ENJOYING THE REMODELED YARD OVER DINNER AND GRUNER VELTLINER WITH PETER SCHOLTZ ANS DAISY SMITH

We didn’t throw any cocktail parties this summer. It wasn’t that it was too hot or that we didn’t want to, no, it was hard to nail down dates. Friends went out of town, some had guests, and others were moving. It was the perfect opportunity for impromptu get-togethers and kitchen experiments.

Peach Salad & Zucchini Salad (recipes compliments of farmhouse table)

http://farmhousetable.wordpress.com/2011/06/

Citrus Cured Gravlax with Toasted Fennel Seeds (compliments of NYT)

Adapted from Todd Gray, Equinox Restaurant, Washington

3 to 4 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur

1 1/4 pounds salmon fillet with skin

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup coarse salt

1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed

Zest of 1 lemon, grated

Zest of 1 lime, grated

Zest of 1 orange, grated

2 thyme sprigs, leaves crushed

1 dried bay leaf, crumbled.

Recipe calls for citrus crème fraîche, for garnish. I used regular crème fraîche, one day and then homemade remoulade the next.

Directions:

Pour the Cointreau over the skinless side of the fish and set it aside.

Toast fennel, prepare zests and crush thyme and bay leaf with a mortar.

Mix sugar, salt, fennel seeds, zests, thyme and bay leaf in a large zip-lock bag.

Add the salmon, spreading the salt-sugar-citrus-herb mixture all over the fish. Put the bag on a large plate, placing something heavy over it (a pan or something that will weigh it down) and leave it in the fridge overnight (12-14 hours is recommended). Personally, I like to turn the bag a few times, but this is not necessary.

When you’re ready to prep the fish for serving, take it out of the bag, removing all salt and herb mixture with a damp cloth. Pat it dry, then slice it thin along the diagonal.

I like to serve it on dark bread or rye crisps with some crème fraiche and herbs like dill, tarragon etc, but there are endless possibilities

Kitchen Story

Apparently someone found our kitchen charming.

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/kitchen-design/california-modern-five-small-inspiring-kitchens-097637

Our kitchen is rectangular and narrow, and although there is plenty of storage, it feels quite small. Originally, I thought of it as having been built for someone who doesn’t cook, but I recall seeing an Esther McCoy quote where she mentions that the architect didn’t cook, hence his kitchens became minimal.

I don’t know whether Victoria cooked or not, but she was a workingwoman, who didn’t come from money or have live in help. I know she entertained influential guests from time to time, but she lived alone. So what did she eat? What did she serve? I’ve been pouring over the food timeline, reading about soup kitchens, casseroles, finger foods and chicken fricassee. I don’t know whether these would have been found on her table, though I do guess that given her work, writing and political engagement, cooking for one was not her main interest.

The Johnsons did not have children, but they required more space in the kitchen and they decided against using the original dining room set. Nineteen years into their residence, they remodeled the kitchen by adding storage, widening the entryways and changing the countertops.

The original dining table on wheels had its own cabinet, which was part of the De stijl module that houses the swing doors leading to the living and dining rooms, I am guessing that the cabinet was trimmed down on the width, given a new countertop and shelf, allowing for more storage and possibly more counter space. I don’t know whether the cabinet doors were changed or not, but I’m guessing that the swing doors were replaced with wider ones, making it easier to enter and exit. To their credit, they left the original counter, housing the sink, intact.

I long for a countertop dishwasher and more counter space, maybe a breakfast nook, but one cancels out the other and seriously, I have more counter space than my parents do in their kitchen.