the eat your plate semi-retirement gift to a lucky office

this past saturday, i had my winter cocktail party and the question of the evening was: "what's up with eat your plate?" in fact, my mother also asked me the same question about a week ago, wondering if i have given up on my business. the answer, is no, absolutely not, however, eat your plate is going into what i am affectionately calling: semi-retirement. and, for one lucky office of hard working people in portland, this will mean a reason to celebrate. i will get to that later.

when i began this business i was aggressively pursuing getting my food into local shops and i was successful on a few occasions, however, what i found was that everyone wants you to cut corners so that you can do it faster and cheaper. which is something, i won't do. ethics in building food the right way is something i don't want to compromise. the proverbial icing on the cake was making the choice to go and work with my husband, at r.p. morrison builders, inc. when comparing the financials, muffins sold at wholesale just don't add up to the same thing. so, eat your plate is going to be a part time thing that i do when asked by the select people who know about me. my devoted followers, if you will. i will no longer market myself, i will just wait for people to find me. when they do, i will have the energy to go grab fresh ingredients from local farms and create for them the very best dessert they have ever had.

so, now for the fun part. as my last big eat your plate event, i will be offering a full spread of yummy treats to the group of individuals who can best explain to me why they love portland's local food scene. what entices you about our local offerings? what makes you salivate, what's your very favorite spot? it doesn't have to be an essay, but the most passionate person will win the dessert bar. the deadline for this is march 15th, the winner will receive their notice on Monday the 19th and have the treats delivered in their office on Friday, the 23rd. To participate send your story to jenny@eatyourplate.net

i can't wait to read and of course, thank you everyone for all your love and support. and not to worry, i am not disappearing, i am still one hundred percent in business, but i will be pouring more of my efforts into writing (find me on www.portland.wcsh6.com), creating, farming and creating beautiful spaces with my husband.

Serendipitous Success: Harvest on the Harbor

The first time I saw: Eat Your Plate on the Harvest on the Harbor Website, I felt anxious, delighted, excited, nervous, I mean, a vast array of emotions.

And since that evening when it was first brought to my attention I have thought about it in waking and in sleep.

As the days came closer, I worked furiously in the kitchen making 2,000 biscotti, 500 cupcakes and 20 sheets of blueberry layer cake for the Lobster Chef of the Year event. Oh and I must not forget the countless batches of chocolate ganache buttercream frosting to top all the cupcakes. Towards the end of the week I started to feel defeated. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of sharing my food with hundreds of people. And more than anything I will admit, I was a nervous wreck about being in a room with chefs of this caliber, who had worked so hard to create an om-age to lobster that was worthy of a judging panel and 200 of Maine's most elaborate palettes.

On Friday when I arrived with all of my housemade oreos for the gift bags and my bins of cake, I was first greeted by Charity, Lisa & Colleen. Three gals who answered all my questions, comforted me when I was unsure and responded to every e-mail I sent that may or may not have been pointless. Their smiles built my confidence throughout the day and created for me the feeling that I could conquer this head on. My husband Josh, who you all have heard about many times helped me to set up my station, frost all of these cakes, top them with the proper garnish and then guarded them when things became crazy behind the curtain. He looked at me with love and adoration and told me a dozen times how proud of me he was for doing this. Then their was Ryan, one of the three chefs competing for the title, who was the friendliest man in the kitchen I have ever met. His modest demeanor and humble approach made me wish that he had a restaurant close by that I could dine at and often. Lastly, there was the culinary students who plated every dessert with care, listened to my instructions and made sure everyone had the perfect bite. With all of these people around me, my tensions started to ease which allowed me to take notice of what was happening all around me.

People were eating my food, a dessert that I worked very hard on and they were enjoying it in ways that I never thought possible. After everyone had consumed the last bite, I was greeted with dozens of people telling me how moist the cake was, that they were dying for the recipe (which will come later) and that it was a delight to taste something so perfectly balanced.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! I thought. I had done it.

I left the event ready for the marketplace which was the day I was looking forward to the most.

Yesterday when I awoke to my alarm it was excitement that filled my veins rather than nervousness because everything was already done. There was nothing left to stress about. All my food was prepared, sitting in large bins ready to distribute. All I had to do was give it out and talk to all the people who were there to taste food and drink great wine.

I set up my table which included: Chocolate Chunk Almond Biscotti, Chocolate Ganache Buttercream Cupcakes & Magnolia Vanilla Cupcakes. Then I waited for everyone to trickle in, which they did in large numbers at noon and again at 4:00.

In the beginning people just looked delighted to see a table with such cute minature desserts, I mean, let's be honest, everyone loves little cupcakes. But then faces changed to sheer happiness when they actually tasted everything and the icing on the cake, for me at least was showing people that Biscotti can be an enjoyable dessert when done correctly. Everyone inquired about where I was from, where they could get my food and how long I had been business. The feedback for an on-line bake shop was fantastic. I think people perceived it as a new way to conquer the sweet tooth. I had the chance to talk to people about what it is I do. I smiled, I laughed and I truly, without a doubt enjoyed myself. Some people were there to network, others were there for marketing, lots were there to build their businesses. I was there to showcase what it is that I love the most, sharing food, good food, with lots of people. For me, nothing beats the look on someones face when they realize that they just bit into something spectacular. To me, that is all the thanks I need.

It's rare that the gratification comes in the most perfect way possible.

I walk away from this experience so thankful for the two days I had with some really fantastic people. I feel more gratitude than I ever have before. It was the best thing that I have ever done and will absolutely do it all over again next year. Harvest on the Harbor is a remarkable event. And the people that put it all together worked so hard to make it the best possible set of events. Not once did I ever hear anyone complain and they were there countless hours. All I saw was encouragement, excitement, work ethic and sheer charm. Their happiness was tangible and contagious. Not only that, but there were so many people they had to cater to and everyone knew me by name, asked how I was doing and what they could do to help. I thank everyone, once again, for all the support.

It was a wonderful weekend. One that I will hold on to for a very long time.



The Map to Italy is in the Kitchen.

I always thought that my Nana was a little scary growing up. Actually, I thought all of her family was a little frightening. In the kitchen, she was all business, and when things didn't quite go her way, you might as well have found a rock and hid yourself under it. The only time I remember Nana baking was when I was little and she attempted to make brownies. They were the most difficult items to eat, I didn't dare tell her that, as clearly she was pretty upset by the incident. So, she said forget baking and stuck to the savory. Since then, her only successful sweet dish has been "Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake" which in itself is iffy. Sometimes she makes it and it's great, other times, I think she may have lost her marbles.

The other part of crazy I witnessed growing up was watching Nana consume a meal. Lobster especially, and as I am writing this I am praying that no one will ever show it to her, it may get me voted off the island-with a wooden spoon. She would start with a pile but tell you she was only going to eat that one. Then the dis-assembly began which showed absolutely no mercy. Nana really felt passionately about her sea creatures and showed it with every crack she made. There was lots of butter, bits flying everywhere and some noises that frankly I wasn't sure about. I could have left the table, I could have looked away but it was almost impossible to do that. I was addicted to the whole scene, paralyzed by the strangeness of it. This behavior, by the way, has not changed, in her eighties she continues to be the champ at the kitchen table, eating food like it's her last meal. When it's something she loves, you know it. When I told Nana that I was doing the dessert for the "Lobster Chef of the Year Event" I thought she was going to fall off her chair over the phone. I could just hear the excitement in her voice.

It may seem that I am poking fun at her a little bit, and maybe I am, but it's with all the admiration that I have in my bones. Nana, loves food and she loves to talk about food. Her passion for eating and cooking is what has inspired me in the kitchen time and time again, even if she doesn't know it. See, my culinary life didn't begin with Nana teaching me all the basics of Italian food because Italians, don't really have the patience for that. I learned by listening and by watching, sometimes I would ask and my mother or Nana would tell me how to comprise a certain dish. It's almost as if I learned how to cook through osmosis and of course, trial and error. My family, which is shocking to most was built on traditions. The tradition that I love the most, however, is Nana talking about her parents, who came here from Italy years ago and brought with them an array of stunningly delicious and simple food. No, I was not there to taste it but the way Nana talks about it, well, it has to have been good. The one dish that stands out more than anything else is sauce and meatballs, Nana has been talking about this for years.That is where Italy begins in your kitchen. Red sauce is the beginning of so many fantastic dishes and mastering it, really is dire in learning how to cook a good meal.

Nana's philosophy is that every great Italian dish starts with a simple recipe, preferably handed down from someone you love. It should have no more than five or six ingredients. People always think that the secret is to use lots of herbs. Nope. It's to use one herb so that you can taste it in the sauce. Also, you never leave your sauce sitting there for hours and hours on end. I have heard stories of people leaving it for two days, adding sugar to it, the whole bit. Never ever ever.....ever. Do that. What I am about to share with you is the masterful recipe that makes my family swoon. You are going to look at it and think it's boring, you may even second guess my cooking abilities based on the lack of ingredients but trust in me, when you cook it and eat it, you are going to become a believer. It will change your life.

Fresh Tomato Sauce
15-20 vine ripened tomatoes
1/2 of a large onion
6-7 cloves of finely chopped garlic
olive oil
1/4 cup tomato paste
Salt
Pepper
1 cup fresh Basil
1/4 cup meatball grease (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the tomatoes by scoring the bottom and removing the portion where the vine stems out of. Place them all on a baking sheet and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle a little salt on the top portion of them. Leave the tomatoes in the oven until it is clear that the skin is coming off and they start to split. Usually around 20-25 minutes. Let them cool. Remove the skin and set the tomatoes aside.

In a large saucepan coat with just enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Heat on medium and throw the onion in. Cook until soft. Add garlic and cook for about thirty seconds. Then toss in all the tomatoes. Mush them with your wooden spoon. Add tomato paste. Then salt and pepper to taste. At this point you can throw in the meatball grease & meatballs if you so desire. Simmer on low for about an hour. Prior to serving, add the basil and toss.

Eat Your Plate Meets Harvest on the Harbor

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to be the dessert chef at the "Lobster Chef of the Year" event that is being held at Harvest on the Harbor. The moment I was asked, I was filled with joy and excitement, completely astonished that I would be invited anywhere considering I am so new to the food scene. Luckily for me, the aesthetic of my website allows people to have confidence in my abilities. Once the initial feeling of excitement subsided, the nervousness began to set in and ever since I have been a bit of a basket case. The dessert has to be blueberry in nature and for me, that poses a little bit of a predicament since I don't love blueberries completely on their own. And because of this, I don't frequently use them in my baking unless it's a pie or a tart. This led me to have a bit of writer's block when it came to building a recipe which then caused me to sit on my computer at two in the morning googling "blueberry" just to find some sort of inspiration. See, for me, this is a make or break it moment. Although the event is catering to a smaller audience, it's filled with people who really love food. Maybe even as much as I do. And, it's a great way to gain some exposure which for a new small business, is everything.

Harvest on the Harbor is a fantastic weekend food fiesta filled with all sorts of culinary treasures. The marketplace, which is held on Saturday the 22nd of October is an array of vendors willing to offer you all their savory treasures as well as delicious wines from all around. Last year was my first experience at this food and wine festival. My mother in-law, who is always surprising me with presents that exactly fit my personality, gave me two tickets for my birthday. I could not have asked for anything better. I spent the day wandering around with my husband, nibbling and drinking the best local items found in Maine. Now, aside from the marketplace there are a series of events that go on throughout the weekend. The "Lobster Chef of the Year" event is on a Friday afternoon and features three extremely talented chefs whom I absolutely admire. My role in the day is to present my dessert in front of the 200 person audience, plate it and then hand it out to everyone so that they may end their day with a little something sweet. Am I scared? Absolutely. Following up these gentleman is going to be quite an endeavor but true to form, I think I have figured it out.

All of my cooking is straight forward in nature. I don't like to make things too complicated. The more you tangle up a recipe with complicated ingredients, the harder it becomes to figure out what you are actually eating. To me, it makes more sense to use a few star ingredients than a whole bunch of mediocre ones and blueberries are definitely little itty bitty stars, ones that explode on your tongue when you eat them in a well done dessert. When thinking of the solution to my problem I was seeking out ideas that would not hide the complex qualities of this locally treasured fruit while still giving food lovers something to rave about. What I really want is for people to walk away savoring the last morsels of the little bite that I shared with them. I also want to impress upon people that I understand the dynamic of the environment I am cooking in and that means respecting the sacred blueberry.

The end result was cook books all over my coffee table, all over my kitchen table, a four layer cake that I wanted to make to test the texture which everyone enjoyed, countless recipes written down and revised, my poor husband running for cover, my children praying I would figure this out so they could have their lives back and of course, the prize of all prizes, a dessert that I truly think will make people swoon. After two weeks of pacing back and forth, scratching my head and making over three hundred homemade Oreos for a wedding, I have figured out the largest puzzle of my life. I think, well I hope, that I have something that really compliments one of Maine's most sought after items. This Friday night I am hosting a small dinner for some old and new friends and I will unveil my idea to them so that they can provide me with some feedback on the direction I am currently going. My only wish is that I get to them before the wine does, seeing as though everything tastes better after a little white and red. Regardless of the turnout, I am pleased about being included in such a majestic event. It truly is an honor to be a part of something so grand. And, on top of that I get the pleasure of feeding strangers, one of my most favorite things to do. I know that during this experience I will meet new people, share something I have worked hard on and of course, spread the word about something I am very proud of: Eat Your Plate.



The Education of a Small Time Farmer

A few months ago I begged and begged and then begged some more until my husband finally caved and allowed me to buy chickens. I had no idea what I was doing but I had read enough Google articles to have a vague notion about how to handle these little creatures. Plus, I knew I could harass my friendly sales people at Blue Seal Feed to tell me everything I needed to know. After an early Sunday morning excursion, we arrived at the home of a nearby neighbor who sells chicks. I was wearing a pair of brown dress pants, a JCrew blue button down shirt and some flip flops, I'm sure I totally looked the part. Being unprepared as usual, I had to look away shamefully when she asked if I brought my own box. Thankfully, she was feeling gracious and plucked eight little gals into a large box for me, answered one or two of my questions and then sent me on my way.

I looked down into the box and thought, hmmmmmm, what exactly did I just commit to?

I hadn't really thought through the specifics like where they would live, how I would protect them, what happens if they escape? Which they did. Twice.

No, I just had visions in my mind of removing fresh eggs from a lovely chicken coop painted red and then baking all sorts of treats with them. You know, like the one Martha Stewart has in her magazine.

Almost six months later I have invested almost four hundred dollars into a chicken coop, then there is the chicken mansion, constructed by my husband Josh and my father in-law, I'm actually not sure how much that cost but it looks expensive. On top of that there is the saw dust I have to buy to clean their coop every week, which let me tell you is quite the experience, the food for them so they can grow up to be healthy ladies, and the straw to keep them both busy and warm. Toss on top of that the delightful activity of chasing them with a shovel when it's time to go in for the night after a day of free ranging, while yelling for my daughter (who is 6) to come and help me gather the women and then, to boot, there are no eggs. The icing on the cake was that last week I discovered I actually own one rooster, which wasn't part of the plan. I had been questioning this one for some time but I was remaining hopeful.

The point of all this information is that I once wondered why trips to local farms were so much money. The first time I bought farm fresh eggs and butter I almost fell on the ground. It was pricey. The pleasure of local eating does not come without a fairly substantial price tag but these people are most certainly putting in the work. Farming is not a cheap way of living and it is certainly not easy. My version of local shopping used to be trucking to Whole Foods once a week because I was naive and I didn't understand that buying local is not about sourcing ingredients from one place, a place mind you where everything is marked up and you can't actually see the land on which your food was raised. It's about gathering an afternoon and visiting multiple places, talking to the people who own the farms, asking questions and checking things out for yourself. One of the reasons I love Windy Hill Farm so much is that it's all open. They have absolutely nothing to hide there. One of my most favorite experiences was when my daughter had her field trip there because they let us see everything. Windy Hill offers freshly & locally slaughtered meat, farm fresh eggs, butter and the real deal kind of honey. Yes, they cost a bit more but I would pay it in a heart beat, even more now that I get what "farming" is all about.

Right now, the experience of owning these chickens is teaching me how to connect with my food on a whole new level. Perhaps right now I don't have anything to show for all my hard work but I will soon enough. Some nights I dream about discovering my first egg. I salivate over what I am going to do with it (here's for hoping I don't drop it). I know that the difference in my food will be tangible. So to me, it's all worth it.

I urge everyone reading this to actually go local. Not just to a restaurant that utilizes that label but this weekend take a trip to a new destination. Look around the land and see what they have to offer in their shop. Buy something tasty and experience the difference. Half the fun for me is meeting new people, buying great food and getting out before winter comes and slows everything down. And, if the thrill of the farm doesn't do it for you, just imagine me, swinging a shovel while running back and forth screaming at little foot tall chickens who most definitely, usually get the best of me.

A Newly Crowned Chef

Cooking as a business is brand new to me. I am risking a lot by throwing that out there but it's true.

Over two years ago I was grooming myself for a life in the medical field. I was convinced that there was something truly brilliant out there for me and that I was going to be someone very important. Then I met my husband: got married, had a baby, moved to Maine and forgot about all that crazy stuff. What I found here was enough to distract me from everything I once thought important. Beautiful scenery, a slower pace and more importantly, a greater connection to the food I eat. I started, much like a mad woman, trying all recipes out in the kitchen. I held huge dinner parties, an annual harvest party, I planted a garden, I bought some chickens and now, I am selling my food to all of you.

In this economy am I worried? Sure I am. You bet. But something really wonderful happened this past weekend and a little tiny light bulb went off.

I participated in the 20 Mile Meal in Cape Elizabeth which is a group of chefs preparing food that was sourced from no more than twenty miles away. The ticket proceeds go toward programs set up to teach sustainable agriculture practices and make good food available to those who need it. Right up my alley. Since I entered the event so late I was given a bag with, some questionable ingredients. By questionable I mean, a few things I can't bring myself to eat. I inherited: pork shoulder, swiss chard, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes & fingerling potatoes. This is when I became nervous. But none the less I pulled together a menu.

Smoked pulled pork with house made maple bourbon bbq sauce, served over swiss chard & caramelized onions as well as rustic fingerling potato salad with blood orange olive oil. Beside that was fresh brushetta crostini topped with house made basil oil.

I spent the whole day Saturday preparing my food and arrived on Sunday feeling more nervous than I ever had been in my whole life. Especially when I saw the caliber of chefs that were around me. I was hauling in home equipment, a sauce pan here or there and a large Nike bag filled with all sorts of stuff I thought I might need. These people had chef's jackets, multiple burners for cooking, restaurant style containers and sous chefs. I had my husband and a New York Fire Department sweatshirt, which was dirty from the rain. Also, my hair was crazy and I wore Nike sneakers instead of rain boots. I also was not confident in my knife skills with all these experienced people staring at me. (Even though they weren't) I mean, these people were from the places I love to eat. They were people I look up to. Yikes. And, the guy next to us from the East Ender in Portland was serving the same thing: pulled pork.

What I found however, was that once people started to trickle in, they didn't care where I was from. They didn't want to know how experienced I was in this particular field. They wanted to eat my food. When I told them what I was serving they went from reluctant to overjoyed. The look on their faces instantly gave me the confidence to talk about my business with all the passion I have in my soul. The feedback was incredible. People were sending people to my table to try what I was putting out there. The best part was that the chef next to me ended up being really interesting to chat with, he also shared his food and it was one hundred percent different than mine, so I was safe. It brought me back to what the day was really all about: helping people out who can't eat like most of us. I don't need to create an elaborate menu with ingredients that cost an excessive amount of money and I don't need a culinary degree to make people happy. Good food is good food and it can bring people together in groups to do really fantastic things like pay $40 to eat a humble meal on behalf of someone else. The day was a success and I am proud to own my title as Chef & Owner of Eat Your Plate, a place that will never forget what it is really all about. You have to cook with gratitude to make a difference. No matter what, where or how.

fall is here

Fall really is bittersweet for me. I love it because it's a time to make some of my most favorite dishes but on the other hand it's the end of my garden season. Currently, my herbs are trying to stick it out, I can tell that they are on their way to dying off for the season which leaves me wondering what I can do with them all. I know the usual: dry them, freeze them, pesto, etc. but I like them so much better when they are freshly picked. I will say though, my chickens are enjoying this whole process because every time something is on it's way out, I give it to them to eat. They also love that I allow them free reign of the garden, you wanna eat it, go right ahead. Anyways, last weekend I had the pleasure of apple picking for the first time this season and sitting at home I have roughly twenty pounds of apples. I already made a wonderful sauteed apple pie which is currently adorning my countertop, waiting until it gets dispersed to the neighbors, something I frequently do when I bake.

My fall offerings are some of my favorite foods. Last night I came up with a spiced macadamia nut biscotti which I thought was pretty fantastic. It tasted almost like gingerbread but a little more subtle. Then there is my pumpkin and sage ravioli which I only make this time of year. I like to use freshly pureed pumpkin, nothing out of a can. I take the pumpkin, cut it in half and roast it with lots of bold favors and a little bit of brown sugar. Combined with lots of fresh sage and just a hint of ricotta...yum. From there, you let it swim around in a little sage brown butter sauce and you have yourself a wonderful meal that is simple in nature but so divine.

What I love even more about fall, however, is the surroundings. Outside my bedroom window is this bright fantastic tree with these big red leaves that almost looks like it's on fire. Every morning upon waking up I take a second to look at it. I urge you all to take a moment and look around at fall, it goes away so quickly. One day the leaves are turning and about to fall and the next snow is gathering on the ground. Take some time out and cook your favorite meal as well while it is cool but not freezing and most of all: enjoy fall flavors. They are so delicious!