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.

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.

light and luscious OLIVE OIL

If you are hankering for a selection of delicious bread and the most amazing olive oil, head over to Aldea in the Flatiron district. It’s beautiful bright yellow color adds to the dipping splendor, and announces its delicate taste. Our server told us that everyone was asking about it, and slipped us the name: Arte Oliva from Spain.

method: ROASTING PEPPERS

Recently, I was preparing a lot of ingredients, and was short on pans. I needed to quickly roast peppers. So, as necessity is the mother of invention, I created a pan out of aluminum foil, basically just rolling up the 4 sides, and put it under the broiler. Minutes later, the peppers skins were nice and black. Knowing aluminum does not hold heat very long, it was easy to transform my pan into a tent, by unrolling the sides. Voila! No muss, no fuss, as they say. Of course, be a good citizen and put the used foil into the recycling bin.

crop report/ TOMATOES ARE IN

Due to the cessation of stormy weather, the crops seem to be growing in my elevated mini-farm. Tomatoes are coming in daily, and pea pods, well, I am just eating them off the vine. So CRUNCHY. Have added a basil plant, so now ready to enjoy a classic Caprese. Life is good.

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.

HEALTHY DRINK: happy inTEApendence day!

Having been overdoing it the past few weeks, I decided to prepare a healthy alternative for my visitors this fourth of July. I made a pot of tea with White Lion’s Cranberry Hibiscus, added some agave, and about a third of orange juice. It made for a refreshing berry-ish treat. Am already feeling the cleanse.

gifts / TSP SPICES FOR THE COOK

What cook wouldn’t appreciate individually wrapped spices in pre-measured 1 teaspoon packets? Tsp Spices’ founders Katie and Sara, a.k.a. The Cardamoms, developed this line to eliminate waste and maintain optimum taste in the spice pantry. For gifting, they offer 3 themed boxed collections: Spice Basics, Sweet Basics and Green Basics. The Greens boxed set is a safe pick for just about anyone—featuring basil, dill, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, thyme. These organic spices come neatly housed in aluminum tins,12 to a tin, and stay absolutely fresh until used--making it a fantastic choice for a weekend house.

MY GARDEN / exciting news

My tomato plant has ONE red tomato (so far...). No, the plants have not drowned yet, and there may be a crop after all, on the 19th floor. Keeping my fingers crossed...

BETTER SNACKS / Noble Organic Juices

Choosing these juices is a no-brainer. Even the bottle is earth-friendly and can go right into your compost. Try the organic Orange Tangerine made with only juice from tree-ripened fruit, eliminating the need for added sugar or water. Get nostalgic with Old Fashioned Lemonade, which is sweetened with organic agave and cane juice. Their “gentle” pasteurization method lasts just long enough to kill organisms without affecting the taste that nature intended. Noble, indeed.

BETTER SNACKS / Salba Chips: energy up

Next time a kid comes along hankering for a snack, slip them a bag of these tortilla chips. They add a grain called Salba, which is derived from plants the ancient Aztecs used to maintain their energy on long journeys. Salba contributes more omega-3 than flax or salmon, more antioxidants than blueberries or pomegranates, more iron than spinach and more calcium than milk. Read more about this grain’s nutrition and clinical tests here. Salba can also be purchased in whole or ground form, and added to salads, cereals, and used in baking. Salba Smart has created a whole line of healthy and tasty chips, pretzels, and salsas. and they all taste great. I like the small bags, who’s chips are kid-sized and portion controlled.

PEA SPROUTS / hail to the crunch

I have been trying to incorporate different forms of protein into my diet. Since I grew up in a Eastern European household, a meal was really not considered a meal, unless it contained meat, therefore, legumes and beans have never held any attraction for me—that is until I came across the pea sprout at the greenmarket. You can just grab a handful and eat them as is. The crunchy texture is extremely satisfying, and it just has the slightest hint of pea taste. Since discovering this ingredient I have been looking for ways to introduce it into my repertoire. Here are some ideas I came up with:
—Naturally, it works great in salad, in this one I also put some baby fennel in. Good start.
—Next I delved into making some tuna salad. Chopped onions, olives, artichoke hearts, and added mayo, dijon mustard and THE PEA SPROUTS. Top a Wasa rye cracker, and you have lunch.
—Lastly, my ground lamb stir-fry test also got a bit of the crunchy goodness. See recipe to follow...
Let me know if you have any ideas, I would love to hear them...

Perfect cheese mates: awww, honey, honey

Zambezi Organic Forest Honey This intensely flavored honey needs just a drizzle to complement an aged parmesan or tangy goat cheese. The bees who make this honey have 11,000 square miles of Zambian forest to cruise around in, which is one of the last remaining biologically diverse forests in the world. Founders Jenny and Keith Gelber, who met in the Peace Corps, keep their honey-making process simple, retaining more enzymes, antioxidants, bioflavonoids, and bee pollen than most other honeys. Bonus. Photos show honey straws on top, great for traveling...

ROASTED NUTS RECIPE / Go nuts!

Just nuts can be a little boring. Spice up the next batch with these seasonings for an extra-special treat! San-J has a new line of organic tamari sauces made from 100% soybeans, meaning gluten-free.
TAMARI ROASTED NUTS
1 1/2 lb. walnuts, pecans and cashews
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
spice mix:
1/2 tsp. each: salt, ground ginger, ground chili powder
1/4 tsp. each: ground black pepper, ground coriander, ground cloves
1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. San-J Organic Tamari
1 lime, juiced
Preheat oven to 325°F. Place the nuts in a large bowl and pour boiling water over the nuts to cover. Blanch for one minute and drain well in a large strainer. Place the hot nuts in a large mixing bowl and combine with the sugar and vegetable oil. Mix well and let rest for 10 minutes. Pour the nuts in a single layer onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, until the nuts are uniformly brown and crispy. Remove the nuts to a bowl and toss with remaining ingredients. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet to cool. When completely cool, store in an airtight container.

RECIPE / luscious LAMB

I adapted this recipe from Healthy Food, Healthy You, which is one of my go-to cookbooks, and jam-packed with unusual and intriguing combinations. Almost every recipe is accompanied by a photo, which is mandatory for my favorite cookbooks, which I end up using more as a visual stimulus than anything else. (Amazon, and Alibris have some used copies, get one!)
I tweaked the spiced lamb burger recipe, and loved the results. Into ground lamb I added:
small cubes of roasted butternut squash, mashed (make sure you have a sharp knife—it is a royal pain to cut because the squash is so hard, but totally worth the effort in the end.)
cumin
corainder
chile powder
cayenne
salt
pepper
minced onion
and lots of cilantro.
Fried the burgers up in a pan, with some olive oil.
Two serving versions: Place on top of mashed sweet potatoes with a green salad. Or, mix with whole wheat pasta and top with fresh fennel tops from baby fennel bulbs.

Good Earth COFFEE + Rowenta Coffee Maker / perfect pair

I love good design and I adore organization. This Rowenta coffee maker, designed by Jasper Morrison, defines both with its sleek and efficient design which puts all the necessary parts where you need them. I wish everything in life were like this. Under the lid are the filters, scoop and removable basket. All that’s missing is a good organic coffee. Enter Good Earth, the maker of great organic teas with a new line of organic coffees. My favorite, Mystic Blend, is a dark roast that has an extremely smooth, balanced flavor that will get you and your guests goin’!

HEALTHY SNACK / ladies’ bite

I like to experiment with different things I have in the fridge, and in the name of eliminating waste, I will be open to trying unusual pairings. This test for a healthy snack turned out surprisingly well, so I thought I should record it for future get togethers. I took a Pink Lady apple and cut it into thin slices. Pink Ladies are a gorgeous bright reddish-pink and are very sweet with a slightly lemony tang. Next, I spread some goat cheese on the slices, using a brand called Il Tommasino from Italy. On top, I sprinkled a little garlic/pepper mix from Simply Organic mixes, then placed a couple of thin slices of mild onion and roasted yellow pepper. And there you have it. Rather than use an already roasted pepper from a jar, I like to sit a pepper on one of the burners while I am cooking something else, then put it in a baggie to use in salads, on a sandwich, or to add flavor to a sauce. To me, it has a cleaner, sweeter taste. Recently, I placed an already cut lemon into the baggie with the pepper to save space. Although it was not even touching the pepper, when I cut a wedge to put in my glass of water, it gave it a little zip. Food for thought...

Red & Green Co TEA / budding genius

Next time your guests ask for tea, serve them the Budding Flower from Red & Green Company. A globe amaranth and chrysanthemum wrapped with young green tea and infused with the scent of magnolias will have them swooning as they watch the petals unfold in their cup. Co-founder Chongbin Zheng, an artist, grew up in Hangzou, a famous tea region of China. He travels back to his homeland to work closely with farmers to create exceptional teas which he has re-fitted in cool packages—from hermetically sealed aluminum canisters, clay jars, to bamboo canisters. He also has a knack for teapot design. Using craftsman from Chinese factories whose designs date back to the 1300s, Chongbin brings their time-honored techniques to his modern designs.

Sonoma Syrup Co / simply divine simple syrups

No bar is complete without simple syrup on hand, and these artisan mixtures bring with them the flavors and freshness of wine country. Sonoma Syrup Comany infuses the intense flavors of organically grown meyer lemons and mint, as part of their collection of fifteen natural flavorings. With a shelf life of 18 months, it’s great to have on hand, and works wonders added to ice teas, water, or your favorite cocktail. Sweeten your day with this lemony combo:

Sue Erickson's Meyer Lemon Drop Martini
1 lemon wedge
sugar
ice
2 ounces lemon flavored vodka
3/4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce Meyer Lemon Infused Simple Syrup
1 lemon twist
Moisten the outer rim of a martini glass with the lemon wedge and coat lightly with sugar. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup and shake well. Strain into the martini glass and garnish with the lemon twist.

Q Tonic mixer / a true tonic

Introducing the world’s best tonic water: mix hand-picked quinine, collected from the slopes of the Peruvian Andes, with Mexican organic agave, and you’ve got a 30 calorie treat. Q Tonic comes in beautifully designed glass bottles, perfectly proportioned for one drink. Besides improving your next gin and tonic, this natural Peruvian quinine has been used by herbalists for centuries to increase energy, accelerate digestion and stimulate blood flow. Try this stimulating cocktail by mixologist Wayne Minns:

Lemon Gin
2 parts premium Gin
1 part fresh Lemon Juice
Dash of simple syrup
Ice
Q Tonic
Lemon
Add gin, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Vigorously shake and pour into tall glass with ice. Top with Q Tonic as desired. Garnish with a Lemon