Remembering This Summer

During college my summers were constructive and purposeful and memorable. My first summer after freshman year I went to a seven-week-long music festival in Western New York. The next summer I had an internship in DC, the next summer an internship in Hoboken, NJ. Each summer I was in a different place and with different people, accomplishing something unique and interesting for those few months in between school years.

In between my two years of grad school I was working hard on our cookbook with my family and planning my wedding at the same time. It was a beautiful summer filled with summer tomatoes and gorgeous recipes and lots of paper and ribbon and happiness.

Once there are no longer school years to divide and define, time starts blending together a little more, don't you think? It's not bad, just different. Other things make certain seasons or even months or weeks stick out in our memories. And I have a feeling that this summer, with its particular smells and moments and emotions, I think it'll be one that lasts and lasts.

I'll remember this summer for its joy. As we drove a short two and a half hours last weekend through the Blue Ridge Mountains and Northern Virginia's wine country up to a family reunion, I felt so much joy at finally being close to family. To be able to drive to see loved ones--amazing! This state, in all of its beauty, brings me joy and I'm proud to live in a place with history and old stone buildings that have been around for centuries and plaques on the side of the road that are fun to stop and read. Waking up in our sweet little house brings me joy. As long as my home is a place of beauty and peace and rest, a place where my family and friends feel safe and protected, a place filled with love and wholesomeness and honesty, then I've succeeded.

I'll remember this summer for our little screened porch. I catch myself sitting here and looking out at the trees with an involuntary smile on my lips. It's such a place of calm for me. I'll remember these summer mornings on the porch with a cup of tea and this blog and the birds and the streams of early sunlight peeking in. To have a place that is part of my home yet also a part of nature is magical.

I'll remember this summer for the ways God has proven faithful. These past few years were hard. I've sort of blocked out some of it but when I make myself remember how lonely some of those months were, it makes me exceedingly grateful for the here and now. The way forward was lit by faith alone.

As we grow deeper into our new lives and establish routines and build relationships, as it always happens, I'm sure a bit of the novelty and newness will wear off. Not that we'll take it for granted but there will be a settledness and a normalcy and a regularity to all of it. There's a beauty to this too.

But this time we're in right now, this summer of intensity and heart-swelling gratitude and deeply felt love of place and home and family and friends, I'll remember it for a very long time.

Sharing Recipes

Do you keep your prized recipes and kitchen tricks a secret? Or are you a sharer?

I read this post last week on the Kitchn and it made me think about this question. I hadn't considered it much before but after reading the piece, realized I am definitely a recipe sharer. (After all, I co-wrote a cookbook with my family and it divulges many a secret!)

It honestly has never occurred to me to do it any other way. It makes me happy to describe how I made a particular dish or to hear that a recipe I passed on was a hit with a family member or a friend who tried it. Usually, the first few minutes of dinner with my husband consist of me telling him in great detail how I prepared it. And one of my favorite elements of Thanksgiving is swapping tips and tricks with family members as we mash potatoes together and combine two gravy-making methods.

Part of the reason I am this way is because I'm curious myself. I always want to know how a spectacularly browned pork chop got to be that way, or why the pie crust is so flaky, or what makes the potato salad so perfectly tangy. When it comes to my own cooking, I think I love to share because I'm proud of the food I make and like describing the process from raw ingredients to finished dish. It's a fun thing to do while you enjoy a yummy homemade meal.

Noah Zinsmeister Photography

But also because I still marvel that the simplest ingredients can produce the most heavenly flavors. I'm a fairly simple cook and my favorite ingredients to work with in the kitchen are things like onions, lemons, garlic, salted butter, basil, sharp cheddar, buttermilk, white wine, balsamic vinegar. I marvel that these basics can produce the most scrumptious results. Cooking well doesn't take much skill, in my opinion, and I've long believed that anyone can be a good cook. It takes good, fresh ingredients, heat, patience.

So I think that part of the reason I like to share is because cooking is amazing! It's amazing what a little shallot sautéed in olive oil tastes like (not to mention how it smells!). It's amazing what a squeeze of lemon on top of roasted kale can do to brighten the flavor. I share because I believe in the beauty of cooking, the magic and mystery of it, and because I believe that the power lies not in the cook but in the process. Keeping a recipe a secret gives the illusion that it's all about me whereas it's really about flour, sugar, butter, the right amount of heat, a careful eye, a steady touch, trial and error, willingness and lots of patience.

Nourishing In More Ways Than One

Image Source

One of my favorite things to make for dinner is a roast chicken. Every time I roast a chicken I sort of marvel at how delicious and incredible a perfectly roasted chicken is. The meat is tender, juicy, and shreddable, and I've finally mastered the key to super crispy skin (making sure the skin is really dry before rubbing in a good amount of melted butter). A roasted chicken looks beautiful on the table and it smells rich and heavenly as it spends an hour or so in the oven.

And it's so easy. I used to be intimidated by whole chickens but I can see now how misguided that fear was. All I have to do is clean the chicken, season it (butter, sea salt, and pepper), and then stick a few lemon wedges inside. Sometimes I'll roast the chicken on a bed of thinly sliced onions tossed in olive oil but that's about as complicated as it gets. The oven does all the work. It feels like magic.

I've learned that a roast chicken is perfect for a teaching night. One of my students comes at 5:30 so what I'll do is put the chicken in the oven about 15 minutes before he arrives and at 6:30, when the lesson is over, the chicken will be perfectly cooked. I'll let it rest for 10 minutes while I roast some kale or make a salad or slice bread and voilá--dinner is ready.

There's another reason for my deep love for roast chicken. I'm very thrifty in the kitchen and I've found that I can easily get 5 or 6 meals for the two of us from a single chicken. Amazing! The first night we eat the chicken right out of the oven. The next night, I'll often make a chicken fricassee with lots of vegetables and the juice that I saved from the night before and serve it over egg noodles. I save the carcass and make chicken stock by simmering it with onions, lots of celery, and a bay leaf in a dutch oven filled to the top with water. This can be turned into a mouth-watering soup by throwing in some leftover chicken, white beans, baby kale, shredded carrots, or really, whatever is in the fridge and sounds yummy. And sometimes, even after adding chicken to the soup, I'll still have leftovers for chicken sandwiches or my favorite chicken curry salad.

Also? Roast chicken just feels grown-up. There's something about it. When I roast a chicken I feel settled and happy and I feel like I'm taking good care of myself and my husband and putting something really lovely on our table. I'm just remembering this post my friend Tina wrote a few months ago about roast chickens and finding what you love to do and how they're linked, somehow. Roast chickens are beautiful and tasty and sophisticated and wholesome and they're nourishing in more ways than one, I think.

Homemade Molasses Cookies

If I could only pick one cookie recipe to make at Christmastime for the rest of my life, I would choose these Molasses Cookies. The recipe came from a good family friend of ours who was also one of my very first piano teachers. Often when I showed up for a lesson, the smell of baked goods would envelop me and she'd take me into the kitchen where a warm piece of chocolate cake was waiting, or sometimes a mug of cinnamon hot chocolate. Now that is the way to start a piano lesson. Not only did she teach me to love the piano but she also made me feel welcome in her home and happy to be there each week.

These Molasses Cookies are just perfect. They are crispy on the outside but so soft and chewy and melt-in-your-mouth as soon as you take a bite. I love how they really flatten out in the oven, too. There's something about a delicate, thin cookie that is so inviting. And the combination of molasses and spices is so festive and cozy for this time of year. I could eat these every day for breakfast with a cup of hot tea.

This recipe is in our cookbook, Finger Lakes Feast, if you happen to have a copy. But I wanted to share it here too in case you're itching to get out the flour and cookie sheets this weekend but need some inspiration. 

Patsy's Molasses Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of salt

Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and molasses. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix thoroughly. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for about 7-10 minutes (really depends on your oven) or until just set. Let cool and roll in powdered sugar.

Spring Lamb with White Beans

"This dish, to me, is an ideal marriage of rustic and elegant. Rustic, because of the earthiness of the lamb and the rosemary, and the savory richness of the juices that infuse the beans. Elegant because of the perfect balance in flavors, the softness and delicacy of the tiny white cannellinis. I can imagine this roast in the homes of ancient Greek peasants, just as I can imagine it at the banquets and feasts of their rulers. Deliciously simple, yet somehow exquisite...."

Click over to the Happy Wives Club to read the rest of this post, and for the recipe!

An Exciting Bit of Press

Photo by Noah Zinsmeister

At the risk of appearing less than humble, I have to announce an exciting bit of press our cookbook received yesterday--we were given a lovely little review in the New York Times! The part I'm most proud of is the word they used to describe my little brother's photos. The book was described as "beautifully photographed," and while we already knew that, how wonderful for the New York Times to recognize it too. They couldn't be more right.

Since the pear bread recipe was mentioned, I thought I would share it with you all today. This is adapted from a recipe submitted to us by Blackman Homestead Farm in Lockport, NY.

Pear Bread

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt

1 cup ripe pears, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and butter and flour a loaf pan.

With an electric beater, beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until creamy. In a separate bowl, blend together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg. Stir these dry ingredients into the butter mixture, then stir in buttermilk or yogurt, and finally the chopped pears. 

Pour batter into pan and bake for 1 hour. Cool. Try serving with cold cream cheese!

French-Inspired Surprise Dinner

On Friday night, I surprised my husband with a French-inspired dinner for the two of us. I made Ina Garten's braised short ribs and mashed potatoes, and the French Chocolate Pudding recipe from our cookbook for dessert. It was all delicious! I even put on a black dress and red lipstick, and played this French piece for my husband after we ate.

(Sorry for the poor photo--I was having trouble with the nighttime lighting!)

Have you ever made a themed dinner? I had never done anything like this before and it was really a blast. I got quite into it, as you can tell! 

Cookbook Giveaway Winner!

Today I'm announcing the winner of the Finger Lakes Feast cookbook giveaway! The lucky winner is.....

Felicia Klots!

Felicia was a roommate of mine in New York City, where we shared an absolutely tiny (but adorable) apartment for a few months. Our kitchen was also our dining room which was also our living room which was also our piano room (so it goes with life in New York). But we both embraced it--often I would come home on a Friday to find the kitchen smelling heavenly and Felicia busy making dishes for the traditional Jewish Shabbos dinner, with every inch of counter space filled with some ingredient she was using. I remember once she made cold salmon with a special dill sauce that was incredibly delicious! I know she will put our cookbook to good use. Congratulations, Felicia!

Thank you so very much to everyone who visited this post and entered the giveaway. All of the comments were so thoughtful and kind and supportive. If you find yourself feeling especially bummed that you weren't the lucky winner, I would shamelessly direct you to our Amazon page. And if you're interested, I would be more than happy to sign your copy, too! Just email me, or leave a comment, and we can find a way to do that.

Thanks again to everybody who participated--I wish I could send you all a cookbook!

One Day Left in Cookbook Giveaway!

If you haven't already, I'd like to remind you to enter the giveaway to win a free copy of Finger Lakes Feast, which I co-authored with my father and photographer brother. It's not too late! I will choose the winner from the pool of commenters on Sunday night and announce the winner on Monday.

As an additional bonus, my dad and brother have agreed to sign the giveaway copy as well! Finger Lakes Feast was a true collaboration--none of us could have produced this book on our own--so it's only fitting that we all sign the giveaway copy.

You can enter the giveaway by visiting this post and leaving a comment. Thanks so much--and good luck!

Cookbook Giveaway

Today I'm following in the footsteps of many other bloggers and celebrating this season of giving. I will be giving away one signed copy of the cookbook I authored with my father and photographer brother, Finger Lakes Feast!

Finger Lakes Feast is not just a cookbook. It's full of gorgeous photographs....

Lots of wonderful essays and quirky fun facts on food and local history and agriculture...

Do you know how many miles a honeybee has to fly to gather enough nectar for a single pound of honey?

55,000 miles.

The equivalent of circling the earth more than twice.

And of course, it is full of delicious and colorful recipes...

Rustic Apple Spice Cake

Cilantro Shrimp Risotto

Capron Street Buttermilk Pancakes

Black Beans and Coconut Rice with Mango Salsa

Creole Sausage on Jack Cornbread

French Chocolate Pudding

Raspberry Red-Wine Sorbet

and so many more. 

Local author and NPR contributor, Amy Dickinson, writes that, "Finger Lakes Feast unlocks the delicious mystery and quirky history behind our local foods and flavors. Now everyone will learn what we locals know: our wines and foods are the perfect expression of the beautiful region they come from. They are simple, hardy, and full of life and flavor."

To win a free copy of our book please leave a comment at the end of the post. I will pick a winner randomly from the pool of comments on Sunday night and announce the winner on Monday.

Good luck and thank you for your support!

I Am Thankful

This year has been full of blessings. When I think about all that has happened since last Thanksgiving it astonishes me! Before my husband and I head out of town I thought I would take a second to give thanks.

My wedding day, my husband, my marriage--far and away, the best part of this last year and the thing I'm most thankful for.

This blog. And all of my lovely new blog friends and readers. It's been so rewarding and this is only the beginning!

My husband's graduation from flight school. I'm so proud of him.






My in-laws--I love that my family grew when I got married. My mother-in-law will drive hours to attend her daughter-in-law's recital, or to be with her son on his birthday (and these are just two examples).

My Masters Degree, which I received in May, and my fantastic teacher who encouraged, challenged, pushed, and nurtured me and transformed my playing.





My parents, who are beginning a new adventure as empty-nesters and are having loads of fun with it (think: houseboat!). They are the best parents in the world (in my humble opinion) and I'm so grateful to have them as examples to look up to as I begin a family of my own.

My little brother starting his freshman year at Columbia, and loving every minute so far.







My older brother beginning a new job in Dallas, and loving every minute so far.

Our cookbook getting published!









In the past few months, I've finally figured out how to perfectly roast a chicken. Definitely something to be happy about. Sometime, I'll share my tips.

Zumba! (Yes, it does require brightly-colored sneakers, thank you very much!) It's a workout I look forward to and it truly makes me happy. I'm thankful to have a gym that offers an abundance of classes with a great instructor at military prices.

Reconnecting with a few old friends unexpectedly. It's been such a blessing.

Our first home. While not exactly in the part of the country we'd planned to start out in, this is more than we've ever had, and I'm thankful.







Getting to know the South. We've explored Atlanta (a bunch), New Orleans, and will soon be in Houston. The list of states my husband and I have been in together is growing steadily (yes, we actually do keep a list!).






All of the gorgeous pieces my parents have given us as a result of their downsizing and move to D.C. It's all still in storage now, but boy do we have big plans for everything!

Having a washer and dryer in my home. I do not miss hiking to the laundromat through the streets of New York.

A successful last recital as a student!

And finally, I'm thankful for my faith, and for God's grace, which is the glue that holds me together.

What are you thankful for? 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Pie

Thanksgiving is one week away! We are spending it with my husband's sister and her husband, who were married four months before us. Two semi-newlywed couples in the kitchen putting together a Thanksgiving meal (for the first time, all on our own!) should be very fun, and fun-ny! We can't wait, and I will certainly be bringing a copy of Finger Lakes Feast along to guide me.

I thought I'd write about pie crust today. Do you make your own? I imagine many of you already do, but if not, I urge you to try it this year! The fresh flavor and crispy flakiness of homemade pie crust is unrivaled. Here is our family's recipe, as found in our cookbook:

Real Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups flour

A pinch of salt

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup cold water

In a small to medium-sized bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut the shortening into the mixture, using a pastry cutter. Do this until all of the shortening is the size of little peas, or smaller.

Add the cold water and quickly whisk the dough with a fork until it forms into a soft lump. Do not overmix.

Place the dough on a well-floured surface and split into two halves. Gently mold it into a round ball using your hands, and when it is well-formed, begin to roll it out with a floured rolling pin.

The key in rolling is not to press down too hard onto the dough. Simply roll it and allow it to take its time in stretching. Flip it often, dusting flour underneath to prevent it from sticking to the counter.

When the dough is about 1/8-inch thick, fold it over on itself, gently pick it up, and lay it across your pie pan. Unfold it and let it take the shape of the pan.

Place your filling inside, and add the top crust (or for an open-faced pie like pumpkin or pecan, you can use the top crust for another pie). 

Cut around the dish to trim away any overhanging dough, then seal the top and botton crust together by pinching them at the edges (again, for an open-faced pie, just crimp the edges of the bottom crust onto the pie pan).

(Recipe makes one 9-inch top-and-bottom-crust pie, or two 9-inch open-faced pies)

              Won't this new pie dish I found look beautiful against the brown sugariness of pecan pie, 

             or the orange spiciness of pumpkin pie?

And I can promise you that this pie crust will make your families so happy. You should hear the thank-yous my mom always gets from my brothers! It's just so delicious. Happy baking to you all! 

Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Favorites

As Thanksgiving approaches, I thought I'd share several recipes from our new cookbook that are my favorites for Thanksgiving dinner. These are both old-fashioned salad recipes that are colorful and flavorful and so festive. They both have a substantial amount of fruit in them, so if you're finding that your menu is heavy on rich, filling dishes, either one of these would be an excellent addition. My favorite of the two is the Cranberry Salad--I urge you to try it this year!

Whisker Salad

2 small cans mandarin oranges, drained

2 cups mini marshmallows

2 cups sweetened coconut

1 large can crushed pineapple, drained

1 16 oz. container sour cream

Mix the first four ingredients in a large bowl, fold in the sour cream, and serve.

24-Hour Cranberry Salad

1 12-ounce package of fresh cranberries

Half of a 10.5 oz bag of mini marshmallows

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup apple, chopped

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 large can pineapple chunks, drained

1 cup heavy cream

Pulse the cranberries in a food processor until they are pea-sized chunks. In a mixing bowl, stir cranberries together with the marshmallows and sugar, and chill over night. (Thus the "24-Hours.")

The next day, add the apples, nuts, and pineapple chunks and mix gently. In a small bowl, whip the heavy cream with an electric beater until peaks form, then carefully fold the whipped cream into the other ingredients.

Both recipes serve 8-10.

(From Finger Lakes Feast)

Finger Lakes Feast

I am very excited to officially announce that the cookbook my dad and I co-authored, along with my photographer brother, is available for purchase in stores and online. This cookbook was entirely a joint effort. The three of us combined our interests and talents and together made a product that none of us could have produced on our own. 

Finger Lakes Feast is what we call a storytelling cookbook. It is sprinkled with brilliant essays by my writer father on a multitude of topics, from local Upstate New York history and lore, to cheese and honey and flour production, to nature and agriculture, to the area's very best food artisans. They are really wonderful. 

Then there are recipes, of course, with beautiful images to accompany them. The dishes we feature were collected both from our own family recipe box as well as from the area's greatest chefs and restaurateurs and vineyard owners, who graciously provided us with their most divine recipes. They were all adapted for home cooks and cover a great range of flavors, with many of them featuring local, seasonal, fresh ingredients.

If you are interested in buying our book I would like to give you, my wonderful readers, an opportunity to have a signed copy of Finger Lakes Feast. Your best bet is to purchase the book on Amazon, which is selling the book for a price comparable to the author price. If you are indeed interested in an autographed copy please email me at kate.z.harvey@gmail.com and we can discuss the best way to do this. I have a few ideas.

Thank you so much in advance for reading and cooking along with us! I do hope you enjoy our book.