Raspberry Dreams

One of my most favorite things to do over the summer is to make jam. I grew up in a family where fruits and vegetables are always taking up a huge portion of our meals -- salads, fruit salads, baked vegetable tians, pies, and more -- and, during the summer, most of these fruits and vegetables either came from our garden (green beans, zucchini, broccoli, lettuce, strawberries, raspberries, peppers, tomatoes, blueberries) or the local farmstand (more beans, corn, lettuce, fava beans, potatoes, more tomatoes). There is absolutely nothing more delightful than sweet sugar snap peas off the vine, picking haricot verts (one in the pail, one in my mouth!) or sun-warmed cherry tomatoes off the vine (I have made a meal of it!). Before we planted our own blueberry bushes a couple of years ago, we would drive to a nearby stand (literally a table by the road, with a coffee can for the money!) and pick up a couple of pints of berries. We always had to pick up an extra, since my sisters and I would often polish off one pint during the 10 minute drive home!

A couple of years ago, I got sick of all the Smucker's jam we would use for peanut butter and jam on toast for breakfast (I like the raspberry-ness, but it's too darn SWEET!), and didn't like the local raspberry jam made nearby. Why not make some?

Having the time to pick my own raspberries and make a bunch of batches of jam has been high (if not #1) on my to do list this summer. Typically, I'll make two batches - although it is hardly enough to last my whole family through the year. Nothing tastes as good as homemade jam -- it captures the light, bright juciness of the berries, warm off the plant, so we can enjoy year round. This year, I want to make four batches -- plenty to give away, plenty for us to last us until next June or August.

The most important step of jam-making, I think, is selecting the fruit. I always opt to pick my own berries -- whether it be raspberries or blueberries -- rather than purchasing them already picked. My favorite place for blueberries is either Jones Family Farm, in Shelton, CT or Boughs & Berry Farm, in Little Compton, RI.

I didn't really have a raspberry place (until yesterday), as I'd pick and save berries from my family's yard, and our neighbors. However, I visited 4 Town Farm in Seekonk, MA yesterday and was utterly delighted by the offerings -- and the big, fat, juicy yet firm raspberries they had! In just an hour, I picked ten pints all for myself -- and my jam project. I highly recommend visiting the farm and market, whether you want to pick berries, or simply pick up some greens and tomatoes for dinner. So much to offer, so good tasting -- and easy on the wallet!

I've already made two batches of jam (see my posting for raspberry jam) -- and can not wait to go back and pick more berries, maybe even get some local peaches to make peach jelly. Stay tuned!

A sweet sip to go along with a setting summer sun

Last fall, I visited Grgich Hills out in CA for a wine tasting and tour. Very much disappointed with the windowless room (I felt trapped in a basement) with tons of people around (I was a tourist, too -- but not as crazy as most the others!), I have kind of stayed away from their wines.

However -- earlier this summer, I had an opportunity to taste their Fume Blanc wine at a local restaurant. Why not, I thought?

I was utterly delighted -- and surprised! Having discovered sweet, dry wines earlier this year when travelling to Miraval over the Christmas holidays (yes, I was detoxing at a spa...and yes, still drinking, albeit in moderation!), I've been tracking some of my new favorites -- including Chateau Ste. Michelle's Columbia Valley riesling. I'm happy to say that Grgich's Fume Blanc is a new favorite, and a pleasant summer sip.

My time and place of choice? Sunset, sitting out on the lawn, overlooking the sea.

Weekend Project II

August is here, and summer has finally arrived! This week, we hope to see temperatures consistently in the mid-80's. I mean, not complaining, but what is a summer without hot sunny days?

One of my favorite morning treats on a hot summer day is iced coffee. Once I started working in the real-world, I started regularly drinking coffee in the morning. Nearly five years later, my morning is not complete without some java. Winter drink of choice? A homemade large 2% cappucchino. My summer drink of choice? An iced coffee, without the strength compromised.

Easy you may think - brew coffee, and put in fridge - right? Wrong! I like to cold-brew my coffee.

A couple of years ago, the New York Times published a recipe for cold-brewed iced coffee. It's less acidic than brewed coffee, and I think a smoother taste. Cold brewed coffee also produces a concentrate - so you can water it down and make it hot, or "water" it down with milk. Your choice!

It's super easy to make:

1 1/2 cups water (you can double, triple...make five or six times as much!)

1/3 c medium grind coffee

Large container (preferably with spout for easy pouring).

Sieve

Gold coffee filter

Pitcher

Mix together coffee and water in a large container. Let sit at room temperature for 24 hours or so. Pour the coffee and grinds through sieve, discarding solids. Rinse container and refilter with gold coffee filter (you can repeat if you wish - it will remain a bit cloudy - totally okay!). Mix with water and/or milk as you wish and enjoy.

Coastal Granola!

I love granola.

Many granolas are cloyingly sweet and full of fats. They might not be crispy enough or fruity enough or nutty enough for your liking. It's a perfect meal in one - protein and fats (nuts), whole grains (oats), and fruits (whatever sweet treat the blend has). I've hiked my way through Switzerland with a custom nut-fruit-chocolate blend of granola. Granola is also my go-to, get-home-late-from-work-and-don't-want- (or too tipsy and tired from happy hour) to-cook-dinner snack. In a bowl with milk, or over yogurt - or alone - you can't go wrong!

These days, however, many granolas are cloyingly sweet and full of fats. They might not be crispy enough or fruity enough for my liking. I'm a huge fan of Bear Naked granola, but I haven't had any since mid-May. My granola pangs came back this past week in full force, however, my family this summer has moved on (or won't give in to their granola cravings). I could not stop thinking about my two favorite kinds: 1) Kingslake and Crane - I used to get this at Maya's To Go in St Barths; 2) the homemade granola from fellow Martha-alum John Barricelli's SoNo Baking Company (maybe he'll divulge the recipe in his new cookbook coming out in March!). Both are crispy, toasty, with a touch of sweetness - and lots of fruit and nuts.

What is a girl to do? Create her own, of course! Working off of my favorite flavors, and some hand-me-down recipes, I developed the one below. Lo and behold, it reminds me a lot of those favorites above - perfection!

My Coastal Granola

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup walnuts

1 cup almonds * can choose others you wish – good: cashews, brazil nuts, pecans

1 cup angelflake coconut

Optional – flaxseed (1/4 cup)

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1/2 cup raw honey

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup dried cherries ** can also use raisins, apricots, etc

Preheat oven to 350. Combine oats, nuts, and coconut in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine oil and honey with 2 tablespoons of warm water. Stir to combine. Pour liquids into the dry ingredients and toss to coat. Pour onto silpat lined cookie sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes (note sides will turn golden first) until evenly golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. Once cool, toss with fruit and store/freeze.

And the fog keeps rolling in...

Ever since graduating from college in '05, I have not had a week off between the months of April and November to spend at my family's summer home in coastal Rhode Island. I learned quickly on those weekend trips from New York that summer isn't a summer without Rhode Island.

This year, I have decided to take the summer "off" to play. My family went on a large trip to Italy in June that I didn't want to miss (details to come!) for 3 weeks, and I knew I would be going back to school in September (French Culinary Institute in NYC!). I wasn't sure if future summers would give me an opportunity to spend a large chunk of time Rhode Island, so here I am playing!

The past couple of weeks have been perfect - sunny days for runs or bike rides to Horseneck, sailing on the pond, lots of picking fruits and vegetables for lunches and dinners. However, it has been an odd summer, too. We had a cooler than normal spring and beginning of the summer - that means certain plants are blooming later than usual (no complaints - I usually miss the rhodedendrons blooming...but I caught the tail end this year). I've noticed that the corn and raspberry crops are "ready" later than usual, too. And, unfortunately, many local farmers have been hit hard with Late Blight on their tomatoes and potatoes - the same fungus that caused the Great Potato Famine of 1850's. Read these articles from the 17th and today to learn more.

The neverending fog that we've been experiencing this week is direct evidence that we're all out of whack. It's incredibly humid and what appears to be foggy - though it is most often a thick marine layer. Yesterday, the marine layer burned off and blew in...but today it is sticking.

In past summers, I've welcomed these foggy days. They're perfect for long bike rides and picking fruit and veggies in the fields. This year, however, it has already been so moist, and days like this aren't helping the molds and fungus that are so abundant this year.

Now that it is nearly the first week of August, many families are in the area to vacation for the month. Young kids and fog are only fun for so long. I ask you, readers, what foggy/cool day activities do you enjoy most - or recall from your childhoods? Here is a sampling of what I've been up to - and what I want to do!

Foggy day activities:

Picking raspberries, beans, and zucchini

Cleaning off sailboats and kayaks

Long walks with the dogs (in the field, and on the beach)

Re-teaching one how to knit

Finish needlepoint projects

Curling up with a book and reading

Baking - coffee cakes, cookies, tarts

Cleaning and organizing

Food shopping - farmers markets and Whole Foods in Providence

Activities still to do:

Go through photographs and fill picture frames with them

Fix broken jewelry and re-string others

Keep cooking and baking

Trip to Newport

Shopping in Boston

More raspberry picking

Make jam with the raspberries

More reading

My Sunday Sweet Treat

I was home, exhausted, this past Sunday and craving fresh baked cookies. Alas, it was only me and since I'm trying to stay away from sweets these days, I didn't need a full batch lying around!

Solution? A small batch of cakey, tender cookies. I was inspired a bit by the classic Toll House recipe, as well as Martha Stewart's Soft Chocolate Chip cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies for One

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

6 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

4 tablespoons sour cream

1 heaping cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together dry ingredients. Beat butter and sugars in mixer on high speed for five minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce to low, and add flour and sour cream, alternating. Remove from mixer and fold in chocolate chips.

Drop onto silpat covered baking sheet by heaping tablespoon and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

My favorite way to enjoy these? With Whole Foods' Hot Fudge and The Daily Scoop's ice cream (any vanilla/coconut/coffee flavor!)....yum!!!

Tired? Healthy Dinner Solution from the Garden!

Feeling tired at 6pm from busy days in the sun? Have nothing for dinner? Here is a relatively quick and healthy solution for that dinner crisis. Swiss Chard Tart with Pine Nut and Currant Gremolata - from Suzanne Goin's Sunday Suppers at Lucques. The combination of swiss chard, pine nuts and currants is a classic Sicilian combination -- and one of my favorites. This dish combines creamy and tangy goat cheese with the sweetness of the currants and toasted nuts. Coupled with a salad, it makes my favorite kind of summer meal.

Swiss Chard Tart

1 sheet of 8x12" puff pastry (I prefer Dufour over Pepperidge Farms)

2 egg yolks

1 large bunch swiss chard, cleaned and ribs removed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c sliced shallots (I also use yellow onion, chopped well)

1 tsp thyme leaves

1/2 c whole milk ricotta

1/4 c creme fraiche

6 oz semi aged goat cheese (I have also used the Coach Farm logs...)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Defrost the pastry until it is soft enough to unroll onto a silpat lined cookie sheet. With a paring knife, score a 1/4" border around the edge of the pastry. Make and egg wash with 1 egg yolk and a 1/2 tsp water. Whisk together and brush along the scored edge. Chill until ready to use.

Slice the chard into 1" slices. Heat a large saute pan over med-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, shallots, and thyme. Saute a minute and then add half the swiss chard. Cook until wilted, then add the second batch of greens and season with salt and pepper. Cook until wilted and let cool.

Place the ricotta, remaining egg yolk, and 1 tbsp olive oil in a food processor (I also use an immersion blender and a deep container) til smooth. Fold in creme fraiche and season to taste.

Spread the ricotta on the pastry inside the border. Crumble 1/2 the goat cheese on top, then spread the swiss chard. Top with more goat cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Be sure to check the bottom of the tart - cooked but not soggy!

Cool slightly, and slice into squares with a pizza cutter. Serve with the relish and enjoy!

Currant Pine Nut Relish

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 sprig rosemary

3/4 cup finely diced red onion

1/3 cup dried currants

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Salt and pepper

Toast the pine nuts til their golden brown. Heat a small saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes, then turn down the heat, adding the oil and rosemary. When they start sizzling, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Turn the heat to low and let the onions stew til tender. Transfer to cool and discard the rosemary. Save the pan

While the onion is cooking, place the currants in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 10 minutes.

Add the vinegar to the pan the onions were in and reduce over medium heat until it is about a tablespoon (depending on the kind of balsamic you use - really watch until syrupy). Add to the onion mixture. Add the nuts, currants, and parsley to the onions and combine. Taste for seasoning and serve with the tart.