Autumn on the Terrace

Another great quality about Autumn is its still sunny, but noticeably cooler weather. We enjoy lunches, and often dinners as well, on the terrace outside our kitchen, almost as frequently this time of year as we do in the summer months. The light is different now, with the sun crossing the sky at a lower angle than it did a couple of months ago. The shadows are more intense throughout the day, creating contrasts not seen in the summer.

We are keeping the pool open as long as we can. It's a bit of a challenge keeping the pool free of falling leaves, but well worth being able to sit outside and enjoy the look and sound of the water. I believe the sound of gurgling water is one of the most calming and enjoyable sounds on Earth. And I wouldn't trade the oak tree near the pool for less leaves in the Fall, since it provides such beauty on its own, and welcome shade in the summer months. Jack is braver than I am, still taking daily dips in the pool, despite the fact that the water temperature has dropped significantly.

This past week, to our great delight, we received a surprise anniversary gift from our oldest son, Giles, and his wife, Mia. Do you remember the post I did last year on decorating our pool terrace? I ended the post with a tongue-in-cheek phrase that all I needed to complete the outdoor decor was a set of Missoni beach towels (at sky-high prices, which I notice have been reduced slightly since last year).

Well, at the recent Missoni for Target sale, Mia quickly nabbed us our own set of Missoni towels, and a fabulous Missoni box to put them in. According to Mia, on the day that Target opened sales of these products, there was such a rush of people trying to buy these items, that they crashed the Target website! I feel so lucky to have a daughter-in-law who knows just what will make a silly girl like me happy. I mean just look at how perfect these colors are on our terrace: the coral-y rust colors of the tiles and the blues of the pool water.

Another pleasure of Autumn is the bright berries and goldenrod we can cut. I keep a pair of hand pruners in the car, for just such treasures found along the road.

I am so glad to have the Autumn months to enjoy these great additions to our terrace, and can't wait to actually use them next summer when the water is warm enough for wimpy moi to venture in again!

Another Autumn joy is chrysanthemums. They bring such vibrant color and last for so long, just when other flowers are beginning to fade. These mums in our hanging planters (below) are beginning to fade, themselves, right now...but they have been in full bloom for over a month now! We bought them before our pig roast in August. Behind this setting is a Euonymus alatus, aptly called a burning bush because its leaves (which are just starting to change here) turn slowly to an intense burgundy red by late Fall.

So what is my next big idea for this terrace? Look what is still available at Target stores, as well as - already(!) - on Amazon.com. They're non-breakable, which is a must by the pool.

 Melamine dinner plate

Melamine salad plate

Acrylic tumbler

Now I think our terrace will be complete (until the next big idea). And the best part is it all looks at least as great in Autumn as it does in Summer!

Joie de Vivre in Autumn - Foraging!

I don't know about you, but I am one who always gets a little bit depressed over the end of summer. It goes back to my childhood, when every Labor Day meant the end of our glorious summer vacation on Cape Cod, and a return to school (even though I liked school) and Minnesota (even though I liked those winters, too). Then after I had kids of my own, the fall always meant the end of my time with them over the summer months. Yes, I was one of those moms who mourned the start of school and cried when my kids went back each September. (Although believe me, I got used to my "freedom" pretty quickly, too!)

So it goes...plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. I am still the same, wishing that summer could last a month longer, that the pool water would stay close to 80F for a few more weeks, and that the vegetable garden would continue producing at its prodigious summer rate.

But then, after a few weeks of autumn, I always mellow into appreciating it for all its glories.  

Autumn is a time of different bounties, just waiting to be discovered and appreciated.

The cooler weather and shorter days herald a season of foraging in the wild for foods that you can't get the rest of the year, such as divine, earthy mushrooms, and tangy, sweet Concord grapes, to name just two we have been getting this week. Foraging is one of the French joies de vivre that I adore, and one which most Americans don't often think of. There is much more available in the wild than most people think, and it's not difficult to find what used to be secret locations, since you can generally find what you're looking for (or even simply what to look for) on the internet.

I have posted before about Chez Panisse and other restaurants who are taking advantage of the "eat local and in season" mantra by incorporating foraged local foodstuffs into their menus. Nothing tastes better than freshly picked produce, and part of the joy is in picking it oneself, immersing oneself in the environment in which the food grows. Another great thing about foraging for food in the wild is that you are getting organic. Away from main roads and public ways, there is little chance of pesticides and herbicides reaching your quarry.

Jack and I began last week by picking Concord grapes on Monday, right down the road from our house. We got a huge haul, and I've already made jam, which I will write about in a separate post, including the recipe.

Then on Tuesday, we were heading up to Provincetown to visit some of the galleries there (playing hooky at our own gallery), when we passed an older man and woman walking along the roadside with full baskets. As we looked at them, we both turned to each other and exclaimed in unison, "MUSHROOMS!" Jack did an about face and another U-turn, so that we could come up alongside the couple, and offered them a ride, since they looked tired and it was beginning to drizzle.

As it turned out, they were the nicest couple, who had emigrated here from Russia a few years ago, and had gotten a love of foraging for mushrooms instilled in them as children in the USSR. They drive to the Cape every fall to get several varieties of mushrooms - as do numerous other emigres of Russian, Polish and other Eastern European roots. This couple was lost and tired and so grateful for a ride in our car. By the time we got to where their car was parked, and met up with their two friends (also Russian) we were on our way to becoming great buddies. We told them that we loved fresh mushrooms, and that we would like to find some of our own. This surprised them, as they generally think Americans are uninterested in such outings, but they kindly led us into the woods to search for mushrooms, and even gave us some of their own prize finds, to help us identify which ones are edible. By the time we said goodbye, we were all laughing and hugging, having exchanged email addresses. Hopefully we will see them again in Autumns to come!

Jack and I ended up going back to those and other woods a couple more times last week, and coming home with some real beauties, which we cooked and have had for dinner every night since. I will say, we did our research looking up pictures of edible mushrooms online, before actually cooking them. 

Autumn is also such a great season for picnics!

...And I love the different colors of mosses and lichens that have grown over the summer:

...And the low-lying shadows of the fall months.

 After the first day, we brought knives and baskets with us.

Some of our takings: we found four different kinds of edible mushrooms, including the absolutely delicious boletus edulis and its cousin, boletus bicolor. 

The boletus is known in French as cepe and in Italian as porcini. Both names can be found in American grocery stores and some farmers markets. Here is an interesting story about the cepe de Bordeaux.

We were hoping that the grey coral-like thing in this photo would be edible, but could not find any pictures of it online, so we tossed it (in the trash - NOT the compost heap where it could have spread poison to all of our gardens!) I will do another post on preparing these wild mushrooms, including recipes.

I can think of few things more satisfying than picking our own foods in the wild, coming home and preparing them to be eaten and enjoyed within hours of the hunt. As we sit down to dinner, the memory of those glorious woodsy, musky odors from walking around in the cool, damp under forest are still as fresh as the feast we are about to enjoy!

WARNING - If you do get your own mushrooms, always check to make sure that the variety you pick is indeed edible.

Some mushrooms are not just poisonous, they are deadly!!

I found this great picture online:

The caption says "All mushrooms are edible, some of them, only one time."

A good mushroom hunter's mantra: When in doubt, throw it out!

Tomates Confits (Sun Dried Tomates) - Part II

Today, I have been out in the rain taking some pictures of the tomatoes on the vine, and picking a whole new batch for today's preservation. I thought I'd share pictures of what the tomatoes look like just before they go into the oven to be dried out, since my post yesterday only showed what they looked like when finished.


On the vine (the leaves are just starting to wither):

Prepared and ready to go  into the oven for several hours:

As I write this, delicious, sweet, tomato and herb aromas are already beginning to waft from the oven. Mmmmm...

Tomates Confits (Sun-Dried Tomatoes)

This time of year, vegetable gardens (in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway) are just bursting with tomatoes - more than can be eaten right off the vine or in daily salads. One of our favorite ways to enjoy and preserve this bounty is to "sun-dry" them. I put them in the oven, instead of actually drying them in the sun, as it gets the job done more efficiently. By September, the New England sun just isn't as strong as it needs to be to dry tomatoes simply by the rays of the sun....now if only we lived in Provence or Tuscany! (sigh)

I say "preserve" somewhat tongue-in-cheek, as these tomatoes never last more than a couple of days at our house - they are just too delicious! In fact, roasting concentrates the natural sweetness of the tomatoes, so that they are almost like candy.

Here is my recipe. You can skip the sugar, if you want, and the tomatoes will still be sweet, but this way  accentuates the sweet tomato flavor.

Tomates Confits / Sun Dried Tomatoes

        

Preheat oven to 150-200o (ie; your oven’s lowest setting). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, if you want to save on clean-up later.

Wash and quarter 3 lbs. of plum or Roma tomatoes. Leave the skins on, but remove most of the seeds and juice, leaving just the tomato flesh. Lay the tomato quarters on the baking sheet, skin side down, in a single layer. Sprinkle with:

1 T. white sugar

freshly ground sea salt & black pepper

1 T. chopped, fresh rosemary leaves

2 T. fresh thyme leaves

Lightly drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes and put them in the oven for 1 hour. Turn tomatoes over (skin side up) and roast for another 2 hours. They will be withered and less moist, but not as dried out as sun dried tomatoes.

For SUN DRIED TOMATOES:

After following the above instructions, turn the oven off, but leave the tomatoes in the oven to dry out overnight (or an additional 12 hours).

Scrape the extra herbs and olive oil off the aluminum foil, and pour over the tomatoes. These can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks (if they don't get eaten immediately!) Alternatively, they can be place in jars, covered with extra virgin olive oil, and stored in a dark spot for several months.

Variations:

·      Whole garlic cloves and/or fresh pearl onions may be roasted in between the tomato slices. Simply peel them and sprinkle with the herbs and olive oil, along with the tomatoes.

·      Other herbs may be used, such as tarragon, basil or savory. (If using basil, it must be well oiled, to prevent singeing.)

Kate Dickerson (copyright 2009)


Bon Appetit!

Au revoir, Pierre Deux...et merci!

With the sudden closure earlier this summer of the 23 wonderful Pierre Deux stores nationwide, followed by bankruptcy proceedings by their parent company, Arts des Provinces de France, I have been mourning the end of an era. Pierre Deux was hugely responsible for the surge in American interest in French country decorating, as well as in our bigger-picture interest in French lifestyle.

Although Pierre LeVec and Pierre Moulin opened their first shop in 1967 (on Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village), for moi it all began with the Boston store, in the late 1970's, just at the time I was returning from living in the South of France, having fallen in love with everything French. For me, the timing couldn't have been better. Here was a shop that made the beauty of French living accessible - l'art de vivre francais could be achieved, at least to a certain extent, stateside.

Then came one of my favorite books of all time, Pierre Deux's French Country - A Style & Source Book, published in 1984 and still a go-to resource for decorators and others hoping to realize some of that wonderful French joie de vivre in their own lives. This book further fueled my constant dreams of France, especially as it focused on historic Provencal style. The book was co-written by the two Pierres and Linda Dannenberg. Moulin, LeVec and Dannenberg went on to publish three other French country style books together and Dannenberg has since become one of the most prolific writers on French country lifestyle.

I still love this book as much as when it first came out!

While the two Pierre's started by importing antique French furniture, their addition of fabrics and accessories to complement their furniture sales, spurred a whole new movement in America - a passion for French country style, which is more prevalent today than it was in the '70's, arguably due to this book and the Pierre Deux influence.

Here are some of my favorite spreads from the book:

 The colors of Provence, focusing on Vieux Nice, quite near my home

 The fabrics of Provence, focusing on the Souleiado factory

 Provencal furniture

Provencal kitchens

The two Pierres eventually sold their successful importing business and chain of stores, settling in rural New York, where they were responsible for beautifully restoring Callendar House, one of the original Hudson River Valley mansions. Both men are now deceased. The NY Times obituary of Pierre Moulin also explains some of the steps made by the two Pierres, which effectively rescued and revived some of the near-dying fabric traditions in France. In more ways than one, we owe them an amazing debt of gratitude!

In my next few posts, I plan to write about various aspects of French - and specifically Provencal - home furnishings and decorating, which embody the French notion of l'art de bien vivre, without which there can be no joie de vivre. And through it all, we should all continually say, "Thank you, Pierre Deux, for your gift - your immeasurable influence on us all!"


P.s. How I will miss those iconic yellow awnings and bags!

Welcome Chez Nous - Our House is Meant for Family and Friends

Our house just feels right, even complete, when it is shared with family and friends. 

Slow living and enjoying the good life are so much richer when shared with people we love!

Last week, Jack and I had a party to celebrate our 25 terrific years of marriage so far, and lots of our dear friends and family were here to celebrate with us. Even with Hurricane Irene looming large on the horizon, the evening was so much fun. It was the people here who made the entire weekend such a warm and happy event... and our house felt complete.

We had decided, a couple of months ago, to host a pig roast, and several of our friends then immediately booked rooms at a local bed & breakfast, not dreaming we'd have a potential hurricane to rain on our roasting parade. Based on our experiences attending pig roasts on Long Island (with our great pals Russ & Nic) Jack and my brother, Dick, (in long-distance consultation with Russ) devised a grill that was perfect for our needs. A twin bed frame (meltable plastic wheels removed) on cinder blocks, topped with some steel grating that Dick cut to size, made an awesome grill. We had a huge pile of extra old wood in the back of our property, so the fuel situation was taken care of. But what to do about the threat of rain?

Always one to meet such a challenge head on, Jack devised a huge tent strung up between the trees, to keep the grill area from getting doused, just in case... Fortunately, the tent ended up being superfluous after all, and stayed on the sidelines.

Flamin' Jack Flash

Apart from a few sprinkles, the rain never came! (We did have high winds later that night and the following day, but for the most part, Cape Cod was spared the ravages that much of the East Coast suffered.)

We had ordered a 25-30 lb. pig, from our local butcher, Ferretti's Market, right here in Brewster. Unfortunately, when the pig arrived it was just over 24 lbs. and we decided we would have to augment the whole pig with some other butchered pork. Jack bought a large pork shoulder to smoke (and it ended up being much more flavorful than the whole pig, which was roasted over a wood fire, but more on that later.)

Jack marinated the pig on Friday, with a mixture of garlic, olive oil and rosemary.

We keep our rosemary bushes in large pots, so we can move them indoors for the cold New England winter months.

We had originally envisioned a Mediterranean meal, sort of a melange of Provencal and Tuscan cuisines, but Drake came up with the idea of a more Southeastern Mediterranean feast, with Greek and Arabic influences. He planned the menu and we all chose what we were going to make.

All day Friday, Jack, Drake, Madeleine and I cooked together - SO MUCH FUN! Friday evening, Giles, Mia, and their girls arrived, so that Saturday, Giles was in the heat of the kitchen, too, adding his own flavors to the mix. (The family that cooks together stays together, yes?...It works for us!)

Drake making the best whole wheat pitas ever. This was the basis of our menu - which would be pork in pita breads, loaded with various toppings and side dishes.

 

 The beginnings of carrot salad.

Silly Maddie, making our family hummus recipe - with enhancements, including tons of grated lemon zest.

Granddaughters helping in the potager (kitchen garden).

Giles (looking tres serieux) puts his own stamp on our traditional tabouleh recipe.

Making tzatziki.

Jack kept hopping in the pool to cool off.

Our good luck rooster watched over the kitchen proceedings, as usual.

The table was set with chairs from kitchen, dining room & garden. Set for 24, we ended up squeezing in even a few more!

We had originally planned this long table to be on the pool terrace, under the stars, but the uncertain weather forecast convinced us to move it inside. By rearranging our living room furniture, the table and chairs fit into the room with ample elbow room to boot! Jack had created the generous family-style table by combining our kitchen table, our terrace buffet table and some found plywood - all of which were hidden under the cloth! The tablecloth was made out of ikat fabric I had originally purchased for curtains - but hey, now we have a fabulous tablecloth for years to come.

Our first guests, Dan & Lisa, arrived late afternoon, prepared for a storm which - thank heaven - never materialized.

The fire was started several hours ahead of dinner time, in order to have beautiful hot coals, rather than a roaring fire, under the grill.

The pig is first roasted skin side down. The thick skin keeps the meat really juicy and tender inside.

 Heavy leather gloves needed!

 Jack constantly basted the pig - both sides.

Taking the internal temp - almost done!

Sadie & Tino, doubtless thinking: if we wait really patiently, will we get to join in the feast?

The smoked pork shoulder was first seared on the grill, then smoked for 5 hours over hickory chips and a handful of star anise. In the end, this had more flavor than the grilled pig, which was tender and sweet, but lacked that certain je ne sais quoi.

 Three generations - my mom Nora, brother Dick and daughter Madeleine.

 My sister-in-law, Lucy with cousin, Kent and his friend, Kristin.

 Dear friends from Hingham and Hull - Debby, Dan, Lisa, Woody & Sue.

 Drake shows Dolores and Renato his new camera.

 

What a group!

Pitas, both wood-grilled and smoked pork, hummus, tzatziki, curried carrot salad, tabouleh, roasted onions/garlic/other veggies, sweet onion/apple/grape chutney, Mom's famous mustard mousse, roasted eggplant dip, roasted red pepper/tomato sauce, and more!

Drake's friend Lora had probably never imagined a family could take so many pictures of food!

Two platters of pork - one smoked pork shoulder, the other wood-grilled whole pig.

The pork has been served - Jack announces "tutti a tavola!"

My nephew, Dickon, looks over shoulders as Drake explains the various dishes.

Late arrivals, Robert & Mary, just in time for the meal...and with a surprise dessert!

One of our centerpieces - fresh basil varieties from Renato's & Dolores's orto (kitchen garden).

 Drake demonstrates that the pita should be loaded with tzatziki, and eaten with gusto!

 The first of many toasts. Chin chin!

All three of our kids made the nicest, heartwarming toasts - Jack and I were smiling from ear to ear. And I didn't even cry (at least not that I can remember).

A lovely gift from the Italian contingent - much appreciated.

Above: pear frangipane tartes.

I had made six pies (four varieties) for the festivities....all in all employing more than 3 lbs. of butter. 

My other pies included Chocolate Pecan, Lemon Blueberry and Seasonal Fruits with Pastry Cream. Eager guests began sampling the selections before I had plated them!

An amazing addition to the desserts table: Robert & Mary's triple goat cheese cheesecake.

********

Brunch the following morning was a collaborative effort again. Drake and Giles made Eggs Benedict with a twist - smoked salmon instead of Canadian bacon, including capers and red onions.

...and fresh-picked tomatoes.

There was only one regretful aspect to this great party weekend - a few of our best friends and family could not join us, due either to the hurricane or to other previous family engagements. So we can't be blamed for already thinking ahead to the next gathering which will include them, as well!

...Then our house will REALLY feel complete!