Nectar

I hope you're not pumpkin’d out. Because I have something for you this week that is rather sinfully delicious. Ashley threw another party for the new book she is writing (and I'm lucky enough to shoot) - a tome to handmade gatherings - and this party was all about the pumpkin. If you've been with me for a while you know how much I love a good bread pudding (like this one and this one) - and this spiked & spiced one just might be my favorite.

Before the recipe... some updates. Things here are good. Den is back home with us after working in Texas for the last six weeks. He made it home just in time for Halloween and the girls were overcome with excitement. Also, Ashley's been adding some fantastic new Small Measures pieces over at Design*Sponge. This one is a current favorite and between that and this new formula we just added to the shop - my impending cold was never able to take hold. And I started swimming again - 5 weeks under my belt at this point. I'd forgotten how it made me feel. Feeling whole right now. After the recipe... a little late, but my Witching Hour playlist from the holiday - though I think I'll be listening to this for some time to come...

BLACK RUM & SPICED PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING

1 loaf of bread (preferably homemade and white)

6 eggs

1/4 c. black rum (we love Kraken)

1 pint heavy cream

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. cinnamon

1/4 t. cloves

1/4 t. ginger

pinch of salt

1 can of pureed pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a large, deep baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside. Break the loaf of bread into large chunks and toss them into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, rum and sugar until thoroughly combined. In another bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt - mix well. Combine the egg mixture with the pumpkin mixture and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Pour over the bread and using a large spoon (or your hands) gently toss the bread in the mixture ensuring every piece is completely covered. Let sit and soak for 20 minutes. Then pour the soaking bread into your prepared baking dish.                                                                       

While the bread is soaking, prepare the crumble...

SPICED CRUMBLE TOPPING

1+1/4 c. flour

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. sugar

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

3/4 t. ginger

1/2 t. cloves

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. salt

1 stick of butter (melted)

Combine all in a food processor and aside until the soaked bread has been poured into the baking dish. Once it has, top the bread pudding with the crumble ensuring it's evenly spread out over the pudding. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

I topped ours with a spiked whipped cream:

1 pint of heavy cream

1/4 c. black rum (adjust to your taste)

1 T. sugar

Whisk until soft peaks are formed - ready to serve!

 

And to haunt you...

THE WITCHING HOUR

Am I Evil? : Diamond Head

Bodies : Danzig

Howl : Beware of Darkness

Shank Hill St. : Shovels & Rope

I Can't Hardly Stand It : The Cramps

I Predict A Riot : Kaiser Chiefs

Haunting at 1300 McKinley : The Black Angels

Honky Tonk Horror : The Black Belles

Howlin' For You : The Black Keys

Evil Ways : Black Mountain

Nightcrawlers : Widowspeak

Full Moon : The Black Ghosts

Zombie Eaters : Faith No More

The Ghost Inside : Broken Bells

Straight To Hell : The Clash

Bark At The Moon : Ozzy Osbourne

The Spell : The Black Heart Procession

Ghost Town : Beware Of Darkness

Electric Funeral : Black Sabbath

Blood : Band of Skulls

Bloodletting (The Vampire Song) : Concrete Blonde

Like A Nightmare : Motorhead

The Prowl : Dan Auerbach

Walk At Night : Cults

Black Hearted Love : PJ Harvey & John Parish

Twist of Cain : Danzig

Witchcraft : Wolfmother

Marching Song : Esban and the Witch

Hell of a Season : The Black Keys

The Pendulum : The Ettes

Nail in My Coffin : The Kills

Skulls : Misfits

Shadow's Keeper : Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Flames Go Higher : Eagles of Death Metal

To Walk The Night : Samhain

Listen here.

 

Can you believe it? A recipe! I made this dish after being inspired by one of my favorite tacos at White Duck Taco Shop here in Asheville. It's been a favorite and even though the sauce has a little kick to it, the girls adore it - they just drink lots of milk with it! What I love so much about this meal is the layers upon layers of flavor - and that you can make the sauce days ahead and marinate the chicken one day ahead. Come dinner time on a busy night I just have to cook the rice and the chicken off and we are ready to eat.

CHICKEN WITH PEANUT SAUCE & GINGER RICE

3 lbs. of organic chicken tenderloins

Marinade:

4 T. grapeseed oil

4 T. sesame oil

1 T. chili oil

1 T. + 1 t. rice vinegar

3 T. soy sauce

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 lime (zest and juice)

1 clove of garlic (minced)

1 T. fresh ginger (minced)

1 t. coriander

In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together until sugar dissolves. Add chicken to the marinade and ensure every piece is thoroughly coated (I use my hands). Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to 24 - the longer the better.

Sauce:

1 1/2 c. crunchy peanut butter

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. soy

1 T. chili oil

1 t. chili pepper flakes

1 c. coconut water

2 T. ginger (minced)

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

Combine all in a food processor and mix until thoroughly blended  - about 3-4 minutes. You can cover the sauce in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator up to two weeks.

When you are ready to serve, start the rice...

Rice:

2 c. chicken stock (homemade is best!)

1 c. jasmine rice

1 clove garlic (minced)

2 t. ginger (minced)

Add stock, garlic and ginger to medium size pot - mix in rice and bring the pot to a slow boil. Turn down to simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice.

While the rice is cooking, cook your chicken. You can grill it - or bake it if you like. But our favorite method is on our flat-top cast iron skillet. It browns the chicken nicely - almost caramelizing the outside a touch.

Serve the chicken over rice with the sauce and enjoy...

And because it's been a while... here is a playlist for your weekend:

AUTUMN IN THE SOUTH

Mystic Mind : Those Darlins

Shank Hill St. : Shovels & Rope

Rise to the Sun : Alabama Shakes

Love Interruption : Jack White

Down With The Shine : The Avett Brothers

Little Song Bird : Black Prairie

Let's Get Wrecked : honeyhoney

My Baby Cried All Night Long : The Ettes

Hell's Bells : Cary Ann Hearst

When The Night Comes : Dan Auerbach

A Thief At My Door : Karen Elson

To The Horses : Lanie Lane

Waste The Day : The Secret Sisters

O'Be Joyful : Shovels & Rope

Listen here.

This playlist was highly inspired by a recent trip to Nashville... The Black Belles are only missing from this list becauase Spotify does not include them in their library. Never heard them? Drink the potion here. And was lucky enough to catch Shovels & Rope here in Asheville right after we got back from Nashville - sort of obsessed with them.

And speaking of Nashville. Dan Auerbach totally walked into Barista Parlor while Jen and I were enjoy our morning brew and breakfast. Best day. Yes, I'm totally bragging.

It's no secret how I feel about our new town. I really, REALLY love it. Den and I suffer with an acute case of wanderlust - but recent discussions have us more and more determined that this little wonder in the Smoky Mountains might be our home base for some time. I was recently asked by the editors of Martha Stewart Living Magazine to shoot some of my favorite places in town for a small travel feature in the October issue (go buy it now!). I wanted to share some of the outtakes from that piece - we are so passionate about the food scene here, I could not let some of these amazing places not get a shout out.

 

The Admiral has been graced with tons of national coverage lately (including the New York Times) - and rightfully so. A self-proclaimed dive bar in West Asheville, the menu is headed by talent Elliot Moss who has a gift for combining local flavors in unexpected and ridiculously innovative and beautiful ways.

 

Blackbird, once hidden in the green-clad countryside of Black Mountain, NC (just outside Asheville) is in process of moving into the Aloft Hotel in Downtown Asheville. We are excited about this transition as it means we'll likely be spending a lot more time there - but the original location holds a very special place in our hearts. It was one of the first places we ate when we moved here and we've spent many a birthday and weekend evening clamoring over the shoestring fries Chef Bobby always brings out to the girls and the thoughtful, intensely flavored dishes made from local sources (local is BIG around here.) And though the menu could be defined more in a casual-fine dining sense, I can NOT get enough of their burger - topped with homemade Pimento cheese and then I throw on a handful of those shoestring fries for good measure. INSANE. It’s my favorite burger in town.

 

James Beard-nominated Chef Katie Button has brought traditional tapas to Asheville in a big way with Curate. Den and I always look across the table at each other in stunned excitement when trying a new small plate they've introduced. Our favorites include Pimiento de Piquillo Con Queso de Cabra - pepper stuffed with cheese; Secreto Iberico a las Finas Hierbas - pure Iberico pork infused w/ rosemary - it arrives at your table smoking and Berenjenas la Taberna - fried eggplant, drizzled in wild mountain apiaries honey... but who am I kidding - we love absolutely everything on the menu and have come close to ordering it all in one sitting!

 

I have been so lucky to get to know Dan and Jael Rattigan through our mutual friend, Ashley. Founders of what is better known to locals as "the chocolate lounge" - French Broad Chocolates is a small batch, artisanal crafter of the most delicious chocolates EVER. A tourist mecca in the summers with lines wrapping around the building, they serve a wide, but distinctively unique selection of truffles (all made right upstairs), cakes and desserts and they've taken the process one step further; they opened their own factory here a few months ago where they roast the cacao beans with the power of the sun!

 

Early Girl Eatery in Downtown Asheville was one of our first stops when we moved here last summer. Working directly with over 20 local farms, the menu always features what's in season - and what's the absolute freshest. It's Southern comfort food and it's done so well that it remains to be the first place we take guests when they come into town. 

 

Another West Asheville institution, Sunnypoint Cafe is our absolute favorite breakfast in town. Everything seems to be infused with over the top flavor that just makes us keep coming back for more. It also sources most of its ingredients locally (are you sensing a theme here?) and by local, we mean the backyard. The restaurant operates a large community garden just behind it filled with the bounty on the season - and destined for your plate.

 

White Duck. I don't even know where to start. Den and I - and the girls to some extent - have a problem with White Duck. We can't stop eating there. And I have no shame in fully divulging that this occasionally happens more than once a day. Yes. We've been known to have lunch AND dinner there. Owners Laura (the chef) and Ben (the business) have become friends and I believe in what they do much I've been known to shout it from the rooftops. Really. It's fast, it's cheap and it's the biggest punch of ridiculous flavor combinations in your face you may ever have. I hesitate to call this place a taco stand - to me, it's more like... epicurean nirvana in a tortilla. And the desserts? Our favorite is Coconut Macaroon Pie w/ Salted Caramel. I think I have to go get lunch there now. See? SO bad.

I hope you're having a great week - and if you're ever road tripping through our town - eat up!

As a side note... posting will likely remain a little slow while CISTHENE takes shape - it's going great and opened on 10 September with coverage by Daily Candy! If all continues to go well - I'm dreaming up a real live brick and mortar space in West Asheville... but I promise not to abandon this space!

We had to get back to the beach. Since our trip to Myrtle Beach, we've been dreaming about getting back to the coast - just a nicer coast. So we made last minute arrangements to spend our 11-year anniversary in Charleston and Isle of Palms. We had yet to visit this part of South Carolina and I'd been eager to see what magic it held for so many. I've always been enamored of the South; growing up in the Midwest and Southern California, my idea of what the South was - was very Steel Magnolia's and Anne Rice's Feast of All Saints. I've always dreamt of taking a long, dusty road trip through Dixie... dining on peaches from roadside stands and passing haunted plantations at dusk - Spanish moss brushing the top of our car as we sank deeper into the country. Charleston, being one of oldest cities in America, founded in 1670 is beautifully preserved and allowed me the luxury of living out this fantasy.

We started our trip in the historic area of the city staying just a few blocks away from King Street and all it offers. The heat was deliciously intense. The kind that just drains your life while simultaneously making you feel cleansed and whole. We refueled at Hope and Union - twice on this trip actually - and fell in love with not only the spare beauty of the space, but some of the best iced mocha in the universe. That Sunday, our anniversary, we were lucky enough to secure a table at Husk and enjoyed what is most definitely one of my favorite brunches ever. While the pulled pork croque monsieur topped with a perfectly fried egg was memorable to be sure - it was dessert - the most heavenly chocolate trifle served in a large jar, that I'm still dreaming about. It was creamy and crunchy and chocolaty and - oh god - it was SO good. I'm determined to recreate it - somehow.

That afternoon we drove out to the beach. We stayed on Isle of Palms at Wild Dunes upon recommendation of a girlfriend. For a last minute getaway, it was an ideal choice. It is a beautiful, clean and un-crowded beach and some of the best shelling we've found on the East Coast. The girls collected some fine specimens. We swam until the sand and salt water was deeply imbedded into every pore and we relished the afternoon rains as a welcome break for lunch and a quick check up on the Olympic games. The ocean is so sacred to me. Whenever I have the opportunity to cleanse my spirit in the crashing waves, I find that the fires in my heart are quelled - at least for a little while. It's my favorite place to meditate, to listen to my soul and to the wisdom of the Ocean. I think my girls feel this force as well. 

 

We spent the last day exploring two other areas of Charleston. Having been recommended the tacos at Taco Boy in Folly Beach, we found it the perfect excuse to check out the area for a possible beach rental next summer. After we sat down on the patio of Taco Boy, sipping our beers and eating fresh guacamole, it occurred to me that I didn't feel like I was in the South anymore. Having spent so may summers in Pacific and Ocean Beach, I realized why I felt so comfortable in Folly. It has a distinctive SoCal vibe and I can't wait to get back next summer. And the tacos? An avocado tempura taco with slaw and a sweet Thai chili sauce rocked my world.

And I got my roadside meal of fresh peaches. A beautiful farm stand on Kiawah Island overflowed with baskets of peaches, tomatoes, greens, just jarred honey, eggs, fish, sweet grass baskets and a little gazebo of paintings. It was the perfect pit stop. Before leaving the area, I wanted the girls to see the Angel Oak - believed to be the oldest living tree East of the Mississippi, it is awe inspiring. I love where these experiences lead us – both physically and mentally as well as spiritually. The girls ask the most fascinating questions about what they experience and revel in the adventures – whispering among themselves like explorers who’ve just unlocked ancient secrets. Do you road trip? If not, I encourage you to pile everyone in the car – and just go. The road will always lead you to renewal.

More soon...

I've had an insatiable craving lately for homemade jam and bread. The bread thing I have down. The jam thing... not so much. I've never made jam before. But upon recommendation we found ourselves at Zimmerman's filling baskets full of berries in hopes to create our first jam. This berry farm - hidden in the valley of a beautiful range - proved to be an experience we now hope to follow every summer. The girls loved searching through the trellises for plump and vine-ripened blackberries while I sought out what remained of the raspberries. In the end, we plucked about 1.5 pounds of raspberries and over 5 pounds of blackberries.

Following the sugar to fruit ratio in The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook, we created two delightful concoctions... Raspberry Nectar - replacing half the sugar called for in the recipe with honey and topping with a bit of Irish Whiskey. This jam set perfectly and I loved the ease of the authors frozen spoon method to check for doneness. Our second was Black Rose Jam - I thought of the name before I knew what I was going to do - but it came together beautifully - a little loose - but delicious. I also loved the ease of these recipes - most of the Blue Chair recipes do not call for pectin making the cooking time a bit more critical. As a new jam maker there are some lessons learned - each noted at the end of the recipe - but I am so in love with the process and the idea of endless possibility. And I would love to hear any tips you might have - I see a lot of jam in my future...

 

*Note: In terms of the quantities of berries - we cooked what we picked - so change amounts of ingredients based on what you pick/buy.

RASPBERRY NECTAR

1.5 pounds of fresh raspberries

1/2 c. honey

1/2 c. sugar

4 oz. Bushmills Irish Honey Whisky

Start by placing a plate with several metal spoons in the freezer for checking the jam later.

As we picked our berries at a farm that does not spray their plants at all - we brought home a lot of little critters on our berries. We did go through each berry to ensure the little ants and beetles didn't end up in the jam. Once picked over, combine all ingredients in a large heavy bottomed pot and stir over low heat until everything is combined. 

Gradually turn up the heat to bring to a boil and continuing to stir constantly, keep the mixture at a boil for about 15 minutes. When the time has passed, take a spoon from the freezer and using an additional spoon, add some of the jam to the frozen spoon. Replace in the freezer to rest on the plate. Wait 5 minutes and remove the spoon from the freezer. The bottom of the spoon should be room temperature and if you tip the spoon, the jam should not run. If it does, cook for a bit longer and check again. When the jam is ready, can immediately. Here is a great canning tutorial.

*WHAT I WOULD CHANGE: Next time, I would add the whiskey just before checking for doneness - I felt like the flavor of the whiskey was cooked off.

 

BLACK ROSE JAM

5.5 lbs. blackberries

1 c. honey

2.5 lbs. sugar

4 oz. lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

1/4 c. rosewater

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot EXCEPT for the rosewater (lesson learned!) and coat evenly over medium heat. Once the sugar dissolves, slowly (yet another lesson - cranked up the heat on this one and it boiled over!) bring to a boil and stirring constantly, boil for 20 minutes. Add the rose water and boil another 5 minutes then using the spoon method above, check the jam for doneness. Jar immediately.

*WHAT I WOULD CHANGE: I think it depends on your heat - as we boiled over, we may have not allowed the jam to boil enough after we removed it from the heat to clean up our mess. In the end, this jam was runnier than the perfectly set up Raspberry Nectar - but we'll find good use for it!

 

Again - would love to hear your jam making tips! And in the meantime... summer jams...

SUMMER JAMS

Take Me Home : Golden Animals

Swamp Music : Lynyrd Skynyrd

Walk A Mile : Holly Golightly

Birds of a Feather : The Civil Wars

Blue Ridge Mountains : Fleet Foxes

Little By Little : Lay Low

Sky Open Up : The Watson Twins

Kick Drum Heart : The Avett Brothers

Maybe Mine : Good Old War

Daddy Sang Bass : Johnny Cash

Golden Bird : Levon Helm

Won't Be Me : Vetiver

Up On Cripple Creek : The Band

Moonshine Sonata : Black Oak Arkansas

Midnight Rider : The Allman Brothers Band

Listen here.

p.s. ALSO incredibly honored to be asked to talk about my favorite cookbooks over at 101 Cookbooks - thank you SO much Heidi!

p.p.s. and BIG NEWS - my new shop, CISTHENE will open a pop-up store tomorrow morning - sort of a teaser of what's to come in September! 

I've never really been an outdoor kind of person. I used to get bored lying on a beach and was convinced I would get ticks if I went hiking - or eaten by a bear. After our first camping trip through South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana with the girls a couple of years ago, I've come around to enjoying the outdoors. I will never forget sleeping under the stars in Montana - it was if the Gods dropped diamond-dust upon their ebony cloaks. Our move to the mountains of Western North Carolina has been yet another inevitable step in my blooming relationship with nature. Never have I lived where there is so much to do... outside. We are surrounded by secret swimming holes, gushing mountain streams, canopies of quiet wilderness, trails that wind bewitchingly through the forest floor and waterfalls that drown the sound of all else. 

 

One of the things I love most about where we live in Asheville is that we don't have to leave our neighborhood to access the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you are unfamiliar with this stretch of road, it has been widely hailed as one of the most beautiful and scenic drives in the entire world. I drive on it as much as possible to access the Southern part of our city - but it's meant for those long, heady weekend drives - the kind that you stop every few miles to photograph the quiet glory of the Smoky Mountains or follow a seemingly hidden trail to an open field in the clouds. This weekend, we drove down to the Pisgah National Forest, ate a picnic lunch next to a mountain stream, then rock-hopped and splashed our way through pools of gentle rapids. These day trips quell my wanderlust a bit, the pressing weight I feel - the desire to explore land anew far from home - I'm feeling rather lucky right now that we have so much exploring to do right here.

 

Our picnic and day trip was in honor of my husband's birthday. He loves my chicken rice, so I came up with an incredibly easy and quick way to put this dish together and take it where we want to go. While it lacks the incredible depth of the original, the flavors are strong and it’s a fine substitute when time is short. It's little bit of a culture clash, but it works, and even the girls devour it. I also made a simple summer grape salad with ginger to compliment the flavors of our chicken - and most likely the most unattractive chocolate covered frozen bananas ever - but they were delicious.

CHICKEN RICE INSPIRED QUINOA (i really need a better name for this)

1 c. quinoa

2 c. water

1 T. minced garlic

1 T. minced ginger

1 green onion (finely chopped)

Place the water, quinoa, garlic, ginger and green onion in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a slow boil. Once it begins to boil, stir a bit, cover and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook 15 - 20 minutes until the water is absorbed and you see a white, spiral like thread around each grain. Pour out the quinoa into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

1 organic rotisserie roasted chicken

Pull the white meat off the bird in bite-sized pieces and add to the quinoa in the mixing bowl. Discard the bones, or better yet - create a stock for later use!

1 T. crushed ginger

1 clove of garlic

5 T. grape seed oil

2 T. rice vinegar

2 T. ponzu

1 T + 1 t. sesame oil

1 1/2 t. chili oil

2 T. honey

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

zest and juice of 1 lime

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix for 5 minutes - or until thoroughly combined and thickened.

Pour the sauce over the quinoa and chicken and coat thoroughly. We've tossed in fresh peas or broccoli as well to brighten the dish up a bit. We chill ours thoroughly and toss it into a cooler - it's the perfect all-in-one dish for picnics.

 

GRAPE AND GINGER SALAD

1 bag of green grapes, rinsed and cut into halves

2 large handfuls of spinach, cut chiffonade

zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

2 T. fresh minced ginger

Toss everything together and chill. It's that easy.

Happy picnicking!

A quick peek at some Polaroid outakes for a book I'm working on with one of my favorite people and co-conspirators, Ashley English. She is writing a pretty phenomenal book about handmade and collaborative entertaining for Roost Books - and I'm lucky enough to get to photograph it. Lucky because in order to shoot this book - she is throwing parties all year long that must be attended and captured. Yes, so rough. I'll share peeks from time to time as I can.

And speaking of Ms. English, if you're not reading her Small Measures posts over at Design*Sponge you're missing out - every time we shoot these together I am so incredibly inspired - I love that about working with her. One more tag team effort we've got going on... Ashely's piece in the new issue of Foodie Crush!

Have a great weekend - it's Den's birthday so I think there might be some picnicking, berry picking and hiking on the agenda if the weather allows...

If you are unfamiliar with the work of photographer Tim Robison, I will take acute pleasure in the introduction. Tim's photographs are beautiful, ethereal and conjure memories of strolls through museums consuming works of Dutch masters. He is a southern boy who has recently found himself in New York City - but his love of the South and it's riches permeates in his work. Luckily for us not only can he shoot, he can cook...

Tim says:

"As soon as the weather turns warm I’ll invite my friends over to the house, we sit outside, open a beer and we make these tacos.  You see, I love tacos. Any kind of taco. But especially these pork tacos. They are so easy to make and packed with flavor. The pork comes out fall-off-the-bone tender, the cabbage and bacon add the perfect tang and crunch, while the grilled jalapeno finishes out the taco with the perfect amount of heat. To me these crispy pickled pork tacos taste like summer. I’ll make a quick homemade salsa, some chips and a side of spicy skillet corn and we are set for the night. Try these tacos, I promise you’ll love them!"

 

CRISPY PICKLED PORK TACOS

- 5 to 8 lb pork shoulder or Boston butt.

- One head red cabbage

- One large red onion—or two small

- 2 white onions

- One bunch of cilantro

- 2 medium sized jalapenos

- Couple limes

- 1 lb good quality bacon

- 1 large can crisp sweet corn, or 1 ½ cups fresh corn off cob

- Corn tortillas (flour are ok, but corn is best)

- A good quality dark beer (something you would drink)

- Small bottle of your favorite hot sauce.

 

PORK RUB:

- ¼ cup salt

- ¼ cup pepper

- ¼ cup cumin

- ¼ cup garlic powder

- ¼ cup lemon pepper

- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

- ½ tsp cayenne pepper

Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder.  Evenly coat shoulder with rub and massage in to meat.  Adding any leftover rub on fat-top side of meat.  Place meat in smoker fat side up (or on a medium-hot grill over indirect heat). Smoke for 4 hours, checking every 30 minutes for ample smoke. (Note: I smoke with hickory and cherry wood for nice flavor. Make sure to soak wood several hours before placing over coals.)

Remove shoulder and place in large dutch oven pan.  Chop white onions into large chunks and place around shoulder in pan. Add beer half way up onions (about one bottle). Cover with lid and place in 300 degree oven for 4 more hours checking every hour (oven time can vary depending on size of pork shoulder. If on the smaller size check meat after 3 hrs).

When pork bone removes clean, and meat pulls apart easily, shred into large chunks using forks. (Do not chop or cut meat!) There will be  amazing pan drippings left from the meat.  Remove the layer of grease and spoon the remaining drippings over pork to keep it moist.

 

PICKED CABBAGE SLAW: 

Slice red cabbage and red onions into ¼ inch slices and set aside. 

Warm 1/4 cup white sugar in 1 cup water until dissolved.  Let cool.

Add cooled simple syrup to 2/3 cup of white distilled vinegar.

Dash of salt and pepper.

1 tsp of your favorite hot sauce.

Pour marinade over cabbage and onions, cover and let marinade for several hours in refrigerator (overnight is best.)

 

SPICY SKILLET CORN

Render 1 lb bacon in large skillet until crispy (cast iron works best).

While bacon cooks, char or grill jalapeno until soft and skin blisters.  Remove ribs and seeds and chop finely. 

Remove bacon, let cool and chop into small pieces.

Remove about half of bacon drippings leaving about two tablespoons still in pan.

Heat pan to medium high heat. Add drained corn. Corn should crackle and pop in the drippings. Add about half of the jalapeno (or more to taste) and season with salt and pepper.  When corn begins to char remove from heat and place in bowl. Garnish with bacon and chopped cilantro.  (Note: You want to cook the corn quickly over high heat—less than 5 minutes—If cooked too long, the corn can become chewy and sticky)

To Serve:

Warm the corn tortillas until slightly crispy on the outside.  Place pork in tortilla and top with slaw, chopped bacon, chopped cilantro, crumbled queso fresco and a squeeze of lime. (If you like your tacos extra spicy add some of the remaining grilled jalapeno or some of the skillet corn.)

Enjoy the tacos with good friends and an ice-cold beer (preferably outside).

(photos and recipes by Tim Robison)

 

A quick note about my song selections. These are the songs that remind me of summers in North Carolina - each one relates to a memory I have of being in the mountains. I try to remind myself to slow down in the summers. Its a magical time and I think these songs help me do that. You can listen to these songs while preparing the meal, or while eating - or both!

SUMMER

We Don't Run : Willie Nelson

You Never Know : Wilco

Pearls On A String : Ryan Adams

Animal Tracks : Mountain Man

The Swimming Song : Loudon Wainwright III

Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight : Amos Lee

Window Blues : Band of Horses

The Chorus In The Underground : Great Lake Swimmers

In The House Of Tom Bombadil : Nickel Creek

Blue Skies : Noah And The Whale

Dirty Rain : Ryan Adams

Island In The Sun : Weezer

Romance To The Grave : Broken Social Scene

Sweet Disposition : The Temper Trap

Listen here.

 

I hope you've been having a wonderful summer. We've been on the road a bit - as soon as Den got home at the beginning of the summer, I spent a week in NYC for work, then we took the girls to Myrtle Beach for Ari's 5th birthday - more on that soon - and spent the holiday in Atlanta with my family. We've been trying to spend as much time together as possible - Den's autumn work schedule comes upon us much too quickly and I didn't want us looking back wondering where the summer had gone. I'm sure that those reflections will still tease us at the end of the summer - but as of right now, I feel like we are living a good sun-filled season. The girls - possessing the benefits of my husband's genetic disposition - are all golden skinned; I'm still pale but sun-kissed with freckles galore - we spend a lot of time in swimsuits right now. It's good.

So… Myrtle. Do keep in mind I’m new to the South. If you’ve never been to Myrtle Beach, I would love to say that I am about to wax poetic about the beauty of it all. Alas, that is not the case. It’s Panama City meets… I don’t even know what. There are lovely high-rise hotels cozied up next to places I could swear I’ve seen in horror movies. The beach is not the most pristine miles of sand I’ve walked upon and the food selection was not what I expected of a coastal town. But man did we have a good time (a few shots here). The girls conquered any remaining water fears they may have harbored in the crashing surf (pretty sure that Adie will be ready to learn to surf next summer) and we played skee ball for hours in an old boardwalk arcade, ate ice cream under the stars in the sand and yes, even partook in one of the famous, ridiculously oversized all you can eat seafood buffets and ate crab legs until we could barely walk. Will we do it again? Probably not. I was, and still am, looking for a more quintessential Southern beach experience – something quiet, something ours, something MUCH less commercial. In fact, I’m completely obsessed with this house and am planning on selling a kidney so we can rent it for a week next summer.

Work has been intense and I have such mixed feelings about this - as we all do about balancing work and parenthood and if we are so inclined - taking time for ourselves. It's a lesson I have yet to really learn. But some exciting things have been happening and I look forward to sharing them soon. And we have been cooking - mostly grilling. While I don't have a formal recipe and photos to share with you today, I will let you in on a little secret to the best burger in the entire universe. We've been filling the middle of our ground beef (80/20 - that's important!) with Brie. The cheese is so delicate it almost disappears into the burger yielding the richest of flavors. I glaze the burgers with equal parts olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and maple syrup (whisk all three together then using your hands, baste the entire burger with the glaze). The sugar content makes the outside of the burger crispy and the Brie makes the inside literally melt in your mouth. It's become addictive and we make them at least once a week now. Serve w/ a soft bun and a little whipped up balsamic mayo and happiness will surely follow. See that big smile above? That’s a post-Brie Burger smile.

I have another perfect summer meal coming up soon from a guest... in the meantime, here is our soundtrack to the season... more soon.

I SING I SWIM

Floating Vibes : Surfer Blood

June July : Apartment

Brand New Cadillac : The Clash

Clear Water : Field Music

Saltbreakers : Laura Veirs

I Sing I Swim : Seabear

Sunshine Superman : Donovan

Golden Star : My Brightest Diamond

On The Road Again : Canned Heat

Follow Me Down : Golden Animals

Hook and Ladder : Vetiver

The Wanderlust : Metric

Body of Work : The Mynabirds

Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win : Beastie Boys (featuring Santogold)

Rollercoaster : Black Mountain

Rise To The Sun : Alabama Shakes

The Crystal Ship : The Doors

You're Just A Drug : The Airlines

River By The Garden : Zeus

Summer Loans : The Isles

Cruel Summer : Karen Elson

Listen here.

 

 

I hope you had a great weekend - ours was full of food! We hosted a little cocktail party for some good friends to celebrate our "almost a year!" in Asheville. Everyone brought hors d'oeuvres and my mom and I threw together a spread of fresh cut fruit, shortbread and almond madeleines for dipping into ganache - and this cocktail. We LOVE sangria - and I love that you can play with it a lot as well. Years ago my mom had this brilliant idea of sticking a few branches of fresh rosemary into a bottle of white wine; let it sit for a day or so and the wine becomes infused with the subtle and intoxicating flavor of the herb. I took that idea as my inspiration to create the Springria... it's VERY drinkable and goes quickly so we made two batches in two half gallon mason jars (you could easily cut this in half though). It takes a little prep work but it's so worth it.

SPRINGRIA

2 bottles of white wine (we used a Sauvignon Blanc)

4-6 stems of fresh rosemary (plus additional smaller ones for garnish)

3 pints of fresh strawberries

4 T. sugar

1 c. of orange liqueur (we love Harlequin)

bottle of Cava

Open your wine pour just a little off (maybe 1/4 c. - drink it!) to make room for the rosemary. Gently slide 2-3 stems of the rosemary into each bottle. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or longer - the longer it sits, the more intense the rosemary flavor. 

You'll need to prepare your strawberries ahead as well. Leave 1 pint washed and whole for garnishing the glasses. Wash both remaining pints. The first, stem and slice all of the berries. The second, leave the stems and cut in half. Toss all the berries in the sugar and refrigerate. They need at least 4-6 hours to create enough syrup to use in the drink.

When you are ready to compose the Springria, drain 1/2 c. of strawberry syrup off the strawberries then divide the berries equally between your two mason jars. Add the syrup equally to the jars and pour a bottle of wine into each mason jar, finally adding 1/2 c. of orange liqueur to each jar. Add a few springs of fresh rosemary to each jar, seal and shake them a bit - refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve... add ice to a glass, pour the Springria straight from the mason jar (be sure to get some of those strawberries in the glass!) but leave a bit of room in the glass to top with a splash of Cava. Garnish with a whole strawberry and more rosemary. 

For another inspired spring cocktail and little bite check out our contribution that Marissa and I made to the new Equals Project!