Warning...you can't say I never warned you...

Alright friends, for those who are animal friendly, sensitive to a little talk about blood or those who don't care to know what that piece of Tyson chicken looked like alive you will want to X out of this window and move along...

I went to Polyface Farms ("Farm of many faces" last week and let me tell you that it was an amazing experience.  I played a part in the full cycle of a chicken's life.  From handpicking (literally) the chicken to be processed:

We were removing the turkeys from the group coops to give them their own area to roam and we were, as I said before, handpicking the chickens who would be processed a little later.  After this chore we walked back to the main part of the farm with Joel Salatin's son, Daniel.

Look at that beautiful countryside behind us...that view would never grow old!

We took a quick look at the hen house and the rabbit cages.  We saw little bunnies just born days ago to breeding rabbits and some that were ready to be processed (again, I warned you...).  Then Chef and I were invited to have breakfast with Joel and Teresa Salatin - which was a huge treat!  Farm fresh eggs scrambled, farm pork sausage, homemade biscuits, garden fresh strawberries and local apple butter, butter and strawberry freezer jam.  I even tried unpasteurized milk from the farm - something that I have never tried.  I have heard all sorts of things about it but it was really good.

So once the early morning chores and breakfast were over, it was on to the processing.  I will leave out the pictures I have of it but to sum it up I was able to take part in everything but the actual killing of the animal.  I stuck to the handpicking of the chicken (earlier in the day) and the cleaning/gutting of the chickens.  Once that was over and we had cleaned up from that laborious task...Daniel shows up with some rabbits he was planning on butchering.  

After all the butchering and cleaning up was complete, Joel Salatin (yes, the farmer from Food, Inc) took Chef and I on a tour of the other 5 farms in the area he leased. 

 We visited the pigs a few miles away...in their pasture, they were truly happy as pigs in mud!

After the pigs, Chef and I reluctantly got into the car and began our 3 hour journey home.  One of the things that really stuck with me was that Daniel said that chefs will come out to visit but rarely do they want to take part in the whole process - that just doesn't make sense to me!  It was an amazing day spent in the countryside doing what I guess it is farmers do...I can't wait to return!

Now here I am on a day of reminiscing on my day in the country having already started two flavors of infused vodka.  Pineapple vodka made with about 1/2 a pineapple and the core of a freshly cut one and cherry vodka made with pitted cherries.  Give me a week and we'll talk about the result - I'm kinda excited about the cherry one.  It's funny, a friend asked for a recipe, here is it: a 1 quart glass mason jar, about 1/2 a pineapple (scraps and the core), fill with vodka, refrigerate, wait a week and enjoy.  For the cherries, I filled another 1 quart glass mason jar with pitted cherries (I finally got to use my cherry pitter!!), covered with vodka, refrigerate, wait a week and enjoy.  

Ok, enough of my rambling...until next time!

another day in the life...

After working some long hours and not having much time to dedicate to my responsibilities of social coordinator of the Women Chefs and Restauranteurs group, I finally found the time.  Today was a perfect way to spend a beautiful day off with an awesome group of like minded women.  I joined a colleague of mine through the group on an adventure across the Potomac Ocean (hah!) to a little place called Havana Road.  Chef Marta, chef/owner of this little gem, is an amazing chef who opened her kitchen (well, really restaurant) to us.  While she made us treats with the likes of mojitos (using her father's recipe) to her daughter's coconut flan, she shared the history behind each dish and her passion.
Two of the dishes we tasted were:  a hummus sampler (yes, Cubans do make there own version of hummus, sans tahini) and gazpacho (this became popular during the "Spanish reign".

We have (from left to right) sundried tomato and cannellini bean style hummus, your more classic garbanzo bean hummus (Chef Marta's grandmother's recipe) and finally a black bean hummus served with a Cuban style bread.

Next we have the gazpacho:

This was Chef Marta's father's recipe and it was good (I could have taken a little more heat but it was still delicious, nonetheless).  

It was such a wonderful afternoon complete with tasty treats!

As for what I have been doing...well, we rolled out a new menu which was really exciting!  It's our spring/summer menu.  My favorite dishes are the asparagus and fennel flatbread, watermelon and feta salad, the scallops with a cioppino sauce, the lamb t-bone and ice cream sandwich.  That is just a taste of what we are offering...

Until next time (hopefully not so long from now)...  :-/

Happy eating!

Dinner for 1

While Healthy Husband is out for a business function, I was able to cook dinner for one at home.  I had some red bliss potatoes still hanging around my kitchen and I picked up beautiful purple potatoes at Whole Foods - I roasted off the potatoes, using olive oil, salt and pepper (375 degrees, for about 45 minutes).  Once I had the potatoes going, I figured that I needed to eat something in addition to a starch for dinner...  I began to cut up some onion, jalapeno, and green garlic and started sautéing.  Then I added some mushrooms and red peppers - I cooked it down a little to break down the raw fibers in the vegetables.  (Of course, I seasoned along the way...)  I then added some white kidney beans and kale florets (which look like broccolini and are on the sweet side).  I finished off my dish by deglazing the pan with a bit of white wine.

As I read through what I ate for dinner, I'm amazed that it was edible.  It was appealing to the eye with all the colors on the plate (even though I know you don't eat with your eyes) but in all honesty it didn't really go together.

Again, not the most beautiful dish but I did throw it on the plate and I have already taken a few bites...

While I was shopping earlier today at Whole Foods, I was wandering through the prepared foods area and stumbled on the tea cookies (ok, so let's face it, I planned the "stumbling"...).  I picked up a few cookies that I could enjoy for dessert.  Specifically, coconut macaroons, raspberry chocolate chip shortbread, pistachio shortbread and an orange almond shortbread.  I have tasted one of each and they are all delicious!  As they say, I am my father's daughter when it comes to sweets...

I'm enjoying a glass of wine and watching Anthony Bourdain travel through Nicaragua.  Ok, my friends, he's talking about eating iguana and bull's nuts...

...on that note, happy eating!

Farmers Market and Edibles...and some other things

To state the obvious, today is April 1 and the Dupont Farmers Market opens at 8:30am, so with this morning off I ventured down to the market.  It was so wonderful to see all the early spring vegetables, the fresh bread, the stands with the farm fresh eggs and fresh meat products.  Refreshing, invigorating!
I walked away with some goodies: kalamata olive bread, fresh sun dried tomatoes, early spring green garlic, fresh goats cheese (I love this stuff!), kale and kale florets.  I can't wait to enjoy some of these market fresh goodies - not much can beat this!

Also, the Edible Communities comes to DC!  It's a magazine promoting all the local things (food stuffs, breweries, community gardens, local restaurants making their own beer or infusing their own liquors) an area has to offer.  They plan on launching the magazine in June - how exciting!

I don't know if you remember me talking about transplanting a Maine native rhubarb root from my parents garden to the Harth garden.  It has sprouted!

With spring time here and patios getting ready for the evening relaxing cocktail, I have begun the vodka infusions.  I started a strawberry vodka and strawberry/blueberry vodka the other day - both will be ready this week.  I'm thinking about trying some herb and fruit infusions at home.  You know, keep things interesting, expand what I have already done.













Finally, a small shout out to my work at the restaurant.  We ran a skate wing special and if you are following me on twitter you might have seen the picture of it yesterday but here it is again...

We have 8oz of skate wing caught near Martha's Vineyard with a tomato, fennel and onion ragu.  The sauce was compiled of the juices from the said vegetables, white wine, butter and chicken stock.  It was really good!  Surprisingly enough it sold well yesterday.  It was something a little different but delicious.

Anyways, here's to a morning off...now I'm heading into work to finish up the day.  Sight is set on my day off later this week...

Happy eating!

Alas...I return

...from no where new or overly adventurous, just life.  I find it funny how life takes control and floors the accelerator.  When I stop to think, the last I remember really taking note of the date was back in January when we were planning the Valentine's Day menu but now we've been talking about Easter and the new menu...my only question is: where did the time go?!

So I have the next 2 days off...2 days!  What am I going to do with my time?!
I know one thing...I'm going to plant my hot pepper seeds!  I don't know if you remember me mentioning all the fantastic seeds my in laws gave me as a gift for Christmas.  I plan on setting myself up with small potters of all the seeds.  I have to gradually expose them to the elements outside.  I will place them in the window and every day let the seeds sit outside for an hour or so to acclimate.

So that is one part of my two days off...another thing I plan on doing is relaxing and most likely flipping through all my old (well, 4 months worth) Bon Appetit and Food & Wine.  Maybe I'll come up with something new to cook...

Until next time...happy eating!

Alas...here I write...

I know, it's been a while since I've written to you all.  I have been busy trying to maintain my sanity while working long hours leading into a long weeks.

So today Healthy Husband and I were planning date night and that means either we head out to a restaurant we have been wanting to try or we cook something at home (or sometimes even order out).  Yesterday, Healthy Husband mentions that he wants to try to make perogies.  He had found this recipe which he left for me to check out this morning and bring home the goods.  However as I was reading the recipe I realized we were missing one key component...the surface area on which to roll out the perogies.  So I had to break the news to Healthy Husband and asked that he think of something else to make - his request was the broccoli and cheese casserole we used to make, it's easy and with enough vegetables in there can be healthy.  The plan is to make a spin off of broccoli casserole with cheese, onions, hot peppers and mushrooms...probably a few more things thrown in there in true Emily fashion!

So at work we have been busy coming up with features to run for lunch and dinner...
One thing I was working with was pork belly.  While it is incredibly delicious and rich on its own, try pairing it with a couple of wood roasted scallops, roasted mushrooms, port wine demi just and garnished with a slice of a flatbread with fontina cheese:

The other delicious dish we made this night was a pork tenderloin with roasted fingerling potatoes and brussels sprouts and an ancho chili jus (demi glace cut with our home made ancho chili bbq sauce).  It was a different flavor but altogether it ate really well!

You might be thinking that we are focusing on pork products...well pork/ham/bacon does make everything better!  However, I plated up a a light pasta dish - cappelini, 2 seared scallops, 3 mussels, 3 shrimp and a white wine chicken stock broth.  Turns out something as simple as some well cooked seafood and pasta can be really satisfying!  Who knew?!

So yesterday I was bummed.  I missed out on a Belgium cooking demonstration.  I think I have mentioned to you that I volunteered to be one of the two coordinators for a group called Women's Chefs and Restauranteurs.  We coordinated an event to have a Belgium chef do a cooking demonstration for the ladies of the group and any others who were interested.  I heard through email that it was a great time and the food was delicious...I guess I will chalk it up to the life of a chef, missing out on all the fun events!

Stepping off my soapbox for now...I will let you know how dinner tonight turns out...

Until next time...

Happy eating!

memories

I remember when I was about 16 or so, I visited my brother in Colorado by myself for the first time.  I was so excited because I was just able to be with him - big brother and little sister.  This particular memory came up because I was thinking the other day about spaghetti sauces (don't as why, my brain just wanders when I'm getting ready for work in the morning).  The memory from said trip to Colorado is from one night specifically, we were cooking at home and my brother was making spaghetti and meat sauce.  I remember talking as he cut vegetables and added things to the pan - spices and said cut vegetables.  I would ask him what he was adding and why - his answer was 'because it was in the fridge' or 'because it will be delicious'.  Looking back, it was a delicious meal thrown together.

His answers from that specific dinner make their way into my daily cooking and for that I am forever grateful!  As I'm training someone at the restaurant on the preparation of a new dish, I find myself saying just make it taste delicious.  Or even at home, when Healthy Husband asks what I put into dinner dish A, I'll say 'whatever we had in the fridge' or 'a few of the spices that we had in the pantry'.  Now that I think about it, that isn't a real answer when it comes to training cooks on new dishes but home is certainly a place to use that type of response - that is where my bizarre creativity comes out...

No recipes this time, no pictures of creations but just some thoughts and laughs.  Maybe at work I need to start having actual answers about how to prepare the new dish and leave the 'because it will be delicious' explanations for home...I'll work on it.
It's comforting to know big brother is making an appearance in my daily life when appropriate...he's checking in from wherever he may be.

Until next time, happy eating...
...and don't forget, make it delicious!