Sunday, February 10, 2019

10 February 2019





Yes, I know. It's been a hot minute since I posted on my blog, but life has just gotten in the way. Around a year ago, I realized I was spending at least half of my weekends on my Sunday Suppers blog, so I decided to take a break for a while. I got out of the habit, and life just keeps getting busier between work and my City Council service. However, I feel very fortunate to be very busy at Grant Design Collaborative, and 2018 was one of our best years ever of the past twenty two.

Make no doubt, I still love to cook, and food is still a passion. I'll be even more motivated when the Canton Farmers Market begins again in May. Until then, I guess I'll keep shopping for organic ingredients at Sprouts in Woodstock. I am now on my second week of a combination Whole30, Keto and Paleo diet. I've enjoyed cooking and eating fresh, non-processed food, even without the luxury of bread and gluten. I've also had more energy, so I hope I can stick with this for a while.

I decided to cook Sunday Supper tonight to celebrate John Clark's birthday which is coming up on Wednesday. I was inspired by watching Jamie Oliver's new PBS cooking show where he uses only five fresh ingredients without a lot of fat or gluten. I did a version of his pork tenderloin with cheddar mashed potatoes, fried sage and prosciutto. The mashed potatoes were made without butter or milk, and they were still delicious, probably the best I've ever cooked. They are made with only potatoes, one tablespoon of olive oil, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. I cooked the tenderloins and prosciutto over the top of them, so the pork fat didn't hurt! I fried some cabbage with bacon for a side, and it was great with Whim-Wham's pepper sauce. Dessert included a gluten-free blood orange tart made with ground almonds, polenta and raw honey. I made it without any sugar, but the honey and blood orange juice still made it very sweet.

We enjoyed dinner and then moved on to the Grammy Awards. The women are rocking the show, but the Dolly Parton tribute was by far the highlight of the night! As my dear friend, Carmen Slaughter texted me, "Dolly had to come out and save her own tribute" by singing with the ones honoring her. As has been said before, Dolly can sing harmony with a stump. Her voice and spirit are beyond comparison, and her exquisite voice brought tears to my eyes. I still remember watching her on the Porter Wagoner Show with my grandmother, and I was mesmerized when she sang Jolene for the first time. I'm still mesmerized every time she performs, and I've had the very good fortune to see her live a few times. I knew it was going to be a great day when I saw her interview on CBS Sunday Morning today. After all, who needs bread when you have Backwoods Barbie to feed your soul?

So, it's good to be back, but I can't promise I will be posting as regularly as I did from 2009–2017. However, when I do, you can bet I will give it my all. Here's hoping your 2019 is off to a delicious start, and until next time, I hope life will treat you kind...

The Menu:

- Pork Tenderloin with Cheddar Mashed Potatoes, Prosciutto and Fried Sage Leaves

- Fried Organic Cabbage with Bacon

- Gluten-Free Blood Orange Tart


The Recipe – Fried Cabbage with Bacon

This is a very easy, fast and tasty way to prepare cabbage!


Ingredients:

Small head of cabbage

4 slices bacon


Directions:

Place four strips of bacon in a cold pan and slowly fry to render fat. When brown and crispy, remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve bacon fat for the cabbage.

Slice the cabbage into very thin strips and sauté it in the reserved bacon fat until tender but still slightly crispy. Serve cabbage on a platter, and crumble the bacon on top. Serve with pepper vinegar, Whim-Wham Art Farm's if you are fortunate enough to have some!




Tuesday, May 8, 2018

06 May 2018


Sausage and Broccoli Pizza

Margarita Pizza

Canadian Bacon with Pepper Rings

Mock Caesar Salad with Homegrown Lettuce

Anginetti Italian Lemon OMG Cookies


Yes, it has been a few months since I officially posted a Sunday Supper. I apologize, but life has been hectic. With the wedding, trip to Spain, holidays and an extraordinarily busy first quarter at Grant Design Collaborative and Canton City Council, I have not had a lot of time to cook. I have prepared some smaller suppers, but even then, I did not have time to write the blog. I took the occasion to take a small break from blogging, but I look forward to the summer bounty as the farmers markets come back in season. In addition, I have a very big project going on in Chicago through mid-June, so I am not sure how often I will be posting between now and then.

In keeping with recent patterns, this past weekend was filled with activity with the kick-off of downtown Canton's first First Friday of the season, and the turnout was epic. It was great seeing everyone out and about after the winter hibernation. Saturday was consumed with Derby Day at the Rock Barn, an annual fundraiser for the Cherokee County Historical Society. The event sold-out this year, and we had a great time with a lot of dear friends. By the time Sunday rolled around, I was completely exhausted and mentally drained, but I did make time to cook Sunday Supper. It is stressful times like these when I need to be in the kitchen, and Sunday was no exception. After all of the activity and fast moving deadlines at work, I longed for the comfort of scratch cooking. Moreover, I found myself baking which is slightly uncommon for me.

In reflection, I think this week's Sunday Supper originated from a primal need to immerse my hands in the simple tactile pleasures of dough. As with most of my meal ideas, I just get a thought in my head or wake up thinking about something, and I have to "cook it out of my system." This week, I woke up thinking about Neapolitan pizza. I think the idea came from a conversation I had with my friend, Joyce Swindell, at the Derby Day event on Saturday. We were talking about our experiences in Italy and how wonderful the pizza was there – anywhere you ordered it. Regardless of how good it is in the states, you just can't find pizza like that anywhere else in the world. However, I woke up thinking about it, and the challenge was real.

I have made homemade pizza before, including the crust, but it is very difficult to get a thin crust that defines a Neapolitan style pie. I did a bit of research and found countless different recipes for the dough. Some required 12 hours in the refrigerator. Some used honey to activate the yeast, while others used sugar. A few recipes wanted two rises on the dough before stretching it into a pizza shape. Other versions only used one rise and directed you to roll the dough into shape. After reading a couple of dozen versions, it became quite tedious. My research revealed that, regardless of the recipe, the pizza dough three primary ingredients: flour, yeast and water. Of course, the dough needs a bit of salt, and sugar is necessary to activate the yeast. I didn't want the crust to rise too much since I was going for a thinner crust, so I just added a pinch of sugar to the yeast mixture with good results. For the pizza sauce, I also decided "less is more" when it comes to the Neapolitan style, so I just pureed some canned Italian San Marzano tomatoes and combined them with some finely chopped basil and a little minced garlic. I simply let the sauce cook as the pizzas baked, and again, they turned out great. I made enough dough for three 14-16 inch pizzas, so I made three different kinds: Italian sausage, garlic and broccoli, margarita and Canadian bacon with sweet pepper rings. They were all delicious, and the crusts were thin and crispy, almost like in Italy with enough wine.

While the pizzas were baking, one at a time, I picked the last of our organic romaine lettuce from our raised garden and made a mock Caesar style salad. It is "mock" because I do not use mayo in my dressing, but it was tasty with lots of garlic and fresh lemon juice. Continuing with my baking diversion, I baked some Anginetti Italian Lemon Cookies for dessert. I may not be an accomplished baker, but those tasty morsels would rival the best bakeries around! With a refreshing lemon tang and silky sweet icing, they melted in your mouth. In fact, all but two out of twenty four melted in four of our mouths within minutes, but they were small, right?

So, back to work and another busy week. I will be traveling back and forth to Chicago in the weeks ahead, so I will have an opportunity to enjoy a different style of pizza, as well as other delicious food in the Windy City. However, there's no place like home and your own kitchen for cooking up comforting memories.


The Menu

- Mock Caesar Salad with Homegrown Organic Lettuces

- Scratch Made Neapolitan Style Pizzas:
     • Italian Sausage, Garlic and Broccoli
     • Margarita
     • Canadian Bacon with Sweet Pepper Rings

- Anginetti Italian Lemon Cookies


The Recipe – Sausage, Garlic and Broccoli Pizza

Dough

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water, around 100 degrees
pinch sugar
1 teaspoon unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt


Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl, blend yeast, water, sugar and teaspoon of flour. Sit aside for 8-10 minutes until foam forms on the surface.

Blend in remaining 1 1/4 cups of flour and salt to form a smooth and slightly sticky dough (no more than 30 seconds). Then knead dough by hand for 5 minutes.

Form into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a cool place until doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours).

30 minutes before baking, punch down the dough to let air out then knead a minute or two and form into a ball. Place back in bowl and cover. 


Pizza

Ingredients:

1/2 cup finely chopped basil
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
One 28-ounce can tomato San Marzano or Italian style tomatoes, pureed
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, bulk or casings removed
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
12 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan Regianno, grated
Prepared pizza dough (above)

Directions:

Combine the basil, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, salt and pureed tomatoes in a medium bowl. Mix well then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while making pizza dough, 2-3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 500. Place a rack on the next to lowest level and use a pizza stone if you have one – preheat with oven.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the sausage. Cook for 6-7 minutes, breaking apart with a wooden spoon to form small pieces, then add broccoli florets and continue cooking until sausage is brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes total. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Dust a pizza pan or a large upside down rimmed baking sheet with flour. Gently stretch the pizza dough and place on the dusted pan. Roll or stretch out to 1/4-inch thick, leaving a little thicker around the edges.

Spread 1 - 1 1/2 cups of the sauce over the dough and top with the mozzarella slices. Spread the sausage and broccoli mixture and sliced garlic evenly over the crust and top with the Parmesan.

Place the pan on the next to bottom rack of oven, and bake until crust is nicely browned and top is golden, around 10-15 minutes (watch carefully). Move pan to middle or higher shelf, if necessary, to brown the top and melt the cheese if crust is getting to brown on bottom shelf.

Remove pizza from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.


Derby Day at the Rock Barn with Elaine Roberts and Jeff Brown
















Sunday, November 19, 2017

19 November 2017






The election is finally over, and I am coming up for air just in time for the holidays. Of course, I was very pleased with the results and look forward to serving the citizens of Canton for another four years. We have so many exciting projects going on, and the enthusiasm is contagious. With all the activity, however, I have not had time to cook in several weeks. With Thanksgiving coming up on Thursday, I was determined to get some prep work done today and escape into the kitchen for some therapy. Between work, the election and other activities, the past couple of months have been unbelievably busy, and the next couple don't appear to be less hectic.

In addition to my regular work and Council duties, I had a couple of extracurricular design engagements this past week. Last Wednesday, I had the honor and privilege to be the featured speaker at the last Lunch Circuit series in Woodstock, sponsored by Fresh Start Cherokee, an initiative of the Cherokee Office of Economic Development. Jonathan Chambers does an excellent job with the program, and it features the stories of different entrepreneurs in Cherokee County. I enjoyed telling my story and background at Grant Design Collaborative to an engaged and gracious crowd, including a lot of friends and colleagues. It was a great day. Last night, I ventured down to Atlanta for AIGA Atlanta's Big Night event at the Center for Civil and Human Rights. This humbling museum always leaves me in awe, but last night we were there to celebrate our local design community and our latest AIGA Atlanta Fellow inductee, David Laufer. I was named a Fellow quite a few years ago, and our other Fellows were there to honor David and celebrate together. It was great catching up with old friends and participating in a beautiful evening hosted by the current AIGA Atlanta board.

So today was all about planning the Thanksgiving menu, grocery shopping and prepping as much as possible. I made cornbread and homemade chicken stock for the Southern dressing. Since I needed to make stock, I decided to double up and cook enough to make tonight's Sunday Supper, old-fashion chicken and black pepper buttermilk dumplings. It was a long, but satisfying day in the kitchen, and I enjoyed every minute. In addition to the scratch stock and stewed free range chicken, I also made and rolled the black pepper dumplings by hand as well. I even went as old-school to use lard in the dumplings, but of course it was lard that I rendered myself. You can also use vegetable shortening as a perfectly acceptable replacement. I also used buttermilk instead of whole milk, and the dumplings were very light and fluffy. They turned out very well, and it was the perfect comfort food after my time away from the kitchen. For dessert, I made a simple standby, a rustic pear tart with a cream cheese crust and pear brandy whipped cream.

I'll only have three days to catch up this week but hope to find a little time to relax over the holiday weekend. Whatever the week brings, I will take time to be thankful for an abundant life, a wonderful community, talented colleagues and the most loving friends and family ever. May your Thanksgiving be equally filled with blessings, great food, fond memories and unrelenting joy.


The Menu:

- Chicken and Buttermilk Black Pepper Dumplings

- Rustic Pear Tart with Pear Brandy Whipped Cream


The Recipe – Chicken and Buttermilk Black 
Pepper Dumplings

Ingredients:

Chicken and Stock:

1 whole chicken
4 large carrots, halved
2 large yellow onion, 1 quartered for stock, 1 chopped for stew
4 stalks celery with leaves, 1cut into large pieces for stock, 1 sliced for stew
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
2 sprigs thyme
1 TBS butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

Dumplings:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 TBS baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon course ground black pepper
4 TBS lard or shortening
1/2 to 2/3 cups buttermilk


Directions:

Place the chicken in a pot and cover with cold water and half of the vegetables in large pieces. Add all of the herbs, bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Boil the chicken until it is done and falling off the bone, 30-40 mins. Slice the remaining vegetables that were not originally placed in the pot.

When the chicken is done, pull it out of the water, cool and separate the meat from the skin and bone, tearing into bite-size pieces. Strain the stock from the pot, and place over medium high heat to reduce by half.

For the dumplings:

Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Cut in the lard or shortening until the texture becomes crumbly. Add the buttermilk and combine to form a thick dough. Roll the dough out on a floured board to 1/4 inch thickness, and cut it into 1 x 1 1/2 inch strips.

Add the the sliced vegetables to the reduced stock, and cook until tender - around 15 mins. Add the chicken back to the pot, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the stew to a low boil. Drop the dumplings into the stew one at a time, cover and simmer until dumplings are puffed and firm, 5-8 mins.

Serve hot, and garnish with chopped parsley or chives if desired.

Monday, October 23, 2017

22 October 2017










It was great to get back into the kitchen at One Britt! The past few weeks have been absolutely crazy with work, election and volunteer activities, but the weekends have been the busiest of all. Two Saturdays ago, we participated in the 9th Annual Angels Walk at Soleil Laurel Canyon. This fundraiser is sponsored by the Soleil Le Marmitons, a mens cooking club, and other great individuals to benefit the North Georgia Angel House. Ron and Brenda Laird lead the event, and it was my sixth time to walk. It is always an excellent opportunity to catch up with my friends at Soleil, and of course, a good excuse to eat some delicious Le Marmiton hot dogs! During my first Angel Walk in 2011, I had the good fortune of meeting Micki Farley, so this event holds a special place for me. I applaud the Angel Walk and the $4,000 they raised this year for an excellent cause.

Last Saturday was also consumed with volunteer activity. Joining forces with Goin' Coastal and the Kell family, we collected a ton of hurricane relief supplies for Puerto Rico. Zach and Josh Kell stored most of them in the event space at Coastal, until they ran out of room and had to move more to my office at Grant Design Collaborative. Coordinated by Buen Provencho restaurant in Smyrna, we worked with the organizers to deliver Canton's contributions direct to their staging warehouse in Norcross. Due to the generous amount of donations, Jeff Brown and I had to rent a 17 foot U-Haul to deliver the supplies! Joined by Josh Kell, Cory Wilson, Stefanie Joyner, Stephanie Villasenor and her
awesome son, Ian, we loaded 30 cases of water, a dozen boxes of medical supplies, canned goods, personal hygiene items and much, much more. Once we filled the U-Haul, I drove it to Norcross, assisted by my Co-Pilot, Jeff Brown. The truck had over 141,000 miles, and it was quite interesting driving it on 75 and 285! We made it and found the warehouse filled with wonderful volunteers who were sorting and packing all of the donations. We were so proud to hear that our delivery was the single largest of their operation, so thanks again to the amazing generosity of our Canton friends and neighbors! Special thanks to Rebekah Shelnut, Zach and Bre Kell for all of their assistance and encouragement. It was a true community effort.

Last Tuesday, I had the honor of sponsoring the Steve Buchanan and Chris Chandler Golf Tournament at the Fairways of Canton. This excellent fundraiser for the American Cancer Society is organized by one of Canton's finest, former City Councilman Wade Buchanan. Thanks to Mr. Buchanan and all of the golfers who participated this year. From golf to history, Saturday's activities included serving as a volunteer docent for the Cherokee County Historical Society's 2017 Tour of Homes. Jeff and I spent the morning at the recently renovated Hawkins-McManus craftsmen style home on E. Main Street. Ms. McManus did a beautiful job on the home, and her daughter's home next door was also included on the tour. Tammy and Stan Perkins featured their stunning renovation on the tour, and I was simply speechless when I had a chance to view their work. Thanks to them, and others, who have worked so hard to restore these beautiful homes on E. Main Street, one of the most important gateways into downtown Canton. Of course, we must also acknowledge the Historical Society for their tireless efforts to preserve our heritage.

Needless to say, I was totally exhausted by Saturday evening. I had several invitations, including a wonderful Casino Night fundraiser for the Cherokee High Boosters Club, but I needed a quiet night at home to collect myself. So, I sent Jeff and other friends to the Casino Night, and I stayed home to relax with Jazpur. I was in my PJ's by 7 pm and enjoyed a bowl of cereal for dinner. Wrapped in my grandmother's quilt, Jaz and I watched a beautiful independent movie, "Maudie," about an artist in Nova Scotia who defied the odds and challenges in overcoming debilitating arthritis to find fame and love in the most unexpected ways. I highly recommend the film, and it was the perfect way to restore and recover.

By Sunday, my chore list was quite extensive, but I was determined to find time to cook Sunday Supper. I needed the therapy and focused time in the kitchen. Anticipating our holiday trip to Spain and Portugal, I did some research on Portuguese cooking and found an interesting recipe for a spicy Piri Piri roasted chicken with potatoes. Originating in Africa, the dish was adapted by the Portuguese for a comforting and relatively simple meal. To accompany the spice of the chicken, I also made a refreshing tomato and cucumber salad. For dessert, I adapted an easy Portuguese dessert recipe called Serradura, a layered creation of whipped cream, Maria cookies and fruit jam. I added my own twists by using Biscoff cookies and orange marmalade for the fruit topping. Being Southern, I also made the dessert in small jelly jars instead of parfait dishes. Shelly Farrar of Riverstone Corner Bistro will be so proud of me! The chicken was phenomenal, but the roasted potatoes were the best part of the meal. Regardless of how you roast a chicken, just toss some potatoes in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and then place the chicken on top. I used the spatchcock method of butterflying the chicken to cook faster and cover more of the potatoes. The potatoes roast in the chicken fat drippings, and they are divine. However, the Serradura dessert is very simple and yummy, so I am posting the recipe for it this time around. It is easy to make, and everyone really enjoyed it.

Another busy week lies ahead, but I hope you all find some quiet time to restore, reflect and count your blessings. Bon appetite and best wishes to a very special community.


The Menu:

- Portugese Piri Piri Roast Chicken and Potatoes

- Yogurt Cilantro Suace

- Simple Cucumber and Heirloom Tomato Salad

- Serradura a la Bill


The Recipe – Easy Serradura Portuguese Dessert

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
18-20 Biscoff cookies, finely crushed
½ cup orange marmalade + 1 tablespoon of orange juice or water

Directions:

Crush the cookies until very fine. I used the old fashioned method of putting them in a ziplock bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. I actually used the jar of marmalade as my rolling pin!

Whip the cream, vanilla and condensed milk into semi stiff peaks.

Form layers by alternating cookie crumbs and whipped cream. Leave room at the top for the fruit topping.

To make the glaze, stir the orange juice or water into the marmalade, and heat in the microwave for l a minute until it becomes spreadable. Spoon the warm marmalade on top of the serradura and spread gently to cover.

Chill for several hours to set before serving.

Note: Substitute any fruit jam or fresh fruit puree in place of the marmalade to adapt to your own taste.



Monday, September 18, 2017

17 September 2017






What a week. From tropical storms to exciting large projects with Hewlett Packard at Grant Design Collaborative to new potential developments in the City of Canton, I have been a busy man. However, I am grateful we were spared any severe damage from Irma and continue to keep those who have been devastated by this storm, as well as Harvey, in my thoughts and prayers. Please join me in contributing to worthwhile relief efforts in any way possible. It appears more storms are on the way, so the need will only grow in the weeks ahead.

Speaking of the weather, it has been fickle to say the least. Just when there was a tease of Fall in the air with cooler mornings, Summer returned with a vengeance the past couple of days, but it was a beautiful weekend in Canton. Granted, it is challenging to plan for Sunday Supper menus with the changing forecast. Just when I began to think about warm, autumn-inspired comfort foods, such as stews and casseroles, I had to switch plans for the warmer weekend.

For some reason, I have been craving Asian food lately. Other than our wonderful local Thai restaurant, Chon Ngren, other types of this cuisine alludes us here in Canton. I always enjoy venturing down to the diverse culinary playground of Buford Highway in Atlanta for this type of food, but that is a long drive, especially on a Sunday. In addition, typical Asian ingredients are also hard to find in this area, so when taking matters into my own kitchen, I have to plan accordingly. Like other cuisines, you can be resourceful with substitute ingredients, but there are certain exotic ones that simply can not be replaced. So after a little online research, I came across an interesting Malaysian dish of beef and celery. I love celery, and this recipe celebrates it as a vegetable instead of the typical garnish. There were a couple of challenging ingredients, but I worked around them and added a few elements to make the recipe work in my kitchen at One Britt. If you are not a celery fan, simply substitute asparagus or some other vegetable. As a side to the beef dish, I found an interesting coconut rice recipe with an extremely spicy sauce made with yogurt, cilantro and jalapeno peppers. The rice is made with coconut milk instead of water, and I added a cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaf and cumin seeds for really interesting flavors. It was a perfect accompaniment to the earthy and aromatic beef and celery main course. For appetizers, I prepared some simple steamed edamame and baked some vegetable egg rolls to serve with homemade Chinese hot mustard. The mustard is easy to make and so much better than the prepared, packaged version you get with take out orders. I just whisk three tablespoons of Coleman's hot mustard powder with three tablespoons of cold water, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. It is spicy and a good way to clear your sinuses!

If you like a certain type of food, don't be intimidated by exotic recipes. Just use common sense to substitute and improvise. It may not always work out, but the fun is found in the experimentation. For instance, I have a couple of woks to use for stir frying, but I did not want to pull them out of the back of my cabinets for the beef and celery dish. So, I simply used my large cast iron skillet to stir fry everything in one pan. You can never go wrong with cast iron! Explore the International food aisle of your local grocery store as well. If you see interesting ingredients, simply Google them to explore recipes and ideas. We also have some amazing hispanic stores in Canton, such as Ramirez on Marietta Highway. Here, you will find a bounty of wonderful ingredients, spices, fresh produce and baked goods for Latin and Mexican inspired menus. You will also find these stores to be very affordable as well.

Here's hoping your week is filled with fascinating improvisation and delicious serendipity.


The Menu:

- Stir Fried Beef and Celery

- Coconut Rice Pilaf with Spicy Cilantro Sauce

- Steamed Edamame

- Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls with Homemade Chinese Hot Mustard


The Recipe – Stir Fried Beef and Celery

Ingredients:

16 oz rib eye steak, cut into thin strips
2 Tbsp Chinese black bean sauce/paste
8 celery ribs, strings removed with vegetable peeler, halved and cut into 2 inch batons
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp whole black peppercorns, crushed
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
4 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp mirin, rice vinegar, or black vinegar (optional)

For the beef marinade:

3 tsp cornstarch
3 tsp light soy sauce
Pinch of ground white pepper


Directions:

Place ribeye in freezer for 30 minutes before slicing. Mix marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl, then add the beef and stir to coat. Let beef sit in marinade for 20 minutes.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel a thin layer off the celery to remove strings, cut them lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide  and two inch long batons.

Heat half of the oil in a wok or frying pan until smoking, then add the marinated beef and stir fry over high heat for 30-45 seconds. Remove the beef and reserve, leaving the browned bits of the beef in the pan for flavor.

Reduce heat to medium, then add the remaining oil, crushed peppercorns, black bean paste, and garlic, stir frying for 1 minute, until just fragrant, but don't burn the mixture. Add the celery, and fry for 2–3 minutes, then return the beef to the pan. Mix the oyster sauce, water and mirin or vinegar, and add to the pan. Stir and cook for 30 seconds longer. Serve immediately with basmati rice.


Sunday, August 27, 2017

27 August 2017








Last week was very busy. It began with qualifying for reelection to Canton City Council on Monday, a lot of client meetings and attending Georgia's Downtown Conference in Columbus on Wednesday and Thursday. The conference was very interesting, and we learned a lot about that city's turnaround, riverwalk and their man-made whitewater experience. I left inspired and thinking a lot about Canton's opportunity to make the most out of the Etowah River that runs through our city. 

On Friday, we heard through the grapevine that our newest downtown restaurant, Local on North, was doing a soft opening that night. We joined some great friends there and had a wonderful experience. The restaurant is really quite beautiful, and the food was delicious. All eight of us ordered a different entree, from crab cakes to wood fired pizza to vegetable couscous, and everyone loved their dishes. The owners were extremely friendly and attentive, and I am excited to have another great restaurant to put in our rotation. 

On Saturday, we got to the Canton Farmers Market early to get the good stuff from our favorite suppliers. Afterward, we walked over to STEEP Tea House to enjoy an incredible brunch. On the way over, we passed by two more new businesses in the process of opening, a yoga studio and an interior design shop. I am delighted that North Street has arrived, and our historic downtown loop is now a reality. In addition to other great venues throughout the city, such as Riverstone Corner Bistro and Chon Ngren Thai Restaurant, our downtown dining scene is becoming the envy of Metro Atlanta. Panera Bread Company will be breaking ground next month, and by December, the Harris Group will be ready to lease five additional restaurant spaces in the newly restored Canton grammar school and mill office buildings. There has never been a more exciting time to live, work, dine and play in Canton, Georgia!

Today, we spent some time doing chores around the house and grocery shopping for a lot of staples. We are planning a trip to Spain over the holidays, so I have been researching some typical Spanish dishes. I decided to try my hand at a potato, onion and egg tortilla, and it was very tasty. It even turned out of the skillet in the end, my biggest worry. I made a fresh tomato and pepper salad to serve with the tortilla, using the last of our Carolina Gold tomatoes from the yard. For dessert, I used the season's last peaches from the farmers market to make Tom Keller's confit of peaches with mint. It was very refreshing and delectable.

We enjoyed Sunday Supper on the Side Porch at One Britt, but or minds and hearts were, and still are, with our fellow Americans in Houston and Texas. The devastation is simply overwhelming, and I pray they will recover soon. Count your blessings, and do what you can to help others. Life is short, y'all.


The Menu:

- Spanish Tortilla with Potatoes and Onions

- Fresh Tomato and Pepper Salad

- Confit of Peaches with Mint


The Recipe – Spanish Tortilla with Tomato and Pepper Salad


Ingredients:

Tortilla:

5 medium Yukon gold potatoes 
1 white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 tsps kosher salt, or to taste
3/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste 
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
6 large eggs

Tomato and Pepper Salad:

3/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup diced Cubano pepper
1/4 cup sliced scallion, white and green parts
1clove garlic, minced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Peel potatoes and halve them lengthwise, then slice them, thinly, crosswise. Pat potatoes dry with paper towels then toss them with onion, garlic, paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper.

Warm a large skillet over medium heat, then add olive oil and potato / onion mixture. The oil should nearly cover the potatoes, so add more if you need it. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust heat so vegetables do not brown. Transfer potatoes and onions to a colander with a slotted spoon, but reserve 3 1/2 tablespoons oil from the skillet. Let potatoes cool for around 10 minutes before adding to eggs.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl until well combined and season with a little salt and pepper. Stir potato mixture into eggs. Spray a nonstick skillet or baking pan with cooking spray, then pour and swirl two tablespoons of the reserved oil to coat the bottom. Pour potato and egg mixture into the pan and flatten out surface with a spatula. Bake tortilla in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Remove from oven and loosen the sides with a rubber spatula before placing a serving plate over the top of pan and flipping to turn out the tortilla. 

To make the salad, toss the tomatoes, pepper, scallion, garlic and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons reserved oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and serve over top of tortilla cut in wedges.











-->

Monday, August 7, 2017

06 August 2017







Summer in Canton just keeps getting better. I had the honor of being the guest emcee at the August First Friday, and it was epic. The band, Atlanta Rhythm and Grove, was off the chart, and everyone had a great time. During the evening, I had so many positive conversations about the positive momentum in the City of Canton, and the sense of community has never been stronger. You can feel the excitement in the air, and it's only getting better. The collective effort of our Main Street Board, City Staff and Volunteers are to be commended on their efforts and hard work. They never cease to amaze me.

Saturday began as usual with a trip to the Canton Farmers Market. We got there early, but so did the crowds. Everyone was looking for the top picks of local produce, baked goods, seafood, beef, farm eggs, natural products and so much more. Whim-Wham Art Farm had already sold out of bagels by 9:30, but that is nothing new. However, we were able to snag some tomatoes, basil, flowers and hummus from their table. Our fearless market leader, Micki Farley, was taking the day off, but of course she was there shopping and supporting the vendors. When we bumped into her, she told me about some amazing pizza crust by Good Things Baking Company, and she had the last one put on hold in my name. It's good to have friends in high places! I bought the sourdough pizza crust and a homemade baguette, and both were amazing! Our haul also included okra, lady peas, hydroponic arugula and micro greens, potatoes, local clover honey and fresh-picked blackberries. It was a banner day at the market.

Our dear friend and artist, Steve Martin, visited us from Blue Ridge on Saturday afternoon. It had been a while since we saw him last, so it was a wonderful opportunity to catch up. We had a delicious lunch at Steep Tea House and, of course, ran into other friends there. Speaking of Steep, Lyn Moye had live entertainment during First Friday, and we were fortunate to hear her perform a song with the acoustic duo. She sang one of my favorite songs, Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, and it was incredible. I never knew she had such an amazing voice. I highly recommend you check out Steep the next time she has performers since she told me she always sings one song. You won't regret it.

After Steep, we spent some time relaxing in the cement pond at One Britt. Jeff took some time to visit Meghan and Ryan Quinlan's house warming as well as their son Nolan's first birthday party. I hated to miss it, but it gave me some time to reminisce with Steve, one of my oldest and dearest friends. Later in the afternoon, I made some tapas from the sourdough pizza crust and other items from the Farmers Market. The pizza crust is out of this world, especially when topped with tomatoes and basil from Whim Wham and our own back yard.

Sunday was a relatively quiet day. It began with Jeff's delectable pancakes. He has really mastered the art of breakfast. Afterward, we took a long, 5 mile walk from One Britt to Etowah Park to hit the trail to Heritage and back home on the sidewalk system. It's a very nice walk, even when it is a bit warm, but it gave us an opportunity to walk off the pancakes! After taking a plunge in the pool to cool off, we headed out to round up the few provisions for Sunday Supper that we did not get at the Farmers Market. We are attempting to eat a lot less meat, so I made a simple tomato sauce for spaghetti and a caprese salad from our backyard tomatoes and a beautiful yellow variety from Whim Wham. For dessert, I was ecstatic to put the first figs from our tree in a rustic fig tart. I served the Good Things baguette with the spaghetti, and it was perfect in every way.

After dinner, our good friend, Gary Mullet, joined us for the world premiere of Sharknado 5: Global Swarming. Gary has long been fan of this series, but I had never indulged in his guilty pleasure. However, this one caught my attention because it had a cameo by my star crush, Olivia Newton-John. We really enjoyed the absurdity and rip offs of various entertainment and cultural references, and it was nice to spend some "guy-time" with Gary after his recent knee replacement. His recovery has gone very well, and luckily, the stormy evening did not include any sharknados in Canton.

Once again, I am feeling much gratitude for another fulfilling weekend in our small town. I have always used the word "blessings" with trepidation, but I am finally understanding the meaning. While we have so much negativity, anger and sadness that surrounds us every day, it is reassuring to take time to count our blessings, big and small. After all, challenges are an opportunity to explore our capacity for grace in the face of adversity.

Wishing you grace and gratitude in the week ahead.


The Menu:

- Spaghetti with SimpleTomato Sauce

- Caprese Salad

- Good Things Baguette

- Rustic Fig Tart


The Recipe – Simple Homemade Tomato Sauce

- 1/4 cup olive oil

- 3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed

- 2 - 28oz cans good quality San Marzano tomatoes

- 1 sprig fresh basil plus more leaves for finishing

- 1/2 tsp crushed red paper

- pinch sugar to reduce acid

- salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

Place the olive oil and crushed garlic in a dutch oven or medium saucepan over medium heat. Heat the garlic and press with a spatula to release flavor in the oil. Swirl oil to incorporate, around 2 minutes. Do not brown the garlic.

When garlic is fragrant, add the tomatoes and stir into the oil and garlic. If using whole, unpeeled tomatoes, crush them with a wooden spoon or tomato masher. You can also used chopped tomatoes for the sauce.

Bring the mixture to a simmer, then add the whole basil stem, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper – stirring to combine. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

When sauce has thickened and oil begins to separate a bit, remove basil stem. Off heat, stir in reserved chopped basil, salt and pepper to taste.

This simple tomato sauce is great with pasta, pizza or any other place you may use marinara.