Double Duty
November 17, 2012
Thanksgiving dinner. The plates are barely cleared and the Christmas decorations are already being hung. That said, my suggestion for an effectively decorated Thanksgiving table are well thought out to provide not only the right look but shift into double duty in the following few days. Here I’ve started with a study in brown and white. Shapley Bosc pears with their rusty sueded skins… an assortment of walnuts, hazelnuts and brazil nuts providing their varied shades and texture and oak leaves and pinecones scavenged in the yard round out a simplequietmodern fall story. Perfect whether you’re dining in the afternoon or later into the evening with the addition of some candlelight… a couple of handfuls for a table of four or a couple of arm loads to deck out a larger table for 12 or more…this look is very accommodating. Then as the weekend progresses, the nuts are for snacking when set around in bowls with a conveniently placed nutcracker and the pears can be poached or roasted and served up with gingerbread for an additional sweet treat…while you’re… umm…setting up the tree?
I don’t love brunch…
November 11, 2012
but I love the idea of serving a modern Salade Lyonnaise for breakfast or even whipping up a batch of pancakes for dinner. Also known as Frisee with lardon and poached egg is where we’re going to start. Frisee, which runs neck and neck with my other green fave~ Arugula~ is the bitter green of choice. For a single serving you’ll need 1/2 bunch of Frisee washed and torn, a slice of hearty artisan bread grilled or toasted and rubbed lightly with a clove of garlic, a slice or two of crisp thick cut bacon ( from the Whole Foods meat counter preferably), a poached egg and a splash of warmed Maple Vinaigrette. To present, plate the grilled bread, top with the frisee that had been tossed with the Maple Vinaigrette, next the poached egg and finish with the placement of your bacon, coarse salt and ground pepper to your taste. Done and done. How easy was that? Add a bowl of clementines or pears and a pot of coffee and you might just want to entertain friends with this, eh?
The Maple Vinaigrette is simple: 2 Tablespoons General Use Olive Oil, 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar, 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup ( Dark amber Grade B preferred). Whisk it up…that’s it.
Before you decide…
October 30, 2012
what you’ll be serving this with you’ll have pecked away at the whole bowl full. Really, it’s that simple and it’s that good….hot or at room temperature. Toss the cauliflower florets with a drizzle of general use olive oil and a little s & p . Place on a foil lined baking tray and roast at 450 degrees for approximately 25 minutes or until the florets are tender and golden. I usually give them a quick toss about halfway through. That’s it, dig in. If you have an extra five minutes you might try a quick light sauce of butter, garlic and capers…it’s a Martha touch so how bad could it be? And capers? You may never eat cauliflower any other way again. 
There’s no getting around it
October 21, 2012
The Fall Clean Up. In order to get the maximum beauty and enjoyment from your outdoor environment next year you have to extend a little effort now. Turn that afternoon of raking and picking up fallen twigs and debris into a little creative exercise. If you need to adjust things…remove a tree or overgrown shrub, come up with an effective plan to keep the deer from tearing the place up or plant some new tulip variety to usher in next spring… take the opportunity to make those adjustments or additions now. If everything seems to be in good order why not give some thought to your holiday decorations. A bit of well spent time now will make the whole process much simpler once the holidays kick into gear. Need a little incentive? How about whipping up a sample batch of this Boiled Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail by Lillie at Butter Me Up Brooklyn…just a smart little something to add to the special blend of sights, smells and tastes that are Fall.
http://buttermeupbrooklyn.com/2012/10/boiled-apple-cider-syrup-bourbon-cocktail/#more-4166
It’s not too early
October 15, 2012
to get those holiday plans committed to paper. Lists for invitations, cards to be sent, ingredients to be purchased or projects around the house to complete…it’s all easier to accomplish once you have committed it to paper. That makes it real, do-able…and you have a punch list to strike off as each task is complete. By the time December 1st comes you’ll be so far ahead of the game you can easily roll with the punches of a changed plan, or relax with a smart cocktail as you await the magic. 
Easy as (or easier than) Pie!
October 8, 2012
When you have a craving for something like…pie, or a crisp, or a cobbler, but need it quick or are limited to only a few pieces of fruit on the counter, you have to get creative. With the late summer stone fruits everywhere, this dish works equally well with all of them, peaches, nectarines, plums…try them all. Today I had only two lonely nectarines and a taste for something comfortable. So I simply split them, lined them in a glass baking dish, sprinkled each with a little cinnamon, a squeeze of lemon juice, a good pinch of brown sugar. Then a quick crumble ( by hand, don’t pull out that processor) of a couple graham crackers and a drizzle of 1 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter. Pop them into a preheated 325 oven for 20 mins or so….the topping should be golden and the fruit tender when tested with the tip of a knife. That’s it! Simple, quiet and done! Eat them warm with a scoop of ice cream or room temp on their own.
The new BLT
October 6, 2012
Bacon Arugula & Tomato…what could be wrong with that? It’s simple, it has bacon and it has Arugula! The best possible ingredients are key. Take advantage of the abundance of heirloom tomatoes that are showing up on your desk or doorstep, treat yourself to some Whole Foods thick sliced bacon from the meat counter and switch out the lettuce for a handful of organic baby Arugula. Stack it up on a nice chunk of Ciabatta, add a touch of mayo and a pinch of coarse salt and ground pepper and you are done, done and done. A glass of Prosecco… ( or even cider) and well, you’ve got the perfect Sunday lunch… or a great reward for raking the yard.
It’s not orange,
September 30, 2012
but it still says Fall to me. For years I have opted for a Hubbard squash as a fall season decorative object. They are large in scale so you can easily get by with one and make a statement, and, they are interesting…really… the color, the texture, the matte finish… they present themselves more like an elegant clay sculpture than vegetation. You can’t go wrong with them grouped with your planted containers at the front door or set in the middle of your dining room table with the addition of some fruit, like these chartreuse Gingergold apples. A beautiful way to usher in Autumn…the fact that it will also end up as dinner, well, that’s just added value.
And,there was light…
September 27, 2012
and another light and another..and yes…another. While I can appreciate the trend of multiple pendants over a kitchen work surface I have to wonder how these trends continue. Sure, the repetition can be pleasing to the eye,but fixtures that are hung this low over your prep area are only workable if your kitchen posts a warning, ” Must be under 5 feet tall to work at this counter”. I love most everything about this kitchen; the simplicity, the material and finish selections, the 1955 Arne Jacobsen stools in warm tan belting leather and the restraint in accessories. At 6’4″ I would, however, have to make a change and replace the assembled drops with something like my simplequietmodern staple; the white porcelain socket. Add the bulb of your choice and you will have provided adequate illumination of quiet style without the obvious obstruction. What a great space to pull up a stool, pour yourself a cup and check some e-mail…or….do I smell pie?
http://charmingtrinity.com/2012/08/page/2/
http://hivemodern.com/pages/product1634/fritz-hansen-series-7-stool
Summer, looking back
September 21, 2012
OK, now it’s official…the solstice is upon us and we are moving into Fall. I tried to stretch this summer out as long as I could , so that I could enjoy more simple pleasures and not forget some special simple moments. As I look back I am grateful for each juicy bite, each bright ray, each conversation, each quiet walk, each project…each gentle nudge and nuzzle. I will welcome Fall differently now…more simply, more quietly. Let’s see what it brings.
simplequietmodern 