Monday, May 8, 2017

07 May 2017









It's good to be home! After a month of renovations on One Britt to refinish all of the floors and paint the interior, we were finally able to move back on Thursday. Of course it was pouring rain and a Council meeting day, but nothing would deter us from returning home. After a thorough cleaning on Wednesday, the moving and restoration company did a great job and had all of our belongings back in place by 1 o'clock in the afternoon. They even folded our t-shirts, towels, and linens. Slater Floors did an amazing job on refinishing the hardwood and painting. I had a very particular finish in mind, and Richard Slater and his team kept working until they achieved the desired result. They ended up mixing a custom stain of two parts ebony with one part true black, and this created the perfect "brack" hue. I really love the deep dark chocolate color, and the woodgrain is still visible and lovely. The new floors give the house a totally different feel, and the paint is my favorite neutral color, China White by Benjamin Moore. We really appreciate everyone's kind comments as they followed our progress on social media. It was a fun way to document the process, and it was nice to get some outside perspective. Most of all, thanks again to our dear friends, Cory Wilson and John Clark, who allowed us to live in their basement apartment. It was nice to feel perfectly at home, and the hospitality was warm and inviting.

It was a busy weekend with getting settled back in and one of my favorite events of the year, Derby Day at the Rock Barn. This party is the largest annual fundraiser for the Cherokee County Historical Society. In addition to the ticket sells, they have a silent auction, pony pull and special Bourbon tastings. As always, Event Wise catering did a wonderful job with the derby-inspired food, and the CCHS Staff and Board are to be commended on one of their 14th Annual Derby Day – the best one yet!

Sunday was all about cooking the first Sunday Supper in the "new" house. After reading several articles on buttermilk roasted chicken, I decided to give it a try. I have wanted to cook this in the past, but I never remembered the chicken has to marinate in the buttermilk brine for 24 hours. While this requires patience, the outcome is totally worth the effort. The chicken has an excellent flavor with an
incredible caramelized color, and the brining keeps the chicken moist while roasting. To accompany the chicken, I sliced some fingerling potatoes in half and roasted them, along with some garlic cloves and thyme, for the last 30 minutes under the chicken in the roasting pan. This allows the potatoes to absorb all of the chicken flavor, and they are delicious. This is probably my favorite way to roast potatoes, other than frying them in duck fat, but the chicken fat is the next best thing. I also roasted some fresh Spring asparagus with some minced garlic, olive oil and a teaspoon of onion powder.

Even though we have been out of the house for a month, we went over every day to check on the work and to care for our plants. Jeff has worked hard to grow some organic arugula and radishes in our raised bed, and it was time to celebrate our move in with a fresh salad from the garden. The arugula was at its prime, and I added some of the young radish greens, thinly sliced radishes and a red apple to the salad. I made an apple cider vinaigrette dressing, and the combination was perfectly balanced with a undeniable taste of Spring. There is nothing more satisfying than picking fresh greens, produce or fruit from your own backyard and using them in your Sunday Supper.

There really is no place like home, especially when your home is located in Canton, Georgia! I hope your weekend activity and run for the roses was equally satisfying. Now, stop reading this blabber, and start marinating that chicken in some decadent Southern buttermilk!


The Menu:

- Buttermilk Roasted Chicken with Garlic and Thyme

- Chicken Fat Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

- Asparagus with Garlic

- Garlic Bread

- Grilled Fresh Pineapple Rings Marinated in White Wine and Honey


The Recipe – Buttermilk Roasted Chicken

Ingredients: 

One 4-pound chicken 

3 cups buttermilk

1 Tbs honey

1 Tbs hot sauce

1/3cup vegetable oil

2 Tbs fresh thyme or rosemary, chopped

cloves garlic,  crushed

1 Tbs crushed black peppercorns

1 Tbs sea salt

Directions:


    1. Spatchcock the chicken by placing it breast side down and cut along both sides of backbone to remove. Turn chicken over and open it like a book. Press down with gentle pressure to flatten the chicken.
    2. Put chicken in a large plastic storage bag then add buttermilk, oil, honey, hot sauce, garlic, herbs peppercorns, and salt. Seal bag and refrigerate for 24 hours.
    3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, then remove chicken from marinade and let excess buttermilk to drip off. Line a roasting pan with foil, then place chicken. Drizzle with 2 more tablespoons oil. Roast for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce heat to 325. Continue roasting until well browned and until juices run clear, about another 20 minutes. Check chicken with instant read thermometer in thickest part to ensure it reaches 165 degrees.
    4. Remove chicken to a carving board and rest for 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Drizzle each serving with pan juices from roasting pan.


  • Monday, May 1, 2017

    30 April 2017 – Woodland Edition





    We have been out of the house for three weeks, and the saying "there's no place like home" has new meaning. Hopefully, the contractor will get the last coat of sealer on the floors today, and we can move back in this weekend. When we do, it will seem like a new house with the refinished floors and new paint. Luckily, we are blessed to have great friends that have a basement apartment just two blocks away. Cory and John have been gracious and thoughtful hosts, and we are very appreciative. We have also enjoyed our neighbors and friends on Chamlee Lane and Woodland Road. The enclave is a little slice of heaven inside the city. If we had to be out of our home this long, we certainly did it in style and comfort.

    With a small gesture of gratitude for our temporary accommodations, I decided to cook dinner for our upstairs proprietors. The basement apartment is equipped with a small kitchen, and cooking Sunday Supper on a Hotpoint stove was quite an adventure compared to my Viking range. It has been years since I cooked on electric burners, so I really had to pay attention and remember the heat does not dissipate at the flip of a knob. Earlier in the day, I attended the BBQ and Brews festival in Etowah Park and enjoyed some delicious pulled pork, so I wanted to cook something a little lighter. I love the tender and fresh produce that comes with the advent of Spring, and after assessing the kitchen scenario, I decided to prepare a simple pasta dish with seasonal vegetables for tonight's "Pop Up" Sunday Supper. At the market, I found some beautiful asparagus, fresh English peas and a Spring onion. These ingredients, plus a little added pancetta for flavor, inspired a pasta primavera dish that only utilized two pans. With a pseudo Italian theme in the works, I made a simple hummus for an appetizer white beans, lemon and garlic. I would typically cook the cannelloni beans from scratch, but given the circumstances, I went with the highest quality canned version I could find. When using canned beans in any recipe, just remember to rinse them well in cold water to remove the metallic taste. To accompany the fettuccine, I found a loaf of Italian garlic and rosemary bread at Publix, and I toasted it with more fresh-rubbed garlic, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and some grated parmesan reggiano.

    Much to my surprise, the pasta primavera turned out great, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I avoided using any cream, so I added a touch of creme fraiche, parmesan and reserved pasta water at the end to give the fettuccine a slightly creamy texture. I sauteed the Spring vegetables in a little olive for just under five minutes before tossing them into the pasta to keep them crunchy and fresh. After a heaping serving of pasta, we walked outside to enjoy the cool breeze and Spring flowers. We were also treated to a wonderful conversation with Cory and John's neighbors, our friends Brenda and Joe Satterfield. I always enjoy spending time with this wonderful couple, and we share a lot of similar interests, especially when it comes to food. You can always count on a great story or two when talking to Joe Satterfield! His knowledge of Canton and its fascinating history and infamous characters never fail to entertain and inform.

    After the delightful conversations, we moved inside for dessert. In addition to the Spring produce, I also found some gorgeous organic strawberries at the market. Not wanting to heat up the apartment by baking anything, I bought some small cake doughnuts to use instead of shortbread, and I split and toasted them with a little butter in my large iron skillet. Yes, I travel with my iron skillet! I macerated the strawberries and topped the toasted doughnuts with the berries and a buttermilk whipped cream. The dessert was delicious and left my upstairs landlords wanting more.

    So this week's Sunday Supper, the Woodland Edition, was quite successful. It was very fulfilling to cook after three weeks of basement living, and it is always interesting to discover how resourceful you can be in the kitchen. We all take our modern day conveniences for granted, but nothing replaces a little ingenuity, good food, and enduring friendships. May you be equally blessed with a heaping helping of all three, and more.


    The Menu:

    - White Bean Hummus with Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary

    - Fettuccine Primavera with Spring Vegetables

    - Cake Doughnut Strawberry Shortcake


    The Recipe – Fettuccine Primavera

    Ingredients:

    (use any fresh Spring vegetables available)

    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    2/3 cup chopped pancetta (optional)
    ¼ pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
    ½ pound asparagus, trimmed
    ¾ cup fresh English peas
    ¼ cup thinly sliced spring onion, shallot or leaks
    2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    ½ teaspoon salt, more as needed
    Fresh Ground Black pepper
    1 lb fettuccine
    1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, at room temperature
    ½ cup crème fraîche, room temperature
    Chopped parsley for garnish

    Directions:

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

    While the water is heating, slice snap peas and asparagus into 1/4-inch-thick pieces; leaving asparagus tips whole.

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until slightly brown and fat has rendered. Add snap peas, asparagus, English peas and onion or leaks. Cook until vegetables are barely tender but still crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

    Add fettuccine to boiling water, and cook until al dente 7-8 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water, as needed. Drain well, then add to skillet along with Parmigiano-Reggiano, crème fraîche and herbs. Toss all ingredients gently, until fully incorporated. Add a little reserved pasta water to thin consistency and meld ingredients. (If your skillet is too small, toss all ingredients in a separate large bowl.

    Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped parsley and more grated parmesan.