Flowers for the Table

I have been dwelling on this post for the entire summer. Initially, I wanted to gather a collection of my favorite florists, but I think what I really want to tell you about is the very lovely and talented Sarah Ryhanen. 

Sarah combines even the most unlikely plant materials (like tomatoes!) with gorgeous blooms into the most glorious, moody arrangements. In Sarah's blog, Saipua, she specifically speaks to my New York nostalgia, but also, to my simultaneous longing to live a simple rustic life. She is both city and country, and her arrangements magically reflect that.

Flowers have a place with food and entertaining. They make everything feel a little more special, they slow down our pace, invite us to linger over dessert. Maybe Sarah's artistry will inspire you to create something lovely for your own dinner table using plants from your own yard, ones that you had never thought of using before.
 
All these gorgeous photos were taken by Sarah Ryhanen! She's an amazing photographer, as well!

Honeyed Goat Cheese and Corn Salad

As we slide into fall, and the corn starts disappearing from the grocery shelves, I wanted to share a recipe to savor those last bits of summery sweetness. This salad is a perfect summer side. The fresh corn with tangy goat cheese and bright cilantro evoke delightful thoughts of sombreros and margaritas. My favorite kind of thoughts, really. Someday soon, I really need to visit Mexico, as it's clear I'm pretty obsessed with their cuisine. This side is great with my pork and blue cheese empanada recipe, so try the two together!


Honeyed Goat Cheese and Corn Salad

Ingredients:

4 Ears of Corn, Husks Intact
2 Tablespoons of Cilantro, Minced
2 Tablespoons of Chevre
1 Tablespoon of Honey
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

Cooking:

Place the ears of corn, husks and all, on a cookie sheet and into the oven at 450 degrees. There's no need to pre-heat. Check on the corn periodically and turn with tongs so that all sides of the husk get browned. Once the husks are a medium brown color in most areas, remove the corn from the oven. Let the ears cool, then remove the husks and silk, then slice the corn from the cob with a sharp knife. Mix the corn with the other ingredients and serve!

Spicy Cilantro Sesame Slaw

Southern coleslaw can sometimes be an unappealing concoction of soggy cabbage swimming in miracle whip. This recipe is a lighter, fresher version that I have been making this summer. I love the nutty sesame flavors combined with the bite of the jalapeno and creamy, tangy-ness of the yogurt.

Spicy Cilantro Sesame Slaw

Ingredients:


1 Small Head of Cabbage, Very Thinly Sliced
4 Carrots, Very Thinly Sliced
1/4 Cup of Cilantro, Finely Chopped
2 Jalapenos, Minced
2 Tablespoons of Greek Yogurt
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon of Toasted Sesame Seeds
1 Teaspoon of Salt

Preparation:

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the carrots, cilantro, and jalapeno. Sprinkle with the salt and sesame seeds, then dress the mixture with yogurt, lime juice, sesame oil and soy sauce. Toss thoroughly and serve!

Sparkling Bittersweet Summer Cocktail

I am a nut for sparkling wine. I know it can be super cheesy and cliche, but when it hits your lips, it tastes so good! (Old-School, anyone?!) One recent Friday evening, feeling overwhelmed and in need of some alone time, I stopped off at the store and picked up a bottle of bubbly. There's something wonderfully indulgent about taking a lovely flute of something sparkling outside on a quiet summer evening. It was just what I needed!

Sparkling Bittersweet Summer Cocktail

Ingredients:
1/2 Ounce of Lillet Blanc (A sweet french wine, similar to dessert wines)
2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
2-3 Ounces of Sparkling Wine (Depending on how tall your flutes are)

Preparation:
Pour your Lillet Blanc* into your flute. Top off with sparkling wine and add your bitter dashes! Voila!

*Note about Lillet Blanc: It's this really delicious sweet, desserty wine which can be served alone as an aperitif  or it's great to keep on hand for the sweet note in your cocktails. I also like it with gin cocktails!

Red Wine & Bacon Braised Kale and Endive

I'm not sure what happened here. I was on a real roll this year, posting every single week and so proud of myself! Somehow, life got a little busy and in the way of things I enjoy doing for myself, like this blog. And cooking, for that matter. I feel like there has been way more Trader Joe's frozen Indian food in my life than I would truly like to admit.
This recipe is something my husband and I enjoyed a few weeks ago for brunch, and while, (hold your breath for a very-un-southernly admission,) I don't normally enjoy greens, I love the light bitter taste of the kale with the tangy vinegar and salty bacon. With a fried egg on top, it's pretty great! 

Red Wine & Bacon Braised Kale and Endive

Ingredients:

1/4 Pound of Bacon

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1/2 Onion, Minced
3 Cups of Kale and Endive, Roughly Chopped
1 Cup Chicken Stock

1/2 Cup of Red Wine
1 Tablespoon of Chili Flakes
Salt to Taste
Splash of Red Wine Vinegar


Cooking:

In a large frying pan, cook your bacon on medium heat. Remove the bacon once it's crispy and cooked to your preferred crunch. Pour out all but 3 tablespoons of bacon grease, and reserve for another recipe if you desire, like some fried sage baconnaise. Add in the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add the kale, endive, stock, wine and chili flakes to the pan. Continue cooking for 35 minutes on low heat until the kale is wilted and soft and the sauce is reduced. Chop 2-3 pieces of bacon into bits and stir into the wilted greens. Add your salt to taste and a splash of vinegar. I think this is perfectly served with a fried egg over the top, and your remaining bacon on the side!

Fried Garlic and Sage Baconnaise

A few weeks ago, I tried going on this diet called, The Paleo Diet or The Caveman's Diet. I very quickly realized that there was no way that I could keep it up. It was just way, way too much meat for me, and I already had a bit of green guilt over the meat that I currently include in my diet. I did have an awesome take-away though. Baconnaise! I have been wanting to try my hand at homemade mayonnaise and adding bacon to the mix sounded even more delicious. This recipe is fantastic on sandwiches, or another idea and my husband's favorite, sweet potatoes.

Fried Garlic and Sage Baconnaise


Ingredients:

2 Egg Yolks
1/2 Cup of Bacon Grease
1/2 Cup of Olive Oil
3 Sage Leaves
1 Clove of Garlic, Peeled
1 Teaspoon of Whole Grain Mustard
Juice of 1 Lemon
Pinch of Salt, to Taste

Preparation:

Heat the bacon oil in a sauce pan on medium heat. Place the garlic cloves and sage leaves into the oil. Fry the garlic and sage until the sage leaves are crispy and the garlic is just turning light golden brown. Chop the sage and garlic, then set aside. Let the grease come back to room temperature, then add in the olive oil. In an electric blender, whisk the egg yolks, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and the mustard on low speed. Once the mixture is smooth and incorporated, slowly, slowly start adding the oil mixture. Add something like a teaspoon at a time, wait until it is completely incorporated, then repeat until the oil is completely incorporated. As the baconnaise starts to thicken, you can add the oil a little bit faster. Once the oil is mixed in, add the remaining lemon juice and the chopped garlic and sage. Add salt to taste. It will be thinner than regular mayonnaise at first, but refrigerate and it will thicken to normal consistency.

(Really Important) Note - Don't cheap out on the bacon. The oil, therefore the baconnaise, will be fairly flavorless if you use cheap bacon for the grease. I recommend using Applegate Farms Smoked Organic Bacon. It's pretty delicious on its own and the grease is very flavorful.

Art for the Kitchen Walls

This week, I have been thinking about dressing up my cubicle at work with a little art, but I keep coming across pieces that I would love to have in my kitchen. I wanted to share a few of my very favorites.

This mushroom print is pretty fabulous. I love the organic botanic style. It's called, Mushrooms, by Wendy MacNaughton on one of my favorite go-to sites for good and affordable art, 20x200. 

 I have such a hard time picking a favorite from this artist, Joel Penkman. All of his paintings are stunning! And you can buy his prints of them on Etsy! 

This is such a great modern shot! I always think that pastry tips are such lovely sculptural objects and this photo, titled Cake, by Bomobob, is on another great art site, Society 6.

These two prints are by the super awesome Stanley Chow! I love the humor and bold, graphic style. (I love his stuff so much that Michael Caine, may, or may not be, hanging in my living room!) You can buy Stanley's prints on his iphone app, as well as his site here.