Biodynamic wines, the design walk & other reasons to love it here

What did I do on tax day? I went to a free wine tasting, of course. Our pals at EVO in Park Circle hosted a wine tasting with Mendocino Farms, a biodynamic winery in Mendocino, California. Steve Ryan, the biodynamic expert on the team, was pouring some fantastic red and was also a very interesting fellow. A little bit of what biodynamic means: Basically, it's method of organic farms that views the farm itself as an independent organism. Biodynamism, did I just make up a word? Well, it's all about balance between the soil, plants and animals. There are no artificial chemicals used. It's very organic, so we're talking manure. We're talking compost. All the better for yummy wine, my pretty!

In other news, if you're out and about tomorrow night, you should join us for the Spring Design Walk on Upper King. The shopping is EXCELLENT and plus, you'll be right by Fish where it will be Mercy of the Chef Thursday. Do you remember? 3 courses, 3 wine pairings, $40 per person, all Chef's choice. You KNOW you love it when Nico bosses you. Actually, the Mercy of the Chef has attracted QUITE the cult following. If you haven't been, you should definitely check it out. And, of course, check out all of our neighbors. I personally can't stay OUT of B'Zar or Lesesne. T-shirts and letterpress paper? I can't hold back.

P.S. If you need to see us tonight as well, you KNOW it's Wine Wednesday, right? The Charlton Singleton Trio for your jazz and half-priced select bottles of wine. Dig it.

Today began with a smiling French baby...

First of all, felicitations (congrats) to Executive Chef Nico Romo who's the proud new uncle of Mademoiselle Charlotte, pictured above. This is the French version of Charlotte, not to be confused with our very own PP Sales Manager/Storyteller/Charleston native Charlotte McDowell, who, by the by, just made me laugh so hard I GUFFAWED. In the email Nico forwarded to us this morning, there was a short message from the proud parents who referred to their new baby girl as a "petite poupee" which is "small doll." Can you stand how cute that is? Ok, I'll stop.

In other news, in a past life, I got to do some super fun research about interior design legend and entertaining goddess Dorothy Draper. If you don't know who she is, dear GOD, check her out! Today, I came across this fantastic quote of hers and wondered why we don't all still speak this way?

Even in a formal dining room you don't want to be ponderous or gloomy. Eating is really one of your indoor sports. You play three times a day, and it's well worthwhile to make the game as pleasant as possible.
-Dorothy Draper, Decorating is Fun!

And she is SO right. I really don't care for ponderous OR gloomy when it comes to where I'm eating, thank you very much.

In just a few minutes, several of us are heading over to Lowndes Grove for a private launch party. I'm excited to see the expressions on the faces of the folks who haven't seen the property in years, let alone since the renovation.

In you-never-know-what-you're-walking-into-at-PP news, my trusty designer and I were walking through the back parking lot today during our fresh fish delivery. Now. When I say these fish were fresh, I mean they were flipping and flopping around so much, they nearly jumped into my hands as I peeked at them. They were some good lookin' local b-liners, and I watched as our Chef de Cuisine Charron Henry and Sous Chef Deveaux Stockton came out to claim them.

Written while both hungry & thirsty

Let's kick things off with another exquisite photo from the Lowndes Grove shoot, shall we?

I'm walking about 50 feet down the street in a few minutes to our friends at Nancy Koltes At Home who are hosting Skirt! magazine editor Nikki Hardin's book signing and pajama party (two great tastes that taste great together?...or something like that). Nikki's selling and signing her book, PMS: Problems Men Started, which she co-wrote with Caitlin McPhillips. I am a huge fan of any woman who can take a dreaded acronym like (gasp!) PMS and turn into something witty and laugh out loud funny.

In other news, was chatting with Pastry Chef Susie Ieronemo the other day and...okay, confession. Part of the reason I went to see her was in the hopes she would let me taste something off the new dessert menu. And so she did, lucky me! I ate the most delicious crepe of my life actually, right out of the pan. It's made with rice flour and coconut milk and is fantastic all by itself. I get positively giddy when I think about what it will taste like filled with hazelnut cream and topped with orange mousse. Shut. Your. Mouth.

While I'm at it, I should share our Manager and resident Mixologist Evan Powell's new additions to our cocktail menu. They are all quite divine and heavily inspired by the lovely spring (all 4 days of it) awaiting us.

Holy City Mojito
Locally grown strawberries, rum, mint and sugar cane

Spring Fling
Limes, cucumber, simple syrup, gin and soda

Orange Sparkler
Cointreau, blood orange juice and sparkling sake

Pink Sparkler
Pernod, pink grapefruit juice and sparkling sake

Sundae Martini
Absolut vanilla, amaretto and cherry syrup

Dirty with an accent
Niçoise olives, olive juice, gin and dry vermouth

Now that I have rendered myself both hungry and thirsty, I must away, but will leave you with this: one of the cooler restaurant manifestos I have ever read. From a Brooklyn establishment, brilliantly named Flatbush Farm & Bar(n).

Fine linens, the Bridge Run & Independent America

What's up at PP? I can't remember if I told you that Nancy Koltes (she of the famous and fine linens) will be paying us a visit this week. Not only is her store, Nancy Koltes At Home, our Upper King Street neighbor, her Italian-made linens are used exclusively in the guest suites at Lowndes Grove. You KNOW you love the luxurious sheets! While I'm chatting about Lowndes Grove, I should tell you that we're hosting Friday's Cooper River Bridge Run Press Luncheon. Thanks to Allison Foster of Foster Marketing and the folks at The Visitor's Network who, on a very tight schedule, filmed some great footage of our newest waterfront venue.

Our friends at Lowcountry Local First asked if we might want to play host to a screening of Independent America. It's the story of two former TV journalists who travel the U.S. in search of "Independent America." The rules, as they established, were quite simple: no stops at any mega-corporate store (Wal-Mart, Target, McDonald's, etc.) and no main roads (secondary roads only). The film has some fascinating things to say about the proliferation of local and sustainable agriculture. Check it out. More than anything, it's interesting to see what's happening in this country at a time when so much feels out of our collective control. It can be interesting what we come back to.

Coconut rice crepes, daytime TV stars, cawfee talk

Here's a sneak peek of our new printemps (I'm not reminding you this time) dessert menu courtesy of Pastry Chef Susie Ieronemo.

In France, crêpes were traditionally served on a church holiday, La Chandeleur, on February 2. I say, why limit yourself? Our coconut rice crepes are filled with hazelnut cream and served over frozen orange mousse with blood oranges. And, just because we can, we flambé it with Grand Marnier. Yes, we like you that much.

Oh, while online today, I ran across the photo above of Days of Our Lives actors, Mary Beth Evans and Stephen Nichols, who recently did a meet and greet at The American Theater. For those of you NOT in the know, Ms. Evans and Mr. Nichols were one of THE POWER SOAP OPERA couples of the late 1980s and '90s. As a totally random aside, although I was just talking about dessert, Mary Beth Evans started her own pie company, too. I understand that you might need something a bit more cerebreal from me now.

By the by, earlier in the week, I mentioned the new Starbucks idea blog. The #2 most popular idea? A very loud, OFFER FREE WI-FI! Here's the latest from their blog:

Back in February we announced that we're switching to AT&T as our Wi-Fi provider in our U.S. company-operated stores. As Brad Stevens mentioned in his post on March 24, we're thrilled to be rolling out two hours of complimentary Wi-Fi service for customers who have a registered Starbucks Card. It'll be simple to sign up. All you have to do is:
1, Register a Starbucks Card
2. Sign up for an AT&T Wi-Fi account (and limited ATT marketing)
3. Come to Starbucks and login

If you ask me, that's three steps too many. We'll see how the masses react.

In the meantime, stay tuned for new Lowndes Grove photos and some random silliness.

Hooked on a feeling

Not a day goes by here at PP without a story. Here's one of today's: our Sous Chef was cleaning a big honkin' local grouper (big honkin,' that's the scientific name). There, in the belly of the grouper, was a smaller fish, about 6 or 7 inches long. In the mouth of the smaller fish was the ENORMOUS hook. (Pictured with dime for size reference.)

What a world. That little fish survived the GIANT HOOK of humans only to get eaten by a big honkin' grouper that, in turn, got caught by humans. 'Tis ponderous.

In other Fish news, I sampled the new madeleine bread made by Pastry Chef Susie Ieronemo. Madeleine pastry, red onion and cilanto. It's quite divine.

And now to sports! Members of the PP staff, including yours truly, got trounced at our arena soccer game last night. However, Executive Chef and goalie Nico Romo took a turn at offense last night and SCORED! GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL! It was very exciting and I only WISH we had video of his victory dance. Priceless.

The rest of the game was rough. We got muscled all over the place, and some yahoo who apparently is still working out some angst from junior high, drew back, blasted the ball in my face and bloodied my lip. Um, this is a recreational team, sir, not the World Cup. Ease up.

Charleston's Green Acres

A near-perfect day for a photo shoot at Lowndes Grove! We were there at 8 am this morning to catch the gorgeous morning light, and we're soon heading back for some late afternoon sparkles. Many thanks to friend and photographer Lynn Mitchell.

Our local grower friends are getting some nice press today. It kicks off with Rita Bachmann and Pete Ambrose of Ambrose Family Farms. Rita currently farms a few acres at Ambrose Family Farms in Wadmalaw Island. A year ago, owner Pete Ambrose was nearly ready to leave the acres he'd worked for 32 years due to competition from large, commercial farms/corporate monsters. Then he met Rita, a passionate and well-known grower and local product advocate, and everything changed. It helped that three farmers announced Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs in the Charleston area. The CSA concept? Consumers pay a set fee for a share of the season's harvest. (Approximately $300 for a family of four.)

Other Wadmalaw growers, Dan and Karen Kennerty of Kennerty Farms, were profiled in today's Post & Courier. The couple, who work the land with their two children, specialize in unique gourmet and heirloom produce, a favorite with chefs constantly searching for that next new thing.

And, on that note, Fish's upcoming printemps (French for spring!) menu is chock full o' great local ingredients. Like arugula and radishes from Rita. Tomatoes, cucumbers and Bibb lettuce from Moncks Corner. And goat cheese from Split Creek Farm in Anderson, SC. Yum, yum and might I add, yum.

Alright campers, off for more pretty photos. See you tomorrow!

Local first and hey, our 100th posting!

Check it out: it's our 100th blog posting! Cue the parade! What fun! Truly, writing this blog is one of the best parts of my job. It's been really interesting to watch its evolution. It's like a journal, but with a little more attitude, at least I hope so. Thanks to all of our kind readers who take time out of their busy surfing to pay us a visit.


Now, onto today's events. Spent the morning chatting with the folks at Lowcountry Local First who hosted a great meeting with restauranteurs, chefs, local growers and some folks from the SC Department of Agriculture who helped put together the Certified SC Grown program. Some very thoughtful ideas came out of today's meeting. In the first place, it's so rewarding to hear the perspective of the growers. It brings your focus down to the micro level: what's happening with the weather, what's happening with the land and what's in season. What we realized is a lot of what we need to connect chefs with local growers is actually already in place. It's just reminding people of who people are, what's out there and slowly but surely, changing people's habits. Why aren't more chefs buying from the Farmer's Market in Marion Square? Why can't chefs and growers have more of a dialogue? Rather than go after the big guns, the giant, open air, Pike's Market model, perhaps it's a change that truly needs to happen within first. One step at a time. One chef to one grower. And from them, momentum. Friendships. Mindfulness. Fresh, local produce and meats. And ultimately, the community we all want to be part of. (By the way, the peaches pictured above won't be in season locally until May. Now you know.)

Fish is "Fancy!" And has a garden! More Lowndes Grove pics too!

Holy exclamation points, Batman. It's exciting times here at PP.

And with spring comes a garden. That's right, there is a lovely garden beginning in Fish's backyard. Sous Chef Chou Duong was hard at work this afternoon tilling the soil. Yes, really! When asked what's being planted, Chou enthusiastically launched into a laundry list of goodies: jalapenos, thai basil, green onions, cherry tomatoes, mint, lavender, chives, thyme and rosemary.

In other Fish news, many thanks to the folks at the Post & Courier who ranked us tops in the Fancy Seafood category in their 2008 Restaurant Guide. Also, congrats to EVO for picking up tops in the Pizza category. I have to admit the FANCY seafood monider does make me giggle a bit. As in, who you callin' fancy?

But I do so LOVE the P&C's definition: "For our purposes, a "fancy" seafood dinner is about the imagination, innovation and creativity of the chef in making the most of the best seafood he can get. It's about knowing when to let the beautiful fresh tuna or grouper or scallops or shrimp speak for themselves. It's about attention to detail. And it's about a certain grace in the presentation."

What else, you say? Spent a few moments at Lowndes Grove today. Again, my kingdom for a time-lapse camera! The landscapers are in full-effect and the lovely and dramatic greenery is highlighting the spectacular house and grounds. Take a look at the latest pics.

Lowndes Grove, The Food Network, Ace Hotel & Madonna, in that order

Hi, hospitality fans. Sorry to have missed you yesterday. Had a trying day full of bad sinuses and car trouble. But Tuesday is a new day and with it, we are one step closer to the Lowndes Grove reopening.

Big news: Our Corporate Sales Manager, Jessica Kafer (you recall her and her heart-shaped self, don't you?) was contacted by the lovely folks at The Food Network who were venue shopping for a shoot showcasing Peninsula Grill's Bob Carter and his uber yummy coconut cake. A few conversations and photographs later, poof! A TV shoot at Lowndes Grove during our very first week. We are utterly stoked and extremely grateful.

By the way, tonight is Tuesday which means Dollar Dim Sum at Fish. And if you haven't been yet, I'd like to know what exactly it is you're waiting for, mister. Show me any other Charleston establishment where you can eat your fill of fresh dumpling goodness for a few dollars. For real, grab your co-worker, your girlfriend, whoever. Sit at the bar and let Sean spoil you. The last time I partook of the dollar dim sum, Sean made me the best dirty martini I've ever had. 'Nuff said.

What else? My newest hotel crush, actually it's ongoing, has GOT to be the Ace Hotel, who will soon be opening their New York location. Oh rapture, oh joy! Not only am I a huge fan of their graphic design, their copy and concept are just spot-on. "They (the partners) also wanted their hotel to be linked to the local culture, a living part of the community -- like an experience of staying with friends who are plugged into the local scene."

And I cannot leave today without saying: 1. Congratulations to Madonna on her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. (Say what you will. She was an integral force during my formative years.) 2. Who but Madonna could get Iggy Pop and The Stooges to perform covers of "Burnin' Up" and "Ray of Light" with such frenetic energy?

Congratulations, EVO.

The Charleston City Paper came out yesterday with its Best of 2008, and I'm proud and happy to say that our friends at EVO Pizza won Best North Charleston Restaurant. Not only are owners Ricky Hacker and Matt McIntosh wonderful chefs and people, they are also committed to using only the freshest local ingredients. And they make damn fine pizza.

I have had the unique opportunity to watch this business grow, because I am friends and colleagues with EVO's marketing/accounting mastermind (as well as Ricky's wife), Elena. She and I have been friends and workmates through 2 jobs and nearly 5 years. I have watched in amazement as she ran from her "full-time office job" to her "full-time restaurant job." I have watched in admiration as EVO grew from the most successful pizza cart in town to a flourishing Park Circle restaurant with a most loyal clientele.

Yesterday, while we were celebrating and talking, Elena said, "Four years ago, Ricky came home and said 'I'm quitting my job and Matt and I are gonna sell pizza from a cart.'" As we all laughed over the sheer hilarity, bravery and vision of that moment, it occured to me that most great ideas start out sounding rather outlandish.

It has been an incredible lesson in dedication, hard work and commitment to watch EVO flourish in such a competitive business. It's even better to watch your friends succeed by staying focused on what matters most to them: great food, community and the desire to share their passion with anyone who wants to jump on board. Congratulations, EVO and P.S. Happy Anniversary (4 years for the business, 1 year for the restaurant.)

Storm's blowin' in!

We're actually getting ready to close shop a bit early today at PP due to some seriously bad weather heading this way. So, I'll keep this short and sweet so as to not blow away like a tumbleweed down King Street.

Ran across this really cool website for a combination organic restaurant and yoga studio called Ubuntu. (And before you ask, yes, it's in California. Napa to be exact.) Not only can you eat delicious food grown in their own biodynamic garden, but you can also partake in your choice of oh, about 53 yoga classes per week. Holy, downward dog!

Lots & lots

12 days and counting! Met with my friend and photographer this morning out at Lowndes Grove to scout it for an upcoming shoot. Mere days before we reopen, we'll be doing a shoot of both the property and the Main House. (Yes, we LIKE pressure.) Oh, and yes, I will be sharing those photos with you, in COLOR even.

In other news: from Sunday's Post & Courier recap of the Food + Wine Festival:

"Nico Romo's words, and even his accent, sounded exactly like Desi Arnaz in the old "I Love Lucy" show.

"Happy anniversary, honey, I love you!" he crooned from the stage, waving to his wife in the audience."

We're so grateful to be the lead in the story, so thank you. However, let me take a moment to bring some clarity to what seems to be a rather confused part of the Charleston population. Our beloved Executive Chef Nico (Nicolas) Romo hails from Lyon, France. His accent is indeed strong. I would compare it to the accents of fellow Frenchmen, Gerard Depardieu or say, Jean Reno.

On the other hand, Desi Arnaz, born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III, also known as Ricky Ricardo from "I Love Lucy," was born in Cuba.

Nico = France. Desi = Cuba.

Any old way, though Nico and Marc Collins didn't win the cooking competition, it certainly wasn't for lack of talent or effort. Both did an outstanding job, and a bunch of us were on-hand to cheer them on and check out all the festivities.

Pastry Chef Susie Ieronemo rocked Bubbles & Sweets with her pineapple tart (don't be fresh). And, here's an inside scoop for ya: Susie is super allergic to pineapple. Like, she can't touch them without gloves. So, as she and I talked about her spring/summer dessert menu, I suggested this name: Susie's Pineapple Adrenaline Tart. Get it? In case of allergic reaction, adminster EpiPen. I know, you can hardly wait.

Let's get ready to......COOK!

Fish is all UP in the Food + Wine Festival this weekend. Tomorrow at 1:30 Nico teams up with Marc Collins of Circa 1886 to face off against Nathan Thurston of Jasmine Porch and Sven Lindroth of The Boathouse. Nico and Marc, this is for you.

Then at 3 pm, Fish hosts a Chardonnay Wine Seminar and at 9 pm, the desserts of Susie Ieronemo take center stage at Bubbles & Sweets. Thanks to the entire Fish team for everything they do to make us proud!

Food, wine, lunching with writers, jazz and um, more food, more wine

'Tis a rather chilly kick off to the Food + Wine Festival, but our excitement keeps us warm. Nico, Catering Manager Richard Jones and Pastry Chef Susie Ieronemo are wheeling a cart over to Marion Square shortly with some of this evening's finest cuisine. (It's SO nice to be within cart-wheeling distance of this gig!) Shot above from my phone shows some tents, one of the many promotional signs and a glimpse of the Francis Marion Hotel.

While picking up badges, tickets and chefs jackets at Festival Central earlier today, I spied my pal Melany Mullens' name. Melany works with Wagstaff Worldwide (experts in hospitality PR and just fabulous folks to know). I look forward to seeing her out and about for the weekend's events.

Had a fantastic lunch out at Lowndes Grove today. Managing Partner Randall Goldman, Lowndes Grove General Manager Ashley Gunnin and I met with CVB Media Goddess Katie Chapman, writer Lynn Seldon and his wife and Marketing Manager, Cele. Randall gave an informative "hard hat" tour of the property; Katie provided lunch and Lynn and Cele brought more goodies and wine. It was very nearly a party! We had a great time discussing story ideas, the state of the hospitality industry in Charleston and international travel to crazy places like Dubrovnik, Croatia. All that and dessert too.

What else? Oh, last night at Fish, our Wednesday night entertainment, The Charlton Singleton Trio, had a special guest. Her name is Cameron Handler. She's a former student of Charlton's and for the record, a HELLUVA musician. She plays a mean trumpet and, fun fact, she was nearly a member of Beyonce's band. By the sounds of things last night, we'll probably be seeing Ms. Handler more regularly.

4 courses. 4 wine pairings. $55. Yes, really.

In case you didn't already know, we're proud supporters of the Sustainable Seafood Initiative. Basically, that means we are all about promoting wise seafood choices and the consumption of environmentally friendly, locally harvested seafood.

Every now and again, we get an itch to celebrate our commitment to sustainability with the good folks at the South Carolina Aquarium. So, on Wednesday, January 30, we're playing host to a Sustainable Seafood Dinner. That's right. Four courses, four wine pairings, $55 per person, prepared by our very own Chef Nico. The menu features an impressive array of local, fresh seafood. It all kicks off at 6:30 pm for (a welcome and a homemade, infused cocktail.) Dinner is served at 7. I can promise you are not going to find this caliber of food AND wine AND cocktails for this price anywhere else. Oh, and space is extremely limited. Go on. Punch in those numbers: 843.722.FISH.

Menu & Recap (for those not paying attention):
When: Wednesday, January 30
6:30 – 7:00 pm: Welcome & handcrafted, infused cocktail
7:00 pm: Dinner

1st Course: Tuna tartare cannelloni and micro green salad
Wine pairing: Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner, Donauland, Austria 2006

2nd Course: Local trigger fish, daikon noodle with coconut cashews and millet grits
Wine: Babcock Chardonnay, Rita’s Earth Cuvee, Santa Rita Hills, CA 2005

3rd Course: Local b-liners with sautéed sea bean asparagus and snow peas, cream curry and fried noodles
Wine: Richter Piesporter Riesling, Mosel, Germany 2006

4th Course: Sweet potato pancake with apple ice cream on toasted rice crispy, covered in hot chocolate (I KNOW!)
Wine: Marquis De La Tour, Sparkling, France NV

Bring your appetite. Bring your bib. For the love of the land, get ready to hunker down on some sustainable seafood already! (I'm kidding about the bib.)

Very Tasty & Sounds Great Too!

It's very cool to be recognized by the folks over The Post & Courier's Preview who included our Wine Wednesdays, half-priced select bottles from 6 to 9 pm and jazz by the fabulous Charleton Singleton Trio in their club listings. We really enjoy being a venue that gives you fresh local tastes and sounds.

Sea Urchins & Other New Year's Resolutions

Hi, hope you had a fun New Year's. Mine was spent playing in the sunshine at a local park (hurray!) and then watching the Alvin & The Chipmunks movie (nearly two hours of my life I will never, ever get back). Yes, children were involved.

It's okay. As I mentioned before, New Year's and me? Not so much.

For the past few days, I've been perusing the online world's lists of resolutions. In fact, my head is spinning from them. I've culled together a few that spoke to me for your enjoyment. Here they are (in no particular order):

1. Ruth Riechl wants me to eat more sea urchin in 2008 because "it's the sexiest flavor on earth." How did I miss this all my life?

2. Food + Wine, in its Best New Ingredients posting, says mackerel is making a comeback (as tartare for instance) and poulardes (roasting chickens) should be milk powder-fed.

3. Maggie Mason, writer, blogger, mother, world traveler, has a husband with a penchant for adventurous meat-eating. He and she recommend matambre: an Argentinian beef dish. It's like a flank steak filled with vegetables, eggs and herbs that can be boiled or oven-roasted. Matambre can be served warm as a dish, or cold as deli meat. Ponderous.

4. Sarah Hepola resolves to stop crying in restaurants. Sort of.

5. And finally, my friend and publisher, David at the Wooster Book Company, resolves to use fewer abstract nouns. I just love that.

A Trip Down T.V. Lane

As a child of the 1980s, I watched quite a bit of television. I sat there, mouth agape, as Buzz Aldrin planted the MTV flag on the moon. As the Buggles serenaded the dawn of a new cultural movement.

I also spent a lot of time watching some much quieter programming. Like The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. (If the phrase, "happy little trees" does not make you smile, I am truly sorry.)

But one of the shows that is forever burned in my memory was an elegant culinary show simply called: Madeleine Cooks. The star and host, Madeleine Kamman, captivated my young imagination in a way that still befuddles me today. Throughout the course of the show, Ms. Kamman spoke to the audience in a most polite, informative way. Her thick French accent added a special mystique for me. (I hadn't yet met anyone with an accent other than an Irish brogue.) And, though she had a certain grandmotherly quality (her lovely grey hair was swept up into a loose bun), I also remember noticing that she was quite beautiful. Looking back on that now, I see how amazing it was, since as a child, I tended to view people more simply: either young or old. Friend or authority figure. Ms. Kamman was an interesting mix of both. While she seemed very nice on-screen, she also had this intonation in her voice (which may have just been her accent) that to me, had undertones of, "Hey, pay attention and don't mess this up!" Which I love now, more than ever. And, what I now know is that Ms. Kamman is held in high regard for her skill in blending traditional French cooking techniques with seasonal American cuisine. She uses the freshest ingredients and time-honored techniques resulting in nearly perfect, delicious good.

It's funny what a child remembers. A French woman gliding effortlessly through the kitchen, deftly slicing and dicing, drawing me nearer to my glowing t.v. screen as she lifted the lid on a steamy pot of simmering soup and said, "Eeeet smells lovely, no?"

Oui, Madame Kamman. Bien sur.

Happy & Warm

Coming to you from my warm and toasty couch. And yes, it is a bit cold in Charleston tonight. Currently, I'm feeling warm, safe and blissful. Someone very sweet has made me some homemade kipfel (a nut, flour and confectioner's sugar mixture that is simply lovely). I just googled it and found any number of variations from all parts of Eastern Europe. Suffices to say that these cookies melt in your mouth and should anyone ever offer one to you, you should say yes immediately. That's all for now. I hope this post finds you enjoying, relaxing and peaceful wherever you are.