Seeing Red(dings)

It seems that I really live in two states and still have so much to share about the "sweet people I meet" and so I am heading back into a "New York state of mind" for this post.

I have been coming to Shelter Island since I was a year old. My grandparents built a house there that both they and then my parents lived in. I grew up with local food and a love of rooting out the most tasty. My dad always said I was part ferret. During my grandparents' days, we went to favorite farmstands for fruit, veggies and honey, got our fish from local fishermen and chickens and ducks from local farms. In the 50 plus, plus years since those days, thankfully not much has changed and mom and pop businesses still prevail and most of the farmstands my grandparents went to do, too.

My dad also started a large community garden years ago and he and my mom and their friends always swapped crops and had a fabulous harvest dinner every fall with all their goodies. Now that Dad is gone, Mom still frequents the local farms for most of her produce. The whole east end of Long Island, especially The North Fork, is a food basket...one stocked with everything totally fresh and local, from honey to fruits and veggies, delicious wines, fabulous breads, fish, chicken, duck, eggs and anything else your tastes desire.

Shelter Island is especially lucky to have a market, Reddings Market, that does most of the collecting for you...giving everyone more time to enjoy the beach and the water. Reddings has the most amazing, the most delicious assortment of local foods I have ever seen and tasted and an atmosphere that makes me feel like I am in someone's kitchen, and one with a harbor view to boot. Reddings is warm and welcoming with a whole collection of succulent aromas and food that is simply delicious. And, not only do they support local farmers, fishermen and food producers, they also help you grow your own by stocking a wide variety of seeds from http://www.seedsavers.org/ which is a fabulous project itself!

Sadly, I left this year right as the season opened and as the store got into full swing but I was there a few days to enjoy their fabulous homemade gelato, apple and rhubarb pie, farro with roasted tomatoes, curried quinoa and sesame soba noodle sides, and get a cooking lesson from Matt. See, that's what I mean...sweet people everywhere, never too busy to help. I had noticed quite a fleet of fishing boats in the waters off my parents' beach and wondered what was "running". The answer: fluke and Matt taught me how to prepare this fabulous local fish. Turned out just like candy if I say so myself! And no wonder...read about Matt and Ann on their website, http://www.reddingsmarket.com/. I got a lesson from the best!

While fluke is not available here and I am back to my vegetarian ways, I can reconstruct my favorite salad at Reddings, the roasted beet and goat cheese salad. It is perfect for a richly flavored summer meal. The secret is in roasting the beets...really deepens the flavors to a whole new level.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Wash an assortment of small to medium sized fresh beets. I love to mix the golden, red and striped varieties. Splash with some olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt or herbs of choice. Roast at 350- 400 until fork tender, about 30-45 minutes. I don't peel them but you can if you like.

Take a generous handful of mesclun or arugula, the freshest you can find. Add chopped, roasted beets, crumbles of creamy goat cheese and a good handful of toasted walnuts. Dress with your favorite vinaigrette or this one:

Orange Vinaigrette
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons light olive oil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine orange zest, juice, vinegar and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature 20-30 minutes. Whisk in oils and season to taste with more sea salt and some fresh black pepper.

or this one which you can make along with the beets

Roasted Garlic Dressing
1/2 cup peeled fresh garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon or more minced fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Put peeled garlic cloves in a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake about 25 minutes or till golden in a 350 oven. When cool-ish, put garlic cloves in a blender. Save the oil in the roasting pan for other dishes. It is delicious.  Add 1/4 cup water, vinegars, miso, thyme, pinch of grated nutmeg, sea salt and pepper and blend til smooth. Add more water if you want a thinner dressing. Refrigerate any leftover dressing. 

I am going to eat my salad tonight and remember this sunset and the deliciousness at Reddings. Hope you have had a good day!

An Outrageously Sweet Day

Today would have been my dad's 87th birthday and it is so nice that a mention of him appeared in The Shelter Island Reporter yesterday. A couple of weeks ago, there was a reception at the Shelter Island Library for Dad...officially dedicating "Charlie's Bench", the outside reading bench that sits (and is well sat on already!!) in a grassy little nook and officially unveiling the wonderful picture that hangs in honor of Dad in the library's nautically-themed reading area downstairs. Both are affectionate tributes to his love of and service to the library and it is especially nice that the painting is by his good friend, Peter Waldner. My pix of his art isn't the best, but Peter's work of art and his studio are!

My dad loved the library, I mean loved it, and I didn't quite "get it" until after he was gone and I found myself drawn into the community the library creates. Yes, there are tons of books and other goodies there, but it is the feeling when you walk through the door that makes every trip there special. I owe much of the peace and support I found during the last couple of years to those wonderful, friendly people at the library. I cherish his library card because I know now it was one of his most prized possessions.

After the reception, I drove Mom and her friend Agnes around the island and actually came upon a couple of places and sights they had never seen before and some others that were very familiar.

As "girls" of any age will do, we cut loose with some serious girl talk and chatted about everything from the fabulous lip color Agnes had on, to books we were reading, new sights we were seeing and, of course, to foods we were eating. With me and Mom both in the car, that conversation is going to happen! I mentioned how great it was that the reception had LOTS of cookies...Dad's favorite munchie... and that was the cue Agnes needed to give me this recipe. If she says they are outrageously good, that is more than good enough for me! 

Agnes' Outrageous Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (organic if you can)
1/2 cup peanut butter (organic if you can)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg (local is best!)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Beat sugars, butter and peanut butter, vanilla and egg until creamy. Mix in flour, oats, baking soda and salt. STir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonsful 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until light brown. Cool one minute and grab one. Make about 2 dozen.

The whole day was sweet and this pix sums it up...

Holy horses...it's First Thursday again!

I am not even unpacked but I am back in the kitchen whipping up some fresh Natural State Granola for First Thursday tonight. Can hardly believe it is here again!

While on my trip, I went to Greenport a couple of times to ride my beloved merry-go-round, only to find that it was closed for repairs. Wouldn't you know it, the day I left, it was up and running. It is a beauty, completely restored with grant money and nestled in a sweet seaside park overlooking beautiful Peconic Bay. Anyway, I did get some good shots from the outside looking in but missed a ride or two and a chance for the brass ring.

This carousel is the inspiration for the logo and essence of Natural State Granola. Right after my dad died, my mom wanted granola from a farmstand that required not only a round-trip ferry ride but a drive of about 40 miles. I attempted this twice and came home without the goods both times. Heavy-hearted and stressed out, I decided a spin on the merry-go round was just what I needed. The other "kids" and their moms didn't quite know what to make of my hopping up on the ponies, but hop I did. Feet in the stirrups, I bobbed up and down with total glee. Fabulous fun...which should be a natural state for everyone and poof...Natural State Granola was born.

I tweaked my recipes from the golden age of granola, the 70's, and decided to make this recipe more heart happy by combining serious nutrition (which most granolas lack) with serious fun. In keeping with the merry-go round, I wanted a carousel of delicious, healthful flavors. Even the tape I use in packaging has a fitting tale...it is made from designs found on vintage feed sacks. Every time I grab a handful, I feel like I am going for a spin on that merry-go round! Better get cooking for tonight...and if you are coming to First Thursday, I will have a couple of other beautiful, handmade surprises...some delicious, some sparkle-y!!  

Shaking up deliciousness at Greeny's

It would be impossible to be on Shelter Island and not visit Greeny's. I ran into this delightful natural foods store and cafe one day to say "Hi" and grab a kombucha. Lucky for me, Jen, the new owner was there and I got a chance to catch up on all the delicious things now available at Greeny's and Jen also helped me out with my camera and computer. Woohoo!!

You see from these pix that goodness and delicious food run from the front door to the back at Greeny's.


Jen has great soups and sandwiches for lunch and also, fabulous shakes available all day long. Visit her Greeny's page on Facebook for more info and to check out her menus.

No matter what the day is, I always plan on whipping up a shake to have for a meal or a snack. I have found these protein-packed smoothies really smooth out my rough edges during the day and really stabilize my blood sugars and energy. More luck for me, Jen shared her favorite base smoothie recipe! With the secret touch of mango puree, her recipe really opens up a world of wonderful variations...organic peanut butter, organic pb and j, really green (with spinach or kale), all kinds of fruits, organic almond or cashew butter, organic dark chocolate...yum. I am going to crack out the blender and shake up some deliciousness! Thanks, Jen!

Greeny's Smoothie

1 cup organic yogurt
1/2 cup mango puree
1/2 cup frozen fruit of choice

Place these ingredients in blender, add whatever else you'd like and blend well. Enjoy!!

An Extraordinary Cabin and Cake

I love meeting all kinds of people, especially those who are making and doing things from scratch to create treasures of their own or seeking to preserve treasures from the past. These are just the sort of people I would love to gather around our green table and talk "table talk" with for hours. 

One new friend is doing something extraordinary...she is saving an Adirondack style cabin built by "Mr. 20 Mule Team Borax" himself. It is on a little island of its own in a Shelter Island harbour. Pat and her wonderful team of supporters saved this unique piece of local history from the wrecking ball and through grants and community support, they have begun restoring it to its rustic splendor. This August there will be a "kettle" clambake for a fun evening soiree and in the near future, there may even be a chance to sleep overnight. How fun would that be?! What an experience. Can you imagine sitting out on that porch and watching the sun set over Coecles Harbour? Heaven!

Here are some pictures I took of a quilt with a period shot of the cabin and some very relaxed-looking guests and a collage of pictures taken during the restoration.  I have barely scratched the surface of the story of Taylor's Island and so here is a link to the website, www.taylorsisland.org. 

At a meeting that Pat had for her committee, she served this delicious cake...every bit as extraordinary as her work on Taylor's Island.  I love the idea of quinoa in a cake. Well, and rum, too! Thanks for sharing all you do, Pat!  xoxoxPenny

Keke de Quina (Quinoa Cake)
adapted from Felipe Rojas Lombardi and The Art of South American Cooking

1 1/2 cups raw quinoa (Inca red or regular)
6 T unsalted organic butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind
1/4 cup dark rum (optional but fun!)
4 large farm-fresh eggs
1/2 cup organic milk
1/2 cup organic heavy cream
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds

Garnish
Confectioners' sugar sifted on top and creme fraiche or whipped cream


Preheat oven to 350. If quinoa is not pre-rinsed, place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under cold water. Drain. Do not omit this rinsing step. It "sweetens" the grain by removing the bitter outer coating.

In a saucepan, combine quinoa with 8 cups cold water. bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 10 minutes or until quinoa is barely tender. Do not overcook. Remove from the heat, pour quinoa through a fine strainer and let drain. Do not rinse.

Butter a 9 inch round cake pan with about 1 T butter and set aside. In a large mixing bowl with a wire whisk, cream together the remaining butter (5 T), the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, lemon rind, rum and eggs until the sugar has dissolved. Add the milk and heavy cream and mix thoroughly. In another mixing bowl, combine quinoa and walnuts. Thoroughly fold into the creamed butter mixture and pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, place on a rack and allow to cool thoroughly (important). Unmold the cake by placing a plate over the cake pan and turning the two upside down. Then, turn the plate right side up onto a cake plate or serving platter. Place the confectioners' sugar in a fine sieve and lightly dust over the surface of the cake. Serve with creme fraiche or whipped cream. 

Re-Marc-able!

I just had to take another quick spin around Greenport yesterday and slipped into Butta' Cakes again. Drawn like a bear to honey, I am! In yesterday's post, I glossed over another delight at Marc's shop and wanted to mention that Butta' Cakes wonderful fondue comes in both chocolate and cheese. How could they be anything less than fabulous...even his fondue pots are orange! 

The pix of his fondue pots didn't turn out, but one of the heavenly Dreamsicle cupcake I devoured did. Yum!

Butta' is so Sweet

I may need to rename this blog "Sweet People I Meet" because I am on a roll here in New York. Today I got on the ferry for a short ride to Greenport, to refresh and refocus myself, and also see what was up since my last visit. Plus, with a name like Greenport, it is natural to visit! Waiting for me was an amazing hour of fun discoveries and it all started with a little butta' and sugar. As if those ingredients weren't enough, this sweet shop had me at "orange".

Butta' Cakes is a delightful sweet shop run by an equally delightful guy, Marc, whose favorite color must be orange because the store is visually, an orange delight. Before even tasting his goodies, I was "in". We orangies have to stick together. After reading through some of the earlier posts on cupcakes in NYC, you know by now, I do adore cupcakes. His are melt-in-your mouth, don't-miss-a-lick of frosting good and again, visually, a feast. I had a tough time choosing which flavor I wanted but went with the Chocolate Peanut Butter. The cake was velvet-y and moist and the frosting, rich and a perfect sweetness. Total delight with every bite.

You would think with the orange and more than several choices of cupcakes, I would be emotionally full. No...not until I saw he had a tray of dog cupcakes, topped with milkbone dog cookies!! Oh my, that sent me into complete happiness mode. Annie, Lilly and Stubug would love 'em. Here are some pix and his website, http://www.buttacakes.com/ and wherever you are, a drive to Butta' Cakes is a must! Plan to start with breakfast there, have a mid-morning cupcake, one of his fabulous sandwiches or fondue for lunch, mid-afternoon cupcake and so on. What a sweet day you'll have! 

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Friday Night Lights and Pesto

No, this is not going to be about the TV show which, interestingly enough, was one of my parents' favorites and today is actually a Thursday, but I am going for it. My family's home here is on a side road that winds along a bluff and is the only house on the road lived in all year long. Most of the work I have had to do for Mom has occurred during the off season and so most of the homes are dark and empty until the summer season hits.

As time goes on, I am making some nice friends here and I am always excited to see them when I come out. My Shelter Island BF's live across the street and ride the train and ferry in every Friday night. I look across the street through the darkness every Friday until yippee...Friday Night Lights are on and they have arrived. They are great...total foodies, collectors, sailors, movie buffs, naturalists...you name it. They can tell you every native plant on this island and are helping protect and resow them. Both are wonderful cooks and we swap recipes and food foraging stories. Such fun. Plus, they let me use their internet connection which I used to have to go local fishermen's bar to get. Sure saves a lot of explaining my whereabouts to Mom and dodges the "Penny, if you aren't home in a hour, I am calling the police." Once a mom...

Their house is fabulous and I wanted you to see the wall in their kitchen. Totally amazing and not just for show...

This is a hard working kitchen. They cook all the meals for the coming week plus the weekend fun food and then take their feasts back on the train. Brilliant organization. I can only drool over the wonderful dishes they make with all these treasures. Last conversation we had was purely pesto and how many wonderful kinds there are and how many mouth-watering ways to eat this rich and flavorful spread. Here is a recipe I am sharing with them this weekend.

Spring Asparagus and Spinach Pesto and Pasta

Fresh asparagus, 1 bunch, cleaned and sliced into 1 inch pieces

Fresh spinach (I used Japanese spinach), 3 handfuls

Fresh garlic, 2 large cloves, peeled
1 cup freshly grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese

1 cup pine nuts, toasted (you can substitute 1 cup almonds, toasted)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

¼-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

12 ounces pasta of choice (I use fettuccine or angel hair)

Bring large pot of water to a rolling boil and drop in asparagus pieces. Blanch for 2-3 minutes and then plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain well, blotting with paper towels if necessary. Place in food processor or blender. Add spinach, garlic, Parmesan and ¾ cup pine nuts or almonds. Puree and then add in ¼ cup olive oil. Add lemon juice and salt and taste to adjust seasonings. This takes a mere 5-6 minutes to make, perfect for a busy night!

Prepare pasta according to package directions, cooking until al dente. Drain. Toss with a generous amount of the asparagus-spinach puree.

To serve: Place portion on plate and then top with extra toasted pine nuts (you will have ¼ cup leftover for this), extra freshly grated Parmesan and an optional splash of olive oil. Serves 3-4.
This is also great as a dip, spread on crackers, topping for eggs, or anywhere you would love a splash of pesto!