The Bucolic Plague

Fantastic and fun book!  Even for those of you that don't daydream of quitting your job, buying a farm, raising goats, and planting an heirloom garden (like me!), this is a really funny and convincingly honest story of two city boys and their aspirations of becoming Martha-worthy gentlemen farmers.

So what did I learn from this book:
1. LOVE everything on Their Website
2. Realized there's no way I could ever work as hard as a country farmer
3. Complain less about how much work our balcony garden takes
4. Convinced me not to raise goats or chickens anymore (unless I make enough money to hire someone to take care of them)
5. And it's not that I didn't appreciate and respect my in-law's expansive mountain home in the first place, but I cannot imagine managing all that land, tending the garden, chopping firewood, growing mushrooms, tapping maple trees, and all the other chores that come with living in the country.  Whew!

So only a few days away from the 2nd Annual Merschat Family Garden Party & Bonfire, I would highly recommend picking up this hilarious reality check!  I give it an 8 out of 10.

Balcony Garden Update

Michael and I are so proud of our little flourishing garden this year!  As you can see above, our herb table is doing fantastic and even attracting some hummingbirds and butterflies!

The other side of the balcony is doing equally as good!  One big accomplishment this year has been our basil.  I read online that you should plant your basil with your tomatoes because they compliment each other.  At first I was worried that they would crowd one another and the basil would lose out on water and sunshine once the tomatoes got bigger... but au contraire... they are both growing SPLENDIDLY!

The sweet basil in the foreground is growing as tall as I've ever seen it... and we've even made 2 batches of pesto already!  We also planted globe basil and Thai basil and they are flourishing as well.  And the tomatoes are popping out too!

If you recall, my "experiment" plant this year was Chinese eggplant.  I planted it with the hot pepper plants (something I also read online) and they all seem to be doing well.  The eggplant's got half a dozen beautiful purple flowers and a glimpse of a baby eggplant already!

Our nasturtium is doing well, but I've only gotten one flower.  I moved it to a less sunny spot so I hope that gives me some more flowers as the season progresses.  The foliage is gorgeous and I can't wait to use it in a salad soon.

We haven't gotten any strawberries yet, but the dill and parsley have been put to good use in some of Michael's fish recipes lately.  

And I'm also happy to say that we've spotted our first raspberry too!

So with our flourishing garden, I will soon post some recipes that utilize our harvest!  Fortunately for my tummy (but unfortunately for my blogging), Michael has been in LOVE with the cookbook For Cod and Country and has been making the most delicious meals but I cannot just cut-and-paste the recipes since they aren't posted online.  But don't worry, I'll write them out so stay tuned... Recipes to come!

And one more thing... I need to brag that the African Violet that I propagated from a single leaf last year has finally flowered.  The little things just make me so happy!

The Forgotten Garden

After reading this delightful book, I not only want to vacation in Australia and Cornwall but I also want to finally start a genealogy project!  Morton's beautiful descriptions of the gardens also spoke to my spring fever and I long for my very own secret garden to tend to... but our balcony will just have to do for now.

Although it's a daunting 560 pages, it's a quick read and never boring.  The mystery spans generations from the turn-of-the-century to present day and reinforces the bonds of friends, family, and romance. 

Quick and easy feel-good novel with well-developed characters and a neat, happy ending.  I'm giving it an 8 out of 10 and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Pistachio Baklava

Last weekend, we had a Food & Wine vs. Saveur potluck dinner with our good friends Mary and Riz (and their darling 1 1/2-year-old, future sous-chef, Rami).  The theme was middle eastern and it was DELICIOUS!

When I told Mary that I would be attempting a baklava recipe, she responded...

Baklava???? Are you kidding me? You are so ambitious!

So to quell any rumors that this is an ambitious recipe, I'm posting it and hope everyone tries this wonderful and rather simple recipe.  It's worth it!  Thanks Food & Wine... AGAIN!

INGREDIENTS
1 pound shelled unsalted pistachios (about 3 1/3 cups)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 sticks ( 1/2 pound) unsalted butter, melted
12 sheets of phyllo dough (about 1/2 pound)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish. In a food processor, pulse the pistachios with 1/2 cup of the sugar just until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in half the butter.

Stack the phyllo sheets and cut them in half crosswise. Set a half sheet of phyllo in the prepared baking dish and brush lightly with some of the remaining melted butter. Repeat with 11 more half sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet; don't worry if the pastry tears a little. Cover the remaining phyllo with a towel.

Spread the pistachio mixture evenly on the phyllo in the baking dish. Top with the remaining phyllo sheets, buttering each sheet as above. Drizzle any remaining butter over the top. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal slices 1 1/2 inches apart all the way through the baklava; slice similarly in the opposite direction to make a diamond pattern. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until evenly browned on top.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the remaining 1 cup of sugar with the water and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve; remove from the heat. Stir in the honey and cinnamon. Pour the syrup evenly over the baklava and let cool completely before serving.

MAKE AHEAD The baklava can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Spring Garden... FINALLY!

This year, our herb table includes chives, rosemary, sage, lavender, tarragon, savory, nasturtium, thyme, oregano, and mint.

For the bigger plants, we decided to make the recycled-material self-irrigating planter (SIP) since it worked so well last year!

And Michael helped me finish up our balcony garden while I was out of town this past weekend... isn't he thoughtful!?!

Strawberries, flat-leaf parsley, dill, and oregano.

Raspberries.

Yellow pear tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and two types of basil.

Early girl tomatoes and more basil.

Chinese eggplant, hot peppers, and thyme.

And out bay leaf survived the winter and has started to sprout again!  Yay!

I love spring!

Lake Tahoe

Sorry for the lack of posts in the last couple weeks!  I just got back from a beautiful weekend in Lake Tahoe for Ming-Cee's bachelorette party.  The theme was Sunshine & Shananigans... but Mother Nature turned it into Snowflakes & Shananigans.

Needless to say, we didn't unpack our bikinis but the beautiful ladies were troopers and we had a fantastic time.  It's hard not to have fun in GORGEOUS Lake Tahoe snow or shine...

Flank Steak with Gorgonzola-Roasted Mushrooms and Onions

I'm not a big steak eater... but this is a nice treat when you're craving red meat.  Michael tops the steak with an easy Gorgonzola-Roasted Mushrooms and Onion topping and it makes it look and taste so gourmet!

We served it with a side of zuchini and quinoa.  This whole meal goes along with our favorite theme: quick, easy, and delicious.

Gorgonzola-Roasted Mushrooms and Onions

INGREDIENTS

3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 red onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves

3 ounces Gorgonzola Dolce, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 425°. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the mushrooms and onions with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, until tender, tossing once.  (You can do the steak while this is roasting)

Sprinkle the vegetables with the thyme and toss. Sprinkle with the Gorgonzola and roast for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Transfer to plates and serve.

Grilled Balsamic and Garlic Flank Steak
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
One 2 1/2-pound flank steak
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a blender, combine the vinegar, oil, garlic and thyme and puree until smooth. In a large glass or ceramic dish, pour the marinade over the steak. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Heat a grill pan (or pizza stone like we do). Season the steak with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until medium, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a board and let stand for 10 minutes. Slice the steak, transfer to plates and serve.

Grilled Salmon with Orzo Salad

The flavors in this dish work perfectly together. The warm salmon on top of the cold orzo salad make for the perfect summer dish! I think this will be a fast and easy mid-week dinner for us in the coming months.

(from Food & Wine)
INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound orzo (about 1 cup)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Fresh-ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, about 1 inch thick, cut into 4 pieces
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

In a strainer set over a medium bowl, toss the cucumber, tomatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and let drain for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orzo until just done, about 12 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly. Toss the orzo with the 1/3 cup oil, the lemon juice, the 1/3 cup dill, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Light the grill. Coat the salmon with the 1 tablespoon oil, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill the salmon, skin-side up, for 4 minutes. Turn and sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon dill and the lemon zest. Cook the fish until golden brown and just barely done (the fish should still be translucent in the center), about 3 minutes longer.

(If you don't have a grill (like us) pre-heat the oven at 425F.  While it's pre-heating, sear the salmon skin-side down for a few minutes in an oven-proof skillet.  Then turn your broiler on "HI" and put the skillet on the upper rack for about 4 minutes.  Center will be on the rare side.)

Serve the fish on the salad.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie? Perhaps.

I was reading something on Apartment Therapy or The Kitchn and I somehow stumbled upon this recipe.

It was originally published in the NYTimes by the title "Quest for the Perfect Chocolate Cookie."  Well... does that sound like an invitation or what? 

The kicker is the prep time... 2 days.  Yup.  The dough needs to rest for 24 to 36 hours.  I mean really... does it make that much difference?  IT DOES!!!

In the name of science, Michael and I tested a couple cookies after only resting for a couple hours.  Pretty good cookie but nothing special.  But two days later... the flavor really had a sense of depth and the little bit of sea salt brought out all the subtle tones.  We were all pleasantly surprised at the transformation and invite you to try these damn good cookies... if you have the patience to wait for them!

Chocolate Chip Cookie
INGREDIENTS
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note) - I used ghirardelli cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
Sea salt

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.

Highlights from Chicago

Aside from Garvey and Sonja's beautiful wedding, the ultimate highlight from our Chicago trip was going to the taping of Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!  Extremely entertaining two hours... highly recommended if you're a fan of the show.

I guess since I was the day-of coordinator and Michael was a groomsman, we somehow ended up with no photos from the wedding.  And so here are some highlights from Millennium Park with Roger and Sweeper...

Classy...

Easy, Healthy, Delicious Sauteed Kale

The last month or so, I've been seeing these big bags of dark, leafy greens in the supermarket.  Didn't pay much attention to them... but I will from now on!

Kale is a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties and is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium (thanks wikipedia!)

So, like I said, I didn't pay much attention to them at Safeway until Dad and Mom Merschat brought us two bags of kale from their garden.  Well how the heck do you cook this stuff?

We tried this Sauteed Kale recipe last night because it was super easy and we had all the ingredients already.  Thanks Bobby Flay... YUM!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1/2 cup vegetable stock or water
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored. Raise heat to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

Easter Brunch 2011

Last Sunday, we hosted our largest annual Easter Brunch ever!  Unforunately, I was too busy and totally forgot about taking pictures so all of these are post-brunch photos.

Brunch was especially fun this year because three of my old friends from my hometown joined us to celebrate!  There are about a dozen Campolindo High School alumni living in DC from my graduating class and it's so great to have a little taste of home when you're 3,000 miles away.

But I must say that it was a wonderful success and we even got to use the beautiful three-tiered serving dish that Bill and Pat got us for Christmas (but Mom and Dad Merschat brought it up for the weekend and we opened it up on Easter Eve... what perfect timing!)

We stuck with some tried and true recipes for our brunch menu:
Chocolate Cupcakes (featured above with robin eggs on top)
Strawberry and Rosemary Scones (PERFECT for spring brunch)
Red Pepper Hummus (Michael also made an extra batch sans pepper for Mama Merschat)
Chicken Salad Sandwiches (featured on our beautiful new serving platter)
Lox and Bagels
Mini Quiches
Fruit Salad
Mimosas (of course!)

And the highlight of the afternoon was the Merschat family tradition of Easter Egg "dutzing."  I can't find any reference of "dutzing" (or any other variation on its spelling) via google but I did find this link explaining German Easter Egg Battles.

So you take some beautifully decorated Easter eggs that took hours to decorate and dye...

...and then you pick a partner and smack the eggs together!  One egg will crack, the other will not, and the winner "challenges" another opponent with a non-cracked egg until there is only one winner.  The winner gets good luck all year long... and this year Mama Merschat got all the good luck with her winning mushroom egg.

Easy Garlic-Crusted Roast Rack of Lamb

We had a wonderful Easter weekend with Dad and Mom Merschat in DC!  In addition to church at the National Cathedral and Easter brunch, we had dinner at Elizabeth's on Saturday and Michael made the most delicious rack of lamb.  (Forgot my camera so we didn't get any photos but it looked pretty similar to the magazine photo above... without the twigs under the plate!)

Of course it's from the most recent Food & Wine and a relatively simple recipe.  We served it with a salad and the Wild Rice and Brown Rice Salad with Walnuts and Asparagus.  So good.

INGREDIENTS
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled
1/4 cup rosemary leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 racks of lamb, frenched (2 pounds each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a mini food processor, combine the garlic, rosemary and olive oil and process until the garlic is finely chopped. Season the lamb racks with salt and pepper and rub the garlic-rosemary oil all over them. Set the racks fat side up on a large rimmed baking sheet and let stand for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450°. Roast the lamb in the upper third of the oven for 15 minutes. Turn the racks and roast for 10 minutes longer for medium-rare meat. Transfer the racks to a carving board, stand them upright and let rest for 10 minutes.

Carve the racks in between the rib bones and transfer to plates. Serve right away.

Happy Friday!

It's just been one of those days that has dragged on forever...

...so I thought I'd post one of our favorite videos because it always puts a smile on my face (especially on days like this).

Happy Friday!

Growing Mushrooms

...well, not quite the Alice in Wonderland mushrooms that will make you grow taller and shorter... but equally as awesome!

Carl and Holley are growing shiitake mushrooms!  They inoculated the logs last weekend and I couldn't contain myself so I had to post photos:

Shiitake mushrooms have some great health benefits so we're definitely going to look for some delicious recipes when these little babies are harvested!

And last but not least, Ernie helped too...

Easy Jam Tart

The crust is what makes this super simple tart.  It reminds me of buttery cornbread.

Spring is the perfect time for sweet and easy treats!  I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, and she got it from David Lebovitz... and since I love both blogs so much, I figured this recipe had to be a winner.

Now, I'd love to try this recipe with apricot jam but I didn't have any in my pantry.  However, I did have two delicious looking jams in my kitchen so we did a bake-off: Cherry vs. Orange Cranberry Marmalade.

VS.

And the winner is.....

CHERRY!  (The marmalade is truly delicious but the cherry tastes better in this tart)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (70 grams) stone-ground cornmeal or polenta
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons (4 1/2 ounces or 130 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg, whole
1 large egg, separated
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/3 to 1 3/4 cups (450 grams) jam (see Note above; I used the smaller amount) or marmalade
2 tablespoons (30 grams) coarse-crystal or granulated sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a food processor, mix the butter and 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar together until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk (keep the egg white from the second egg on hand for later) and almond extract and beat until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until the dough just comes together.

Transfer about one-third of the dough to a lightly floured counter and shape it into a log about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until needed. (As always, I was in a rush and put this in the freezer.)

Transfer the remaining dough to a buttered 9-inch (23-cm) tart pan with a removable bottom of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan. Using your hands, press the dough evenly into the bottom. If using a tart pan, press the dough up the sides to the rim of the pan and set the tart pan on a baking sheet. If using a springform pan, press the dough about 3/4-inch (2-cm) up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate the dough-lined pan until firm, at least one hour. (Again, I used the freezer and it was firm in 30 minutes. I am impatient.)

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread the jam or marmalade evenly over the dough in the pan. Cut the chilled dough into very thin discs with a sharp paring knife. Arrange them slightly overlapped in concentric circles over the jam to form a top crust. Whisk the remaining egg white with a teaspoon of water until frothy; brush evenly over the tart lid and then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons (30 grams) coarse sugar. Bake until the top crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

Do ahead: This tart keeps beautifully for up to 3 days if well-wrapped at room temperature. David says that it’s pretty sturdy, so perfect to take along on a picnic.