Black Eyed Susan's Kitchen

BEAUTIFUL FOOD

             There is a reason for so many people to be photographing and writing about food today. I think that many chef's have brought the concepts of fresh ingredients, flavors, and eye appeal together in a very educated way.

 

Take this dish of grilled figs for instance. It was prepared by Chef Claudette, one of the owners of Via 45 in Red Bank, NJ. The figs were delicious, succulent actually, tossed with garlic oil, and drizzled with melted gorgonzola and traditional balsamic. An amazing surprise and savory taste for figs.

Chef Lauren and Chef Claudette were demonstrating how versatile the oils and vinegars sold through the very beautiful store, Carter and Cavero, also in Red Bank, NJ, can be. The mixed olives and cippolini onions  were flavored in a blood orange, rosemary and garlic infusion and then finished after with a tangerine vinegar.

Not only does Carter and Cavero have the store set up so that you can taste before you purchase, but they sell the most beautiful dishware and giftware. For those who were lucky enough to be walking through Red Bank on this drizzly day, to find a two-fer involving one of the most sought after restaurants in town pairing up with one of the loveliest shops in town, well, that makes for a very luck day indeed. You can find Claudette and Lauren cooking up a storm at Via 45 on Broad St. in Red Bank, and Carter and Cavero on Monmouth Street. 

Oh, and if you are keeping to a gluten free diet, Chef Lauren has you deliciously covered. 

FOLLOWING ALICE

                 Every now and again, it is advisable to just fall down that rabbit hole. One of my favorite rabbit holes happens to be in Farmingdale, NJ on Adelphia Rd.  

The gardens thunk up in this fantastical place are more than pleasing to the eyes... they are food for thought and creative whimsy. 

Like Alice, you can't sit just anywhere, and you must constantly pay attention to your surroundings when you are here.

There is so much to see...

in technicolor we went from perch to pillar, from little brick pathways to elvin statuary.

From a winged blue pig, because they would not have just any old pigs in their gardens to the most amazing and awesome mail box that we have ever seen. 

With faith in the unexpected and joy in our hearts we pulled ourselves up, out of the rabbit hole and back into the real world. Thank you to the magicians at Calgo Gardens for putting another smile on our faces...we love your nursery and shop!

IT'S RAINING VIOLETS

            When I was a little girl my Grandfather would sing a song to me. He sang it as well as Al Jolson who was actually a contemporary of his. My Grandfather has been gone for so many years now, but every once in a while something jogs my memory to a moment when he sang this song just for me. We were sitting on a bench in St Petersburg Florida where my Grandparents lived. I honestly cannot remember why I was unhappy, just that he sang this song to me...

Life is not a highway strewn with flowers,
Still it holds a goodly share of bliss,
When the sun gives way to April showers,
Here is the point you should never miss.

Though April showers may come your way,
They bring the flowers that bloom in May.
So if it's raining, have no regrets,
Because it isn't raining rain, you know, (It's raining violets,)
And where you see clouds upon the hills,
You soon will see crowds of daffodils,
So keep on looking for a blue bird, And list'ning for his song,
Whenever April showers come along.

And where you see clouds upon the hills,
You soon will see crowds of daffodils,
So keep on looking for a blue bird, And list'ning for his song,
Whenever April showers come along. 

 

          Our backyard is not covered with fine sod right now. It is, however covered with wild violets, a Springtime surprise. Sometimes a reminder from the great beyond can make a day so much better...I have been missing some who have been gone from this world, and I think, maybe, my Grandfather somehow got this message to me today. "It isn't raining rain you know, it's raining violets". 

FOOD TRADITIONS

               Oh, the holidays! If ever there was a time of year that we cling tight to our various traditional meals, this is without a doubt that time. Thanksgiving is pretty cut and dry for most of us...no pun intended here. We roast a turkey, stuffed or not, veggies and probably potatoes, and of course there is pie for dessert. Christmas though, well it seems most families are driven by choices based in tradition. Our own traditions come from my husbands Scandinavian roots. Christmas Eve is a smorgasbord of Swedish meatballs, potato salad (always from the same deli near the home they grew up in), and carrot jello (orange jello with grated carrots in it). To these dishes, we have added in, lasagne, roast ham, and other assorted foods changing from year to year and depending on who's house is hosting the event that year. 

                Christmas morning though, we have a more intimate tradition...we stay home. Always. Not negotiable. My husband travels quite a bit for business and this is his week to relax and not run around.

 

The chef in our house tends to find his relaxation in front of the stove ...the Viking working at the Viking as it were. The brunch dish of choice has been Susan Branch's recipe for Eggs Sardou casserole...our kids love this dish.

 

The dish is made of egg yolks, creamed spinach, artichokes, bacon, and cheese. Decadant and delicious, diets be damned for the day, this is how it begins.

Brunch was finished in no time flat, and now on to the rib roast. My personal contribution to the meal will be a tiramisu....yeah, it is that kind of a day...the treadmill will be smokin' tomorrow!!

So, what is your holiday food tradition? Which dish shows up on the table no matter what else is going on? Personally, I would love to try the Italian tradition of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve some time...but I have a feeling that it might have to be on a different day...it just doesn't fit into those deeply rooted traditions. Hoping everyone is enjoying their holidays no matter how they are celebrated or what happens to show up on your table!! 

LOST AND FOUND

                After keeping a blog going for more than five years, I meandered down a new street and took a break. Here, in a nutshell is what happened... I traded some of my photography and writing time to re-acquaint myself with my body....I started lifting weights and walking...daily. The results are now apparent, and I have to say that it is pretty cool to be down several sizes and pounds, and up muscle mass on my arms. Why now? I decided that I didn't necessarily want to grow old as gracefully as I once thought. The words kicking and screaming worked their way into my head, so I turned my Ipod up high, put my ear-buds in and started moving. The line from Bob Seeger's song Rock and Roll Never Forgets couldn't be more true and although sweet sixteen has turned 31 a long, long time ago,  it still applies.

                   We flew in to the Asheville North Carolina airport a little before Halloween for a much needed vacation and stayed for a few days in the fantastic little town of Dillsboro.

We stayed at the rustic chalet style Dillsboro Inn which is located next to a most idyllic river

 

and spent one lovely morning getting to know the town and it's amazing craft stores. 

Then, it was off for a ride up the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway. There was something very deja vu about this ride, not that I had ever been here before, but I felt instantly comfortable and enthralled by the scenery.

 

We stopped at almost every available spot so that I could jump out of the car and take pictures.

I just kept thinking that I had been here before, knowing, that it wasn't so.

But boy, those mountains are awesome and a welcome change from the flat land of the Jersey Shore. After Dillsboro, we spent the rest of the week in Asheville.

 

The city is very walkable, and has something for you to look at and be surprised by every step of the way.

Art galleries, vintage and antique stores, fantastic book stores, breweries and wine bars, and restaurants. The night life, bars, and music venues were fantastic too.

There was creativity every step of the way, and it really did get the inspiration flowing. The photo above is a few dresses made from condoms as a fund raiser for Planned Parenthood. Amazing!! 

It really was a fun trip, and although we came home looking forward to one of my favorite holidays, Halloween did not actually happen for us this year.

Hurricane Sandy barreled up the east coast and smacked right into us, and the entire Jersey Shore. It was/is a mess. We lost part of the roof to our house, trees fell on the fences, and the entire veggie garden was wiped out. We had no power for eleven days, toughing it out for the first five and then borrowing a generator for the last six. It was cold and kind of miserable, and we feel like we were so very lucky. You see, just a few miles from us entire communities were wiped out. Homes covered by the sea and when it all pulled back, there was sand and wreckage everywhere. Peoples homes were in bits and pieces....and then my computer decided it had enough and bought the dust as well.

         So, new computer and I am ready to start writing again...and maybe taking more pictures. I will be coming by to visit and catch up, and I am hoping that everyone has been well. Oh, and one last thing...before my computer died, when we had no power in the house, we did have wi-fi thanks to my son the techie, and so I watched the only movie saved on the computer. It was Last of the Mohicans, one of my all time favorites. As I was watching, it ocurred to me that the scenery was so much like the mountains of North Carolina and so, after the movie, when the credits started to roll, sure enough, we read that is where it was filmed!! I had seen those mountains before...many times...at the movies!!

This post is being linked with Little Red House for Mosaic Monday, Smiling Sally for Blue Monday, The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday, How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday, and Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday. Hoping to show up with more holiday energy in the next few posts.

                   

A LITTLE VINTAGE WHIMSY AND A LOT OF SERIOUS ANTIQUES

                   How tempting is the name Tweedle Dee antiques and such?

 

How about the name Muddy Puddles? I know this sign had my attention and my imagination working full blast. In an antique house turned store on River Road (the main street in Fair Haven, NJ) the Kent-Hower family has opened a new shop full of old...antique and vintage furnishings for you home, your wardrobe, your collections, and your imagination.

At their grand opening last week I took a few photos (many, many photos) so that you too can see some of the wonderfulness that is this new store.

Because I am a Magpie, I will start off with a montage of silver...so much silver. Looking for antique napkin holders? How about asparagus servers? A stunning silver urn? Maybe just a lovely antique filigree frame for a favorite photo? 

Then there is the beautiful dishware...Limoge porcelain, vintage china, lovely little nut dishes, and even some beautifully hand painted tea tiles. 

Oh, but there is so much more! A mixture of vintage, collectible, and serious jewelry and so many heart stoppingly beautiful purses. The black patent leather  hand-bags just speak to me on an Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelley, classic beauty level. 

This store has so much for everyone...

The entire house is dedicated to and stocked with everything and anything that you can imagine you might want in your own home. There is a lovely parlor with a beautiful fireplace, a kitchen full of vintage collectibles, a fully stocked library with antique bookcases full of books and then there is a little surprise of a closet, fitted with every kind of finding, fabric, or sewing item that time has not forgotten here.

Where else can you find a lovely vintage glass bowl filled with mother of pearl buttons...

And, this is where that sense of whimsy really comes in...the mother of pearl buttons can be scooped up with a pair of silver scallop shells. Walking through this store slowly to pick up on these little nods to the past is what it is all about. 

It is pretty much impossible to not find a treasure in Tweedle Dee.

Whether you imagine yourself in turn of the century surroundings, or conjure a picture of your life as a 1950's housewife who vacuums the floors in her high heels and pearls, you can find a vignette to feed that fantasy here.

If you like to take your time looking through antique books or vintage postcards, the library will be your cozier nook.

And of course, if you know Laura Kent-Hower's business history, then you know that you will always find the best antique linens for your dining room and your bedroom.

If all of this isn't enough to entice you to plan a trip to this new shop, I hear that the back room of Muddy Puddles has some special plans of it's own. Maybe a little lecture about vintage hammered aluminum might be in the works...I will keep you posted.

This post is being linked to Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday, Little Red House for Mosaic Monday, and Smiling Sally for Blue Monday.

♥, Susan

HOT FUN IN THE SUMMER TIME

                On a beautiful summer night at the boardwalk in Asbury Park New Jersey...

We had one of those just for fun date nights. Did we walk hand in hand along the board walk...not really. We went to see the Jersey Shore Roller Girls in action. 

They were playing against the Green Mountain Derby Dames...girls from a state that we spend quite a bit of time in. There was a lot of blocking and jamming and a bit of falling down, but there was no blood-shed. 

I can't wait to see them play again next month...and if it's a nice night out, well, maybe a romantic walk on the boardwalk will happen too.

♥, Susan

THE CITYCATION

            Oh summer time! It is truthfully my least favorite season. Once upon a time this statement would have been different, but the problem with summer is that it is too hot and too sunny for me. That said, we like to enjoy a vacation maybe a little different than the people who visit the Jersey Shore...where we live. The shore actually becomes ours again after September.

We have been visiting some of the eastern seaboards most exciting cities. In Philadelphia we went to the Museum of Art...one of my most favorite places on this earth. The third floor of this museum is a world of surprises...with the goddess Diana welcoming you to the giant staircase, we went to see the paintings, ancient armor, and architecture.

For a woman who took silver smithing classes at the Craft Students League in Manhattan for two years, this particular exhibit was just awesome. You can see my "ghost" in the photos of the silver mail that the knights wore. I could have spent the entire day here!

That the artists and craftsmen poured their hearts and souls into their work. That there are preservationists in our world who realized how important it was to save this...well I am ever grateful. My opinion...art without passion is craft. Ancient art that evokes passion in others...that is a gift to humanity.

We also made our way to the Reading Terminal Market on Market Street. I was honestly so enchanted by the place that I didn't think to pull out my camera to take pictures. I have been here before...but never mid-week when everything was open. The place is so authentic and gritty. It was so busy and there was such a strong current of energy running through that I was caught up in the moment. 

We segued on our citycation  to New York City where we had lunch at Eataly.

It was also very busy and we heard many new languages and accents while we were there. Many people in the market and restaurants were speaking Italian. 

The meal was wonderful...delicious, and the atmosphere was soothing. The service was just impeccable! 

After a few days visiting the cities I love with the person I love, I feel much more centered. My heart and soul feel refueled and hopefully, I will be ready to start writing more often. That really is what a vacation is for...isn't it?

This post is being linked to Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday, Smiling Sally for Blue Monday,and The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday's.

♥, Susan

 

LEARNING TO LOVE VENISON AND OTHER LESSONS THIS WEEK

              In all honesty, I have never eaten venison     before...however, if it were legal to hunt deer in our little town, I would without doubt, and without a backward glance, hunt down the deer who keep eating from our gardens like they were buffets assembled just for them. If it is true that you are what you eat, then the deer should be absolutely delicious!

Here is a sampling of the gladiolus blooms that the deer might have found delicious. They left me a few flowers just so that I know what I am now missing.

Gripes aside, I will have to think about the venison thing...after all, I am not a vegetarian. Does anyone want to share a favorite recipe or two?

 

Things that I learned this week are that having two terrific chef's cook dinner for me a week after my birthday is a great gift. It was a lovely weekend for eating on the screened porch and daughter number one cooked up an amazing dinner for us on Friday night. My talented daughter made a lovely lentil salad and since I watched her make it, I can tell you that it was almost exactly like the recipe on the blog Ciao Chow Linda this week, so I will suggest that you go check out her recipe and the rest of her wonderful blog as well. The chefs also made stuffed squid, a dish that I have always loved. I learned that when making a gluton free meal, you can substitute crushed gluton free Rice Krispies for bread crumbs. With the proper seasoning it really was almost impossible to tell the difference. The meal was rounded out with an avocado salad, dressed with a creamy honey mustard dressing. It was all delicious and just a spectacular gift!!

In the community garden there is a crayon box worth of colorful flowers happening right now. The amazingly bright sunflowers are the star, for me, however others might argue that the snow white Cleome is pretty exciting to look at. The Zinnia's are holding their own in the color department as well. I would show you a wonderful picture of the Nasturtium, but the deer ate it...boy, those deer have really ticked me!!

The deer have not gone after the Portulaca yet...I'm not sure if this interests them, and I am pretty certain that they are not interested in the asparagus ferns...

because, as you can see, the fern has grown way out of control. It reminds me of the Addams family character Cousin Itt. 

This post is being linked to Little Red House for Mosaic Monday and Smiling Sally for Blue Monday...I know it is a bit of a search for the blue this week, but my daughter looks adorable in her pretty blue top.

♥, Susan

GARDEN VARIETY HEIRLOOMS...EATING WELL

              In New Jersey, it has been a very hot summer so far. Okay, so we are all well aware of what the weather has been, but I am really feeling bad for the gardeners. The earth has been so parched.

 

Yet, the garden yields and produces in spite of the heat (or maybe it is because of the heat?). The tomatoes are doing so well, and of course their best friend basil grows right along side.

Something new and very exciting in the garden this year...tomatillos! The fruit of this plant has a papery husk that reminds me of Chinese lanterns that we hang outside around the deck for party decorations. They make the best salsa and green sauce for Mexican cooking.

The zucchini are up and growing

in abundence as well, and because last week was a holiday for us, my husband and favorite chef, was very busy making use of the fresh produce along with the bounty of the sea.

A meal of steamed mussels, with crusty bread toasted on the grill, and started with a tower of grilled zucchini, eggplant, peppers and fresh mozzarella, this was a real feast!

We followed this meal with a little melon ...everything in season and delicious. The wine was a refreshingly cold vinho verde, perfect for a very hot night. 

This week is promising more seasonal temperatures in the 80's. After last weeks highs, I am just hoping for some cooler evenings to sit outside on the porch.

 ♥, Susan