Photo by Angie Mosier / Fire In My Belly

When most people think of Kevin Gillespie, they think of tattoos, Top Chef and his wonderful Atlanta restaurant, Gunshow. But when I think of Kevin, I think of a teddy bear. He is just so cuddy and precious. For his Southern Chefs Series visit this month, he just walked in—sans apron or knives—and said, “Hey, let’s cook something.”

And did we ever. Kevin brought recipes from his cookbook, Fire In My Belly, and we cooked everything from grilled oyster mushrooms on mascarpone toast with hot giardiniera to his “not your everyday butternut squash soup,” made with cinnamon, pomegranate molasses and masala Punjabi chole curry he gets from the Dekalb Farmers Market in Decatur.

I don’t mind telling you: It was the best butternut squash soup I’ve ever had. It wasn’t creamy, it was chunky and everyone licked the pot clean. It was the first Southern Chefs Series where I didn’t have one—not one!—leftover.

Photo by Rob Brinson Photography

Kevin Gillespie’s Not Your Everyday Butternut Squash Soup

Feeds 8-10 hungry folks

• 2 tall boy-sized butternut squash, about 3 ½ pounds total
• ¼ cup lard or bacon grease
• 1 softball-size onion, cut into ¾-inch dice
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 3/4 –inch dice
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 huge carrot, peeled and cut into 3/4 –inch dice
• 2 tablespoons masala Punjabi chole curry
• 1 teaspoon Sumatra ground cinnamon
• 5 ½ cups no-salt chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

Trim the ends from the squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scrape out and discard the pulp and seeds and chop the squash into bite-size chunks. You’ll have about 12 cups. And, yes, you leave the skin on.

Melt the lard in a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Layer the vegetables and salt in the pot in the following order: onion first, then celery, then 1 tablespoon of the salt, then the squash, and finally the carrot. Let the mixture cook until the vegetables on the bottom start to brown, about 5 minutes. Then vigorously stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the browned bits and stirring them into the mixture. Let cook undisturbed for another 5 minutes, then scrape up the brown bits and stir them into the mixture. Continue cooking and scraping up the brown bits every 5 minutes until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes total. This process creates deep flavor. Don’t rush it!

Stir in the curry and cinnamon to coat the vegetables. Add 4 cups of the stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Cut the heat down so that the liquid simmers and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring now and then. Stir in the vinegar, lemon juice, the remaining 1 tablespoon salt, and the remaining 11⁄2 cups stock; simmer for another 10 minutes.

Serve in warm bowls and drizzle with some pomegranate molasses.

Photo by Rob Brinson Photography

“This is a chunky, stick-to-your-ribs vegetable soup that’s perfect for a cold winter day. It’s not chile pepper hot, just loaded with spices. I start by dicing butternut squash with the skin on, which adds a rustic texture to the soup and keeps the squash from completely falling apart. I use lard to sauté the squash, onion, celery and carrot so you get a little pork flavor. You could use bacon fat instead. The fat helps to caramelize the vegetables in the pan, creating a deep, savory flavor. The spices are basically warm Indian spices along with some Espelette pepper for heat and pomegranate molasses adds some acidity and sweetness. Look for it in Middle Eastern grocery stores and online. Or make it at home by juicing some pomegranates and boiling the juice until it’s syrupy, like thin honey.”  —From Fire In My Belly

For years my go-to summer cocktail has been the Pimm’s Cup. They’re light, lovely and I could make them in my sleep. Actually, I probably have. But earlier this summer my dear friend Anne Quatrano—chef/owner of Bacchanalia, Abattoir and Floataway Café—introduced me to the best summer cocktail I’ve ever had. And once I cheated on the Pimm’s Cup, I’ve never gone back.

Anne and I were talking about how much we love San Pelligrino sodas. She said she liked the grapefruit the best and mixes it with the Italian aperitif Aperol.

Friends, this drink is to die for. There are two ingredients: Aperol and San Pelligrino grapefruit soda. No muddling. No dashes of bitters or fancy garnishes. The grapefruit gives it sweetness and the Aperol adds a light fennel taste on the back of the tongue.

As much as I adore fall, I’m going to be sad to see the summer season, and my afternoons with this fantastic drink, come to a close.

Pelligrino Grapefruit Cocktail

• 1/3 aperol to 2/3 Pelligrino grapefruit soda

Stir, sip, sit back and sigh.

Chef John Besh had 26 hours at Serenbe, and I knew most of it would be spent in the kitchen for the Southern Chefs Series. So shortly after he arrived for his first visit to our spot in the Chattahoochee Hill Country, I took the native Louisianan on a tour of the property. I showed him the farm, stables, neighborhoods, shops, restaurants and everything in-between. And with every stop he’d hop out of the car and take picture after picture.

I could just see it on his face: He instantly got the beauty of the area. When we returned to my house, his team had unloaded 6 Mega coolers of food into the backyard for the classes. John took one look at them and said, “Nope, these are going right back in the van. No way are we ruining the scenery in this spot.”

Though I tried to play it cool, I had to pinch myself repeatedly over those two wonderful days last month. Josh Besh, the chef, restaurateur, author and TV personality, was in my kitchen! Cooking roasted black sea bass! I think everyone was a little star-struck because when I asked my friend Jill what name I should write on John’s cup for the day, she said, “Hotness.”

John made a gorgeous seafood paella for lunch on Sunday. It was an intense dish, but the perfect thing to make if you have a whole afternoon and a house full of friends to help. All the recipes from his visit came from Cooking From My Heart, his new cookbook coming out in October.

The 25 Georgia chefs who participated in the fourth annual Southern Chefs Potluck at Serenbe had four rules to follow:

1. Bring 1 side, 1 pickle and 1 dessert.
2. Put them on the table.
3. Sit down, eat and enjoy yourself as a guest.
4. If you show up in your chef whites you will be shot.

A few of them violated the No. 4, but I let them off with the evil eye. How could I be mad when so many talented chefs came together at Serenbe to raise $78,000 for Wholesome Wave Georgia?

Everyone said it was our best year yet and I have to agree. Anne Quatrano (Bacchanalia) brought dry fried pole beans; Kevin Gillespie (Gunshow) brought Jell-O parfait; Chris McDade (Kevin Rathbun’s Steak Bar) brought bacon pecan maple bars and Linton Hopkins (Restaurant Eugene) brought a beautiful peach, Vidalia onion and bacon salad.

I contributed my green tomato and Vidalia onion pickles. Of all the pickle recipes in the world, this is my favorite because it’s the perfect marriage of tart and sweet. There’s a very fine balance between vinegar and sugar in a pickle recipe. And between the green of the tomatoes and the bright red of the cherry bomb peppers, they look gorgeous on a shelf.

Together with Joy, one of my evening cooks at the Farmhouse, I put up 36 quarts last year and was happy to share the harvest at this event.

Green tomato and Vidalia onion 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 place in a plastic container and refrigerate. Good for 1 month.

Photo by Rob Brinson Photography

With 10 people in the kitchen and a four-item menu including red snapper jowl and white peach semifreddo, most chefs in the Southern Chefs Series are focused on making sure everything goes smoothly. But chef Chris Hastings, chef/owner of the Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Alabama, spent his time with us last month making sure it didn’t.

Right in the middle of a recipe, Chris would stop and switch the process. He saw that teams were doing their own thing and not watching what the others were cooking, so he had them sit down with a cocktail and talk to each other. He showed everyone that cooking isn’t always about getting from start to finish—it’s about conversation, different perspectives and the beauty of spontaneity.

His Hot and Hot Tomato Salad is his signature dish for a reason. Layered with fresh corn, field peas, fried okra and smoked bacon, it’s simple and subtle but tastes like restaurant-quality food. It’s also easy to assemble on the plate, but would also make a great buffet dish.

Before Chris eats, he always says a prayer. When I asked him why, he said, “Marie, I’m always mindful of being thankful.”

I’m thankful he was here last month to share his time and recipes with us.

Hot and Hot Tomato Salad

Serves 6

• 6 large beefsteak tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices
• 2 large Golden Delight tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices
• 2 large Rainbow tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices
• ½ pint Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes
• ¾ cup plus 3 tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette (recipe follows), divided
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• ¾ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 fresh thyme sprig
• 1 cup fresh field peas, such as black-eye, pink-eye, crowder, or butter beans
• 3 ears yellow corn, husks and silks removed
• 2 tbsp. peanut oil
• 4 cups vegetable oil
• 30 pieces baby okra, trimmed just under the cap
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup corn flour
• ¼ cup cornmeal
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 6 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked until crisp
• ¾ cup chive dressing (recipe follows)
• 6 tbsp. chiffonade of fresh basil

Toss tomatoes with ¾ cup of balsamic vinaigrette. Sprinkle with 1½ teaspoons salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper and marinate at room temperature until ready to serve.

To assemble the salad, arrange tomato slices on 6 plates and surround with whole cherry tomatoes. Top with even spoonfuls of pea and corn mixture. Arrange 5 pieces of fried okra around each plate, and place a slice of crispy bacon on top of each salad. Finish each stack with a drizzle of 1 to 2 tablespoons of chive dressing; garnish with 1 tablespoon of basil chiffonade per plate. Serve immediately.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Whisk together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Be sure to bring the chilled vinaigrette to room temperature and whisk well before serving.

Chive Dressing

• 1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely minced
• 6 tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup olive oil
¼ cup crème fraîche

Combine the garlic and chives in small bowl. Add egg yolk, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and whisk to combine. Add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream while vigorously whisking. Next, whisk in the crème fraîche. (You may need to add a drop or two of water if dressing is too thick.) Cover and chill the dressing for at least 20 minutes before serving. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Next up: The Southern Chefs Series—called “a sleepover for Southern foodies” by Garden & Gun magazine—continues August 25 & 26 with chef Josh Besh. Proceeds benefit Wholesome Wave. Call 770.463.2610 to register.

Photo by Rob Brinson Photography

When we opened The Farmhouse back in 2005, I interviewed chef Steven Satterfield to run the kitchen. I loved his garden-fresh approach and knew he was doing great things at Watershed with chef Scott Peacock. It’s a good thing it didn’t work out: He went on to open Miller Union, which started a delicious renaissance on Atlanta’s Westside.

We changed things up and cooked dinner outside when Steven came to the Southern Chefs Series last month. I got a Tuscan Italian Grill from Bella Cucina and he grilled his skirt steak over an open flame then served it with a cilantro sauce made with garlic and toasted cumin seeds.

We made two salads on the side: an herb-buttermilk potato salad and a chopped salad with charred onion vinaigrette. In addition to the fresh ingredients, I think a vinaigrette makes any salad. What I love most about it is that it has a recipe but it doesn’t.

Chopped Salad

• 2 small head lettuces
• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 1 bunch arugula
• 1 bunch kale
• 1 bunch radishes
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 small beet
• 1 small carrot
• 1 bunch green beans, blanched
• Parsley, tarragon, chives

Photo by Rob Brinson Photography

Charred Onion Vinaigrette

• 1 small red onion, diced
• ½ cup sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt and pepper

In a medium sized skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil on medium-high heat. Add the diced red onion, and season with salt and pepper. Allow to sit until the onions brown and then stir several times, allowing to brown and caramelize, almost blacken. Remove from heat and transfer the browned onions to a plate to cool.

Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender and turn on medium speed.  Slowly add olive oil and then increase speed to incorporate.  When emulsified, add the cooled onions and taste.

Photo by Rob Brinson Photography

The word “tartine” sounds fancy, French and like something that might require hours in the kitchen with a rolling pin and dough. But chef, restaurateur and James Beard Award-winning author Hugh Acheson, who joined us for the Southern Chefs Series last month, is neither French nor fancy—he just knows how to elevate honest, humble food. And with a little country ham, ricotta and fresh, local fruit he transformed a piece of bread into an exciting entrée.

Hugh has a very dry wit. He’s incredibly well organized and methodical in the kitchen, but cracks jokes the entire time. What I love most about him is the simplicity of his food—everything on his menu, from the turnip risotto to peppered strawberries with buttermilk panna cotta, was earthy and approachable.

The word “tartine” means open-faced sandwich: No pie shells, puff pastries or kneading necessary. Hugh toasted bread, buttered it, layered ricotta cheese, country ham, fresh Georgia peaches and mint leaves on top, then drizzled it with local honey. He made it look easy because it is.

Photo by Rob Brinson Photography

Tartines of country ham, ricotta, peaches, mint, and local honey

serves 4

• 4 slices of bread that you love
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup fresh ricotta
• 3 ounces thinly sliced county ham or prosciutto
• 2 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons local honey

Toast the bread slices until just lightly browned. Spread each slice with ½ tablespoon of the butter. Then spread each with ¼ cup of ricotta.

In a medium sized bowl, gently toss the country ham slices, peaches, and mint. Arrange the salad on top of the bread and drizzle each with a ½ tablespoon of honey.

In the February 20 post Engaging Your Senses, I recommended you try, as an exercise, to approach life with your senses more alert.  How have you done with this?  Did you consider what you can do or experience that engages each of the senses (touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing)?

For me,  it’s food;  food engages all the senses.

It’s the snap of a bean or the sizzle of bacon, the silkiness of flour, the aroma of garlic and onion sauteing in butter.  I love how food can evoke a memory and not always for its smell.  You might be transported back in time by the sight of a particular food or its taste, or, really, for any of the senses it awakens.  When I’m contemplating something, I ask, “What’s its yumminess factor?”  For me, everything, not just food, has a yumminess factor to consider.  Perhaps I see life through food.  After all, and I’ve said it before, food is what connects us.  We absolutely must have it to thrive, even just to survive, but beyond the necessity of it, food serves as a unifier.

You can travel to another country where the spoken language is other than your own and connect with someone over food, whether it’s something sold in an outdoor market, from a food cart, or from a fine dining or casual eatery.  And, the connection might happen without uttering a word.  Food can be the language.

If you’ve followed my blog or been to my restaurant The Farmhouse at Serenbe, you know I’m all about fresh food prepared simply to provide maximum nourishment for the body and soul.  One of my favorite restaurants anywhere is le Relais de l’Entrecôte in Paris, and it’s not because they have a lavish or extensive menu of delicacies.  They only serve steak-frites (or steak and chips [fries]) with a delectable sauce and accompanied by a house salad.  That’s it!  It’s simple, nourishing, and perfectly prepared every time!

Having dined there several times, I know I will see, smell, taste, touch, hear, and experience an amazing meal there.  Those who visit the restaurant for the first time, and probably by recommendation, probably only expect to taste something delicious, with little thought to the rest of the experience, but assuredly, once there, the senses awaken; the experience is fulfilling on so many levels.

I subscribe to a mindset that when we are fully aware of our senses, we are more open to the beauty and grace around us.  When you engage each sense, how does that enrich your life?

During my most recent trip to Paris, for the meeting and discussions about the sustainable food movement (see blog post Travels, talks, and food, February 7), I was compelled to indulge my fascination with the Lady and the Unicorn (La Dame a la licorne) tapestries at the National Museum of the Middle Ages (Musee national du Moyen-Age, formerly known as the Musee de Cluny) at the Hotel de Cluny in Paris.  The set of six tapestries, woven in Flanders of wool and silk, dates back to the 15th century.  The tapestries, found in poor repair in 1841, were restored and have been at the Cluny since 1882.

The tapestries are said to depict the five senses.  The sixth, stitched with “a mon seul desir” is variously interpreted as “To my only desire,” “My heart’s desire,” and other interpretations.  To me, the sixth tapestry is about intuition.

In each, there is a woman, a unicorn, and a lion; other creatures and people show up in the various scenes.  These are extraordinary works of art, and on the occasions when I’ve been in Paris, a visit to the Cluny is a must.  I am enthralled with the handiwork, the colors, and most especially the content.

Click on a tapestry to read about that tapestry from the museum’s website.

Sight

Touch

Taste

Smell

Hearing

A mon seul désir.

What is your interpretation of the sixth tapestry?
A mon seul désir

My captivation with the tapestries has me wondering about the magic, if you will, that is the gift of the senses and how they help to make us more aware of the world.  I try to live a life fully engaged, which to me is living a sensual life – or being in the world with all the senses awakened and aware.

Admittedly, being fully engaged with one’s senses can be challenging and even a bit distracting initially.  What is something you can do or experience that engages each of the five senses (taste, sight, smell, touch, hearing)?  Many possible responses might involve some or most of the senses, but very few I can think of engage them all.

My next post will share one of the few answers I’ve ever come up with to that question.  In the meantime, as an exercise, try being more aware of your senses in all you do.  I think you might be surprised what more you notice when you are more alert.

Probably like many of you, once the holidays are over and the decorations are packed away for safekeeping until next year, I am fully into the mode of the new year and the promise that it brings for new experiences and transformations. It’s hard not to want to “do” it all now, “fix” it all – whatever the desired fix is – and jump headfirst into making it the year I envision for myself and my family.

My aspirations and hopes for 2013 are many and varied. Some are personal and for only me to know; others, though, I’m happy to share. In doing so, perhaps we can work together and achieve some pretty remarkable feats this year collectively and personally.

I hope to sell out every Southern Chefs Series class, the proceeds of which will go to Wholesome Wave to establish chapters in other Southern states. Visit Wholesome Wave Georgia’s website to read what our local chapter is doing; you’ll be proud! It’s remarkable and inspiring what Wholesome Wave is doing to make healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables accessible and affordable to our neighbors in need. I’m proud to lend my assistance to furthering their mission.

I hope to increase my support of local businesses and encourage others to do the same. Small businesses need us as much as ever. As a small business owner, I know how impactful it is when consumers choose to give me their business. So as often as possible, I will only shop local and contract for services with area business owners.

I aspire to see the magic and beauty present in every day. It is there for all of us to see, but in the craziness that we can let life become, it’s easy to miss.

I aspire to be thankful for every day.  One of my favorite poems is “i thank You God for most this amazing” by ee cummings. (There are some YouTube postings of audio recordings of him reciting this poem; one can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axH9A28CTjw). Imagine how much more kindness we might all experience if we share this aspiration.

Please consider joining me. I plan to share with you my journey in this acknowledgment of magic and beauty. Here’s to a remarkable year.