Sunday, September 16, 2012

16 September 2012








It has been a beautiful weekend with just a hint of Fall in the air. I bought a new car this week, a Fiat 500 convertible, so we took her for a spin up to North Georgia wine country yesterday. The car is a lot of fun to drive. I asked my Facebook friends to help me think of a good Italian name for her, and I got a lot of great responses. However, the winner was Tina Kell who suggested that I name her after the Italian actress, Gina Lollobrigida, so the Fiat will be henceforth known as GiLo!

In honor of the Fiat, I decided to go with an Italian theme for tonight's Sunday Supper. I prepared homemade potato gnocchi with a fresh tomato and basil sauce. On the side, I served a classic Panzanella, an Italian bread salad with tomatoes and basil. It was delicious and very easy. We had a great 2008 Cabernet from Frogtown Cellars in Dahlonega.

I have a very busy week ahead with some travel, but for tonight, all is well. Cheers to Fall. Bring it!

The Menu:

- Handcrafted Potato Gnocchi with Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce

- Panzanella: Italian Bread Salad

- Pistachio Gelato

- 2008 Frogtown Cabernet Sauvignon

Sunday, September 9, 2012

09 September 2012



It has been a great weekend, and there is a touch of fall in the air! I am so ready for the crisp fall air, and all of the locals are predicting a cold and snowy winter in North Georgia. Apparently, all of the squirrels' tails are "fluffy" which indicates a cold winter. We shall see...

It was nice to be home all weekend. I went to the Canton Farmers Market on Saturday, and I found some great things! Two new sustainable vendors had some great products. One lady had local spice rubs, and they are delicious. Another lady had some amazing lettuces, micro greens and corn shoots. I also purchased some of the last okra of the season and local potatoes from an adorable older couple. All of these ingredients found their way to tonight's Sunday Supper.

The weekend began with First Friday, and we had a great crowd in Canton's Historic Downtown Loop. There were over 75 classic cars and some nice live music. The rest of the weekend was spent checking on the progress of the window restorations at the historic Galt Building, home to my firm, Grant Design Collaborative. Metamorphosis did an amazing job as they went from window to window to replace the decayed wood, sand and paint each of the 113 windows! It is going to look great, and I am very excited and proud of the work. I may be prejudiced, but I believe the building is the Grand Dame of Downtown Canton, and it is rewarding to return it to its grandeur.

Tonight, we also celebrated the fact that Jeff and Cory got a contract on their house in Governor's Walk! As an added bonus, our great friends Gene and Elly Hobgood are purchasing their great home, so it will still feel like it is "in the family." Congratulations to all! I was very pleased to have a Sunday Supper that consisted entirely of local ingredients! I grilled some amazing heritage pork chops from Mountain Valley Farm and paired them with local produce and spice rubs from the Canton Farmers Market. Additional herbs and spices came from the garden at One Britt.

It is weekends like these that make me so thankful for a great community, good friends and local, sustainable food. Cheers to life!

The Menu:

- Mountain Valley Farm Heritage Pork Chops with Home Appétit's
  Rosemary and Citrus Spice Blend and Grilled Ellijay Mountain Apple

- Local Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chive

- Harvest Meadows' Micro Greens and Corn Shoots
  with Apple Vinaigrette

- Grilled Local Okra

- Deconstructed Fig Cobbler Tart with Mascarpone
  and Brown Family Farm Honey