Savory Pecan Biscuits with Garlic-Herb Confit & Crispy Sage

An unusual warm rain blanketed the south this week leaving behind a splintery chill casting a sullen, gray shadow over the bare trees. Days like these give me every reason to remain indoors, swaddled in heavily-worn comfort clothes and a warm vittle to tide me over. Though I often reach for something sweet I've opted for a savory bite this cold winter's eve. 

Pecan biscuits laced with rosemary, topped with a confit of garlic, thyme, meyer lemon and olive oil and finished with a lightly crisped sage leaf. A warm welcome to anyone stepping in from the blustery bellows of the January winds. 

Do not be intimidated by the word confit. It simply refers to a food cooked in fat, in this case, olive oil. I do not typically cook with olive oil, I am rather partial to ghee due to its high burning point, but this recipe is an exception. The garlic and herb infused oil is so delicious, I like to keep a jar on hand for salads.

The biscuits are made with part almond flour and pecan meal. Pecans are always plentiful this time of year in the south, and though growing up I never cared for this particular nut I have grown to revere them as a southern treasure. They are not as sweet as almonds but lend a beautiful texture and flavor. 

So when the warm rains transpire leaving behind a bitter cold and gray leaden days, seek refuge in your home with the ones you love by your side and a warm morsel in your lap. May it remind you that winter's chill is a gift that often goes unrecognized. Like yearlings corralled into the fold so are we pushed and ushered by the baying winds into our homes. 'Tis the season for comfort. 'Tis the season for home.

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Orange Flower Pavlova with Coconut Cream, Pistachio & Meyer Lemon

A new year has begun and with it brings glad tidings and joy abound. Some of you may recall the exhilarating day, three months ago now, when my husband took his last pill. It was a day of celebration though our hopes were held at bay and our peace flanked with caution as we knew it would take three months for the medicine to fully leave his body. Well my friends, those ninety days have passed and my love is healthy and thriving. A part of me never thought this day would come. And it is that part of me which I now lay to rest. I hold a dirge for my doubt, my fear and take on a posture of unyielding faith and peace. 

Forward reaching I anticipate a year of health and continued inspiration as we maintain our diet. I also have hopes to grow our family, Lord willing. To hold a little one in my arms, feeling the abiding ardor swell, listening to the lilt of its heart beat against my chest...yes these are the joys I hope to call my own this year. 

So much is behind us; I look forward and hold dear my resolutions which stand untarnished and innocent, a child like faith, a wayward naiveté gilded with sweet abandon. I lay it all down, release my hold, and receive this new year with a humbled heart.

And what better way to usher in the new year than with a pavlova. Simply meringue with a few adornments, pavlova is airy and sweet, light on the palate and tummy. My take on this traditional dish involves egg whites and orange blossom water whisked with a simple syrup made with country honey and water until billowy. Topped with crushed pistachios and baked at a low temperature until the outside forms a crispy crust while the inside maintains a spongy texture similar to that of a marshmallow. To finish I top with a generous dollop of whipped coconut milk and fresh meyer lemon zest. 

The result is heavenly. Sweet and soft, yet with a slight crunch and tang from the lemon zest. I find it imperative to welcome each new year with this pavlova gracing our table, yours as well. 

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Braised Chestnuts & Brussels Sprouts with Thyme **My Camera is For Sale**

Well after listening to Bing Crosby croon Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire for the one hundredth time I trotted over to my grocery, filled a sack full and roasted my own chestnuts over an open...well... oven. Oh how I love watching them roast, their smooth, umber colored skin curls back, like a leaf awaiting its fall, revealing the esteemed holiday treasure. 

Roasted chestnuts are delicious on their own but braising them adds a whole new dimension of flavor. I almost want to change the song to "Chestnuts braising in some wine and herbs", but I am not sure that will go over well with the public, or the children.

Alas I will sing my own tune here in the kitchen and enjoy this dish in all its savory glory. I bid you all a blessed and happy week as you gird your loins in preparation of the festivities and egg nog ahead!

Thank you for all of the inquiries!! The camera has been SOLD!

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Cranberry & Almond Upside Down Cakes

This evening the garland was finally hung, trimmed with red winter berries and twinkling lights around its nimble limbs. I wrapped our first present and listened to Amy Grant's Home For Christmas a thousand times over. And for an extra treat to ring in this fir scented season I made a simple cake boasting December's most glorified fruit, the cranberry. 

These miniature cakes are as simple as making muffins because they are in fact upside down muffins. Profound, I know. If you are the fancy type this recipe would work perfectly in a round or bundt cake pan. For me, a humble muffin tin will do.

Sweet and slightly tart, these little gems are laced with cinnamon, all spice, orange and lemon zest, creating a myriad of flavors. Top with a dollop of your favorite whipped embellishment and a sprinkle of cinnamon for a festive treat. 

Now that the hubbub of work has slowed I am looking forward to fully enjoying these fleeting advent days. Oh how I wish I could slow the time, encapsulate each day and loosen the hands of my clock. But I know no such thing can be done. Instead I must thresh out the frivolous diversions of my day and fill my time intentionally and purposefully. Starting now.

I wish you all a wonderful week filled with joy and expectancy of all the good things to come! And may you too find your days refined to a slower pace, as if time itself was unhurried, leisurely changing from one minute to the next. Tis the most wonderful time of the year, may we all enjoy it to the fullest!

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Vanilla & Clove Panna Cotta with Honeyed Persimmon

The tree is lit, woodland creatures nestled in its burly boughs.  The wreath hangs idly while the nativity set before me reminds me the Advent season is upon us. In silent reverie I take in the scent of fir, wafting it's way through the house. A cup of warmed coconut milk laced in clove and cinnamon removes the chill from the air. I am left with my thoughts, all of the stress and worry despoiled by the joy of the season. I melt into the chair as if grafted into its very fibers, unaware of the time, oblivious to the myriad of to-do's. I pray. One by one my anxious thoughts, insecurities and petty fears ooze sebaceously out of my mind. The cadence of my heart slows and I am left, yoke removed, with peace. 

So with a peaceful heart I bring you a comforting dish, inspired by that warmed cup of coconut milk on that cold winters day. Panna cotta, traditionally made with milk and cream, is a dream to make with coconut milk. The consistency and texture is just as creamy and smooth. Though eaten chilled, the vanilla and clove makes this a lovely addition to your winter season repertoire. 

From my hearth to yours I wish you peace and joy this Christmas season!

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Rosemary & Walnut Flour Crepes with Wilted Greens, Apples & Squash

Last night we lit our first fire. The warm embers released their zealous billows of heat, flushing my cheeks while the boughs of holly shivered outside the window. When the last log was stripped bare I gazed into its glowing cinders thankful for one of winter's most comforting charms.

I had hoped to cast on another log tonight, but the day was rather balmy and fickle, little deserving of a roaring fire. But my hope is in the days to come. Cooler temperatures will arive from the west as will my loving in-laws, whom I terribly miss. So perhaps in a day or two I shall enjoy my fire once more, family by my side, our cheeks aglow with gaiety and our hearts pulsing with thanksgiving.

As I prepare for the reunions and festivities of the week I continue to experiment with tasteful, grain free dishes to accompany the venison and smoked turkey that will grace our Thanksgiving table. A simple crepe made with walnut flour enfolds a savory mix of wilted kale sauteed with garlic and onion, balsamic glazed honeycrisp apples and butternut squash. Rolled up and trimmed with sweet pomegranate. A jovial dish in every way.

So while we fawn over the beloved rituals of the holiday let us remember that it is with grateful and selfless hearts we approuch our Thanksgiving table. May each dish be made with love and our conversations be sweet and life-giving. And may those vehement flames of the roaring fire comfort and warm your soul.

I wish you and your family a most blessed Thanksgiving!

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A Harvest Gift: Spiced Ginger Cakes & Rosemary Apple Butter

While many begin the frantic two-step of holiday frenzy I try to remind myself that these cooler months call for a slower, more introspective way of life. I am nearing the end of a horrible cold so I have in fact had plenty of time with my thoughts. Even now as I type and my mind flirts with the notion of a hot bath and warm bed I sigh with relief that the month of November has arrived. I suspect our first fire shall be lit early next week and I shiver with anticipation.

In honor of such a colorful month I  put together a gift of sorts, for those in need of some encouragement or perhaps a sweet morsel to lift their spirits. Spiced ginger cake, akin to gingerbread but not as robust. Rosemary apple butter, a flavorful spread to grace any slice of toast (or cake). And lastly, a small journal and pencil to gather one's thoughts, prayers, dreams and inspirations. 

Everything budled in a sea of cotton muslin, sealed with brown paper, twine and foraged treasures from the yard. A simple way to share the harvest of such a illustrious time of year. 

These next weeks the shadows will slowly gather and lurk at our windows. The herald of skylarks will warble one final song before flying to warmer ground.  And the richly colored leaves shall make one last procession down our streets until all is bare, stark in the bitter cold that will knock its staunch hand at our front doors. 

So in the meantime, join me as I relish this beautiful month and begin to turn my heart, which is so easily self-seeking, towards others.

Happy November to you all!

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Butternut Squash & Hazelnut Bouchons with Toasted Nutmeg Ice Cream

I stir in the tranquil dawn. Eyes heavy laden with bridled sleep. Limbs subdued as if held hostage in the flowing folds of down and cotton. Cheeks flushed after a dreamless night, supple and sensitive to the chilled air invading the room. The sun treads softly along the window pane that weeps with dew, bearing witness to the beauty of a new day. I stretch and quickly curl back into a ball like a demure feline anticipating a few more moments of rest. My eyes flutter open and I re-emerge from my hibernation. Freshly garnered thoughts tumble over each other, flooding my mind and whisking me away from the peaceful oblivion. 

It is Sunday. My day of leisure that will unequivocally end with something sweet gracing our oven racks. Vittles of some sort to bring warmth to a cool autumn day. I quickly make my way to the kitchen and slice into a ripe butternut squash, overwhelmed by its brightly colored innards. Then I emerge the halves into a roasting heat meanwhile mixing a batter of almond flour and spices. 

The squash emerges, sputtering its sweet juices. I combine its steamy flesh with my batter and pour into timbale molds dressed in brown parchment. A sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts to finish and into the oven to rise and bake until golden brown.

The bouchons emerge warm and airy. A gift awaiting its unwrapping. The folds of parchment removed, puffs of steam escape wisping into the air. I pair the bouchon with a generous dollop of homemade ice cream, peppered with freshly grated nutmeg. It only takes one bite to affirm my decision to get out of bed this morning.

So now as I write these words in the dark of the night, the crickets coo their mellifluous lullabies while the cold, bitter air lures me back under the billowy down. I close my eyes, allowing my thoughts to slowly slip away leaving my mind void and still.  I drift into a dreamless night anticipating the tranquil dawn that will come all too soon.

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Riesling Poached Pear Tart with Chai Spiced Custard & Almond Crust

The pear. A belittled fruit quite often outshone by its more round and less gritty cousin, the apple. Free formed and more oblong the pear sneaks up on you in the height of early autumn, impishly enticing you with its warm hues and earthy bouquet. Delicate are its features. The skin, fragile and imperfectly speckled. The flesh, textured and permeable. The sweet, slightly thick nectar that will undoubtedly end up on your chin. One bite fills you with wistful longings of curry shaded leaves crunching beneath your feet, a penetrable breeze weaving its way through your hair, and the priceless moment when you realize the most poetic of seasons has given you its choicest fruit. 

Though a pear is beautifully satisfying on its own I must say when poached in warm spices it takes on a new form, one that is mysterious and comforting.  This tart is a simple way to experience the pear at its finest. Poached slowly in sweet white wine, cinnamon and vanilla the pears take on an incandescently soft nature. The custard, made with raw cocoa butter and laced with chai spices, is a creamy curd like spread that compliments the pears without outshining them. 

Nutty and slightly sweet from the almonds the crust creates a lovely shell for the smooth custard and soft pears. Though it holds its form nicely the almond crust crumbles perfectly in your mouth leaving you with little remembrance of your grandmother's traditional tart crust recipe.

So as you carve your pumpkins and watch the leaves swirl like gossamer in a cool breeze remember 'tis the season of the pear, a most delicate fruit sure to compliment any autumn feast. 

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Outstanding in the Field at Blackberry Farm

This past weekend my husband and I had the pleasure of experiencing an Outstanding in the Field dinner. Instead of sopping up a farm fresh meal in the river valley of Washington we were nestled in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains at the breathtakingly beautiful Blackberry Farm. It was just about three and a half years ago when my husband and I, along with our dearest family and friends, celebrated our wedding here at Blackberry, so our return was sweet and nostalgic. 

For those of you unfamiliar with Outstanding in the Field I highly recommend you visit their website and read what they are all about. In short, they are a group of sustainable minded, farm enthusiasts who travel the world hosting farm to table dinners to educate the importance of organic foods, supporting local farmers, and celebrating the coming together of people while sharing a delicious and noteworthy meal.

Whilst on the farm we enjoyed all the fresh, organic produce straight from their gardens. We also sampled the home made sheep's milk cheeses, learned how they raise their Italian truffle dogs, took a stroll through the hazelnut orchards, greeted the free ranging chickens, learned about heirloom seeds (and even got to bring some home with us), and savored the grandeur and peaceful nature of our surroundings. 

The meal was so beautiful. Simple yet thoughtfully constructed with unique pairings and flavors. Their farm raised lamb roasted over an open fire. Local greens laced with a sorghum aioli. My mouth waters as I try to reminisce the artful combinations that graced my palate.  

Once again we were reminded of why we hope to have a farm of our own one day. To eat a meal based solely on the labor of your hands is an edifying gift that is so easily taken for granted. Sustaining the land in an organic and life giving way is a testimony of the stewardship and responsibility we have been given. Sharing a slow meal with those closest to us is an art form that expresses love, hospitality, selflessness and gratitude. I am so thankful to be reminded of these things, and I hope that you have the opportunity to enjoy a farm-to-table dinner with the ones you love and experience the abundant joy of an intentional and outstanding meal.