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.
Earlier this week, Frank and Wilder came to pick me up from the airport. I went to the Bulletproof Conference out in Los Angeles with Daniel Vitalis and the team at SurThrival. Frank stayed up late the night before painting our bedroom and making this batch of cookies to bring to me. I personally stick to low to no sugar in my food intake most of the time, as it feels best in my body. So it's always such a treat to get to eat the desserts Frank makes!
There's something about sitting by a camp fire, listening to friends play music while sipping on good wine and roasting marshmallows. We feel fortunate to live close to the Common Grounds Fair which took place last weekend in Unity, Maine
The other day, while doing some work on the land, I was gifted a delicious chocolate Mound like treat made by my friend Kara. It was perfectly coconutty with just the right amount of chocolate surrounding it.
Valentine's Day is for lovers and this recipe is sure to bring loved ones together to celebrate this special romantic day. The following recipe is adapted by the amazing pastry chef Paige Retus (Olives restaurant).
Maca, a know aphrodisiac works well in this sweet/savory recipe and with the addition of the peppercorns, blood will be flowing to all the right areas
This past week has seen almost autumn like temperatures with lots of rain here in central Maine. Despite the land being saturated, it didn't keep me from getting outside and continuing to work on several projects. After a long, cold weekend, I finally got out and harvested some rhubarb from several of the patches we have here on the land. Fortunately for us, all of the rhubarb here was planted years ago. Although, most are now in shady spots, or overcrowded, and not able to get to their known size.
Growing up and still to this day, peanut butter and chocolate is one of my favorite combinations. Reese's peanut butter cups were one of my favorite sweet treats that I could eat every day. Unfortunately, they are filled with mostly refined products that likely cause many cavities as a young child. This weekend, I was feeling creative and thought I'd whip up my own version.
In this household, we love all things chocolate. From smoothies, to hand crafted macaroons, we certainly get our fair share of this illustrious bean. No matter what way we blend, whisk, or process chocolate, nothing compares to this rich and decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake recipe. The combination of dates and cashews blended to a thick paste with coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon easily satisfy any chocolate craving and then some!
While you won't find me heading to the nearest Starbucks for an oversized white flour filled cinnamon roll with a triple soy latte, I will proudly enjoy the following recipe on occasion without any guilt, shame, or fear of dying of a heart attack. For our family, this recipe is prepared on Christmas Day, where most of the family dig in and enjoy as many as we can get our hands on.
