Food & Lifestyle Archives - Page 2 of 9

Holiday Traditions

With the start of the holidays a few weeks away, I am always brought back to the many traditions that were handed down through the generations in my family.

We lived next door to my grandparents, so I was very fortunate to have been able to watch my grandmother as she would cook and bake. We were quite a large family, so when the holidays came she would start to prepare days in advance by baking cookies and storing them until she was ready to use them. Her pastas were made fresh; I remember her cutting the raviolis on the kitchen table.

Everything was homemade. She would can and jar the vegetables and fruits from the garden that my grandfather grew to enjoy them throughout the year. Of course, at the time I was too young to realize this was the way she was taught by her mother.

She made so many great meals and desserts, so I thought I would share her recipe for one of my favorite cookies that she baked, her melt-in-your-mouth Walnut Sticks.

I try to keep with tradition, though unlike my grandmother, I may not cook or bake everything from scratch. One of the desserts I bake every Thanksgiving is Pumpkin Pie. This is a favorite in my house and I always make sure I bake enough of them so there is plenty to go around.

I hope you enjoy these desserts. It’s never too late to start a tradition of your own to pass down in your family!

Walnut Sticks

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 ½ cup of dark brown sugar

1 cup Crisco or 2 sticks margarine or butter

1 cup chopped nuts

2 eggs

Use a quarter sheet cookie baking pan. If using a full half sheet, you will need to double recipe and cooking time.

Makes approximately 2 dozen.

Mix together the flour, 1 cup brown sugar, Crisco or butter, and 1 egg. Mix until soft enough to spread onto a cookie sheet pan. Spread evenly, making sure it is not too thick or the cookies will be doughy and heavy; they need to be thin and crispy. Beat the other egg slightly and spread on top of the batter. Sprinkle the ½ cup of brown sugar on top of the batter, then spread the nuts on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into 1 ¼” wide and 2 ½” long cookies.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 ½ tsp. ground cloves

4 large eggs

1 can (29oz.) Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin

2 cans (12 fl.oz. each) Carnation Evaporated Milk

2 unbaked 9-inch (4 cup volume) deep-dish pie shells

8 to 16oz heavy cream for whipping

Makes 2 pies.

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir pumpkin and sugar mixture into eggs. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shells and bake in preheated oven at 425F for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 F and bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until knife or toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack for 2 hours, then serve immediately or refrigerate.

I usually make these pies the night before. Just be careful not to touch the top of the pies when storing them.

Whip the cream just before serving pies; I usually add some sugar to the cream while whipping. Enjoy!

Favorite Things: Winter Scarves

Here are some of my favorite luxuriously cozy winter scarves to help inspire your winter wardrobe!

I love wearing scarves for most of the year, but during the chilly months of winter a scarf is a must-have accessory. Scarves are such a versatile way to dress up your look. With a variety of materials to choose from, a scarf adds texture and interest to your outfit. I love to wrap up in a great scarf and always have one with me when I leave the house. Fashion for me, this year, is all about gray, black, taupe, and white. Here are some of my favorite luxuriously cozy winter scarves to help inspire your winter wardrobe!

1. Givenchy Cross & Leoppard Scarf

2. Alexander McQueen

3. Ottotredici Teepee Print Scarf

4. Yigal Azrouel Grass Scarf

5. Chan Luu Sparrow Combo Zig Zag Print Scarf

6. Stella McCartney Hampstead Printed Scarf

7. Matthew Williams Star Paisley Cashmere Scarf

8. Yigal Asrouel Paint Chips Scarf

Inn at Pound Ridge

The Inn at Pound Ridge is one of the area’s hot spots, known for its wonderful ambiance and great food.

The Inn at Pound Ridge is one of the area’s hot spots, known for its wonderful ambiance and great food. The elegant but down to earth fare by Chef Jean-George is the main attraction, but the decor is what I find so memorable. The curve of the banquets, the use of leather, and a neutral palette add up to an interior that makes you want to stay for hours and hours.

Named for the building’s history as an inn, the Inn at Pound Ridge is a refined, yet rustic, restaurant in picturesque Pound Ridge, New York. Built in 1833 as a residence before later serving as an inn, the building has been restored and carefully renovated. Many of the original materials have been preserved, resulting in a modern sensibility that stays true to the building’s historic past. A mixture of reclaimed wood, zinc, and marble throughout the interior meld with artful lighting to create a truly warm atmosphere.

In fact, the interior of the Inn and Pound Ridge was so well done by designer Thomas Juul-Hansen that it has become the inspiration for a home I am currently designing in Montana. I love how the Danish furniture, the stone, and the wood elements at the Inn became a point of reference for a home in an entirely different state.

To learn more about Inn at Pound Ridge or plan a visit, see their website. You can also find them on Facebook.

Bruce Museum Outdoor Arts Festival

One of the most popular events hosted by the Bruce Museum is the Outdoor Arts Festival.

The Bruce Museum in Greenwich is well known for being an outstanding institution. Their art, science, and natural history exhibits, many of which change annually, are housed in a historic building that was originally the home of Robert Moffat Bruce. Robert Moffat Bruce deeded his property to the Town of Greenwich in 1908 with the stipulation that it be used as “a natural history, historical, and art museum for the use and benefit of the public.” The Bruce Museum’s first exhibition in 1912 featured works by local artists known as the Greenwich Society of Artists. To this day, the museum continues to be a vibrant and active part of the community.

One of the most popular events hosted by the Bruce Museum is the Outdoor Arts Festival. The festival, held on museum grounds, features original works by dozens of artists from all over the country, many of whom personally attend the festival to show their work. This year, more than 85 artists were represented at the festival, showcasing everything from painting and photography to sculpture and print.

Bruce Museum Outdoor Art Festival — At the Festival. Image via Bruce Museum.

There are so many different styles and mediums, making the festival an ideal place to discover new artists and source pieces for specific clients. Sourcing art is one of my favorite aspects of design, allowing me to help a client find just the right piece to finish a space. At the Bruce Museum Arts Festival, many of the artists are on hand to answer questions and talk about their process. I am often fascinated by the various creative forces behind the artwork which makes browsing the festival that much more of an enjoyable experience. I found quite a few artists and works that I am looking forward to sharing with clients. Here are some of the artists and their pieces I found most memorable:

Andrew Sovjani Photography

Stephen Ray

Mark MacKinnon

Michael Madzo

Christos J. Palios

This year’s festival has ended, but if you missed it, plan on visiting the museum next Columbus Day weekend when the festival returns to the Bruce Museum. You can visit their website to learn more about the museum and keep up to date on future events.

Pollo alla Cacciatora: Hunter’s Chicken

Now that fall is officially here with cooler days and nights, we tend to start cooking heartier meals.

Now that fall is officially here with cooler days and nights, we tend to start cooking heartier meals. One that comes to mind is Chicken Cacciatora, or Hunter’s Chicken. Cacciatora means hunter in Italian. In cuisine, alla cacciatora refers to a meal prepared hunter-style with tomatoes, onions, herbs, often bell pepper, and sometimes wine.

What’s great about this dish is that it can be cooked in one pot. There are many different versions of this dish, but the one I go to is from one of my favorite cookbooks: Elodia Rigante’s Italian Immigrant Cooking. It is filled with many wonderful recipes that were passed down in her family for generations, recipes that originated in the Apulia region in southern Italy where her parents were from.

To quote Elodia, “The best cacciatora is cooked slowly for a long time, so that the flavors in the sauce are subtle and perfectly blended, and the chicken is tender as butter. Therefore, even though I say to let this dish simmer for an hour, if you have time simmer it for two hours on very low heat.”

The recipe calls for a whole chicken cut up, but I prefer to use chicken legs and bone in breasts. I also like to cook with cremini mushrooms, but it is one’s preference. The original recipe adds cheese to the dish before serving, but this is optional. I am not one to measure, so always check your ingredients. You may have to adjust them.

Ingredients:

1 chicken (5 pounds) cut in pieces, or 6 chicken legs and 4 whole chicken breasts with bones, split in half with skin removed

1⁄4 cup olive oil

1 cup flour

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms

1 cup julienned carrot

1 cup julienned green pepper

minced garlic (optional)

1 35 oz can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 6 oz can of tomato paste

3⁄4 cup red or Marsala wine

1⁄2 cup of chopped fresh basil and parsley

1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

2 whole bay leaves

crushed black pepper to taste

salt to taste

grated Romano cheese (optional)

loaf of Italian bread

Serves 4

Wash and dry the chicken pieces. Heat the oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven. Roll and coat each chicken piece in the flour, and brown each piece on all sides to a golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel to drain.

Sauté the onion, mushrooms, carrot, green pepper, crushed black pepper, and garlic, if you are using it, in the same skillet for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste to thicken (you may not use the whole can), then add wine, herbs and salt, and cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes.

Add all the chicken pieces and mix well. Turn down the heat very low, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour or longer if you have the time to do so. Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Serve with freshly grated cheese (optional), a nice warm loaf of Italian bread, and your favorite salad. Enjoy!

Fish Restaurant + Bar

We recently went to F.I.S.H. Restaurant + Bar on Bedford Rd. in Stamford and had such a memorable meal!

My husband and I enjoy trying various local restaurants. One place we love is F.I.S.H. Restaurant + Bar on Bedford Rd. in Stamford. The owners have two other restaurants (Quattro Pazzi and Osianna), and their experience in providing good food and good service is clearly evident. F.I.S.H. Restaurant + Bar has an interior that makes an immediate impression when you step inside — such a cool, edgy environment. The restaurant is small, but stylish, and has a little bit of a rustic attitude with a modern nod. It’s very appealing.

The food, of course, is what makes F.I.S.H. so memorable. The menu features a raw bar, several salads, a range of appetizers, main courses with things like chicken and pasta, and, my favorite, the Naked Fish selections. With the Naked Fish dinners, you choose your fish, the cooking method you prefer, and one of six incredible sauces. The fish also comes with your choice of a side.

My husband had the grilled octopus, which was so delicious. The mussels are a must have! My fish was really fresh, and I loved having the different options for preparing it. F.I.S.H. is open for lunch and dinner, as well as brunch on Sunday.

To see the full menu, visit the F.I.S.H. website. You can also find them on Facebook.

Annie’s Big Book

Earlier this year, Taschen released a book of Annie Leibovitz’s photography that is simply epic in scale.

Earlier this year, Taschen released a book of Annie Leibovitz’s photography that is simply epic in scale. Developed over the course of several years, Annie Leibovitz contains the photographer’s most iconic images along with rare and never-before-seen photos. Her work spans decades and captures scenes from the worlds of entertainment, politics, business, art, and so much more.

This gorgeous hardcover edition measures 20″ by 28″ and contains over 250 photographs. Each book comes with a book stand designed by Marc Newson for display and a supplement book of essays and short texts describing the photos. There are five different signed and numbered limited edition prints of Annie Leibovitz available. Prints 1,001 through 10,000 are the Collector’s Edition and have one of four dust jackets: Whoopi Goldberg (Berkely, California, 1984), Keith Haring (New York City, 1986) , David Byrne (Los Angeles, 1986), and Patti Smith (New Orleans, 1978). Prints 1-1,000 are the Fine Art edition and include a print signed by Annie as well as all four dust jackets.

Scarlett Johansson, Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles, 2004

Queen Elizabeth II, The White Drawing Room, Buckingham Palace, London, 2007

Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, Los Angeles, 1995

Sharon Stone, Anjelica Huston, and Diane Lane, Los Angeles, 2006

Annie Leibovitz is an incredible work of art. On display and open to any photo, this book is both a testament to a legendary photographer and a glimpse of unforgettable moments and people. For lovers of art, photography, entertainment, and history, this is a must-have addition to your home library.

Chizi’s Tale

During this past weekend, my daughters and I had the opportunity to attend a book signing for Chizi’s Tale, hosted by the author, Jack Jones. Chizi’s Tale is the story of an orphaned baby black rhino discovered in Zimbabwe by two park rangers; the rhino, only a few days old, would be unable to survive the African wilderness alone. Determined to save the baby black rhino, the two park rangers notified the park manager, who took it upon himself to take the animal home with him.

During this past weekend, my daughters and I had the opportunity to attend a book signing for Chizi’s Tale, hosted by the author, Jack Jones. Chizi’s Tale is the story of an orphaned baby black rhino discovered in Zimbabwe by two park rangers; the rhino, only a few days old, would be unable to survive the African wilderness alone. Determined to save the baby black rhino, the two park rangers notified the park manager, who took it upon himself to take the animal home with him.

Chizi’s Tale is a remarkable, moving story about an endearing and vulnerable rhino and the brave family helping him. Both sincere and charming, the introduction to Chizi’s Tale was a great way to bring awareness to my children.

A cousin of mine is currently climbing a mountain in Nepal to bring awareness to the endangerment of the black rhino. The stories shared with me regarding the prestige poachers take in hunting the black rhino left me wondering whether Chizi will survive once released from his family at age three.

Senior high-school student, Jack Jones is the author of the book, Chizi’s Tale. Focused on preserving and protecting nature, Jones wrote Chizi’s Tale hoping to raise awareness.

The world took notice of the critically endangered black rhino in 1963, when a noticeable decline of the species was documented. Reasons for population decreasing are attributed to poaching for pleasure and sustenance. Due to conservation efforts, there has been a gradual increase in the black rhino’s population numbers.

To read more about the press, ordering information, or media kit regarding Chizi’s Tale, click here.

Chizi’s Tale is available for purchase at Diane’s Books on Grigg Street in Greenwich, Connecticut; all proceeds go to Tusk: The Save the Rhino Trust.

To learn more about the endangerment of rhinos and how you can help, visit Tusk: The Save the Rhino Trust here.

Spring Gardens

After a very long winter, it was a pleasant surprise to see the beautiful array of spring flowers blooming in my garden.

After a very long winter, it was a pleasant surprise to see the beautiful array of spring flowers blooming in my garden. I had quite a display of daffodils and tulips gracing my gardens this year. In the fall I had planted quite a few varieties, including Tulip Angelique, a beautiful scented tulip that closely resembles a peony with long lasting blooms, Mount Hood, a white trumpet daffodil, and White Lion, a gardenia-like daffodil. All were a sight to see!

Right now the Alliums are putting on a show of their own. Alliums are plants of exquisite beauty. A member of the onion family, they are so graceful with their large mop heads, exotic and unique with their shape and form. They are most interesting, easy to grow, and come in a broad palette of colors, heights, bloom times, and flower forms.

I enjoy seeing a variety of Alliums in my garden.

Globemaster and Gladiator are the tallest and most architectural Alliums, with huge deep purple, globe shaped flower heads on 3 to 4 foot stems. The white flowering Mount Everest is a bit shorter. Purple Sensation is one of the most popular varieties. Drumstick Allium blooms in early July and the two toned burgundy-green heads are fantastic.

Ornamental alliums are hardy and love the sunlight; there is only one time of the year to plant them, which is in the fall. I started planting them quite a few years ago and have been adding to them ever since. They are a favorite in my garden and maybe they will also be a favorite of yours!

Flower Arrangements

If those first daffodils make you smile when you’re out walking or driving around, imagine what a colorful bunch of flowers can do when you place them on your desk or around your home.

For many people, the arrival of spring brings an immediate lift in spirits. Warmer weather, sunnier days, and greener scenery just naturally brighten life. The added color of flowers returning to gardens and flower beds is another welcome sight this time of year. If those first daffodils make you smile when you’re out walking or driving around, imagine what a colorful bunch of flowers can do when you place them on your desk or around your home. While it’s quick and easy to pick up a bouquet at the market or order an arrangement online, the experience of visiting a flower shop and browsing the many different flowers available is both inspiring and relaxing.

Exploring what your local florist has to offer provides you with so many more options than you get from a pre-made arrangement. You can select the freshest flowers and most appealing palette, all while consulting the florist on the best way to display your choices. You may find flowers you’ve never heard of, or be inspired by a particularly beautiful color. My favorite flowers include all colors of calla lilies, celosias, and peonies. Parrot tulips are as couture as they come, and hydrangeas remind me of the spirit of summer. I love freesia for the smell alone and purple is my favorite!

Hand-picking the flowers for an arrangement is a wonderful way to present someone with a thoughtful gift. A custom arrangement for Mother’s Day is such a nice way to recognize the holiday. While you’re choosing flowers for the mothers in your life, why not treat yourself to an arrangement as well? Find a flower that really catches your eye. It will make you smile for days!

My go-to local florist is McArdle’s in Greenwich. A family-owned business, they are always ready to pull off anything I ask for, even when I call at the last minute. My flower selection process, like my approach to interiors, is carefully thought out, with thoughtfully paired elements. How do you like to shop for flowers?