Squash Soup with Summer Herbs
Last winter I was asked to provide a dish for a four course meal on July 30th at Phillies Bridge Farm Project. It’s a pleasant exercise in February to imagine a summer evening dinner in the field, inspired by the harvest of the farm. I tore myself away from Valentine’s Day menu planning, browsed through our summer menus and decided that a Chilled Organic Squash Soup with Goat Cheese Feta and an Olive Oil Bread stick would be our contribution. We have had a CSA membership... Read More
Blueberry Muffins
A muffin is a type of quick bread that uses baking powder (or soda) for leavening. Its charms are a delicate texture and open even crumb. With less fat than cake they dry out quickly and are best eaten the day they are baked. This recipe ended my search for the perfect blueberry muffin. It uses sour cream which I use in baking frequently. Many muffins are just overly sweet and the personality of the fresh fruit is beaten into submission by a whole lot of sugar. I’m not one... Read More
Lime Cilantro Sweet Potatoes
I first came across this combination of sweet potatoes with lime juice and cilantro in Alice Water’s book Chez Panisse Vegetables. In it she roasts the sweet potato whole then slices it in half and sprinkles over the lime vinaigrette and cilantro. Up to that point I had never liked sweet potatoes much. Most recipes seemed to make an already sweet vegetable even sweeter, but this was the exact opposite. The natural sweetness of sweet potato was enhanced by the juxtaposition of... Read More
Beet Gazpacho
My only experience of beets growing up was pickled beets in a jar which tasted like textured vinegar to my childish palate. In France when I was sent to do the intimidating task of the weekly family marketing at the Marché I found beets sold in vacu-sealed pouches fully cooked and ready to be tossed in a vinaigrette for a quick and lovely salad. I loved their unique sweet earthiness. They are particularly good served with goat cheese and walnuts. Orange zest is a lovely... Read More
Dingle Pies
Barner Books is a treasure of a second hand book store in New Paltz with a large selection of cook books. Many of them seem to have been written by Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet and the editors at Better Homes & Garden. Hidden among them is an occasional winner and so it was that I found one day a first edition of Myrtle Allen’s Cooking at Ballymaloe House, published in 1990. Full of recipes like Hot Buttered Oysters, Ballymaloe Brown Bread and Lettuce and Mint Soup,... Read More
Rhubarb Chutney
Rhubarb Chutney is a spring time staple here at the restaurant. Because Rhubarb is in season weeks before strawberries I look for other uses for this fantastically assertive and beautiful vegetable. Rhubarb Collins is a pretty pink gin drink we make yearly around Mother’s Day and Rhubarb Chutney accompanies the Cheese Board and our Roast Chicken. Unlike some chutney that needs to cook for hours to meld the vinegar and sugar and fruit flavours, this is a quick recipe.... Read More
Madeleines
I lived in Paris for two years in the 1980’s, a “jeune fille au-pair”, completely smitten by every Pattisserie I encountered. Oddly I don’t ever remember eating a Madeleine in Paris. Back then my obsession was Macarons au Chocolat. Not the dainty ones that are now fashionable, but big hefty chewy versions. Madeleines I discovered at Marquet patisserie on 12th street in Manhattan. Just off Fifth Avenue, it had a wonderful European feel. After lunch when I paid at the... Read More
Roast Chicken
Roasted Chicken has been on the menu almost since the restaurant opened. In September 2004 we opened with the idea of serving a three course prix fixe supper every evening with a vegetarian option for $25. I had visions of a European style country supper, the kind where you happen upon a small country place and sit down to whatever the host is serving for the evening. How wonderful it was going to be to sit down and be presented a carefully balanced and thoughtful procession... Read More
