Serenbe Style and Soul | with Marie Nygren

Monday

8

October 2012

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

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

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

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

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.

Friday

7

September 2012

This week at the Farmhouse

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in Rocking Chair Ranch, Serenbe Farms, The Farmhouse at Serenbe

This Week’s Dinner Menu at
The Farmhouse

September 6 – September 8

Dinner served 6pm – 9pm

Starters

Mixed lettuces with Serenbe Farms tomatoes, cucumbers, Vidalia onions, and country ham vinaigrette – or – Serenbe Farms okra and tomato soup

Entrées

Roasted chicken breast with Farmhouse garden collards, stone ground grits, and lemon onion butter sauce – or – Rocking Chair Ranch braised pork with Serenbe Farms tomatoes and rice

Dessert

Strawberry cake – or – chocolate pecan bourbon pie

Visit the Farmhouse on line or call us at 770 463 2622 to make your reservation.

Come early and enjoy 2-for-1 happy hour from 4pm to 6pm.

This weekend’s pork entrée features pork from local producer, Rocking Chair Ranch, which is committed to delivering locally grown, grass-fed beef and acorn- and garden trimmings-fed pork to the Middle Georgia area. Their pasture-raised livestock are free of growth hormones and antibiotics. To learn more about Rocking Chair Ranch and where you can purchase their beef and pork (one location is right here in Serenbe at the Farmers Market, Saturdays, 9am-12pm), please visit their website.

Tuesday

4

September 2012

Coming Soon…the 2013 Southern Chefs Series Lineup Announcement

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in Southern Chefs Series, Wholesome Wave, Wholesome Wave Georgia

I’m excited to announce that the 2013 Southern Chefs Series has been greatly expanded from six to twelve chefs…that’s twice the fun and a year’s-worth of great cooking and eating in my kitchen.

Additionally, the proceeds from the 2013 series are earmarked for a seed fund to help establish Wholesome Wave chapters in our neighboring Southern states. It’s been a privilege and honor to partner with remarkable chefs at the Southern Chefs Potluck, Wholesome Wave Georgia’s fabulous fundraiser event held at Serenbe. The opportunity to help the parent organization, Wholesome Wave, set up chapters elsewhere in the South is exciting.

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, like-minded nonprofits and government entities to implement programs that benefit both consumers in underserved communities and the farmers who provide for them. Every nutrition benefit dollar spent at a Wholesome Wave partner market becomes two dollars for the shopper and the farmer.

Stay tuned for more on the series, including the exciting lineup of stellar Southern chefs and their respective class dates. Registration will be open soon. Classes are limited to 10 people and fill quickly.

Tuesday

28

August 2012

Blueberries and Serenbe in Print

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in Access Atlanta, blueberries, Recipe Articles, The Farmhouse

Access Atlanta recently published a story, “In season – blueberries,” about this luscious berry and featured two of my recipes for using this glorious fruit.

Though our local growers may have sold out their crop for the season of pick-your-own blueberries, you can still find them in the grocery stores. Berries – all varieties – seem like the ultimate summer fruit.

As you know, the weekly menu at my restaurant, The Farmhouse features local and fresh produce grown in our garden at The Farmhouse, the Serenbe Farms’ fields, or from other local farms. When summer berries are at their peak, we feature them in sweet and savory dishes. I like the versatility of berries.

Picking blueberries on a summer morning.

My berry cobbler recipe in the Access Atlanta story (and below) can be modified to use any berry; I’ve used them all with success and encourage you to do the same.

The Farmhouse Blueberry Cobbler

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put butter into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and place in oven while oven is preheating. Remove when butter has melted; this may take up to 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk until batter is smooth. Pour into melted butter in baking dish. Scatter fruit across the top. Bake cobbler 30 minutes or until cobbler is cooked through and top begins to brown. Serve hot or warm with ice cream.

Serves: 8

The Farmhouse Blueberry Rum Cocktail

For each serving, puree 1/4 cup fresh blueberries with a tablespoon of brown sugar and some fresh lemon juice. The puree can be strained before it’s mixed with a jigger or two of rum and topped off with a half cup of ginger ale and served on the rocks in a tall glass. Please enjoy this refreshing libation responsibly.

Friday

24

August 2012

Creating a Weekly Menu – The Farmhouse Way

Written by Marie Nygren, Posted in Serenbe Farms, The Farmhouse

If you’ve been to the website for my farm-to-table restaurant in Serenbe, or better yet, dined with us, you know we create a weekly menu for our guests at The Farmhouse. We’re open for dinner Thursdays through Saturdays. Menu development for that week’s offerings takes place on the Friday prior. Before the team begins cooking for dinner, we take a walk in the restaurant’s garden to determine what produce will be at its peak, and we consult the Serenbe Farms’ list to see what is coming off the farm in the coming week. Serenbe’s fresh, organic produce inspires the menu.

We then sit down, pen and paper in hand, and discuss what we want to do with the produce we’ll feature. On alternating weeks, we offer fish and beef or pork and chicken. We seldom consult cookbooks, instead relying on inspiration, tried-and-true preparations, and intuition. In under an hour, we have a completed menu. Due to our location in the “country,” unlike restaurants in the city that might receive daily deliveries, we are locked in to our menu, with not much room to wander from it, since orders must be placed early in the week.

On the following Thursday afternoon, we prepare that weekend’s menu for our servers before the doors open at 6:00 p.m. On Thursday afternoon, look for photos of that week’s meal on our Facebook page.

This week, tomatoes figure prominently because right now they are spectacular, always healthy, and terrifically versatile. For all of these reasons, we gave tomatoes top billing for the “Starters” course at The Farmhouse, and they can be enjoyed in our featured salad, gazpacho, or tomato plate. This week’s menu, like each week’s, features local and regional specialties.

The Farmhouse Menu – August 23-25

Starters

Mixed Lettuces with Farmhouse Garden Tomatoes, Vidalia Onions, Bleu Cheese and Vinaigrette – or – Farmhouse Garden Gazpacho – or – Serenbe Farms Heirloom Tomato Plate

Entrées

Chicken Paillards with Green Tomato Chutney and Corn, Okra and Farmhouse Tomato Salad – or – Pork Tenderloin with Pickled Mustard Seed, Farmhouse Garden Collards and Black-eyed Pea Sauté

Dessert

Farmhouse Garden Apple Turnovers with Honey and Vanilla Ice Cream – or – Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie

Join us at The Farmhousefor dinner Thursdays through Saturdays between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. or for a Southern fried chicken lunch Saturdays and Sundays, 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Visit us online or call 770 463 2622 to make a reservation.

Monday

13

August 2012

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.