Apple Picking. Sort of: Savory Kale with Apples and My 1st Trip to an Orchard

One of the perks of living in Baltimore is you have access to the fall time harvest activities. Which I generally avoid like the plague. It's not that I have anything against vegetable patches or orchards, I just never had the overwhelming urge to visit them. I'm allergic to hay and corn mazes kind of freak me out. Plus, the idea of an entire famly fun outing centered on picking fruit seems a tad too Walton-esque.

But I found myself heading out to the Catoctin Mountain Orchard on Saturday anyway. Organized by my buddies Matt and Meredith (of Ex-Boyfriend fame. Friend 'em, people! You'll be happy you did.), I was assured that apple picking would be fun-fun and not church-"fun", as I intially feared. After a lengthy ride through Frederick, MD which included, among other things, a zebra siting (I kid you not), we finally arrived at the orchard...

...where we were soon informed that visitors were NOT allowed to pick their own produce. Nope! While you are welcome to walk amongst the apple trees, you are not to touch the bounty therein. Produce could instead be purchased at the store.

WTF, indeed, fine reader! If I wanted to go somewhere where we weren't allowed to touch anything, we could have gone to a museum. Any thoughts of freshly picked produce and hot cider went up like a dry leaf on fire. It was just as well, really: At 80 degrees and sunny, the day wasn't really apple-picking appropriate. Plus, I made a rookie picker mistake and wore flip flops to the orchard. M & M were in thick jeans.

Rather than mourn missed opportunities, we decided to take a quick walk through the orchard. Two other friends had joined us by this point, so we had a nice group as we walked amongst the trees, which were friggin LITTERED with apples. I had a rebel moment and left the trail to touch one just to see what would happen. (Answer: a whole lotta nothing.)

After some shopping at the orchard store (which was actually pretty nice) and gorging on cookies and such, we decided to explore the area a little further. We headed to Catoctin Mountain Park and went on a quick trail walk to check out the Blue Blazes Still, left over from the days of Prohibition. And totally haunted. Nah, just kidding!

Then it was off to find lunch. We settled on Cafe Nola in Frederick. Charming, good drinks (I recommend the Peach Palmer)- waaaaay to long on service, unfortunately. Still, the food was tasty. And, I was able to catch a glimpse of the local art scene available:

That night Tony and I got together with M & M for some apple-based goodness. Meredith whipped up an apple crisp that is still making my mouty water, along with some 10-minute apple sauce. Oh, and beer. Delicious, seasonal beer. Grab the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale if you can. Hand to god, it's like drinking pumpkin pie.

Later in the week I decided to have a go at drumming up my own recipe using the apples and kale I purchased at the orchard. The results were actually pretty satisfying - Tony even had seconds (and he can be hard pressed to eat greens). Add some vegan mac n' cheese on the side and we had one of our first full on vegan-friendly menus. Hoo-rah!

Tonight I will be doing the carb-loading thing at Sushi Hana here in the city, because tomorrow yours truly is taking part in the 2010 Baltimore Running Festival!

Yup! I'm back on the wagon. Or running behind it anyway. This year I'll be the anchor leg of the marathon relay, running as part of Team Kiwi, which I didn't name but can totally get behind. Following the run, I'm going to have another go at the fruit picking thing at the Summers Farm in Frederick (again) with some DC-based peeps. Apparently there's a Redskins-shaped corn maze....

See you post-race!

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Savory Kale with Apples and Caramelized Shallots

1 large bunch kale, stemmed with ribs removed

3 medium sized apples (such as Empire or Fuji), cored, peeled and diced

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp apple cider or apple cider vinegar

2 1/2 tbsp olive oil or butter**
pinch of salt & pepper

(**Note: If you're going to use butter, cut it with the olive oil so it doesn't burn. I'd also suggest waiting to add it with the apples.)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the kale. Blanch it for 10 - 15 seconds and then immediately remove the leaves and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Strain the kale and roughly chop the leaves. Put to the side.

2. Heat a large skillet or sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, go ahead and add the onion slices. Stir to make sure they are covered with oil and then add a pinch of salt. Continue to stir for 10 -15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium as the onions begin to take own a caramel-brown color. (Add a little bit of water if the onions start to stick to the pan.)

3. Add the apples, sugar, vinegar/cider to the pan. (Add butter here if you're using it.) Continue to stir the mix over medium heat for approximately 8 - 10 minutes, until the apples are fully sautéed.

4. Add the chopped kale. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and plate to serve.

Visiting Another Island: Notes and Bites from the UK

After much searching/cleaning of the house, I FINALLY found the cable to our camera! Which means I can now share some Kodak moments from my recent work trip to the UK.

First, the SITES:

I initially spent a few days in Newcastle upon Tyne attending a conference and fighting a head cold that Tony so generously shared just as I was leaving. So I didn't see a whole lot of the city aside from what could be reached on foot.

The Sage Gateshead. Normally a music venue, but it has several auditoriums that suited the conference. Despite the larval-like shape, it's a gorgeous building inside. Plus, the conference provided a really decent lunch, which made up for the lackluster poster session that served as the purpose for my trip in the first place.

Street art. I think. (I just like random pop culture and Pac-man references.)

Newcastle University. It sort of popped out of nowhere and I just stumbled on the campus.

The current production at the local theater. It's a musical.

2 1/2 days later and I was back in London, taking in the sites and getting my nerd on. I met a good from of mine (a Kiwi who's now living in the UK) at the Borough Market for lunch and a serious walking tour of the city center.

The Market is just the mother of all outdoor markets. It had EVERYTHING - meats, crafts, cheeses, produce. You name it and there's probably a stall for it. And it smelled AMAZING. I could have spent hours there alone, but I was starving. So, instead, said friend and I grabbed some ostrich burgers and one of the more decant brownies I've had in my lifetime for dessert, and caught up over lunch while sitting by the Thames. Very relaxing.

My trip happened to coincide with the Mayor's Thames Festival, an annual event and London's largest free outdoor arts festival. Neat! We had a look-see as said friend took me across town.

On this particular day, the Southward Bridge was home to the Feast on the Bridge event. Food vendors and family activities galore.

Stinky Cheese.

I, of course, was completely distracted by one of the community projects festival goers could enjoy: the Gingerbread Southward Bridge. You could decorate little gingerbread people to walk across it.

Said friend then took me out to enjoy some other sites the city has to offer...

The Tower Bridge.

The Tower of London.

Trafalgar Square. This is the Fourth Plinth, which changes every so often to display different commissioned works of art. This piece, Nelson's Ship in a Bottle, is the first piece commissioned by a Black British artist.

By the time I made it back to my hotel from my walking tour, my cold was on it's last legs. That did not, however, prevent me from losing my voice entirely. I opted to stay in for the night and hit the British Museum the next morning.

The great thing about the Museum is that it's free. The bad thing about the Museum is that everyone knows it. The place is absolutely rammed - tourists are practically spilling off the stairwells. And honestly I got lost a few times just trying to navigate the place, which is indescribably immense. (That said, they're antiquities exhibit is off the friggin chain.)

Still, I managed to find the thing I really wanted to take a peak at. Not Cleopatra's mummy (which is on display. Weird.). Not the marble reliefs from the Parthenon. Nope, my inner geek craved something older:

It's the Rosetta Stone! Be still my nerdish heart!!

After a few hours, I had to leave. I was mentally drained and crowds of camera-wielding tourists are not my thing. Still, I cannot recommend the Museum enough. The only bummer from my visit was discovering that I wouldn't be in London long enough to check out their upcoming exhibit.

Now, I was ALL kinds of giddy about finding this, because as a kid I watch a lot of Sesame Street and Sesame Street specials, including the 1983 classic, "Don't Eat the Pictures." The special follows the adventures of the SS gang after they're accidentally locked in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a night. One of the story lines involves Big Bird, who with the assistance of pal Snuffle-upagus, is trying to help the ghost of a young Egyptian boy reach the afterlife.

Admittedly themes of the soul and afterlife are pretty heavy topics for the Children's Television Workshop, but I watched the crap out of that video nonetheless.

There were visits to Camden Town and a few parks here and there as well, but let's forget about that and move on to the important part of the trip.

Namely, the FOOD...

I visited more than a few cafes while in Newcastle. I had a few Newcastle Brown Ales and the odd sandwich. Since I wasn't feeling 100%, all I really wanted was some broth, which as it turns out is really difficult to find this time of year. So, I ate a lot of salads just to try to ingest some vitamins.

A Greek Quinoa Salad from Blake's Cafe, with a latte on the side. I would have thrown in some feta and maybe some pine nuts instead, but still pretty decent.

A phenomenal Tomato and Celery Soup from Cafe Bistro Buee. Wine on the side, of course.

A surprisingly tasty Veggie Club with Halumi Cheese from the cafe located in the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.

Simple Gnocchi courtesy of my hotel's room service. I had to order in person because - having lost my voice entirely - they couldn't understand me over the phone.

Museum cafe treats once again. But seriously, when was the last time you had a Prosciutto and Roasted Tomato tart option at the Smithsonian?

By Sunday evening I was ready to resume full entrees again. Cue my good friend Jennie, who insisted we head to local gastro-pub for a proper English Roast and Yorkshire Pudding. We ended up at the Alma in Newington Green, which in addition to some fine menu items, also serves a healthy range of beers, wines, and NZ-based products. (Pineapple lumps, anyone?)

The Alma seemed to be quite the place to be on a Sunday evening (i.e., the place was packed). Rather than wading through the crowd for more beverages, we decided to make a pit stop at a second pub so I could have pint of bitters (at least I think that's what that was) and then it was time for me to head home.

Now I'm back State-side and still a tad exhausted, but thrilled I got to visit with some good friends over some exceptional eats. Here's hoping I won't be so long between visits next time.

Cheers!

Time for New Art: Jersey Free for Alls and a Full Sunday Menu

Hey, everyone!

I’d apologize for the lax blogging, but it seems to have become my new bad habit. And it’s really a shame given all the shenanigans (as they are) that have come to pass.

Firstly: Congrats to my buddies Monica and Jason on their newest addition! Little Eleanor and her head FULL of hair joined the rest of us on this side of the womb late August. She is a beauty and, thankfully for Elle, looks just like her mom. Mazel tov!

In other news, in keeping with the first half of this blog’s title, I have acquired a new piece of skin art. My latest tattoo came courtesy of Andrea over at Have Fun Be Lucky, conveniently located here in the Hampden section of Baltimore. Andrea does AMAZING work – and can hang in there like an endurance athlete. The piece she did on me took roughly 8 hours, and she did it all in one go. All I had to do was sit there and when I stood back up, I had this to look forward to:

It’s a Jizo Boddhisattva, a figure in Japanese Buddhism who traditionally looks after children (particularly unborn children), travelers, and expectant mothers. I saw a figure at the Museum of Asian Art in Dallas and have been transfixed ever since. Andrea came up with the design after I provided a few ideas and photos. I’d say she knocked it out of the park, wouldn’t you? We celebrated with drinks a few days later, including this delightful little champagne-based cocktail called a Golighty designed by the good folks at Golden West.

I can happily report that things remain busy as ever back in the kitchen. I had a slight reprieve late last month while attending the wedding of my friends Alex and Kathy in New Jersey. I know Jersey hardly inspires images of fine food, but I’ve gotta tell you – that was the best spread I’ve ever enjoyed at a wedding reception. The cocktail hour alone (which included oysters on the half shell, a carving station, and mini peirogie) was worth the trip. Dinner included Chateau Briand and dessert ended with strawberries dipped in the chocolate fountain, mini cannoli, and a purse full of candy. (The latter had much to do with the oft-visited open bar, which served champagne and gin ALL NIGHT.)

Back home, in an effort to thank my friend Sally for several job leads, I prepared a full menu for several of my closest confidants. It was an interesting experience, given that Sally lacks a few pantry staples, like vegetable oil and flour. I’m still not sure how she and her boyfriend feed themselves.

Anywho, dinner turned out smashingly. The night’s menu included…

Herb Roasted Chicken

Pureed Sweet Potatoes

Porcini Risotto

Mrs. Wiley’s Famous Corn Pudding

Champagne Cake

Mini Baked Donuts

Just click on each item to find the recipe, except for the risotto, which was a packet mix, and the corn pudding, which is a family thang. (Totally worth it.) I will say that the only real disappointments of the night were the donuts, in part because I don’t own a donut mold and ended up making cupcakes, but also because the resulting baked goods still weren’t up to par, in my opinion.

This week, I’m in London and Newcastle for work, trying to find places to eat that won’t exhaust my limited per diem (which was set for the wrong city – good job, travel department!) Due to some overly conservative planning on my part, I now have a 6hr layover in Heathrow before my next flight. British Airways won’t let passengers switch flights with less than 24hrs notice, and Tube workers are currently on strike, which is making travel into the city a bit of a hassle. For the moment, I’ve holed up in a pub that has, so far, played “The Macarena” over the loud speaker. Followed by “You Can’t Touch This.” No joke.

I’ve heard more jokes than compliments about British cuisine, so if anyone has any suggestions about places where I just have to eat, feel free to let me know! I’ll report on my findings accordingly.

Cheers!

Herb Roasted Chicken

Vegan Mac n Cheese and Some of the Best Freakin Chocolate Available: Plugging other people's cooking for once

Oy! This month of activity has yet to slow down! Between family events, house hunting (we are THISCLOSE to buying a place!), and the like, it seems like we've barely had a second to relax. Of course, all this buzzing about is for good reason, so I really can't complain. Count one's blessings and other such Pollyanna-isms, right?

Any who, this month Tony and I had to do without our 2 closest buddies in the city. Matt & Meredith run an extremely groovy online shop over at http://www.ex-boyfriendcollection.com/, where you can buy some excellent graphic tees, bags, etc. while supporting local animal causes. They are also the authors of the equally groovy ex-boyfriend blog, which you really ought to be following by now.

Anyway, M&M - in addition to being outstanding drinking buddies - are also phenomenal chefs. Vegan chefs, at that. They can do things with rice milk and leeks that would blow your mind. So as an homage to our departed travelers, we decided to make some vegan mac and cheese using a recipe Matt developed.

Now, some of you might remember my failed previous attempt at this dish, but Matt's recipe is pretty awesome and pretty idiot-proof. All you need are a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, a sturdy pot, and the self restraint to keep from sticking your head directly into the finished dish. If you, like me, have more creme brulee ramekins than most French restaurants, then I suggest spooning out some of the finished M&C, sprinkling each ramekin with toasted breadcrumbs, and then giving it a few minutes under the broiler. You won't even know it's vegan. AND it's a tad better for you than regular blue-box brand M&C, as there are no trans fats, cholesterol, or gluten to muck up your system. I'm not posting the recipe just yet (it is Matt's, after all), but I'll be happy to share it per request.


This month I've also been lucky enough to sample some of the OUT OF THIS WORLD goodness that is the Sweeteeth line of chocolate bars out of Charleston, SC. My older sister introduced the family to the confectioner after she won a contest by inventing a plum & mascarpone truffle, which I never got to try (*grumble, grumble*). The store is planning to open an online shop soon - THANK GOD - so in due time you'll be able to munch on the A’Chocolypse (Candied Ginger) or the Cinnapsis (Cinnamon Apple and Candied Pecans - my personal fav) or the Sea is for Caramel (Salted Caramel - excellent for the taunting of loved ones, such as your brother-in-law).


On a recent trip down to Clemson, Tony and I decided to stop in Raleigh to hang with his cousin. Leslie lives and attends school in the area, no too far from her mom, who joined us for dinner. We went to Mez, where Leslie's boyfriend works, to dine on some high end Mexican cuisine. Tony and Leslie had different versions of fish tacos, while I put the hurt on a chille rellenos filled with roasted veggies, raisins, almonds, and cheese. This was followed by a plate of piping hot churros served with an extremely decadent Mexican hot chocolate, which we took turns drinking.


Finally, I haven't really had a chance to post about them in detail, but I've been tweaking a few home recipes using the goodies sent over by innBrooklyn. The roasted red peppers were sauteed with the onions from the pickled cauliflower and then added to some roasted turkey kielbasa. This was served with a side of vegan M&C and some roasted asparagus and sliced beets. Later in the week, we mixed the cauliflower with some diced tomatoes, added some sugar to tone down the acid in the dish, and then added some roasted garlic. After a few minutes, we had a decent topping for some grilled chicken breasts. Oh yeah...


June is just around the corner and I'm already staring down the barrel of a supersaturated calendar: a retirement party in Pittsburgh, a dual-baby shower (which I volunteered to host in a moment of madness), a trip to Atlantic City to watch Conan O'Brien do his thing, closing on a friggin house already, and joining my buddy Indira as we run the 2010 Baltimore 10-miler.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need a second to catch my breath.