Relish the Relish

Hurricane Irene came and left a mess here. We lost power for several days, trees came down, basements flooded, fortunately not ours, and I have to say a bit of chaos ensued. We really are a spoiled lot. When the local radio station announced dry ice would be available at a nearby firehouse HUNDREDS of people showed up to sign up for the ice. The ice finally came at the end of the day but only 50 bags. Anarchy. Other towns and states had it much worse, I just heard from one of my chefs that she just got her power back on, 7 days later, and there are still pockets without so we were lucky at my house. No losses thanks to a generator, time to read because the computer was down and enough time to catch up after all was said and done. And what did I learn from all of this? I now know what the sound of civilization is…a flushing toilet.

The garden took a little hit with the wind and all so I collected everything and set to preserving. The two relishes I produced are from the Ball Blue Book of Preserving.

http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Blue-Book-Guide-Preserving/dp/0972753702/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1313420601&sr=8-2

Dill Relish for Hamburgers and Sweet Pickle Relish for Hot Dogs. This book was the one I started with 20 years ago and the one I still go to after looking at all the other “fancier” books on preserving and canning. The recipes and procedures are easy to follow and once you have your canning legs beneath you, you see where there is room for interpretation. A very inexpensive book to begin canning with which is good since the jars are so damned expensive!

A note on pickle crisp: Almost impossible to find –evidently Ball is retooling this ingredient although they mention it constantly in the book, it is virtually unavailable as of summer 2011- but I discovered that the Calcic I use in my molecular gastronomy is the same thing. Ask around for calcic is the takeaway.

I am notorious for not thoroughly reading the recipe’s directions carefully until I begin so let me hip you to this time saving fact in relish making. Cut up (food processor) your ingredients and let them sit 2 hours before you actually can! The vegetables need to be brined and to sit, and then you can get your jars ready and the water boiling.

I also put up pickled grape tomatoes as they took the worst of it. A nice thing to put on your holiday relish trays I think. Happy canning and GOOD NIGHT IRENE.

Double Solitaire: The Surreal Worlds of Kay Sage and Yves Tanguy at the Katonah Museum of Art

We are bracing ourselves here in New York for Hurricane Irene; I confess that I LOVE a good storm, I give thanks that we have no brides, hostesses, museums, corporate clients and guests to worry about traveling in the rain and wind this weekend. With the unrelenting news coverage, knowing how much of our area is covered with coastline and that summer has everyone’s beach home open and in full swing I think that we forget how much work is involved with battening down the gems of our region…the museums, outdoor sculpture exhibits (thinking StormKing here- what Do they DO?), zoos, the botanical gardens… All the while these folks need to attend to their own properties.

Two week ago, under yet another threatening sky, we were the caterer for the August Second Saturday gathering at the Katonah Museum of Art. This is a cocktail party that utilizes the museums beautiful sculpture garden and brings the community in to enjoy the museum, an interactive art experience, music and food during the summer months. We have fun with coordinating our displays and passing trays to the exhibit and in the past the inspiration came easy. Surrealism and food. Aside from Dali’s melting landscapes I was at a loss and melting food…in August it happens anyway…this was going to be a tricky one.

The moment of inspiration came at the awe inspiring Alexander McQueen exhibit. The exhibit which proved his genius and that his collections were so much more than clothes had a headdress which dripped down the head of the wearer, and that coalesced with Joseph Wheelwright’s Tree Figures that are on the south lawn and sculpture garden.

We debuted one of the head’s for the winners of our donated auction item, a catered cocktail party for 10 in the museums center hall, and then to the crowd of 100 for Second Saturday. Much to my delight the Bedford Record placed a photo of one of the heads on their front page and while no credit was given to our company, I did find it flattering. Art was my first desire but the need to make a living trumped that and through a winding road of trial and error I found my way into the culinary arts and used that as my medium.

Maybe it’s the rain that has begun to fall that is making me more introspective but I have found “The Process” that creative people use for inspiration is really the foundation for all good decisions. Take in all information, use all your senses, try not to think too hard on a decision and let these influences come together in an organic fashion. I am so looking forward to this next phase of my life where I can play inside of art again, thank you Katonah Museum!

http://www.katonahmuseum.org/exhibitions/