A Visit to St. Louis July 24 2015

I’ve been in St. Louis, Missouri visiting my family this week. I would say St. Louis is most famous for the Gateway Arch and the Cardinals Baseball Team.  By now you should know, when I travel I typically look for the food highlights in the city I am visiting.  St. Louis does have a few food creations to call their own and I try to enjoy them every time I visit.

Frozen Custard – A visit home isn’t complete without a stop at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.  Ted Drewes started selling Frozen Custard 80 years ago but it wasn’t until 1959 that the concrete was invented.  The concrete is a shake with mix-ins, similar to a blizzard. It is so thick you can turn it upside down!  Ted Drewes frozen custard was definitely an inspiration for Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack.

Toasted Ravioli – Basically a meat or cheese ravioli that has been breaded and then baked or fried. You absolutely cannot go wrong with toasted ravioli.  With a crispy outside and warm filling, dip it in marinara sauce and you’re all set.

Barbecue – St. Louis Style Barbecue involves direct grilling and a large volume of their signature sweet, sticky tomato-based sauce.  Typically used on spare ribs but delicious on most other meat products.

Even with all of these delicious options, I still find myself staying in for my mother’s home cooking. In the summer, this includes a lot of tomatoes from her plants outside. I’m enjoying all of the fresh produce and time with my family.

Happy Friday,

Julie 

The San Francisco Treat July 10 2015

You may remember the jingle, Rice-a-Roni, a San Francisco Treat!. I was in San Francisco last weekend and am happy to report the food scene has moved well beyond rice packets.  In fact, San Francisco may just be my number two food city, behind New York City of course!

I had the pleasure of dining at Saison, where Chef Joshua Skenes is doing something amazing with food.  Our table was a front row seat looking in to the pristine kitchen.  The highlights of the meal for me were a battle creek trout complete with its roe and crispy skin, and a beet from their farm which had been cooked over the open fire. It tasted just like barbecue. A meal at Saison is definitely a splurge, but well worth it. The attention to detail is above and beyond and  they do not miss a beat.

The other food highlight of my visit to San Francisco was a visit to the Ferry Building.  The Ferry Building is home to the local Farmer’s Market three days a week and also has food stalls from many local food artisans.  It is a great place to go to see what is up and coming in the food scene. California has a great climate for farming and artisans who care a lot about how their products are made.  The Ferry Building Marketplace is a perfect way to showcase these products to the rest of the world.  We did our best to taste a bit from everyone and made a fantastic picnic. We had coffee from Blue Bottle, cheese from Cowgirl Creamery, bread baked fresh from Acme Bread Company, chocolate from Dandelion Chocolate and fresh cherries and tomatoes from the Farmer’s Market. That made for a feast!

This trip out west has become an annual tradition for my family. I look forward to visiting San Francisco again next summer or perhaps sooner!

Happy Friday,

Julie

A Lesson From My Dad June 19 2015

It is Father’s Day this weekend and that got me thinking about the ways my Dad has influenced me.

One thing I definitely learned from my dad is how to love food! My dad loves food and at his house nothing gets wasted.  I remember taking a picture on a family vacation of him throwing away some leftovers. I guess they weren’t going to get eaten and there was no way to bring them home. My dad not only likes to eat good food but he also likes to cook. I love cooking with my dad because he is very creative in the kitchen, like I am.  He’ll use a recipe as a guide and then likes to experiment with the ingredients.  He often says things like “I’ve been thinking about making a sauce for our duck using rhubarb but I want to make it spicy.” or "What do you think about adding cheese to these potatoes?" We did make that rhubarb sauce for our duck and added some fresh jalapeños to make it spicy. It was delicious!

When I am looking for new products for the marketplace I often think about how my dad would use something.  It guides me to products that are easy for people to enjoy. All of our products are great straight out of the jar, bottle or box but a lot of them are even better as part of a recipe.  I’ll keep experimenting with the collection and pass along my winning recipes to all of you.

Thank you Dad for passing along your love of food and for your inspiration to experiment in  the kitchen!

To all of the wonderful Dad’s out there, Happy Father’s Day! Enjoy this day all about you.

Happy Friday,

Julie

Pickles for your Holiday weekend Barbecue May 22 2015

Wow, I cannot believe it is already Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start to summer.  It is time to start thinking about backyard barbecues, pool parties and picnics in the park.  With that in mind, we are pleased to announce the addition of Rick’s Picks to the marketplace at Julie’s Beet. 

Rick Field, founder and CEO of Rick’s Picks, started pickling at a young age making traditional pickles with his family in Vermont.  Fast forward to the present and Rick is making a variety of pickles both traditional and unique new flavors.  Rick brings innovation to a category that hasn’t seen change for a long time.  All of the pickles are made of in season ingredients from local farmers. 

Phat Beets – Aromatic Pickled Beets:  We couldn’t pass up adding a beet product to our marketplace and these beets are delicious.  They are sweet and tart with ginger and rosemary.  Impress your friends this weekend by placing these slices on top of crusty bread and soft goat cheese.

Mean Beans – Spicy Green Bean Pickles: Some like it hot and these beans are perfect for that. Cayenne and fresh dill make sure these beans have a lot of flavor. Try adding one to your Bloody Mary or wrap with salami for a quick, delicious addition to your picnic.

Hotties- Spicy Sriracha Habanero Pickles:  These pickle chips are packed with a punch.  They make a great addition to your burger. Don’t forget to have a beer close by, the heat may take you by surprise.

K.O. Pickles – Kosher Organic Dill Pickles: A new addition to the Rick’s Picks family and ours as well.  These traditional dill pickles are certified Kosher and Organic.  On top of that they are really delicious. We recommend you put a jar out on the buffet table this weekend. You will not be disappointed.

Smokra – Pickled Paprika Okra: I have never been a fan of okra, but these pickles are helping to change that.  The perfect balance of tang, zest & spice make this okra out of this world.  Another great addition to your Bloody Mary or after you’ve eaten all of the okra, use the brine to marinate your brisket.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Happy Friday,

Julie

A Mother's Day Afternoon Tea fit for Royalty May 01 2015 1 Comment

It is almost Mother’s Day and I am sure you are trying to think of something original and unique to give to your mother.  As a mother, celebrating my second Mother’s Day, I am able to tell you with confidence all your Mom really wants is to be treated like a queen for the day and to spend some quality time with her family. 

Treat your mother like a real queen with a traditional English Afternoon Tea.  You can serve this menu anytime of the day to make your mom feel like royalty.

The recipes you need are below.

Don’t forget flowers and a card that says ‘I Love You Mom!’

Place your orders for all of these great products before May 3^rd to guarantee delivery by Mother’s Day.  Don’t forget to use code SHIP4MOM for free shipping.

Happy Friday,

Julie

Plain Scones – From The Bouchon Bakery Cookbook

Makes 12 Scones

Ingredients

1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 ¼ cups +2 tablespoons cake flour

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup + 3 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar

8 ounces unsalted butter, cold, cut into ¼ inch pieces

½ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons Heavy cream

½ cup + 2 tablespoons crème fraiche

1 teaspoon large-crystal sparkling sugar

Method

-Place the all-purpose flour in the bowl of a stand mixer and sift in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and granulated sugar.  Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest setting for about 15 seconds to combine.

-Stop the mixer, add the butter, and, on the lowest setting (to keep the flour from flying out of the bowl), pulse to begin incorporating the butter.  Increase the speed to low and mix for about 3 minutes to break up the butter and incorporate it into the dry mixture.  If any large pieces of butter remain, stop the mixer, break them by hand, and mix just until incorporated.

-With the mixer running, slowly pour in the cream. Add the crème fraiche and mix for about 30 seconds, until all of the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough comes together around the paddle. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle and pulse again to combine.

-Mound the dough on the work surface, and, using the heel of your hand or a pastry scraper, push it together.  Place the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap, and, using your hands, press it into a 6-by-9 inch block smoothing the top.  Press the sides of your hands against the sides of the dough to straighten them.  Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until firm.

-Line a sheet pan with a Silpat or parchment paper. Using a chef’s knife, cut the block of dough lengthwise into thirds and then crosswise in half.  Cut each rectangle in half on the diagonal to make a total of 12 triangles.  Arrange them on the prepared sheet pan, leaving space between them.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid, at least 2 hours but preferably overnight. (The scones can remain in the freezer for up to one month.)

-Preheat the oven to 325°F (convection) or 350°F (standard).  Line a sheet pan with a Silpat or parchment paper.

-Arrange the frozen scones 1 inch apart on the sheet pan and brush the tops with cream.  Sprinkle the top of each scone with a generous pinch of sparkling sugar.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in a convection oven, 25 to 28 minutes in a standard oven, until golden brown. Set the sheet on a cooling rack and let cool completely.

The scones are best the day they are baked but can be stored in a covered container for one day.

Serve with your favorite Gus & Grey Jam.

Cucumber & Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 English Cucumber

8 oz soft Cream Cheese

8 Slices white bread

FIVE Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

-Slice English cucumber into 1/8 inch thick slices

-Spread one side of each piece of bread with soft cream cheese

-Layer slices of cucumber on top of cream cheese on 4 slices of bread

-Drizzle FIVE Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the top of the cucumbers

-Top with 4 remaining slices of bread

-Trim edges off the bread and cut each sandwich in to 4 pieces

Tomato & Mozzarella Cheese Tea Sandwiches

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 Roma Tomatoes, sliced thin

8 slices Mozzarella Cheese

8 Slices White Bread

FIVE Estate Balsamic Vinegar

Method

-place sliced tomatoes on a paper towel to absorb some of the liquid

-Layer 1 slice of Mozzarella Cheese each on 4 slices of bread

-Top with a layer of sliced tomatoes

-Drizzle FIVE Estate Balsamic Vinegar over the top of the tomatoes

-Top with 4 remaining slices of Mozzarella cheese and 4 remaining slices of bread

-Trim edges off the bread and cut each sandwich in to 4 pieces

Egg Salad with Izak N. 37 from La Boîte

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

4 eggs, hard boiled

½ cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1 Tablespoon Izak N. 37

Salt to taste

8 Slices White Bread

Method

-peel and chop hard boiled eggs

-Mix eggs with mayonnaise, Dijon Mustard, Izak N. 37

-Add salt to taste

-Layer ¼ of egg salad mixture on each of 4 slices of bread

-Top with 4 remaining slices of bread

-Trim edges off the bread and cut each sandwich in to 4 pieces

Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcake liners

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup orange juice, without pulp

½ cup canola or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup boiling water

½ cup pieces Rococo Chocolates Sea Salt Milk (or Dark) chocolate bar

Method

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pan with pan liners.

-In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Add the orange juice, oil, vanilla and eggs. Mix for 2 minutes, until everything is thoroughly combined.

-Add the boiling water in 3 parts, gently mixing it in with a spatula or wooden spoon. If you are using an electric mixer be careful, the water splatters.

-Add the Sea Salt Milk Chocolate Pieces after the water is fully incorporated in to the batter.

-Pour in to prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer on to a rack to cool to room temperature.

-Once cool can be stored in plastic at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Sugar Cookies

Makes approximately 20 cookies

Ingredients

½ cup margarine or butter

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 ¼ cup flour

Method

-Preheat oven to 400°F

-In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

-Add baking powder and flour one cup at a time, mixing after each addition.  The dough will be very stiff. It may be necessary to blend the last of the flour by hand. Do not chill the dough!

-Divide the dough in to 2 balls. On a floured surface roll each ball in to a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Dough should be 1/8 inch thick.

-Dip heart shaped cookie cutter (or whatever shape you choose) in flour before each use.  Pick up dough around cut cookies.  Place cookie onto ungreased cookie sheet using a spatula dipped in flour.

-Bake on top rack of oven for 6-7 minutes or until cookies are light brown. Remove cookies immediately from cookie sheet after taking out of the oven.

How to Throw a Party for 60 April 10 2015

This week we celebrated the first birthday of my son Hamilton.  As he is my first child, I couldn’t let this occasion go by un-celebrated.  Since our immediate family who live locally includes 25 people, we decided to go for it and invite our friends as well.  To our surprise, everyone responded YES, so we had a big party on our hands. There were 60 guests, 35 adults and 25 children to be exact.

With my background in cooking and event management, the party came together well.  Here is a guideline of how we were able to get everything accomplished and also enjoy the party.

THE MENU

Baguette Sandwiches – Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese, Grilled Vegetables & Goat cheese

Frittatas – Asparagus, Mushroom & Parmesan Cheese, Plain

Tea Sandwiches – Cheese, Cucumber and Cream Cheese

Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Pasta Salad

Fruit Salad

Chocolate Cupcakes

Banana Cake & Smash Cake

Sparkling Wine, Sparkling Water, Juice, Soda, Water

THE PLAN

Four Weeks Ahead

Send out invitations – We used evite to make this easier.  My grandparents who are in their 80’s and 90’s were able to figure it out, so this is definitely user friendly!

Three Weeks Ahead

Order all non-perishable items – You don’t want to be running around finding these items right before the party.  And you definitely don’t want to pay for express shipping.  Crossing this off my list early, allowed me to focus on other to-do’s closer to the party. This included paper cups, plates & napkins as well as plastic cutlery.  I also ordered plastic table coverings, balloons, party favors and the decorations. We had a bubble themed party so the favors were bubble solution and bubble gum. I ordered some extra bubble gum to have out during the party.

Two Weeks Ahead

Confirm guest count

Put together party favors – When entertaining a big group, it is important to plan ahead.  The favors can be made weeks in advance (unless it is something perishable) and will save you a last minute headache at party time.

Make a prep list – The prep list (a to-do list) is something I’ve used since my days of working in a kitchen. It is a list of everything that needs to get done. By looking at each project (item on the list) I was able to prioritize and also make a plan of what could happen ahead of time.

One Week Ahead

Purchase the food - Make that trip to the supermarket or order online or both. Since my son was born, I have learned to love the convenience of grocery delivery.  The only downside is that sometimes you get potatoes instead of eggplant or they forget to deliver something entirely.  I had my groceries delivered 4 days before the party to be safe.  I still made trips to the grocery store three times after that, but it was nice to have the bulk of everything delivered.

I also ordered the baguettes for the sandwiches about a week ahead. This way I could relax on party day and not stress about getting to the bakery early so they would have what I wanted.

Three Days Ahead

Cook Pasta for Pasta salad, prep vegetables

Prep scones and put in freezer, I used the recipe from the Bouchon Bakery Cookbook which has you freeze the dough ahead of baking!

Two Days Ahead

Bake Cupcakes

Bake Cake

Cook Vegetables

One Day Ahead

Make Fruit Salad

Make Frittatas

Frost & Decorate Cupcakes

Pick up smoked salmon

Get out all platters and serving utensils needed

Set up the bar

Chill beverages (it was cool enough on party day that we were able to chill the beverages outside!)

Set out tablecloths and decorations

Party Day

Pick up Bread & ice

Prepare sandwiches

Bake Scones

Set out Food & Beverages

Enjoy!

During the party I was able to mingle with my guests and spend time with my son. It was nice to have a few close friends offer to help and I took them up on their offers.  People want to be included so don’t say NO to help. I wouldn’t ask someone to do my dishes or take out the trash, but cutting the cake and setting out the favors are definitely within reason.

Happy First Birthday Hamilton!  Hopefully in one year, I’ll be celebrating the first anniversary of Julie’s Beet.With this guide, I’ll be able to put the party together in no time!

Happy Friday,

Julie

Spring is in the Air April 03 2015

Wow, I cannot believe it is already April. I saw some flowers poking through in Central Park when I went running this week, a sure sign that warmer weather and spring is on the way. This weekend includes Good Friday, Easter and the beginning of Passover, another sign that spring is here.

Every holiday has its own traditions and for me those traditions usually involve food and family.  On Passover we eat a lot of Matzah(unleavened bread) a very blah food!  I’m always looking for creative ways to make it taste better. This year, I’ll be spreading some jam from Gus and Grey on my Matzah! At the Passover Seder we eat a lot of other foods (thank goodness!) and we get to drink four glasses of wine (that makes the end of the meal very interesting).   Now that I am cooking for my family, I try to improve on the recipes prepared by mother & grandmother.  I know I’ll be using Ayala N.16 from La Bôite on my roast beef and organic dark chocolate from Rococo Chocolates in my Passover Cake.   I am sure everyone will love the updates to our traditional recipes. Maybe it will become a tradition to update the recipes each year?

The best part about holidays is knowing I’ll be with my family and friends.  I wish you a very happy holiday weekend. I hope you enjoy the company of good friends, family and delicious food.

Happy Friday,

Julie

Happy 32nd Birthday Rococo Chocolates March 13 2015

This week Rococo Chocolates celebrated their 32^nd birthday. To celebrate, I’d like to tell you a bit about Rococo Chocolates and their history.

Rococo Chocolates was founded in 1983 by Chantal Coady.  She opened her first shop on the Kings Road in London and there is still a shop at that location today.  Chantal has been very innovative in the way she sees chocolate and has been passing this along to her customers from the very beginning.  In 2014, Chantal was recognized for her service to the chocolate industry, receiving an OBE (Order of the British Empire) as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honors.

‘Pleasure and Provenance’ is how Rococo continues to be the top chocolatier in the UK.  They use organic products whenever possible and never forget why they are making these chocolate treats.  While the chocolate is divine, the packaging is also strikingly beautiful.  The designs are all handled by Chantal Coady who is still very involved with the business as the Creative Director.  Her artistic vision and sophisticated palette have allowed the company to grow and expand over the past 32 years.

Rococo Chocolates now has four shops in the UK, three in central London and one in the Chester Grosvenor Hotel.  I had the pleasure of working at the Rococo Chocolates in Belgravia, London, running their Chocolate School. It was as much fun as it sounds.  There I was introduced to the delicious chocolate piece by piece.  My favorite flavor is the Sea Salt Milk Chocolate.  It is like nothing you have ever tasted… sweet, almost caramel flavored milk chocolate with just the right amount of salt to awaken your taste buds. The entire Artisan and Bee Bar Collections are a story in their own.  I will have to save that for another post.

Hopefully, your mouth is watering and wanting to know more about Rococo Chocolates.  We are proud to feature some of their collection in our marketplace. I hope you will enjoy exploring the different chocolates as much as I did.

Happy Friday,

Julie

Happy Chinese New Year, the Year of the Goat! February 20 2015

Yesterday we celebrated the Chinese New Year, welcoming the Year of the Goat and saying good-bye to the Year of the Horse.  While I am not Chinese, it was interesting to learn of the assortment of superstitions associated with the Chinese Zodiac.  As it turns out, I was born in a Goat Year and therefore need to be especially careful in the year to come.  It was fun to learn about the characteristics of Goats and see how I compared to their stereotype.

According to the legend, Goats tend to be calm & gentle with strong creativity and perseverance. We tend to enjoy the company of others and prefer to be in groups.  As I look to the year ahead and the launch of Julie’s Beet, I hope to stay true to these characteristics.  I intend to use my creativity to keep the products and information presented exciting and inspiring.  I hope to stay calm as I take a big leap forward, opening my own business.  I also look forward to meeting new people and making new relationships with our artisans.  I hope to grow my network and maintain strong relationships with my supporters.

While there weren’t any fireworks in my New Year’s celebration, I did receive an added spark.  It is just the motivation I need to keep this project moving forward and make my dream a reality.

Happy Friday,

Julie

A Fast Start to 2015 February 13 2015

Wow, it seems like it was just yesterday that I was ringing in the New Year.  Maybe that is because it has been a very busy start to 2015.  Last year I became a mother and quickly learned life gets much busier when there is a child involved.

The year started off with our annual New Year’s Eve party with friends.  My husband and I decided to modify the party this year and include the children. No one seemed to mind the early start to the festivities and I definitely did not mind getting to bed at 12:01. My son, my daily alarm clock, hasn’t learned about sleeping in yet.  January seems to have flown by after that and here we are in the middle of February.

The really exciting part of 2015 is getting Julie’s Beet up and running.  I have been dreaming about having my own business since college really. I guess that is why I chose Mathematics and Business as my major.  I really started working on the business  when I left my full time job in June 2011.  A change of plans, including a move abroad, delayed that realization for a few years.

I moved back to New York in January 2014 and have been working on Julie’s Beet since.  The goal of the site is to create a marketplace sharing products I love and know you will too.  These products are the labor of love of the artisans who create them and are sure to find a place in your heart, your kitchen and your tummy.  With Valentine’s Day tomorrow, it could not be a more appropriate time to think about the people and the foods we love. I’ll be cooking some of my husband’s favorite dishes for our romantic dinner!

I look forward to introducing you to the fantastic collection of artisans we will feature on Julie’s Beet and telling you each of their stories.  I hope you will join me in this exciting adventure of food, friends & love.

Happy Friday,

Julie