3 Birthdays

We celebrated a couple of May birthdays...and one that was rescheduled from the February blizzard this past week. It is an honor to be part of celebrations. All three birthdays this weekend were a pleasure– made up of some people who we just met for the first time this weekend and many who we have been fortunate to get to know over the last year since we have been cooking at home.

We served many firsts of the season- tomatoes, baby zucchini, porcinis, celery, squash blossoms, rabbit, summer truffles...We are looking forward to another birthday dinner for an old friend this weekend.

The menus were all a bit different– here is Saturday nights food and wine:

Passing
BBQ Whitmore Farms Rabbit
Scrambled Eggs with Sorrel
Kaleidoscope Carrot Soup
Asparagus with Lemon and Garlic Chives
(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cremant du Jura Brut NV

Seated
Wild King Salmon with Beets, Beet Ketchup, Spring Onion and Summer Truffle
(Gerard Boulay) Sancerre ROSE 2008

Pasta with Baby Zucchini, Squash Blossoms, Young Garlic, and Porcini
(Vercesi) Pinot Nero Bianco "Gugiarolo" 2008

Pork Chop with Red Mustard Greens, Grits, Leeks and Celery
(Dom. des Hauts Chassis) Crozes Hermitage "Les Chassis" 2007

Tome des Recolletes with Olive Oil Cracker

Strawberry Pie with Frozen Mint Coconut and Candied Pistachios
(Grange Tiphaine) Nouveau Nez - Sparkling Montlouis 2008
Tiny Chocolate Birthday Cake

Cookies: Lavender Oatmeal, Peppermint Chocolate Chip, Salty Rosemary Walnut Biscotti

Spring Wedding

A few flower photos from a wedding this spring at The Fairmont Hotel.
Thank you to Alejo and Theresa of Flutter Photo for the fabulous photos...and congratulations to them on their marriage this weekend!

Overfished Species

We are fortunate to get both our fish as well as fish information from Jim Chambers. These days between health and environmental concerns it is complicated knowing which fish to eat.
Wanted to share a recent email he sent:

If you ever want to know which popular fish species are still in trouble (due to very low population levels) and have been listed by the federal government as "Overfished" in the annual report to Congress, see this link, then for the detailed list, choose FSSI and non FSSI Stocks.

The list is arranged by geographic region with the Northeast first, followed by the Southeast, then Gulf of Mexico, etc.

To understand how severely some populations have declined, look at the Bmsy ratio (next to far right column). A Bmsy of 1.00 means the population is "healthy" (as a fisheries biologist would say, it's at its Maximum Sustainable Yield). When Bmsy gets down to 0.05, it is nearing extinction. Anything below 1.00 is officially "overfished," which in itself is not too bad (as it can be rebuilt by controlling fishing pressure), but when it gets down below 0.50 things are getting very serious. Below 0.10, the population may never recover even if all fishing were to stop.

Seafood Guide
For a quick way to evaluate various seafood choices, I recommend using the Blue Ocean Institute's Seafood Guide.

All the seafood Prime Seafood offers is from sustainably managed fisheries and they are free of dangerous contaminants. Did you know that the cheap farm-raised salmon which is readily available from seafood vendors contains cancer causing contaminants (PCBs and PAHs) in concentrations high enough that eating "just one 6 oz. meal a month poses a high risk" of cancer?

This time of year we are enjoying Jim's King Salmon, Ivory King Salmon and Pacific Halibut.

Last Weekends Dinner Music

We cooked a few dinners last week. Monday night was at a friend's home in honor of guests from abroad. Friday night was an open Home Restaurant with some repeat diners and some who joined us for the first time. Saturday night was a joyous 50th birthday celebration.
We love cooking this time of year, the ingredients are exciting...dinners this week included morels, fiddle head ferns, soft shell crabs, ramps, wild shallots, rhubarb, king salmon, fava beans, sorrel, chervil and stinging nettles.

Friday and Saturday nights at the Home Restaurants we dined and cooked to a great play list that John put together:

How Deep Is The Ocean?, Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton
Jeepers Creepers, Doc Cheatham & Nicholas
Stardust, Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton
Black And Blue (Aka What Did I Do To Be So Black And Blue?), Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton
Save It Pretty Mama, Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton
Lush Life, John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman
Bye Bye Blackbird, Miles Davis & John Coltrane
Kathy's Waltz, Time Out, The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Ruby My Dear (Take 3), Solo Monk, Thelonious Monk
Summertime, The Blue Note Years - Volume 1 - Boogie Blues & Bop, Sidney Bechet
Moanin', Blue Note Years Vol 2- The Jazz Message (Disc 2), Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
My One And Only Love, John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman
Everybody's Jumpin', Time Out, The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Cantaloupe Island, Cantaloupe Island, Herbie Hancock
Three To Get Ready, Time Out, The Dave Brubeck Quartet
In A Sentimental Mood, Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
Song For My Father, Blue Note Years- Vol 4 Hard Bop And Beyond (Disc 1), Horace Silver
Monk's Mood, Thelonious Monk
Freddie Freeloader, Kind of Blue, Miles Davis
Off Minor (Take 5), Monk's Music, Thelonious Monk
But Not For Me, My Favorite Things, John Coltrane
Strange Meadow Lark, Time Out, The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Misty, Compact Jazz:, Sarah Vaughan
They Say It's Wonderful, John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman
April In Paris, Thelonious Monk
The Sidewinder, Lee Morgan
Take Five, Time Out, The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Epistrophy, Monk's Music, Thelonious Monk
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat [Unedited Form], Mingus Ah Um [Remastered], Charles Mingus
Watermelon Man, Cantaloupe Island, Herbie Hancock
My Romance (fr Jumbo), Keith Jarrett Foundations, Keith Jarrett
Driftin', Fingerpainting: The Music Of Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton & Mark Whitfield
Dolphin Dance, Fingerpainting, Christian McBride/Nicholas
I Was Doing All Right, Stan Getz & Oscar Peterson Trio
Little Sunflower, Number Two Express, Christian McBride
Fingerpainting, Fingerpainting: The Music Of Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton & Mark Whitfield
Speedball, The Blue Note Years, Vol. 4: Hard Bop & Beyond 1963-1967 [Disc 2], Lee Morgan
Detour Ahead, Stan Getz & Oscar Peterson Trio
A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing, Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn, Joe Henderson
Asiatic Rates, Goin' Up, Freddie Hubbard
The Eye Of The Hurricane, Fingerpainting: The Music Of Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton & Mark Whitfield
Smells Like Teen Spirit, These Are the Vistas, The Bad Plus
If I Were A Bell, Relaxin' With The Miles Davis Quintet, The Miles Davis Quintet
As Time Goes By, The Other Side Of Round Midnight, Dexter Gordon
All The Things You Are, West Coast Jazz Box (Disc 2), Hampton Hawes Trio
Tea For Two, I Got Rhythm, Vol. 3, Art Tatum
I Fall In Love Too Easily, I Remember Miles, Shirley Horn
Big Nick, Duke Ellington & John Coltrane

A Conversation About Greens

Today I had the pleasure to speak with a dynamic group of women about greens...some of the group had heard me talk several times over the last few years and some I just met today.
The topic greens...kind of a sprawling topic...
The hostess gathered a fantastic array of oils and vinegars for the event that we used for the demonstration. She provided mason jars so participants could mix their own dressings after lunch and take them home.
I brought a variety of spring greens from Path Valley Cooperative...mum leaves, wild cress, pea shoots, red ribbed dandelion greens, fava bean greens and spinach.
I also brought a soup that I made with stinging nettles that we served in small cups to sip on as the talk began.
I spoke about the individual greens, making salads, cooking greens and making soup. I presented the idea that having great oils, vinegars, salts and freshly ground black pepper in your larder invites experimentation and lots of greens eating. We made a few dressings but instead of giving recipes I encouraged the idea of experimentation and variety.
I also brought some wild ramps, baby leeks and red spring onions that we chopped finely and roasted quickly with a variety of greens in a hot oven.
Conversation was plentiful and jumped from relevant subject to subject including smoke point, sources, nutrition, washing methods of greens, dressings for young picky eaters, organic vs non-organic, olive oil classifications, farm market vs grocery store, how to grow your own...
After talking for a while we got plates of salad greens, wilted greens, whole wheat walnut bread and black bean spread. After the lunch we ate a rhubarb banana crumble with a mint sauce. While enjoying the food the conversation continued.

Recipe sketches from today to use as a starting point for experimentation...

Stinging Nettle Soup
grapeseed oil
1 onion finely sliced
1# clean stinging nettles (if you purchase dirty use rubber gloves to wash because they will irritate your skin)
water
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat stock pot over medium high heat. Lightly coat the bottom with grapeseed oil and cook onion until lightly browned. Add stinging nettles and enough water to just submerge the greens. Add some salt, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Puree until very smooth in a high speed blender. Re-season with salt and pepper and serve.
-You could make this soup with a variety of different greens.

Sesame, Ginger, Rice Wine Vinegar Dressing
2 part sesame paste
2 part rice wine vinegar
1 part sesame oil
1/2 part soy sauce
1 part water
drop of agave nectar
finely grated ginger to taste
salt to taste

Start with these basic proportions, mix thoroughly and then adjust to your personal taste. Sesame paste can be substituted with peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter.

Rhubarb Crumble
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup milk or soy milk or almond milk
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sugar plus additional sugar for fruit
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
rhubarb sliced
banana sliced

Combine oatmeal, milk, oil, 1/2 cup sugar. agave nectar, baking powder and salt in a mixer and process until oatmeal breaks down into smaller pieces, about 1 minute.
In a large bowl combine rhubarb, banana . Toss fruit with enough sugar for fruit to be lightly coated with sugar (approximately 1 tablespoon of fruit for every 2 cups of fruit).
Place fruit in an oven proof dish and cover with oatmeal topping.
Place in a 350 degree oven and bake until top is golden brown and fruit is soft.
-This cobbler recipe can be used will all types of fresh fruit, less sugar can be used if you are using sweet fruits

Mint Sauce
juice and meat from 1 young coconut
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup fresh mint
1 tablespoon Artisan Coconut Butter
Agave Nectar to taste
large pinch of pink Himilayan salt

In a small pot combine coconut milk and mint. Bring to boil and remove from heat, let mint seep for at least 20 minutes. Remove mint from coconut milk and discard the mint.
Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender, chill before serving.
-This sauce is a great compliment to most fresh fruit and many fresh fruit desserts. It can also be frozen in an ice cream maker resulting in a delicious frozen dessert

April Birthday Lunch

Birthday Cake mid-way through being frosted

We have been cooking a lot the last couple of weeks. It is exciting as each new spring ingredient shows up. Early in the week I got a call from Katie at Path Valley Cooperative telling me that she had the first few pounds of asparagus. She asked if she should save it for me...YES! The most tender sweet purple asparagus arrived.

Today was nomadic, not at 1508, a small birthday lunch. Perfect weather made it possible for them to eat in a small city garden. When we arrived grandchildren were decorating for their grandmothers surprise 75th birthday, spring flowers were blooming...

Buffet Birthday Lunch
April 11, 2010

Passing
Carrot Soup
Corncake and Avocado

Buffet
Pacific Halibut with Spring Onions
Morels and Fiddle Head Ferns with Wilted Pea Shoots and Garlic Chives
Roasted Baby Red Ace Beets
Small Yellow Finn Potatoes with Sorrel
Hand Harvested Wild Rice with Wild Cress and Herbs
Purple Asparagus
Shaved French Breakfast Radish with Girasol and Sunflower Sprouts
Spelt Baguettes

Dessert
Chocolate Birthday Cake with Buttercream Icing and Vanilla Ice Cream

Piano at 1508

A week ago we had a piano salon at 1508. The event organized itself somewhat by chance upon meeting a new friend who knew the pianist Sara Danesphour. Sara was looking for a small venue to perform in preparation for a larger concert. We set our front room up with rows of chairs, sent out an invitation and took the first 30 who responded. The audience ranged in age, the youngest being 5 years old. We all sat mesmerized as we listened to Sara...she is amazing. Certainly I had no idea that our piano could sound like that.

We prepared a simple buffet, with spring ingredients, and after the music all enjoyed dinner and conversation.

It was fun. Last month we did a photo opening with Abby Greenawalts images of an artisinal slaughter at Eco Friendly Foods. Recently a Home Restaurant guest told me that he would like to do a magic show at our house! Very much looking forward to that and whatever comes next!

The program from Last Sunday, April 4th:

Sonata no. 7 in D major, op.10 no. 3 Beethoven

Presto
Largo e mesto
Menuetto: Allegro
Rondo: Allegro

Variations on the name ABEGG Schumann

Concert Paraphrase of Rigoletto Liszt

Intermission

Estampes Debussy

Pagodes
Soiree dans Grenade
Jardin sous la pluie

Variations on a theme by Corelli Rachmaninoff

Toccata Prokofiev

Alice Waters support for The Healthy Schools Act

Right now there is burgeoning movement towards incorporating healthy food, gardening and environmental stewardship into the DC Public School curriculum. We have been involved in a few small projects over the years. Currently we are collaborating with new and old friends and colleagues and working on a couple school/ garden /health projects that we hope will be pilot programs that can be replicated throughout the country to holistically improve health of school children (more about all that as the projects develop).

Simultaneously The Healthy Schools Act of DC introduces exciting legislation that contains many important Farm to School initiatives, as well as other initiatives designed to improve the health and well-being of District school children and to “green” District schools.
At the end of last week there was a hearing for the Healthy Schools Act. Alice Waters wrote a statement in support of the act:

For over a decade, I have had the privilege to witness the extraordinary and undeniable effects of an edible education on children. The Edible Schoolyard at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Berkeley runs a teaching garden and kitchen that are integrated into the curriculum of the school. Through the years, we’ve learned an incredible lesson: when children grow it and cook it, they will eat it. And not just eat, but enjoy themselves at the table with their classmates and teachers. Then they graduate, and extend these values about work and the environment into their community and out to the world.

We’re not alone in Berkeley! There are programs all over the country that are working to bring all children into a new relationship with food, and in each case- whether it be in New Orleans or Los Angeles- the resoundingly positive results are the same.

From our experience at the Edible Schoolyard, my colleagues and I now understand the qualities of our program that are key to its success. First, the interaction between the garden and the kitchen is profoundly important. When children see a seed transform from the soil and end up on their plate, they make the connection between nature and their own health. And, as with any case in education, the teaching staff plays a pivotal role. It is essential to have a dedicated garden and kitchen staff, and not just for the ensured maintenance of the land. These teachers connect the subjects the children are taking in school to the garden and kitchen classrooms. They are the stewards of a simultaneous education, one in which the planting of seeds breathes life into the math lesson, or the pounding of wheat enlivens the history class.

The Healthy Schools Act understands the whole vision of schools as guardians of our children’s health. Among other things, it sees that right there, in the middle of every school day, lie time and energy already devoted to the feeding of children. We have the power to turn that daily school lunch from an afterthought into a joyous education, a way of caring for our health, our environment, and our community. When this legislation takes effect in Washington, D.C., it will signal best practices to all of us and pave the way for our nation to follow suit.

Alice Waters
Founder, Chez Panisse Foundation
Owner, Chez Panisse Café and Restaurant
March 26, 2010

Quick trip to Mexico

We got back from a four night trip to Mexico on Wednesday night and dove right into a busy work schedule. Over the weekend we did flowers for a large wedding at the Fairfax Hotel in DC and had a great group at the house for a Home Restaurant.
Before it become too distant a memory I want to share some information and fabulous contacts from our trip...all very highly reccomended.
Flew direct from Dulles to Cancun, rented a car and drove about 2 hours south to Tulum.

Accomodations:
-La Via Laktea,ideal for us, isolated and pristine. Our palapa opened onto the sea, we slept with the sound of the ocean and the hospitable owner served delicious coffee in the morning.
Food:
-Hechizo, outstanding dinner in walking distance from La Via Laktea. The Chef comes to the table and discusses available ingredients and how to prepare them to best meet your desires.
-La Flor de Michoacan, a cafe with the most amazing assortment of house made popsicles I have ever seen including pineapple chili, tamarind, guanabana, rambutan...
-hand-made tortillas with fresh guacamole and habenero salsa, pretty much everywhere
-fresh coconuts, red papaya and mango with lime, chili and salt, all available from street vendors in every small and large town
Activities:
-Sian Ka'an Biosphere, a protected area you cannot enter without a guide...we were lucky to meet Fernando Rosado who shared his extensive knowledge of Sian Ka'an with us. He is happy to set up excursions based on your individual interests, soleil_playe10@hotmail.com. Fernando is an expert on the flora and fauna or the area as well as Mayan culture.
-Coba, rent a bike, get a guide, arrive early before the crowds
-Cinote Dzitnup, beyond refreshing...not over developed...there are many others in the area that I am sure are also fantastic, would like to spend time exploring more!
-Chitzen Itza, go early which might require spending the night in the area, we stayed at Hacienda Chiten, go into the nearby town of Piste for dinner. Try to get a private tour with the older guide named Pedro (I have misplaced his phone number but will add later if I find it...just by asking at the site you could locate him) who is an enthusiastic world traveler, knows Chitzen Itza thoroughly, is obsessed with the Mayans and full of engaging theories about not only the Mayan culture but also world history.

Snapshots

Snapshots from the last few days in and around Sian Ka'an, Mexico...

Bake-In NYC!

A good friend of mine shared this with me. Her good friend Elizabeth Puccini was unwilling to sit idle while the school she sent her young child to, and others throughout the city, were not going to allow home-made foods at school fundraisers and instead encourage the sale of Doritos and Pop Tarts! I wish I could be in New York on Thursday to join. This is the Press Release...

NYCGREENSCHOOLS.ORG
Contact: Elizabeth Puccini Tel: 212-674-7408 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cell Phone: 917-620-5577 MARCH 11, 2010 Email: ecini@yahoo.com
BAKE-IN RALLY AT CITY HALL THURSDAY, MARCH 18TH, 4-6PM To Protest New Chancellor Regulation Banning Home-Baked Foods from School Fundraisers While Allowing Doritos and Pop-Tarts Instead
On February 24, 2010 the Panel for Educational Policy was scheduled to vote on revisions to the Chancellor Regulation A-812 banning home-made foods from school fundraisers while permitting Doritos and Pop-Tarts instead. One mother, Elizabeth Puccini, stayed until 11:35pm to voice her opposition to the Regulation. She warned Chancellor Joel Klein and the members of the Panel that should the revisions pass, they would “incur the anger of many parents.” The Panel voted unanimously in favor of the revisions.
Now Elizabeth Puccini, whose child attends The Children’s Workshop School in the East Village, is organizing with other parents a “Bake-In” down at City Hall in Park Row Plaza (1 Centre Street) on Thursday, March 18th from 4-6pm to let the Chancellor and the Panel members see for themselves parents’ outrage. The rally will have one table featuring the approved DOE food items and another table featuring home-made foods cooked by parents and their children. The ingredients of all the foods will be on display so that the public can decide for themselves which treats are healthier for children. Hundreds of parents from all over the city are expected to turn out.
Council Member Gale A. Brewer will be attending the rally. In 2009, Council Member Brewer introduced Resolution 2300, calling on the Department of Education to amend Chancellor’s Regulation A-812, in order to repeal the City’s ban on the sale of baked goods from schools. Council Member Brewer will be reintroducing this resolution at the March 25, 2010 Stated Council meeting and will be seeking a public hearing on this important issue.
At the bake-in, parents will be echoing Council Member Brewer’s call to repeal the Regulation and to allow home-made cookies and banana bread back in the schools. Parents will also be asking the Chancellor to make parents part of the discussion when it comes to their children’s health. Parents want the Department of Education to understand that they know what’s best for their children, not Pepsi Cola or Kellogg’s, which are the major beneficiaries of the new Regulation. Parents strongly feel that junk food has no place in our public schools and is certainly not the solution to fighting childhood obesity.
Press is invited to attend the rally at 4:30pm when parents and children will be speaking about the harmful consequences of the new Regulation, why bake sales with home-made foods are so critical to preserving music and arts programs during a time of severe budget cuts, and what the Department of Education can do to genuinely improve children’s health.
*******
If you’d like more information about the bake-in or to schedule an interview, please call Elizabeth Puccini at 212-674-7408 or email Elizabeth at ecini@yahoo.com. You can also obtain information about the rally and a copy of the regulation at nycgreenschools.org.

Mid March at 1508

Last night we had a bunch of firsts...all first time Home Restaurant guests, first of the season- shad roe, morels, fiddle head ferns and a sparkling wine that we were the first to serve in the US! Thank you to everyone who joined, we enjoyed your company.

March 13, 2010

Passing

Shad Roe with Mustard, Lemon and Arugula Micro Greens
Salsify with Caramelized Onion
Shiitake and Leek Soup
Arepas with Avocado and Cilantro
Roasted Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Seeds
Roasted Parsnips

Bay Leaf Martini
(Ch. de Roquefort) Cotes de Provence ROSE 'Corail' 2008
wine notes-Corail’ is the domaine’s rosé and it has classic Provencal characteristics: bright strawberry/ raspberry fruit with a lively palate and a clean finish. The wine is made from Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan and Clairette.

Seated

Smoked Chicken Broth with Handmade Noodles and Red Spring Onion

(Tessier) Cheverny Rouge 2007
wine notes-Philippe Tessier started working with his father at a young age and took over the domaine in 1988 when his father retired. Certified organic since 2004, every parcel is harvested by hand and vinified individually, with natural yeasts. Cheverny is in the north central Loire valley, pretty much in the middle of no-where.
The wine is mostly pinot noir with some gamay noir. It is terrific with food. Flavor is tart cherries, plenty of fruit, but not a hint of sweetness.

Black Walnut Toast with salad of Fiddlehead Fern, Black Radish, Sunflower Shoots and Fennel

(Dom. du Bagnol) Cassis Blanc 2007
wine notes-Jean-Louis Genovesi has a jewel of an estate on the French Riviera in the charming town of Cassis. This bold white wine is a blend of Marsanne (50%), Clairette (35%) and Ugni Blanc(15%). Another great versatile wine to pair with food.

Braised Short Ribs with Morels, Small Potato, Baby Carrot, Baby Beet and Pea Shoots

(Ch. Les Valentines) Cotes du Provence Rouge "Le Punition" 2007
wine notes-This winery was begun by Gilles and Pascale Pons-Massenot in 1997. They sold their graphic design firm in Paris to move to Provence and work with the land. They wanted to begin making wine immediately, so purchased a 100 year old estate (gorgeous land!), whose previous owners always sold the grapes to the local co-op. When the Pons bought the 10 hectare (24.7 acres) of vineyards, there was no winemaking facility. They built a modern winery, and called the domaine Les Valentines after their children, Valentin and Clémentine. They now have 23 ha (ca. 57 acres) of vineyards in AOC Côtes de Provence on clay silex soils. The soil is worked mechanically (no synthetic chemicals are used, the fertilizer being Alpine sheep dung!) and the harvest is by hand.
This wine is about equal parts Mourvedre, Syrah, Cab Sauv, Carignan and Grenache.

Winnimere Cheese and Olive Oil Cracker

Avocado Lime Ice
(Grange Tiphaine) Nouveau Nez - Pet'nat Montlouis 2008
wine notes-Damien Delecheneau is a young enthusiast who is doing precision work at his family's Domaine just outside of medieval Amboise in the Montlouis appellation, having taken over from his father in 2002. 'Everything comes from the vines,' ... he explained his philosophy of careful triage (4 times through the vineyard before the vintage) - using the best quality grapes so as to not have to touch the wine - no yeast, no enzymes, never chapitalized (meaning no sugar added).
This sparkling wine, from Montlouis, across the river from Vouvray, is all chenin blanc. Last night was the first time it was served in the US!

Chocolate Biscotti Tart with Coconut Cream, Fresh Oranges and Vin Santo

Cookies
Lavender Oatmeal, Pistachio Cardamon and Bay Leaf Vanilla

sowing the first outdoor seeds of the season

I did not plan to plant this week...but, the seductively beautiful weather and the promise of rain towards the end of the week caused a change in plans.

Monday we planted our first seeds of the season outside. We planted a bunch of greens including: Magenta Spreen, a few varieties of spinach, arugula, curly red mustard greens, endive and cress. We also put in a bunch of peas, snow peas and sugar snap peas.

Prior to planting we turned the cover crop that we planted in the fall back into the soil. We also amended the soil with our own compost and worm castings. We grow a lot in our small space and the soil needs to be fed to keep the plants growing.

Today we decided that we are going to give a significant amount of space to sorrel this year. Every year we grow more sorrel and we never have enough. But for now we have to pause for a moment, it will be a few weeks before we see sprouts and at least that long until we can plant additional seeds that require warmer night time temperatures to germinate.

Abby Greenawalt's Photos of Eco Friendly Foods Beef Harvest

These were the ten photos of Abby's that we displayed at 1508 on March 4th, 2010.

Bev Eggleston, of Eco Friendly Foods, encourages visitors. He claims one of the major problems, as it pertains to our food system, is lack of transparency. Bev maintains, “that if large slaughterhouse practices aren’t witnessed, then they sure shouldn’t be eaten”. We were privileged to observe a ‘slaughter day’, where six cows were harvested for food.

Photographer Abby Greenawalt traveled with us to document the process. We observed cows being killed for food, the artisan approach of hands on animals and the give and take of life in the production of food. Abby’s images stand in contrast to the usual slaughterhouse pictures that depict systematic factory food processing.

Last Night, Abby's Photos of Eco Friendly Food Havest at 1508

At 1508 last night we exhibited 10 photos that Abby Greenawalt took of an Artisinal Beef Slaughter at Eco Friendly Foods. A diverse and engaged group attended.

This project is very meaningful to us. Through pollution and the use of antibiotics the present corporate factory farming system effects all of us whether or not we choose to eat meat. Lots of people are aware there is a problem but few offer solutions. Eco Friendly Foods is an exception. Their small slaughterhouse model could be duplicated to provide healthful and affordable meat in place of the present predominant factory farm. Bev of Eco Friendly Foods says that part of this model requires transparency of the process so consumers can know what they are ingesting. We were fortunate enough to witness the harvest first hand and our hope is that these photos can share what we witnessed.

We are committed to this sharing of information and discussion. We are fortunate that Bev is doing the work he is doing and we have access to the product of his labor.

March at Wollam Gardens

Pulsatilla Flowers

Bob Wollam from Wollam Gardens stopped by this afternoon with a variety of beautiful flowers and branches he had grown.

He delivered beautiful curly willow that I plan to use to cover the poles on a chuppah for a March wedding and gifted me all sorts of beautiful and interesting flowers and foliage...a delicate spray variety of pussy willow, some almond branches that should bloom shortly, a fat variety of pussy willow, the most beautiful tall lavender colored sweet pea, an orange ranunculus (hopiong these will be available for my wedding in a couple weeks) and two pulsatillas also known as pasque flowers that I have seen before and Bob is growing for the first time this year.

In addition to what he brought the farm is bursting with early season offerings including faciated willow, anemone and calancho. I am so happy to have local flowers again after missing them for the last few months.

This month he will be planting temptress poppies, stock, sweet peas, freesia, lilies, delphinium, snaps and queen annes lace. All of these flowers can be planted in unheated areas with just row covers to protect them until it gets a bit warmer. Bob promised to bring me some of the fabric for row covers so I can start planting salad greens under them right now.

He said the first heavy snow in December collapsed 2 temporary hoop houses because it fell so quickly and was so heavy. But the later big snow actually has been helpful. The snow acts as an insulator almost like a big blanket keeping what it is underneath it at a steady 32 degrees even if the air temperature falls way below freezing. I also learned that snow is full of nitrogen and therefore acts as a natural fertilizer.

Many of the flowers he has planted especially peonies and other tubers need the cold in order to develop properly...on the other hand if the temperature of the soil goes below 20 degrees many crops will be damaged. Extreme cold uses lots of energy which is both expensive and wasteful. With the cold temperatures lately the snow has helped with keeping some things warm and it has not been necessary to use as much energy as it otherwise would have been.

In the next week or so he expects Dutch iris and freesia to be available.

Tonight I am enjoying my two pulsatilla flowers. Sounds like he will have something new every week and he will be bringing it to sell at the Dupont Fresh Farm Market.

March Events at 1508

We have a few upcoming events this month…
This Thursday, March 4th we are having an Open House, Abby Greenawalt's photos of a Beef Harvest at Eco Friendly Foods will be on display. Please join us for some food, wine and discussion…
Thursday March 4, 7:00 – 9:00, 1508 6th Street, NW

March Home Restaurant Dates are Saturday March 13 and Saturday March 27

Ingredients:
We continue to get excellent produce from Path Valley Cooperative including lots of greens like pea shoots, red rib dandelion, red kale…a large variety of beets and carrots, celeriac, parsnips, black salsify…Local Rockfish is still available through the end of March… we are looking forward to some early spring lamb, John has been making smoked chicken broth on the wood burning grillery with chickens from Eco Friendly Foods, we recently discovered an amazing American Cheese that is only available now through early spring called Winnimere from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont…

For those of you who have not joined us before:
We start with passing food and cocktails and then move to the dinner table for several courses with wines picked for each. Tom a wine importer with an incredible cellar helps us pick wines to go with each individual course to complement the food.

Reservations: sidraforman@gmail.com
Please share this email with any potentially interested diners. You can also choose a night of your own (other than the ones mentioned above) if you have a group of 10 or more. We can seat 20 for a seated dinner and can accommodate more for a non seated event.

Please advise if you have any food restrictions, vegetarians are more than welcome!

We rely heavily on farmers, a wine importer and other purveyors that we have worked with for years to source ingredients. This time of year we supplement our supplies with some herbs from our winter garden and micro greens we are growing inside. We are committed to using best food practices.

Sidra,
sidrapractice.com
sidraforman.com

Rich Vegetable Broth

Making my third consecutive batch of vegetable broth over the last week or so...
We have been enjoying it many different ways sipping it out of cups, combined with pasta, brown rice, barley, vegetables, white beans and last night with matzo balls.
There is no set recipe for making this broth and each time I make it I use different ingredients...

The broth I made tonight helped me clean out my refrigerator and included:

2 parsnips sliced in half long ways
3 salsify sliced in half long ways
1 carrots sliced in half long ways
1 beet sliced in quarters
4 shallots sliced in half
1 onion sliced in quarters
2 fingerling sweet potato sliced in half long ways
1 potato sliced in quarters
3 cloves garlic sliced in half
about 1 tablespoon fresh ginger very roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a very low simmer for about three or four hours until the broth is very flavorful. A shorter cooking time will produce a lighter broth a longer cooking time will result in a very rich tasting broth. Lately I have been in the mood for a dark rich broth but both are good...after cooking strain out the solids and season with salt and pepper. You could freeze it or use it to cook with...but lately I have sipped on it for most lunches and dinners and then have gone ahead and made a new batch.

Re-Posting, Transparent Food

We are preparing for a Photo Exhibit at 1508 6th Street, Thursday March the 4th. Looking forward to displaying Abby Greenawalts images of an artisinal beef harvest at Eco Friendly Foods. We wrote this post upon returning from our trip this summer to Eco Friendly Foods.

photo by John Cochran

Bev Eggleston of Eco Friendly Foods is all about Transparency. How many owners of a Beef, Pork AND Chicken processing plant will invite a couple of eco-minded (one of us vegan) chefs and a professional photographer to witness the harvesting of beef, to witness the “Humane Killing” of six cows?

Agriculture and the notion of harvesting food are all about us as we drive through the southwestern part of Virginia. We drive three and a half hours to Eco-Friendly. We drive past pastures of grazing Cows. We drive past large signs that invite us to pick our own blackberries. The anxious anticipation of not knowing how I will react to watching an animal be killed bouncing off the knowledge of harvesting food. I want to experience, as best as possible, the in between spaces of where food comes from. As Bev says, “from the farm gate to the plate”…I have no idea what to expect…

Our friend and outstanding photographer, Abby Greenawalt drove up the night before to get accustomed to the facilities, meet the animals and have dinner with Bev in his environment. Abby’s portraits are amazing. Her ability to capture an instant of another human being while bringing out their personality is acute. She always seems open, with out an ounce of cynicism–obviously the key to her portraits. I don’t think she–or us, are prepared for what we are about to witness.

We enter the plant while Abby and Bev are closing a 30-foot tall sliding door behind them. We get a glimpse of two large white and red carcasses stripped naked and hanging from the ceiling. Bev greets us with hugs. There is a serene, earnest feeling–very sincere from both of them. They do not take lightly, what they have just witnessed.

Bev is adamant about the need for transparency and what drives him as much as anything is a ‘clean food movement’? In fact, the movement hinges on getting the word out. What Bev has created is an independently owned, marketed, non-subsidized, multi-species processing plant that services a consortium of farmers within a four or five-hour drive. Bev services Washington DC as well as New York City. Chefs and restaurateurs like Dan Barber and Danny Meyers all deal with Bev. We know the product is good! What most don’t know is, Bev was a vegetarian before he decided to venture into farming as well as producing meat and poultry.

We are standing in the future retail space of the Eco Friendly operation as Bev explains that he wants to walk us backward through the process. That is to say from the vacuum packed meat to the live animal in the yard. There is kitchen equipment around, a six burner Vulcan, a double stack Blodgett convection oven, a couple of steam kettles…The kitchen is unfinished, as is the retail space, however the familiarity of equipment we know and have used sets us at ease. Bev feels us out, as I said before he takes none of this lightly–there is an ultimate respect for life and in that he has no use for shock or gratuitous gestures of provocation. We feel we are in good hands, in the hands of a professor–a teacher who is about to share a truth–a fact with us that we already know but have never really experienced.

We walk into a cold room the size of the first floor of an average home. Here we meet Adam, a bearded twenty–something intern from Louisiana, who works at a nearby chicken farm. He is here to experience the other side of farming–the processing. Adam along with at least six other workers is vigilantly boning chickens and vacuum sealing them. Everyone including us is wearing white lab coats and hairnets. The coats have an Eco-Friendly patch on them and everyone is required to wear one along with a hairnet. There is a full time USDA inspector on premise and NO regulation is taken flippantly.

Davide stands no more than five foot tall; he pokes his head through the large doors where we first caught a glimpse of the naked carcasses. He motions to Bev and shouts a few words in Spanish. Bev motions to us and we are moving through what seems to be the chicken processing room into what we are assuming is the harvesting room.

One of the reasons Bev is a pioneer in his field is his ability to process multi-species. He runs a small operation where pipes, tables, meat hooks are all portable, changeable and easy to sanitize. His staff is beyond reproach, as they are able to move from cleaning chicken in the morning while cows are being killed to butchering pork in the afternoon. No large processing plant can be this versatile. The factories that turn over large quantities are highly mechanized and leave behind Bev’s greatest maxim: plain old’ sense will out perform standard conventional thinking almost all the time.

We enter the harvesting room and immediately feel a temperature change, from cold to warm. My camera lens fogs over as we huddle in a far corner. Davide points a stun gun down into a chute. We hear no sound. We barely made it in to the room to see the animal standing and now he is laying on the floor convulsing. Bev checks his eyes. If his eyes do not react, the animal is out. As calm as the animal stood in the pen is as wild as his body kicks without consciousness.

Bev’s story is one of a vegetarian who thought there had to be a way to kill with dignity, a way of allowing animals into the food chain with the same dignity and respect that goes into the preparing of meals. Bev operates similar to a chef that does everything by hand. It is in this way that the killing is done, is done with care for the life given. His respect for the animal begins in his own farmyard and carries all the through to the final product.

The animal is hung through the Achilles heels, on meat hooks that are on a rolling pulley like system. Blood pours out of the neck. The gorgeous brown fur of the cow glistens in the fluorescent lighting of a room with ceilings high enough to hang a two thousand pound animal. Davide and his partner meticulously begin to skin the carcass. Brown turns to bright red and white as the skin comes off in what seems like the ease of peeling an orange. I see the muscles still twitching. The head comes off and the inspector checks the lymph nodes. The inspector declares the animal healthy and it is at this point that I realize that at no time during this process have I thought about death or illness.

‘Clean Food’ is a political issue for Bev as much as anything. Our food supply is at stake. It is an issue of Health Care, National Security, Energy, Environment , Economy… all of which have been deeply impacted by not respecting life cycles and not allowing the natural ebbs and flows that contribute, strengthen us both figuratively and literally…

We strip off the lab coats to go outside. We wait as Bev heads into the yard to retrieve a cow. We watch as Bev holds his hands up to the animal and does reiki on the cow. Bev puts the animal at ease, it is important to Bev. The animal walks up the chute seemingly anxiousless, without excitement...

Bev is at the Dupont Farmers Market every Sunday.

Home Restaurants, February 13 and 14

Saturday and Sunday nights we had two memorable dinners. As always it is the guests that make the night. Saturday we had a great mix of old and new Home Restaurant diners all of who seemed to relish the idea of a night out after all the snow. The mood was joyful.

On Sunday night, Valentines Day we had been full for several weeks...however the snow resulted in lots of the diners not being able to make it and we ended up filling up at the last minute with reservations, some of which were not made until the morning of. In deference to Valentines Day we did not do our usual communal table but instead had a cocktail hour with everyone and then sat individual parties separately. It was fun to change up the way we normally do things. Some of the parties of two were sat at long tables with large flower arrangements in the middle to create two private seating areas...one of the tables ended up moving the large flower arrangement separating them from their table mates and became their own small dinner party. Another couple brought a bottle of Sauternes to share with everyone at the end of the meal...

John came up with the idea of serving two different main courses so every other person at the table had a different main. As we served the food we suggested that everyone could either eat what was in front of them or share with the person next to them...both nights everyone seemed to enjoy it and we look forward to trying this and other variations on this idea again. Tom who is our wine guy brilliantly paired the two mains with a white and a red from the same vineyard of the same year to compliment each of the mains.

Late afternoon before the Saturday dinner Martin-Lane and I walked down to Cowgirl Creamery our source for cheese. We have tasted and served many of the fantastic cheeses that they have available...we asked one of the cheesemongers we know if there was anything in particular that they would suggest..without hesitation they gave us a taste of Winnimere that had just arrived and they said would not be around for long. The cheese is a spectacular soft washed rind raw cows milk cheese from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont. It is unique in that it is made with a thistle rennet and from my experience completely different from any domestic cheese I have ever tasted. It was a great addition to the dinner.

The weekend was exactly what we like about the Home Restaurant...each one is unique, there is a feeling of community and the atmosphere allows for fluidity and always trying something new.

The menu was the similar both nights...

Passing
White Bean Soup
Cabbage and Ginger
Beets with Pumpkin Seeds
Turnip with Caramelized Onion
Cured Rockfish with Fennel
Mashed Potato Cake with Arugula Sprouts

Bay Leaf Lime Martini
(Schleret) Sylvaner Alsace 2006

Seated
Smoked Chicken Soup with Avocado, Shiitake and Rosemary
Whole Grain Rosemary Bread
(Olivier Morin) Chitry Blanc 2007

Sweet Potato and Leek Arepa with Black Walnuts and Cilantro
Friday night, (La Sauvageon) Cot. du Languedoc "Les Ruffes" 2008 Saturday night, (Giraudon) Chitry Bourgogne, 2008
Every Other Main…
Beef Strip Loin with Parsnips, Pea Shoots and Red Wine Garlic Sauce
Salty Spelt Bread
(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cotes du Jura Rouge 2005

and

Seared Sea Scallop with Vanilla, Girasol, Carrots, Dandelion Greens and Lemon
(Caves Jean Bourdy) Cotes du Jura Blanc (Chardonnay) 2005

Winnimere by Jasper Hill Farm with Walnut Cracker
Friday night, (Mauro Molino) Barolo, Gallinotto 2004
Saturday night, (La Sauvageon) Cot. du Languedoc "Les Ruffes" 2008

Black Truffle Rice Pudding with Orange
(Tissot) Cremant du Jura, Brut NV

Warm Banana Pear Crumble with Chocolate Sorbet and Cocoa Nibs

Cookies
Soft Gingerbread with Lemon Glaze
Pistachio Cardomom
Chocolate Chocolate Chip
Friday night, (Buccia Nera) Vin Santo dell'Etruria Cent 2004
Saturday night, (Chateau Rabaud-Promis) Sauternes 2003

Goodie Bags
Warm Sesame Bread
Friday night, Rosemary Walnut Biscotti
Saturday night, Spicy Heart Beet Sugar Cookies

Invite, Open House 1508

Open House
Thursday March 4th
1508 6th Street NW
photos by Abby Greenawalt
Beef Harvesting at Eco Friendly Foods.

These photos offer a glimpse into an artisinal meat processing operation–very different from the corporate plants that process most of our beef today. As Small Farms struggle to get clean healthy food to us, Eco Friendly Foods offers a bridge for Farmers and Chefs

Bev, the owner of Eco Friendly Foods will be at our home to discuss his work
Abby will join to discuss her work as well

We have done some writing about this subject...you can access it via these links:
Transparent-Food
Grassroots, Eco Friendly Foods
Photo Exhibit

Thursday March 4, 7:00-9:00 pm
1508 6th Street, NW

Hope you can join,
sidra
sidrapractice.com
sidraforman.com

Snocream--the Video

Lots of snow...all weekend events called off. Time to make snocream, go on cross country ski excursion, catch up on work and enjoy some movies.
Watch our video...try some snocream

Flower Samples

The day before the snow, which seems like a long time ago at this point... I did sample centerpiece arrangements for a bride who is getting married in March.

I like doing samples...it ensures that my clients and I are thinking the same thing. I think the main reason I like doing flowers for events and weddings specifically is the collaboration...This is the way it typically goes...After preliminary contact with a new client which is often via email we often have a phone conversation. During the conversation we talk about broad ideas, venues and general scope of the event. After the initial conversation we usually set up an in person meeting. I always ask for clients to bring or send in advance any images of flowers that they like or do not like...important images are ones that have an element that is appealing, color, feeling, specific flowers...or on the other hand something that they want to stay away from...for example "this arrangement is too uptight" or "I dont like the way those spikey things stick out of the bouquet"...Other helpful images are of the wedding dress if it is a wedding and tablecloth samples if they have been picked.

If I have enough information in advance I gather photos of arrangements that have elements that I think would work for the event we are planning, images of specific flowers that I suggest using based on color, season and overall mood of the event. I often pull up images of or actual containers that we could use for centerpieces.

At the meeting we go through specifics like how many arrangements, if it is a wedding the vision of the spot where vows will be exchanged and I ask for a few words to describe the feeling of the event. With flowers seasonality is important so for example if all the images that appeal are of peonies but the event is scheduled for September we talk about how to get a full lush flower feeling using hydrangea, dahlias or some other flowers....This is the fun part...we talk about ideas and together figure out how to create an overall feeling. We also talk about budget. With flowers, unlike other elements of an event, more is usually better...however if budget is an issue we discuss how to get the most flower impact within the given budget.

This can be anywhere from a week before the event to more than a year before the event. If there is a long time before the event I request that the client continues to forward me images so I can keep them in a file in case there is a shift in vision. For large events I always try to schedule a time to do a sample arrangement. Often this can be done in conjunction with a catering tasting so we can actually look at the flowers with linens, plates...or choose these elements with the flowers there to help inform the decision. If any adjustments are necessary this is the time to make them.

A few weeks before the event we have a final meeting on the phone or in person to confirm time line as well as other details.

Path Valley Annual Growers Meeting

We always are asked where we got our produce...especially this time of year. The Amish cooperative in Pennsylvania, Path Valley, is our primary source for produce throughout the year. We have been working with them since they were first established about 15 years ago. We were lucky enough to visit a few of the farms the summer before last.

The way it works is that Katie who manages the cooperative gets a projected availability list from the various members of the cooperative and passes it on to chefs in the DC area. We order from the list and then Gordon who has been driving for the cooperative since it started delivers with 2 young Amish helpers once or twice a week depending on the season. Stan a resident of the valley has the job of picking up produce from the various farms the afternoon before the DC delivery. Two young Amish women work at the dock sorting the various orders. Katie comes by late in the day to help sort out the inevitable problems. The work on the dock starts at noon and in the summer when the orders are large and the produce is plentiful they often work until midnight.

As you can imagine the coordination to get crops to be consecutively available throughout the year with many different farms is complicated. I talked with Katie tonight and she told me all about the annual growers meeting last week that is essential in the process. The planning begins around Christmas time when growers fill out a form committing to what crops they are going to grow, which varieties and how much they plan to produce per week for how many weeks. Katie takes all this information and this year with a lot of help from one of the growers wives consolidated it. After that there is a board meeting where 4 growers and Katie meet to assess the projections and figure out if there is enough, too much or the correct amount of individual items.

This information and the financial report of the previous year make up the content of the annual growing meeting which can last from 6-9 hours. She said that both the husband and wife from each cooperative farm attend. There is excitement surrounding the event. The farmers do not get out often. Outings consist of church visits every other week, weddings in the fall, a couple school events per year, a couple quiltings each winter and about 2 trips a year to a large store such as Walmart to buy the relatively few items that they do not produce at home. The growing meeting is an event and a rare one in that couples attend without their children and spend the day together. Most arrive with a picnic lunch and in addition the host family usually make a large stew. This year the hosts made venison stew with venison bologna. Throughout the day some additional snacks are served and there is a constant supply of highly sweetened mint tea that is made from dried fresh mint that is plentiful in the valley.

Katie says the atmosphere is friendly and lively. There is sharing of seed catalogs. Favorite catalogs include Johnnys, Baker Creek, E & R (no website) and Seed Savers. There is one copy of the large version of the Seed Savers Catalog that the members share.

Jake the largest producer of beets and carrots in the cooperative is moving to Wisconsin so the crops he has grown in the past were divided between farmers who already are producing those crops. Issac is a grower who sticks with all different varieties of potatoes. When asked if he wanted to try something new this year he declined. However there is another family that always anxiously listens to suggestions and plants large crops of new items at the slightest suggestion…last year it was cipolline onions this year it was red shallots. Between all of the member farmers nearly every crop and variety of crop that can be grown in the climate is grown…but new this coming season will be cornichons (which were a test crop last year, cardoons (which were not successful in the past), yacons (which have not been grown in the valley for a couple of years) and a new variety of strawberries which will produce fruit into October.

The meeting can also yield information. For example this year the main producer of Russian Banana Fingerling Potatoes had a crop failure and they have not been available since November. When this was mentioned at the meeting another grower offered 700 pounds that he had available for sale. He intended to grow the potatoes just for his household but had, had an unexpected high yield.

There was celebration this year because despite the economy the Cooperative had their best year ever. The cooperative invested in a new cooler at the loading dock and have already been able to pay off the loan that they took out in the spring.

This time of year we are enjoying Path Valley root vegetables, greens, black walnuts…we eagerly anticipate the spring crops!

Happy Birthday Derrick!

Saturday night we hosted a birthday party for Derrick. We first met Derrick when he was 15 years old. He worked with us in the kitchen of our restaurant Rupperts through high school until he went away to college. After college he returned to DC and since then we have worked with him on a variety of projects...he turned 30 last week. Derrick is not the only person we work with regularly that we have known with for about the same amount of time...JT, Todd and several of the farmers have been friends for awhile. Each is essential in contributing while simultaneously making our practice both fluid and fun. Despite the snow and fairly treacherous roads pretty much everyone showed up. There was a great group of people including parents, relatives, new and old friends. George Burton, A fantastic piano player from New York, came down and played a soothing quiet style of jazz that set the tone for the night.

This was also the first time since we have started doing Home Restaurants that we had a group mingling about, coming and going and casually eating all night long. Usually here at 1508 we do seated dinners, but after Saturday we are certain that the venue works for other types of gatherings as well. The next one we have scheduled will be a photography exhibition of Abby Greenawalts Photos. The photos document the artisanal harvesting of animals at Eco Friendly Foods. The event will be open to all and more details will follow shortly.

Saturday night Derrick chose the menu...He wanted everything to be finger food...easy, casual and accessible:

Chicken and Sweet Potato Salad
Beef Strip Loin on Roasted Potato
Grilled Shrimp
Cabot Clothbound Cheese
Carrot Dip
White Bean and Chervil Dip
Spelt Baguettes

Salty Rosemary Walnut Biscotti
Lavander Oatmeal Cookies

and the Birthday Cake,
Soft Gingerbread with Lemon Curd and Walnut Brittle