Max's Chef to Farm Dinner: Crop Up Pop Up

There's a small restaurant chain of fine dining restaurants in the Greater Hartford area known as the Max Restaurant Group. One thing they are particularly known for are their summertime "Chef to Farm" dinners, a series of events that take place on the grounds of local farms. As far as the locavore movement, it can't get any more local than that, right? The chef designs a menu around the freshest produce available from that farm's current harvest and adds ingredients also sourced locally, such as meat, dairy and seafood. Diners enjoy their meal under a large tent set up with communal tables covered in white linen, with candlelight and music to add to the ambience.

Chickens roam around the barn

Crudites

We went to one a few years ago at Rosedale Farms in Simsbury (read about that experience here). It was their usual format - a tour of the farm followed by a tasting menu of several courses with accompanying wines. Which was wonderful! Again...read about it here.

But the one we attended last week was different, experimental, a pop up restaurant on Sub Edge Farm in Farmington (hence the "Crop Up Pop Up" theme). Not a tasting, but a menu of three courses with options chosen by each diner on site and a cash bar. Yes, Chef Scott Miller is an ambitious guy.

Chilled Nectarine Bisque

pickled cherries, fried ginger, creme fraiche

GourmAvian Farms Confit Chicken Wings

celeriac hummus, red hot carrots

The farm began in the 1920's and as such, is quite charming. The current owners are growing five acres of certified organic vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs. They also raise pigs, hens and grass-fed beef. They sell their own items and other local food goods in an on-site farm shop as well. 

Smoked Pineland Beef Strip Loan

duck fat poached potatoes, sorrel, braised beef cheeks, marrow bordelaise

Grilled North Atlantic Lobster

poached mussel and sun gold tomato salad, lemony greens, tomalley vinaigrette

We were seated at table #6 and met some super fun people, which is a definite bonus of the community table seating. We had a great time chatting, eating with, and getting to know our new friends from Hartford and Coventry, and especially Elise (to whom we send a special shout-out). And, Chef Miller, kudos. It was a great meal and a memorable experience that we thoroughly enjoyed. 

Peaches and Anise Cream

olive oil-poppy seed cake, chartreuse

The Band

2 Simple End-of-Summer Pastas (Perfect for Weeknights!)

Oh, pasta. Why do we love you so? That's right...it's because you're so easy to make and so versatile. We can take almost any ingredient and with it, turn you into a stunningly simple meal. And, there's always some of you in our pantry. Plus, you have carbs. And we love carbs. (Sorry, carb-haters.) (Not really.) 

Seriously, though. The two dishes featured here make the most out of farm- or garden-fresh ingredients and they can be prepped in the time it takes to boil the pasta water. It doesn't get fresher or easier than that!

Our first "simple end-of-summer pasta" is our take on Caprese salad, but in pasta form. It was inspired by a cheese made by Meadowstone Farm* of  Brooklyn, CT, and a pasta from Meriano's Bake Shoppe in Madison, CT, which is why we are calling it "Connecticut Caprese Pasta." Stracciatella (Italian for "little shreds") is fresh mozzarella that has been shredded then mixed with fresh cream. It's soft, delicate, and delightfully creamy. In this recipe, we mixed Meriano's tomato-basil infused linguine with Meadowstone's cheese, and our own chopped basil and chopped garden tomatoes. Voila! Dinner in about 15 minutes. Using the tomato-basil pasta added so much flavor, so try it if you can.

Connecticut Caprese Pasta

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta (we used tomato-basil linguine)

2 cups chopped garden tomatoes

8-10 basil leaves 

1 package stracciatella cheese (or burrata or fresh mozzarella chopped into bite-sized pieces)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Set water over heat to boil pasta. While it is getting hot, chop tomatoes and basil; set aside. When water is boiling, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta when ready and fold in chopped tomatoes and basil. Then fold in the cheese and season to taste.

*Also, check out this gorgeous salad we made with Meadowstone Farm's burrata. 

Our second "simple end-of-summer pasta" is one we made out of sheer laziness. We looked around one weeknight shortly after school began and realized that it was dinner time and we didn't have much to work with. A yellow squash donated to us by the neighbors (thanks, Whits), some sliced prosciutto from a Portuguese shop brought over by Amy's mom, some shredded parmesan that was in the cheese drawer, and whatever was in our garden. Okay, maybe it was time to go grocery shopping. And, this is probably why we have cats and not kids. But we did have pasta in the pantry (see above), so, we give you our strange little take on alfredo:

School Just Started Summer Squash Pasta

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta (we used thick spaghetti)

1 tablespoon bacon grease (don't judge us) (use olive oil if you must)

1 yellow squash (or zucchini), cut into "batons"

4-6 slices prosciutto, cut into thin strips

6-10 cherry tomatoes

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

a handful of fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup half and half (or milk, or light cream, some dairy product)

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Set water over heat to boil pasta. While it is getting hot, heat bacon grease in a large skillet over medium heat. Add squash, prosciutto, tomatoes and garlic, and cook until tender and fragrant. Add parsley and chicken broth, and cook 3-4 minutes. Add half and half and allow to simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add parmesan and cook, stirring thoroughly, until slightly thickened. Cook pasta according to package directions, and drain. Toss pasta with sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

What's in Season, CT? (Scenes from Coventry Regional Farmers Market)

We live about 15 minutes from the Coventry Regional Farmers Market, which is held every Sunday from June through October on the Nathan Hale Homestead. Each week features around 75 vendors featuring the freshest local produce, meats, dairy products (hollah cheeses!), breads, artisan foods, crafts and more. Chefs do demonstrations, breweries and wineries offer tastings, and often, there's a local band supplying the background jams. It's awesome. In their own words, "It's like a country fair every Sunday." Here are some photos from our last few visits. We hope they will entice you into going, and perhaps we'll see you there! (Note: This year is the last of the CRFM as it has been, but not to worry, the town of Coventry is taking it over and promises to keep it going - hooray!)

Basket of Fresh Garlic

Gladiolas and Picklin' Cukes

Ingredients for Mystic Oyster Shooters

Heirloom Tomatoes

A Peck of Picked Peppers

Cherry Tomatoes

Burgundy, Golden and Green Beans

Various Shades of Eggplant

Want Some Honey, Honey?

Ripe Red Raspberries

Boxes of Onions

A Beet Shelf

Connecticut Corn

Funky Fungi

Giant Pretzels from Hartford Baking Co.

M.'s Perfect Pasta Salad

Let it be known that neither of us is a real fan of pasta salad. Which is why we both found ourselves happily surprised when we tried our sister-in-law's version during our annual visit to New Jersey. M.'s colorful rainbow mix of fresh vegetables coupled with a slightly sweetened mayonnaise made this a perfect pasta salad, one we enjoyed enough to make for a potluck the very next weekend. It's fresh, it's easy, and it feeds a crowd. 

Feel free to change your pasta shape - M. uses ditalini, but we prefer the classic elbows. 

M.'s Perfect Pasta Salad

(serves 10-12 as a side dish)

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta

1 red pepper, cleaned and diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

1 yellow pepper, cleaned and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 red onion, diced

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise, to taste

1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Boil water and prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside to cool. Mix all vegetables (peppers, carrots, celery, onions) and parsley together in a large bowl, then add cooled pasta. Fold in mayonnaise and sugar, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Creole Shrimp Stuffed Peppers

We hope you haven't given up on us. It's not that we haven't been cooking. We just haven't been writing about it. Instead we are spending time relaxing, playing trivia, having fun, and all around enjoying these lazy, hazy days. But we definitely wanted to share these peppers we made a few weeks ago. We found some long green peppers of unknown variety at the farmers' market and Amy thought to marry them with some Creole-seasoned shrimp and goat cheese. They were very rich and spicy. And would work with any pepper variety, don't you think? Try 'em and let us know.

Creole Shrimp Stuffed Peppers

(serves 2-4)

Ingredients:

2 large peppers

1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (we suggest Tony Chachere's)

1 tablespoon olive oil 

4 ounces goat cheese

4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

8-10 fresh basil leaves, shredded

hot sauce, to taste

1/2 cup panko style bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and cut out the insides and seeds. Set pepper halves into a large baking dish. Coat shrimp with Creole seasoning. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the shrimp 4-5 minutes, tossing often, until pink and cooked through. Allow cooked shrimp to cool and then chop them. Place chopped shrimp into a mixing bowl. Add cheeses, basil and hot sauce and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into the peppers and top with breadcrumbs. Bake for 45 minutes, until hot and golden brown. 

Burrata Salad with Strawberries, Basil and Marcona Almonds

Beautiful burrata. A gorgeous little pouch of fresh mozzarella enveloping a soft, tender creamy center. A rich buttery flavor with a touch of milkiness. Wonderful when balanced with sweet strawberries, bright basil and crunchy almonds. We found burrata at the farmers' market and made this amazing salad, perfect for two to share as an appetizer, or one to have for lunch. If you can't find burrata, use fresh mozzarella instead. 

Burrata Salad with Strawberries, Basil and Marcona Almonds

2 balls burrata cheese

4 strawberries, hulled and slices

4 basil leaves, chiffonade

6 Marcona almonds, roughly chopped

extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Arrange cheese and strawberries in a dish. Sprinkle with basil and almonds, then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: This burrata came from Meadowstone Farm, Brooklyn, CT. 

Lemon-Berry-Basil Fizz

School's out and it's time for afternoon cocktails on the porch. We love strawberry and basil together - sweet, bright, fresh from the garden flavors that get a boost from a refreshing blast of lemon. This cocktail is porch-rocker perfection in a glass, right in the height of berry season. Feel free to improvise with other fresh berries!

Lemon-Berry-Basil Fizz

(makes one drink)

2 fresh strawberries, hulled

2 basil leaves, chopped

2 ounces Acqua di Cedro (lemon-infused grappa)

3 ounces club soda

Muddle strawberries and basil in a glass with ice. Add grappa and club soda. Give a quick stir and enjoy.

Wordless Weekender: Celebrating Memorial Day with Homemade Strawberry-Basil Macarons

Grapefruit Sparklers

Our niece K is getting married today! Happy day! As the youngest of seven, Chris has a huge family. This makes celebrations all the more joyous with so many people involved. A few weeks ago, all the women in the family made cookies for K's wedding shower and went to S's house to package them for the table centerpieces. Everyone was given a festive baggie so they could grab their favorites to take home. All told, we made over a thousand cookies. There is talk of starting a family bakery! (just kidding...) Amy made these "Grapefruit Sparklers," seeing as we were replete with grapefruits from a recent school fundraiser. Two people can only eat so many grapefruits. Plus, they are pretty, unusual, perfect with tea, and not too difficulty to make, even for a non-baker. Use any fresh citrus zest and juice that you like. You can make the dough a day or two ahead and keep it chilled before you bake them, or freeze it if you plan to make them at a later date. 

Grapefruit Sparklers

minimally adapted from this recipe at Epicurious

Makes about 4 dozen

For the cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons grated grapefruit zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large egg yolks

For the icing:

1 1/4 cup confectionary sugar

3 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice

sanding sugar (optional)

To make dough: Whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a stand mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add zest and extract and continue to beat until combined. Scrape down sides with a spatula, then add eggs and beat until just blended. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add flour. Beat until incorporated. Divide dough in half and roll each half into a 10-inch log about 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least one hour up to two days. 

When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap one dough log on a plastic cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place rounds on lined cookie sheets, 1 inch apart. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until golden brown on the edges. Transfer to cooling racks and repeat with remaining dough. Allow to cool completely.

To decorate: Whisk together confectionary sugar and grapefruit juice. Dip a silicon pastry brush or fork into the icing and drizzle over the cookies. Sprinkle with sanding sugar while still wet (if desired). Allow to set, about 15 minutes. Store in an air-right container.

Pro-"Foodie" and Proud

foodie

/ˈfuːdɪ/

noun (pl) -ies
1. a person having an enthusiastic interest in the preparation and consumption of good food

The term “foodie” found itself on the 40th annual List of Words to be Banished from the Queen’s English for Misuse, Overuse and Uselessness, published in 2014 by Lake Superior State University in Michigan. This made me wonder: Why is this word so despised by so many? Let’s explore.

Urban Dictionary, the crowd-sourced “reference” site for millennials, defines the term as “A douchebag who likes food.” Sorry, but that’s kind of “douch-y” in itself. Huffington Post has published an online article claiming to “hate” the word, calling it a “badge of self-entitlement.” They offer three substitutes – food lover, gourmand, and food nerd. Doesn’t “gourmand” sound a bit entitled to anyone? Also, not quite a year later they published “The Eleven Greatest Foodie Cities in America.” Must not hate it that much. The Daily Beast wants to “flambé” the epithet. To set it on fire? My goodness. These are only a few examples. Countless others can be found by entering this latest “F-word” into any search engine. 

Some abhor it because they don’t like labels. Others because it is overused. Still others because they think it sounds juvenile. I wonder if these same people want to trash the term “techie,” defined by Dictionary.com as “a technical expert, student or enthusiast, especially in the field of electronics.” What about “Trekkie” – “an avid fan of Star Trek science fiction, television shows and films?”  Will they refuse to watch the movie Goonies, or to call the new person at work a “newbie?” Aren’t premature infants referred to as “preemies” and people addicted to drugs “druggies?” Locals are “townies,” carnival folk are “carnies,” and people who have a particular love for a certain musical group are “groupies.” All of these words imply a singular, refined interest in something, or a certain expertise regarding it. How is the word “foodie” any different? 

Many people claim that since everyone eats, everyone is a foodie. To them, I contend that in today’s world, nearly everyone uses technology, but surely we are not all “techies.” Being able to do something does not automatically imply a keen interest or expertise. Some people eat to live. Foodies live to eat. It’s a hobby, not just an activity in which we engage three times a day to survive. 

And yet I propose an even further definition of “foodie.” That it’s more than having an enthusiasm, preoccupation, perhaps obsession, for all things food. On this, I refer you to the article “Rethinking the Word ‘Foodie’” by Mark Bittman, whom many would call a foodie indeed. In this article, Bittman encourages people to rethink the “foodie” label to be something “less demeaning-sounding” and “more meaningful.” That it’s not just giving yourself a label, but living a certain way. It’s not just eating out at the trendiest restaurants, but shopping at farmers’ markets, exploring local foods, and cooking hearty, healthy meals at home whenever possible. It’s educating yourself, not only about the best food truck in town, but also about how and where food is produced and sold and consumed. And it’s not only knowing about it, but making a conscious effort to do something about it. 

Yes, I’m proud to be a foodie if that’s what it means. And to me, that’s exactly what it means.