June 28, 2016

The Farmhouse Cookbook

There's a new cookbook on our shelves... The Farmhouse Cookbook has arrived, and it's terrific!  This collection of over 100 mouthwatering recipes inspired by the traditions of the farmhouse kitchen—with a modern twist—captures the true taste of today's country cooking and brings the fresh ingredients and seasonal flavors of a farmhouse kitchen into your own home. Stuffed full of details on selecting the best ingredients, eating seasonally, and foraging, this book is an invaluable source of information as well as a celebration of modern country living and how to get involved with the land and the food you eat.

From soups and pâtés to casseroles, roasts, salads and pies, and from tarts and crumbles to puddings, cakes, breads, jams and chutneys, produce from the farm and surrounding countryside is imaginatively combined to produce a wonderful range of heartwarming, seasonal dishes for all the family. Recipes such as Cheddar Farls Stuffed with Fried Eggs and Crispy Bacon, Broad Bean Hummus Toasts, Somerset Scrumpy Cake and Eton Mess Semifreddo bring the fresh ingredients and seasonal flavors of a farmhouse kitchen into your own home.

Here's a recipe to try that's perfect for lunch or dinner, any time of the year...



SALAD WITH PEARS, BLUE CHEESE & CARAMELIZED WALNUTS


Serves 4-6
Gather the Goods:
2 ripe but firm dessert pears
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 small heads green chicory,
broken into separate leaves
2 small heads red chicory,
broken into separate leaves
40g watercress sprigs
50g radicchio leaves (optional)
100g de-rinded blue cheese, such as Devon Blue or Colston Basset, thinly sliced
The seeds from 1/2 a pomegranate

For the caramelized walnuts:
100g walnut halves
2 tbsp clear honey

For the dressing:
1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp clear honey
1 tsp walnut oil
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Directions:
For the caramelized walnuts, preheat the oven to 180°C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Scatter the walnuts over a lined baking tray, drizzle with the honey and roast for 8-10 mins until toasted and caramelized. Leave to cool, then break into small pieces.
For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, mustard and honey, then gradually whisk in the oils. Season well with salt and black pepper.
Slice the pears away from the core, toss with the lemon juice and set to one side.
Toss the salad leaves with 2 tbsp of the dressing and divide between plates. Tuck the slices of pear and cheese in bet ween the leaves and scatter over the walnut s and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle a little more dressing over and around each plate and serve straight away.

You'll find this, along with a great variety of other delicious cookbook on our website: shopclevergirl.com Click here for the link, and happy cooking!

June 13, 2016

Warm and Sunny

Summer has finally arrived, and we're ready the warm days, and long evenings. Crisp rosé feels just right these days, and we're all looking to entertain a bit more. I just posted this lovely picture on the Clever Girl INSTAGRAM account. If you haven't yet joined Instagram, you're in for a real treat.  There's so much to look at!  Be sure to follow us there as well as on our FACEBOOK page...
Speaking of dining outside and entertaining, take a look at these absolutely lovely dinner napkins we're carrying.  Emily Dickinson, Jack London, Mark Twain and D.H. Lawrence make appearances as eloquent dining companions in this set of four graphic cloth napkins adorned with amorous quotes by the literary greats...
 Text is culled from the archives of some of the world’s literary giants and hand-screened onto sheets of the sheerest cotton voile. The letter napkins arrive folded and enclosed in a classic string tie envelope for a truly special delivery.  I think they make a lovely hostess gift.

Encourage thoughtful discourse at your next dinner party by using them.  (And opening a bottle of rosé.)  Check them out right here.  Happy start to summer everyone...


June 6, 2016

"S" is for Summer

Hats off to Summer!
Hey everyone!  Hope you're in summer mode.  Schools is out, the graduation parties are in full swing, and Lake houses are being readied for the upcoming season. My garden is growing madly, and the weeds are attempting to join in the fun.  We're getting all sorts of goodies here at the store that say SUMMER in one form or another.  


One line that's always popular is Chavez for Charity. More than $1 million dollars has been raised by this company for their partner charities. Go color crazy and support a good cause at the same time.


We're always amazed when we open the box of these and see hundreds and hundreds of these happy, colorful bracelets. They're great to mix and match in all sorts of combinations, and, at just $10, they're really fun to give as gifts, too. We have several "color experts" here at Clever Girl that will be happy to assist you in putting together interesting combinations!


It seems everywhere I look this summer, this hat, from Eugenia Kim keeps popping up.  [see it here]  I was thrilled to order a version for the store that I think you'll all just love.  Not only is it adorable, and pithy, (and how often can one say that about a hat?) our version is only $44 dollars: that's $400 LESS than hers!  They'll go fast, so reserve yours ASAP, or ask to be placed on our wait list.


BOTTOMS UP!



We've discovered the antidote to a scorchingly hot day! Bang Candy Company Flavored Syrups are made by hand in small batches with only the finest ingredients. They're perfect for making refreshing sodas, delicious cocktails and adding a touch of pizzaz to virtually any recipe! 

Basil is known as the "King of Herbs"and Peaches are regal in their own right. Roll out the red carpet for this royal marriage of flavors. Just add Prosecco for a heavenly Bellini with a twist! A splash of sparkling water makes for a delicious refreshing soda, possibly my very favorite!

PEACH BASIL NECTAR SYRUP



PINEAPPLE JALAPEÑO CILANTRO

Sweet, refreshing and feisty! Satisfy your cravings without getting in trouble. Deliciously-sweet pineapple with the freshness of cilantro and a subtle kick of jalapeno. Margaritas!!! (Plays well with Tequila.)

Happy Summer, everyone!
Don't forget the Farmer's Market is every Thursday from 2-7

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