On the Menu Tonight

On a recent episode of Martha I learned a new way to make roast chicken from executive chef Daniel Humm. He works at the 4 star restaurant - Eleven Madison Park, in New York City. I am always interested and amazed to see how different chefs can take something seemingly ordinary - for example a chicken - and create something completely original and delicious. After all, how many ways can you cook a chicken? The answer is - it depends on the chef.

Roast Chicken with Brioche Stuffing

Serves 4 - Ingredients

1 (3-pound) chicken
Brioche Stuffing
Course salt and freshly ground pepper
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 lemon

Directions

Starting from the neck end of the chicken, carefully run your finger under the skin to separate from the meat, leaving it attached in the center to the sternum. Do not tear the skin.
Evenly pipe stuffing under the skin of the legs and breasts. Season inside of chicken with salt; place rosemary and garlic in cavity of bird. Prick lemon all over with the tines of a fork and add to cavity. Truss chicken and transfer to a refrigerator to chill at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in a roasting pan and transfer to oven. Roast chicken until juices run clear, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and loosely cover with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil. Let stand 30 minutes before carving and serving.

Daniel Humm, Executive Chef A native of Switzerland, Daniel began his formal culinary training at the age of 14. In his late teens, as Executive Chef of Gasthaus zum Gupf in the Swiss Alps, Daniel earned a Michelin Star. In 2003, Daniel moved to the United States as Executive Chef of Campton Place in San Francisco where he immediately received widespread attention, including Four Stars from The San Francisco Chronicle. Three years later, Daniel was selected Executive Chef of Eleven Madison Park. Under Daniel’s leadership, Eleven Madison Park was elevated to Three Stars from The New York Times in January 2007. In 2008, the restaurant won the James Beard Foundation Award for “Outstanding Wine Service,” and was designated Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux. Most recently, Eleven Madison Park received its first ever Four Star review from The New York Times in August 2009.

A Peek At The Menu At Eleven Madison Park

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A P P E T I Z E R S
Heirloom Tomatoes
Salad with Jamón Ibérico, Melons and Fino Verde Basil
Hawaiian Prawns
Roulade with Avocado, Lime and Yogurt
Tête de Cochon
Torchon with Cornichons and Baby Radishes
Foie Gras
Mille-Feuille with Frog Hollow Farm Plums, Umeboshi and Bitter Almonds ($20 supplement)
Knoll Krest Farm Egg
Slow Poached with Anson Mills Farro, Sweet Corn, Frog Legs and Truffles
Lynnhaven Ricotta di Capra
Gnocchi with Violet Artichokes, Taggiasca Olives and Bacon
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F I S H A N D C R U S T A C E A N S
Atlantic Halibut
Seared with Sweet Corn, Summer Radishes and Purslane
Mediterranean Dorade
Pan Roasted with Celeriac Fondant, Tomato Confit and Star Anise
Loup de Mer
Salt Crusted with Tomato Tart, Braised Eggplant and Sauce Amer (for two)
Nova Scotia Lobster
Poached with Lemon Verbena and Flavors of Ratatouille ($20 supplement)

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M E A T A N D P O U L T R Y
Four Story Hill Suckling Pig
Roasted with Chanterelles, Bing Cherries and Mizuna
Dry Aged Black Angus Beef
Bone Marrow Crusted with Greenmarket Beans, Savory and Sauce Bordelaise
Elysian Fields Farm Lamb
Herb Roasted with Petits Farcis Niçois
Milk Fed Poularde
Roasted with Lemon, Rosemary and Summer Truffles (for two)
Grimaud Farms Muscovy Duck
Lavender Honey Glazed with Blueberries, Sweet Corn and Spices (for two)

I'm in heaven!!

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(Photos Courtesy of New York Times, Martha On-line and Me)

Friday's Photos - George Stephanopoulos & Ali Wentworth's D.C. Digs

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Elle Decor has become my new go-to magazine since the departure of domino. When I first saw the cover of May 2009 and then discovered it was George Stephanopoulos and Alexandra Wentworth's home I did a double take. If anyone watches Oprah they will certainly recognize kooky/funny Alexandra Wentworth and I think everyone knows who George Stephanopoulos is. I was first stunned to find out they were a couple and secondly impressed by their gorgeous home. Ali apparently did a lot of the decoration herself - even painting the lavender swirls on the rug by hand. OK, I'm sold!! Even though I saw this way back in the spring I thought it was worth another look.

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Happy Friday!!

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Resources

Photographed by Simon Upton

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Tagged - ABC's of Me

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ABC’S OF ME

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Age: 46

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Bed Size: Queen. My husband surprised me/us with a amazing pillow-top mattress a few Christmas' ago and I still love it!!

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Chore You Hate: Folding clothes (but that's what kids are for -lol).

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Dog’s Name: No dogs presently.

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Essential Way You Start Your Day: Yoga stretches, classical music and espresso!!

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Favorite Color: White.

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Height: 5’ 5”

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Instruments You Play: I play(ed) the flute and marched in many parades, but that was long ago now. I wanted to play the drums but was told by the music teacher that "drums were for boys."

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Job Title: Your Highness (ha) - Mom/Jack or should I say Jill of all trades.

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Kids: I have five beautiful, perfect kids.

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Living Arrangements: I live in a 1950's house, in an older suburban neighborhood, with lots of trees and charm.. Very nice, very quiet with many neighbors young and old, many that I've known for 15 years.

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Mom’s Name: Virginia.

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Nicknames: Beanie, Bean, Sabeanie, and my oldest son sometimes in jest calls me - Sabrine - which cracks me up.

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Overnight Hospital Stays: Giving birth to my two oldest sons - my three little ones are adopted.

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Pet Peeve: Gossip and deliberate unkind behavior.

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Quote From a Movie: "Doesn't that outfit come with a rifle? To which the other character replies, It's on my saddle. The first person continues, You'd better keep it with you then - your horse isn't much of a shot." Spoken by Robert Redford to Meryl Streep in Out of Africa.

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Right or Left Handed: Right, but I have many lefties in my life (daughter, husband, best friend).

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Siblings: I'm the middle child of three - with an older brother, and younger sister.

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Time You Wake Up: 6:30 a.m. but I'd rather sleep till noon.

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Underwear: Yes!

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Vegetable You Dislike: Okra.

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Workout Style: I like to mix it up - yoga, walking, swimming, lounging (oh, I guess that's not an exercise, but I'm quite good at it).

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X-rays You’ve Had: A few. Once I swallowed a Steely (a marble made of steel ) when I was 4 or 5 and I do remember that being my first X-ray. It scared my parents half to death.

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Yesterday’s Best Moment: Telling my husband something funny and him laughing so uncontrollably I started laughing too, at him, and couldn't stop.

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Zoo Favorites: I'm really not one for zoo's. They need to evolve!! Freedom is so important to me and I can deeply sense their lack of it.

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That's it - whew!! If you would like to play along - consider yourself tagged.

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(Photos Courtesy of Jupiter Images)

Blog Action Day 2009

Authenticity

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“I’d rather be loathed for who I am than loved for who I am not.”

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I love quotes like these that help connect us to our authentic selves and to live fearlessly.

(The above text is from Dyer’s PBS Special and his new book Excuses Begone - Photos Courtesy of Jupiter Images)

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Friday's Photos - Creamy Chic

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Relaxed and "Creamy Chic" home in Austin, Texas.

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Happy Friday!!!

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Photographs by LUCA TROVATO
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Interior design by SARA SCAGLIONE

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Tea

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I recently found out that all Black, White, Oolong and Green Tea are harvested from one plant called "Camellia sinensis" but are processed differently to produce different levels of oxidation -thus producing a different tea. This does not include herbal teas which really are not true teas but are Tisanes (eg. chamomile, peppermint, etc.) even though they are referred to as teas.

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Very interesting.

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I also learned the best way to brew tea in a pot and get the best flavor involves using a tea sock. It enables you to steep the loose leaves for exactly the right time and then remove the tea since it continues to brew as long as it in contact with the water.

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I was able to find one at the Monterey Bay Spice Company.

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Tea Guide:

BLACK TEAS ASSAM It's grown in India and makes an astringent, robust, malty brew. Assam can stand up to milk and sugar and makes a strong breakfast tea.

LAPSANG SOUCHONG This Chinese tea is cured in a smokehouse and has a pronounced toasted aroma. Sip it with savory, spicy foods, not sweet ones.

EARL GREY Produced in Sri Lanka, China, and India, Earl Grey is scented with bergamot oil, which gives it an orange-citrus flavor. It tastes best with a slice of lemon.

DARJEELING Grown in India, Darjeeling is the rarest variety of black tea. It brews into a clear, floral-accented tea, which makes it an aromatic dinner drink.

CEYLON Ceylon tea, from Sri Lanka, is lighter than Assam but not as flowery as Darjeeling. Lively, flavorful, rich, and smooth, it's a good all-day-long tea.

YUNNAN This Chinese tea makes a honey-sweet, floral brew. Because it is assertive and has fruity and spicy notes, Yunnan makes a great iced tea.

KEEMUN This is the well-known tea served in Chinese restaurants. Full-bodied, slightly sweet, light, and toasty.

WHITE TEA SILVER NEEDLE Like all white teas, it is picked before the buds open and has little caffeine. Steep this delicate tea in water that's slightly cooler than boiling.

GREEN TEAS JASMINE This Chinese tea is made by layering green tea leaves with jasmine blossoms, which infuse the tea with a flowery perfume.

GUNPOWDER A fairly strong, smoky, and refreshing dark green tea from from China or Taiwan, where it is called "pearl tea" because each leaf is rolled into a small ball.

BANCHA Japan's everyday tea, Bancha is made from the last harvest of the tea plants. It is pleasantly grassy and pale yellow.

SENCHA Sencha produces an herbaceous yellow-green tea. It is a richer green and more flavorful than Bancha.

OOLONG TEA FORMOSA OOLONG Like all oolongs, it's smooth and fruity--a bridge between black and green. Its flavor complements savory foods.

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(Information Courtesy of Real Simple - http://www.pbs.org/realsimple/index.html)

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Originally posted on barefoot in the orchard 9-24-07.

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My Next Read - Choosing Civility

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"To live a long, healthy and serene life we need the crucial help of a network of caring people – we need social support. In order to gain and keep social support we need social skills. Choosing Civility (the 25 rules of considerate conduct) re-discovers and expounds the essential skills that allow us to live well among others." Johns Hopkins Professor - Pier Massimo Forni

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I've chosen this book as my next read. I heard about it a few years back - on Oprah I think - and came across it by accident and decided to buy it. I can't wait to get started. After seeing some of the most unbelievably rude behavior directed at our President lately it makes me wish that more people would take the time and read it as well. At any rate, we could all use a reminder of the power of considerate conduct - me included.
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The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct:

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1. Pay attention
2. Acknowledge others
3. Think the best
4. Listen
5. Be inclusive
6. Speak kindly
7. Don't speak ill
8. Accept and give praise
9. Respect even a subtle "no"
10. Respect others' opinions
11. Mind your body
12. Be agreeable
13. Keep it down (and rediscover silence)
14. Respect other people's time
15. Respect other people's space
16. Apologize earnestly
17. Assert yourself
18. Avoid personal questions
19. Care for your guests
20. Be a considerate guest
21. Think twice before asking for favors
22. Refrain from idle complaints
23. Accept and give constructive advice
24. Respect the environment and be gentle to animals
25. Don't shift responsibility and blame

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Serve

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Serving others teaches humility, builds self-discipline, creates unity, strengthens work ethics, and leads to greater love and compassion.

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Join Serve.Org

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Additional opportunities to serve include:

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AmeriCorps
Citizen Corps
Learn and Serve America
Peace Corps
Senior Corps
Federal Civil Service
Foreign Service
State and Local Government
Volunteer.gov/gov

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(Photos Courtesy of Jupiter Images)

Duck Eggs At The Farmers Market

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Now that my sister is has relocated from Portland, Oregon to Santa Rosa, California, I had to take her over to my favorite weekly Farmers Market. It operates every Wednesday - year round - rain or shine (how great is that). While we were there, I happened upon a farmer selling duck eggs, after asking a few questions, I decided to buy 6 and give them a try. When I got home I did a bit of quick research on the Internet and found that I could just cook them up like chicken eggs or add them to any baking recipe. In fact, I found that some pastry chefs prefer duck eggs because the whites of duck eggs have more protein than those of chicken eggs and they whip up higher when beaten. This creates more loft in cakes so you get a lighter, higher cake. The yolks are also richer so cakes may also be richer. Very interesting. When my kids got home from school I showed them the larger than usual eggs and cooked them up without telling them they were duck eggs. When we tasted them we all got a pleasant surprise. They were absolutely delicious!! I then revealed that we were actually eating! The funny thing is they tasted almost exactly like chicken eggs - just richer in texture and flavor - and because I bought them from the farmer directly they were sooooo fresh. If you've never had a fresh egg - you don't know what your missing. I cooked up the last one for my husband this morning so they are all gone now, but I am going to buy more next week and bake a cake!!

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