All ingredients need salt.

"All ingredients need salt. The noodle or tender spring pea would be narcissistic to imagine it already contained within its cell walls all the perfection it would ever need. We seem, too, to fear that we are failures at being tender and springy if we need to be seasoned. It's not so: it doesn't reflect badly on pea or person that either needs help to be most itself."

-Tamar Adler from An Everlasting Meal

Inspiration

"A significant part of the pleasure of eating is in one's accurate consciousness of the lives and the world from which food comes."

-Wendell Berry

One of my favorite flowers- the Cauliflower!

Alright, so I know it is late in the season and local cauliflower is hard to come by, but for some reason I have been thinking a lot about cauliflower lately.  For one thing, how can something seemingly devoid of color be so good for you?  But, according to Self Magazine's NutritionData page, cauliflower is:

  'very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Potassium and Manganese'.  

Protein? Hello there!

Also, you know how Tim Vidra is always trying to get us to eat the leaves of the vegetables we love?  Well, you can, and should eat cauliflower leaves too.  I taught a class of culinary students from the Chesterfield Tech center at the garden this season, and one of our projects was harvesting cauliflower.  They were amazed by the giant leaves, and took some back to school to see if they could make something good from them.  I heard later that they sauteed them with garlic, pine nuts and raisins, and that they also made pesto out of them!  Sounds crazy, but the teacher said it was really great.  The greens look like collards, so just fix 'em up like you would other greens.

Another interesting thing about cauliflower is that exposure to the sun turns the inner part purple!  Many farmers tie the leaves above the florets to shield them and prevent this from happening.  I got a glimpse of the purple color in the Community Kitchen Garden this season.   It is really kind of beautiful!

The cauliflower on the top had been covered and the one on the bottom had not.  See the purple showing through?

And then there is the question of how to cook your cauliflower florets. Last night, I got a voicemail message from my brother Alex who lives in Austin.  He had just harvested the cauliflower from his garden, and he said, "I didn't know what to do with it, so I roasted it!"  That sounds like a plan to me.  In fact, every time I encounter a vegetable for the first time, I roast it!  Always sweet, always flavorful, all veggies taste fantastic after roasting.  Here is a tutorial on roasting all kinds- from broccoli to squash to cauliflower.  Enjoy!

Food for Dogs

Meet Clyde.

Clyde is a five and a half year old lab/ mystery dog mix, and perhaps the greatest dog ever. We met when he was about 6 months old.  He had run away and was sent to the pound (I think) because he looked like a full grown pit bull.  Well, he just kept growing, and is now about twice the size as when we first met.

He was a picky eater when I first knew him, which meant hours in the dog food aisle for me.  I was uncomfortable with a lot of the ingredients in those dry foods, but I had to go home with something for him to eat.  I wound up with some pretty crazy things- I remember one had a lot of avocados in it.  There was also a vegetarian one, and one with vitamin bits in it.  I felt like I was being taken- why was I paying so much and thinking so much about what amounted to cereal?  Plus, who wants to spend that much time in the dog food aisle?

Anyway, all of that label reading has paid off, 'cause now I make a lot of Clyde's food.  Yes, that is right.  I cook for him.  But you know, what matters in the food system matters to and for everything that eats.  When you think about it that way, it is kind of crazy that manufactured pet food is the norm!  It is not a big deal to make his food anyway.  Basically, I take the ingredients I saw on the bags of dried dog food, and apply it to whole food.  Most of the time I make it in the rice cooker, so it is really easy.  The bulk of the food is some grain (brown rice or oats), veggies and fruit pulp left over from the juicer (no waste!) or grated fresh, and some protein (egg, liver, kidney, yogurt or cottage cheese, even tofu).  He gets peanut butter in his kong ('cause he loves it) and treats from the farmers market.  I wind up spending the same or less than the fancy dried food I was relying on before.

I do keep some dried food around for those days I don't have enough time to cook.  But nothing makes that boy happier than some real home cookin'.  And nothing makes me happier than giving him something that makes him happy and healthy.

'Atta boy!

A Year of Trying Something New

From The Tricycle Gardens Urban Farm Event.  We'd never cooked for someone else's event, and I don't much like getting my pic. taken, but that night was so much fun! 

In September of 2010  I launched a tiny yet highly rewarding  project. The goal: to try two new things each week, record them and when possible read up about them. Also, if I was experimenting with something new in the kitchen to note it, and jot my recipe down. My little notebook is now completely full. Looking back on it has turned out to be a wonderful reminder of all the past year had to offer as well as  things I've already forgotten but loved and need to revisit.  It has also proven to be an interesting account of how my own tastes have changed just in the last year alone.  When I first looked back over my notebook this past fall I realized I'd been re-wired.  I'm much more likely now to go with the unknown, like Acupuncture Happy Hour, The Listening Lounge, Farm to Family in Mechanicsville, or try that new author, restaurant, album, technique, or even just a new way home. As I've found, venturing to try one new thing often leads to a whole long list of new experiences.

Here is my original post... and below that is a short list of some of my absolute favorite foodie finds from my year of something new. 

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Time To Try Something New

One of the great things about the local foods movement is that it pushes you to break old habits, mix up your routine and try new things. That certainly was the case for me. I eat, shop, cook, and think about food differently. I have met a host of great new people, made new friends, and visited great places I would have never thought to go.
That said, most of us are creatures of habit, and I am one shining example! Three years into my own local food adventure I had once again falling into a fairly entrenched routine. I go to the same market nearly every single week, to the point of having never made it several of our areas other markets this summer. Once at the market I make a bee line for my same four or five favorite vendors each week. This is my grocery shopping and I'm getting it done. I've even fallen away quite a bit from trying out new things there.
Same market, same foods, most often with the same preparation. Thank goodness for seasonality or that old trap of eating way too much of just a handful of food would have had me for sure.
Well a few weeks ago, with October rolling in I gave myself a pinch. I promised myself that I would start exploring again, not just the markets, but all the great stuff around me that I'm taking for granted.
I set a very easy goal. All I need to do is try two new things a week. They could be foods, music, restaurants, places, authors, recipes etc. Sometimes life can seem exhaustingly busy. When money, time, and energy is limited, I know it's easier to go for the safety of the well tested track, but I've found the smallest effort has lead to great rewards. Whether I like each thing or not, half of the fun is just in the mini- adventure of discovery. I've found a really affordable wine that I love, a mouth watering wheel of cheese that required 15 minutes of perilous dirt road driving to get, and I found out that I really like the Chicken of the Woods Mushroom.
On this weeks list... Kohlrabi, and the Lion's Mane mushroom to name two. Happy Discovering!

Lion's Mane Mushrooms with butter and parm. over pasta with Rockfish

I tried that Lion's Mane mushroom, but the Kohlrabi had to wait till spring.

 Some of these "new" things are embaressingly simple and familiar to many people.  Some I had tried before, but never consciously.  I had perhaps never really given some of these their due attention.  With so many great things out there It was hard to narrow it down to so few.  These tend to be the ones that were not only fabulous, but changed my viewpoint to boot. Oh, and that Gouda mentioned above goes without saying!

1. From Thanksgiving 2010 : Smoked Salmon (and smoked trout):  I had always avoided this one, and really it just hadn't been put in front of me all that often.  I owe my lovely first taste to my friends the Foxes.  It was wild sockeye salmon with crackers, cream cheese, and horseradish etc. It was perfect.  Shortly after this I was invited to dinner at another friends house.  The starter, their own salmon catch from a yearly trip to Michigan smoked for them by a specialty smoker up there.  Now I was hooked, and was ordering salmon here and there, once over corn and chive pancakes. I learned that it's not always so good, and I'm grateful to my good friends for providing me such a fabulous first bite.  

2. From an early December 2010 Christmas Party; Latkas with Applesauce: Somehow I just never wanted applesauce on my potatoes.  My entry note from this one says simply "Hey, its Good!"  Thanks, Vanessa.

3. Early December 2010; Red Zinfandel: Okay, I'm sure I'd tried this one before somewhere along the way, but I'd never really paid attention to it, to it's flavor, its alcohol content (!), where it comes from and why.  I went on a Red Zin tear that winter. A big California grape, I discovered my favorites tended to have an alcohol content of around 15.5%.  At a Red Zinfandel tasting it was explained to me that the Red Zin grapes are larger with a higher flesh to skin ratio producing more sugars than some other grapes.  Thus to get a non-sweet Zin. the alcohol content is rather high. Watch out. 

4. From December 2010 and 2011: Fruit Cake:  Again... really, this seems impossible given my time here on earth. Yet, if I had tried it before it must have been decades ago, and a less than positive experience.  I owe my new found love of fruit cake to my mother-in-law whose amazing three year long liquor basting process has shown me the light. Delicate, soft, and moist her fruit cake is a fine example of why this stuff is still served up in millions of homes despite the intensely bad rap this traditional treat has received.

5. From January of 2011:  Apropos coffee, and Aziza's Cream Puff:  So here again is something about which I had sadly been mislead.  Somewhere, or some-wheres in my past I had sampled a thing called a cream puff.  They were always about the size of a ping pong ball and tasted like gritty sugar.  I bet the last one I'd tried was early high school.  I began to read the reviews of Aziza's and this amazing cream puff.  The size of a grapefruit, it's made of light flaky pastry,  filled with a dense silky whipped cream and topped with chocolate.  Not a huge fan of sweets generally, I've made the trek back there multiple times since and tried several other wonderful treats there... but along side some of their savory delights it's that cream puff that keeps bringing me back.

6.From January 2011: A Weekend Morning Cappuccino: Perfection on a lazy morning. I'd long ago (by which I mean a solid 15 years) given up on heading out to the coffee shop on a weekend morning, and I used to manage one.  A single Sunday morning visit to Lamplighter for a meeting with a good friend reminded me of how valuable that supposedly unproductive indulgence can be.  Not to mention the coffee and sandwiches are amazing. Another of my favorite spots for a cappuccino and amazing hot sandwich is Cafe' Espresso in the near westend.  The atmosphere here is really up my alley with a warm and inviting at home feel that includes a large "Take a book, Return one Later" honor system bookshelf filled with books that run the gamut from new bestsellers, to the classics.

7. February 2011; Rancho Gordo and the value of "fresh" dried beans: A big thanks to Erin for this one.  A revelation.  All dried beans are not equal.  After seeing, and trying their beautiful heirloom beans I became a complete convert.  The only hitch, the price.  That said, it inspired me to grow and save my own. These tender and delicious beans totally changed my perspective on the subject.

8. From March 2011; Seeing Gary Naban Speak: You may know him from his works such as 'Renewing America's Food Traditions,' or 'Coming Home to Eat.'  His book 'Why Some Like it Hot' was a turning point for me. Seeing him speak for his more recent book 'Chasing Chilies' was an experience largely filled with the amazing congregation of people who cared enough to be there.  I got to meet so many interesting people including Tanya Denckla of 'The A to Z  Guide to Growing Organic Food.'  This talk was part of the outstanding lecture series held at UVA at their School of Architecture.

And great stuff like this dinner held in honor. I was not there but check out the sources. 

9. From May of 2011; Kohlrabi: After years of just laziness I finally tried the stuff.  Delicious raw, and roasted, it's incredibly fresh tasting and versatile. 

10. From August 2011; Ellwood Thompsons Cheese Tasting: For $5 a person we sat in the closed to the public Ellwood's cafe, and sampled several Virginia cheeses served on at a time with an appropriate cracker or bread along with information on the process, farm, and parings. Sorry to see it go. The attached link will take you to their well- done listing of local cheeses and meats carried in their "Indulge" department.

Super foodie paradise: Abingdon, VA

Until this weekend, I had no idea that Abingdon, Virginia was such a foodie paradise- my version of a foodie paradise anyway. I am so inspired by the work going on there, that I have to recount to you the most perfect (and unbelievably packed) day, a.k.a. last Saturday.

Brother Al and his lady Miranda were on the east coast for Thanksgiving. They traditionally come to Abingdon to visit Miranda's parents and I could not pass up the chance to see them! So I hightailed it down for Thanksgiving, arriving just in time for the cooking festivities.

Now, Thanksgiving was great- such wonderful food and company. (I even got to fulfill one of my nerdiest foodie dreams- to try Susan Stamburg's cranberry relish!) But, lest this winds up being a tale a la Alice's Restaurant, I need to jump ahead and tell you about what happened on Saturday.

The day began with a trip to the Abingdon Farmer's Market, which was surprisingly busy for the weekend after the eating marathon (or was that just us?) I walked away with a couple of bottles of viognier from Abingdon Vineyard and Winery, a local food guide, and a market cookbook.

The folks at Moyer Family Farm showed off the largest radishes I'd ever seen- a hardy black variety and one that looks like a heart!

We also ran into ladies from Healthy Families ~Healthy Farms who generously talked with me about their project getting fresh food to food pantries- something I hope to work on in RVA next year.

When we left the market, we headed over to the Abingdon Olive Oil Company, where we were free to taste as many oils from all over the world as we wanted- plus flavored vinegars! The staff answered all of our novice questions with such grace. After much internal wrestling, I wound up with a hojiblanca olive oil from Spain and an 18 year old balsamic vinegar. I haven't bought balsamic vinegar in years, but this was sweet and thick, much more interesting than I remembered. We felt like it would be fantastic on ice cream- that is how thick and sweet it is!

Alex and Miranda's mom, Judith, outside of the Abingdon Olive Oil Company.

Then, of course, it was time to eat again. And you know what restaurant is right outside of Abingdon? Barbara Kingsolver's family restaurant, the Harvest Table. That's right...

Alex and Miranda outside of the Harvest Table.

What a warm place! The Harvest Table calls itself 'the most dedicated farm to table restaurant in Southwestern Virginia'. With most ingredients sourced locally, they keep to a very simple menu, sandwiches and pizza for lunch, and seasonal specials for supper.

When faced with the option of pizza or no pizza, I always go with pizza...

Yes, that is a glass of Barboursville Rosé beside this gorgeous salad/ pizza combo. So perfect!

We had heard that Tony Flaccavento was planting garlic, and after we finished eating, we headed over to his farm to see if we could help. Yes, I was wearing a dress and had already had my fair share of rosé, but I have probably gardened in fancier shape than that, so I was in. Turns out, Tony was done planting, which we really didn't mind because he was then able to talk with us about his good work.

Tony founded Appalachian Sustainable Development, (an amazing organization- how does RVA not have something like this?) and is now consulting on food system development all over Virginia. He and his wife Laurel also run Abingdon Organics, a 7 acre certified organic farm, which is where we found him on Saturday. Abingdon Organics is one of the most popular stands at the farmer's market, with individual customers and local chefs alike standing in line for the beauty of his well grown produce. I can see why- Tony's clear vision of what the food system could be is one of the most inspiring I have ever heard. (They take interns btw...)

Alas, we headed home- probably to eat again. Thank goodness for Thanksgiving, and for leftovers, and for kind and adventurous souls. Many, many thanks to Craig and Judith, Alex and Miranda for such an amazing visit. Abingdon, I hope to see you again soon!

Move Over Big Cheese

I love cheese. Maybe too much. No, not too much, but maybe too often. In a honest moment with myself the other day I realized that cheese had become my go-to snack food. I don't make super-cheesy meals, but when I need a quick breakfast or snack...I go for the cheese. And, let's face it, it is usually cheese + a hot/slightly warmed carbohydrate.

What's wrong with cheese as a snack? Nothing. Nothing, I say! Well, except for one thing: giving cheese - or any one food type - so much airtime in my diet isn't best for me. I am missing out on so many other delicious snacks and opportunities for vitamins and nutrients. I am not looking to remove cheese from my diet. Rather, I am trying to reserve this favorite treat for moments when nothing else will do (as opposed to every time my tummy grumbles). So, over the last week I have been searching for and finding cheese-alternatives that pack a similar punch to cheese. It has been fun! I will continue to share under this idea as I discover yummy options, but here are my findings so far.

Example du jour! Roasted Garlic Spread on whole grain bread! Roasted garlic is SO easy. You can prepare and store in the fridge for use through out the week. As we know, garlic is super good for you. But, you don't have to take it from me, the New York Times says so, too. Or how about tahini!? Made from sesame seeds - this paste can offer you a fatty flavor (in a good way) that we get from cheese. Like garlic, tahini is good for you. I like to combine tahini with lemon juice with a touch of salt on salads or sandwiches. Or, try my sister's cabbage chips - nom, nom! She's the photographer of the photo to the left.

There are so many easy go-tos. Avocados with a dash of lime and hot sauce. Freshly ground peanut butter with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of honey. How about crusty bread with olive oil paste? Hmm, how about a bowl of arugula with a simple dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper? I love raw honey with a piece of dark chocolate for a sweet snack.

So, again, cheese will continue to be a part of my life. But, there are a lot of options that are so beautifully simple and, just maybe, even better for me. I will continue to explore, but please let me know if you have a favorite go-to healthy snack!

Grateful

It's usually my annual thanksgiving duty to make the apple pie. The tradition started with plain apple and has evolved into something closer to what Erin wrote about earlier this week.

So the whole pie thing started with my Grandmother Mimi- who on thanksgiving morning, ice water at the ready, would patiently wait for me to wake up so she could make the crust. I'd stumble downstairs in my pj's rubbing my eyes and she'd be there waiting for me mise en place at the ready. I’d start in on the apples and we’d watch the parade and she’d teach me all the secrets of pie crust over again every year. The tradition was not lost with her passing, although it has evolved with the addition of sour cream one year and trials with various apple varieties. It always comes back to the old standby recipe from a crusty half charred copy of the original Betty Crocker (it actually has the electrical coil char marks etched into the back) and lately I've thrown in an additional handful of cranberries and ginger as well, decidedly delicious. I can't help but think Mimi would be rather proud of my innovations over the years.

So, in the tradition of a dear friend who spends every week of her year feeling grateful.

This year I'm feeling grateful for the traditions that bring me back to the past.

For the traditions we continue to rewrite as we bring them into the present and the future.

For my husband who knows all the secrets of the pie crust like it's second nature.

For a growing family who will write their own traditions, whether you are ready or not.

And for friendships that inspire us to take charge of our own new traditions.

Hope you are all finding and adapting your own traditions on this day.

Happy Thanksgiving

The Healing Properties of a Well-Stocked Pantry

My poor Mom had an emergency appendectomy on Monday. It was sudden and, from what I can tell, pretty darn painful. I left town on Tuesday to help care for her and lift her spirits. My Mom is a Nurse Practitioner and an amazing care-giver. Her style of care-giving is comforting to the core. She has a way that acknowledges your discomfort and addresses the issue so you feel safe and warm. As I've stepped into the care-giver role as an adult I hope to parrot what I've learned from her.

So, as I arrived to my folks' house, I immediately checked the pantry. I blurted out, "I will heal you with food!" My Dad chuckled. And you know what? As goofy as that sounds, I really meant it. I believed if I fed Mom good food, whole food, she'd feel better. Well, if nothing else, the house would smell nice.

For the last three days I've been cooking from Mom's pantry. I've not gone to the store once and I've made three yummy dinners:

1. Tomato soup with grilled-cheese on whole-grain bread
2. Spicy garlic pasta with spinach, tomatoes, and cannellini beans
3. Udon noodles with Asian greens and tofu

Now, I don't know if it is the food or modern medicine (ok, maybe both), but she is better. I loved that I could just reach into the pantry and find good food, whole foods. I didn't have to run out to the store to do it!

How do you keep your pantry well-stocked? Sometimes when I grocery shop, I take my favorite cookbook to the store. In the front section of the book you will often find that the author will give you tips for creating a well-stocked pantry. My go-to is always a Moosewood cookbook. Make a list, it will help you stayed focused. Now, I am off to make Casey/Ned's popovers!

Thank you to my sister, Vanessa Rees, for the photograph!!

Hey Richmond, you just keep getting better

One of the hard things about moving back to the place where you grew up is that you sometimes feel a little sensitive about it. I definitely didn't grow up expecting to be back in Richmond as an adult. And yet, Richmond keeps ticking my boxes. Granted my parents, brother, and sister are all here, making it a place I will not leave anytime soon. But, there are so many amazing things happening here right now, I find myself laughing a bit when my friends from here (who don't live here anymore) list the reasons they would NEVER move back. I remember those reasons. But, things have changed for me a bit.

In fact, as I began writing what I thought would be a very simple post, I realized it needed to be much longer. So I will share with you the one event that got me started and then I will publish a longer post next week with all the reasons Richmond is where I eat (and live!) these days!

The event* that started it all is being put on by a bunch of awesome women out in the woods of Amelia. Basically, these ladies are taking the first weekend of December (Friday, December 2nd - Sunday, December 4th) and turning it into an amazing opportunity to learn, share, and (of course!) EAT! There will be massage, yoga, meditation, plant identification, and much more.

THIS is what is so great about Richmond. People coming together with a bunch of different skills and finding a way to share them. It kind of reminds me of Richmond Food Collective, to be honest. Minus the mad massage skills!

Anyway, to find out more about this event (proper name: Wellness in the Woods) check out the website here. And check out my post next week for a much longer list of the reasons Richmond is the right place for me right about now.

Also, any other great events that you and/or your friends are putting on? I know that Wellness in th Woods is only one of many!!

P.S. A friend suggested that we celebrate the famed shopping day(day after Thanksgiving) by doing all our shopping at local businesses and allI could think was "that would be so easy here!" I'm gonna do it, except since I don'tplan on shopping that Friday, I will just commit to doing the bulk of myholiday gift shopping locally. More on how that goes to come!

Richmond image found here.
*Obviously, since I know these people, I am biased . . . due to their awesomeness.

The Test of Time

Time... It keeps on ticking. The world keeps turning. The seasons change. The sun rises and sets again... and finite time means making choices. I have so many interests, and yet perhaps my energy runs out before the clock. Infinite hopes and finite time and energy is a phrase I once wrote to a friend to describe a certain state of mind that starts leading you to a place where you're trying so hard it can feel like you're hitting a wall. You can be so busy pushing forward you're unable to go with the flow, and sometimes that's the best way to be moved further along.

Inspiration can come from the most unlikely and seemingly simple task.

One small and silly example I have can been taken from the notably non-food related photos in this post. One of my "maybe I should just give that up" moments was a couple of weekends ago when I realized it was time to make a choice about bringing in the houseplants. This year I thought perhaps I should just let 'em go. They take up time, and space, there's all that re-potting and some leaf dropping. I have so much outdoor gardening... In the end I chose the plants. It took a few hours to scrub the pots and trays, replace the soil, wash the plants, and find each one a good indoor home. Shortly after getting them in I stopped struck by how lovely the light looked shining through the plants in the dining room window. I felt lifted and thought of how much I will appreciate these beauties come winter... Make time for something you love or would just love to try.

If you're reading this blog, perhaps something you'd like to do is dedicate more time to creating a garden, preserving or making your own food, trying new foods, visiting a farmers market or making a day trip out to that orchard or farm you've wanted to check out. It can feel like it's about doing more, and making life more hectic than it already is. Really, its about slowing down and giving some time and attention to things things we often ignore. The rewards are quite often surprising.

Looking for Local or Seasonal Choices for Event?

A few months back I did a post on my wedding in Richmond and how I tried to focus on local options. If you are stumped about local options, give us a shout. The RFC is always millin' about town eating, reading, tasting, cooking, and such to find and share the local options we love.

Shoot us an e-mail if you have questions about local options. We loved to hear from you as well; please tell us about your finds!

Also, we are in process of updating our resource list available on this site. So, if you don't see something you are looking for, please let us know. We just did honey and will let you know as other options are updated. Enjoy this beautiful day!

From left to right: Erin, Cat, Casey, Shannon, and Rachel
Photo by Vanessa Rees

Cookbook Love: Heidi Swanson

Okay so maybe I have a problem with cookbooks. I openly admit it, but in the spirit of sharing all things good, I can't possible say enough about Heidi Swanson of Super Natural Cooking and Super Natural Every Day. You may also know her from the fabulous blog 101 Cookbooks (she obviously has her own issues... maybe this is why I love her?)

Now to be honest about my cookbook library, some books in my collection get more use than others. Some are treasured for their beautiful photography and others are staples falling apart at the seams from overuse, and others are just gathering dust (but I just can't seem to part with them.)

But Heidi is all about good whole food ingredients, a lot of which I usually have on hand, so I tend to reach for her books all the time. One of our favorites are her Otsu Noodles, soba noodles with a ginger sauce made at my house with baby onions from the garden and Twin Oaks Tofu (read more about our great visit to Twin Oaks here.) Also in her second book Super Natural Every Day she does a special take on these noodles with a black sesame sauce which we recently fell for. (This one with its rich black suace would also make a perfect Halloween dinner party main course.)

Also we love her Grain-ola, Rustic Cabbage Soup, Hedgehog Potatoes, Kale salad with toasted coconut and Oatcakes (which are like granola in muffin form and great for a quick breakfast.)

So if you don't know Heidi you should, and if you do what are your favorites?

I Love Lucy to Modern Family: Renovating a Cape Kitchen

My husband and I have a small cape on the Northside of town. He found this buggy for sale and upon first visitation, I leaned over and whispered, "Are you mad at me?" As a first time homebuyer, the wallpaper and orange cabinets seemed to be too much to conquer. But, Rob was right: this house had potential. Over time we've been chipping away at the 1940s style kitchen, making something that fits us and our life.

Busy wallpaper and dark cabinets - eep!

The kitchen was small (!) and separated from the larger more formal dining room, which is typical of traditional capes. The kitchen even had a built-in ironing board and the original stove. This push button relic took ages to boil water and half the kitchen space.

Check out the space between the eyes!

For the plug-in appliances, like a percolator!

When we moved in the first thing we did was to pull down the wallpaper (Mom helped, she was such a trooper). But, underneath the wallpaper was more wallpaper and rough plaster.

'Alo, patches!

I'm not gonna lie. Our kitchen looked like this for a while, I mean a while. I preferred it to the wallpaper, but clearly something needed to be done. Then, like magic, we found the energy to do this....

But, we still had two more opponents!

The wall separating the kitchen from the rest of the house and the linoleum flooring.

Ehh...this was going to harder than we thought.

Make that WAY harder than we thought.

Heavy machinery was required.

The wall came down.

Holy smokes! The house felt twice as big!

But, the floors were still a little busted.

One of Rob's dearest friends re-did our hardwood floors.

Here we are enjoy the new flooring with a glass of wine.

We still have more to do, but the hard work has made our small kitchen fit our lifestyle...lots of cooking and entertaining. The greatest pay-off is the integration of the cooking space and the living room. We put our farmhouse dining table in the front of the house, and the couch in near the kitchen. This layout allows us to enjoy our company and cook at the same time. Life is good.

Peach Frozen Yogurt

Before peach season is over (sadness!) I wanted to share this recipe for peach frozen yogurt with you, but not before I tell you my tale of woe on how it came about.

I wanted to take something special over to my dad's house for Sunday supper last weekend, and I knew if I made a pie, I would still need to make ice cream. (You cannot have pie without ice cream!) In either case, I had the peaches, but needed needed cream.

I adore Homestead Creamery milk and cream. I haven't seen the cream around lately, but the sign is still out on the Kroger shelf, so I hadn't given up hope that one day I'd catch it. Not this time, however. There was no big brand organic cream available either, so I stopped a manager, who thought that the HC cream might have been discontinued. NOOO! (I am planning on calling the HC to see what is up- will let you know what I find out.)

Anyway, I will admit to not being willing to buy regular heavy cream, so I headed to another store. (I never do that, but I was feeling kind of compulsive about my ice cream idea.) Alas, there was no organic cream at Martin's that day either! So, my eye wandered to the yogurt, and I decided to try my hand at frozen yogurt.

So here you go- it went well, though I think that maybe I could have used a tad more Pernod. Swap Pernod with vanilla, or almond- or nothing. Straight up peach- yum!

But oh, lovely grocery stores, please bring back the cream!

Peach Frozen Yogurt

Makes one quart

• 5 peaches, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped (I used a mix of yellow and white)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 TBS Pernod

Bring to a simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until peaches are soft.

Add:

• 1/2 Cup honey
• pinch of salt

Let cool.

• blend with 1 cup of whole milk yogurt

Freeze in ice cream maker.

Enjoy!

To Richmond With Love: A Local Wedding

In thinking about community and food, it is not long before my thoughts turn to my own wedding. Though my husband and I met in my hometown (Blacksburg, VA), we built our lives together in Richmond and married here. Our wedding was a celebration of our life, and Richmond was a key part of the equation. We wanted show off our city!

But, only three years ago creating a local wedding was a challenge. I’d say seasonal and local and someone would hand me an asparagus (it was an October wedding). People talk about fighting with family over wedding plans; I didn’t have one fight with a family member over my wedding. Instead, initially, I fought with vendors.

You see, the local option isn’t necessarily in the “package” or pricing structure used by wedding vendors. But, with the internet, an amazing Mom, and the seeds of a locally-focused Richmond already established, I found my way to locally owned and operated businesses that understood my vision. What follows are locally-sourced highlights from our wedding.

Each of these vendors helped make our day beautiful, the local way. These folks were dialed and we remain appreciative of what they did for us. Ricepaper Photography snapped these lovely shots of the local vendors and products we used. So, Richmond, this is to say, we think you're pretty great. Thanks for everything.

We were married at the Poe Museum with a

pre-ceremony cocktail hour prepared by Mosaic Catering.

Rob's suit was purchased at Franco's.

My dress was purchased locally, but not from a locally owned business.

Our flowers were from Amelia County.

That's my baby brother.

We had a local string trio play at the ceremony.

Our rings were made at Dransfield.

That's my Dad in the center; he married us.

Instead of party favors, we hired a local artist to do silhouettes of our guests.

Overwhelmed by the idea of a wedding cake, we said yes to cannolis from 8 1/2. I mean, right?!

Our reception was held at the Old City Bar which is in walking distance from the Poe Museum, in fact we walked there. Dinner highlight for me was the Virginia rockfish and local wine.

We left the Old City Bar and stayed the night at the Museum District B & B. The host served us breakfast goodies from Can Can.