Hello…???

Hello everyone and Happy Holidays to you.  It’s been a very busy fall season for me, between starting a new business and adjusting to a new life with Mom.  The design industry in Houston is fully-charged, with (thankfully) a booming economy.  So, I am staying busy creating lovely spaces for living and then, well, cooking.  So, apologies for not being around lately.  Seems like 24 hours is not enough in each day.

The new year will bring with it more time with great friends, more fantastic meals with Mom, and hopefully more communication with you.  I miss our conversations and hope to speak again soon.

Until then, happy holidays to all of you our there in blog-land and may your new year be bright.

Eat well, Love fully, and Laugh till it hurts!

Image provided by http://www.imgion.com.

 

“Meals with Mom”

It’s been a while since I have written. Life has been full lately. My dining out and blogging have come to a complete stop. My 87 year old mother recently moved in with me. She is the one who taught me that cooking was something you did to serve the family. It should be good, hearty, and nutritious. It should always be appetizing on a plate. Her largest influence was Julia Child.

I used to spend hours in the kitchen watching her cook. My father was not much of an adventuresome eater, but that didn’t discourage her. When he wanted liver and onions, she made the two of us fish, usually with a butter sauce. We always had a green salad (usually Ice Berg), a meat, a starch, a vegetable, and usually a dinner roll with butter. It was a well-rounded meal. Usually there was a home-made cookie (or two) for dessert, but never cakes or pies. She was a cookie baker. Large bunt cake tins usually rested at one end of the kitchen counter. Once you entered through the back door, it was easy to graze the tins for a little something, without spoiling your dinner.

I used to see her watch Julia Child on the local PBS station. She would save up her ironing till the show came on. I remember vividly, her trying many of her recipes. Both volumes of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” rest on my bookshelf (just above my head as I write this), which are very tattered, spines broken, and pages well-dirtied from efforts in the kitchen.

When I was 13, my mother declared that I was to start cooking. I would plan, shop, and cook a meal once a month, and she would clean. My first recipe was Julia Child’s “Champagne Chicken”, which, I remember, turned out rather well, to the surprise of both my parents. I embraced my errors and strange creations, knowing that a life of cooking was in my path.

By the time I reached college, I was a fairly accomplished and daring cook, which of course, appealed to boys, who came over for the latest concoction. After I was married, I began to cook even more and with more passion, having dinner parties often.

My passion for food has never been as alive as it is now. Now, I cook dinner for my mother most nights. I plan, shop, and cook. She cleans. Some nights it’s something thrown together, and some nights a yummy creation. During the first few nights after my father passed away, I was making daily ramequins of hot bubbly macaroni and cheese. It became our “other food group” in grief. Now, we are past the grief and moved on to fun. Our dinners are usually punctuated with a great story (or two) from her life, “I remember…”

So, here I will attempt to chronicle our dinners, and hopefully get back to writing about fun dining with my foodie friends. The stories will stay with me as she grows older and the dinners will nourish both our souls. Stay tuned for more.  For now, here is my recipe for Macaroni & Cheese (especially good when going through a tough time).  It carries a strong French influence from “you know who.”

Serves 2

Preheat oven to 350F.

2 medium-sized ramequins, buttered

1 cup dried elbow pasta, cooked for 8 minutes (I like it a bit softer than traditional al dente)

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

1 cup grated cheddar cheese (I like the combo bags of shredded sharp, medium and fontina)

Blue cheese crumbles

3 slices of bacon, chopped finely and cooked till crispy, drained on a paper towel

2 tablespoons panko crumbs

pinch of salt

Cook the pasta as above and drain well. Cook the bacon as above. Set both aside while you make the sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for a couple of minutes. Add the milk and whisk. Allow to come to nearly a boil and turn off the heat (if you have an electric stove). If you have a gas stove, bring flame to low after the milk starts to nearly boil. Allow the sauce to thicken. Once the right consistency is yielded, add the grated cheese and pinch of salt.

Pull off the heat (or turn off the flame). Fold in the cooked pasta and bacon bits till well-incorporated. Fold half into each ramequin. Top with some blue-cheese sprinkles and some panko crumbs. Lay on a sheet pan and set into the preheated oven. Cook until hot and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes.

Bon Appetite!

Image courtesy of LilyandVal on www.etsy.com (thanks, girls!)

 

 

Underbelly…

 

It’s no secret (at least to Houstonians) that Houston is becoming a destination city for culinary arts. When my parents first moved here in the late 50’s, good restaurants were opening, and have become Houston’s “Old Guard”, some of which still exist today. Even if they have closed, they passed along a legacy of first-rate food to their children, who have opened wonderful eateries here and beyond.

 

Most recently, I was able to enjoy a wonderful dinner with one of my favorite foodie friends, at Underbelly, which could only be described as AMAZING(!). The chef/owner Chris Shepherd emphasizes the use of local merchants and agricultural products. The menu is punctuated with seasonal produce, freshly caught local seafood, and grass-fed beef. To show his love for butchery, there is a window in the corner of the restaurant, which shows beef hanging and ready for butchering. 

We were able to steal a few precious moments from the General Manager, Matthew Pridgen. Matthew grew up on a farm, but has spent quite a while in Houston, as part of well-known places as Mark’s and Catalan. 

The restaurant is located in lower-Westheimer, near Montrose, in one of Houston’s original buildings, which has been wonderfully preserved and repurposed. Working with designers from Collaborative Projects, they were able to keep the building as close to the original as possible. As you enter, there is a gallery of photos taken by local artists. The style of the interiors is barn-like in scale, yet very cozy, with an open dining concept, so that guests may see the kitchen in action. In the center of the dining area are two very long communal tables, where diners can sit and visit more intimately with other diners.

We were able to sit at the communal table, flanked on both sides with groups of business men, making deals and talking shop. While the table is large and deep, I still felt a strong sense of intimacy with my dining partner. We were able to sample many dishes, between many courses. 

In our typical style, we became acquainted with the waitress, and asked her to bring us many small courses to share, while keeping the courses secret, until presentation. We started with a dish of blood orange sausage, then had amazing roasted brussels sprouts (in fact, we had TWO portions they were so good). For our entree, we shared, what has been voted the #1 entree in Houston, which is the Korean braised goat with dumplings. Oh, it was heavenly. The meat was pulled and flavorful and the dumplings light, like gnocchi. The sauce was tomato-y, but also spicy. It was comfort in a dish! We ended with Beet Panna Cotta. Now, I would never think that beets should make their way into a dessert, but the flavor was rich, not too sweet, and a lovely color. Of course, we washed all of that down with some quality red. 

I look forward to going back again and again, and sampling whatever the wait staff brings us. The atmosphere is warm and charming and a perfect place for old friends to dine, or to bring business associates. As part-owners of the bar, Anvil, you might also try some of their very interesting aperitifs before dinner.

In cibus speramus!

Photos courtesy of www.yelp.com and www.underbellyhouston.com

 

We won’t forget…

End of Summer…

Hello Again!  I realize that my last post was back in June.  Since then, summer was full of friends, family, volunteering, and I was revving up my blogging brain for new and exciting content.  I can scarcely believe that we are going back to school soon.  I am sitting at my desk today to catch up on life and get the calendar ready for fall and all that it includes.  I plan to eat well, do some design work, and well, enjoy life.  I am sad to see the summer go, but happy that a lot of busy-ness is past me. The fall will be full, but back to balance, which will include some reading, exercising, great food and music, and the usual fun friends, who are my extended family.

So, good-bye summer and hello “fall” (in Texas, fall is really a week between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but who’s watching).  Photo above is my dog, Harley, showing a very sad face, that beach time will be limited in the coming months.  See you back here soon with more posts on new fab restaurants with great food and design, and more surprises.

Au revoir, Summer!

Kitchen essentials…

So many people who cook have their own opinions about what tools are invaluable in the kitchen. I don’t think it’s about gadgets, but really good quality basic pieces. I have found that living with less and learning to be creative with more is smart, practical, and resourceful. What works for one, may not work for another. Here’s what works for me:

Knives: 8” chef’s knife, serrated bread knife, a thin boning knife, 4-6 inch paring knife, good set serrated steak knives, washable kitchen scissors

Pots: I really don’t believe in non-stick. You can’t really use them at high temps as it will compromise the teflon finish. I think stainless steel (inside and out) is best. You need at least: 8” frying pan, 10-12” saute pan (with straight sides and a lid), small sauce pan, large sauce pan, dutch oven. Shop locally for what you want, what fits you best and is the right weight (if you can’t lift it, it’s not right for you). Buy the best you can afford. Shop online for the best prices as there are many suppliers out there.

Storage: Good set of stackable plastic, long-lasting containers that you can use in the dish washer, freezer, refrigerator, and microwave.

Cutting boards: have one that’s small and one that’s larger. Good to have one with a groove for catching juices. Must be able to put one in the dishwasher. I like a small plastic one, and a larger wooden one for carving meat.

Mixing bowls: 4 sizes, plastic or metal, from small to large, set of 4 Pyrex “pudding cups”

Utensils: wooden spoons (large and small), whisk, rolling pin, silicon spatulas, thin and flexible spatula, masher, grater, sieve, strainer, good sharp vegetable peeler, spreader, meat tenderizer/pounder, slotted spoon, garlic mincer, lemon reamer, ice cream scooper (the kind with a lever), sets of measuring spoons and cups, 2 and 4 cup Pyrex measuring cups, a roll of parchment paper, regular and heavy foil, good quality plastic wrap (don’t skimp on this), stainless steel scrubbies (they are effective on pots, gentile on china, and dishwasher friendly).

Salt and Pepper Grinders: It’s essential to have a pepper mill with an adjustable grinder. Also, you need a good salt grinder for sea salt. It’s also good to have a lidded pot of salt for measuring.

Appliances: small food processor (2-4 cups), strong blender with many speeds, hand mixer

Additional: 2 heavy-duty sheet pans with silicon mats, roasting pan, smaller baking pans, large cooling rack and smaller cooling rack (good for hot pots), silicon oven-mits. Grapefruit spoons are wonderful for scraping seeds and pulp from the inside of produce, adjunct refrigerator (if you’re lucky to have one).

I believe this list is fairly comprehensive. To my loyal readers, chime in and add anything to the list you see fit. Most items are multi-purpose. Be creative. You will find that you really need less than you expect, for a fully functional kitchen. I have thoughts on the edible pantry, which will come later, so stay tuned.

Image courtesy of Pinterest (from http://www.weheartit.com)

 

Kitchens for DecoFoodies…

Tags

copper pots, courtney hill, food

Can we talk? Kitchen design is a very intimate thing, if you’re a cook. Whether your budget is $100,000 or $10,000 for your remodel, DETAILS MATTER. You know your style, whether it’s sparse, slick and modern, or rustic with copper pots and baskets hanging from the ceiling, or somewhere in between. All us cooks know what we want in a kitchen (and dream about it). We obsess over details, like the location of the drain for the sink, the appearance of the front of the refrigerator, the distance from the stove to the sink, hardware, the style of the bar stools. All of these things matter (to us). To put the sink or stove on the island, big question. We discuss and draw and configure, lay out the pieces on graphs paper as if it’s a wardrobe. So, we DecoFoodies obsess over design details, but then also the practical applications of location of appliances and (OMG) storage space (or lack thereof).

So, as much as we obsess over the details of food and kitchen design, I’m here to tell you (without a 12-step program), that it’s ok. Keep dreaming of your kitchen, because one day you will pull the trigger and you will be so happy. No matter how much grief it causes you, it’s all still worth it, even if it does go out of budget and takes twice as long. Write me if I need to talk you off a ledge or encourage you to spend a little extra on the sink of your dreams.

Photo courtesy of Courtney Hill Interiors, Houston, Texas

Pinterest

Tags

facebook, smart phone, twitter

I have fallen (become obsessed, really) with Pinterest.  If you don’t know what it is, it’s another social media site, which enables you to share photos that interest you.  Since we are all visual here, you will appreciate it’s ability to stimulate the ocular senses.  Nearly anything you want to see is displayed, so don’t by shy about what you search for.  You can also share your own images with the world by uploading them to the site.  Share your joy and follow “friends” through other social media sites you might be engaged in.  There are smart phone and tablet apps available, so you can carry your new-found addiction to Pinterest anywhere.

You can check it out HERE.  You can “follow me”  and “repin” what I post: decofoodie

Happy Pinning!

P.S. Please don’t hate me because this is wonderful…  Lines at the grocery store were never so fun!

 

Hello world!

Hello World and WELCOME to our new page!  We hope to share all sorts of great interior design and foodie finds.  Stay tuned for more!

Thanks for visiting!