al fresco vs. picnic {guest post}

Before beginning, I’d like to say thanks to my sweet daughter, Cailen, for being so kind as to actually ask me to write every so often.   I must admit that I enjoy it, but I find her a hard act to follow!  Thank you, Cai.  Many of the images here are as pretty as they are because of your helping hands!  xo  Mom

 

We are a family of foodies.  We appreciate the nuances of fabulous fine dining, but we also relish a quiet evening at home with soup by the fire.  Happily, this time of year offers up countless possibilities for another kind of ‘dining experience’.  To this, I give you….

Picnic  - A meal eaten outdoors, as on an excursion (could involve a hike) an occasion when you take a meal with you to eat outside in an informal way, or the food itself

our picnic in beaune, france

Al fresco  -  Implies the presence of some nearby structure (one does not hike al fresco) out-of-doors; in the open air: to dine alfresco.

I’m sure you see where we’re going here, either way you’re eating outdoors.  And this generally conjures up just a bit, however small, of a festive atmosphere.  We’ve just finished May and June is upon us.  It’s a good time of year to enjoy some fresh air while enjoying your meal!

concert under the stars (craig, mom, me, dad)

We’re fortunate to have a large wrap-around porch with an old table that seats 4-6.  We take our meals out to enjoy the breezes and birds in the morning hours, the sounds of farm tractors or mowers in the afternoon, and the stars, crickets and candlelight in the evenings.  

But a porch doesn’t have to be the setting, al fresco is wonderful and memorable on a tiny deck, a patio that needs some work (candlelight glow makes all things prettier!), or on a level patch of lawn under a tree – or use a beach umbrella if you don’t have a tree!  Think about outdoor cafés…there’s a great energy about them that makes a meal more like a little event.  And most of us tend to feel relaxed and pleased about eating that tuna on rye outside. 

me (cailen) & cate

Keep your al fresco meals simple, and your picnics simpler yet.  This is not necessarily the time to try an elaborate recipe.  Assemble some of your favorites, relying on dishes that will be fine without immediate refrigeration.   A side pasta dish with olive oil is a much better choice than one with mayo.  Simple is good, yes, but with just a bit of pizzazz if possible.  A great roasted shrimp and polenta meal makes for a special night of al fresco dining, and a shrimp po’boy is quite a special picnic.

Al fresco should, in my mind, be nicely elevated to include dishes, flatware and glasses.  Not that you’re setting the table for four courses, but just that you use tableware that is non-disposable.  Just plate up your meal inside if that works best (no platters or side bowls to wash later) and carry out your yummy repast with your favorite beverage.  If you feel more inclined, and there are more than just a couple of people, platter up and take everything out.  You’ll have more to do in cleanup, but it’s nice to have your food on the table when you have guests.   And, don’t forget the candles.

my aunt, erin (my cousin) & my uncle

Picnics seem to often involve the proverbial picnic table or blanket, or both.  Finding the best table under the trees, or the comfiest looking spot in the grass becomes a hunt in earnest.  Goodies, hand-held and otherwise, are tucked away in backpacks, wicker baskets and plastic coolers.  Break out the cold bevs/brews and then begin the job of setup.  Hopefully, if you’re organized, it won’t become theatrical.  And, disposable is a good thing here.  The less you have to carry back - after eating, playing ball, drinking, flying a kite (some people still do this), eating some more and then sitting around talking and laughing - is just a gift to yourself.  And, don’t forget the ‘organic/natural’ bug spray.

picnic in beaune, france

So think about an easy meal to prepare, and get creative with your al fresco set up or your picnic accompaniments.  A vintage or retro tablecloth will make your salads look magazine worthy - and a great chutney will just make that hotdog sing!

Bon Appetit! and my best to all, Janet

la beauté

la beauté est dans la rue.  translation - the beauty is in the street.  my take away - beauty is found in the journey and be open to unexpected moments of grace.

credit {here}

craig and i often walk with our little dog, olive, on nice evenings.  the other night, we went into doylestown, as we often do, and parked in the residential section of town near the library and local art museum.  as we meandered along, i spotted a lonely book on a bench.  as we approached, we realized it had been left there on purpose.  the book - an old anthology of robert frost poems - was tied with yarn and had a note attached.  "to finder - la beauté est dans la rue." 

i picked up the book and removed the yarn.  upon opening it, we realized that a secret compartment had been created by removing some of the interiors of the pages in the 2nd half of the book.  a note there read "place secrets here." 

i don't know who put it there, but, as the finder, i looked upon this find as a true treasure.  how lovely.  a gift from a stranger.

it's always interesting where we find unexpected moments of beauty & grace.  today, i attended an "upper level" yoga class.  a yoga teacher had recommended trying the class weeks ago, but she said it might be a little advanced for me, so i kept putting it off.  i was afraid of feeling lost and out-of-place.  i was afraid of looking foolish.

today at 9:30am i finally went to the anusara class, and it was fabulous.  i could keep up (enough) to feel at ease but challenged enough to keep me alert and engaged.  and now, i wish i hadn't put it off for so long.  i kept myself from going because of unfounded worry and negative thoughts - and now that all seems so foolish and inconsequential.

i encourage all of you to look for moments of beauty & grace.  rise to the occasion.  embrace the unexpected.  breathe through it.  and let go.  allow la beauté to reveal itself...because it was always there...

recipe for a looong weekend

friday evening

• happy hour at bobby’s (more bobby's fun here)
• sushi at 86 west

saturday morning

• vinyasa yoga class

saturday afternoon

• visits to garden centers to gather veggies to plant in garden

• then once back at home plant lettuce, tomatoes, peppers & zucchini.  some of our garden is in the shade so I was on the hunt for vegetables that do well in partial shade – lettuce being one of them.  other semi-shade-tolerate veggies?  beans, peas, root veggies like potatoes and carrots, brussels sprouts, kale, spinach and herbs.

saturday evening

• fire up the grill (steak for craig, veggies for me)
• grill-top veggie packets: cube potatoes, red bell peppers and any other veggies you like.  (i added green onion and whole garlic cloves to ours.)  sprinkle with salt & pepper.  season with fresh herbs & spices.  drizzle with olive oil.  place in a foil packet.  cook over medium heat on covered grill for 20-30 min or until potatoes are tender.  

olive & craig

• craig set up a table and chairs in our back yard and we enjoyed dinner al fresco while olive played in the yard.  simply fabulous.

sunday morning

• walk in doylestown with olive.  even at 9am it was HOT!

• back home for breakfast and to get ready to head over to my parents' for memorial day weekend fun

sunday afternoon

• chillin’ outside and visiting with family while olive played with her buddies, colby & duncan

sunday evening

• meet with cate & chad for drinks in lambertville (they’re just 3 weeks from their wedding so there was a lot of excitement in the air)
• if you find yourself in lambertville, nj and go to libations for drinks, order a “tight dress” – a delicious vodka & champagne cocktail

monday morning

• low key morning – prepped some sides for our memorial day dinner

• quinoa with sautéed red onions, mushrooms & fresh thyme
• red cabbage & carrot slaw with sesame dressing

 monday afternoon

• head over to erin & brian’s for lunch and swimming (and delicious drinks)

• spiked arnold palmer: 1 shot sweet tea vodka over ice, topped with lemonade.  they were honestly a little too good.

monday evening

• back to mom & dad’s for casual outdoor dinner
• homemade turkey burgers with mom’s basil & pinenut pesto
• two salads – quinoa and slaw (that hannah and i made earlier)
• fresh greens (from our garden)
• sweet cherries

lovely long weekend.  how was your weekend?

potato & mushroom tarte tatin

still lovin' me some whole foods.  yesterday, i went to a nearby natural foods store and also a local farmers' market in order to gather the necessary groceries for the week.  the two stores i visited yesterday i liked even better than the markets i went to last week.  they had a better selection overall and had a lot more local produce, dairy products and eggs!  very exciting : )

so last night - excited to use my farmers' market bounty - i improvised a vegetable tarte tatin using potatoes, mushrooms and onions.  it was simple and delicious...and looked really pretty too.  attractive food always tastes better - have you ever noticed that?

potato & mushroom tarte tatin

1/4 shallot, diced
3 small potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 vidalia onion, thinly sliced
3-4 baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 green onion
salt & pepper
olive oil

preheat oven to 400

1. spray a 10" cast iron skillet (or pan) with olive oil.
2. saute shallots until golden brown.

3. arrange the veggie over shallots in a circular fan design.

4. season with salt & pepper and spray with more olive oil.
5. snip green onion over top with cooking shears.

6. bake for 30 or so minutes until potatoes are tender and golden around edges.

we enjoyed our tarte tatin over local lettuce and topped it with chicken apple sausage, goat milk feta (from another local dairy) and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette.  yummy!

summer in a bottle...i mean blog...

with memorial day just around the corner, summer won’t be far behind.  (thank god.)  so, to get us all in the mood for summertime, summertime, summer, summer, summertime, here’s an outline of some simply fabulous ways to channel warm-weather energy : )

eat this: capitalize on what’s fresh, local and abundant.  fresh berries, juicy tomatoes, sweet corn.  revel in the flavors of summer.  need some inspiration?  check out this killer (healthy) sandwich recipe {here}. 

credit {here}

wear this: cottony summer dresses are my go-to in warm weather.  they’re versatile, chic and simple.  makes getting ready for the day super easy.  and they keep you cool when things heat up  

credit {here}

do this: yoga sun salutations.  warm up your body and get ready for summer sun (and swimsuits).  yoga tones your body, calms your mind and brings you joy – the ultimate trifecta!  (if saluting outside, don’t forget the sunscreen.) don’t know what the heck a sun salutation is?  check it out {here}.

think about this: one who is at peace with herself is in harmony with the universe.  meaning…if you like yourself, good things come your way.  i like that idea : )

drink this: vodka, club & cranberry.  refreshing & summery, this is one of my go-tos in warm weather.  1.5 oz vodka, splash of cranberry, 3 (or so) oz club, squeeze of fresh lime.  sip & smile.  recipe video {here} bonus:  it’s low-calorie and any bartender can make it. 

happy (almost) summer!

roasted asparagus & brie pizza

omg.  this pizza was truly awesome.  very a-typically as far as toppings go, but what it lacked in tradition it made up tenfold in buttery goodness.
ok, so here's what went down...

earlier in the day i made some super easy, no-knead bread dough.  i know i've shared this recipe before, but if you're anything like me, when i first heard "bread dough", i shunned it in fear.  i always thought homemade bread was an undertaking for only the bravest and most patient of cooks.  i mean, don't bakers have to start working at 3am just so they can open at 7am?  but have no fear - this recipe is truly simple and easy.  it takes about 5 min to mix together all the ingredients, and then you let it rise.  then you mold it and bake.  super easy i promise.  (have i convinced you yet?  here is the recipe.)

back to the pizza.

1/4 of bread dough recipe or 12oz pizza dough
6-8 stalks of asparagus (from a nearby farm)
1/2 shallot
2-3 fingerling potatoes
1/2 small meyer lemon, thinly sliced
3 oz brie
1 tbsp (or 3 tsp) olive oil
rosemary
salt & pepper

1. preheat oven to 400.

2. wash asparagus & potatoes well.  snap the woody part of the stems off of the aparagus and thinly slice the potatoes.

3. place veggies on baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil over veggies and sprinkle with salt & pepper.  roast for 10-15 in the oven until asparagus is tender and potatoes are golden brown around edges.

4. while the veggies are in the oven, thinly slice the shallots and saute in 1 tsp olive oil until caramelized.  set aside.

5. sprinkle cornmeal over pizza stone (or baking tray) and spread dough.

6. once asparagus & potatoes are done roasting and slightly cooled, arrange on the dough.  add the lemon, shallots and brie.

7. drizzle final teaspoon of olive oil over top and season with salt & cracked pepper.

8. bake for 25 min or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.  remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.  sprinkle with fresh rosemary before serving.

this pizza was seriously delicious.  and the asparagus - both green and purple - from the local farmers' market was so fresh and sweet.  even with the brie cheese, the asparagus stole the show.

weekend wine: 2009 feudi di san gregorio

i am a wine fan.  i started out loving white wine - mostly chards and sauvignon blancs - thanks to my mom.  she is always on the hunt for that ellusive bottle that has all the right elements - great on the palate, great price and, yes, great label.  (come on, you know you pick them by the label, too!)

since those early days of wine exploration, i've tried to expand my palate a bit more.  trying dry rosés and eventually making my way into reds.  still, despite my passion and eagerness to learn about it, i'm a wine novice.  so, obviously i was excited when gary vaynerchuk, straight-talking wine guru, offered some bloggers the opportunity to share some select bottles from his exclusive newsletter, the daily grape.  very cool.  (his name sound familiar?  he is also the author of crush it! which gives fantastic insight into how to create a successful brand using social media.)

meet gary. 

so, mavens, here is gary's selection.  and don't worry, he actually knows what he's talking about.  he doesn't just go by the label : )

2009 feudi di san gregorio

in gary's words: "stop drinking the same old pinot grigio! there are so many other tremendous white wines coming out of italy, and the quality has never been better than it is today. what italy excels with most are its indigenous grapes, and this is a primetime example. fiano di avellino, from campania along the front 'ankle' of italy's boot, brings some sick (in a good way) aromatics and a juicy flavor profile. downright beautiful... we're talking mila kunis beautiful. this is a prime starting point for expanding your palate outside of your everyday santa margherita pinot grigio."

gary's tasting note from the daily grape: "beautiful and elegant orange-driven citrus fruits on the nose. wow, this is really orangey! there's also little hints of white peach. and boy, this explodes on the mouth. makes me wish that i was at a seafood or sushi restaurant right now. i really enjoy the lemongrass-meets-lime flavor up front, with an explosion of passion fruit on the mid-palate, finishing extremely smooth. this is very interesting, really solid white wine. i like it a lot!"

gary's score:  90 points
price: ~$17 msrp
grape: 100% fiano


(cailen's comments:  i don't know about you, but i think i might need a bottle of this tonight...or now.  now would work, too.)

happy weekend to all!