The Season's Hues

When I moved to the Pacific Northwest last summer, I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of the seasons.  As summer turned to fall, I quickly found a bounty of colors signaling change, even if the landscape ins't quite saturated the way it is at home in New England.

At this time of year, regardless if you're in Boston or Seattle, you're bound to end up with a number of squash and pumpkins, some for decorating and others for eating.  We've got the white ones sitting on the front steps, greeting guests as they arrive and the pie pumpkins are lined up as well, bumping elbows on the kitchen counter.  (The rest of the squash are in the basement.  I only have so much space in the kitchen!)

One of the pumpkins was peeled, cubed and roasted for this delicious salad I had seen in Bon Appetit, swapping out the goat cheese for an Oregon blue.  (The leftover seeds were my afternoon snack.)  Earthy lentils are always a nice match for a pungent blue and in this salad the pumpkin caramelized nicely to go aginst the arugula's bite.  Looking at the photo I can't help but notice it captures the season's hues on the plate.

Although I adore this salad, and have filed it away to make it again, autumn isn't complete without turning the oven back on for some warming treats.  In my mind, the best part about baked goods right now isn't pecan pie or apple crisp, its pumpkin bread.  Most quick breads are made from what's in your pantry, with the addition of the requisite fruit or vegetable, which is very convenient when the air is getting cool and you'd rather stay put inside with your comfy slippers.  This recipe is heavy on cinnamon and nutmeg and as you pull the loaves from the oven you'll be rewarded as the aroma extends from the kitchen throughout your house . 

Homestyle baked goods are always a safe bet to please E, so I know I won't be required to eat it all myself.  That's not to say I haven't had my fair share of slices, I'd just prefer not to down an entire loaf before the wedding next Saturday.

Pumpkin Bread with Dried Cranberries
Adapted from The Foster's Market Cookbook by Sara Foster
Makes 2 loaves


I've made this recipe many times using raisins in place of the cranberries and adding pecans or walnuts.  Feel free to experiment as desired.  The original recipe calls for canned pumpkin puree but I make it with pumpkin and/or squash that I've roasted, put through the food mill and let sit overnight in cheesecloth, which doesn't lend as deep of a color to the bread.  Hey, I've got to do something with what's in my farm share.  Lastly, this bread only gets better with time and ships well.


3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
15 ounces pumpkin puree
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup dried cranberries, rehydrated


Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Butter and flour two large loaf pans (9"x5"x3")
Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl and whisk to incorporate
In another bowl, whisk sugar, eggs and oil
Add puree, juice, zest and vanilla and mix just until evenly combined
Stir in cranberries
Divide batter evenly between the two pans and place on a rimmed baking sheet
Bake for about 1 hour
Let the bread sit in pans for about 10 minutes and remove to cooling rack

France Vacation

We went on vacation to France. For my birthday. It was fabulous.

We flew the overnight flight into Paris, promptly headed to the Hertz counter after retrieving our luggage, and piled into out little Nissan hatchback to head southeast towards Lyon. After several hours of E driving, and me enjoying the scenery and nodding off, we me made our first stop in Beaune in hopes of finding lunch. We parked in the center, made our way through one of the cathedrals then onto a cafe for our first meal. Croque monsieurs and salade paysanne. Ah, the beginning of many meals to come.

Thankfully Lyon was not much more than an hour's drive as our eyes were heavy from travel. Our hotel was planted between the Saone and the Rhone, neatly tucked away from some of the more heavily trafficked streets. The next day we explored Lyon by foot, moving through the cobblestone streets and up the hills, finding panoramic views of the city and its surroundings. I had the most delicious chausson aux pommes, which may have been one of the best things I ate throughout our trip. The pastry was delicate yet buttery and wrapped snuggly around tender apples that tasted of cinnamon and sugar. For dinner that night we searched out Ouest Express which is the fast food dinning concept from Paul Bocuse. The quiche menu du jour was a savory vegetable tart with a salade verte and a tarte aux fraises for dessert. I know that I need not begin to compare this to fast food here in the states.

On our second morning in Lyon, we told the GPS to navigate us towards Tours and spent the day driving through the the Massif Central into the Loire Valley, where we spent the next couple days touring the many chateaux, driving through the countryside an meanadering the streets in search of markets and restaurants.

We stopeed at Mont St. Michel and should have known not to have gotten out of the car when we saw the number of tour buses lined along the edge of the parking lot. We did brave the crowds to walk around since we had gone out of our way to stop, but it was short lived and much better from afar.

Normandy was a beautiful area and seeing the D-Day beaches made me realize the magnitude of what was accomplished there. E has read extensively about World War II and his grandfather fought for our country in that war. While we went from beach to beach he narrated the task of each unit and the obstacles that they ran into during the attack.

The next morning while he slept in, I walked down the narrow streets of Bayeux, reading the plaques of the different sites within the city, learning about its history and observing the locals in their daily routines.

We made it into Paris late Friday afternoon and dropped everything off at the hotel. We then tried to return the rental car for the next 30 minutes. I could see the Hertz return center clearly marked on the map, however in the real streets of the 4th arronidissment, the signage didn't exactly stand out.

Our first full meal in Paris was at a traditional bistrot Parisienne, Benoit. I follwed the amuse bouche of gougere with a dish of escargots, which were coated with garlic oil and fresh herbs. E skipped the first course saving room for his generously cut filet de boeuf which came with a macaroni gratin. The sole was served with spinach in a surprisingly light cream sauce.

Rose Bakery was our first stop on Saturday morning. Actually, it was the first place I wanted to go when we arrived on Friday, however by the time we figured out where to return the car, the bakery was closed and I had to wait another day. Breakfast, Lunch, Tea has been a source of many simple baked goods and savory salads so I was thrilled to be able to taste the authentic versions in person. I enjoyed a maple scone and fresh fruit salad while E munched on a tomato and bacon quiche and a berry crumble. I love how simply they display the food. I wish I lived nearby as I'd like to eat there every day.

It was my good fortune that David Lebovitz was doing a book signing while we were there. It would have helped had I known what a bouquiniste was since we walked around for almost 45 minutes looking for the place he was holding the signing. After meeting David and scoring another of his books, this time a signed copy, we headed to Gerard Mulot for a snack and to oogle the pastries in the display cases.

After a walk through the Hotel des Invalides, we stopped in the park for a little rest.

On my birthday we walked over to the Champs Elysees, had brunch and were the typical tourists heading to the Arc de Triomphe and eventually over to the Tour Eiffel.

We did make it to Laduree for macaroons to bring home as gifts, but not to Pierre Herme.

The hot chocolate at Angelina certainly lived up to its reputation. I ordered the small and I still could not finish the sweet and velvety treat, even after adding a generous spoonful of whipped cream after each bite. I savored the brioche a tete with butter and jam as E had the eggs benedict with a lucious hollandaise.

While we were waiting to be seated we were wondering what the pastries below were. I guess we werent in "the know" since almost every person in the dining room was feasting on one of these treats. These Mont Blancs are meringue, covered with whipped cream and chesnut purree piped atop.

Ah, vacation. Its nice to be home, but then you have to go back to work. I much prefer waking up without and alarm, enjoying long rides through the countryside, and eating rich pastry for breakfast each day. I can't wait to head back to Paris, but I know there are many other places we'll probably visit before we return. So for now, we've got memories, and of course many ideas for recipes to try!

Back to the Blog

Its been a long time since my last post and no, I have not quit this blog. As usual, being out of town for work has occupied my time, most recently travling to South America. I've also been helping the farm where we get our share with their blog. All the fruits of this summer's bounty have made their way into our kitchen we've been giving the various veggies and fruits a quick chop or pass on the grill and serving them up. These simple preparations seem to come over me each summer and every August there seems to be a reoccurring phenomenon that all I want for breakfast is a sliced heirloom tomato on toast spread with thick yogurt.



I've got loads of recipes lined up to try, like this one for all the squash in the share, but I keep returning to the quick and familiar. I did give David Tanis's blueberry-blackberry crumbe a try this weekend as we had brought home a flat with berries of each.



The only change I made, aside from reducing the amounts, was to add some oatmeal to the mix as I prefer my topping with a bit more texture. I did dump the overflowing berry juice on my lap, but other than that I'd say it was a success.



Blueberry Blackberry Crumble
Adapted from A Platter of Figs by David Tanis
We served this with a modest scoop of vanilla ice cream

Serves 2

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 pint blueberries
1/2 pint blackberreis
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and stir to combine
Add butter and work with your hands until you have a crumbly mixture
Toss blueberries and blackberries with granulated sugar
Divide the berries evenly between the ramekins
Divide the topping over the fruit
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the topping is nicely browned
Cool before serving or serve at room temperature

Important Things

I know, two posts in one week. I can barely get one posted each month, but today I'm very busy avoiding all of the important things I should be doing so I've got time. Instead, we went for a run (gasp!), stopped at the market, and went out to breakfast. I then worked in the garden and uploaded some photos. When I came across the feta and herb dip I just had to tell you about it.

This is a basic creamy dip, but made much more interesting with the addition of feta and plenty of fresh herbs. Since we now have a kitchen garden (!!) I was able to walk out the door and choose from the lot. In addition to the scallions (from the market, ours aren't big enough yet) I added mint, basil, and parsley.

Although there's plenty of herbs outside, there's not much else. The strawberries are growning, but still green. There are a few snow peas that are mature, but not enough for an actual meal. I'm sure it doesn't help that I've been eating them off the plant each time I go by. Once they're all grown, I'm sure they'll be good with this feta and herb dip.

Feta and Herb Dip

I like this served with fresh vegetables that have been blanched quickly and shocked in an ice bath. Sturdy potato chips aren't so bad either. Sometimes I add a drizzle of olive oil as well. This is a quick dip for when guests drop in.

8 ounces feta, crumbled (I like French feta)

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature,

1/4 cup mayonaise

1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

4 scallions, roughly chopped

1/2 cup of green herbs, roughly chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to food processor and pulse to combine 15-20 times, scraping down sides as necessary

If too thick, add about a tablespoon of milk or cream to thin to desired consistency

Keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days

crispy crackers

Last week had been a year since my first post on this blog. Until I read Molly Wizneberg's column in Bon Appetit last spring, which referenced her food blog, I had no idea what one was nor the breadth of the online community interested in all things food. I know I haven't posted as much as I would have liked in the past year, but I have tried to periodically update the site and have actively explored many other blogs to read, learn and get inspired.

As I've mentioned before, with all my travel for work this year, my time to cook, and take photos with my new camera, has been limited. When I have been cooking at home, its mostly been simple things like the pasta above. We have started a vegetable patch that grows more exciting with each day and can hardly wait to harvest and cook from our garden. I enjoy nothing more than to be able to unwind in the garden and kitchen or at least thumb through cookbooks and plan what to try next.

Friday, I came across a blog I hadn't visited before and found a recipe I wanted to try. I have seen the raincoast crisps at the market many times and they always interest me, yet I hadn't tried them. After reading the author's recipe and seeing the active preparation was quick, I gave them a shot. While they cooled, E and I took an after-dinner walk to enjoy the beautiful weather we've been having.


This first pass was a trial to make sure that I liked them and now I know they're great!. Next time I'll make a full batch, (the recipe below is for half), and store a couple loaves in the freezer to bake as needed. I love the ultimate flexbility of the recipe, from changing the flours to the add ins, and can't wait to try other combinations. I really think you should try this recipe and make it your own. I'm curious to know what you'd stir into the mix and would love to hear your recommendations!

Thank you to everyone who has visited this site and I hope you'll return to see what's going on in my kitchen and let me know you're cooking as well.

Raisin & Rosemary Crisps
Adapted from dinner with Julie

These are great as a snack on their own and also delicious with cheese or spreads. I'm thinking they'd make a fine base for some chicken or tuna salad canapes.

1 cups flour
2 tablespoons rye flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup pepitas, toasted

Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a large bowl, stir together the flours, rosemary, baking soda and salt
Add the buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and stir a few strokes
Add the raisins and peptias and stir just until blended
Pour the batter into two mini loaf pans that have been buttered and floured
Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch
Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack
Once cool, place the loaves in the freezer for about 30 minutes
Slice the loaves thinly as possible
Place the slices in a single layer on a cooling rack on top of a half sheet pan
Reduce the oven heat to 300° F and bake them for about 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until crisp and deep golden