BLACKCREEK MERCANTILE + FRIENDS

The celebration of friends is one of life's great pleasures, isn't it? Today I'm doing just that.... celebrating the creations of some amazing friends I admire and whose work I think you'll enjoy.

First and foremost, I'm so excited to tell you that Josh Vogel from Blackcreek Mercantile has a book on the way! Any of you who has spent time here knows what a fan I am of Josh's work. His lovingly made wood cutting boards, kitchen tools, stool, bowls and butcher block are some of my most treasured (and used!) items in my home. I have no doubt that our Blackcreek pieces will become heirlooms that Otis and Lilah will haggle over one day.

In The Artful Wooden Spoon, Josh looks at the art, craft and history of the wooden spoon - one of mankind's oldest tools. For those of you who fancy the idea of doing your own carving (I must say - I'm quite tempted!) Josh walks us through the steps to make our own spoons. Makers aside, this book is really for anyone who appreciates handmade beauty, craft and design. (Seth and Kendra Smoot shot and styled the book and it's a stunner.)

Josh, and his wife Kelly, are coming to Northern California to two of my favorite shops - so if you want to meet them and get a signed copy of their book, now's your chance. I'm going to their launch party at March on November 5th. And they'll also be at Shed in Healdsburg on November 7th. For more info, check here.

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Since I haven't been able to be here regularly these days (A full schedule of photography work is keeping me extremely busy. Happily busy!) I wanted to take a moment to continue this theme of celebrating friends by sharing a few other wonderful new books...

• Emma Galloway's incredible first book, My Darling Lemon Thyme is finally coming to the US! Emma's cookbook is packed with amazing healthful recipes (and they're all GF by the way). I'm particularly fond of her Eggplant with Tomatoes, Feta and Pomegranate Dressing.
• Homemade Memories is by another fellow blogger friend, Kate Doran. Kate's gorgeous book is all about modern recipes for indulgent (and nostalgic) sweet treats. My kids are drooling over this one.
• Finding Yourself in the Kitchen, by my buddy Dana Velden, is a different sort of read. A former Zen priest, Dana writes with profound warmth, grace, and comfort about the pleasures (both mundane and sublime) to be experienced in the kitchen.
• This is Camino is from one of our favorite local restaurants. Russell Moore, the chef/owner is magic in the kitchen and Camino's new cookbook welcomes us all into Russ' delectable world.
• Heidi Swanson's latest book appeals to both the traveler and cook in me. Beautifully photographed as always, Near & Far takes us on a journey to some of Heidi's favorite places - India, Japan, Morocco, Italy, France - and luckily for us, we get to see and taste our way through her delicious pages. 

Disclosure: Some of the items in this post have been gifted to me but I wanted to assure you that all opinions and enthusiasm are my own!

SUPER SIMPLE RADISH SALAD WITH CREME FRAICHE

A few months back, Paul and I went to a dinner at Camino celebrating David Tanis' latest book, One Good Dish. The entire meal was delicious, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about one brilliantly simple dish that really spoke to me. Radishes - any sort you can get your hands on - are thinly sliced and topped with a dollop of crème fraîche, nice salt and ground black pepper. Crisp, tangy, creamy, salty all at the same time...yes!

If you can find them, I suggest using a variety of radishes in your salad. At Monterey Market, I picked up standard red beauties along with watermelon and black radishes - each added its own distinct flavor and texture.

INGREDIENTS adapted from David Tanis's One Good Dish
printable recipe

• 1/2 pound radishes
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche (see my recipe for homemade crème fraîche)
• optional: a few drops of milk, water or cream
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (I also like smoked salt as as substitute for the salt and pepper - it's delish!)

Get out your sharpest knife, or mandolin, and slice radishes as thin as possible. With bigger radishes like watermelon or black, you may want to halve or quarter the rounds. Scatter radishes onto individual plates or a larger platter.  Whisk crème fraîche with a few drops of liquid to make it a little loose. Scoop a generous dollop of the runny crème fraîche onto the radishes. Sprinkle smoked salt, or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper over the entire dish. That was easy, right?

Serves 4
  
The days are getting longer, birds have returned to our garden, our fruit trees are leafing out, and asparagus has come to the farmer's market. I don't know about you, but I get a jolt of childlike glee every time I see a new sign that spring is on its way! 

2013 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Japanese barware from Umami Mart


It's that time of year...time to splurge, play, indulge and shower the people we love with gifts!

After scheming up all sorts of ideas, I've gathered some of my favorite picks for this holiday season to share with you. You'll notice plenty of brass and gold, tiny herbs, cookbooks old and new, delicious olive oil, a perfect mortar and pestle, and everything you need to trick out a home bar. Why not give your loved one a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant? Or a signed copy of Alice's new book to benefit the Edible Schoolyard?

These items - from thoughtful, beautifully-curated small businesses and my favorite non-profit, the Edible Schoolyard Project - are just the kinds of gifts I love to give (and receive, hint hint). If you have a moment, peruse the links and I hope you'll feel inspired too.

Wishing you all happy holidays!!!

A signed copy of Alice Waters' Art of Simple Food II to benefit the Edible Schoolyard Project (order by December 15th)

Mix and match small tools from Kaufmann Mercantile

Tom Dixon brass small form bowls from GARDE

Marble mortar and pestle from Quitokeeto

Small heirloom brass handled scissors from Food 52 Provisions

A gift certificate to a favorite restaurant

Stonehouse Rosemary Olive Oil*

my favorite micro basil seeds from The Gardener

Vintage cookbooks from the fabulous Omnivore Books
- Omnivore stocks every imaginable new cookbook too -


*I have an ongoing working relationship with Stonehouse Olive Oil as their photographer. I've fallen in love with their rosemary oil which is so ridiculously good drizzled onto a big warm bowl of white beans or hearty minestrone - I had to add it to my gift list. As always, all opinions are my own!

ROASTED ASPARAGUS, TOASTY BREAD, SOFT BOILED EGG + CHERVIL

I cannot believe I have yet to share an asparagus recipe with you this spring! When those gorgeous spears come to market, I start buying them by the bushel, don't you? We've been scarfing down asparagus almost every day for the past few weeks.

Last Thursday, P and I went to a delicious dinner at Camino to celebrate Deborah Madison's brilliant new book, Vegetable Literacy. With Russ cooking up Madison's recipes, it was an unbeatable combination. I immediately went home and knew I needed to try my hand at one of her new recipes, and the first thing I flipped to was the asparagus section. I saw Madison's recipe for a version of the dish I'm sharing today, and I knew I had to make it pronto!



I like that Madison calls for roasting the veg - not a technique I've used for asparagus, though now I will. The roasting was easy, the asparagus tender, and the flavors delish. Instead of hard boiling the egg as per the recipe, I craved the oozy yolk of a soft boiled egg and oh man was that a good move. The mustard vinaigrette mingles with the yolk and all come together to coat the asparagus and toasty bread. I'm a fan.

I ate this asparagus salad for breakfast, but that's just me. I think the salad would make a fantastic lunch, brunch, or light supper.

INGREDIENTS  
inspired by Deborah Madison's Vegetable Literacy, originally from Amelia Saltsman in What We Eat When We Eat Alone
{printable recipe}

• 1 pound fresh asparagus spears
• olive oil
• salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1-2 soft boiled eggs - see my technique for soft boiled eggs here
• 1-2 slices sourdough bread {GF folks: I used a GF baguette from Mariposa Bakery. In a pinch you could tear up a GF hamburger bun}
• 1 teaspoon Dijon or coarse mustard
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• chervil

Preheat oven to 400.

Trim tough ends from asparagus spears. Lay the spears in a roasting dish, or on a baking sheet. Toss asparagus with 2 teaspoons olive oil, and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Roast asparagus in the hot oven for 10 minutes. Take the pan from the oven, give it a good shake, and roast another 10-20 minutes until spears are tender, and cooked through.

In the meantime, put a small saucepan with water on the stove top to cook your soft boiled eggs. See the rest of the instructions here.

Tear bread into large, rough pieces. Place torn bread onto another baking sheet or roasting pan. Toss with a teaspoon of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Place bread in the oven  5-10 minutes, until golden.

Whisk together mustard, vinegar and a pinch of salt. Then whisk in just enough olive oil for a nice emulsified dressing.

Assemble the salad by scattering the roasted asparagus and croutons on a plate. Nestle an egg or two on top. Drizzle on some dressing. Toss on a few sprigs of chervil. Break open those eggs and let all the wonderful flavors mingle.

I love this salad!

There are so many wonderful asparagus recipes floating around these days... Here are a few goodies:

• Asparagus, fennel, piave salad with Meyer lemon caper vinaigrette 
• Buttermilk Asparagus Salad
• Asparagus with Poached Eggs over Grits
• Miner's Lettuce with Soft Boiled Egg and Asparagus
• Asparagus Pesto with Herb Pasta
• Spring Pea and Asparagus Pasta