bar fausto's farro salad + do something nice!

I’m a relatively upbeat person but recently I’ve been feeling a bit low- external forces are largely to blame for my malaise. The Germans have a single word that captures this sort of emotional experience- weltschmerz - which loosely translates to feelings of melancholy and world-weariness, the result of how the physical world stands in contrast to how you imagine it can or should be.

I work from home and public radio provides a constant and steady voice in the background, which I had found comforting. Now I don’t know where the “Firefighters Rescue Cat Stuck in a Tree” kind-of-segments have gone, but they have been replaced by a constant stream of stories that highlight the very worst elements of human behavior. The line-up a few days ago was predominantly: xenophobic voices from the political sphere (both here and abroad), the Syrian Civil War, the unstoppable refugee crisis, the curtailment of constitutional guarantees in a handful of states… and Miami, being inundated with sea water, is staring to sink. It’s a tough world, but there have to be some narratives that highlight our best selves. So…Today I’d like to share a random act of kindness I witnessed while pulling out of a Trader Joe’s parking lot. It happened a few months ago, but it really touched me and I’d like to tell you what happened, so please indulge me.

Like I said, I was in the parking lot, about to turn onto Colorado Blvd. when I saw a woman (probably in her early 90s) driving a large car. There was a wheelchair icon on her license plate, her reverse lights were on, and she was waiting for an opportunity to pull out of her spot. Naturally I gave her the go-ahead gesture with my hand, because you have to be a real POS to hit the gas pedal in a situation like that…

Several minutes passed, and I was still waiting behind the woman’s car. It became clear to me that she was too scared to make the turn (there are 4 lanes of traffic in each direction at this particular intersection of the boulevard). Drivers behind me started honking their horns, some people started shouting out of their windows, and the whole area was quickly getting backlogged.

I put my car in park, but instead of going up to the elderly woman to see if she was okay (which I now regret), I went to the car behind me. I explained the situation and told that driver we should start making u-turns and back traffic out onto the side street, which she agreed was a good idea.

As I was getting back into my driver’s seat, I saw a burly muscular man (maybe 6’ 3” or 6’ 4” and I’m guessing ex-military from his appearance) walk up to the elderly woman’s car, at which point my heart started racing. I can’t explain my initial reaction, but I started to panic. Was he angry? Was he going to bash her window in? Shoot her? Maybe I’ve watched too many movies - like that Michael Douglas one where he looses it on the highway and goes “postal.”

Anyway, the ex-military guy gently tapped on the old woman’s window. She rolled it down and they spoke for about a minute. Then the man walked across Colorado Boulevard and stopped all four traffic lanes by putting his hands up and waving them above his head (it was really hard to miss him). The traffic came to a halt, a complete stand still. The man then turned in the direction of the elderly woman and gestured for her to start driving forward, and after a few seconds she made the turn and was on her way.

At that point, everyone in the parking lot started clapping and cheering and it wasn’t because we- who had been stuck in the lot for the better part of a ½ hour- were now free to exit. It was because we witnessed something we don’t see enough of: someone helping someone else, in this case a perfect stranger. Everyone in that parking lot witnessed a random act of kindness. And the incredible feeling from that morning’s event stuck with me all day. 

Which brings me to this salad…

A friend of mine had been having a tough time and we thought it would be helpful to provide her and her family with a bit of nourishment. We brought over a main dish, some wine, dessert and this salad. I know this small little act meant the world to her because she thanks me (profusely) every single time she sees me, and it’s been going on for weeks!

It’s not that I think I’m such a wonderful person because I do a few nice things, but I do understand how small acts can have a large impact because I was the recipient of this sort of generosity a few years back. During my father’s last year of life, it was the kindness of others that helped me through the worst parts of his illness and subsequent death. There were calls, letters, play date pick-ups, flowers, texts, emails, airport drives, and home cooked meals- nourishing food- for our family. Each of those small gestures meant something so much bigger to me. And now, helping where I can, is my way of paying it forward.

Where am I going with all this? Do something nice for a friend who needs it, or even a perfect stranger. Call up a new parent who seems overwhelmed and offer to give him or her a break. Share. Care. Volunteer. Be kind. Get out there! Do something! The world will be a better place for your efforts. And maybe, just maybe, your act of kindness will be so great that it will make the evening news and provide a nice contrast to those other stories broadcast on our airwaves.

xx,

B

Bar Fausto’s Amazing Farro Salad (Printed with permission)

Thank you Emily, of Bar Fausto, for generously sharing this recipe with me.

Serves 4 people
For Salad
2 cups cooked Farro
½ Cucumber medium diced
1 cup radishes sliced
1 medium carrot sliced
½ red onion sliced
¼ cup mint chopped
4 cups arugula
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and add ¼ cup (or desired amount) of Sunflower Golden Raisin Vinaigrette.

For Sunflower Golden Raisin Vinaigrette
Yields ½ Gallon Vinaigrette (This will last you a very long time! I halved the recipe below and it was more than enough, with plenty left over.)
2 cups Golden Raisins
2 cups Champagne Vinegar
2 cups Sunflower seeds
¼ cup Sugar
1 cup Lemon Juice
1 cup Shallots Brunoise
1 tablespoon Salt
½ Tablespoon Black Pepper
½ Tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
6 cups Blended oil (I found my bottle Costco.)

In a blender, combine the golden raisins and champagne vinegar. Pulse until raisins chopped up into smaller pieces. Combine all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk to incorporate the flavors. (The vinaigrette will look “broken” and will not emulsify.”)

Store in a container and whisk again when ready to use.

Inside Bar Fausto

The image (above) was generously provided by Lauren DiFillipo (@regretscoyote). You can see some of her work in Life & Thyme or on her website. Thank you, Lauren!

Food for Thought + Links:
George Saunders’ Convocation Speech
Project Angel Heart. Denver, Colorado.
Denver Rescue Mission
Jewish Family Service of Colorado

gunnison's black canyon + ina's salted caramel nuts (perfect for hiking, the holidays, or any other time!)



Some of my fondest memories of childhood are those of the travels we did together as a family. There were trips overseas, an Amtrak ride from New York to Orlando, and a vacation whereby we drove down California's coastal Highway 1. But my favorite had to be the “Great Stepelman Family Road Trip of ’86.” We flew to Phoenix, rented a motor home, and my dad drove us around the Southwest for a few weeks. My brother and I  had a blast discovering New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. It was really the first time I saw the beauty of our National Parks system and I knew one day I'd be back…(and here we are!).

Travel and exploration are things Otis and Theodore enjoy too, and we had every intention of heading south this fall. But after a failed Aspen weekend - immediately followed by a stellar Rocky Mountain excursion- Matt and I decided we should end our hiking season on a positive note. We took a moment to think about whether or not a trip to Gunnison's Black Canyon was a good idea, and determined that the lengthy car ride plus the strenuous hiking inside the canyon should be saved for next spring or early fall. The boys would be almost a year older by then and better equipped to deal with the trip...



On the weekend following my husband’s birthday, I gave him the gift I knew he really wanted: 5 days of solitude. Unlike me, an extrovert who craves only minimal alone time, Matt loves having time to himself and he found peace and quiet in Colorado's Black Canyons. I can't wait to see this canyon in person (it took about 2 million years for the river to shape the steepest cliffs and oldest rocks in North America)…and who knows, maybe the trip to the canyon will become one of our children's  fondest memories

Here are Matt's photos...


















A few weeks ago, my friend Jayme and I went to hear Ina Garten speak at the Paramount Theater in Denver. I loved listening to her talk about her transition from policy paper-pusher at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to food gourmand and business owner. I've always credited Ina as the person who got me inspired to cook unfussy seasonal dishes that are big on flavor, so it was interesting to hear how her recipes go from concept to print. 
Anyway, this recipe for Salted Caramel Nuts comes from Ina's most recent cookbook "Make It Ahead"- which, if you couldn't guess, really works well with my current lifestyle.
A caveat for those of you making this snack at altitude: watch your caramel closely, as it boils faster at higher elevations (like Denver). I had to throw out the first batch before getting it right in the second go-round, so don't take your eyes off the stove! 
Enjoy!
xo, 
Batya

Salted Caramel Nuts from Make It Ahead by Ina Garten, via the Barefoot Contessa
Makes 8 cups
Ingredients
1 cup each whole roasted salted cashews, whole large pecan halves, whole unsalted almonds, and whole walnut halves (4 cups total) 

1½ cups sugar 

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 

2 teaspoons kosher salt 

1 teaspoon fleur de sel
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 


Combine the nuts on a sheet pan, spread them out, and roast them for 7 minutes, until they become fragrant. Set aside to cool. 


After the nuts are cooled, place the sugar and ¼ cup of water in a medium (10-inch) sauté pan and mix with a fork until all of the sugar is moistened. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar melts—from this point on, don’t stir the caramel, swirl the pan! Don’t worry—the mixture may look as though it’s crystallizing. Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes a clear golden brown, swirling the pan constantly at the end. (Careful—the caramel is very hot!)
Off the heat, quickly add the vanilla (it will bubble up!) and swirl the pan to combine. Working quickly (the caramel will continue to cook in the pan), add the nuts and the kosher salt and toss with 2 large spoons until the nuts are completely coated. 



Pour the nuts and any extra caramel in the pan onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the nuts out in one layer, pulling them apart with two forks. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool. When they’re completely cooled, carefully break the nuts into large clusters with your hands, trying not to break the nuts too much. 

cook the mag: bon appetit's feta with sumac and black sesame seeds

If you would have said to me, say three years ago, "Batya, how are the Broncos doing this season?" I would have shrugged and stared back at you blankly. The confused look might have been followed by something like, "You mean the football team, right? The one from Denver?" But that would have been the extent of it. I come from a long line of Yankee stock, and other than baseball, we didn't follow other sports. Football hardly registered at all.

Things changed exactly one year ago when my husband's cousin Melissa gave us tickets to see the Denver Broncos, a gift for our 5th anniversary. It was my first trip to the stadium, and even though I was hopped up on meds (following a diagnosis of acute tonsillitis with an extreme form of strep), I fell in love with the sport. Football is a religion around here, and I've become a pretty faithful practitioner. I'll admit that I don't know every rule or intricate detail of the game, but my heart is definitely in it. 

In addition to cheering for the home team, Sunday football has become a catalyst for our weekend gatherings too. Sometimes we head over to our neighbors' house, other times we host at our home. And since there's never really enough time to clean the house and cook a meal, I opt for dishes that are big on flavor and easy to make. Last week's menu included olives (the good kind), a cheese plate, hummus (2 ways),shakshuka (sauce made the night before), and this feta sumac spread from Bon Appetit. Though our team didn't win the game (don't worry, they're still in 1st place), we all had a great time. And isn't that what football gatherings are really about? (S

xx, 

Batya

Feta with Sumac and Black Sesame Seeds (Courtesy of Alison Roman for Bon Appetit Magazine, October 2014)

Ingredients

1½ pound feta, sliced ¼” thick

1 tablespoon fresh oregano or marjoram leaves (optional, I made it with and without) 

1½ teaspoon black sesame seeds

1½ teaspoon ground sumac

Olive oil (for drizzling)

Crackers (for serving)

Preparation

Divide feta among small serving dishes. Top with oregano, sesame, and sumac. Drizzle with oil; serve with crackers.

Notes: 

If you're looking for really good cheese, olives, crackers- that sort of thing- and you live in Denver, head over to the Truffle Cheese Shop on 6th Avenue. It's one of the best in the city. 

Sumac, a tart, citrusy spice, is available at Middle Eastern markets or specialty foods stores. I have a friend who brings back sumac from the Middle East (Lebanon), but when I run out I head over to Arash Market in Aurora. 

gazpacho two ways: traditional red (from jose andres) and green (from bon appetite)


For months my husband and I planned to tear up half of the cement driveway that sits to the left of our house. We had 10 feet of concrete slab that was a total waste of space and didn't make sense to maintain since we have one car (and hope to keep it that way) and a scooter. We thought the space should be turned into our family garden.

After dragging our feet for most of the spring and early summer, Matt finally rented a jack-hammer. It took only (!) seven hours of drilling in the sun, in temperature that exceeded 100 degrees, to get the job done. We removed the concrete and assembled the elevated garden beds. Then we tilled the hard clay, added bags and bags of soil, and got to planting. We're growing basil, jalapeños, Corsican mint, Kentucky Colonel mint (hello mint juleps! and mojitos!), heirloom tomatoes, kale, marigolds, milk weed, jupiter's beard and a host of other bee-welcoming and butterfly-attracting plants. 

In just under 5 weeks we have started to reap the benefits of our hard work. Otis is in charge of watering the plants every morning and every evening. Theodore, being slightly less helpful than his older brother, usually takes the garden spade and swings it in the direction of the tomatoes until something falls off the vine (hopefully he outgrows this soon). There is an enormous satisfaction in knowing that we are greening the land, and our garden serves as our proudest DIY-it to date. We've come a long way since I tried to grow a strawberry plant on our fire escape in Brooklyn. I lovingly watered that silly plant and placed it in the sun, but the result of all my effort was a pitiful yield - a single and sad looking berry that didn't even taste good. 

But times have changed and this garden is a total thrill. It's thriving and it's growing. I can't tell you how amazing it felt to pick some of the gazpacho ingredients  from our little plot of Earth....
Patricia's Gazpacho 
(Courtsey of Jose Andres via Food + Wine. With thanks to the Truffle Table  in Denver for suggesting this recipe.)

Ingredients
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes (about 10), cut into chunks
8 ounces cucumber (1 cucumber), peeled and cut into chunks
3 ounces green pepper, in large pieces
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Garnish
1 tablespoon Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1 slice rustic white bread
6 plum tomatoes, with the seeds, prepared as "fillets"
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into cubes
4 pearl onions, pulled apart into segments
2 tablespoons Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Sea salt
4 chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

Preparation

  • In a blender, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic and sherry vinegar and blend until the mixture becomes a thick liquid. Taste for acidity; this will vary with the sweetness of the tomatoes. If it's not balanced enough, add a little more vinegar. Add the olive oil, season with salt, and blend again. Strain the gazpacho into a pitcher and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
  • In a small pan, heat the olive oil over moderately high heat and fry the bread until golden, about 2 minutes. Break into small pieces to form croutons and set aside.
  • To serve pour gazpacho into each of 4 bowls. Place 4 croutons, 2 "fillets" of tomatoes with seeds, 4 cherry tomato halves, 3 cucumber cubes and 3 onion segments into each bowl. Add a few drops of olive oil to each onion segment and drizzle a little more around each bowl. Add a few drops of vinegar to each cucumber cube and drizzle a little more around each bowl. Sprinkle sea salt on the tomatoes and sprinkle the chives over the soup. Serve when the gazpacho is refreshingly chilled.
NOTES: 
José's tips: If you want to be original, buy yellow or even green tomatoes. Also, if you want to save time, you can simplify the garnishes: Just use a few cubes of cucumber, tomato and green pepper.
* * *

I've been on such a gazpacho kick recently that I just had to try this green gazpacho recipe from July’s Bon Appetit magazine. It’s completely different from the traditional red gazapacho, but equally delicious. If you don’t want the soup hot (taste-wise, not temperature-wise) you can reduce the amount of jalapeño or increase the amount of yogurt. But personally, I love a soup with kick!
Green Gazpacho (Courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine)
Ingredients
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1½ cups whole-milk plain Greek yogurt, divided
½ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 oz. ciabatta or country-style bread, crust removed, bread torn into 1” pieces (about 2½ cups) 
1 medium English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, cut into large pieces
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
4 large tomatillos (about 12 oz.), husked, quartered
4 scallions, cut into 1” pieces
2 jalapeños, seeds removed, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
Piment d’Espelette or Hungarian hot paprika (for serving)

Preparation
  • Whisk vinegar, lime juice, 1 cup yogurt, and ½ cup oil in a large bowl until smooth. Add bread, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatillos, scallions, jalapeños, garlic, and ¾ tsp. salt and toss to coat (make sure bread is well coated so it can soak up as much flavor as possible). Cover and chill at least 4 hours.
  • Working in batches, purée bread and vegetable mixture in a blender until very smooth; transfer to a large bowl and season gazpacho with salt.
  • Whisk remaining ½ cup yogurt in a small bowl, thinning with water a tablespoonful at a time, until the consistency of heavy cream; season with salt.
  • Serve soup in chilled bowls. Drizzle with thinned yogurt and more oil and sprinkle with piment d’Espelette.
DO AHEAD: Gazpacho can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill. Mix well before serving.

palm trees in LA + jerusalem's swiss chard with tahini, yogurt & buttered pine nuts

So here’s the thing about being a mother that's taken a bit of time to get used to: I’m very, very rarely alone. I’ve got two awesome boys who depend on me for pretty much everything, and as much as I love them, I was hitting a wall. I needed a break. Not a night off, but a true break—for a few days, at the very least. Thankfully, I had a little cache of frequent flier miles squirreled away, so I booked a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles. I was excited to go back to a city I haven't been to in years, and even more excited to see one of my closest friends who lives in L.A. with her wonderful girlfriend (and gifted cook). But before we get to Los Angeles, here's a little something that happened just before the trip
* * *
The morning of my departure was anything but smooth. My husband and mother-in-law (visiting from NY) had taken Otis to school, and I was left with Theodore and my father-in-law in the house. My father-in-law, Dave, was quietly reading his book in the living room and Theodore was actively engaged in story telling with his new action figures. I saw this as a good opportunity to wash a load of laundry and tie up some loose ends for a work project. I would be taking the entire weekend off-- there'd be no work emails and I wasn’t bringing my computer, so I thought I should wrap things up before I left for the airport. This vacation was going to be all down-time…completely. 

Everything was going according to plan, well, right up until a pigeon  decided to fly down our chimney (no, they aren’t capped) and fly around the dining room for over 45 minutes- crashing into windows and excreting everywhere. PigeonGate was a total mess. I’ll spare you the rest of the details, but let’s just say I couldn’t wait to get to the airport...

The flight was a breeze and I landed in L.A. a few hours after departing Denver. I was feeling a bit hungry and an incredible meal was waiting for me at Min's house. There was  freshly baked challah, sweet potato gratin, charmoula tempeh, cucumber salad, and Meyer lemon pie. We made one more dish, a Swiss chard and tahini recipe from Jerusalem: A Cookbook (below), and dinner was on. We drank, we laughed, we ate, and after cleaning up we walked the dogs for well over an hour. Then I slept like a baby…
The rest of the weekend looked like this...
  • I read the morning paper (leisurely) and noshed on homemade granola (another Ottolenghi recipe) with yogurt.

  • We walked around historic Downtown L.A. and wandered through the Grand Central Market, where I got pupusas for $2.99 and a killer cappucinio from GB. We stocked up on DTLA cheese—and even purchased one with green chiles from Colorado's Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy!

  • We stopped by The Last Bookstore (where I picked up a Martha Rose Shulman cookbook for $6.99), walked around the Old Banking District and then inadvertently wound up on the set of Glee. (How Los Angeles is that?!)
  • We dined at Elf, an wonderful Echo Park spot that serves vegetarian food with Middle-eastern and North African flare. The dishes were flavorful and spicy-- it was my kind of food.  Then we checked out Mohawk Bend, a former theater-turned-bar with an awesome patio, just for a moment. 












  • We made our way to the Pacific Ocean, and then strolled around Venice and Santa Monica. Having worked up an appetite, we stopped by Malo for a delicious Mexican dinner... 

  • And we walked around Silver Lake...a lot.





Being back in Los Angeles was awesome, but the best part was spending time with someone I truly love and respect. As the years tick by, I’ve come to understand that not all my friendships will survive distance or time. There has to be effort on both ends of a relationship. There are lots ways to keep touch, but at the end of the day there is simply no substitute for seeing someone face-to-face. And I'm so glad I got a chance to reconnect.
I'm incredibly grateful that my husband is the kind of partner who supports my independence and acknowledges that we are two people who can't be (and shouldn't be) tethered to each other all the time. There is a value in having your own experiences, in addition to, and separate from, those you share with your family. I also think that my absence made my work in the home, and the things I do with our boys on a daily basis, even more valued and appreciated...or at least I'd like to think so!
Palm trees, friends, walks, art, the beach. Yeah, I could’ve stayed on for a few more days, but two little monkeys in Colorado needed me back home... 
* * * 
Thank you Min and Hil. You are gracious and wonderful in all sorts of ways.
Xo,
Bats
Swiss Chard with Tahini, Yogurt & Buttered Pine Nuts Adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
Ingredients
2 3/4 pounds Swiss chard (I used two bags of Trader Joe's Kaleidoscope Chard and it was the right amount. I also used 2 large bunches of chard from Whole Foods and that worked too.)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
5 tbsp pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine (I've made it with and without)
Sweet paprika, to garnish (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tahini & Yogurt Sauce
3 1/2 tbsp tahini paste
4 1/2 tbsp Greek yogurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tbsp water

Prepartaion
Start with the sauce: Place all the ingredients in a medium bowl, add a pinch of salt, and stir well with a small whisk until you get a smooth, semi-stiff paste. 

Separate the white chard stalks from the green leaves (using a sharp knife) and cut both into slices 3/4 inch wide. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add chard stalks. Simmer for 2 minutes, add leaves, and cook for another minute. Drain quickly and rinse well with cold water. Squeeze the excess water from the chard with your hands and allow the chard to dry completely.

Put half the butter and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the pine nuts and toss until golden (about 2 minutes). Remove the pine nuts from the pan (with a slotted spoon) and then throw in the garlic. If you're using wine, carefully pour in the wine. Leave for a minute or less, until it reduces to about one-third. Add the chard and the rest of the butter and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chard is completely warm. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some black pepper, to taste.

Divide the chard into serving bowls and spoon some tahini sauce on top, and scatter the pine nuts. Finally, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika, if you like. 

ALTERNATIVELY: You can make the buttered pine nuts in a separate pan by gently toasting them in a little bit of butter or oil. Then heat 2 tablespoons of oil or butter on a medium flame and add the Swiss chard. Trader Joe's carries bags of Kaleidoscope Chard that is pre- chopped-- we used 2 bags- and added all of it (stems and leaves) into the pan, omitting boiling step. We sautéed the greens, stirring occasionally, and covered the pan till the leaves and stems were soft. Then we added the minced garlic and stirred for about a minute more. We decided to drink the wine instead of adding it to the dish (the first time I made this recipe). Then we added salt and pepper to taste. We removed the chard and placed it in a large serving bowl. Then we drizzled it with tahini sauce, pine nuts, olive oil and paprika. Enjoy!