saguaro national park (+ hello again)

Hey there,

It’s me! I know, it’s been a really long time. About 7 months, give or take...a lengthy absence, which in the online world usually translates into blog death. But what can I say? I’ve been enjoying life and I thought it would be best to spend my small amounts of free time away from the computer, actually living in the moment instead of writing about it. But I have a more relaxed work schedule now since many of our clients take time off during the summer, and with the craziness of Design Week behind me I thought it would be fun to get back into it.  

The other reason for the long break has a lot to do with the difficulties of last year. I typically spend the end of December/early January being reflective and writing some sort of “wrap up.” But 2014 was a doozy and I really didn’t know where to start. I faced the biggest challenges of my life, for it was the year my father passed away. But it was also a year where I grew closer to my friends, my children and my family in ways that only death can bring people together. The "silver lining," if there can even be  such a thing during such a relentlessly strenuous time, is coming to understand how fortunate I am to have such an incredible community around me. Also, tragedy has shown me what truly matters and what doesn’t. Life is pretty simple when you boil things down.

Anyway, here we are and 2015 is already halfway over…



It seems silly to start things off with a backtrack to February, but as I think about the highlights of the year thus far, our trip to Saguaro National Park this winter stands out. We put together a really fun and inexpensive trip (thanks frequent flier miles/hotel points) and had a blast hiking through the cacti groves, investigating the small details of succulents, watching desert sunsets, eating really good Mexican food and swimming in our hotel's outdoor pool. This was by far our most successful adventure as a family of 4 to date. There were shockingly few meltdowns and everyone’s behavior (mine included) was A++. As my mother frequently says, “Pooh, pooh, pooh. May it continue…” 

It's good to be back.

xx, 

Batya 

Food for thought: Ed Ruscha's Cactus Omelet from T Magazine/The New York Times.
Book for thought: How to Raise a Wild Child
And give a listen to this great interview.

red rocks in january and a winter citrus salad (beets, grapefruit and watercress)

We absolutely love living in Colorado, but every now and again we get a bout of homesickness. Technology helps us connect with our families back east, but nothing, and I mean nothing, is a substitute for a face-to-face conversation; an in-person visit. When someone buys a ticket, gets on a plane, doesn't mind sleeping on an inflatable mattress for a week and is more than happy to wake up in the morning with your early-rising kids...well, that just says love. 
Aunt Barbara, my mother-in-law's sister, has visited us twice since we moved here. On her most recent trip she came with us to the petting zoo, hiked a trailhead at Red Rocks, and was more than accommodating when we did a little house-hunting. She also washed every dish I own until it sparkled like a diamond. Aunt Barbara did some babysitting too, so my husband and I were able to get a few nights off to celebrate my birthday weekend. We had some great meals at Jonsey's Eat Bar and The Kitchen...and a few drinks too. When we dropped Aunt Barbara off at the airport we asked, "When are you coming back?" And we really meant it. 
Clean sheets and a comfortable bed are one way to make a guest feel welcome. But so is good food. For Aunt Barbara's first night I made Baked Ziti with homemade sauce and this salad (below). It's fresh, clean and seasonal too. This is one to make before winter citrus is no longer at its peak. Here it is...enjoy!
xo

Grapefruit-and-Beet Salad (Adapted slightly from The New York Times)
Originally published with Eat, Memory: The Ideology of Taste by Roy Blount Jr., November 27, 2005
Ingredients
1/2 pound beets (2 or 3), trimmed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for beets
Kosher salt
2 large red or pink grapefruit, peeled, white pith removed
1/2 shallot, finely diced
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 bunch watercress, stemmed and trimmed (about 2 cups)
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Lay the beets on one end of a sheet of aluminum foil, sprinkle with olive oil and season with salt. Fold over the remaining foil and crimp the edges to seal. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until fork tender (this step usually takes me about 1 hr. 15 minutes.) Cool and peel, then slice into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons.
• Segment the grapefruit and set aside the membrane. Gently pat the segments dry with a paper towel. Squeeze 1* teaspoon juice from the membrane and reserve.*You can do a little more if you want a more intense grapefruit flavor.
• Combine shallot, reserved grapefruit juice, lemon juice and salt to taste in a bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes. Whisk in mustard, then 3 tablespoons olive oil. Adjust seasoning.
• In a large bowl, add the beets, grapefruit segments and watercress. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. (Don't neglect this step. Salt and pepper are key!) Gently fold the dressing into the salad.

...and here are some photos from our hike:

I like seeing how the colors change with the seasons. At one of my favorite hiking spots near Red Rocks there's green brush in the spring, the rocks look redder in the summer (and there are wildflowers too), leaves start falling in the autumn and the grasses are dry and the color of honey-straw in the winter. 
It had been quite some time since we went to Red Rocks, so when Aunt Barbara said she was game to go on a hike, we piled in the car and headed out in the direction of Morrison, Colorado. After Morrison we drove a few more miles before we got to the trailhead where I've taken the boys several times. Otis had his 'hiking bucket' and was ready for rock collecting. Theo was content picking up small twigs. My husband had the day off from work so he was happy to be getting some fresh air. And Aunt Barbara, realizing just how strong the Colorado sun can be, understood why hiking in the middle of January can be a wonderful way to spend an afternoon...

Tomatina: A Tomato Fest (Tart and Soup)

A few years ago my husband and I took our (then) six-week old son to Spain. We travelled to Barcelona, Figures and Valencia. The food was incredible, the architecture was magnificent, and the people were kind. Let me tell you, Spain is my kind of country. 

Anyway, not too far from Valencia is a little town called Buñol. And every year, around this time, Tomatina takes place. Tens of thousands of revelers hit the streets and pound each other with tomatoes. 

The festival is in its 64th year, and I'm hoping that next summer we can go...maybe as a layover on the way back to the United States after we visit my brother and his family? It's a thought.

Well back here in Colorado I've got enough tomatoes to hold my own little Buñol-style festival in our backyard. But not wanting to be wasteful (and thinking it wouldn't be a good idea to pummel Otis, Theo and Omar with the season's bounty), I thought it best to turn them into these two dishes: a Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart and a Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup.

Motherhood got in the way of me grabbing the tart after it baked for 40 minutes...so it was slightly burnt, but it was still delicious! The soup was pure perfection. Tomatoes this time of year are simply amazing and I've got lots of them on hand. 

I’m also happy to report that my own tomato plants are finally starting to produce some fruit. I am so excited! Unfortunately we are moving in just a few days, so I will have to pick what is ripe and hope the rest don't die when I attempt a re-planting-transplant-procedure.  (If anyone has any tips on how to transplant tomatoes successfully, please, oh please, let me know!) We've got Green Zebras and Black Krims (or are they Black Zebras?). I can't remember because the little sign/name tag became sun bleached. I guess I'll be able to tell once they grow a bit more. I'm looking forward to trying lots of tomato recipes over the next few weeks...they just keep coming and coming! 

If you're in Colorado, check out some of the tomato festivals that are happening this weekend. Now nothing can compare to the scale and scope of Spain's festivities, but you can pick-up delicious produce, support local farms, taste some inspired dishes and have a great afternoon. I'm thinking about heading over to Ollin Farms on Sunday (Sept. 2), but we will see how the move goes. Boxes and tomatoes, boxes and tomatoes….

And so it goes! Enjoy.

xo

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart (Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman, The New York Times, with Pâte Brisée/ Tart Dough recipe courtesy of Dorie Greenspan)

Serves 6

Ingredients

Pâte Brisée/ Tart Dough, chilled for 3 hours, and then rolled out in to a 10 inch pie pan (no par-baking)*


3 tablespoons Dijon mustard


1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped basil 

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley


2 eggs


4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled


1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil


Preparation


1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 10-inch tart pan and line it with the pastry. Keep in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.


2. Brush the mustard over the bottom of the dough. Slice the tomatoes and arrange over the mustard in concentric circles, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and the herbs.


3. Beat together the eggs and goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the tomatoes. Drizzle on the olive oil. Place in the oven and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is nicely browned. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

* Note: The original recipe uses this recipe for the pastry: 1 yeasted olive oil pastry (1/2 recipe). I decided to use a dough that I've used many times, mainly since I had all the ingredients in my pantry and didn't have to buy anything extra. I also wanted to go with something that I’ve deemed "fool proof."

* * *

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup (Adapted slightly from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics)


Serves 5-6


Ingredients


3 tablespoons good olive oil 


1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions) 


2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped 


1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves) 


4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large) 


1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 


1 1/4 tablespoons tomato paste 

1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves 


3 cups vegetable stock, homemade or good quality store-bought


1 tablespoon kosher salt 


1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 
(add more to taste, original recipe uses 2 teaspoons) 

1/2 cup heavy cream 


Julienned fresh basil leaves, for garnish 


Croutons 


Directions


Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender. 
Add the cream to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that’s left. (I don't have a food mill and so I used an immersion blender and it was just fine.) Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.

Childhood Favorites with a Twist: Comte Grilled Cheese and Queso Quesadillas with Papaya-Avocado Salsa

Last Sunday I stumbled upon a collection of recipes that I had clipped from the New York Times Dining & Wine section. The recipes were part of an article titled "Taking Back A Childhood Favorite" [printed on April 11, 2007] and included grilled cheese sandwiches and cheese quesadillas. But the recipes weren't standard or typical; they offered unique and delicious twists on the classics. And they were incredibly easy to make, with a prep time of about 10-15 minutes each.

Recipe No. 1:
Comté Grilled Cheese with Cornichon Spread (Adapted Slightly)
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard 
2 tablespoons mayonnaise 
2 tablespoons finely chopped cornichons or other pickles 
4 slices whole-grain bread or multigrain baguette
1/4 pound Comté cheese, sliced 
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preparation:

1. Whisk together mustard, mayonnaise and cornichons. Spread on 4 slices of bread and divide cheese among bread slices, to make 2 sandwiches. 
2. Melt butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Cook sandwiches until golden on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes a side, pressing down on sandwiches with spatula. Reduce heat to low and cover; cook until cheese melts completely, about 2 minutes more. Serve hot.
Note: You can also make this in a Panini press. 
Yield: 2 servings.  

*

Recipe No. 2:
Queso Quesadillas with Papaya-Avocado Salsa- I made it last night. The original recipe calls for queso fresco, but I opted for a really nice Monterey Jack at the suggestion of my local cheese monger.  The sweetness of the papaya mixed with the richness of the avocado, plus a bit of bite from the red onion, was perfection. You could probably use this as a party dip too!

Queso Quesadillas with Papaya-Avocado Salsa (Adapted)

For the salsa: 
1 cup cubed fresh peeled papaya 
1/2 avocado, peeled and cubed 
1/4 cup cubed, seeded cucumber 
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley (the original recipe has cilantro, use it if that's your preference)
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion 
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice 
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
Freshly ground black pepper 

For the quesadillas: 
4 6-inch corn tortillas 
1/4 pound of a good Monterey Jack

The original recipe calls for broiler cooking (which I did last night), but I found that the cheese oozed out to quickly and the tortilla got a little burnt.  I made this recipe again for lunch today and used a fry pan, with medium heat, and the quesadillas were perfect. Use a tiny bit (not even a pat, but a rub) of butter and place the tortilla on the pan.  Add the cheese and top with another tortilla, cooking each side about a minute. Remove from heat and place salsa on top. Yum.  Serve immediately. 
Yield: 2 servings.