Over the years, I've become quite fond of the kimchi recipe I developed and always feel slightly saddened when I see my reserves get lower and lower. Kimchi easily takes the leaderboard amongst the several varieties of fermented vegetables I prepare each year.
This past weekend family and friends from Maine and Connecticut came to celebrate back to back birthdays for Wilder and Camille. Since their birthdays are 1 day apart, the festivities tend to go on for a few days. With Camille turning 30 and Wilder turning 4, this was a special weekend for the family.
My first culinary school experience I can recall was cutting mirepoix for soups and stocks. Myself and a small group of students stood around the prep tables, nervously cutting carrots, celery, and onions while our chef instructor took notes on our knife skills.
We love our coffee program here. In fact, we couldn't imagine starting off our day with anything other than a cup of coffee. A few months ago we decided to take a week off from coffee. Yerba mate, Camille's mom's famous Red Tea, and of course chaga made for perfect alternatives yet after 1 day we were back sipping on our butter brew. You can say we are addicted to the caffeine, but quite frankly, it is the morning ritual and damn good flavor that keeps us coming back for more of this sacred drink.
Having spent the better half of November in Los Angeles, my body acclimated to the tolerable heat of the west and for a moment, I had forgotten that Maine was just starting to settle into winter. My first morning back east, I was greeted by a blanket of soft, fluffy snow that would continue on and off for the next day or so.
I've been loving my morning routine that has been consistent for the past few weeks. After watering and feeding the animals, I stroll over to our Honey Crisp apple tree, give it a gentle shake and wait for an apple to fall. I collect 1 or 2 two then walk towards the sun while enjoying the crisp, tart apple. Well, today that all came to an end. A deep frost the last few nights turned the apples frozen solid.
Rich, and creamy, clam chowder is a soup I've enjoyed eating since I was a young boy. The salty and milky flavors perfectly merge in easy to make recipe that can be made with so many different ingredients. My version offers a local twist to classic recipe. After a fun day driving along the beautiful coast of Maine, I got a craving for "Chowda". Since I already had locally sourced haddock, which is a sustainable and quality wild fish found up here on the northern Atlantic, and asparagus in the root cellar, I figured I'd continue with the theme of local and craft a recipe that used only seasonal Maine Ingredients (except for some spices).
Reminiscent of my days working at a high paced seafood restaurant in Connecticut, this Manhattan style fish chowder gets an upgrade from the former version I have known and loved. Combining wild halibut, kelp, and homemade bone broth, the end result is a mineral rich, nutritious soup that will warm you to the core and awaken all the senses.
I've only had Pho a handful on times in my life but this week I got a big craving for this fiery and delicious soup. This traditional Vietnamese dish combines a rich, aromatic broth with fresh vegetable and noodles for an amazingly tasty experience. The base of this recipe is the broth so it is essential to use quality beef bones and take your time to slowly simmer for several hours to bring out as much flavor as possible.
The snow began to fall around midnight and would continue throughout the the upcoming day. Despite the cool weather outside, it was a perfect day for getting as much done outdoors before the snow covered the ground until spring time. With the wood stove cranking all day, it felt appropriate to not only use it for our source of heat, but also as a cooking apparatus. So, I filled the stock pot with freshly collected spring water, a few grass fed beef soup bones, mirepoix, and my usual suspects of medicinal mushrooms and Maine kelp. A splash of apple cider vinegar and let it simmer. After a few hours of cooking, I strained off the liquid and used it to cook some red rice, kale, and turmeric. Served with a big scoop of South River miso and my homemade tomatillo hot sauce, the whole family was nourished! Meals like this are common here in the cooler months. Not only are they warming and satiating, but they provide the proper nutrients to keep our immune systems strong. Wilder loves the soft, tender meat that falls off the bone. He knows the good stuff!
The following recipe has wound up being one of my most beloved soups. Thick, flavorful, and always a healthy option, it's perfect for both meat eaters and vegetarians. This is one of those "stick to your ribs" kind of soups that keeps you filled up for hours. Sometimes, I'll use this soup as a base for roasted chicken or grilled seafood like scallops or shrimp.
There’s something about sipping a hot bowl of freshly made chicken soup that really does nourish the soul. Chicken stock is a simple technique that does not require a lot of hands on work. Simply add all the ingredients into a pot, bring it to a boil, then allow the veggies and liquid to simmer for a few hours. Store bought stocks and broths are not optimal because most of added salt and sometimes, even sugar.
