Winter-Time

(Sunday, Jan. 10) Where has winter been? Last night at midnight, I got a text from Jim and Dave -- on a truly balmy but drizzly January 9th, they were sitting on their porch enjoying a little Queen Anne...in their pipes! Who knew it would be so warm STILL? Usually Ohio is absolutely freezing about now.

This morning was a different story, and I guess it's finally time for winter. We woke up to windy, cold and snowy weather. I have to admit the big snowflakes drifting down and frosting the tree branches and yards are quite pretty. Thankfully, I did all of my errands yesterday, and now I have a big pot of (Dave's recipe) cassoulet in my crockpot. It smells divine.

But I digress. Back to Queen Anne. That's the name of the special tobacco that I bought Dave as a Winter Solstice gift for his trusty (but only-occasionally used) pipe! This year, there were nine of us that gathered at Merry Mount for our favorite evening -- the Winter Solstice celebration, and our kick-off to the holiday season!

Lee and Robert joined us (fresh from the White House!) and donned some pretty snazzy outfits.

Pat's theme this year was "...till time and times are done" and he had some pretty awesome readings for us (some composed especially for the event by him and Robert!).

And the outstanding, delectable, always-amazing menu from Rett included:

Champagne with assorted liqueurs and berries

Appetizers: assorted cheese board, bacon-wrapped dates, goat cheese

 and cranberry spread, and salted pecans (Vivi)

Mary Anne's famous salad

Rett's cabernet-braised short ribs with gorgonzola polenta and mixed herb gremolata

Halibut with clementine gremolata

Roasted carrots

Monticello rolls

Italian lemon marscapone layer cake (Dave)

A little wine!

The table was gorgeous! 

And just get a load of this dessert:

After dinner, a bit of jollyment (is that a word?) with all the guys. I'm not sure if they were singing or yelling. Goofballs.

 

For a special gift, Rett and I (at several of our friends' requests), made a cookbook filled with photos and recipes that we've shared as a group -- mostly at Merry Mount and at the cabin in Pennsylvania. I think everyone liked it!

 

Happy New Year! Here are a couple of readings that Pat put together for us each to read, and a recipe to enjoy!

Vivi's Time (by Loreena McKennitt)

When white-beaded frost hath threatened his worts,

And fallen from branch and brier,

Then time away calls from husbandry halls

And from the good countryman's fire,

Together to go to plough and to sow, 

To get us both food and array,

And thus with content the time we have spent

To drive the cold winter away.

Jim's Time: Healing Heart (by Robert Bode)
Here, time is moving
In quiet breathes and
in the long, slow turn of seasons.

Here, the pain of love's arrow,
Once scarlet,
Fades to memory.

Here, the sigh of tides
And fall's surrender into snow
Mark a white forgetting.

Here, layers of wonder
And the heart's gentle song
Callus out again
      into the morning
      into the light.


Recipe: Halibut with Clementine Gremolata:
Gremolata:
3 clementines
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 t. sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Fish:
1 clementine  
4 6-ounce halibut fillets  
Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
 

• Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) of clementines. Chop peel (reserve flesh for another use). Combine chopped clementine peel, chopped parsley, minced garlic, and sea salt in small bowl. Stir in extra-virgin olive oil and set gremolata aside. DO AHEAD Gremolata can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel of clementine in four 2-inch-long strips (orange part only). Cut four 12-inch squares parchment paper. Place halibut fillet in center of each parchment paper square. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle halibut lightly with olive oil. Place 1 clementine peel strip, cut side up, on each halibut fillet. Bring 2 edges of parchment paper together along long side of fish fillet and fold parchment edges together 3 to 4 times. Tuck both remaining edges of parchment underneath fillet to create packet and place parchment packet on rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining fish fillets. DO AHEAD Halibut packets can be made 4 hours ahead. Chill on rimmed baking sheet.

• Bake fish just until opaque in center, about 18 minutes (to check doneness, unwrap packet and insert fork in fillet). Remove rimmed baking sheet from oven. Unwrap fish. Place halibut fillets on plates, spoon gremolata over, and serve!

A Merry Anniversary

A group of us happily gathered last weekend to toast Rett and Pat's two-year milestone of being farmers at Merry Mount! 'Twas a beautiful weekend for such a lovely celebration amongst old friends. Following are some photos of the anniversary weekend...and my list of 24 (two years via months) things I love, love, love about the farm:

The absolute beauty of the "big sky" at Merry Mount -- be it pink sunrises, orange sunsets or a puffy-cloud afternoon.

Treasuring the same farm views during each glorious season.

Realizing that their move didn't mean losing good friends; it meant gaining a wonderful place to gather together.

The girl goats are pretty cute.

Rett's pure joy of Merry Mount in its entirety -- from her spacious pantry to her barn and garden!

Pat's joy of tinkering around the farm.

Oh, and memories of how much Rio enjoyed being a farm dog. And how she loved Jackpot! And yes, Jack WAS the farm dog!

Waking up early (as I do) to coffee on the sun porch. Added bonus when there's a candle already glowing. Super bonus: a brilliant sunrise.

Pat and Rett's joy and warmth at sharing their special place. And Rett saying: Oh, Vivi, this is what I've always wanted to do!

Hanging on the front porch w/ Jim's bloody Mary's and maybe the guys lighting up a fragrant pipe. 

Dinner al fresco under a full  moon. And yeah, the fabulous food whenever we gather at the farm, no matter the season!

Watching for meteors on the hammock (through our closed eyelids?)

Bourbon tasting on the patio at night

Gathering still-warm eggs from the ladies

Bocce ball tournament

The winter solstice celebrations

Fresh peas, fresh tomatoes, snapping green beans, digging potatoes, shelling peas.

Sunsets. 'Nuff said.

A bit of poetry in the morning, thanks to Pat.

Lots 'o laughter

Super moon which led to Piper!

Breakfasts -- always so good -- fresh eggs, bacon and tomato gravy! And Rett's biscuits!

You can do anything you want at Merry Mount

Knowing our friendship is forever!

 

And here are a few recipes from the weekend:

Rett’s Olive Cheese Balls

4  cups of finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups of flour

¾ c. butter

½ tsp. of cayenne pepper

½ tsp. of salt

Let butter and cheese softened and blend together.  Add rest of ingredients and mix well.  I mix this with my clean hands.   Pull of small portion of dough( a little less than a golf ball size) and wrap around a green olive and roll into a ball.  I like the bigger queens sized ones.  Place balls on a cookie sheet not touching.  Freeze.  When frozen, pop them off the sheet and put them in freezer bags.  This way you can bake as few or as many as you want at a time.   Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degree oven.   These are great with Bloody Mary’s or beer!!  

Hash Brown and Egg Brunch Casserole

4 Tbls. butter

½ medium onion , chopped

½ medium red pepper, chopped

½ medium green pepper, chopped

24 oz. bag of frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

8 eggs

½ cup of heavy cream

1(4oz.) can of diced green chilies

2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a deep 9” or 10” ovenproof skillet, melt butter and add onion and peppers and cook until onion is soft, bout 3 minutes.   Add potatoes and cook covered for about 5 minutes over medium heat.  Beat eggs and cream together.  Stir in green chilies, salt and pepper.  Pour evenly over potato mixture.  Sprinkle cheese over top.  Cover and bake for 10 minutes.  Uncover and continue baking for 15-18 minutes, until set in center.

Tomato Gravy

Fry bacon to get the drippings or use 2Tbls. of solid drippings.  Place in the bottom of a medium sized pan.  Cut up fresh tomatoes or use one can of diced tomatoes.  Stew until a little mushy.  Add 1 Tbls. butter.  Make a thin paste of about 2 Tbls. of flour and milk to make about 1 cup.  Get out all of the lumps!!  Slowly stir mixture into the tomatoes.  This will thicken.  Add more milk to the right thickness and it is a pinkish color.  Serve over hot biscuits!  Yum!

Piper Here!

Well hullo, there! I’m Piper and I’m waggingly-happy to be your FARM DOG guest blogger today. OK, so I’m not truly a farm dog every day but, heck, my peeps were raised as farm dogs (think Lassie) and I like to channel that rich heritage. Especially here at beautiful Merry Mount. And it was beautiful last weekend when my mom Vivi and I drove down to the farm to hang out with Rett and Pat, their dog Minnie (who, excuse my language, can sometimes be a little bitchy), some other friends and goats, chickens (yum!) and a curious little cat.

Boring start to the weekend because the grownups just wanted to talk and hug and talk some more and whip up stuff like blackberry-gin-mint cocktails and goat-cheese-and-sauteed-cherry dip. I say, where’s the beef?

 

We did get to take a walking tour of the property, though, and saw a HUGE garden that Rett has planted with tons of vegetables and herbs (can you grow bacon?), and her lovely rose garden that looks like a great place to maybe take an afternoon nap.

 

But whoa, what’s that SMELL? I usually like strong stinky stuff (even to roll in sometimes), but this billy-goat tops them all. He reeks! I think he’s trying to get a date with one of the pretty little girl goats. They like to tease him but by golly, I don’t think they’re ready for any deep relationship with Walt. He’s all a-flutter though and can’t stop yodeling and sticking his dang tongue out to try and get their attention. Whew-ee and P.U.

 

The chickens are pretty fun, especially in their moveable chicken wagon that Rett built. I say, a box of chicken is always fun! Preferably deep fried!

We sniffed flowers – lots of colorful flowers! Boy that Rett sure does have a green thumb. Everything looks so pretty at Merry Mount.

 

Especially the “big sky” down here. Mom took some neat photos.

The weather cooperated and everyone could, as they say, have dinner al fresco on the back patio. Well, by everyone I mean everyone but me and Minnie. The grownups had pork tenderloin with peach/mustard sauce, potatoes and roasted asparagus and a salad. Me? I had Earthborn Meadowfeast. Oh yeah, and their dessert was a white Russian sorbet. Now that sounded good! (I know mom liked it!)

Next morning I woke up early. Mornings at Merry Mount can be very pretty! We hung out w/ the animals and enjoyed the peacefulness

at the farm. And breakfast was served on the patio (Yes! There was bacon!)

Here are some recipes for you!

Appetizer: goat cheese with sautéed cherries and pistachios

8 oz soft goat cheese, room temp

1 cup fresh summer cherries, cut in half and pitted

1 T plus 2 t. olive oil

½ cup pistachios, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

1 t chopped fresh thyme

Mound the goat cheese in a pretty serving dish. Run the back of a spoon through the soft cheese, forming peaks and valleys.

Warm 1 T of the olive oil in a sauté pan; add cherries and sauté until fragrant and beginning to caramelize, about 5 min. Spoon warm cherries over and around the goat cheese. Sprinkle with pistachios and thyme. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Serve with crackers. (NOTE: Mom thought this would be even better with some finely diced jalepeno peppers for a little "heat"!)

White Russian Sorbet

3/4 cup of decaf espresso, brewed

1/3 cup sugar

single serving packet of decaf instant coffee

 1 T corn syrup

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup vodka

1/4 cup kahlua

1/2 cup nonfat milk

Add all to blender and blend. Refrigerate for several  hours. Whisk and process in ice cream maker!

May Day at Merry Mount

Piper and I headed to Merry Mount for our first May Day celebration at the little farm, a tradition that Pat and Rett hope grows and becomes a yearly event. You see, May Day holds special meaning at Merry Mount. Before they moved in, we had been brain-storming possible names for the estate, and Pat woke up the next morning with "Merry Mount" in mind. He knew it was a Nathanial Hawthorne short story. . . and sure enough, when he looked it up, the words seemed a perfect fit for their new adventure. Here's the first paragraph of the piece from 1836:

BRIGHT WERE days at Merry Mount, when the Maypole was the banner staff of that gay colony! They who reared it, should their banner be triumphant, were to pour sunshine over New England's rugged hills, and scatter flower seeds throughout the soil. Jollity and gloom were contending for an empire. Midsummer eve had come, bringing deep verdure to the forest, and roses in her lap, of a more vivid hue than the tender buds of Spring. But May, or her mirthful spirit, dwelt all the year round at Merry Mount, sporting with the Summer months, and revelling with Autumn, and basking in the glow of Winter's fireside. Through a world of toil and care she flitted with a dreamlike smile, and came hither to find a home among the lightsome hearts of Merry Mount.

And Pat and Rett are enjoying every moment at beautiful Merry Mount! Speaking of flowers, Rett now has more than 20 rose bushes planted in her rose garden! I'll post mid-summer photos showing the pretty blossoms in a few months!

It was a gorgeous day at the farm!

And a breath-taking sunset.

Piper seems to really like it here.

And Minnie is her cute and zippy self!

We said Hi to the chickens and sweet goats.

Did some farm chores.

Had a late afternoon toast in the yard.

And Piper and I had fun with our shadows!

We had a nice dinner together -- I brought the ingredients to experiment with something new -- Thai Chicken and Coconut Noodles.

And later I even talked Rett into playing Gin Rummy. You've heard of large-print books; well the only cards she could find were large-print cards! The three of us had fun and lo-and-behold, Rett won!

Another nice visit to Merry Mount -- hopefully the start of a May Day tradition!

Here's the recipe for the Thai Chicken and Coconut Noodles:

16 ounces rice vermicelli, uncooked

2 tablespoons olive oil

16 ounces chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

1 cup light coconut milk

¹⁄₄ cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 garlic cloves minced

¹⁄₂ teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¹⁄₂ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups baby portabella mushrooms, sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

5 scallions,, sliced

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

1 lime

¹⁄₂ cup toasted coconut

¹⁄₂ cup chopped fresh cilantro

6 hot Thai chiles, minced (optional)

Heat water for noodles and cook pasta 6-8 minutes or according to package directions.

Drain noodles, rinse under cool water and allow to drain; cut into smaller pieces if desired.

Meanwhile, toast coconut.

Using a whisk, mix together ingredients for sauce: coconut milk, sunflower butter, soy sauce, garlic, curry powder, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper.

Heat oil in large pan until almost smoking.

Add chicken and stir-fry until almost done and nicely browned.

Add bell pepper and cook 1-2 minutes.

Add mushrooms and cook until they are tender.

Add chopped scallions, basil, and the juice of the lime and cook briefly.

Stir in sauce mixture and allow to heat.

Add cooked noodles and chopped cilantro and toss until thoroughly coated.

Allow to heat through then remove from heat.

Serve garnished with toasted coconut and minced chiles.