It has been a long, cold, snowy Winter here so far in the Northeast.
This past Saturday was one of the first nice sunny days, showing perhaps a glimpse of Spring.
And not a moment to soon. Especially since the pooch has been feeling rather cooped up (uh, Mom and Dad too) and also recovering from a bit of eyelid surgery. She is going stir crazy in the house.
We were happy to get out for some fresh air and some exercise on the Vanderbilt Mansion grounds. And I brought my camera along to snap some shots along the way.
Here are a few favorites:
And since it is Love Thursday, I couldn't resist this little ditty peering out on the bottom level of the mansion…
***
Want more? You can see the rest of the photos from our weekend walk here in my Flickr account.
Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic is another perfect recipe for that Dutch Oven that I am now so in love with.
I had been waiting to make this dish that looks ever so delicious on the pages of Barefoot Contessa ever since I scored the book. The picture of crisp brown chicken skin dotted with thyme leaves smothered in a creamy wine sauce loaded with all those buttery, nutty garlic chunks had been taunting me for over a year!
First, I needed the vessel. Then I was waiting for someone else to enjoy it- because the veggie-man in the house couldn't possibly.
But last week, in a moment of weakness, I could wait no longer.
I decided to try my hand at this Provençal favorite, and was fully prepared to eat every last morsel for leftovers, by myself, even if it took all week!
I have adapted this slightly from Ina's original recipe, by using thighs and drumsticks instead of cutting whole chickens into pieces, for ease and convenience really. And as with all French cooking, quality is de rigeur, so use the best free-range or organic chicken you can find.
Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
- 3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
- 3 1/2 pounds free range/organic chicken drumsticks and thighs
- Coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Cognac, divided
- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.
Dry chicken well with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the chicken in batches- in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
Turn with tongs or a spatula; Don't pierce the skin with a fork! If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer to a plate and continue to saute until all chicken is browned.
Remove the last chicken to the plate and add the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.
Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes.
Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.
My normal Bon Appetit doesn't quite cover it- as this must be the dish that Colonel Sanders was eating when he coined the phrase Finger Lickin' Good!!
Oh, that garlicy-creamy cognac sauce. Even better than I imagined!
I served it with simple pine nut and currant couscous and a glass of the chilled white that I used in the recipe. It was a perfect meal! Even with the week's worth of leftovers.
Have you ever made or eaten Chicken with 40 cloves of Garlic before?
I like to proclaim myself the Queen of the Carry-On. But that didn't happen overnight. I am a reformed over-packer. I used to drag every beauty product known to man with me on the plane….just in case.
In case of what? I have no idea?!
Well, the strict liquids requirement and my newly found common sense don't really allow that! As you know, if you're packing a carry-on, your liquids are severely restricted. Every item takes up precious real estate-so it better count!
Here is a list of eight liquids that you can do without or replace with non-liquids that don't have restrictions in order to help you meet the carry-on liquid quota- without feeling like you are leaving your whole beauty regimen behind!
1. Liquid Foundation. Yes, I know, God forbid perfect strangers in another country should see you with your uneven skin-tone. Oh, the horror!! We wouldn't want to blind anyone! If you must-choose a mineral foundation that you apply with a brush. Many have built in SPF, so you'll have sun protection too!
2. Shower Gel. I know some ladies have a shower ritual that I am messing with here- complete with body poof and all, but just et back to basics and pack the old-fashioned bar soap and leave the shower gel behind! You can resume all shower rituals when you get home sweet home.
3. Shaving Cream. Who even uses this stuff anymore? Seriously-leave that bulky pink spray can behind! Hair conditioner makes a perfect double-duty shave cream and chances are you have packed that already. In a pinch- see #2-as the bar soap can also be used.
4. Lip Gloss. Look, I am a big fan-especiallly of the super-duper-über-plumper kind, but gloss is considered a liquid. Stick with solids that offer color and moisture. Lipsticks, lip balms and lip crayons allow you to take many of your favorites- so you can mix and match with all your outfits. Yeah, like I have time for that!
5. Creamy Facial Cleanser. So important for taking travel grime off your face and cleaning pollutants from your pores. But did you know that you can get some great cleansers in solid or powder form? One of my personal favs is Bare Minerals or try DCH Pure Soap if you like the bar kind.
6. Liquid Make-up Remover. Lord knows many cleansers won't touch the three coats of mascara you donned for your Big. Nite. Out. So you need some extra help when you come rolling in at 3am. Rather than bring your bottle of remover- opt for a pack of eye cleansing cloths or eye-makeup remover swabs.
7. Sunscreen. Sun protection is so important, especially if you'll be outside alot, hanging on the beach, or enjoying outdoor adventure. Take it along, but leave the Banana Boat Bottle home and instead take individual sunscreen wipes or try a sunblock stick.
8. Perfume. Besides the fact that you wouldn't want your $75 glass bottle of eau-de-che-che to shatter in your bag- those bottles take up way too much precious room in that little quart-sized bag. Opt for perfume solids, like these from Tocca. Pack several so you can wear one in every city.
**For more information about liquids and carry-on restrictions, visit the TSA.gov website.
Now it's your turn to tell us what beauty product you couldn't live without when traveling? What liquids have you replaced with solids?
I must admit, this was not the original post that I had planned for today.
But when life hands you olives….you make olive oil!
One of my new blog buddies, Nanette, from The Gourmet Worrier, let me know of a way to adopt your own olive tree in Italy.
You may remember my little story about harvesting olives and how I wish to be a part of it.
So, it should come as no surpirse that I surrfed right over to the website to check it out!
Nudo is a great way to help olive farming, keeping a time-honored tradition of pruning, harvesting and milling olive trees by hand alive, all the while owning your own tree. You can receive updates about your tree, you can visit it, and most importantly, you will receive the oil from your tree.
If you live nearby or plan a trip to Italy during the year, you can even visit your tree!
It's also a great way to support organic…keep it green!
Ownership is for 1 year and as part of your adoption, you get an adoption certificate and 2 shipments of glorious olive oil from your tree and trees surrounding yours in the same grove. All for only 65 GBP, which is about $94. Not bad.
Maybe you have friends that would like to share tree adoption with you-and share the wealth. And how fun would be to invite your friends over for dinner and dress a salad with olive oil from your own olive tree?
That would make some delicious dinner conversation, don't you think?
So what do you think? Are you in? Would you like to adopt your very own Italian Olive Tree?
Today, I am inserting my own travel photo.
Carnevale is happening now in one of my favorite cities in the world.
Venice.
I searched through all of my photos of Venice to find one that really captured the city.
It was this one.
There is something about this photo. Sure, it's touristy, but it's what you think of if you haven't been to Venice. The red geraniums, the black and white gondalier shirt, the murky aquamarine water and the shiney black gondola against the crumbling facades. That's Venice.
It's not the most mysterious photo, it doesn't quite show off Venice in its best light.
But when you see it, you know in an instant where it was taken. Where else on earth could this picture be possible?
I'll leave you with this quote about this charming city.
"Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go." –Truman Capote
***
And just a reminder about the deadline for the My Melange Sent Me event. We have reached that half-way mark and I have only received one picture to date. Yes, thanks Meredith!
That means you only have 2 more weeks to take your photo (complete with sign) and email it to me!
So, read up here on the details. Please send your photos in by March 6th and tune in for the big reveal on March 10th.
This past weekend, we celebrated Valentine's Day by taking a little trip to Hudson, NY.
Hudson is only about an hour, due north, from where we live. You can take Amtrak, which we really, really wanted to do- but they don't make it very cost effective. We are all about going green, but when it costs about $50 per person for a round-trip ticket and about $12 for the gas in the car- you do the math.
It was a beauty of a sunny day for a drive and we hugged the river while admiring gorgeous views of the Catskill Mountains on the way up.
Hudson has gone through quite a bit of transformation over the years. The big attraction for us, other than food is antiques.
So while that kept us very busy- it certainly wasn't the only thing we did that day.
Leave it to me to find the European flair-everywhere I go. I was able to celebrate quite a few of my favorite things on Sunday.
France
The Frenchie in me found Le Gamin, a perfect little French cafe on Warren Street in Hudson. Part French cafe, part boutique. Huge bowls of steaming cafe au lait are served in their signature bowls, made by the well-known Pillivuyt company- are also for sale.
This place is the real deal-complete with French antique signs and an old post office counter behind the bar. The crêpes were amazing as was the cafe au lait and cappucino. We will definitely be heading back there- for the omlettes, salads, croque monsieur, citron pressé, croissants and every French classic crêpe imaginable- even Nutella!
Wine
The wino in me found the coolest wine bar in Hudson.
(p.m.) Wine Bar is a tiny nook with a long white and grey marble slab atop a black bar. And if the candles don't light the place up enough for you, the chatty, friendly Irish owner, pouring excellent wines and comparing European trip stories, will.
Oh and tapas, lots of tapas!! What more could a girl want from her wine bar? Oh, maybe a cool loo with blackboard paint and chalk- to write p.m. your own p.m.(personal message). I have never had the opportunity to shamelessly p.m. (promote myself) or my blog in the john before- other than talking on the phone, while, uh, on the throne, but in the end, though I was tempted, I decided against it.
Instead we left a good luck wish- in Italian of course.
We enjoyed some of the best wine here. Chris a chilled Reisling and I a smooth and smokey Spanish Rioja, each for $8. For tapas we enjoyed a plate of pecans, herbed olives, peppered potato chips and caper berries. And the never-ending glassful of grissini was a nice touch.
Not only will we be back, but we'll bring friends. Isn't that what you do when you like a wine bar? In my opinion (p.m) was p.m. (positvely marvelous).
Italy
Our original reason for heading north, was to try an Italian restaurant. Actually it serves Tuscan cuisine. The chef has cooked in Tuscany, specifically in the Chianti region. Vico, which means village in the Tuscan dialect, is only steps away from p.m. Wine Bar, which is a combo that packs a one-two punch if you should decide to visit both in the same evening.
The prix-fixe, which includes an organic green salad with shaved pecorino cheese and a sweet balsamic dressing, an entree or pasta and any dessert on the menu is a great deal at $29.
The beautiful dishes that stuck out from the menu were Bistecca Florentine (I could kill Chris for being a vegetarian as you need 2 carnivores to be able to properly devour this side of beef), Pollo Toscana, Osso Bucco, Butternut Squash Ravioli and Lasagne al Chingiale. The homemade Vahlrona Chocolate and Pistachio Gelato were rich and creamy and the Bood Orange Sorbetto was intensely flavored. The Cioccolato Sciolto was heaven on a plate.
Though we loved our dinner here, we decided that we would probably not make the trip just for Vico due to the fact that we have such other great Italian restaurants like Mercato and Il Continori, right around the corner.
That being said, we had a great dinner all the same and a wonderful day together treasure hunting and eating. We look forward to visiting Hudson again soon.
So, which is your favorite flavor of the day? France, Wine or Italy?
***
Le Gamin (Country)
609 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828.2885
(p.m.) Wine Bar
119 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828.2833
Vico
136 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828.6529
Continuing with our TTT theme from last week, I thought I would round-out my Canadian destination recommendations from my recent trip. Well, if October is recent. Seems like it was just yesterday!
There is so much more to do, so many more choices of areas to stay and places to eat. The area is a mix of Manhattan meets Europe. But here are my favorites.
Where to stay?
Montreal is pretty big city. There are many diverse sections of the city that each offer a different vibe- similar to New York City. Since we were in an Old World Europe state-of-mind, we chose to stay in Old Montreal. It offers lots of shops, cobbled streets, calache, restaurants and it happens to be the closest area to the waterfront.
We chose the Auberge Bonaparte, partly because of its location, but mainly because I scored a deal through Travelocity that also included breakfast in their fabulous restaurant every morning and a large discount off the advertised room rates.
The rooms were large, with wood floors, large comfy iron beds, an armoire, a desk, cable TV and a brand new tiled bath, with room enough for five.
The breakfast was top notch, with lots of options, including crêpes, French toast, omlettes and oatmeal/granola.
Where to eat?
My favorite and easiest to recommend was Lucca. Delicious Italian food in the Little Italy section of Montreal. Everything was cooked to perfection and the wines on offer were excellent and very reasonable. Choose from a menu or blackboard specials. It isn't exactly a budget place, but the food and service is worth every penny.
Got a hankering for crêpes or chocolate? Head to the Latin Quarter to Julliet et Chocolat. Service was spotty here, but since you can drool over chocolate and the staff making crêpes, it really wasn't terrible. The savory and sweet crêpes are so devine, you'll think you are in Paris! Try a Canadian favorite-a maple and sugar crêpe.
Olive and Gourmando is a favorite hot spot, right in Old Montreal. Huge bowls of cafe au lait, croissants, fresh-fruit tarts, baguettes and other varieties of baked goods are all made on premises. This place has a cult following, so expect long lines, crowds, long waits. Your reward will be fabulous pastries, soups, salads and sandwiches!
Right across the street is a wild, convivial joint called Marche de la Villette, that is part market, part butcher shop, part bistro. The lively waitstaff are known to break into song and fake hams hang from the ceiling, but you can get great homemade food at downright cheap prices. Pate, terrine, sausage, charcuterie and cheese are on offer. Order from the table d'hote on the blackboard for the best deal.
Kashmir is a wonderful Indian restaurant located right in the cobbled streets of Old Montreal. Come here for the decor as well as the food. It is upscale with dark tables on wood floors and exposed brick walls and candles add a touch of romance. Grab a table in the back room for a view that faces the waterfront. The dishes are served in classic copper bowls. The seasonings here are spot on and the prices more than reasonable.
And if a picnic is more your style, don't forget, you can head to the Jean-Talon Market, in the Little Italy section of Montreal. You'll be able to find anything your foodie heart desires!
Have you been to Montreal? What kind of food would you like?
And unfortunately, due to an unexpected emergency in Cherrye's family, she will be taking some time off from Travel Tip Tuesday. I hope you will join me in wishing her and her family well!
As you may know, one of my dreams/goals is to move to Italy. I often imagine what my life would be like over in Italy. And having the vivid imagination that I do, my dreams are often fillied with scenarios played out in Italy. Here are a few that I am willing to share.
In my Italian dreams…
I see myself shopping in the food markets, for the first time-my eyes wide with colorful pleasure, struggling to make sense of the handwritten signs and conversions, not knowing what to buy. A stranger to the men and women behind their boxes of produce as I skittishly decide what to purchase. Years later, I have made friends with my local shopkeepers and they greet me with large Italian smiles and share time-honored family secret recipes while just throwing the needed ingredients into my market bag.
In my Italian dreams…
I see myself walking into my local cafe for the first time as a resident, yet a stranger, the sounds of Italian chatter and clanking china cups against saucers and the smell of strong espresso flling the air. Everyone a stranger to me and sizing me up and down. Eventually, my barista greets me with my *regular* every morning café, the conversations become something I understand, rather than just lovely backgound noise and I am afforded a welcoming *Ciao, Robin* by my Italian friends that I have now accumulated. I sit with them and enjoy my morning, speaking and understanding my new language.
In my Italian dreams…
Our house starts as a bare shell, old and peeling with a patina only a true Italian can appreciate. My canvas before me, I hop from flea market to flea market throughout Tuscany, picking up old Italian treasure after treasure and lugging them back, somtimes on the bus or train, to fill the empty space.
My bedroom dressed with an old rusty, peeling iron bed, covered in simple Italian monogrammed antique linens, old engravings of Italian towns hung on the stone walls, and a large armoire. My kitchen has a large farm table and lots of eclectic hand-made Italian pottery- complete with nicks out of the rims.
In my Italian dreams…
I picture family and friends coming to visit, both old and new, both American and Italian. We cook and enjoy large dinners around a table on a terrace on the deep, green grass, under blossoming trees. Large bowls of herbed olives, prosciutto and melon, figs and gorgonzola, a neighbor cooks a fresh pasta and sauce and joins us. We enjoy many bottles of local Tuscan red wine while eating and storytelling into the wee hours. We finish off with our homemade limoncello.
In my Italian dreams…
We enjoy train travel all over Europe. We visit our friends in Provence and Paris and vacation on the Riviera. We go north to Venice and south to my friends in Calabria and Catanzaro. We island-hop in Greece and ferry to Morrocco. Eventually we see Spain, Portugal, Amsterdam, Brussels, Prague, Croatia, and Bavaria. Exploring new languages, diverse cultures and local cuisine keep us happy and entertained for years.
In my Italian Dreams…
We love helping our Italian friends and neighbors by picking their olives and making olive oil. We help harvest their grapes and make wine. We are invited to take part in the fruits of their wares at the family dinner table. We are always presented with a few bottles of each as our generous gift for helping out.
In my Italian Dreams.
Do you ever dream of living in another country? If your an expat, how have your dreams compared to the reality?
1. Happy Valentine’s Day!, 2. love message, 3. LOVE, pop art, Indiana, 4. Queen Of Hearts, 5. Love XOXO, 6. Romantic Vintage 1900s Valentine Postcard–Cupid, Heart, Lady, 7. Pierced Arrow Heart Cookies, 8. Untitled, 9. Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!, 10. Coffee with love, 11. Happy Valentines Day!, 12. Vintage Valentine’s Day Card
I know I’m a few days early, but better early than late, especially when it comes to Love and Valentine’s Day.
I like the idea of taking a day to celebrate the one(s) you Love. Not that you shouldn’t celebrate them everyday!
But today, I’d like to talk to you a little bit about my Valentine. And, you know who you are.
I am lucky enough to have as my other half, my Number One Fan. He is so supportive of me and my endeavors. He is the first to hand someone my business card, while I am still fumbling around in my bag for one.
He is always happy to be my editor-in-chief and proofreader, even when it’s way past his bedtime and he can’t even keep his eyes open.
He often gets stuck with making dinner, cleaning and washing dishes while I am busy writing, working or blogging- and I hear nary a complaint.
He is very independent. Even does his own laundry.
And he is a good Doggie Daddy!
He doesn’t have a lot of money, or a Master’s degree, or a fancy car.
He does have a sweet, gentle nature, a fabulous sense of humor, a sexy bald head and a perfect toothy smile.
He is smart, introspective, adorable, respectful and hard-working. He gives the best hugs and does some of the best impressions and character voices…ever. He makes me laugh. Everyday.
His passion is music, he plays drums and guitar and he has an ear for languages. He listens to opera-Turandot is one of his favorites, he cries when he hears Nessun Dorma. And he doesn’t care that I just shared that with you.
He doesn’t mind that our living room has pink throughout and he puts up with my constant redecorating and rearranging of our house. He shares my flea market madness and my love of Italy.
And he puts up with my snoring.
Who could ask for more really? Really!
So, to celebrate further, we will be spending a nice day shopping and antiquing and enjoying a nice dinner Italian dinner at Vico. A full report on this gem will follow!
How will you be celebrating this year with your Valentine?
Yes, sir! My sister challenged me to a Pizza Throwdown. And it wouldn't be like me not to accept.
So this past weekend, we met up at my Mother's house, secret recipes and ingredients in hand.
It. Was. On. Eat your heart out Bobby Flay!
Mom and Chris were to be judges- and we would all eat the entries for dinner, with wine of course.
Sis never actually revealed her exact recipe- so the info I have is from sight and info that my mom has sneaked me about her pie.
Some basic notes first.
1. We both used already-made dough bought from our local store, which is above average.
2. We used a pizza stone to cook the dough.
Sister's Pizza
Newman's Own Tomato Sauce
Sliced Red Peppers
Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Lots of Chopped Basil
Sliced Mushrooms
A blend of Goat, Mozzerella, and two other *mystery* cheeses
*VS*
My Pizza
Smashed Grape Tomatoes
Red Pepper Flakes
Fresh Garlic
Baby Arugula
Kalamata Olives
Salt and Pepper
Shaved Pecorino-Romano Cheese
Good Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar for drizzling
Some tasting notes:
** My sister's dough was excellent!! She is an awsome dough-thrower, she would put any Italian pizza thrower to shame! She literally slams the dough onto the counter about 30 times to get the air out and then takes it in her hands and stretches it, round and round until the disk is large enough. Her whole process took about 30 minutes, but her dough was as impressive as her skills.
I could shoot myself for not getting pictures of how cute she was making the dough. They would have made a great addition to this post.
** My dough was horrible. A downright hot mess! Chris usually rolls our dough and yes we use a rolling pin- but since he was under the weather, and didn't want to contaminate the pizza, the rolling duty was left to me. Big Mistake. After struggling to morph the dough into any recognizable shape- the cavalry (my sis) had to come in and save me. It took her several more tries to rescue my dough and by the time she did, I am afraid it was overworked and tough.
** Both pizzas tasted very good. Both judges agreed that they were too different to judge in the same category. If you like your pizza crunchy, healthy and light- like a salad on a crust, then you would like mine. If you like your pizza crust a little softer, but loaded with bold flavors and cheesy, then you would like my sister's.
Honestly, I liked them both. Very much. But for very different reasons. The judges called it a tie.
If I had to pick, I would have picked my sisters, especially because of the crust. But I will surely make mine again. And again.
Which do you think you would pick? What's on your favorite Pizza?
