.jpg?e0c879 "The Sazerac Cocktail from Brian Samuels - A Thought For Food")
Like food, every cocktail has a story behind it. There are obviously the personal connections that one has to a drink. For me, I’ll always think of warm summer afternoons when I’m sipping a gin and tonic. Steaming mugs of hot toddies go hand in hand with Downton Abbey marathons. And champagne… well, I will never forget our meal at The French Laundry and the marriage of bubbly with the briny poached oysters and tapioca “pearls” in custard.
I started this blog because I feel that there is so much to learn from cooking and food. Beyond these experiences, however, are the historical tales that go along with each dish. Do some research into your favorite food, and you’ll surely be able to uncover an elaborate story.
.jpg?e0c879 "The Sazerac Cocktail from Brian Samuels - A Thought For Food")
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.jpg?e0c879 "Moroccan Carrot Dip via A Thought For Food")
This has been an odd week. Each day seems to have merged into one big blob. Maybe it’s due to the way it started off… with a storm that ravaged the state where I grew up and a city for which I hold much affection for. My parents and sister and her family are safe, though they’re stuck without electricity until next week (not to mention a very large tree that is leaning precariously towards their house). But there are others who weren’t as lucky… so many people lost their homes and possessions. And there are neighborhoods that will need to be completely rebuilt. It’s devastating to watch.
One thing I realized I can do is reach out to you, my dear readers, and ask you to donate some money (even $5) to one of the amazing organizations out there who have been helping during this crisis. The largest is the Red Cross and here is the direct link to donate to them, but there are plenty of other groups who need the money as well. Again, even a small donation helps. I also recommend reading this article from the Huffington Post on Tips for Donating Smartly as well as this page on the FEMA website.
Lastly, my friend Jenn Oliver at Jenn Cuisine is hosting a food blogger event to get the word out about donating. Check out her post: Food Bloggers Support for Sandy
So… yeah, I haven’t even talked about this Moroccan Carrot Dip. My darling friend Mandy (who is also a fabulous cook) brought it to our Friendsgiving dinner last year and I was blown away by its brilliant flavors. I felt like this was a good dish to make… the color alone will lift your spirits a bit.
Sometimes I look back at my published posts and I see reoccurring themes. What I’m seeing now is that apparently I’ve been really into comfort food lately. Soup, potato gratin, a pot pie… and now this galette. Maybe I just need a hug. Or a cup of tea. A glass of scotch. Something to make me feel cozy.
I can’t take complete credit for this recipe. The filling, I can. The crust, not so much. That came from the very talented baker/entrepreneur/cookbook author behind the fabulous Tate’s Bake Shop, Kathleen King, who has just come out with her latest book, Baking for Friends. You may be a bit skeptical when you see the cornmeal listed as an ingredient… but gosh darn it, every time I make a galette, I’m going to refer back to this recipe. That small addition has a huge impact on the whole texture of the pastry. And it works beautifully.
Before you head on off to make this (which was incredibly easy to whip up and will work with a number of other kinds of fruits), I have a little giveaway to announce! The fine folks at Tate’s Bake Shop are generously giving away one of their fantastic Cookie and Bar Towers to one lucky reader.
To enter: All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. No restrictions.
Official Rules: No purchase necessary. Open to US and Canadian residents only . Giveaway will end on November 4th 2012 at 12:00 pm EST. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. The winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be selected.
Additionally, if you want to receive $5 off Baking for Friends, just enter the code “BAKEOFF” when you order it from their site.
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It’s hard to believe the weather we had this weekend? What we thought was going to be a cold and wet one turned out to be quite nice. Eric and I made the most of it, taking Maki on long walks through the woods. On Saturday, we took a trip to The Fells Reservation in Medford, MA with our friend Courtney and her dog (and Maki’s best friend) Lola. They romped through mud and puddles, chasing after each other to the point of exhaustion.
Despite the unseasonable temperatures, I still craved comfort food… and few things satisfy like a big, homemade veggie pot pie. Gifts from our recent CSA box – onions, potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, turnips – made for the perfect filler. Coated with cream sauce and then topped with a flaky pastry… well, let’s just say it did the trick.
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Wednesday, October 17, 2012
I’ve been writing this blog for a few years now and sometimes when I look back on all that I’ve done and all of the people I’ve met because of it… well, I just have to pinch myself. Even more amazing than the fabulous places I’ve been taken to or the restaurants I’ve gotten to eat at, it’s the friendships I’ve made that are what makes all of this so incredibly magical. And, if you haven’t gathered, us bloggers are a tight-knit group… one that’s filled with love and support.
How I got introduced to Lisa and her blog, With Style and Grace, is something I have trouble recalling. She may have left a comment on my blog or maybe I left one on hers. Who knows? All I know is that as soon as we started corresponding, I immediately felt a connection… a kindred spirit who I knew was going to play a part in my life. How, I didn’t know.
As it turns out, Lisa has had a greater impact on me than I could have imagined. A little over a year ago, when we met in person for the first time at Chelsea Market in New York, I told her that I was thinking of doing photography professionally but that I was terrified of failing. She grabbed my hand, looked me straight in the eye, and told me that I not only should do it… but that I could do it. And it was then that I decided to make the leap.
Lisa is one of the most thoughtful people I know and every time we get together, there’s laughter and long conversations ranging in everything from religion to movies to relationships. It’s a special bond that I value with all of my heart.
And now, my dear Lisa is having a baby boy!
Pregnancy has been especially rough for her, but I am pretty certain that it will all be worth it in the end. It brings me great pleasure to be hosting a Virtual Baby Shower for Lisa! I picked out this Scalloped Potato Gratin (which has both russet and sweet potatoes) because Lisa has been on a very odd diet these last nine months which has consisted of a lot of baked potatoes and she loves anything with a lot of cheese on it. Oh, and it’s gluten-free, which is perfect for her!
Let’s get on with the rest of the party! Here’s the list of other bloggers (and their recipes):
Before I start talking about our trip to Harry and David, I wanted to just congratulate Monet on winning the copy of Small Plates + Sweet Treats by Aran Goyoaga in the giveaway I hosted last week!
Twelve hours of traveling (including three flights) made for a very long trip back to Boston. Despite being exhausted, I couldn’t help but smile when I reflected on the time I spent in Oregon: the tour of Harry and David, our outdoor dinner at Sandy’s house, the meals shared together in Jacksonville and Ashland, the warm welcome and fantastic service provided by Robert and Susan Roos (and their sweet pup, pictured below) at the Magnolia Inn (they make amazing breakfasts, many of which use H&D products). It all made for a wonderful experience.
Harry and David was founded in 1910 and is best known for its mail order Royal Riviera® Pears, which are grown, along with other fruit varietals, at their sixteen orchards in the Rogue Valley. During their annual harvest, the company will pick 700 tons of fruit a day… all of which is done by highly trained workers. And H&D treats their employees well (many of whom have been there for 20+ years). The migrant workers who come for the harvest are not only paid well, but housing and meals are covered. It also says a lot that many of these workers come back year after year.
What surprised me was how many products H&D produces. Besides fruit, they also make their own gourmet chocolates, cookies, cakes (the cheesecake is my litte personal piece of heaven), soup mixes and jams, among other things. Oh, and I can’t forget about Moose Munch. I couldn’t get enough of that stuff.
On our last day of the trip, we were treated to a little surprise: the announcement of their upcoming line of wines. We were the first group to try them and I have to say that I enjoyed each one. They should be rolling that out next year, so stay tuned.
I’m going to be quiet now and let you all take in some of these pictures, which covers everything from our dinner at Sandy’s, the Magnolia Inn (where we stayed), the tours of Harry and David orchards and factory, as well as visits to Peerless and Noble Coffee in Ashland.
Other bloggers/writers who attended:
Aggie, Maggy, Dara, Brenda, Matthew, Sommer, Heather, Gaby, Julie, Carrie, Kelly (from Martha Stuart Living), and Sandy
Magnolia Inn – Medford, OR
Dinner at Sandy and Paul Coughlin’s Home
Harry and David – Medford, OR
Harry and David Staff Pictured: Craig Johnson, CEO (1st photo, right), Matt Borman, Orchard Director (4th photo)
Harry and David Bakery and Candy Kitchen
H&D Staff Pictured: Charlie Douglas, Manager of Research & Development (1st photo, left) and 3rd Generation Candy Maker
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Speaking of husband, I just re-read this post to him with a few happy tears. We both agreed that this is one of THE nicest posts anyone has ever written. He also laughed and said, “haha, he knows you so well!”. It’s true. Love you to the moon, my friend!
This sounds so fabulous! What an awesome drink!
Mnnn. . . I LOVES me some Sazerac, especially when Ted Timmerman is doing the pouring.
Cuando el nombre para un tipo de comida es chistoso de pronunciar, creo que el sabor es mejor.
Heading over right now. I love the idea of your new series!
This is so pretty, Brian. I tried my first Sazerac with Gwen a year ago in NOLA. Yours looks just as awesome as the one I had there. cheers!
Yay Sazerac! It’s one of my favorite lesser-known cocktails.
The lemon curl is just absolute perfection.
too gorgeous Brian! You have a gift.
Sounds intriguing and I love the photo. It’s lemon curl perfection.
so glad I discovered your blog after reading Olivia’s, such beautiful photos and the stories behind the recipes are brilliant, well done!
I’ve never even heard of a Sazerac but you can bet I’ll be going over to check out that post! Food does hold so much memory and history doesn’t it? perhaps that’s at least part of why we love it so much.
I’ve always been fascinated by the story and history behind our food, it makes the experience of a meal that much more rewarding.
Hello, Brian!
I just discovered your blog and I am already liking it a lot! I think it’s sad that not enough men blog vs women. I always like to read what guys think and see the world through their perspective.
Like most of the people, I am a foodie. I don’t blog much about it, but I like to see other’s food related blogs. Anyway, I just wanted to communicate to you my appreciation of your blog! Have a great day!
PS: the photo is stunning!
I’m a sucker for anything historic. And a drink