Sunday, March 16, 2014

16 March 2014






Where do I start? Last week was chaotic to say the least. Jeff and I took our annual road trip to the Charleston Food and Wine Festival last week. We ate our way through the charming city and attended a couple of the events. As always, we had a blast and came home with a little extra weight. While there, we enjoyed some amazing culinary experiences, including: McCrady's, Cru Cafe, Edmond's Oast, Rarebit, The Grocery, Peninsula Grill and Poogan's Porch. We had lunch at Poogan's on Monday as we begin to make our way home. Much to our surprise, Dan Stevens of Downton Abbey (Matthew Crawley) fame, was sitting next to us. The long weekend was as memorable as ever. While there, we attended the Grand Tasting Tent and scored some great new Le Creuset's mini cocotte's in the new palm color, so I took them on a test run in tonight's Sunday Supper.

The long drive home from Charleston was filled with work issues from my two jobs: Grant Design Collaborative and Canton City Council. With dueling cell phones, I navigated the drive with grace and gratitude, issue by issue. When we finally got home, I had a conference call with clients from Hong Kong and San Francisco about a new multiple brand identity campaign. Later in the week, the same clients and their colleagues gathered in Grant's office on Friday for a group presentation. The meeting went great, and we had a great time. Of course, my team at Grant Design Collaborative rose to the occasion to impress everyone with their stellar design thinking, and I could not be more fortunate.

After a hectic week, it was nice to relax a bit this weekend. We enjoyed the Spring weather on Friday night with dinner on the patio at Riverstone Corner Bistro, and Mike and Shelly's hospitality was as warm as ever. Afterward, we sat outside at One Britt with a couple of fire logs and great music. Dusty Springfield waxed poetic, and all was right in the world. Saturday night was equally enjoyable as we attended a great dinner and bonfire at our dear friend, Laine Wood's, house. Some of her Sweet Potato Queens were visiting from Louisville, and we talked and laughed as John Clark tended the most artistic bonfire known to man.

Our rainy Sunday morning began with thyme and smoked Gouda eggs, toasted bagels and New England coffee. After catching up with CBS Sunday Morning, we ventured to Cherokee Market to gather provisions for tonight's supper. Lisa Meyer was as fabulous as always and shared the fact she sold out of Brussels sprouts after my mention of them in my last blog. They are the best around! We got to say hello to John, and Bull shared a slice of his delicious chocolate cake. How much do I love Cherokee Market? Let me count the ways.

When we returned home, I retreated to the kitchen to cook the afternoon away. I put the new Le Cruest cocotte's to good use with both the entree and dessert. The entree consisted of individual chicken pot pies with a side of blistered radishes and roasted cabbage. I also used the new palm colored vessels to prepare molten chocolate cakes for dessert. Of course, the most meaningful course consisted of meaningful conversation with our friends, Cory and John, for different reasons. Life is a highway...

The Menu:

- Personal Chicken Pot Pies

- Roasted Cabbage Steaks

- Blistered Radishes

- Molten Chocolate Cakes with Orange Scented Whipped Cream

The Recipe – Personal Chicken Pot Pies in Mini Cocottes

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
7 oz (1 ¼ sticks) sweet butter
4 carrots
3/4 cup pearl onions
4 cups chicken stock
2 tbsps unbleached flour
3/4 cup half and half
3/4 cup of peas
1 tsp parsley chopped fine
1 frozen pre-rolled puff pastry dough
2 egg yolks beaten with 1 tsp of milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Put the chicken breasts on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and baste with 1 oz of softened butter. Salt and pepper generously. Bake for 20 minutes. When the chicken is cooked through, cut it into large chunks.

Peel the carrots and cut them into small dice. Peel the pearl onions. In a small sauce pan, bring the chicken stock to a boil then set aside.

In a large casserole, melt the remaining 6 oz of butter. Cook the pearl onions for 10 to 15 minutes slowly over a low flame, until they are translucent and caramelized. Add the flour and continue cooking for 2 minutes stirring continuously. Add the hot chicken stock. Let it simmer for 1 minute till the sauce begins to thicken and loses the taste of flour. Add the half and half, 1 teaspoon

of salt, a half teaspoon of ground pepper, the chunks of chicken, the diced carrots, the peas, and the parsley. Give it a good stir.

Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.

Divide the chicken filling into 4 mini cocottes. Cut 4 circles of puff pastry dough slightly larger than the mini cocottes. Moisten the edges of the cocottes with the egg wash. Place one circle on each filled cocotte, pressing down around to seal the dough circle. Cut a small hole in the center to make a steam vent.

With a pastry brush, coat the dough tops with egg wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until
golden brown.


Sunday, March 2, 2014

02 March 2014 – Oscar Night






It has been another busy weekend for me. I spent Thursday through Saturday afternoon in Athens for Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) training for newly elected officials. I was joined by my friends and fellow Council members Sandy McGrew and John Rust. Mayor Gene Hobgood also attended the sessions, and we learned a lot of useful information. There is so much more to learn, and the GMA is a great resource. It was an honor and privilege to be in a room with 250 other public servants, including one of my fellow Berry graduates, Wendy Davis, who is a new Commissioner in Rome. Wendy and I will be sharing ideas along the way!

We got home on Saturday afternoon and enjoyed an impromptu dinner gathering with our friends Rob and Kandace Walker-Bunda. I enjoyed hanging with their son, Atlas, and we watched a few episodes of Curious George. Kandace made some delicious guacamole and turkey burgers, and Jeff and I contributed some amazing Mexican pastries from Ramirez Grocery. Their baked goods are made by La Luna Bakery, and everyone should check them out.

Today, we enjoyed our typical lunch at the Scott Boys BBQ truck and shopped for fresh produce at Cherokee Market. Even though Lisa has bought a great new space in Lathemtown, I am still holding out hope the historic Bell's Store can be saved. Time will tell. We spent the afternoon at a wonderful baby shower for Dyanna and Ethan Diggs. The shower was held at Grant Design Collaborative, and even though Dyanna is on strict bed rest in the hospital, we enjoyed spending some time with Ethan and their friends. Dyanna attended via Skype, so her presence contributed to a nice event. After the shower, I came home to prepare an Oscar worthy menu for tonight's Sunday Supper. In the past, I've prepared Steak Oscar and other typical recipes, so I wanted to cook a few different dishes for tonight's Academy Awards. I decided to make Stuffed Pork Chops with Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes. For the sides, I shaved some of Cherokee Market's farm fresh Brussels sprouts and added pecorino romano cheese and toasted walnuts for a healthy salad. In addition, I used a recipe that my friend, Dianne Rugg, posted on her Facebook cooking page, First Pour the Wine: roasted cauliflower with onions and parmesan. It was incredible, so thanks Dianne! For dessert, I used some seasonal Florida strawberries to make a shortcake with fresh baked cornmeal biscuits. Yes, my life is blessed!

Now, we are watching the red carpet and awaiting the Academy Awards. There were some great performances this year, and may the best actors and actresses win the golden statue.

The Menu:

- Heritage Pork Chops Stuffed with Spinach, Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes

- Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino Romano and Lightly Toasted Walnuts

- Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Onions and Parmesan

- Cornmeal Biscuit Strawberry Shortcakes

The Recipe – Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts (preferably on the stalk), any discolored leaves discarded and stems left intact
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano, or to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

Holding each Brussels sprout by stem end, cut into very thin slices using a mandoline or very sharp knife. Toss in a bowl to separate layers.
Lightly crush walnuts with your hands, and add to Brussels sprouts along with cheese, oil, and lemon juice, then toss to combine. Season with pepper.