Small Celebrations

Each time we gather at the table it should be treated as a celebration. Food is not just the means of filling our appetites, but is rather a resource and a reason to spend time together. It is time that we must set aside to slow down, talk, savor the meal (and perhaps some wine), laugh and simply relax. Dinner is also the best way to acknowledge a special occasion. This past week, I was lucky enough to share multiple dinners with family, friends and my husband to mark our two-year anniversary.

It began with my parents at a special wine dinner at Teller's Chophouse in Islip. If you have read my earlier posts, you'll know how I emphatically endorse Teller's for their ambiance, food and professional staff. Well, during the Raphael wine dinner there, we were treated like a royal family. Our experience was exquisite. I'll share my menu choices with you to give you an idea: Raphael's Sauvignon Blanc 2009 paired with frisee salad with bleu cheese and pears; Raphael's First Label Merlot 2002 paired with melt-in-your mouth lamb complemented by carmelized brussel sprouts and Long Island potatoes; finished by the Raphael Port 2007 with a Panna Cotta and a scoop of dark chocolate ice cream.

Our next celebratory dinner was for two. After a visit with my best friends at Pindar Vineyards' tasting room for some of their delicious Brut and Cuvee Rare, my husband and I dined at Jamesport Manor Inn. We enjoyed a surprisingly generous Long Island Restaurant Week menu. Pictured above, the dining room is more of a home feel with soft lighting as you walk through the would-be foyer and living room. Our table was cozily tucked in a window nook, which seemed as though it was in another world from the rest of the guests. This was my first time enjoying a dinner at this famed spot. I was more than impressed. The menu was full of unique and delicious choices, the portions were generous and the service was impeccable. I chose a Wolffer Cabernet Franc 2007 then started with sea scallops over creamy risotto. My main course was perfect - pan roasted French chicken breasts topped with goat cheese over Acorn squash puree and asparagus. I finished with a cappuccino and chocolate ice cream (my favorite finish). I highly recommend this spot, whether it's for a romantic dinner or a family meal. Even the bar area has an inviting, "stay awhile" atmosphere.

We then were able to round off the very different dinners with a gathering at the Martin home. The family dined on a meal that could've given any North Fork restaurant some competition. Prepared by my brother-in-law, Jeremy, a chef in his own right, we were served a surf-n-turf dinner fit for a king. The starters included plantains, while I sipped on some wine and we waited to gather, then were followed by plump shrimp cocktail. We then enjoyed a mixed green salad with gorgonzola, cranberries and sweet & spicy roasted pecans on top. The surf was the reveled Peconic Bay scallops, which were sweet and savory, broiled to perfection. The turf was a lager-marinated steak. Both complemented by rice and candied baby carrots. Dessert was a red velvet cake. This was truly a homemade celebration on a grand scale. Thank you, Jeremy.

These varied places, people and dishes can all be classified as the finer things in life that make the daily routine easier to bear. However, we all need to be sure that we make time for these things as often as possible.

Sweet Talk Turkey

I know, I know... I make many things with turkey. I simply had to share the latest "concoction" from last night, which was actually Roger's idea. I just improved on it. (Don't tell him that, please. Mom Martin: That means you.)

What do you do when you have two acorn squash left over from the decorations from last week's party? You bake them of course. Why not go with the mixologist train of thought and use those gourds as vessels to serve your food? This is the origin of thought where I took over. After looking at my supplies in the freezer, refrigerator and pantry, I created a seasonal dish that combined a unique way to prepare and serve turkey with a very sweet twist.

Sweet Talk Turkey

1 pound (approx.) of ground turkey
2 Acorn squash, cut in half with seeds and cavity scooped out Light brown sugar
Salted butter
Ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
Soy sauce
Sea salt
Raisins
Sliced almonds

Bake squash at 375 for 50-55 minutes (until extremely tender) after filling bowl-like cavity with butter and brown sugar. Be sure to slice a piece off of the underside of squash so they sit flat on baking sheet.

Brown ground turkey and sautee with soy sauce, using only a pinch of sea salt. Generously sprinkle cinnamon on top while browning. Add a dash of nutmeg. Cook until meat is browned and the soy has turned it a darker color, resembling ground beef. Then add a tablespoon of brown sugar, raisins and almonds to your liking. Cover and simmer on low for about 3-4 minutes.

I prepared cornbread stuffing along with this dish and added a tablespoon into the cooked squash bowls before topping with the sweet seasoned turkey meat. Fill the remained of the bowl until the meat is level with the top of acorn squash. Serve with remaining stuffing and a vegetable. I steamed corn and peas with this one. It complemented the other elements well.

I hope you get to try something similar. Did I mention that I love fall? Why not enjoy all of the ingredients that the season has to offer?

The Country Hollow Short List

Energy, inspiration and passion - the three key ingredients required for me to write, to create and basically to do anything worthwhile. Today, I found the room in my mind to spend some time writing and finally, have arrived at my blog. It's been two weeks, which is a long sabbatical for me but last week was our annual "Haunted Harvest" Halloween event at Country Hollow. I figured out that I need to post my menu and plans before the party or write about it immediately after to keep the energy rolling. In this case, I missed the chance on both so here I am.

Last Saturday was exciting and busy with setting up our grounds with a canoe bar, orange string lights, pumpkins, lanterns and lots of seating. That was the first half of the day. Cooking and prepping my dishes took up the second half. I assigned Roger his items and worked on the ideas for mine for a while. Our Country Hollow menu was enhanced by all of the delicious goods that each guest brought. Here's what filled our tables, countertops and special beverage station:

Country Hollow

• Harvest chicken rollups filled with Gloucester cheddar, cornbread stuffing and topped with tangerine cranberry sauce.


• Butternut squash bites, which consisted of corn chip vessels filled with Havarti cubes, baked sweetened Butternut squash and topped with cinnamon roasted pumpkin seeds.


• Savory half-moons: buttery crescents filled with honey ham, Spanish green olives and cream cheese.


• Sweet 'n' Spicy meatballs: cocktail meatballs slow-cooked in the traditional grape jelly and chili sauce with the additions of extra chili sauce, Red Hot, cayenne peppers and diced onions.


• Hot Dates (a Sandra Lee recipe) of dates stuffed with pineapple and wrapped with bacon then broiled.


• Roger's famous marinated grilled chicken wings.

Guest Dishes These are the taste treats that we were so thankful for.

• Fall cocktail whipped up by our very own mixologist, Gregg Lewis, who served these in gourds. We all wrote our names on the side of the mini-pumpkins then drank from them! (Gregg also built our bar.)


• Mom & Jere Martin's Clam Chowder was a hit.


• Spicy Sausage & Mushroom stew made by my Dad with a side of fresh baked bread. (Dad also contributed all of the beer and paper goods. Yay!)


• Denise's stromboli with pepperoni and without.


• Jeremy's grilled chorizo served on skewers with a fresh guacamole.


• Kate's "Frank's 'n' Beans".


• Jackie contributed Mexican appetizers of tacos, taquitos and three different dips. She also made her Autumn favorite: pumpkin roll.


• Our neighbor Jules contributed clams on the half shell.


• Nicole and Pindar brought Sauvignon Blanc, which paired nicely. (I served Raphael's Estate Merlot 07. Both wines went very fast!)


• Mema baked beautiful Halloween cupcakes.


• Aunt Lisa and Uncle Jimmy brought a classic homemade pumpkin pie.


• Others that stopped in brought sweet treats of cookies, cake and popcorn balls with candy corns.

The turnout was perfect. It was a crisp, cold day but stayed clear for us. Everything was a blast and once again, our beautiful home made it comfortable for everyone.

Tomorrow, November 7th, we will celebrate our second wedding anniversary. We have reservations at The Jamesport Manor Inn, which I'm truly looking forward to. I've only had the experience of dining there for a company Christmas party years ago. I'll be sure to report on our dinner. We also have begun our celebration today with a special gift from my grandmother (Mema), who gave me a unique and exciting cookbook.

Mema has shared so many traditional Italian recipes with me. I have cooked up things by heart just from being around her all of my life. She, who shares my creativity and love for cooking, found a not-so-traditional, gourmet Italian cookbook that features many Southern Italy inspired favorites. The book itself is absolutely gorgeous and gets your appetite going before you even start. I can't wait to try my first challenge soon!

I began this post with a thought on inspired creativity. I'll leave you with this: With any endeavor you embark on, be sure your full heart is in it. Do it for yourself. Do what makes you happy.

Fragrance of Fall

Fallen leaves. Brisk wind. Mums. Hint of Indian Summer in the mild afternoon sun. Cranberries. Hazelnut. Apple pie. Cinnamon and coffee. All of these are scents that are unmistakably fall for me. They pique my creative side, energize me and bring comfort to my home. What inspires you?

Originally, this was going to be a post about my grandmother's quiche recipe but instead I wanted to share with you some things that helped me savor the season a bit more and find excitement in the holidays to come. I relaxed and found interest in working on different aspects of my kitchen.

First, some tablescape tips. I had acquired the most beautiful and various sized hurricane glasses from friends at work. I decided to have fun with these new additions and purchased some autumn scented pillar candles to fit. An excellent tip to make any kitchen or dining table a bit more rustically romantic are none other than items from your grocer. I decided that Michael's was not the only place to find great crafts. I bought fresh cranberries and hazelnuts to fill my hurricane vases around the warmly lit candles. These items added a natural warmth that rocks or sand just couldn't do.

Earlier today, trying to find some motivation for the day, I figured out that the one thing I felt like doing (after boot shopping, of course) was baking. Since, this doesn't happen often, I took advantage and completed multiple projects. One, my grandmother's quiche. It's a bleu cheese and cream cheese quiche, fluffy with cream and seasoned with minced onions, paprika and pepper. I baked ahead for tomorrow's dinner, which I will pair with sauteed spinach and Baby Bella mushrooms. (Tonight's dinner was chicken sausage and pierogies.)

My other baked good was a spice cake frosted with cream cheese icing and topped with maple syrup and melocreme pumpkins as a pretty seasonal garnish. The spice cake absolutely hit the spot.

The next project to work on is my second annual Halloween Party at our home, recently named Country Hollow. This week I will plan our menu of finger foods and beverages as well as start our outdoor set up for the weekend. I'll be sure to tell you all about it!

For now, wishing you the colorful warmth in your homes that only this fall season could bring.

Glazed Over (with brown sugar and fig)

In honor of the pumpkin picking that occured earlier in the weekend, the cold wind that made my cheeks rosie and the inspiration of fall colors filling my house, my dinner last night resembled a Thanksgiving plate. Except I didn't cook a turkey. Instead, I roasted a chicken and had fun with the glaze.

After being completely bored with the usual flavors of roaster chickens (even though I had a whole wheat stuffing, cranberry sauce and greens), I decided to blend together some interesting flavors to make a sweet glaze.

Tried and tested, I recommend you taste the below glaze for yourself. The flavors soaked through to the breast perfectly and the skin crisped to the most delicious texture. Here is the recipe, very simply.

Brown Sugar Fig Infused Glaze

• First be sure to place pats of butter under the skin of your cleaned chicken and prepare to use a roaster pan with a rack on 375 for about an hour and a half. (Inner temp should be 165 degrees when done.)


• Then for your glaze, in a medium bowl, whisk together: 1/4 cup of soy, 1 tablespoon teriyaki, 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, onion powder (two shakes), 2 teaspoons of fig infused vinegar, sea salt and ground pepper to taste.


• Brush onto your bird. Continue to brush on the glaze throughout the cooking process.


• It will brown and crisp towards the last 20 minutes of cook time. (See finished picture above.)

Have fun and remember- Thanksgiving dinner can happen more than once a year.

Classically Coastal

Downeast lobster rolls, steamers, chowder - these delicious delicacies materialize in our minds when we think of classic Maine fare. This coastal cuisine is one of the reasons Roger and I started visiting Maine four years ago. As my adventure continues, and I set out to try new and exciting dishes, I could never pass up the opportunity to eat like a native "Mainer". The second half of my trip blog will focus on the seafaring side of Maine and what it has to offer.

It wasn't long before we were sitting on a dock, savoring broth and butter dipped steamed clams, piping hot. We were in Bar Harbor at Stewman's Downtown. I sipped on a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Roger enjoyed a beer called Smuttynose. Our starter was two pounds of steamers, which I had been craving for weeks before the vacation. They were perfect! I followed them up with a main course of Frenchman's Bay Haddock sandwich and Roger: a lobster roll prepared with huge chunks of lobster and no mayo except for a smearing on the toasted bun. It was an immensely satisfying "classic" dinner. Stewman's is legendary in Bar Harbor, and even more so recently since President Obama dined there with his family. The place is recently rennovated and may be getting a bit conceited and cold. However, the food was excellent so all in all it was a great night.

Another famous (or infamous) spot in Bar Harbor that we visited for a lunch was Geddy's Bar & Grill. The atmostphere is that of a local sports bar with all sorts of Maine memorabilia on the walls and hanging from the ceiling. They present themselves as a wildly fun spot that offers just about any kind of food that your appetite desires. Of course we ordered local brew, then Roger ordered a gourmet personal pizza and I chose a crab sandwich that was stacked high with fresh meat and served with cole slaw, french fries and a pickle. What can I say? It was exactly what you should order from a rockin' crazy place like Geddy's. Remember: When in Rome.

Let's travel back to the quiet side, where we are staying in Southwest Harbor. The true local feel is apparent there and, although they have welcomed the new age flare of Fiddler's Green and Red Sky, the classic downeast is everywhere. It would not be a Maine vacation without eating one meal at Beal's Lobster Pound. The crisp, cold sea air hits you as you step out of the car and approach the building on the dock. Plastic wind barrier walls line the picnic tables. Now, you absolutely have to order chowder! We ordered the New England clam, which was not as thick and rich in the texture but heavy in clams and dill. It was super hot and absolutely fit with the scene. Once again, we ate two pounds of steamers. They were as good as Stewman's (if not better), and the price down at the Lobster Pound was definitely best. We paired these with none other than the Atlantic Brewing Company's Real Ale. Needless to say, as this was lunch, a nap was soon to follow.

These highlights are the aspects of Maine that I treasure most. Aside from the fare, the coast itself is breathtaking. Pictured in this blog is Sand Beach from The Beehive summit, where the icy green waters refresh your soul as they hit the coarse ground sand set snuggly between the granite mountains. Just to sit on the beach there, you understand what Maine is all about.

The Wild Side of Maine

Back on the North Fork, I have just returned from a much needed vacation to a place that holds a special place in my heart - Mt. Desert Island, Maine. We spent over a week in a beautiful, cozy cabin nestled in between tall Hemlock and Pine trees overlooking a charming pond. The view, from everywhere in the cottage, through the large picture window, was breathtaking.

Upon arrival, after an eight hour travel day (even with a stop at L.L. Bean), we were exhausted and starving. We had decided that our adventures in Maine would be to enjoy the scenery of fall colors, the coastal mountainous outdoors and the fresh local fare- all in a new and exciting way.

Thus began our adventure with a dinner at Fiddler's Green, Southwest Harbor, ME. This restaurant receives my emphatic recommendation and took its place as our most favorite place on the island. Chef/Owner Derek Wilbur has an imaginative flare for taking the best of the local resources and transforming them magically into one-of-a-kind dishes. The restaurant decor is modern with a cozy ambiance from its warm-colored walls and dim lighting. The comfortable atmosphere is complemented with the welcoming personality of Manager/Owner Sarah Oneil.

Upon arrival, Sarah made us feel right at home. By the second of the three dinners we enjoyed there, we felt like family. During the week we were there, I dined on decadent three-cheese lobster pot pie; smoked mussels with a red wine reduction; succulent harvest-inspired Cornish hen; smoked fish small plate served with chevre; and a Kobe burger. The wine list was impressive and the local brew on tap both offered perfect pairings with our meals.

The next hot spot of Southwest Harbor that we made sure to visit was Red Sky. This restaurant was up to par with the standards of a Manhattan dining experience. The first-class service, the minimalist, upscale decor combined with the innovative menu, again incorporating local fare with a gourmet presentation. This particular place holds sentimental value for my husband and I as we celebrated our moments-old engagement there three years ago with champagne and fine food. On our return visit, we were not disappointed. The staff was professional and very attentive. I chose a bleu cheese first course that was set with pecans, mesculin greens and a balsamic vinaigrette. My main dish was the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth lamb. The wine paired was a big Barolo that I was so impressed with. The finale was a bittersweet chocolate pudding that wasn't even on the menu - it was that special. Our wonderful cabin hosts shared this excellent tip!

If you haven't noticed the theme of this half of my Maine reporting, the "Wild Side" refers to the unique and unexpected experiences in dining incorporating the freshest ingredients. But I couldn't possibly tease about wild things without telling you all about our brewery-hopping one day in Bar Harbor.

When in Rome....or in Maine...or wherever you might be, you should always try the specialty of the place. In this case, it is local beer. You may have noticed that I am more of a wine enthusiast than a beer drinker. However, I truly appreciate the flavorful, darker brews that are best savored and not chugged- although those are refreshing too. Atlantic Brewing Company really knows how to brew terrific beer!

We started in the wallking village of Bar Harbor and visiting the Bar Harbor Brewery tasting room (sister company to Atlantic Brewing Co.). We tasted their boutique beers in the "Manly Men" collection that were the most unique styles I have ever encountered. They included Sea Smoke, which tasted like a campfire and is perfect for marinades; Blackstrap, which offers flavors of molasses; and El Hefe, made by the top brewmaster with less carbonation and hoppy notes. We were assisted by the friendliest local man that was extremely thorough and helpful.

Our next stop was Atlantic Brewing Co.'s brewery and tasting room. We arrived just in time to join a group tasting which featured their complete line listed at the following link: atlanticbrewingcompany.com . We bought the Coal Porter and the Real Ale, which were simply fabulous. During our stay, I also appreciated the Blueberry Ale served Maine style with real blueberries dropped in the glass. Different and nice with a lunch sandwich.

So what is so wild about beer? Well, we were after all of our tastings and a quick Irish lunch at a local, back door pub. (By Irish lunch, I mean more beer and popcorn.)

This blog post will be the first of two. My next report will talk about the classic downeast that we reveled in throughout our week. Until then...have a wicked good time!

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