Preserving the Last Life of Summer

September 23, 2012 Stephanie Leave a comment

It’s the second day of fall and I have a lot to do but instead I have decided to harvest the arugula which I let grow weedy between the bricks in the backyard. I sit in the bright noon sun, plucking leaf after leaf into a large bowl. The arugula is leggy and the honeybees still cling to the yellow flowers even after the stalks are cut and in my hand. The leaves are going to become arugula pesto, made with walnuts and my pungent parmesan smuggled from Europe.

(a much older photo of my wild arugula – 4 years ago)

Our black cherry tomato plant has gone wild, sending branches like tentacles all over the garden. I keep finding bunches of green tomatoes under tables and in other plants. It’s too late, they will never ripen quite like their summer brothers, so I’m pickling them green. Sometime this winter I’ll have a dirty martini or a bloody mary with a pickled tomato garnish and remember the summer.

eats, north carolina

Charlotte Eats

September 19, 2012 Stephanie 2 Comments

We were in Charlotte, North Carolina for a few days and I got to try some BBQ, soul food, and other southern specialties.

Hungry after a breakfast-less morning flight, we started our first day with an early lunch at Mert’s Heart & Soul, where I had fried whiting (fish) with collards, okra/tomato, and cornbread. I was lucky our hotel (the Marriott Residence Inn – highly recommended!) had a kitchen with full sized fridge because I could already tell that the portions in this city were large. The image above is just my leftovers, which I gladly carried around until check-in time.

The internet seems to think that there’s no good BBQ in Charlotte but I thought the dinner we had on our first night, at Mac’s Speed Shop, was pretty damn good. We didn’t rent a car, so we took the Lynx (light rail) to get there – we probably could have walked, but it was getting late. A bonus was that Thursday night features North Carolina drafts for $3.50, and their beer list is large.

I tried my first ever boiled peanuts (left) at the not-for-profit King’s Kitchen, and I’d also never had pimento cheese before this trip – pictured left at King’s Kitchen and above in a creamy dipping version at Mac’s. I was under the mistaken impression that NC didn’t have regional hot dogs, but I was wrong. This one is from Green’s Lunch, a cute older hot dog spot near our hotel, and has mustard, ketchup, slaw, and chili. I ordered it “all the way” just like we do in Rhode Island.

The culinary highlight of our trip was Halcyon Flavors from the Earth. Everything they served was magic. We first visited for some cocktails on Friday night – it was a cool, clear night and perfect for sitting on their large balcony. Their cocktail list is mouth-watering and I especially liked the Some Pig, described as “Smoky Maker’s 46 steeped with Bacon. Orange bitters. Maple syrup. The best of brunch over ice.”

The next day for brunch we couldn’t stop ordering food – luckily there were three of us to share. My grit bowl, above, came with a choice of toppings – I went for maple griddle pork belly, pimento cheese, and roasted cottonmill mushrooms. I wanted to crawl into the bowl instead of going back to the airport. Later, when I did, I had to keep a close eye on the TSA agents to make sure they didn’t make off with our leftover honey-glazed blackberry-buttered cornbread.

What we loved about this restaurant was that despite serving up some of the most amazing food we’ve had, it didn’t take itself too seriously; on the other hand, the whimsy of the menu also wasn’t contrived.

bikes, travels

BCycle Charlotte

September 17, 2012 Stephanie 1 Comment

Charlotte’s new bike sharing program, BCycle, had only been installed a month and a half before our visit. I’ve never tried a bike share and we were car-less in Charlotte, so I decided to explore Charlotte by BCycle for a day.

For $8, you get a 24-hour pass (longer-term passes are also available). As long as you return each bike within a half hour, you can take unlimited rides without any additional charge. Bikes come with a lock and basket but not a helmet, so I brought my own. The system was hassle-free and easy to use.

I started uptown, rambled down the the Sugar Creek Greenway, followed the almost entirely bike-laned East Boulevard to the Trolley Rail Trail, then took the trail back to uptown, switching bikes at each station along the way (Link to Map). Though the bike rode smoothly, a heavy 3-speed was totally exhausting for this road bike girl! So on my way, I stopped for a necessary snack at the Common Market. Later in the day I took another bike for a spin down to Elizabeth Creamery for a scoop of praline ice cream. By the end of the day, I had ridden 8 bikes!

I didn’t see a lot of other people riding bikes in Charlotte, and when I did they were riding on the sidewalk, a practice that is illegal (or at least frowned upon) most places but seemingly the norm in Charlotte. Some of the streets uptown had bike lanes and the drivers were courteous, but if you’re skittish on the roads, the Little Sugar Creek Greenway and Trolley Rail Trail would be good places to ride.

cooks

Freezer and Pantry Inventory

September 4, 2012 Stephanie 1 Comment

You probably got the hint that I’m a bit of a geek and a planner from my Vacation Planning with Google Maps entry, so maybe you won’t be surprised when I tell you that I keep a freezer / pantry inventory in a Google Spreadsheet.

Does this makes me sound like a hyper-organized superwoman? I’m really not that organized. Really. But if you too have a chest freezer, you’ll know that it has the potential to be a deep dark pit into which all these wonderful edible things disappear indefinitely. And then you end up thinking “I could really go for some chili right now” as you flip open the freezer, but as soon as you see the 3-foot high pile of unidentified food items, your back starts to hurt, you sigh, and you order takeout.

Taking a freezer /pantry inventory not only prevents you from buying something you already have, but it’s also a good way to stay inspired by new recipes and combinations. My spreadsheet has a Freezer sheet, a Pantry sheet, and a Meal Ideas sheet. When I can see it all at one glance, I get inspired – like maybe I should make a lamb roast with some of that butternut squash gnocchi and creamed spinach. It’s all in my freezer!

Before I got high-tech with this endeavor, I used to keep a piece of paper on the freezer and I’d cross off items as I removed them. But I like using a Google Doc because I can reference it on my phone in the grocery store or on a hungry bus ride home.

My favorite time to inventory my freezer is on a hot day when it’s a treat to stick my head in a very cold place. I quickly take everything out and put it in a bin, then jot down each item as I return it to the freezer (I type out the list later – I’d rather not risk getting my laptop wet). The other freezer commandment? Remember to label everything!

Do you have a chest freezer? Do you keep track of its contents?

buys, cooks, meals

Middle Eastern Feast

August 26, 2012 Stephanie Leave a comment

I’ve made all of the components of this meal separately, but this weekend I thought I’d put them all together to make a fun, informal meal for guests. This is a low-stress dinner party because almost everything can be made ahead and you can supplement with store-bought extras like pita bread, olives, and a tasty feta (try the Hungarian feta from the deli case at Sonia’s). For dessert, pick up some good dates – or if you are lucky like us, one of your guests will bring a delicious olive oil cake.

Bonus: this makes for great leftovers. I have to admit that the photo below is actually the leftovers, which we ate tonight with a couple of friends!

Here are links to the recipes I used (or similar ones, because some of these live in my head):

If you’re in the Providence area, we picked up most of our ingredients at these two stores:

Jerusalem Meat Market, 88 Rolfe Square, Cranston
Sonia’s Near East, 816 Park Ave., Cranston

buys, providence

The Urban Greens Buying Club

August 22, 2012 Stephanie 1 Comment

If you haven’t heard of Urban Greens, it’s a group of people (around 330!) who are working to start a cooperative food market in Providence. Even though the market is not yet open, you can order food through the buying club, which has been active for over ten years.

I have an confession to make – even though I was on the board of Urban Greens for a couple of years, this month was my first time ordering from the buying club! Previously, the buying club had separate membership fees, but now all member-owners of the future co-op (a 1-time payment) can order through the buying club at no additional charge.

What can you order? Items from two catalogs – a catalog of local goods, and the Associated Buyers catalog which has natural, organic, and international products. Individual products can be ordered a la carte, and bulk goods with ordering minimums can be split by co-op members using a convenient feature on the website: you can indicate how much of a bulk order you want (for example, 5 pounds of oatmeal), then other members will see the split and can add their order to it. The catalog includes not only food, but also natural body products, cleaning supplies, vitamins, and more.

How does it work? The order is placed once a month, and pickup is the following week. You can volunteer for only 1 hour a month to get the goods exactly at wholesale catalog prices, but if you choose not to, you pay a 10% surcharge (I’m pretty busy these days, so the 10% is still a good deal).

What I ordered: A very small order to start, and easy to bike home. Both of these were a lot less expensive than they would be at the store.

1 lb of New Harvest Coffee – Steamroller Blend
1 lb of chia seeds (I had them once recently and my curiosity was piqued!)

How can you join? More information about Urban Greens is available at http://urbangreens.com. I recommend becoming a member-owner of the co-op instead of just the buying club (haven’t you always wanted to co-own a store?) Joining is a one-time payment of $160, but you can also pay $40 a year for 4 years.

eats, rhode island

Deep Fried Calzones

June 26, 2012 Stephanie 4 Comments

If you love food and think about it a lot (as I do), you’ve probably thought back to your early food memories. Those times you tried something different, something that imprinted you because you loved or hated it.

I grew up eating a lot of great food, but for some reason one of my strongest first food memories is a deep fried calzone. I was probably about eight years old, and my parents and I were sitting in New York City at a tiny outdoor table in front of Sal’s Pizza, off the Bowery. I remember how crispy the crust was and how the cheese oozed out as soon as I cut in. I remember how hot it was, and yet how I couldn’t stop eating.

Lucky for me, my husband discovered a delicious source of fried (and non-fried) calzones in Rhode Island – Napolitano’s Brooklyn Pizza. It’s a small but welcoming BYOB pizza place with calzones that definitely rival the ones I had in New York. The calzones are made to order and are totally delicious.

Garlic knots – fried knots of dough with plenty of fresh garlic, parsley, and coarse salt. I could imagine coming just for these, they are so good.

A classic deep-fried calzone filled with mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, and prosciutto. These are HUGE! You can also get the other calzones fried – I also recommend the spinach calzone, the one we had was stuffed with tons of whole-leaf baby spinach.

Napolitano’s Brooklyn Pizza
100 East Street, Cranston, RI (map)

bikes

Happy Bike Month!

May 16, 2012 Stephanie 3 Comments

When Jeremy and I got engaged three years ago, my grandfather gave us some money as a present, and we bought bikes. It was a present that will last forever – not the bikes themselves (I already sold mine and upgraded), but a new hobby that we could share, that would keep us active and healthy together. It was also a fitting gift from my grandfather, who was always very active.

Of course I rode a bike when I was young (loved the paths in the Loantaka Reservation), but it seems different when you’re an adult and have so much to think about, so much to do. Maybe you never forget how to ride a bike, but you may forget how to let it have a place in your life.

Last year, I started commuting to work on my bike. I’ll admit that I’m still a wimp and let RIPTA do the driving in rainy and cold weather, but even commuting about 30% of the time has made such a positive impact on my life. I get to see my neighborhood through the seasons, breathe some fresh air, get exercise, and never have to gas up! My commute is about 4.5 miles each way. Usually, I’m so excited to get on my bike that I’m at work at least a half hour early, and I’m awake enough that I’m not aching for coffee. Did I mention that my travel time is much shorter than the bus and often faster than driving (especially at rush hour)?

May is National Bike Month, so I thought I’d write this little tribute to getting back on two wheels. If you’d like to try biking to work, Providence Bike to Work day is on Friday…

baking, cooks, vegetables

Slice it Up: Zucchini Tart

April 16, 2012 Stephanie 1 Comment

A few years ago, when we first joined a CSA, we were swimming in zucchini. Taking my inspiration from vegetable quiches I had been making earlier in the season, I topped a savory custard with thinly sliced zucchini and yellow squash.

The result was a hit – it kept well in the fridge, tasted good warm or at room temperature, and was perfect for picnics and polo matches.

Here’s my basic recipe. I’m sure you can imagine many variations. I just use what’s in the fridge – I’ve tried it with many cheeses, herbs, etc. and it’s very adaptable.

Recipe: Zucchini Tart

Ingredients

your favorite savory crust recipe (I usually use Martha Stewart’s pate brisee – but there’s always Jiffy in a box)
2 medium zucchini
2 eggs
3/4 cup gruyere or similar cheese, shredded
1 c. cream or milk
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp. chopped tarragon
Salt and white pepper

Instructions

In a springform tart pan, prepare crust and pre-bake as directed. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 375.
Cut the round end off the zucchini and slice 1/8 in. thick – much easier with a mandoline!
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with a fork. Whisk in milk.
Season the egg mixture with some salt, white pepper, garlic, and tarragon.
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the crust.
Gently pour the egg mixture over the cheese into the crust.
Now the fun part: starting around the egde, lay down the zucchini slices one by one, overlapping the edges. Instead of trying to spiral the slices, I find it easier to start with one big circle, then make a smaller circle inside it, and so on. It may look messy at first, but don’t worry, it’ll be fine in the end!
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until set. Wiggle it or gently poke a zucchini slice to test.
Allow to cool, slice, and serve.

P.S. When I saw the Slice it Up recipe contest from OXO, I knew I had to enter. I love my OXO tools – for this recipe I’d use my mandoline (actually, I think my parents bought it for my husband, but I’ve taken it over), and my cheese grater. I’m also totally enamored with my OXO vegetable peeler. I’m not just saying this for a contest, I really do love these tools!

eats, illinois, travels

Chicago Day 1

April 3, 2012 Stephanie Leave a comment

It was a foggy but unusually warm weekend in Chicago.

Our flight landed early in the morning; a quick train ride later, we were downtown and walking to XOCO for the perfect rainy day breakfast – amazing drinking chocolate and churros. I had the Aztec (fresh-ground chocolate + water + chile + allspice) while J had the Champurrado, a rich and thick chocolate thickened with corn flour.

We walked around for hours. Soaked with rain, we decided to stop in to Berghoff’s for a warming lunch before the Art Institute.

At the Art Institute, we were lucky to catch a free talk on Joseph Cornell (the museum has quite a few of his famous boxes). Among other sights, I loved the surrealist art in the Bergman collection, the Claude Cahun photos, and the Thorne miniature rooms. What a great museum.

We ended the day with my first real Chicago pizza – Lou Malnati’s. It was as good as I hoped (or better).