, a little icy.
The larger snowshoes are for hiking with a backpack, and there are some shoes specifically designed to keep you up on powder.
But don’t let the details of the features dissuade you from choosing a basic pair. Sure you can really get into learning about all the options: rotating toe cords, pivoting systems, aluminum claws––all-important elements in a snowshoe’s structure. Rather than get overwhelmed by the selections, though, keep it simple by following these tips:
• there are three basic categories—Recreational/Fitness, Technical and Youth (Technical is for climbing and mountaineering);
• the shoes only come in a few sizes for each model, making it easy to decide what’s best for you (much easier than choosing skis or snowboards); (more…)
Creamy Tomato Soup
By Leslie Kedash
Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich is, to me at least, one of life’s great pairings. This recipe surely beats the salt-laden canned variety you’ll find in your local supermarket. And it’s quick and easy. Combine with a grilled cheese sandwich with real cheese (not cheese “food”) on French bread and a salad. Consume in front of the fire and dream of Spring.
Creamy Tomato Soup
Horn of The Moon Cookbook by Ginny Callan
2 tablespoons of butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onions (3 onions)
Two 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes (or the tomatoes you put up last fall)
Juice of one lemon
2 cups of water or stock (more…)
Wordless Wednesday: Winter
Special thanks to photographer Jim Graham who generously shared his image for today’s Wordless Wednesday. Like what you see? You can purchase this print and others by clicking: here. [Springdell, PA]
A Perfect Pair: Beer and Chocolate
By Margaret Gilmour
With the exception of Roger Morris, many wine connoisseurs snub marrying wine and chocolate. Beer lovers, on the other hand, love pairing rich, dark chocolate with a rich, dark beer. Think stouts and porters.
Since I prefer a hoppy IPA or lighter-bodied Pilsner to a dense stout or malty porter, I decided to call two local craft brewers to help me get to the romance behind this favored combination.
“Beer and dessert is one of the funnest things to do,” says Tom Kehoe, Yards Brewing Company co-founder and brewmaster. He loves ginger snaps with a pint of his Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce Ale.
But when it comes to chocolate and beer, Tom pours Yard’s molasses-based General Washington’s Tavern Porter: “It’s sweet, strong and mouth-filling, and pulls the chocolate flavor right off your tongue,” he says. “The roasted malted barley gives the beer the similar bitterness you’ll find in dark chocolate–one that is at least 60 percent cocoa.”
The carbonation in the beer also maximizes the synergy of this pairing by cutting through the fats in the chocolate and encouraging all the flavors to mix together. Tom says to stay on the “sweet side of beer with malty ends” when choosing one to compliment chocolate: dry stouts are good, and sweet stouts/porters are even better (like Yard’s General Washington’s Tavern Porter). (more…)
Sugar Cookies
If “a balanced diet is a cookie in each hand,” you’ll be well on your way to nutritional excellence with these old fashioned sugar cookies. With two sticks of butter in one hand and two cups of sugar in the other, this classic cookie is pure, simple, and oh so satisfying. So try them out…and give the last one to someone you love on Valentine’s Day.
“Sometimes me think what is love, and then me think love is what last cookie is for. Me give up the last cookie for you.” Cookie Monster
And if you like treats, you should check out what our sponsor, Historic Kennett Square, has planned for Valentine’s Days (click on their ad, top right)
Sugar Cookies
From Martha Stewart
Shaped Sugar Cookies
Makes about 16 large cookies
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (two sticks) of unsalted butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and grated zest of 2 lemons
In a large bowl, sift together the flour , salt, and baking powder. Set aside. (more…)
Giveaway: Garden Bon Bons
By Margaret Gilmour
For Valentine’s Day, we’re sharing our love for truffles. We’re wild about the handcrafted kind. That’s Garden Bon Bons, of course.
These little darlings aren’t to eat, they’re for play. They’re candy that you’ll cherish planting atop soil and watch grow…either next week on your sill, or, later, outdoors in a pot.
Created by Moulton, an online store passionate for one-of-a-kind, quality garden tools and accessories, these bon bon balls of clay are made of organic compost and a seed, each one hand rolled with care before getting bundled in a package for you give to your sweetheart, or to keep for yourself.
Seed balls are a centuries-old, sustainable planting technique, the Native Americans typically using coin-sized balls of clay, compost soil and seed. The compost provided much-needed nutrients for seeds planted in poor soil conditions, and the clay kept insects and small animals at bay.
But these garden bon bons are even better: They come wrapped with love, topped with a bow. All for you, our devoted readers. You simply:
• plant them right away, or store them like any other seed;
• place atop a pot of soil (the clay and compost provide the bon bon with nutrients), no need to bury them; and
• add a bit of water to the bon bon and soil, just as you would any seed, and give it plenty of sunshine and adoration.
Love these truffles, and they will love you back:
Italian Herb Selection Garden Bon Bons
Eight garden truffles in this herb collection, two each of Basil, Parsley, Chives and Thyme. Think of all the meals you can flavor up.
Herbal Tea Selection Garden Bon Bons
There are eight garden truffles in this handcrafted herbal tea selection – two each of Borage, Chamomile, Lemon Balm and Stinging Nettle. Delicious fresh or dried and tossed in salads or teas. (more…)
Pairing Wine with Chocolate
By Roger Morris, Guest Contributor
When I first started seriously drinking wine some years ago, and writing about it, the standard food-matching prohibitions were no salads and no chocolates. Vinegar-based dressings would kill any wine, we were told, but that was before Caesar salads bearing hunks of chicken, washed down with California Chardonnay, became tout-le-rage.
I’m not sure what the excuse was for not letting wine and chocolate cohabit – perhaps there was fear that a dark truffle might overwhelm a wimpy, but prized red Bordeaux. But I rather suspect the experts wanted to keep the daring secret to themselves: That it wasn’t an apple that got Adam and Eve tossed from Eden. Instead, the two were having that “your place or mine” conversation over a handful of Godivas and a glass of tawny Port.
Nowadays, we absolutely love to combine wine and chocolate – and you can do it locally, as there are several Chester County artisan chocolate makers whose truffles will match quite well with local wines.
My personal preference is to have darker, harder, more-concentrated chocolates with red wines that have a lot of tannins. Indeed, the slightly bitter, dusty wine tannins are generally described as providing a “chocolate” finish to many of these wines. Cabernets Sauvignons, such as those Eric Miller makes at Chaddsford Winery and Gino Razzi crafts at Penns Woods Winery, go particularly well with these dark sweets.
Softer, creamier chocolate truffles are excellent with rounder, fruitier reds such as the Port-like, fortified Ruby K that Jim Kirkpatrick puts together at Kreutz Creek Vineyards or some of the rounded red blends vinted by David Hoffman at Paradocx Vineyard. And local Merlots made by a number of producers will match well.
Créme Caramel
By Leslie Kedash
Remember Junket? Unless you are of a certain age, you may not, but it was a custard like concoction which was often fed to children when they were ill (or wanted a sweet dessert that wasn’t overly unhealthy).
Think of this dish as Junket made incredible. The texture, taste and mouth feel is just too amazing to not try it a few times.
I used to only order this dish in restaurants, figuring it would be just too tedious to make at home. Wrong.
I admit to having a bit of a cookbook addiction. I love the pictures, design and the thought of really good food
prepared at home. While work and life sometimes get in the way, nothing seems as satisfying as mastering a new recipe (sometimes it takes a few tries) and then consuming the fruits of your labor.
Recently, I was paging through a book which we use for the family’s favorite recipe for Shepherd’s Pie and I came across this little gem.
This time, the planets were aligned: the hens had done their work, I already had all the ingredients and the time to make it happen.
Turns out, the recipe is quite simple to make. The only place where you might mess up is in the beating of the eggs and sugar. Don’t overbeat or you will end up with way too much custard and its consistency will not be at all what you are looking for (dreamily smooth and rich). The rest of the prep is easy, the hardest part waiting for the custard to cool and set up before you can devour it.
Créme Caramel
Paris Bistro Cooking by Linda Dannenberg
The long slow cooking of this classic dessert produces a perfectly smooth and silky custard.
1 Quart Milk
2 Vanilla Beans, Split Lengthwise, or 3 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
(Vanilla beans are EXPENSIVE but they “make” the dish. You can buy them at Acme for seventeen bucks or at Giant for twelve, you know where we got ours)
2 Cups Sugar (divided)
3 Tablespoons Water
1 Drop Vinegar or lemon Juice
8 Large Eggs
Yolks of 4 Large Eggs
Small Pinch Salt
In a larger saucepan over low heat, scald the milk with the vanilla beans. Remove from the heat, cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Then remove the vanilla beans and discard.
Caramelize an 8-cup mold; Place 1/2 cup of the sugar, the water, and vinegar or lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until golden. Carefully pour into the mold and tilt the mold to coat the bottom with caramel. let the caramel harden.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Place the eggs, yolks, the 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and salt in a bowl; whisk together until the mixture thickens and is pale yellow. Strain the milk into the egg mixture and stir it to blend. Pour the custard mixture very carefully into the previously caramelized mold.
Place the mold in a larger pan, place the pan on the oven rack, and fill the pan with hot water to come halfway up the mold. Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the custard is set when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool, then refrigerate. to serve, run a knife around the edge of the mold. Invert the mold onto a deep serving dish. the caramel will run out and fill the dish.
The Best in Environmental Films: At Home or At a Fest
By Margaret Gilmour
February is going to be a cold month, but a lot of comfort can be found wrapped in romance, darlings (big and small) and Valentine treats.
Actually, this is the month I usually find myself wrapped up in front of the fireplace with a good movie (Friday night is movie night at my house). In fact, with the 82nd Academy Awards nominations just announced this week, I know I’ll be adding some new films to my must-see list.
It was good to hear that several environmental documentaries received best feature nominations including Food, Inc. and The Cove.
Actually, I’ve seen both, and I vote for The Cove. I am sure I sat with my mouth ajar during half of the film. Not just because of what happens to the dolphins, but because of what the filmmakers brew up to make their trip to Japan successful and to capture events unthinkable.
If you like documentaries, Mother Nature Network (MNN) came up with the of list of 2009’s top 10 environmental films from all over the world—and each one examines issues that deserve our attention. Some of the films can be viewed online for free.
MNN’s top 10 environmental films for 2009:
While I’ll look forward to staying put for a few nights throughout the month and taking in a documentary here and there, I am also looking forward to getting out for Stroud Water Research Center’s third annual Environmental Film Festival on February 11th at the Delaware Museum of Natural History. Ticket price ($20/seat) includes refreshments, cocktails and a chance at winning prizes from their impressive list of local and national sponsors including Trail Creek Outfitters, Talula’s Table and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (love their beer).
UPDATE 2/9/2010: Due to the severe storm/blizzard that’s coming our way, Stroud’s planning to host the festival on Friday night, February 12th, instead. We hope you can still make it.
I called Liz Brooking, Director of Communications and Marketing at Stroud to get more information about their series, and it sounds like a great line up of 12 documentaries and short films created by independent filmmakers.
“The films illustrate how the acts of many individuals really do add up,” she says. “We wanted to inspire people and demonstrate that they can make a difference whether their actions are small or large.”
Started in California by The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival is the non-profit’s attempt to build community within the Yuba Watershed while exploring environmental issues through film. Their film project turned into such a success that it became the largest of its kind in the U.S.
I like the idea of watching a series of films on issues that may prove new to me, and being inspired rather than overwhelmed by the message. After all, in addition to being educated, I am also looking for entertainment and escaping into a world other than my own.
“Film is a visceral medium,” Liz says. “It gives people an opportunity to identify with the individuals in the story and takes the message out of an abstract concept.”
When and Where:
Stroud Water Research Center’s Environmental Film Festival
UPDATE 2/9/2010: Due to the severe storm/blizzard that’s coming our way, Stroud’s planning to host the festival on Friday night, February 12th, instead. We hope you can still make it.
Films start at 6:30 p.m.
Delaware Museum of Natural History
See calendar listing for list of films and to purchase tickets or click here. (Tickets almost sold out—place your order soon if you want to go.)
Photos from Stroud Water Research Center (From their film fest)
Sources: MNN.com, National Weather Service
Wordless Wednesday: Tree Line
By Margaret Gilmour
On Wednesdays throughout the blogosphere, there is a tradition of posting an image with little or no words. The idea, of course, is to find inspiration in the picture you see.
Motivated by a recent Newsweek article about “America’s vanishing quiet spaces” and interview with audio ecologist Gordon Hempton, we asked local, professional photographer Jim Graham if he could share an image with us today. Like Gordon, listening to the silence of our natural environment inspires much of Jim’s photos.
[Fairville, PA]
You can see more of Jim’s stunning work this Friday at the opening reception of his new exhibition of fine art photography: Island, an exploration of Nantucket & Iceland. Hardcastle Gallery, Centreville, Delaware, February 5, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
A special thanks to photographer Jim Graham who generously shared his images for today’s Wordless Wednesday.
