Dining Room: Before & After

BEFORE: When we first moved in the floors were carpeted and walls were a high gloss red.

AFTER

We bought our house almost 2 years ago this summer. It’s 2 story brick farmhouse built in the 30s. When we purchased it, it was a “fixer upper”. Everything was working and livable, but it needed an overhaul and of course our own touches. As much as I complain about not being able to get things done, and the never-ending list of things to do, now that it’s been 2 years, I’m looking at before and after photos and thinking, “Yeah, we did do a lot”.

The very first thing we did, even before we moved our things in, was refinish the hardwood floors. The downstairs had carpeting, and the upstairs floors were painted mustard and black. Many hours and sand papers went into these floors. Then they were cleaned and stained in a clear stain finish.

The dining room and living room used to be a very bold brick red. I was looking for something more calm, and warm. I choose Martha Stewart’s Oolong tea, a soothing green with yellow undertones. We used Behr Premium paint which has a primer in it. They claim you only need one coat. I have painted a fair amount of walls in my life, and I was skeptical, but now I am the unofficial Behr Premium spokeswoman. It really is worth the money. Some advice, don't let the person at the paint counter tell you can can't use a Martha Stewart color with Behr paint, or vice versa. All they have to do is a color match. Every time I mixed paint this way, they gave me hard time, but it's completely doable. Because I was painting over bold red, I did a coat of Killz primer, then only one coat of the Oolong Tea. This saved me both time and money, bonus! I haven’t gotten to the trim yet; you can see the test swatches on the side. I think I’ll end up doing a slightly softer white, but that’s only on the To-do list for now.

The biggest change we made in this space was knocking out a window between the dining room and front room. We suspect the front room used to be a porch since it’s all exposed brick and there was a perfect window shaped spot that we knocked out to become our bar. This project was taken up by my grandfather, the expert craftsman, also known as Johnny Four Fingers, coined after his close encounter with a circular saw whilst making the bookshelves shown (don't worry he still has all 5 digits!). The whole was cut, drywall and insulation removed. Then we put down a custom laminate counter-top  in a textured black matte, that gives the look of stone. The bookshelves were measured, cut, stained and installed by Johnny Four Fingers to our specs. Later we added the glass rack across the window.

Another change, that made a big difference, was swapping out the crystal chandelier. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it, it just didn’t fit with everything else. We replaced it with a Craftsmen style hanging light with a wrought iron finish.

Voila! We now have a cozy dining space for eating, drinking, and reading.

Tequila Lime Chicken (and perfecting stove top rice)

We got some interesting peppers in our last CSA, Anaheim Chiles and pretty purple peppers. I sliced them up with a red onion and sauteed them in some oil. I like my peppers and onions a little charred, so I start them on higher heat, then reduce to get them all soft and flavorful.

Meanwhile, I started a pot of white rice. I finally found my perfect rice making process..

1. Start off a with a pot that you know has a corresponding, tight fitting lid.
2. Fill it with double the amount of water that you want to make rice. For two of us, I usually do 1 cup of rice (which leaves a bit for leftovers). So, that’s two cups of water.
3. Bring the water to a boil, but don’t let it boil too long, or else you evaporate too much water, and your water to rice ratio gets off balance!
4. Add your rice, stir it up, otherwise you get clumpy uneven cooking. Put the lid on, and turn the heat waaaaay down. As you cook the rice, it should not bubble over at any point.
5. Stir periodically, I stir about twice in the cooking process. About 20 minutes. Turn the heat off when you can’t see any more water, but the rice still looks “wet”. If you waited to long and the rice is beginning to stick to the bottom, don’t worry. This is when you can season it or add butter or herbs or what have you. Tonight, I liberally added Adobe seasoning, lime juice and fresh chopped cilantro.
6. Now that the heat is off, put the lid back on, and don’t touch! This is the secret. Just let the rice sit and steam and get delicious. I start my rice first thing, then let it sit and steam while I cook right up til it’s time to plate up. I should also mention, I mostly use Jasmine rice, so cooking times may vary with different types of rice.

Back to the chicken. I sliced up some chicken breasts and added them to my half cooked peppers and onions. When the chicken was almost cooked through, I added salt, pepper, cumin. Then juice of a whole lime and a healthy douse of tequila. Let it simmer.

I also opened a can of black beans, drained them and put them in a put on low heat, just to warm them. I added some chicken pan juice and pureed them for the side.

This pretty much comes out like Fajitas without the tortillas, so enjoy however you please. The beans make a nice dipper for mouthful of chicken and veggies. Or, mix everything up together, like my male counterpart. Either way, it’s got good textures and tangy lime and tequila flavors.

The Barnes in It's New Home

The historic and elite Barnes Collection has moved to it’s new digs on the Parkway in Philadelphia, previously housed in Dr. Albert C. Barnes private home in Overbrook. The Barnes Collection is, hands down, my favorite collection and presentation of fine art I have ever seen. Dr. Barnes not only had an exclusive taste for art before it’s time, but he arranged and displayed his pieces by elements of color and design. So, unlike a regular museum experience, each wall is chock-full of paintings, furniture and metal workings that all flow together, through shapes, color or theme. It’s eye candy for any art lover. Renoir beside Van Gogh and flanked with Soutine? Monet next to French 18th century hinges? See for yourself!

This was my first visit to the Barnes’ new home, and I was concerned that the new building would somehow take away from the beauty of it’s original setting. Thankfully, it did not, and I will venture to say it has enhanced the collection and the entire experience. All of the actual artwork is hung in the exact same way in a indoor replica of the original house. But the museum it self is modern and airy, allowing for dining, learning and other cultural entertainment. I’d like to think that a museum of this caliber will draw in visitors internationally, and maybe give Philadelphia some more cultural props!

Cezanne, Bathers

Van Gogh, House and Figure

Matisse, The Joy of Life

Manayunk Brewing Company: 4120 Main Street, Philadelphia

I've been to the Manayunk Brewing Company before for their own beers and other tasty drinks, but this was my first dining experience. I genuinely enjoy all of their brews from the Bohemian Blonde to the Schuylkill Punch (it doesn't actually include any river water). I had a Kennett Square Pizza cause I like eating local things when I can, and more importantly I love me some mushrooms. Nearby Kennett Square bears the title of “mushroom capital of the world”, and if you don’t believe me, Wikipedia will set you straight.

The pizza was described as “mushrooms, goat cheese, caramelized onions and mozzarella”. What was delivered was only slightly disappointing. I was hoping for 2x the mushrooms, and the onions weren't caramelized, just cooked. So maybe the chef forgot to do that part, or the menu writer doesn't really know what caramelized means. I gripe because that would really have made it awesome. The crust was nice and thin, and well done. And the mushrooms that were present were tender and meaty. And yes, I ate it all. I’ll be be back, it’s fun to eat outside by the river, but perhaps I’ll opt for the burger next time, they looked really good…

Tico: 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA

Photo Credit: Melissa Ostrow.

This past Saturday we dined at Tico, whilst in the Boston Area for a bridal shower. We ended up here through a suggestion from Chef’s Feed. An awesome app that crowdsources where local chefs eat. Because who better to tell you where to eat, right? Download it now! But I digress. Tico specializes in Tex-Mex style tapas. An array of different flavors and styles all presented in small plates. Typically I don’t like sharing my food, but in places like this I hang up my only-child hat and embrace the experience.

The place has a very up-beat vibe, there was a good crowd for a Saturday, but not so loud you couldn’t hear your own conversation. I began my meal with a house margarita made to perfection with salt on the rocks. We started off with Mixed beef tacos, Chorizo in Chimichurri, and Roasted Cauliflower. The tacos had melt in your mouth shredded beef, then a sprinkling of crunchy beef, topped off with fresh cilantro and radishes on soft corn tortillas. Texture won me over on these. Chorizo came skewered “ala plancha” in a Chimichurri marinade. The marinade soon also marinated hunks of bread after the Chorizo was devoured. My favorite of the evening was the Cauliflower. It came roasted topped with a mild shredded cheese, a creamy chipotle sauce and toasted fava beans. Again the textures were amazing, and the creamy chipotle complimented the mild cauliflower quite nicely. It’s something that I may try to replicate in the future (especially since we just got fava beans in our CSA box last week). After that we had some room in a our bellies for one more plate. Mushroom quesadillas with a truffle oil and olive tapenade. Another favorite, these mushrooms were divine, housed in a crispy, chewy, flaky quesadilla. Oh Hello, truffle oil and olives, did you want to hang out too? It was a delicious ending to the meal. So delicious we opted out of dessert. If I lived in the area, I would certainly be back to bring more friends.

*My only teeny criticism is that they need to fine tune their playlist. It almost sounded like it was a staff members iTunes library on shuffle. Control the ambiance with music, it’s very important!

Pickled Beets

We got the beets! We got the beets, we got the beets! Yeah! We got the beets!

If you didn't get my Go-Gos reference you should probably stop reading now.

With our first batch of CSA beets I roasted them, and transformed them into a tangy baconlicious salad. Now, with batch number 2, I’ve gone and pickled them. Yay for vinegar!

After I roasted them and peeled the magenta beauties, they got sliced and put into mason jars along with…

• wafer thin onions
• a rosemary branch
• tarragon

Heat water, vinegar, salt and sugar until everything is dissolved. Let it cool a bit then fill up the jars with the goods inside. When the jars are completely cool stick ‘em in the fridge. Be patient for 3-7 days, then consume. These are pickled, not preserved, so they don’t have an infinite shelf-life. Eat them within a month, or use your best mold detecting judgement.

Dettera: 129 E. Butler Ave., Ambler

This weekend we went out for a birthday dinner for my mother dearest. Of the Italian persuasion, Dettera is relatively new addition to the growing restaurant scene in teeny weeny Ambler. We arrived a little before our reservation to enjoy the Happy Hour at the swanky bar. The bar top curves and reflects the shape of the cut out ceiling that exposes it’s large wine selection. There were a number of tasty cocktails offered, as well as $2 Yard’s Love Stout draft. I enjoyed an expertly muddled Raspberry Coconut Mojito while others took advantage of the $2 drafts.

We were seated in a spacious booth with a good view on the goings-on of Main street and the nearby Ambler Theater. All of the staff were all well-informed about specials and the menu, suggesting wine pairings and favorite dishes. I shared the Homemade Ricotta Cavatelli with Fava beans as a starter. The Cavatelli had a great texture, and included some salty pancetta in the creamy goat cheese sauce. My only complaint would be the beans were slightly under cooked, no tragedy. I tend to get beef when I go out because it’s something that we rarely make at home. So for my main course, I ordered the Sliced Wagyu Sirlion, with swiss chard, herbed spatzle and trumpet mushrooms. The sirlion was divine, prepared to medium rare perfection. The swiss chard was paired nicely with the mushrooms and spatzle, different textures all coated in sirlion au jus.

 (I was so excited to tuck in, I forgot to take a photo of it right away. 
Which explains the poor presentation below.)

Other members of our party got the Bouilliabaisse, Mahi Mahi and Braised Short Ribs. It seemed as thought the Bouilliabasse was the only disappointment because the flavor of the broth over took that natural seafood flavor, however all the seafood were prepared well. Overall there were smiling faces and happy bellies.

After dinner, we stayed at the bar to help them finish their keg of Love Stout to make way for a fresh keg. (Mission accomplished!). I would recommend Dettera for any sort of special occasion or for pre or post theater drinks and nibbles.

The Farmer’s Cabinet: 1113 Walnut Street, Philadelphia

Last night we went out for our first Center City Sips Happy Hour this summer at The Farmer’s Cabinet. All I knew of the place was that it has a huge European draft selection, something I can get behind. My first impression, when I entered, it was ridiculously dark. Not just eye adjusting dark, but nothing but candles dark. When I could actually see, the decor was fabulous. It had a rustic Victorianesque look with bottles and deer heads covering the walls. Candles were the primary illumination (hence the darkness) coming from a number of hanging mason jars, and tall pillars stacked and piled on tables. The place was a buzz, a large crowd, fitting the roaring 20’s motif.

Sitting at my farm style dinning table I located the Sips menu, which should be drinks less than $5 and half price appetizers. Their menu consisted of a tiny 3X3 square, with a Bavarian Pretzel and Moroccan Chicken option for $4 each. We ordered a few of each for the table. And I got a glass of Pinot Noir for $4, not too shabby. We were disappointed to say the least with the food, but only in it’s quantity and not quality. The pretzels were smaller than my tiny hand and the chicken was one petite drumstick on a plate. So, it would seem that normally that this drumstick is $8? While it was delicious, it was certainly not 8 dollars delicious, or even 4. I had a feeling from the look of the regular menu, it would be more of the same. So I just stuck to wine for the evening.

The service was not the most hospitable either. I got the overwhelming feeling of inferiority ordering from their tiny Sips menu, despite the fact that everyone in my line of sight was doing the same. At one point, we were actually scolded for ordering one more drink a minute past the Happy Hour. Please, sir, may I have another?!

This makes me out to be a cheap miserly diner, but the fact is, when dining out, I’m looking at the experience on the whole. Food, service, ambiance. Which is why I love specials like Center City Sips and restaurant week. I go to places outside the realm of my wallet, to see if they’re worth the hype. I’d love to love this place, but between the service that’s too high on it’s hipster horse, and the overly priced menu, I just can’t. At this point, the only reason I’d go back is to tell them they spelled “Bavarian” wrong on their chalkboard.

For Fleetwood Mac Fans...

Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac will be released on August 14th. Here’s the line-up…

Lee Ranaldo Band Featuring J Mascis – “Albatross”
Antony – “Landslide”
Trixie Whitley – “Before The Beginning”
Billy Gibbons & Co. – “Oh Well”
Best Coast – “Rhiannon”
The New Pornographers – “Think About Me”
Marianne Faithfull – “Angel”
Lykke Li – “Silver Springs”
Karen Elson – “Gold Dust Woman”
Matt Sweeney And Bonnie “Prince” Billy – “Storms”
Washed Out – “Straight Back”
Tame Impala – “That’s All For Everyone”
Craig Wedren with St. Vincent – “Sisters Of The Moon”
The Kills – “Dreams”
Gardens & Villa - “Gypsy”
The Crystal Ark - “Tusk”
MGMT - “Future Games”

The Lion The Beast The Beat: Review

1. A stellar collection of rock on this album from Grace Potter. It opens, guns blazing, with The Lion The Beast The Beat. The tone of the album is definitely established from the start; the beat is on.
2. Dan Auerbach co-wrote and produced a few of the tracks, including the single,Never Go Back.
3. Parachute Heart
4. Stars
5. Timekeeper
6. Loneliest Soul, has a strange carnival sound to it, reminiscent of The Doors.
7. Turntable is a hip shaking, clap-along-tune with just enough country flare. Potter’s vocals are sexy and confident.
8. Organs and sweet guitar licks mark Keepsake.
9. Runaway
10. The lyrics of One Heart Missing are what get me. A heartsick plea to a lover.
11. The culmination of the epic rockness comes with The Divide. It builds and breaks into brilliant end.

I’d also like to add a shout out to the retro-tastic album art.

Foster the People at the Mann Center

Frida's got wings...

What the heck are garlic scapes??

In the past two CSA pulls we’ve gotten “garlic scapes”. At first I thought I misread the item description, but I opened the box to find long green awkwardly curved alien tendrils. What sort of beastie has infiltrated my produce?! Enter the google machine…

Garlic scapes are the flowering stalks of the garlic bulb. This bit is removed in the spring to allow more of the energy and nutrients to go to the bulb underground for later harvest. Firm like an asparagus with a pungent garlic aroma and flavor. Interesting.

So, now that we all know what they are, in what manner can we eat them? The Crisper Whisperer has a lot to say about these greens and 7 different ways to prepare them. I chose to make the pesto. As she suggested, I’ve put it in the freezer to let it mellow. I did sneak a taste or too and it’s fabulously garlicky. Well done Whisperer.

• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped garlic scapes*
• Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• A few generous grinds of black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

*Or use half scapes and half herbs such as basil, dill and chervil (I used all scapes, baby)

In a small, dry pan set over very low heat, lightly toast the pine nuts, stirring or tossing occasionally until just beginning to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.

Combine the scapes, pine nuts, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse about 20 times, until fairly well combined. Pour in the olive oil slowly through the feed tube while the motor is running. When the oil is incorporated, transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the grated cheese. If you plan to freeze the pesto, wait to add the cheese until after you’ve defrosted it.

Chicken Tikka Masala with Spinach and Curried Cauliflower

My husband refers to Cauliflower as “Ghost Broccoli”. If you can imagine, he’s not a fan. So this weekend my mission was to get him to enjoy Ghost Broccoli…

I put boneless skinless chicken thighs in the crockpot on high for 3 hours. Combined with 5 tablespoons of a Tikka Masala paste. In the last 10 minutes I added thawed frozen spinach that I squeezed the excess water from.

I cut up a full head of cauliflower put in a big pan with some vegetable oil. I added…

• Curry Powder
• Chili Powder
• Celery seeds
• Cumin
• and Salt to taste

I cooked the cauliflower for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Then added a squeeze of lemon to scrape up the charred spices on the pan, added a bit of water then covered the pan for another 10 minutes.

I warmed up some chapatis, but you could have naan or rice too.

Success! Ghost Broccoli was eaten and enjoyed by all! (leftovers were also sought after).

Manayunk Bike Race

The Philadelphia International Championship, ”America’s top international cycling classic, and one of the richest and most prestigious one day races outside of Europe.”

Vietnamese(ish) Noodle Salad

Vietnamese(ish) Noodle Salad:

I attempted to recreate a dish we have at our favorite Vietnamese Restaurant. I had leftover rice noodles and it made a delicious hot weather meal.

I started off toasting some sesame seeds in sesame oil, then adding a shredded head of Napa cabbage, just to wilt the leaves a bit.

The layer of cabbage goes first then the leftover rice noodles with ginger and chili oil on top. Then the fun part. I already had pickled silvered carrots, sliced cucumbers, fresh torn mint leaves, and jalapenos.

I went the extra mile and crushed some cashews and mixed them with Whole Foods Ginger Soy Marinade to make a saucey topping over everything.

Douse with fresh lime and Sriracha and devour.

The Snow Child: Review

Admittedly my book of choice has some element of the fantastical. When I read the description for The Snow Child I was intrigued. An elderly couple moves to the Alaskan frontier in the 1920’s to escape the emotional stress of losing a baby. Times are tough on the homestead and just when they think they won’t last through another winter, their fortune changes. In the momentary bliss of the first snow of winter they make an angelic girl out of snow. The very next day their creation is gone, but they see glimpses of of small pixie-like girl running throughout the forest with a fox as a companion. She is wearing the mittens of child they made out of snow. Spoilers to follow…

Woodchuck Hard Cider

My new drink of choice for the summer. Woodchuck Hard Ciders. Ciders are so refreshing and light they make the perfect summer companion. And they don’t weight down your belly after you’ve had a few. It’s also a good beer alternative for the gluten impaired. Woodchuck, in particular, make a great variety from Pear (shown) to Granny Smith to seasonal concoctions. The Summer Cider has a hint of blueberry. And it seems, at least in the Philadelphia area, that it’s becoming a popular draft item. I understand if cider isn’t your thing, because, let’s be honest, it tastes like adult juice. But sometimes that’s just what I’m looking for.

Mariachi El Bronx

Mariachi El Bronx is a reincarnation of the LA punk band, the Bronx. I have always been a fan of the modern Mariachi-esque style, Ozomatli, Kinky, Los Lobos. These guys are another I can add to the list. Generally it’s just el fun to listen to. Horns, strings, accordion and a dance beat. Add some tequila and let the party begin!

Tracks include:

1. 48 Roses (sample)
2. Great Provider
3. Revolution Girl (sample)
4. Fallen
5. Norteño Lights
6. Mariachi El Bronx
7. Map Of The World
8. Bodies of Christ
9. Poverty’s King
10. Matador
11. Everything Dies
12. Spread Thin

BONUS! They are playing a free show tonight at Philadelphia’s Sailor Jerry’s.RSVP to get in.

Peace Rose

Our Peace Rose blooms were in full force this week. These roses became popular in the U.S. at the end of WWII when each of the delegates at a UN meeting were given a rose with a note that read, “We hope the ‘Peace’ rose will influence men’s thoughts for everlasting world peace”.

BOK-pocalypse!

BOK-pocalypse!

(Justly named because when you put the Bok Choy in the wok last to steam, it looks like it takes over everything. But don’t worry, it dramatically reduces in size post-steam)

• Sesame Oil
• Onion
• Carrot
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• BOK CHOY!
• Scallions
• Garlic 
• Ginger
• Soy Sauce
• Jasmine Rice
• Sriracha to taste

Marina and the Diamonds

Gig poster for Marina and Diamonds at the TLA

Purchasing Land in the Mojave Desert

We took a West Coast adventure in March with the intention to buy some land in Apple Valley, CA right in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Many called it “crazy”, we called it an “investment”. One plane ride and mini road trip later, we signed some papers… In the end, the seller pulled out of the deal and our plans for a sustainable-off-the-grid-bungalow were scrapped.

The views are literally breathtaking at times. The mountains surround you on the seemingly alien foreground of rock and fauna. Desert one moment, lush oasis another, and snowy mountain top the next. You can experience all these in one day’s car ride.

Moving out West may or may not be in our future plans, but for now we can say, “Remember when we went to California for a weekend?”.

Strawberry Basil Bruschetta

For Mother’s Day I was asked to bring an appetizer to our family gathering. I had just bought a delicious batch of strawberries that I wanted to use. So I found what looked like a tasty Strawberry Basil Bruschetta amongst the Whole Foods Recipes. So simple and fresh.

MIX:

• 1 Cup Strawberries diced (don't forget to dry them, if you washed them)
• A stack of fresh basil leaves chopped roughly 
• About a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• A drizzle of Balsamic vinegar
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

SPOON OVER TOP:

• Creamy goat cheese, I used a Trader Joe's Chevre
• Lightly toasted baguette sliced (Whole Foods used whole grain, I used regular)

"Out of the Game"

Rufus Wainwright and Helena Bonham Carter make a naughty combination in Wainwright’s video for his single “Out of the Game”. The actress plays a sexy librarian and lip syncs to the song as she encounters different versions of Rufus in the library, naughtiness ensues. To top off the all-star collaboration, the single was produced by Mark Ronson.

Graffiti6 Review

I’ve been recently listening to Indie Pop duo Graffiti6. The album, appropriately named Colours, is vibrant, a collection of fun little dance grooves. Puts to mind a Gnarls Barkley kinda of sound, and maybe the vocal drama of Prince. The lead singer looks more like a character from 90210 than a frontman, but he gets the job done. There are slower jam tracks like “This Man” and “Calm the Storm” that sort of trip up the flow of the entire album. (I secretly agree with the Barney Stinson philosophy… “people often think a good mix should rise and fall, but people are wrong. It should be ALL RISE, baby!”)

But I think “Free” is the track that originally caught my ear. A little soulful, makes me want to put my arms around people and sway to the chorus, “and I can’t live without you and it’s hard to breathe when you’re not near…” At little lyrical cheese never hurt anyone. Looking forward to see them perform at the Firefly Music Festival in July. http://www.graffiti6.com/