Linguine alle vongole

This is a longtime favorite of ours, and we use a Food & Wine magazine recipe from 1996. Dan made it this week, and it was a treat: Littleneck clams in a sauce of their own briny juices, white wine, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley and a judicious dash of red pepper flakes, commingling perfectly with long strands of linguine.The almost fully cooked pasta is tossed in with the sauce for the final few minutes to absorb all those flavors. It's an essential Italian pasta technique. I'm thankful I live near the sea, because the clams—vongole in Italian—absolutely, positively must be fresh! "No canned clams" is right up there with "no wire hangers!" Serve with a crusty piece of garlic bread and a nice Italian vino bianco and it's pazzesco buona (crazy good!) One thing we DON'T serve it with: cheese. Seafood and cheese is vietato (forbidden) in Italy—as my brother David found out when he ordered his seafood pizza at Lo Guarracino restaurant in Positano; that's his ’za on the right in the photo below. Looks like the wine pitcher needs refilling!

Back to the linguine and clams: For wine, we bought a 2009 Falanghina by Terredora DiPaolo at Henry's Market Wine Cellar in Beverly. This was was yummy from opening to finish. The wine comes from the Campania region of Italy, which includes Naples and the Amalfi Coast, and is an excellent alternative for white wine lovers who want to go beyond chardonnay or pinot grigio. During our trip in Italy we tried some Greco di Tufo, also a very nice white from Campania, but haven't been able to find it near our home ... yet. Meanwhile, this Falanghina will do!

Beastie Boy!

I painted this wild and expressive looking Scottish Highland cow for an upcoming show at the Gallery Della-Piana called "The Beauty of the Beast: The Animal as Muse, " and as you can see I had fun with it! Some of you art fans might be familiar with the Fauvism movement of the early part of the last century—bold, colorful and impressionistic brush strokes. One of the most well known leaders of the fauvist movement was Henri Matisse. Did you know that les fauves is French for the wild beasts? Elissa told me that one room of her show will be dedicated to wild beasts, perhaps not all in the fauvist style, but still it's sure to be a wild show! The opening is Saturday, November 26th, 5 to 7PM, and the show runs until January 15th, 2012. As always Elissa has a wide variety of art there, so I hope you can visit her gallery.

Fun with Photoshop...

I gave my Beastie Boy the Andy Warhol treatment.

Below is another cow of mine that will be in the show. 

Both paintings are for sale—contact me for info if you are interested.

Chillin' at the car wash

In the film Breakfast at Tiffany's actress Audrey Hepburn states that when she is upset she likes going to Tiffanys department store because "nothing very bad could happen to you there."  That's the way I feel when I go through the drive-through car wash. I find it to be the most relaxing, meditative, two minutes ever, with the water spraying and the cloth tentacles ebbing and flowing over the car. Maybe it's because I feel that I can just turn off  life for a few minutes, the deadlines, the to-do lists, etc., and just surrender and chill out. It's a grown-up time-out of sorts, and I know you know what I mean! It's so peaceful, I always wish it could last longer.

Pork and squash stew

PUBLISHED ON TASTESPOTTING!

   

A rustic pork and butternut squash stew on a chilly evening never fails to comfort and warm the bones. The recipe I use to make it—originally from Cooking Light magazine and since altered a bit—is nearly 20-years old, and it's fun in that includes a bottle of beer, which adds body and a yeasty flavor. The gorgeous golden colors of squash and carrots are a feast for the eyes, and since it's seasoned with rosemary, it pairs perfectly with a crusty piece of rosemary bread.

Pork & Squash Stew

3 pork chops, medium to thick
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 big carrots, sliced or chopped
2 tsp dried rosemary
1 12-oz. bottle of beer
4 cups diced squash (butternut or winter squash)
4-5 cups chicken stock

Trim any excess fat from the chops, then cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a bag, then add pork and shake to coat.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and then sauté onions for a few minutes. Remove onions, then add the floured pork and brown each side.

Add onions back in the pot, along with the carrots, rosemary, beer, half of the squash, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Squish some of the squash with the back of a fork to make the stew more orange and add texture, then add the rest of the squash and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more.

Notes: 
The original recipe calls for the addition of a diced potato.
Sprinkle servings with parsley if desired, or fresh rosemary.
Shaw's Markets sells rosemary bread.
You could omit the beer, but why would you?

Osage orange fruit

Aren't these cool? These bumpy, colorful fruits are from the osage orange tree (Maclura pomifera), are a member of the mulberry family and are also known as a hedge apple or horse apple. The fruits range in size from a tennis ball to as big as a grapefruit, and I collect a dozen or so every fall from a "secret source" here on the North Shore. The wood from this tree—stronger than oak or hickory—was highly prized Native Americans who used it for making bows, which they could trade for horses or blankets. I just like the way they look in a big bowl.

Le Cinema Francais—Rififi

One of the best heist films ever made is a classic 1955 French one called Rififi. It's the tale of several burglar pals who meticulously plan every aspect of the perfect jewel heist, even what should happen if there is a post heist fallout, which of course there is. Greed and human nature always intervene. Squirm. The pièce de résistance of the film is an extraordinarily tense 28-minute safe-cracking scene that has absolutely no dialogue or music. You can feel their adrenaline, and your palms will become sweaty! This scene—where the thieves drill a hole in the floor of the apartment above the vault—was so accurate that real criminals were copying the clever technique, which prompted the film to be banned in certain countries. There's are loads of these sorts of films including Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The Italian Job, Sexy Beast, Ocean's Eleven, Sneakers, The Sting, Snatch, The Thomas Crown Affair, How to Steal a Million, To Catch a Thief, and Topkapi, just to name a few. But Rififi has a certain intelligent austerity to it, and it's really trés fab!

Porcine pleasures

                        

Ahh, the porcine pleasures of this humble barnyard beast. It can be transformed into countless culinary delights—a Sunday roast pork, a spicy barbecued pulled pork sandwich, a slow-roasted, herbed Italian porchetta, or perhaps a thick grilled chop. When smoked or cured it could become a Black Forest ham, pancetta, proscuitto, guanciale, or the holy grail of piggly-wiggly deliciousness... bacon! Read this fabulous article about the pig by the effortlessly erudite Tom Parker Bowles, whose mastery of the English language glorify the pig better than I ever could. And on The Cooking Channel, Mo Rocca does an hour long Foodography episode on pork that's super informative and fun. Whatever you call this big fellah, a pig, a swine, a hog, or a boar, it's all good.

The day I painted this vintage looking spotted pig portrait—my homage to the glorious pig—I had a nice roast pork tenderloin in the fridge—marinating in minced garlic, rosemary and olive oil. It seemed so wrong. 

+ + +

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig,

Home again, home again, dancing a jig;

To market, to market, to buy a fat hog;

Home again, home again, jiggety-jog;

To market, to market, to buy a plum bun,

Home again, home again, market is done.

    —Mother Goose


POSTSCRIPT: 
This painting (nicknamed Miss Porchetta) was sold
and now resides in the kitchen of Mark and Maggie.
Hopefully Miss P is facing away from the kitchen prep area!

Clam chowdaaah!

Good old New England clam chowder is so comforting on a cool evening. I could never understand its popularity on seaside lunch menus on hot summer days—it'd be the last item I'd choose in the blasting heat. But once the sun sets and temps drop I suppose it's a delicious soup any time of year. Dan has made this classic clam chowder recipe from Saveur magazine at least a dozen times over the years. The recipe calls for littleneck clams, and the soup broth is not thin or—worse—too thick. We find the broth on this just right: a milk base slightly thickened with flour that has been added to onions sauteed in rendered salt pork fat (pork fat rules!) with diced potatoes added in. Can't you just taste the layers of flavor? And of COURSE you have to buy and cook fresh clams, so the broth from them can infuse the chowder with that fabulous briny taste of the sea. Dan always garnishes this chowder with small cubes of crispy salt pork—we call them cracklings—and, true confession time, cook double the recommended amount. Oh, and fresh chives too. We don't do crackers, "oyster" or otherwise; it's just sacrilege and unnecessary when you use so many quality ingredients. And don't get me started on Manhattan style clam chowder. Just click the link above, follow the recipe and pull up a spoon—bow tie not required.

photo from Saveur magazine

The 11th hour!

 

                                                         

Woah, that's some nifty numerology, isn't it? The date of 11.11.11 only happens once every hundred years, so understandably people make a bit of a fuss over it. In numerology this is apparently some sort of cosmic portal transit date—a day to break free of the karmic chains of your past. Best to stay away from the Kool-Aid today if any one offers you some. Imagine turning 11 on this day? Or if you got married on this day you'd surely never forget your anniversary. Of course this day is also the anniversary of the armistice, which was signed on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, (in 1918, in case you didn't know), that ended all that nasty World War I business between Germany and the Allied nations. (Thanks all you Veterans!) As a sign of respect for the 20 million or so people who died in the war, people throughout the world take a two-minute moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. local time. Here's a link to a website that mentions more riveting facts relating to November 11th, 2011. 

An apple a day...

 

These are just some of the many enormous bins of apples

at Russell Orchards in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

—An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief

I love to "people watch" on vacation, although some people, because of their situations, can be unsettling to look at. Still, I always see a kind of beauty in them. These beggar women were all in various parts of Italy—especially near churches in Venice and the Vatican City in Rome—using the old Christian sympathy card. I'll dig up all my beggar photos from my travels and do a post on them one day. I also have an affinity for beautiful, old, wrinkled faces, and have a huge collection of them from various countries I have visited.

Calcutta cauliflower

A roasted slice of cauliflower is completely transformed when a curry spiced ghee is brushed over it. A few slices of red pepper and cilantro leaves add a colorful and tasty touch.

Beauteous berries

Sometimes it's hard to believe what beautiful creations mother nature can come up with—for example look at the yummy turquoise and purple colors of these porcelain berries. This porcelain berry vine was growing wildly in a yet to be tamed area of our property when we first moved in 12 years ago. After identifying what this pretty climber was, I quickly dug it up and transplanted it to an area with a trellis, and every fall it puts on quite a show! Beware though, the prolific berries of this vine will sprout easily, and could spatially usurp other plants if you don't keep the seedlings in check.

Lobster butterfly

A butterfly made from lobster tail and antennae flutters next to 

striped lobster ravioli that's been lightly glazed in butter. 

Red trousers

Darlings, what's cooler than a man wearing red trousers? Here in New England we're in serious Nantucket Red country—you know, the washed out red trousers of the 'cape and the islands?' And thankfully some brave guys wear them. My husband even has a pair. But in Europe men embrace color with bravado, wearing reds, oranges, lime greens, and even their everyday khaki color is more a shade of yellow than beige. An orange cashmere sweater tied around the shoulders? Fabulous. So for an American man to wear flat-out red trousers takes someone with an adventurous spirit and refined fashion sense. And hootspa. Let me paint you a portrait of my new friend Dana who I met last night up at the Castle Hill Art Show (And BTW, I decided he was my new friend even before he bought one of my paintings!). He looked Palm Beach ready in a double-breasted navy blazer, loafers, red trousers and matching red ascot (which his friend Claire says he only wears to cover his trach scar!) Do you love these two? He owned Castle Hill last night. Gentlemen, be brave and go out and find yourself a pair of red trousers!

There is even a website dedicated to this bold fashion statement:

Look at My F*ing Red Trousers

Gorgeous portrait—Olivia de Havilland

Is this not a sublime portrait? It's of one of my most favorite actresses ever, Olivia de Havilland, in her more mature years. Sure, she was lovely and innocent in Gone With the Wind, and she played a deliriously crazy woman in The Snake Pit, but my favorite role of hers of all time is when she played Miss Catherine Sloper in The Heiress. You've gotta see this film. Her character was emotionally abused by her well-meaning father, and starts off very plain and mousy, but by the end of the film she finds her voice and she evens the score with a Mr. Morris Townsend, a weasely fortune hunter played Montgomery Clift. The film was remade in 1977 with Jennifer Jason Leigh and the fabulous Maggie Smith. They retitled the film as Washington Square and it was fair, but not nearly as yummy as the original, which has a deliciously wicked ending!

of OdH, TCM Host Robert Osborne says:

“There’s something about Olivia de Havilland that has always set her apart 
from other actresses. Maybe it’s the combination of warmth, sensitivity and 
intelligence she conveys, or the way her good looks have always 
been further enhanced by the ever-present twinkle in her eyes 

or the wisdom you sense behind those orbs.”


Click on the gorgeous portraits label below for more gorgeousness!

Potaaato, Potaahhta

Here is a combination of orange sweet potatoes and Peruvian purple potatoes that have been simmered in water then sauteéd in a brown butter sauce. Crispy fried sage leaves add a tasty crunch.

Conifers in the garden

There are so many lovely textures and colors in our young conifer grove, which is slowly growing larger each year. They are prettiest in spring, when the new needle growth (called candles) bud out. Eventually these conifers will knit together and intertwine, making an interesting patchwork quilt of sorts. Included in the mix is: a Papoose Spruce (darling name, yes?), a small Taylor's sunburst pine tree, a spiky Japanese umbrella pine, a golden colored Skylands spruce, a sturdy Korean fir with tight, curling needles that are white underneath, a prickly blue spruce, soft yellow leaves of a Cripps golden cypress, and in the way back, an ever towering, feathery soft Dawn Redwood tree. It's a tapestry of trees.

To see more colors, click on the "color inspiration" label below.

Crane Estate art show & sale—2011

This coming weekend is the Trustees of Reservations' annual Crane Estate art show & sale! The theme for this year is Dancing with Nature. It's a chance to "View more than 150 pieces of art highlighting the beauty of North Shore's landscapes and landmarks." I have 2 landscape paintings in the show, including the gold washed painting (top) called "Sunset on Newbury Haystack," and the storm approaching a Gloucester salt marsh (bottom) called "summer tempest."

The Crane Estate is beautiful this time of year, magically perched on a hillside that overlooks the Atlantic ocean. The kids can run wild and the adults can pop inside to see the paintings, then you can stop into Russell Orchards on the way home for some apples or cider donuts. Show hours are Saturday and Sunday, November 5th and 6th from 10-4, and there is a preview party Friday night from 7 to 10 PM. Tickets for that cost $45 each for that, but it's a really good time with an open bar, catered hors d'oeuvres, and music. Hope you can make it!

POSTSCRIPT: The Newbury haystack painting sold, 

and is now in a private collection in Palm Beach, Florida.

The itsy bitsy spider

                                                                                                    Photo Diane Carnevale

Oh what a wicked web we weave... Happy Halloween!

Okay, it's not itsy or bitsy (whatever that means), but it is Halloween and a good day to introduce you all to this spider, which has been cleverly crafted from sticks and twigs by Hamilton artist Allan Brockenbrough. Shown below is probably the largest and certainly most most famous spider sculpture called Maman) that was made by the eccentric artist Louise Bourgeois. Her famous spider sculptures are an homage to her mother's strength—the metaphors being spinning, weaving, nurture and protection.

Apricot & tarragon cookies

Photo Diane Carnevale

The recipe for these apricot and tarragon cocktail cookies are in the latest Food & Wine magazine. At first it seemed like a really odd combination to me, but then I thought about how tarragon has that fennel-anise flavor...and then I thought about Italian biscotti with anise... see where I am going? Brilliant! And I absolutely love dried apricots, so I knew this cookie would be a winner. Trust me, the combo works magnificently.

Mushroom agnolotti and brie

This is one of those flash-in-the-pan dinners you can pull together in a snap! Wild mushroom agnolotti (courtesy of Mr. Butoni, with no apologies from moi), with sauteed mushrooms in a light cream sauce (shallots, white wine, a splash of cream, thyme, salt and pep), a thin ribbon of brie cheese melted over the top and chive confetti sprinkles on top. Mushrooms are packed with micronutrients that are really good for us. Furthermore, (and since it's still breast cancer awareness month), did you know that eating just a small amount of mushrooms daily could reduce breast cancer risk by a whopping two thirds? Yup. Read all about it here.    Photo Diane Carnevale

October snow!

Here in the Northeast we're used to having frost on the pumpkin before Halloween, but snow? That's rare. So last night I was outside, spinning in delight, in the autumn snowstorm that caught us by surprise. This morning the yard was bathed in sunshine and the snow flakes and crystals left behind sparkled, twinkled, and I think, even winked. Above the snow is on a yellow nasturtium, and below on Montauk daisies and raspberries. Absolutely enchanting!

            

Duck... duck... GOOSE!

It's not difficult to figure out how this unusual gourd got its name, is it? Attractive in fall and winter decorations, gooseneck gourds like this speckled one are beautiful either fresh, as shown here, or dried, when they turn a much paler color. One of these years I will grow these funny little gourds, but I found this particular one at Home Depot, and it's standing guard (gourd?) on my side entrance steps along with a few white pumpkins, a ruffly cabbage plant and some vanilla colored mums.

Our sunken garden

Our secret, sunken, four-seasons garden is a magical little spot to be in any time of year. We've spent many a lazy summer evening out there, sipping wine or having a bite to eat, and when darkness falls we watch the fireflies dance in the night sky, or watch the bats diving for bugs. On summer mornings this is a great place for a cuppa while listening to the the delightful trickle of the palazzo fountain or singing birds. Autumn is upon us now and it's a perfect time to be down in there, bundled in a sweater or a blanket, while flocks of squawking geese fly overhead. A magical time to experience the garden is after a snowfall in winter, with a warm fire pit burning and a thermos of hot cocoa spiked with Baileys Irish Creme. Every spring we pop champagne on a sunny day in April when we start up the fountain for the season—read more about that here.

Building the sunken garden was basically a very long "weekend" project. The entire job took us a couple of summers of random weekends and a sprinkling of vacation weeks to finish. This included achy muscles, the occasional pinched finger, blood, sweat, tears and our good friend, Advil. Oh and stones... pallets of Pennsylvania field stones, tons of pea gravel, truckloads of cobblestones, and and you don't even want to know how many arborvitae shrubs we planted. Hopefully the garden will feel more secret as the shrubs become bigger and bigger. 

The stone steps that lead down into the garden—flanked at the top by two antique limestone columns from the old Bartlett Estate in Beverly, MA—have cascading woolly thyme planted in the nooks and crannies, which is especially lovely when in bloom. The "four seasons" part of the sunken garden (quattro staggioni in Italian) was inspired by gardens we've visited in Italy and France. We revisited one such garden recently on the sunny isle of Capri. We planted four cobblestone-edged quandrants with pachysandra and boxwood, and we found our four seasons statues—made in cast iron—at an antique store in nearby Ipswich. 

Hidden benches and arborvitae lined pea gravel pathways lead you around the top perimeter of the garden. We joked that we made the paths wide enough for two walkers or wheelchairs to fit in for years from now, when we are old and need help walking. The back entrance has a custom made teak moon gate, which leads in to a Japanese maple grove. The pea gravel paths are lined with very old cobblestones that came from the old Beverly Salem Bridge. Apparently George Washington crossed this bridge in 1789, so we like to brag about having historical cobblestones—some worn smooth as marble—in our garden. We got the cobbles free from a landscaper friend who worked on the B/S bridge job. We hired some pros do about 18 inches of the top wall (where it's double sided) and they also did the cobblestone capstones, but we can proudly say that we did everything else. Dream big, and just do it! 

Excerpt from GeorgeWashington's diary

Below are some more photos of the sunken garden.

photos, Dan Ryan