First CSA Share Of The Season

This is the third year that we have joined the Clagett Farm CSA.
Yesterday we were excited to collect our first share that consisted of strawberries, rhubarb, pop corn, salad greens, asparagus, green garlic and a few basil plants. Getting food through CSA' s which stands for Community Supported Agriculture is a delicious and economical way to get fantastic local produce at a reasonable price while supporting a small farm. To find a CSA near you check out Local Harvest.

Michael Pollan Live

I was fortunate to see Michael Pollan speak about his book In Defense of Food, Friday evening. I have read his books and magazine articles, watched him speak on the web and was excited to see him speak in person. His intense research, deep knowledge and professorial delivery empowers. Even though much of my practice embodies what he talks about I have had a heightened awareness since Friday evening. If you have not read any or all of his books, I highly suggest them. In the meantime as stated on the cover of In Defense of Food, “Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants”.

Restaurant 1508 #1

Food, wine, conversation, music and flowers all came together as one on a beautiful spring evening.

All produce came from local farms, primarily the Path Valley Cooperative in Path Valley Pennsylvania. Salad greens and herbs were from the garden of 1508. The cardoons came from Davon Crest Farms in Trappe Maryland. The wines were flawlessly matched by Tom Kiska. Music selections arranged by DJ Dredd and flowers generously gifted by Bob Wollam. Ultimately it was the enthusiastic diners who joined us for this debut evening that made it a success.

We are looking forward to number #2 where all of 1508 has been booked for a birthday. We will announce another evening open for reservations shortly.

May 1 2009
passing in the garden
-Cardoons with Lemon, Lemon Verbena and Chives
Borage Agua Fresca, 360 vodka

-Roasted Diver Sea Scallop with Rhubarb Compote on Kohlrabi
-Asparagus with Wild Garlic and Sorrel (Fingerling Sweet Potato for vegan option)
-Sprouted Sunflower Seeds, Sunflower Shoots with French Breakfast Radish
Cremant du Jura Brut Rose, Domaine Tissot

seated
-Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Amaranth and Leek Compote
-Hand Ground Roasted Cornmeal Cornbread
Samur Blanc Chenin 2007, Domaine Bourdin

-1508 Baby Greens, Pea Shoots, Morel Mushrooms and Garlic Green Salad
-Spelt Foccacia
Coteaux du Languedoc 2003, Domaine Coston

-Braised Beef with Parsnip, Salsify, Scorzonera and watercress
Over Olive Oil Mashed Potato (French Lentils for vegan option)
-Salted Herb Bread

-Tomme de Recolette with Pine Nut Crackers (cashew herb for cheese vegan option)
Bagatelle Samur Rouge 2006, Manoir de la Tete Rouge

-Pear, Asian Pears and Apples with Salty Rosemary Walnut Shortbread and Crème Fraiche (Soy Sour Cream for vegan option)
Vin Santo del Chianti DOC 1997, Villa da Filicaja

-Chocolate Sorbet made with Divine Chocolate on Chocolate Torte with Mint Anglaise, Cocoa Nibs and Mint
Les Vignes de Montgueus Blanc de Blancs Brut, Lassaigne

-Cookies: Coconut Macaroons, Lavender Biscotti, Salty Olive Oil Popcorn

Equator Coffee, Lemon Verbena Tea

conscious family food

Spoke to a dynamic group of moms today about feeding our families. I did a cooking demonstration that resulted in lunch for the group while we talked about growing something edible, picky eaters, wasteful packaging, local farm markets, local organic delivery service, CSA’s, why choose whole grains, the smoke point of different oils, many specific ingredients and lots more.

I shared an excellent list that was recently updated of the most important foods to buy organic from the Environmental Working Group.

Several of the participants I have had discussions with before had incorporated elements of these discussions into their daily practices….herb gardening, lettuce growing, bread making….This was very exciting for me!

The menu was designed to be quick, easy, healthy and appealing to diners of all ages.

While I cooked everyone snacked on two potential after school Snacks-
Cashew Dip and Vegetables-
The Dip was made with Cashew Butter, Gourmet Rice Wine Vinegar, Light Soy Sauce and Water. Almond Butter, Sesame Paste, Peanut Butter or Soy Nut Butter could all be used in place of the Cashew Butter. Grated fresh ginger could also be added for additional flavor.

Air Popped Popcorn with Walnut Oil, Nutritional Yeast and Himalayan Salt-
After popping the popcorn in an air popper I tossed it with the other ingredients. The addition of nutritional yeast adds protein and B-12 to the already healthy whole grain and helps keep little bellies filled up longer.

Lunch-
Cucumber Salad-
I dressed the cucumbers with lots of herbs from my garden including salad burnette, mint, chives, lemon balm, thyme and bronze fennel as well as olive oil, a little lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Roasted Asparagus with Ramps and Sorrel-
I found just picked asparagus at the farmer market. Truly fresh asparagus needs barely any cooking. I roasted the ramps (wild leeks that are only available for a couple of weeks in early spring) first and set them aside. Seasoned the asparagus with grapeseed oil, salt and pepper and cooked it in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes then topped it with the ramps and julienned fresh sorrel.

Flatbread-
For recipe see post from Wednesday, February 11, 2009, “cooking with mid winter herbs”

BBQ Tofu-
This is adapted from a recipe that will be in the upcoming Bob Greene Diabetes Book (scheduled for release November 2009, Simon and Schuster). I found beautiful leeks at the farmers market so I used them in lieu of onion. However the results are delicious with onion as well.

Serves 4
Prep time: 8 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 cup leek, finely chopped (you could use onion instead)
1 large organic sweet pepper, finely chopped
1 package (16 ounces) firm organic, non GMO tofu, drained
1 cup chopped fresh or canned no-salt-added organic tomatoes
1/3 cup cooked from dry or canned no-salt-added kidney beans, drained and rinsed, mashed with the back of a fork
4 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon clove
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt (nutritional analysis is with this much salt but add more to taste if desired)
Black pepper to taste

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with the cooking spray and add the onion and sweet pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring.

2. Crumble in the tofu and cook until browned. Keep breaking it apart with a spoon for about 4 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, cider vinegar, clove, cinnamon, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 4 minutes. Serve.

Per serving, about:
Calories: 232
Protein: 21 g
Carbohydrate: 18.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.395 g
Sugars: 6.44 g
Total Fat: 10.3 g
Saturated Fat: 1.518 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Calcium: 802 mg
Sodium: 474 mg


Chocolate Cupcakes with Fresh Mint (vegan)

Makes 12-16 cupcakes
Prep time 5 minutes
Total time 20 minutes

1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon white vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
inside of 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
mix until thoroughly incorporated
1/2 cup all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.Wisk together soy milk and vinegar. Add remaining ingredients and stir until just incorporated.
3.Pour batter into individual cupcake molds and bake until cupcake tests clean with a knife, about 12-20 minutes depending on size of cupcake.
4.Once cupcakes cool frost with ganache (recipe to follow) and sprinkle with julienned fresh mint.

Chocolate Ganache

Prep time 1 minute
Total time 5 minutes

4 oz good quality dark chocolate, cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons soy milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup

1.Heat soy milk to boil, stir in chocolate and syrup until smooth. Let rest until ganache reaches room temperature and then use to ice cupcakes.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Chocolate Cupcake

I did not make these for the lunch but a couple of people asked about a good cupcake recipe that was both gluten free and dairy free....so here it is.

Makes 12-16 cupcakes

Prep time 5 minutes
Total time 20 minutes

1 cup soy or almond milk
1/3 cup grapseed oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine milk, oil, sugar and extract.
2.Mix in tapioca flour and flax seed. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix until completely incorporated.
3.Pour batter into individual cupcake molds and bake until cupcake tests clean with a knife, about 12-20 minutes depending on size of cupcake.
4.Once cupcakes cool frost with ganache (recipe to follow) and sprinkle with julienned fresh mint.

Tree Peony

The fall before my daughter Martin-Lane was born, 10 years ago, we planted a tree peony. The flower bloomed the day she was born and has continued to bloom every year on her April 16th birthday. This year was an exception. The cool early spring kept nearly everything in my garden dormant longer than usual this. The flower bloomed 10 days late this year on April 26th. Tree peonies have larger and more delicate flowers than most varieties of bush, also known as herbaceous, peonies. The trees grow slowly and prefer not to be moved. Also unlike bush tree peonies next year buds are formed above the ground on the woody stems during the fall so take care not to prune in the fall or you will not have any flowers the following spring. With herbaceous peonies next years buds are also formed in the fall but in the underground rhizome so cutting leaves will not affect the next springs flowers. Tree peonies flowers bloom before the other peonies and are better enjoyed on the tree because blooms fade very quickly once they are cut and placed in a vase.

Food Inc.

Last night I went to the premiere of Food Inc.
The movie, narrated primarily by Michael Pollan and Eric Scholsser, examines our food system. Much of the information is familiar. Regardless, the many anecdotes throughout the film were eye opening. I was particularly moved by a glimpse into the abusive labor practices of large food manufacturers, the intense power of Monsanto and a mother who lost her 2 year old on to e-coli. The film concludes by requesting that we all cast our vote for wholesome foods by buying wholesome foods. The premise being that if we use our dollars to select products that are produced with environmentally conscious methods the food industry will respond by providing more of these foods.
I sometimes get confused about this type of information that will be primarily shared with people who have already been exposed to much of the information. The challenge is to get this information out to people that are not familiar with it.
I highly suggest this movie. It will be released in mid-June.

Greater Goods April 14, 2009

Gardening in the city-and recipes for the cookies we ate during the discussion.

I spoke about urban gardening as it fits into the practice of everyday living, at Greater Goods a fantastic store that sells items to help you live sustainably. They sell well designed and consciously produced gardening tools and have the best selection of urban composters that I have seen anywhere. Our worm composter, our amazingly soft bamboo bath towels, a well designed market cart and many other items essential to everyday living come from the store.

I spoke to an engaged and well informed group who had lots of questions and valuable information to share. The group was an ideal size because it was possible to have a conversation.

Very abbreviated notes from the talk…..
When preparing for this talk or any talk I re-examine my everyday practice and in this case my gardening practice and how it relates to my life in so many different ways…

Started with a Michael Pollan quote that I have used in the past.

“...reasons to plant that garden, to bother. At least in this one corner of your yard and life, you will have begun to heal the split between what you do, to commingle your identities as consumer and producer and citizen.”
…
I started gardening in earnest when I lived in one floor of a Victorian house at the corner of 3rd and M streets NW. I started with flowers, lots of them on a fire escape but within weeks started taking over the yard of the rented house planting herbs, vegetables and fruit trees. At the time I owned a restaurant and it was very satisfying being able to supplement the food that we served with food that I grew in my own garden! This excitement about growing and harvesting food has not diminished over the last 15 years since I planted that first garden.

This year in addition to planting my own garden I am planting about 15 other gardens of various sizes which all incorporate some edible elements.
Some in a minor way such as a couple pots of herbs mixed in but many are more substantially productive. In a house in Wesley Heights we have plowed a large plot that will be dedicated to growing vegetables and fruit. In a house in Spring Valley several huge pots in a poolside back yard march towards the kitchen brimming with herbs in this same garden three large beautiful pots with different varieties of cherry tomatoes produce more than enough tomatoes for the family to eat. Last year there was a small plot of land where we planted corn……this year it will probably be blueberries.
On a small Georgetown brick patio we have lined the perimeter with planter boxes and are growing herbs, lettuces and will shortly plant some summer crops including tomatoes and cucumbers. We are also doing worm composting there which is an excellent way to compost in a small space.

All this to say….
Look at your available space. Think about what you would actually eat and enjoy and go from there.
Are you more of a few herbs in a window box type or are you ready to rip out your front lawn and plant rows of vegetables? How can you incorporate aesthetic considerations into your plan? Since we are talking about intimate urban spaces the way they function in regards to care, maintenance, productivity and beauty are all important.

I am particularly interested in growing food and flowers that I want that are not readily available. This brings me to lettuce, herbs and figs…the main stays of my home garden. Just picked lettuce is different from lettuce even purchased at the farmers market. It is fresher since you can pick it minutes before a meal and you can choose tender varieties that would not survive the trip to market. By choosing varieties thoughtfully and planting small crops often you can have lettuce from late winter until at least the first frost.

I use lots of herbs in cooking so for me my herb garden is essential. Usually walking in the door, especially this time of year through the fall, I grab a couple handfuls of herbs from my front yard herb garden and that is the beginning of my next meal. I am able to use hearty herbs such as rosemary, sage, bay and lavender throughout the year. Also by growing my own I have access to herbs that are favorites of mine but are rarely find at the market such as lemon verbena, lemon balm, chervil, salad burnett….

Did you know figs thrive in the DC area? We get buckets of figs from late August through the third week in September. All summer long I use the branches for flower arrangements. I enjoy the figs on their own both raw and roasted, in smoothies, salads, and with dark chocolate.

I am excited about my newest addition to my garden, three persimmon trees, Hopefully there will be a large crop to enjoy this fall and I look forward to watching them grow in the meantime.

I also have a large cutting garden that I use for my cut flower business…and again am interested in flowers that I cannot buy. Garden roses, special varieties of hydrangea and viburnum, white spring lilac, butterfly bush and specific varieties of peonies.

That is my garden but what about yours? What do you want to grow, how much time do you have, how much space and sun do you have?

This was followed by lots of questions about gardening specifics. Hopefully I provided some helpful answers and I also learned several things including that one of the participants mothers dumps her coffee grinds on the spot where she plants tomatoes every year and has the most beautiful tomatoes.

In conclusion, how can gardening best fit into your everyday practice to enhance your life?

The cookies-

Salty Rosemary Biscotti

2 3/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup sugar plus 3 tablespoons extra for rolling
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
salt
8 tablespoons non hydrogenated shortening such as earth balance
2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
1/2 cup pureed silken tofu
2 tablespoons water
1 cup rough chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons excellent quality medium ground salt such as pink Himalayan salt

directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.In a food processor combine sugar and rosemary until sugar is green, about 1 minute.
3.In a mixer combine flour sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, salt.
4.Add shortening cut in 8 pieces and process until the consistency is like sand.
5.Add tofu and water then walnuts, mix until just fully incorporated, about 45 seconds.
6.On a large plate combine the extra sugar and the salt. Roll batter into 3 logs and roll each log in sugar and salt.
7.Bake until dry to touch and barely golden brown, about 15 minutes, remove from oven, turn oven off and let cool for 5 minutes.
8.Move biscotti to a cutting board and cut into slices that are 1/3 of and inch thick. Return cookies to baking tray and place in oven until they dry to your liking, 1 hour for fairly crispy cookies as long as several hours for extremely crispy cookies.

Lavender Oatmeal Cookies

2 1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup soy milk
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon honey or agave nectar
3/4 cup sugar in food processor
2 tablespoons lavender leaves
Pinch of salt

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.In a food processor puree sugar and lavender.
3.In a mixer combine oatmeal, soy milk, grapeseed oil, baking powder, honey, sugar and salt in a mixer with paddle attachment for 2 full minutes
4.Drop cookies on baking sheet and flatten with moist fingers
5.Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Restaurant 1508

Restaurant 1508
Number 1

Friday May 1, 8:00
1508 6th street, NW (between P and Q)- Sidra’s Studio and Home

Seasonal menu that may include:
Chervil, Sorrel, Salad Burnet, Artichoke, Asparagus, Bunching Onions, Spring Lamb, Pea Shoots, Baby Beets, Spring Greens, Rhubarb, Morels, Ramps, Diver Sea Scallops…
Herbs and greens from 1508 6th street, most other produce is from the members of the Path Valley Farm Collective located in south central Pennsylvania.

Reservations- I will accept reservations for parties of one to ten people until full (ten being the maximum dinner guests for May 1)
Share this invite with potentially interested guests!

Reserve via email- j.sidralane@verizon.net

For years I have considered doing this, now I am…hope you can join and if not this time, sometime. I will send out invites for future dates. Also, let me know if you would like to book a date of your choice for a private meal at 1508 for 10 or more guests.

Please advise if you have any food restrictions or allergies, vegetarians are easily accommodated.

Look forward to seeing you,
Sidra
sidraforman.com
sidrapractice.com

Lilac

Lilac is easy to love in bloom. The rest of the year the bush is not much to look at. However in my mind that couple of weeks of blooms makes a hidden lilac bush a essential part of any garden.
In my garden and in others that I design I have hidden bushes so you do not need to look at them year round but can enjoy the blossoms. My lilac is literally on the side of the house where I keep empty pots and garden tools. However when it is in bloom I can see the blooms through my dining room window and of I cut them and bring them inside to enjoy their beauty and fragrance. In a garden I just completed I placed one in an inconspicuous spot on the side of a front porch, the actual bush is hidden but the blooms and fragrance will both be enjoyed walking in and out of the house and while sitting on the porch during that brief period in spring each year when it is in bloom.

I like all lilacs but am particularly fond on white lilacs. I have had success with the Madame Lemoine variety in the Washington DC area.

coconut

I have always liked coconut and in the last several years have been eating more coconut products and using coconut oil on my body and hair. Coconut Butter is a favorite that I use in smoothies, sorbets and baking is available through One Luck Duck. I am particularly fond of drinking young coconut water and eating young coconut meat. Young coconut water if fat free, full of electrolytes and is a great source of potassium. I often crave it.

Coconuts have been revered for generations by many cultures around the world for their healing powers and nutrition. At one time coconuts received negative press in the US because of their high level of saturated fat. However, current research has shown that not all saturated fats are alike and that the fatty acids in coconut oil are medium chain triglycerides which do not raise cholesterol or contribute to heart disease.

Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Coconut oil possesses healing properties and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Pacific Islanders use coconut oil to cure nearly all illness. Auryuvedic medicine considers the coconut an essential food.

This all leads me to my story…I love to drink young coconut water and do not have a source for fresh coconut water in DC. In many cities juice bars sell young coconuts and they are often available at Asian markets. There are also a few brands of coconut water available at grocery stores in tetra packs such as One and Zico which are fine in a pinch but not the same as fresh from a young coconut. So, I decided to order a case of young coconuts through friends who have a restaurant and share them with a couple other friends who drink as much coconut water as I do. Yesterday my coconuts arrived but they were not young…instead I got a huge heavy bag of old coconuts!!

What to do with 40 old coconuts?

My friend Allison often brings me raw dehydrated coconut from Erewhon Market in Los Angeles (they do not sell products online). It is delicious and I am always sorry when it is all eaten (which is usually pretty quickly). Anyway I decided that I would try to make this with my old coconuts. Today with a whole lot of help I opened, cleaned and sliced nearly half of my coconuts. I just made some cookies with olive oil, coconut, walnuts and oatmeal (see recipe below). I froze some and the rest is currently slowly drying in a 90 degree oven.

Olive Oil, Coconut, Walnut and Oatmeal Cookies

2 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy or almond milk
1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon baking powder
large pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a mixer and mix for a full two minutes.

Form cookies on a cookie sheet and flatten with your palm. If the cookies are sticking to your hand you can dampen your palm slightly.

Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

sprouts!

Sprouts are a live food…different than raw in that they are germinated which actually makes available the potential of a raw seed, grain or nut. Once a seed, grain or bean is germinated all the vitamins, mineral, proteins, enzymes and essential fatty acids that were previously dormant activate and multiply. The newly available enzymes aid in digestion and the bodies ability to use nutrients. In addition, many seeds also contain phytic acid which significantly reduces the absorption of calcium, iron, zinc and other minerals into the blood stream. When the seeds are sprouted, such losses drastically decrease.

I am in a sprouting mood. They taste good and make me feel great. I usually have something sprouting but right now I have a whole lot of things sprouting.

The sprouting process is quite easy. Soak raw (if they are not raw they will not sprout) seeds, beans or grains for about 8 hours. Drain and let sit at room temperature, rinsing and draining once a day. I use wooden bamboo steamers lined with parchment paper that I poke drainage holes into. I like this because you can rinse and grow in the same container and they stack neatly if you are sprouting more than one thing at once. Most sprouts take anywhere from 1-3 days. You will know when your sprouts are ready because the sprouted tail will be about 1/4 inch long. Place sprouts in the refrigerator to slow the growing process. Most sprouts will last 3-5 days refrigerated.

Right now I am enjoying red lentil sprouts, barley sprouts and quinoa sprouts. I am mixing them into salads, eating them alone with nut oil and black truffle salt or a good olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

Planting 3/24/09

A few cherry blossoms have opened and the rest are on the verge. Several weeks ago we planted lettuces, rapini and something called beetberries, that I had never heard of before.

A few weeks ago we started a couple varieties of tomatoes from seed and some varieties of basil indoors. I find that most of what I plant can be direct seeded into the garden but in the DC area it is necessary to plant seedlings or plants for both tomatoes and basil.

Today we planted sugar snaps, fava beans, early carrots and bunching onions.

Over the next several weeks as the soil temperature rises we will continue to add new seeds most weeks. This year we ordered most of our seeds from Johnny’s Seeds.

...post gardening!

Dutch Flower Auction

For several years I have been working with a broker on the Dutch Flower Auction to get flowers directly from Holland. During the winter months when it is not possible to use local flowers I get the majority of my flowers from Holland since they are both the most beautiful and are raised in an ecologically conscious manner. The process has always seemed kind of magical. I order flowers via email on a Tuesday they show up early Thursday morning at my door or I order on a Friday morning and they show up on Sunday.

The quality is extraordinary since the flowers are coming directly to me instead of making an additional in between stop with a DC flower wholesaler. By cutting out the middle man the price is also better. Additionally, I have access to all of the cut flowers available at the auction. I work with a company called EZ Flowers, Fred and Martin always answer my endless questions…for example, “ I am looking for the best quality parrot tulip in a hot pink can you tell me what looks great today and send me photos if there is a choice of varieties…”

After years of working this way today I visited the auction in Aalsmeer Holland, about 30 minutes outside of Amsterdam. It appears that everything at the auction happens very quickly and efficiently to ensure that the perishable flowers get to their destination as fast as possible. We sped around the acres of flowers with Martin on a fast and agile small golf cart like vehicle, stopping regularly to walk through racks filled with seemingly endless beautiful flowers. Martin had worked raising tulips before coming to work on the auction and his knowledge about the individual flowers, origin of different flowers and the operation of the auction was immense.

I learned that the auction (which includes 5 other smaller sites) is run by FloraHolland, which is a cooperative of approximately 6000 growers that has been run with a similar structure for over 100 years. About 48 million flowers and plants are sold on the auction daily. Having a chance to see the highly complex bidding and distribution systems was eye opening.

Before going to sleep tonight I will place my order for Thursday morning delivery.

Da Pepper

Quick trip to Amsterdam- a visit the Dutch auction where most of my flowers come from during the winter months, an amazing organic Saturday market, art, Royal Dutch Ballet, a memorable flower store, and a bunch of fantastic meals……The stand out event was tonight at a vegan organic community kitchen called, De Peper.

From what I learned the 3 day a week restaurant is part of the De Peper Collective, which also includes a cinema, gallery, print shop, artist workspace, performance/rehearsal and event space. The project began as a squat in 1999 by a group of artists. The space continues to be run as a collective- work and decisions are made by the group.

To eat at the restaurant you call at 4:00 the day that you want to come to make a reservation. Once you arrive you check in at the bar to let them know you are there, pay and get something to drink if you want. They ask if you want your soup and bring it to you. You get your own silverware, bring your plate to the kitchen when you are done and ask for your main course. If you want dessert after you are done you ask and pay for it.

The meal costs 6 or 10 euros, you choose. The website mentions that if you do not have 6 euros you can ask if you can pay less. We sat at the bar and talked to an engaging bartender and a regular who was there for dinner. Kids were running around, a horror film series was playing upstairs, there seemed to be a mix of regulars and new comers. We ate a delicious and satisfying vegan meal and ordered dessert, chocolate cake.

Conversation, food, music and all around feeling was beyond.

I hope to keep a little bit of the energy with me.

vanilla snow

Woke up to some nice snow in DC this morning and made vanilla snow.

Recipe
-Scoop snow in a cup
-Make a syrup with seeds from a fresh vanilla bean, a drop of vanilla extract and agave nectar
-Pour syrup over snow
-Eat

SPIN farming

Attended a workshop today on SPIN Farming which is a model for intensive urban farming on small plots of land. Their motto is, “It’s time to bring agriculture back home”.
Many of the techniques that they use are similar to techniques that I have been using for years in our backyard and in friends and clients yards. I did learn about some very helpful looking gardening tools that are available locally from Purple Mountain Organics, some proactive weeding techniques and the financial benefits of buying seeds in bulk.
Most exciting was the gathering of like minded people who believe in community building through locally growing and consuming food.
The presenter Dan Bravin, from Portland Oregon runs a CSA called City Garden Farms, that will produce 50 farm shares this season from several backyards in Portland.

We have already planted our earliest seeds of the season- arugula, beet berries and rapini…this week we will order seeds and start plotting our home garden and the other gardens we are planting this year.

Orchids through Darwin’s Eyes

Lots of Darwin notice these days in honor of the 200 year anniversary of his birth.
Visited and enjoyed the current Smithsonian exhibit, Orchids through Darwin's Eyes which is full of thousands of live orchids. The plants are exhibited with information about how Darwin and thinkers since him use orchids to help investigate theories of natural selection and evolution.
A recent New York Times article, and op-ed piece,
examine Darwin’s life and work and just how right he was about so many different things.
Darwin’s studies also offer fundamental building blocks to one of my favorite books, Michael Pollan’s, The Botany of Desire as well as new theories such as evo-devo. I find all of it difficult to understand but intriguing and clearly related to my everyday practices….I have some reading to do, starting with…
The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin and Endless Forms Most Beautiful, Sean B. Carroll

cooking with mid winter herbs

A few notes and the recipes from my 2/10/09 presentation/demonstration, Spring Valley Garden Club

I demonstrated the preparation of some foods using herbs from my city herb garden for the February meeting of the Spring Valley Garden Club. The majority of my perennial herbs are packed in a small plot of soil in front of my row house in downtown Shaw. I decided what to make today based on my herbs and the vegetables that I was able to find at the Sunday Farmers Market.

Herbs available in my garden February 2009
Bay, sorrel, winter savory, salad burnet, parsley, Italian parsley, marjoram, sage and rosemary-

I bake with recipes and when preparing savoy food I just cook tasting things as I go along and not measuring ingredients. This time I measured ingredients, had someone jot down the measurements as I cooked so I could post the recipes here.

The lavender from my garden is available year round and I use it throughout the seasons for cooking and making flower arrangements. It makes a great tisane, flavoring for homemade ice cream and a little bit finely chopped is delicious on many fresh fruits. Today biscotti….These biscotti are rolled in sugar that I dyed with a little purple cabbage juice just for color. Plain sugar would work also.

Lavender Biscotti

Makes about 50 biscotti

1/2 cup tightly packed lavender leaves
1 1/3 cup organic, fair trade sugar
1 3/4 organic all purpose unbleached flour
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 oz non hydrogenated vegetable oil stick, such as smart balance
1/2 cup pureed silken tofu
extra sugar for rolling

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.In a food processor combine the lavender and sugar. Process until the sugar turns green and lavender is pureed, about 1 minute.

3.In a mixer combine sugar, flours, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and vegetable oil. Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Add tofu and mix until just thoroughly incorporated.

4.Divide dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece into a log with a 3/4 inch diameter. Roll each log in sugar until coated on all sides.

5.Bake the logs for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 225 degrees. Slice logs into cookies about 1/4 inch wide each.

6.Place cookies on a baking sheet and place in oven. Cook until biscotti are firm about 15 to 20 additional minutes, or longer if you want very crunchy biscotti.

While cookies baked we made a flatbread with rosemary. Rosemary is another herb that I have available in my garden throughout the year. I particularly appreciate it in the cold months because it pairs so well with fall and winter foods. This year I have been enjoying roasting it with root vegetables, as a flavoring for variety of beans and with apples and pears prepared many different ways.

Rosemary, Walnut, Spelt Flatbread

Makes about 2 sheet pan sized flatbreads

3 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh compressed yeast
2 tablespoons organic fair trade sugar
2 tablespoons finely ground sea salt
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
4 cups spelt flour
4 1/2 cups organic all purpose unbleached flour (exact amount determined when making)
1 cup toasted pieces, walnuts
Olive oil for pan
Approximately 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt for top

1.Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl combine water, yeast, sugar, salt and rosemary. Mix until somewhat smooth. Gradually add flour, about 2 cups at a time, switching back and forth between the spelt and the all purpose unbleached. Knead in flour after each addition.

2.When the dough can stick together as a ball take the dough out of the bowl and place on a clean surface. Knead the dough adding more flower until it stops sticking to your hands. Knead dough vigorously for about 2 minutes.

3.Split the dough in half. Coat a sheet tray with olive oil. Place one piece of the bread on the sheet tray and pat out with palms and fingertips until the bread is about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle the top of the bread with a coarse salt.

4.Bake the bread until it is a deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.

While the bread was baking we made a squash puree with sage and winter sage. Both of these herbs can be harvested throughout the year. I have my winter savory planted near my thyme and summer savory. In the summer the thyme and summer savory take over and the savory dies back and vice a versa in the winter. Sage sometimes does not look its most beautiful in the winter but it still tastes fantastic. It is another one of those herbs that compliments fall and winter produce. Try using it with roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes, with braised fennel or mashed celery root.

Winter Squash Spread

2 cups roasted winter squash puree (we used the varieties amber cup and kabocha)
1 onion chopped
1 tablespoon sage
1 tablespoon winter savory
2 teaspoons walnut oil
salt and pepper to taste (I used a French sea salt for this dish)
grapeseed oil approximately 2 teaspoons

1.Preheat oven to 375. Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Lightly coat squash with grapeseed oil and place on sheet pan cut side down. Coat onion with oil as well and place on sheet tray beside the squash.

2.Cook until the squash is tender and the onions are golden brown.

3.When the squash is cool enough to touch remove the meat and discard the skin.

4.Place all ingredients in the food processor and processor until smooth, about one minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Before preparing the next dish we removed the biscotti from the oven, sliced them and returned them to the lower temperature oven. The salad we prepared had parsley and Italian parsley as well as sorrel and salad burnet. For a long time I stopped using traditional parsley I am not sure why but now I am really enjoying it in vegetable salads, bean salads, pureed as a sauce or dressing….Sorrel has always been a favorite herb of mine. The fresh lemony flavor is great with anything that would taste good with a touch of citrus, many things! I have found that it is sometimes difficult to start a sorrel plant either from seed or seedling but once established it will thrive. I cannot cut sorrel all winter from my garden but anytime there are a few nice days in a row I am happily able to gather several leaves. Salad burnet is rarely available unless you grow it. The good news is it is easy to grow and versatile in use. The light cucumbery taste is a good addition to a wide variety of foods. Try individual leaves in salads or pureed with a little olive oil salt and pepper as a sauce.

Winter Vegetable Salad
2 cups total chopped herbs including- parsley, Italian parsley, salad burnet and sorrel
1 fennel bulb
2 radishes
1 large or two medium Jerusalem artichokes
1 kohlrabi, peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste (I used a block of Himalayan salt with a hand grater)

1.Using a mandoline, food processor or a knife thinly slice the vegetables.

2.Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Season with salt and pepper.

Bread came out of oven and everything was ready to sample. I was very appreciative for the many questions that came up while cooking and eating about- salt, growing herbs, finding ingredients, feeding kids, cooking with little time…..they will all inform my future talks, writing and daily practice!

the Obamas at Alvin Ailey

Went to the Kennedy Center last night to see Alvin Ailey. They perform at the Kennedy Center every year around this time and in New York around Christmas and most years we catch a performance in DC or NY. When we got a couple of miles from the Kennedy Center last night the traffic was heavy and there were huge amounts of police cars. Inside the Kennedy Center there were metal detectors, dogs, secret service, police and lots of excitement.
We walked into the opera house and everyone was facing away from the stage looking up to the first balcony which was empty except for the presidential seal….
When Barack, Michelle (wearing black leather, looking amazing) and the girls walked in everyone stood facing the balcony and gave them a standing, screaming, clapping ovation. Looking around I saw that others besides me had tears in their eyes.
The atmosphere throughout the performance was charged. The dancers were extraordinary but the presence of the first family took it to a whole other level. There were two intermissions and after each there was lots of cheering when Obama returned to his seat. In the box with him and his family were Attorney General, Eric Holder and DC mayor Adrian Fenty. The performance ended with a famous Ailey piece called Revelations. After the dancers took their bows and Judith Jamison took a bow and did a memorable hand movement, the audience was still going crazy. They danced and encore with everyone (including the president) on their feet clapping the entire time. After the encore the company stood in a line bowed, clapped, threw kisses and clasped their hands to their hearts to the Obamas.
The night was memorable. Not sure what all this means…. The expectations that each of us have for the new president are intense. I feel fortunate he is in office…and excited he is a DC resident!!

notes from 1/29/09 talk, Sulgrave Club, DC

notes and video from my recent talk...

Topic:
Incorporating sustainable practices or as I like to call them practices of vitality into the practice of everyday living …

Set up:
(slides that are linked to this post (see video above)- were projected for talk)
The slides are not for the purpose of literal interpretation more to provide a feeling of this practice that I refer to that integrates aesthetics, nutrition, pleasure and results in vitality.

Hand out:
side one-
seed, sustain, conscious, vitality, comfort, local, soil, source, element,
pleasure, essential, community, connection, bare, root, nourish

side two- lots of links many of which can be found on my website

My Background
I come from a family where cooking and eating was central. Memories are centered around family meals and entertaining.
My father worked in international nutrition. I was lucky to have the opportunity to travel with him to many countries. Looking back I realize that this exposure influenced my perspective about the importance of food and the privilege of plenty. My mother was a teacher. She returned to work after my brother and I were older and became involved in early stages of SOS, a national organization whose mission is to try to let no child in America be hungry.

After brief careers as an attorney and a documentary filmmaker I opened a restaurant in DC with my husband and brother called Rupperts. Looking back Rupperts became a physical space to explore and develop a variety of practices that had always been essential to me. Since we closed the restaurant about 6 years ago I have been fortunate to be involved in a variety of projects that have allowed me to continue to discuss and develop these practices. Today I have a cut flower business, I design and plant small urban and potted gardens that incorporate edible elements and I continue to do a variety of work with food. I recently wrote a cookbook for Bob Greene, Oprah's trainer called the Best Life Cookbook, I also work with him on his Best Life Website, write for a few different publications, do some restaurant and other food related consulting and of course cooking and eating for myself, family and friends…. I am also a mom of an amazing 9 year old daughter who is an integral part of all these projects.

As an aside the choosing of the bolded words on the hand out which are also incorporated into the slides was somewhat of a random process. It is difficult to concisely express a practice that is incorporated into all aspects of daily living. The words seemed to be good points of entry.

My favorite way of speaking is having a discussion so my idea today is to give an overview of thoughts and ideas and then hopefully have a lively conversation fueled by your questions which I believe will be much more lively…and vital.

Nourish
Essential to all aspects my practice is the idea that the best food for you is the most delicious, most healthful and is best for the environment. Much to the chagrin of food writers while we had our restaurant was our inability to answer the question, “what type of food do you cook?” My answer was, “we gather the best possible ingredients and then do as little as possible to them, more pairing and enhancing and then get out of the way……”

This is my same concept I use in flower arranging, gardening and pretty much everything else I do.

None of this is possible without excellent ingredients. I cook exclusively with seasonal ingredients. In DC the options are descent…in the last several years there have been many new farmers markets introduced throughout the city and metropolitan area. The availability of local ingredients is very different today than it was in 1994 when we opened Rupperts. Today there is a vibrant year round farmers market and mid growing season there are markets that you can visit every day….which I often do. In addition there are lots of options for CSA’s including the one that we belong to called Clagett Farm which is part of the Capital Area Community Food Bank. And there is a nice long growing season in this area that allows for each of us to try our hand at a little farming even if it is just a couple of pots squeezed out on a sunny window ledge or fire escape…..
Pretty much everything that I talk about comes back to planting something that you can eat since it is the most direct way that I know of to nourish, feel part of community, experience pleasure and feel vitality!

Community
My definition of community is broad. I start with self expand to family, neighbors, others that you come in contact with from colleagues to someone you pass on the street, others in the world all the way to ecosystem……

My restaurant Rupperts …helped me refine my current definition of community. Pleasure continues to come from the wide variety of farmers, neighbors, thinkers and friends is endless…not to mention the worms that live in my worm composting system!

There are the many relationships started in our kitchen, my assistant, who initially came in to work as a dishwasher and who works with me daily with flowers, gardens and food… that I could not do anything that I do without. A 15 year old kid started working in the kitchen looking for somewhere to go after school and came to the restaurant every afternoon and weekend. Today he collaborates with me on nearly every project that I do. There is also a “kid” whose parents were regulars at our restaurant who helped me plant my first truly productive kitchen garden when he was 13 years old. The day before inauguration we spent the day with him picking up trash as part of a viral litter free inauguration media campaign he initiated.... There is the cooperative of Amish farmers whose produce I have been enjoying for years. Just this past summer I had the amazing opportunity to meet and see their farms. I have always appreciated their support. The outstanding produce they have supplied over the years has been ultimately valuable and it was exciting to learn that in return they felt supported by the long term relationship as well.

Recently I have been fortunate to get involved in the Best Life community. Most of my professional cooking career has been making and serving precious food…the type I consume regularly. Up to now I have primarily fed a well-fed, nutritionally savvy, well-exercised, affluent community.

I became involved in Best Life because an old friend of mine who is a nutritionist was working for Bob Greene and contacted me ….she expressed her frustration with “diet food”. She suggested that my food would work well with her nutritional agenda because it was, “healthy, delicious, conscious in respect to origin and environment etc….”. She asked me if I would like to work on some recipes with her. Initially I assumed that I was totally unqualified…knowing about the various truffle seasons and where to purchase them and which expensive variety of salt I thought was ideal for which specific application…. Despite these initial reservations I decided to give it a go.
I had to take into account time people were willing to devote to cooking a meal, money, availability of ingredients in non costal urban centers, fears of the unfamiliar, severe salt restrictions and needed to incorporate products that endorsed the diet. Ultimately I found it was not too difficult to adhere to these restrictions and incredibly gratifying. All of a sudden I was able to communicate with a huge “Oprah audience” about practices that are essential to me! Not only through recipes throughout the book and website, I was also able to insert ideas about seasonality, farm markets, sustainable fish….Not to mention hopefully sharing the pleasure that I get from food. Totally exciting!

Pleasure
The ancient philosopher Epicurus defines pleasure as the absence of pain …this definition pretty much excludes the idea that an overindulgence in foie gras or anything else is pleasure…many things that we think of as pleasure give a moment of elation but ultimately result in pain….

For most humans sustained pleasure is quite different that indulgences that are often labeled pleasure.

Taken a little further...
Can a rose that is grown with pesticides and harvested by abused laborers bring you pleasure? For me the comfort or pleasure associated with knowledge of source of my food and other products that I consume and enjoy brings pleasure.

I have already spoken about source and food but the same goes with flowers and plants…
Flowers that you arrange cut from your own garden will always be the most beautiful but there are other conscious sources for flowers. In addition to growing some of the flowers and herbs that I use for flower arrangements during the growing season I work with several local farmers. At other times of the year I buy flowers directly from the Dutch auction where all products are grown with conscious environmental and labor practices. I also buy from a South American broker that gets roses and other flowers from farms that are partially or completely worker owned.

Comfort which to me intersects with true pleasure can be found in nourishing ourselves and the ecosystem rather than through a cycle of consumption and waste…..
We are not talking about deprivation but conscious alternatives which include considering portions and making decisions about what we really need and want. Just by being aware the question can become, "what do I want?"......Although this seems so basic I find it often gets confusing in a busy environment saturated by media.

Modern conveniences have done away with the need for us to actually do many things. These conveniences are often welcome but sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than making your own bread…particularly with the knowledge that you have the option to buy bread. Making bread is just something that works for me…but I guess that for everyone there is a similar pleasure giving act.

As an aside this leads me to a problem with the word sustainability which inherently suggests inertia. In my mind a better solution is to utilize everything available including conveniences and technology while incorporating the most basic of practices. For example planting a seed that you research and buy on the electronically, watching a plant grow, nurturing and harvesting. Or meeting a farmer who has grown your food…instead of always choosing to purchase the exotic imported vegetable.

Vitality- my final word
Defined as germinating power or life force of animals and plants. In my mind the essence of what each of our daily practices should supports, no?

Vitality through composting, growing something edible even more so with a child helping you, meeting a farmer who grew your food, planting a flower that attracts butterflies, eating less meat or choosing to eat no meat, walking somewhere habitually instead of driving somewhere habitually.
These are just a few examples that nourish vitality…that in my everyday practice is the ultimate goal.

Before questions I would like to read a quote from Michael Pollan that I find right on point…not to mention beautifully said,
"...reasons to plant that garden, to bother. At least in this one corner of your yard and life, you will have begun to heal the split between what you do, to commingle your identities as consumer and producer and citizen."

Manuka Honey- what is it?

Recently my friend Allison brought me some New Zealand, Manuka Honey from one of her favorite LA stores Erewhon Natural Foods. I did not know much about this honey.

In recent years I have used less honey since it is technically non-vegan and since agave nectar, which can often be used in place of honey, became so readily available. I have continued to use honey in specific instances where I am looking for a honey flavor or for medicinal purposes. I choose specific types of honey depending on how I plan to use it since both taste and consistency are so varied. One of my favorites over the years has been from a Baltimore based company called, Really Raw Honey. Their honey is produced from a community of many small beekeeping operations that practice and advocate environmentally sound beekeeping.

I have read about and witnessed the health benefits of honey including a positive effect on digestion, ulcers, allergies and respiratory problems. Based on my recent reading, it seems Manuka honey provides all of the benefits of standard unprocessed honey plus many more.

Manuka is a raw, un-pasteurized organic honey which is collected from the bees that gather nectar from the flowers that grow on wild Manuka (also known as the Tea Tree Bush). For years I have used tea tree oil for all sorts of cuts and scrapes because of its antibacterial and antifungal properties. The tea tree is indigenous to New Zealand and it seems that the properties of the tea tree combined with the natural antibacterial properties of honey make for an extraordinary variety of honey.

The taste is unique, complex and somewhat earthy and can be used in for a variety of culinary purposes. The few Manuka honeys I have recently tried have all been delicious but it seems that its healing properties are what distinguish it from all other types of honey.

With a little online research I found….

Studies indicate that Manuka honey contains very powerful antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, making it extremely effective in treating a wide variety of health conditions. There are testimonials that the honey taken internally and used externally has been a successful treatment to all sorts of infections and other ailments, some that are resistant to antibiotics.

Standard honey and Manuka honey contain hydrogen peroxide which is a known antiseptic. However standard honey looses most of its healing properties when it comes in contact with certain conditions such as light, heat or dilution. Active Manuka (a specific form of the honey) is stable so it is able to maintain its potency and healing properties.

The Benefits of Manuka Honey Website sells the honey and gives details about how and when to use as a remedy.

Article for Parenting Magazine

Several months ago I wrote my first article for Parenting Magazine. I worked with an editor at the magazine to make my recipes quicker and better suited to the tastes of their readers....
Anyway, it just came out in the February issue.....

roses

Washingtonian Magazine just launched a new magazine called Bride and Groom. I initially got involved in this project because my talented friends Pum and Jake who are, Design Army, worked with the Washingtonian on the new magazine and asked me to do flowers for a photo shoot for the first issue of the Bride and Groom...
Soon after I was excited to be named as the up and coming florist in the premiere issue of Bride and Groom.
Yesterday there was a launch party/bridal showcase for the magazine at the Park Hyatt. Through the planning process for the event (as well as doing a presentation table at the event I did the flowers for a fashion show, and some other spots), I ran into lots of friends and colleagues working on the project including, Jill Hudson Neal, who I have enjoyed working with over the years and is now the editor of the new magazine. Aimee Dominick , a fantastic event planner orchestrated the Park Hyatt event. It was great to reconnect with other colleagues and meet new ones as well as brides planning for the future.
All that information gets me to rose cookies. I made the bridal bouquet in the above photo based on Design Army's vision. The roses in the bouquet are a variety called, Esperance and come from a Florida distributor that only sells roses from farms that use sustainable growing practices. Many of the farms they buy from are cooperatively owned and all have excellent labor practices....and all of that in a round about way led me to making Rose Cookies for yesterdays event.

Rose Cookies
2/3 cup non hydrogenated shortening
large pinch of salt
4 teaspoons rose water
1 cup all purpose unbleached flour
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup pureed silken tofu
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar (organic, free trade and vegan if possible)

decoration
1/4 cup sugar (organic, free trade and vegan if possible)
1/4 teaspoon beet juice
6 buds of rose tea, leaves removed from bud and broken into small pieces

1.Combine decoration sugar and beet juice to make a pink sugar, set aside.
2.Cream the shortening and sugar. Add the other ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4.Roll the cookies out using additional flour if necessary to prevent sticking. Cut cookies out with a cutter.
5.Sprinkle cookies with pink sugar and rose leaves.
6.Bake until barely golden brown around the edges, about 8 minutes.

Inauguration 2009

My Highlights:

Catching up with old and new friends-
We live near the Capitol and had friends and friends of friends sleeping at our home and stopping by throughout the long weekend. The events opened up time in our lives to allow ourselves to relax, talk, share meals, connect and dream.

Day of service-
On Monday January 19 we found an organized event through my.barackobama and spent several hours picking up trash on the national mall. It felt great. I intend to regularly participate in other organized public service events and to organize events of my own.

Chant 4 Change-
A charity event where we chanted and danced on the eve of the inauguration.

Wandering around DC and feeling the energy and hope-

My friend Laurie’s party-
Below is the menu I prepared and served to a receptive group of eaters

passed-
delicata winter squash soup with black chantarelles
mashed potatoes with Oregon black truffles and French truffle salt
toasted local cornmeal cornbread with caramelized onion and shallot
brussel sprouts with pickled ginger
falafel with sesame sauce

table 1-
montgomery farmhouse cheddar
whole grain crackers
seeded crostini
sweet and salty pumpkin seeds
black grapes
salted spelt, black walnut, whole wheat oatmeal breads
kohlrabi, celery root, carrot and radish
white bean sage spread
spinach roasted garlic puree
quince and pear compote
sweet potato chestnut spread

table 2-
salty rosemary biscotti
earl grey drops
chocolate, chocolate and nib biscotti
cardamom stars
coconut pecan oatmeal cookies

drink-
spiked clementine and ginger agua fresca
Coston Coteaux du Languedoc, Les Terrasses 2004
Savignon de Saint-Bris, Corps de Garde 2004

Litter Free Inauguration

DC one week before Obama becomes the next president you can feel the excitement, tension and traffic. A good friend and long time collaborator sent me a public service announcement he made to help nurture our city during this time of celebration.... and hopefully incorporate into our daily practices.
Check it out Litter Free Inaguration

Photo was taken today (one week pre-inauguration) by a good friend and talented photographer Abby Greenawalt