 My dear friend from graduate school, January LaVoy, just opened her luminous performance in Arthur Kopit's Wings, off-Broadway at the Second Stage Theater this past weekend. When I had the chance to see the show, I thought, "Anyone can bring flowers...I'll lug down a just-picked squash from our garden." I mean, who wouldn't want to be greeted with that in the lobby??? (and have to deal with it on the subway home?)  This particular winter squash is an heirloom variety, called Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato Squash. I bought these seeds specifically because it was described by Seed Savers' Exchange as their "favorite two-serving baking squash". I envisioned romantic squash dates all winter long. It is pale orange like a butternut, but tear-shaped and ribbed like an acorn. It has a creamy, golden flesh, that works in recipes for either variety. So, as promised, here is a recipe of something to do with said squash, especially for our big star. And Wings runs through November 21st. If you are in NYC, don't miss this one.
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Though apples are excellent long-keepers, and will be around for months at the markets, they never taste better to me than right now--sun still warm in the sky, "transition" jacket getting pulled out of the closet, leaves crunching beneath my feet, and halloween fast approaching.
 Grab a few extra apples at the farmers' market this week, and try this salad I posted in the early spring. Pea shoots might still be available, but if not, late season salad greens, particularly arugula, would be a great addition. Pea Shoot, Celeriac, Apple and Hazelnut Salad | ||||||||||||||||
As a follow-up to my previous post about all things salad dressings, here is a recipe for another rock-star of a vinaigrette, following the same formula: 1 part acid + 3 parts oil + seasonings and flavoring ingredients.
This is dynamite tossed with fresh blanched local beans, perhaps adding soba noodles for downright craveable homemade sesame noodles. But it is also wonderful as a marinade for grilled chicken, beef, or pork, with the acid of the vinegar bringing the added bonus of a great meat tenderizer.  SESAME GINGER VINAIGRETTE RECIPE By Catie Makes approximately ¼ cup Rice Vinegar, 1 TBS Garlic, ½ clove, crushed and finely chopped Fresh Ginger, ½ tsp, grated Toasted Sesame Oil, 3 TBS Salt, to taste Combine the vinegar, garlic and ginger in a bowl, and allow to sit for 10 minutes, to infuse the vinegar with the flavor of the garlic and ginger. Then, while whisking constantly, pour the sesame oil into the bowl in a slow, thin stream. Taste, and adjust salt. Serve as a dressing for a green salad, tossed with cooked vegetables (green beans, broccoli, carrots, sautéed greens) or as a marinade for grilled meats. SESAME GREEN BEANS RECIPE Blanch green beans, by cooking in a pot of boiling, heavily salted, water for a few minutes, until crisp-tender. Immediately remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to shock to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry. Toss with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette and toasted sesame seeds. Can combine with noodles, like Japanese buckwheat Soba noodles, for a more substantial dish. Top with slivered scallions and toasted sesame seeds. | ||||||||||||||||
 Just about four years ago, Mark Bittman wrote a great piece in the New York Times; A Well-Dressed Salad Wears Only Homemade, and it got me thinkin'. Why did salad dressings feel like such a mystery? Why is there usually a huge amount of grocery store real estate devoted to them? Why are they so darn expensive? A recent peek at dressings in my grocery store upstate, showed even the cheapest dressings at around $2.50 for an 8 oz bottle, jumping to $3.59 a bottle for something just slightly more natural. That's $40-57 a gallon--compare that to something like the price at the pump, and it feels like complete lunacy. The other glaring issue I noticed was that sugar, often in the form of high fructose corn syrup, and WATER, frequently make up two of the first three ingredients. Again, lunacy.  A few weeks ago I did a cooking demonstration at a local harvest festival. Showcasing the gorgeous local produce (supplied by Beaver Dam Brook Farm in Ferndale, NY), I did a brief primer on dressings and vinaigrettes. As I was myself when I first started cooking, many of the audience members at my cooking demos were surprised at how fast and simple it was to make a vinaigrette. And so much less expensive while eliminating chemicals, emulsifiers, and that big dose of unnecessary sugar. It seemed crazy that there we were, at a huge farmers' market, a group of people devoted to buying the freshest, least traveled, produce, and yet were not thinking much about then topping that produce with something that was possibly over a year old (when purchased, not to mention the time it has sat on that narrow shelf on the door of your refrigerator), gooey, syrupy, and most likely swimming with ingredients from a factory and not a farm.So here's the basic formula: 1 part acid + about 3 parts oil + seasonings and flavoring agents Put the acid in a bowl with the seasonings and flavoring ingredients, if using. If you have time, allow that to sit for 5-10 minutes to better infuse the vinegar. Then while whisking continually, pour the oil into the acid, in a slow, steady stream. The mixture will begin to come together and emulsify. You can also do the same, a bit quicker, with a fork for a "broken" vinaigrette. Or make things very easy and put it in a blender, instead of a bowl, in the same order, streaming the oil in the top while the blade is going. This works particularly well if adding fruit or vegetables for flavor. Most commonly, extra virgin olive oil is used, but gorgeously flavored hazelnut, walnut, pumpkin seed, and avocado oils are also becoming widely available. The acid can be lemon juice, lime juice, vinegars (balsamic, white or red wine, sherry, rice, cider) or a combination. Season with salt and pepper, and flavor with shallot, garlic, mustard, pureed fruit or juice, honey, pureed roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, dried herbs, or ground spices. One of my favorites is a three-ingredient vinaigrette of lemon juice, sea salt, and hazelnut oil over a green salad with roasted beets. Experiment with some of these combinations: olive oil + white wine vinegar + dijon mustard (just a dab), minced shallots and garlic (a classic) grapeseed oil + rice vinegar + fresh mango (pureed in a blender), season with salt and pepper to taste olive oil + sherry vinegar + roasted red peppers (again season and puree in a blender) walnut oil + white wine vinegar + roasted fennel and roasted garlic olive oil + lime juice + honey and ground cumin or this Roasted Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette, I posted recently. The formula is simple, it's not rocket science, you can hardly go wrong, and the options are so much more rewarding than the same-old same-old you'll find on the dusty eye-level shelf at your store. Do yourself a huge favor, work this into your life. Experiment, taste, and experiment some more. Tonight. | ||||||||||||||||
 Last winter I took a phenomenal six session course on food blogging at the International Culinary Center, which is the parent organization that also houses the French Culinary Institute, where I got my culinary degree. The course is taught by pioneer food blogger, Steven Shaw, who in addition to author and James Beard Award-winning food critic, is the founder of the outrageously successful food mega-blog/literary journal/online community eGullet.org. This man knows his stuff.The course far exceeded my expectations in every regard. It is set up beautifully, with constant communication from Steven, and you will be up and running with your own blog in a matter of days. You are masterfully navigated through the mechanics, ethics, branding, and marketability of the over-saturated blogosphere, with even food photography and design covered. Steven has also made good on his promise of a "lifetime membership" of access to him long after the course is over. An invaluable resource. The next session starts on November 1st. If this is something you have thought about, I can't recommend it enough. It will put you far ahead of the game, with treasured advice stemming from years of experience, and will be exactly the kick in the pants you need to get that idea from head to keyboard. Other bloggers, and their blogs, that started with Steven: What Would Cathy Eat: Heart-Healthy Food with Attitude. Reubenography: Exploring the jewish deli through it's bastard son. A Thirsty Spirit Hungry Sofia Lickin' It: A badass ice cream blog. [caption id="attachment_732" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Food photography workshop with guest speaker, Melissa Hom, food photographer for New York Magazine."]  [/caption] | ||||||||||||||||
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Catie Baumer Schwalb is a chef, food writer and photographer, who splits her life between the city and the country. Not too long ago Catie was a New York City based actress and playwright for more than a decade. She has her Master of Fine Arts from the National Theater Conservatory, and her Grand Diplôme in classic culinary arts from the French Culinary Institute in New York City.
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