marie nygren

Monday

15

October 2012

In a pickle

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in marie nygren, Recipe Articles, Serenbe Farmers Market, Serenbe Farms, The Farmhouse at Serenbe

What do you do when you have a bushel of green tomatoes? You pickle!

On a recent afternoon, I enlisted the help of Joy Belyeu of the Farmhouse, and together we put up 36 quarts of pickled tomatoes and onions, all from the Farmhouse’s garden. I love to can! Every step requires strict attention to detail to ensure that not only is the end result food safe but also it tastes good. I have an added criterion in that I like my pickled goods to look good in the jar. To that end, it’s all about the layering and colors. Since the jars will sit on an open shelf in the Farmhouse kitchen, why not have the contents be colorful as well, adding a dash of red in an otherwise green and white landscape?

I taught myself how to can when faced with an abundant bounty from my and Steve’s first garden in Serenbe – before we opened the Serenbe B&B (which later became the Inn at Serenbe). Acclaimed landscape designer extraordinaire Ryan Gainey designed our vegetable garden, and Steve put it in. Ours is the only vegetable garden for which Ryan accepted a commission. And what a garden it has been for us and now for the Farmhouse at Serenbe!

I’m encouraged that the practice of canning and pickling is experiencing a resurgence. Information abounds on the Internet about how to can. Ball has a great website, complete with recipes and instructions, as does the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

There are terrific economic and health benefits to taking up the practice of home canning and pickling. With an abundance of fresh produce at area farmers markets, now is the time to dive in and learn to can.

Come to the Serenbe Farmers Market on Saturdays, 9 am – 12 pm, now through November, and pick up your favorite produce so you too can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor in the middle of winter.

Green Tomato Pickles

3 cups thinly sliced green tomatoes

1/2 cup thinly sliced onions

1/2 cup cherry bomb peppers

5-10 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon fennel seed

2-3 sprigs fennel blossom or parsley

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup kosher salt

Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a nonreactive pot and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Pour the mixture over the vegetables in a large glass bowl and cover with a plate to submerge. Let stand at room temperature until cool. Then can place in a plastic container and refrigerate. Good for 1 month.

Monday

8

October 2012

0

COMMENTS

Experience an Afternoon in the Country at Serenbe

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in Afternoon in the Country, Les Dames d'Escoffier, marie nygren, Steve Nygren, The Farmhouse at Serenbe, The Inn at Serenbe

The Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) is holding its 12^th annual Afternoon in the Country fundraising event at the Inn at Serenbe on Sunday, November 4, 2012, 1pm to 4pm. The Farmhouse again will be represented at the event, and I will participate not only as proprietress of the Farmhouse but also as a new member of Les Dames.

Patrons will enjoy tastings from more than 90 of Atlanta’s best chefs, restaurants, caterers, retailers, wineries,  distributors and breweries; live Bluegrass music from the band Drivetrain; a silent auction; opportunities to win pastry art from the area’s best pastry chefs during the cake raffle; hayrides; and children’s activities.   There is something for everyone at this popular event.

Proceeds benefit the Atlanta chapter’s scholarship fund for women in the culinary, beverage, and hospitality arts and the Georgia farming community. LDEI reports its 26 chapters around the U.S., Canada, and Australia have awarded more than $2 million in culinary scholarships.

LDEI fosters excellence and promotes the achievement of women in culinary professions through educational and charitable activities. It is exciting for me to be selected to join this prestigious society of women. Atlanta Dames include chefs, restaurateurs, caterers, retailers, event planners, cookbook authors, food journalists and historians, winemakers and wine industry professionals, food publicists, culinary educators, and hospitality executives.

Afternoon in the Country sells out early every year. Don’t miss your chance to attend. Visit the Atlanta Les Dames’ website today for more information and to purchase your tickets.

See you at Serenbe.

Photos by BenRosePhotography.com

Tuesday

2

October 2012

0

COMMENTS

The Serenbe Institute awards HGTV windfall to community projects

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in marie nygren, Ryan Gainey, Serenbe Farms, Serenbe Institute, Serenbe Playhouse, Steve Nygren, The Farmhouse at Serenbe, The Inn at Serenbe

4th of July parade

I hope you had the opportunity to visit the HGTV Green Home here in Serenbe while it was open for tours over the summer. What a beautiful home it is. HGTV was a wonderful partner and, as a result of the money raised from the tours, many community programs were recipients of the windfall. One recipient, the Serenbe Institute for Arts, Culture & the Environment, used their proceeds and paid it forward, awarding funds to several more local programs and projects.

The Institute received 15 applications, all for worthy projects. The Institute’s executive committee gave thoughtful consideration to each application and ultimately awarded funds for the following projects:

Serenbe Playhouse’s
Alice in Wonderland

Serenbe community collaborative – to purchase chairs and tables for the Stables meeting room, signage for the trail system, software to upgrade the community website, and construction of a dock at Grange Lake
The Children’s House (Montessori school in Serenbe) – to support construction of a playground and purchase geocaching devices for the after-school program
Serenbe Farms – to support restoring the fertility of a 3-acre field and beautify and plant it with small fruits and flowers
Serenbe Artist-in-Residence program – to upgrade community outreach and communications capabilities
Courtyard studio meeting room – for maintenance and upgrade of the facility
Serenbe Playhouse – to purchase sound and lighting equipment, keyboard, and computer equipment
Serenbe Photography Center – to support interior renovation and upgrade, purchase of additional lighting and exhibition hanging systems, and upgrading database for use by the Center, the Playhouse, and other programs

Fun at Camp Serenbe

I encourage you to visit the Institute’s website. The good people involved in the Institute offer inspiring programs. The Institute’s mission is “to cultivate the community’s creative, intellectual, and ecological qualities through programs and projects that promote our social, spiritual, and aesthetic curiosity.” As a resident of Serenbe and the greater Chattahoochee Hill Country, I appreciate their generosity in supporting local programs and projects.

Team Blue – Serenbe Olympics

If you haven’t visited Serenbe for a while, please come see our community. Great things happen where interesting people congregate.

Tuesday

25

September 2012

0

COMMENTS

Everything’s better when Betty’s in the kitchen

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in marie nygren, Serenbe Bed and Breakfast, The Farmhouse at Serenbe, The Inn at Serenbe

Betty Williams at home
in the Inn at Serenbe’s kitchen

In 1996, Steve and I hired Betty Williams to help with housekeeping at the Serenbe Bed and Breakfast. When we added the conference center a year or so later, I realized I wanted assistance in the kitchen, preparing conference breakfasts and lunches. It was then I asked Betty if she’d join me in the kitchen. To my delight, she agreed. Betty is a consummate professional who didn’t enter the restaurant business with professional training but, rather, brought real-world experience to the kitchen.

Fast forward, and Betty is the lead breakfast cook for the Inn at Serenbe. In addition, she prepares lunches for conference guests. Her long tenure has allowed her to see the complete evolution of Serenbe, and she has watched our daughters grow from little girls to young women.

A proud mom of four children (two sons and two daughters), Betty brings sensibility and compassion to the kitchen. Betty is my right hand and the soul of the Inn’s kitchen. I’m told Betty finds me “easy to be around and easy to work with;” I appreciate that immensely and feel the same about her. And, we agree that our personalities click.

Like her colleague at the Farmhouse, Joy, Betty’s presence provides me with peace of mind. She follows through and knows exactly how I like the kitchen to run.

My heartfelt thanks to Betty for being an integral member of the team and a cherished friend.

Wednesday

19

September 2012

0

COMMENTS

Southern Chefs Series Welcomes Birmingham’s Chris Hastings

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in Bobby Flay, Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Hugh Acheson, James Beard, Linton Hopkins, marie nygren, Recipe Articles, Southern Chefs Series, The Inn at Serenbe

This has been a banner year for Southern Chefs Series chefs as three are 2012 James Beard Foundation top chefs, two for the Southeast region (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV) and one for the South region (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS). Earlier in the season, we hosted Linton Hopkins and Hugh Acheson, who shared the award for the Southeast region, and this past Sunday and Monday, Chris Hastings, the South region’s honoree made his first trip to my kitchen. In addition to his James Beard award, Chris beat out Bobby Flay earlier in the year on Iron Chef America! The BEST chefs really do come to Serenbe; I hope you will also!

Chris, chef/co-owner of Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham with his wife Idie, had been a finalist in the category previously. He was up against four chefs from New Orleans this year and beat out the competition. Cook with him, and you’ll soon find out why he was chosen!

Chris is a brilliant chef who makes cooking seem effortless. I’m excited he accepted the invitation to teach this year and is on the schedule for next year as well!

The ten participants in his class this past weekend were the winners for having registered for his class. His rapport with students of all skill levels is something to behold. He is down-to-earth and wonderfully personable. It was fun to have Chef Chris in my kitchen.

He is the first visiting chef to include a cocktail hour (complete with a signature cocktail) with his class. Chris’ was the Donnie Draper Cocktail made from his housemade bitters and sassafras syrup. This was a smooth libation and so tasty you’ll want to drive to Hot and Hot to try it for yourself. It’s got a kick, so plan for a designated driver. And, as it’s dove season, he also treated us to doves harvested the day before, and what a treat they were!

If you missed his class this year, call now to register for his class next year, July 28-29, 2013. Classes for the 2013 Southern Chefs Series are already filling up. If you want a chance to learn from Chris and any of the other outstanding chefs, call the Inn at Serenbe today to reserve your spot, 770 463 2610.

In the meantime, try Chris’ outstanding recipe for shrimp gazpacho with lemon oil. It is refreshing and satisfying.

Chris Hastings’ Shrimp Gazpacho with Lemon Oil

This is our Southern take on a classic Spanish soup. Because it is always served cold, it is a light and refreshing meal for a sultry Southern day. You can substitute jumbo lump blue crabmeat for the shrimp, if you prefer. Many good olive oil companies also produce lemon oil in which the olives are pressed with fresh lemons, creating fragrant, flavorful oil. Lemon oil adds a bright, rich quality to this soup.

Serves 6; about 6 cups

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored, about 3 to 4 medium tomatoes

1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced cucumber

1/2 cup finely diced zucchini

1/2 cup finely diced yellow squash

1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced tomato

1/2 cup seeded and finely diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup seeded and finely diced yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup finely diced Poblano pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

26 large (21 to 25 count) cooked, peeled, and diced fresh shrimp, about 1 pound

12 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons lemon oil

Slice each of the tomatoes into 4 quarters. Place the tomatoes in a food mill and turn until all of the juice is extracted. You will need about 2 cups of the fresh tomato juice. Discard the tomato seeds and peel. Alternatively, the tomatoes can be seeded, roughly chopped, and pureed in a food processor or blender. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and discard any solids.

Combine the tomato juice and the next 9 ingredients (cucumber through vinegar) into a large bowl, stirring well to combine. Season the soup with the salt and pepper and stir in the diced shrimp. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until the soup is well chilled. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish each serving with 1 teaspoon of the chopped basil and 1/2 tablespoon of lemon oil. Serve chilled.

Buen provecho.

Tuesday

11

September 2012

0

COMMENTS

2013 Southern Chefs Series Lineup Announced!

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in Anne Quatrano, Hugh Acheson, Kevin Gillespie, Linton Hopkins, marie nygren, Michel Nischan, Serenbe Farmhouse, Southern Chefs Series, The Inn at Serenbe, Wholesome Wave

The lineup of amazing Southern chefs for the 2013 Southern Chefs Series is sure to interest foodies from the region – and beyond! Registrations are being accepted now for the coming year’s Southern Chefs Series, and we’ve made it bigger and better than ever! Twelve of the South’s best chefs will be cooking in my kitchen, and I want you to be part of the fun!

It’s been difficult keeping this under wraps for the past few weeks as dates and chefs were confirmed; I’m so happy to be able to let the proverbial cat out of the bag.

One of the best parts of the coming series is that all the proceeds will go to a seed fund to help establish additional Wholesome Wave chapters in our region. Wholesome Wave Georgia, launched in 2009, is going strong, and Wholesome Wave founder Chef Michel Nischan’s goal is to establish additional Southern chapters. Your participation in the Chefs Series will help achieve this important goal.

Wholesome Wave’s mission is to improve access and affordability of fresh, healthy, locally grown produce to historically underserved communities. Doing so creates economic viability through local food commerce that can rebuild our nation’s food system. Wholesome Wave, a national 501(c)(3) organization, partners with farm-to-retail venues, community leaders, healthcare providers, nonprofits, and government entities to implement programs that benefit both consumers in underserved communities and the farmers who provide for them.

The organization reaches over 28 states, working with more than 60 community-based organizations that manage more than 300 farm-to-retail venues and impact nearly 2,500 farmers. Wholesome Wave’s innovative programs address issues of food insecurity, farm viability, economic vitality of local communities, and diet-related diseases.

To read more about the exciting chefs, with links to their websites, please visit the 2013 Southern Chefs Series button on the Inn at Serenbe’s website. Registration is $650/participant and includes Sunday afternoon/evening class with dinner, overnight stay at the Inn, and Monday late morning class with lunch. Classes are limited to 10 participants. Historically, the series sells out quickly, so register today!

To register, please call the Inn at 770 463 2610.

For more on Wholesome Wave and their programs, please visit their website.

I look forward to cooking with you in the coming year.

Monday

13

August 2012

0

COMMENTS

Serenbe Southern Chefs Series Brings Back Anne Quatrano

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in Abattoir, Anne Quatrano, Bacchanalia, Floataway Cafe, marie nygren, Recipe Articles, Southern Chef Series, Star Provisions

The Serenbe Southern Chefs Series welcomed back Anne Quatrano, the powerhouse behind such Atlanta institutions as Bacchanalia, Abattoir, Floataway Café, and StarProvisions.

Chef Christopher Schmidt of Floataway Cafe
preparing homemade ravioli.

Anne brought her expertise to my kitchen on July 8 and 9 and delighted her students with a menu of tantalizing dishes for Sunday evening’s class: roasted, marinated beets with goat cheese (see recipe below); egg yolk and ricotta ravioli with summer squash and zucchini (see photo left); pan-roasted north Georgia trout with Carolina Gold rice risotto and caponata; and peach brown butter tart.

Christopher Schmidt, executive chef of one of Anne’s restaurant’s, Floataway Café, made the preparation of that evening’s meal seem oh-so-simple.

Chef Anne with cheese monger Tim Gaddis
preparing one of several cheese courses.

Monday brought a new day and a twist on the series, with Anne and Tim Gaddis, the cheese monger at Star Provisions, hosting a cheese tasting in place of a cooking demonstration. The cheese selections were many, varied, and all from artisanal cheese makers in the South. The accompaniments, which included fresh figs, cured meats, toasted hazelnuts, sautéed fingerling potatoes, caramelized onions, and Serenbe honey, perfectly complimented the cheese selections and, with a salad tossed with Anne’s homemade Green Goddess dressing, made for a satisfying meal.

It was a privilege to open my kitchen once again to Chef Anne; she is an inspiring and inspired chef.

I think you will enjoy her roasted beets. The flavors and colors of the ingredients were brilliant together. Enjoy!

Roasted, Marinated Beets with Caly Road Little Stone Mountain Goat Cheese

½ pound Caly Road Little Stone Mountain Goat Cheese (or similar)

3 pounds medium sized ruby queen or Chioggia beets

½ cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons butter

¼ cup honey

2 cups water

salt and black pepper

2 avocados, peeled and sliced

1 cup fresh blackberries

¼ cup toasted pistachios

½ cup baby arugula

Place washed beets in a deep roasting pan. Fill pan ½ way up the beets with water. Add vinegar, butter, honey, salt and pepper. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast in a 350 degree oven for 1 ½-2 hours or until a knife goes easily into a beet’s center. Remove from oven and remove from cooking liquid; reserve cooking liquid. Wearing gloves, peel off the exterior skin and quarter beets while still warm. Strain the cooking liquid through a chinois, season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss beets with reserved cooking liquid. Serve with fresh goat cheese, avocado, pistachio, blackberries and baby arugula.

Roasted, marinated beets with goat cheese

Thursday

9

August 2012

0

COMMENTS

This Weekend’s Dinner Menu at The Farmhouse

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in marie nygren, Southern fried chicken, The Farmhouse, The Inn at Serenbe

August 9 – August 11

Dinner Thursday – Saturday, 6pm-9pm

Starters

Mixed greens with almonds, red onion, fennel, and peach mint vinaigrette – or – sweet corn soup – or – Serenbe Farm heirloom tomato plate

$5.95

Entrees

Roasted pork loin with Farmhouse garden fig compote, Serenbe Farm green beans, and stoneground grits – or – seared chicken breast with Serenbe Farm smoked tomatoes, corn, okra, and butter peas.

$18.95

Dessert

Turtle pie – or – Boe’s blueberry cobbler

$4.95

Beverages, tax, and gratuity not included

Please visit The Farmhouse to make your reservation or call us at 770 463 2622.

Wednesday

8

August 2012

0

COMMENTS

Southern Chefs Potluck Nets Big Dollars for Georgians

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in marie nygren, Southern Chefs Potluck, The Farmhouse, Wholesome Wave, Wholesome Wave Georgia

Last Sunday’s Southern Chefs Potluck, benefitting Wholesome Wave Georgia, boosted the agency’s coffers when 150 patrons and 20 of the Atlanta area’s top chefs converged on Serenbe to provide a bountiful smorgasbord of the finest food our region offers.

For the main course, The Farmhouse at Serenbe provided its famous fried chicken, recently touted the best fried chicken in the August 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living, and Jim N’ Nick’s B-B-Q offered up White Oak Pastures meats and their own hot links. The participating chefs provided Sunday supper sides along with homemade pickles, relishes, and desserts.

Patrons dined family style with the chefs while being entertained by local talent Christ, Lord!, Lily and the Tigers, and Under White Pines. Once sated, the talented auctioneer Will Harris worked the crowd to raise money for Wholesome Wave Georgia.

Four one-of-a-kind chefs packages were on the auction block. Patrons bid high and bid often, raising more than $53,000 for the agency from the auction and ticket sales. This figure represents more than $106,000 in local, fresh food purchased by Georgia nutrition assistance recipients at farmers markets as well as in excess of $106,000 in business for small, local and family farms.

Thank you Georgia residents for attending the Southern Chefs Potluck and, more importantly, for supporting the good work of Wholesome Wave Georgia. Together, we make a difference!

Tuesday

31

July 2012

0

COMMENTS

Catching the Wholesome Wave

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in Linton Hopkins, marie nygren, Serenbe Farms, Wholesome Wave Georgia

I have been encouraging you to attend this year’s Southern Chefs Potluck on August 5, benefitting Wholesome Wave Georgia, and there’s more to the story than just the delicious food, fun fellowship, and over-the-top auction items. It’s important to share the broader story of the good this organization is doing in our great state and in states across the country.

Rows of organic produce at Serenbe Farms

Wholesome Wave programs, in 28 states and the District of Columbia, improve the accessibility and affordability of healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Because they say it so well, following are the mission and vision statements from the national Wholesome Wave website.

Our vision is to help lead the way in developing a more vibrant and equitable food system for everyone by fostering stronger relationships between local and regional agriculture and under-served individuals from both urban and rural communities.

Closer to home, “Wholesome Wave Georgia (WWG) believes that all Georgians should have access to good, wholesome and locally grown food. Our goal is to increase access to good food for all Georgians while contributing to the local food economy. By doubling each federal or state nutrition benefit (SNAP, WIC, SFMNP) dollar spent at our partner markets, we leverage existing government food nutrition programs to encourage shopping at local farmers markets.

Fresh-from-the-farm tomatoes

The execution of the Wholesome Wave Georgia program is very simple: Every nutrition benefit dollar spent at a WWG partner market becomes two dollars for the shopper and for the farmer. This means more money for farmers and that more Georgians gain access to good, wholesome and locally grown food.”

Perhaps armed with this information, you now have a better understanding of why the Southern Chefs Potluck is an important event for our state. I hope you’ll join me on August 5. Together, we can do great things for all Georgians.

Purchase your ticket today for the Southern Chefs Potluck

Chef Linton Hopkins and me

Tune in to CBS during the 9:00 a.m. hour this Friday, August 3, to Better Mornings Atlanta. Chef Linton Hopkins and I will be doing a segment on Sunday’s Southern Chefs Potluck.

Newer Entries →

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15

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In a pickle

8

0

Experience an Afternoon in the Country at Serenbe

2

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The Serenbe Institute awards HGTV windfall to community projects

25

0

Everything’s better when Betty’s in the kitchen

19

0

Southern Chefs Series Welcomes Birmingham’s Chris Hastings

11

0

2013 Southern Chefs Series Lineup Announced!

13

0

Serenbe Southern Chefs Series Brings Back Anne Quatrano

9

0

This Weekend’s Dinner Menu at The Farmhouse

8

0

Southern Chefs Potluck Nets Big Dollars for Georgians

31

0

Catching the Wholesome Wave

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