Seen @ High Point Market

I recently visited North Carolina to see the latest at the High Point furniture market and was pleased to see artists and manufacturers using recycled materials in a variety of creative ways. It was also nice to see furniture still hand-made in America—tasteful, and sturdy. Photo left shows re-used Brazilian truck tarps from Grace and Blake covering benches and ottomans, photo right is a glimpse of some of the offerings from Busbin, who design and manufacture pieces of modern, yet classic furniture that can be handed down to the next generation. It was fun to get out of the city for a week or so, see more photos from the trip here.

A gift for the show-off: Bialetti Eco-Friendly Non-Stick Cookware

These pretty red pots and pans from Bialetti will make the perfect statement on your holiday table, especially if you care about cooking without harmful emissions in the mix. Aeternum cookware has a water-based coating which is PFOA free, PTFE free, and cadmium free. Saute pans come in 8-, 10.25-, and 12-inch sizes, the 12” comes with see-through lid. There’s also a 2 quart sauce pan, with see-through lid that’s awfully cute. Order them at the website.

Dovetail, The National, and more

The end of the month brought many get togethers and indulgent feasts. My lunch at Dovetail was like a mini-vacation in a spa-like setting. See photos from the tasting menu, that my friend Jude and I enjoyed on a recent Friday, including the foie gras, shown above. My friend Pamela’s birthday had us up in midtown at Geoffrey Zakarian's new spot The National for a late-night supper. A great spot to stop in for a cocktail or bite—it has a pleasant, convivial, bistro vibe, as seen in photos below and of Chef Paul Corsentino's goodies at this link. Some other tidbits: dinner at Union Square Cafe, cocktails at 1534 and in the Empire State Building, and a green kitchen cocktail party, see all the photos of the Pre-Holiday Blitz at this link.

Pretty Stuffed Pumpkins

It’s the time of year when squashes and pumpkins abound. What to do? Refer to The Earthbound Cook by Myra Goodman—a book that is packed not only with recipes, but also with tips on living an über-green lifestyle. You will definitely learn something about the planet, including: the pros and cons of the farming of fish, how to read eco labels, how to eat organically for health, and much more. This recipe not only makes for a gorgeous presentation, it’s ranks 10+ on the health scale.




An excerpt from the book:

Pumpkins Stuffed with Quinoa, Butternut, and Cranberries
3 tablespoons olive oil
About 1 cup diced yellow onion
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup quinoa, rinsed in cold water and drained
2 cups Vegetable Stock, or store-bought low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
4 small edible pumpkins, Sweet Dumpling squash, or small acorn squash (1 1/2 to 2 pounds each)
1 1/2 cups diced butternut squash
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, or chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and ground cumin and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the quinoa to the saucepan and stir to coat the grains. Add the stock and raise the heat to high. When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, add the cranberries, and cover the pan. Cook at a slow simmer until the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cut the top off each pumpkin, reserving the tops, if desired, for decorative effect. Scoop out and discard the seeds and fibers. If the pumpkins do not sit flat, trim a small slice off the bottom to create a flat base. Place the pumpkins on a rimmed baking sheet and set it aside.
4. Place the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, and heat it over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the cubed butternut squash and cook without stirring until the squash is browned on the bottom, 2 minutes. Toss to turn the pieces (or use a spatula to accomplish this) and cook, stirring frequently, until the squash is just tender, about 2 minutes more. Set aside.
5. When the quinoa is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Add the butternut squash, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
7. Divide the quinoa filling among the pumpkin shells; do not pack the mixture. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast until the quinoa is hot and the flesh of the pumpkins is tender when pierced with a skewer or fork, 45 to 60 minutes. Avoid overcooking, because the pumpkins may collapse. If you intend to use the pumpkin tops, add these to the oven during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
8. Serve immediately, with the tops (if using) leaning against the stuffed pumpkins. Serves 4.

Edible Garden @ the New York Botanical Garden

Just a 20 minute train ride from Grand Central whisks you to a 250-acre sanctuary in the Bronx. Now, you can not only see the most beautiful displays, you can taste them. A fabulous array of chefs will be doing daily demonstrations featuring the spoils of the four spectacular kitchen gardens. The Home Gardening Center is where you can learn how to make your garden the best it can be, and also view the celebrity chef patches from Daisy Martinez, (who had some very intertesting choices!), Dan Barber and Jack Algiere of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Michael Psilakis and Mario Batali, with accompanying audio tours. Of interest to those without a plot of ground, the Conservatory Container Garden has a wealth of surprises coming in that might inspire you to experiment. Martha Stewart’s Culinary Herb Garden has over 50 herbs. Bring the kids to the Children’s Vegetable Garden and show them the wonders of nature. To see who’s cooking and to buy tickets click here. Special festival weekends dot the summer weekends till the harvest. Try this delicious recipe from Michele Di Pietro (see photo), for a unique pesto, whose main ingredient is zucchini. The most important part of the recipe is to make sure that you pull all the water out of the zucchini before mixing with other ingredients. To make the roasted garlic, cut off the bottom of an entire head of garlic and place in a 400º oven, roast for 35 minutes. A handy item to have around, it can be wrapped in foil and stored in the fridge. There’s more photos from the gardens and demo at this link.

Gourmet Latino: Featuring the Flavors of Latin America

Start preparing for a week-long celebration of the best in Latin gastronomy and culture as the weather starts to heat up. This June, from the 4th through the 12th, Gourmet Latino will feature events at Astor Center and at restaurants in NYC and surrounding areas. In addition to offering the best tastes of the Latin world, this festival is dedicated to being a socially conscious celebration. They are partnering with GrowNYC, the Rainforest Alliance and the Fair Trade Federation to ensure the festival will be a benefit to all involved. Street teams will be appearing around town, giving out exotic fruit samples, in lieu of paper handouts. How refreshing! For a schedule of events, information on participating chefs, mixologists, and restaurants visit www.gourmetlatinofestival.com. Tickets are already on sale—be sure to reserve a space now to experience the incredible flavors and exotic ingredients of the top talents in the city. I got a sample of what’s to come at the announcement party—see photos of the food and cocktails. Photo above shows Rayuela’s Chef Maximo Tejada’s Squid Ink Paella served in oyster shells, nice touch.

a re-usable bag worth keeping

I have been holding out for the perfect, re-usable bag that’s not an embarrasment to carry around. Thank goodness I came across Baggu. They have created a parachute-type bag that is lightweight, and can be stashed in a purse for impromptu purchases. Unlike some other bags I’ve tried, this one is very easy to fold up and replace in its case, and sturdily holds up to 50 pounds. It might be difficult to choose which color to have as your signature, as they offer quite a delicious array. In that case, go for Baggu X3, which gives you 3 bags in a case. Recycling does not have to be dull.

the greening of NYC

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I ordered a ‘green’ wine—organic, that is—with my lunch at Print, located in the Ink 48 Hotel. I found out that all the offerings on their wine list are either organic or biodynamic. Impressive. They even have a selection of organic beers, like Samuel Smith’s Organic Lager, from Tadcaster, England and Pinkus Pils Pilsner, from Münster, Germany, to name a few. The bar featured cocktails, whose names tie into the fact that this hotel used to be a printing house. How could you not be curious about something called White Out (Tanqueray Ten Gin, Cointreau, Lemon Juice, Tarragon) or Scotch Tape (Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch, Ginger Juice, Fresh Lemon and Lime)? I suggest a stop here next time you are at the Javits. The menu features locally-sourced ingredients from upstate New York. A rooftop bar called Press opens in approximately two weeks. See more photos of my lunch with Francine, and enjoy my other St. Patrick’s Day day sightings taken at midday, before the chaos ensued.

organicspamagazine.com

NOV/DEC ARTICLE IN ORGANIC SPA MAGAZINE
click image to enlarge

WINE REFINED
Natural and organic options for the holidays and beyond.
(please note: Coturri wine and Vintae Luxury wine stories were combined by mistake! this was corrected in a future post.)

wrap-sody

No matter what you decide to give this season, think about re-usable gift wrapping. Living Ethos offers a line of bags, designed to last for years, so the bags can change hands again and again. They come in four sizes, and some very tasteful patterns. I like Deco Maze in black and white, or the Dottie Red, for holiday gifting without succumbing to the usual motifs.

ufo: ultra functional object

Sci-fi lovers will get a kick out of this woody space ship. Station it on a sideboard, then put it to use for cradling fruit, candies or bread. Comes with either a metal base, resembling the legs of a space ship, or the wooden base, shown. The Museum of Robots has lots of other responsibly designed products.

merrily we troll along

Bruce Gore began fishing kindly in 1978, long before anyone was concerned about traceability or the effects of net fishing. At the same time each year, salmon are line-caught in way that is in tune with the sea and the nature of the salmon. Because the boat travels at the same speed the fish swims, swiftly pulled onto the boat and humanely killed, cleaned and frozen instantly, the fish never develops the lactic acid that would result from a struggle. You can really taste the difference. Tanuki Tavern, the new restaurant that replaced Ono at the Ganesevoort Hotel, is serving it up in little bites—hibachi-style, as sushi and in special rolls. You can also buy it retail at Dean and Deluca. For ordering information, visit the Triad Fisheries website, and ask owner Mark Tupper to give you a taste of superior salmon. See more pics of the tasting here.

inventive natural wines from Spain

A few months ago I went to a Spanish wine and food show and discovered a winemaker inspired by American techniques and attitudes with an extremely creative collection. Vintae Luxury Wine Specialists produces Matsu, which means “wait” in Japanese. The 2006 label is a dedication to the people who have devoted their lives to the land (photo, center, on the right is a trio of older labels). I thought these designs were as innovative as the wine. Also noteworthy is Castillo de Maetierra, an elite line of white wines from the Valles de Sadacia, usually known for Rioja. This region of Spain boasts low rainfall and humidity levels, thus imparting the most sunshine for the re-established Muscat à petits grains grapevines. When combined with Viura and Malvasia varieties, Libalis, part of the collection, thrills you with its fruity and well-balanced taste. On the left is Ribera de Queiles’s “6” —a blend of Temperanillo and Merlot, this wine is intensely dark, full-bodied, excellent. Save these wines for a special occasion, but don’t wait too long!

Save the harvest

This is a great method for preserving excess herbs that you’ve grown or bought. My dear friend, Maya, has been doing this for the past 5 seasons, allowing her to enjoy her garden spoils throughout the year. As a bonus, the herbs’ fresh-tasting flavors get more intense as time passes. She makes 3 varieties: an equal mixture of oregano, thyme, and sage; a basil batch; and a rosemary batch. Use them in salad dressings and marinades, and of course, when cooking. The rosemary is heavenly on steamed or roasted potatoes, the basil is a nice surprise in mashed potatoes or tasty on a green bean salad.
Maya’s method:
- Harvest herbs early or late in the day when they are cool, to avoid wilting
- Herbs must be thoroughly DRY before you begin, since it is water that causes spoilage. After washing, remove excess water with a paper towel, then spread herbs out for an hour or till all the water evaporates. (It may not be necessary to wash the herbs from your own garden, use your judgement)
- Strip the leaves, discard stems. Mince the herbs as finely as you can. This will release the most flavor into the oil. Maya likes using a ”mezza luna” knife (a curved Italian blade with a handle at each end that allows you to rock back and forth).
- Spoon herbs into small mason jars leaving about 1/2" from the top, then fill with olive oil (use cooking not extra virgin). Let the jars stand for an hour or so, topping them up as the oil is absorbed. There should be a 1/2" layer of just oil at the top, which will act very much like a wax seal.
- Label and refrigerate the jars. When using, spoon out what you need, and be sure to cover any exposed herbs with additional oil. Don't worry if you leave the jar out of the fridge and the oil liquefies, this will not cause spoilage, but do remember to put them back in the fridge when you are finished cooking. The photo on the right shows how it looks when it first comes out of the refrigerator.

organicspamagazine.com

SEPT/OCT ARTICLE IN ORGANIC SPA MAGAZINE
click image to enlarge

HERBAL ECSTACY
Incorporate the stimulating flavors of fresh herbs into your repertoire.

saving endangered species

Industrialized farming’s profit-driven methods of breeding are starting to produce genetic weaklings. There is a flip side to this. Meet Jeannette Beranger of American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, who made a fascinating and enlightening presentation at Astor Center on August 17. The topic: Bringing Heritage Breeds Back to the Farm and Table. Preserving these ancient and hearty strains is of the upmost importance, and not only as a way to keep the big breeders on track. Jeanette shared her hands-on knowledge of these historic breeds’ personalities, habits and preferences, and showed how raising these animals as part of a system of give-and-take with the environment is loaded with benefits. Geese make great security guards, chickens take care of pest problems, horses and oxen pull plows, and with sheep and cows you need never worry about grass cutting.
These breeds have naturally evolved to be resistant to disease, are suited to their environments and offer a purer food source. See the website for details about the animals, and which ones desperately need saving. Chefs (and diners!), you can support this organization by becoming a member, or by becoming familiar, and ordering, your local breeds. The newly launched classified section on the website, can connect you to sources or you can call Jeannette at 919-542-5704 x103.

JB raises dough for Roxbury Farm

I am thoroughly amazed again and again at the level of invention that comes out of the James Beard House kitchen. It’s almost as if James himself is overseeing the production. At this event, The Farm Stand, the Food Bank for New York City benefitted, and raised money to buy shares in Roxbury Farm, a community supported organic farm. Featured chefs were Daniel Eardley (Chestnut), Shanna Pacifico (Back Forty) and Matt Weingarten (Inside Park). See more photos of the event here.

gifts / VERVACIOUS CONDIMENTS FOR THE DRIZZLER

Vervacious’ unique stacking bottles come in handy for all sorts of great finishing twists. Their signature “stack” (photo, right) covers all the bases. Espresso Balsamic Drizzle is equally good on grilled sirloin, on the cheese board, or on top of some fresh strawberries. Wild Maine Blueberry Mignonette is a hit with fresh oysters. Windward Island Roasting Rub will add zip to any barbeque. Photo on the left shows the latest offerings at the Fancy Food Show, this past June in NYC. With Vervacious it’s easy to get creatious.

gifts / BOWLS FOR THE NATURALIST

I love the line of kitchen accessories from Bambu. Choosing bamboo as a material is loaded with advantages. No only is it a fast-growing plant that needs no replanting and conserves water and soil, it also allows products to be made in rural environments. Owner Jeff Delkin, dedicated to fair trade, keeps a watchful eye on the craftspeople’s villages where each piece is hand-made and finished with a lacquer derived from the cashew-nut tree. The cheery colors and natural finish would be a fun asset to any kitchen. See also Bambu's line of disposable utensils and dishes, sure to add chic-ness to your next outdoor soiree.

gifts / HONEY FOR THE EDUCATED PALATE

Start a tasting party with this beautiful set from Bee Raw. To create the fruit flavors of this honey, they have positiioned their bee hives in the center of densely populated blueberry, cranberry, raspberry and orange blossom groves. Tubes are sealed in bees wax, and make a lovely display with morning or afternoon tea. Or, if you are more inclined to partake in happy hour, take along this recipe.


RASPBERRY HONEY MOJITO
1 tablespoon fresh raspberries
10 mint leaves
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tablespoon Bee Raw Wild Raspberry Honey
1 shot white rum
2 shots cranberry juice
Ice
Muddle the first 4 ingredients well in a cocktail shaker. Add the rum, juice, and ice, shake well. Serve in a Collins glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a couple of whole raspberries.