Birthday wishes

Just wanted to wish Chelsea and Laura Happy Birthday!  Thanks for being such great employees and friends!

Reflections on the Epicurean Classic 2011

Myles Anton from Trattoria Stella butchering a pig

The 2011 Epicurean Classic was held last weekend in the Warehouse District and Insideout Gallery in Traverse City, and though there are many to thank, a big shout out goes to to Epicurean Classic promoter, Mark Dressler, Jere Brown (EC forager) and Mike & Kim Curths from Insideout. Paul Carlson, Mickey Humpula and I were able to attend several presentations including one by Myles Anton (Trattoria Stella) who butchered a pig, talked about his favorite cuts and gave the audience a few samples of his food including bruschetta and pork tongue and also his country style sausage (yum!).

We also caught Pamela Sheldon Johns' presentation (she has a farm in Tuscany, a cooking school and numerous cookbooks), and the talented and energetic Maxime Bilet, co-author of Modernist Cuisine. We missed many presentations (and the wonderful Friday night dinners) out of necessity--we were busy with the cafe and preparing for the Epicurean Classic ourselves, but appreciated what we were able to attend. We did hear The Cooks' House (Erik Patterson and Jennifer Blakeslee featuring Jennifer McLagan) put out a fantastic meal as did La Becasse (featuring Maxime Bilet) and Mission Table (featuring Roberto Santibanez).  Next year!

The Epicurean Classic was a good experience in many ways, but the highlights for us were meeting a few very special people. Jennifer McLagan, author of fresh-off-the-press Odd  Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal as well as Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes; Bones; and Cooking on the Bone is definitely on my list. Jennifer and her husband, sculptor Haralds Gaikis, were interesting to talk to and down to earth. Jennifer autographed the copy of Odd Bits we picked up at the book sale (such a well-thought, approachable, engaging cook book) and spent some time with us while Paul and Mickey pulled gourmet pizzas out of the wood fired oven.  Jennifer's blog is well worth a read, too--what a genuine, fascinating and gracious person. I plan to keep on top of her blog and might even try a recipe from Odd Bits (though everyone knows Paul is the definitely the culinary talent in our family).

We also met Roberto Santibañez, author of Truly Mexican. Paul, Mickey and I liked him immediately--he is so personable and kind. The more I learn about Roberto, the more I am interested in learning more. He graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and his restaurant, Fonda, in Brooklyn, is now on my list of "must visits."  We plan on a NY trip later this fall, actually.  Roberto is also President of Truly Mexican Consulting (NY), a member of The Culinary Institute of America’s Latin Cuisines Advisory Council, and has a taco truck--"The Taco Truck"--how cool is that? 

It was also a pleasure to meet Rick Coates, Producer of the Omelette & Finster Morning Show and Contributing Editor of the Northern Express. I didn't realize Rick had a considerable history in the restaurant business. Super guy to talk to!  Chef Ralph Humes from Mana: Food for the Soul at the Mercado ... we LOVED his pork sandos with fresh, amazingly delicious coleslaw--best food in the big tent on Saturday, hands down. Mana will be one of our go-to places to eat in Traverse City now that we have met Ralph--he is another one of those people you just like the minute you meet. Charlie Wunsch from Edible Grand Traverse was another person we thoroughly enjoyed meeting and talking to--and we have appreciated his publication for years. Our conversation revolved around heirloom tomatoes and how happy they make us.

The food and wine tent at the Epicurean Classic on Saturday

So what was our part in this culinary event? We cooked for the sponsors, cookbook authors and presenters on Saturday evening using a portable wood-fired oven provided by SEEDS, a non-profit organization in the Traverse area promoting community through ecology, education and design. Many thanks for for the use of the oven (which was designed by Mario Batali), SEEDS! Jere Brown, chief forager for the Epicurean Classic, helped us get the oven and was a huge help to us the entire day. Sincere thanks to you, too, Jere, for being so good to us! 

Mickey Humpula getting the wood fired pizza oven lit

Paul Carlson and Mickey Humpula preparing
their workspace

Chantrelle, black trumpet, gypsy & lobster mushroom
pizza with raclette and fresh arugula pizza

Paul Carlson (left) and a another chef attending
the Epicurean Classic

Once we got the fire going (Mike saved us with a few extra papers), set up the prep table and got used to the smaller interior space of the oven (smaller than what we are used to at the Hearth & Vine), Paul and Mickey started baking three types of pizza:

1) a mushroom pizza with chantrelles, black trumpets, gypsys and lobsters (from Petoskey mushroom guru Ken Harris), raclette from John and Anne Hoyt, Leelanau Cheese Co. (their raclette, by the way, beat over 1,200 entries to take Best of Show at the 24th annual American Cheese Society cheese competition in 2007), and fresh arugula from Meadowlark Farm;

2) a Margherita with tomato puree (made from gorgeous heirlooms from our garden), fresh mozzarella, basil (also from our garden and picked that morning), olive oil and sea salt (simple); and
 

3) a Gorgonzola pizza with delicious yellow fingerling potatoes and caramelized cipollinis (both from Meadowlark Farm) and olive oil. We also served a farro salad with roasted beets, feta, kalamata olives and arugula.

Wine? Well, we tried quite a few varieties but of course did not always note which ones we liked best (aside from a Brunello and a Prosecco or two). We were too busy chatting with people, putting food on plates and keeping track of the oven. Fresh glasses of wine magically appeared on our table (thanks, Kristen and Sue!) and we really lost track of what was what. In a good way.

I am hoping the Epicurean Classic (which disappeared for a few years) continues to grow and garner more support from the local community and Traverse City itself. We are very lucky to attract the caliber of nationally-known chefs and cook book authors who attended last weekend, and I know many people who would love to see this happen again next year. More good grub in the food and wine tent and maybe a little live music?

Now we are back to fall hours at the cafe and making preparations for new ventures. Rumors abound (and there are some whoppers) so stay tuned to our blog for announcements. 2012 promises to be an exciting year if all goes as planned!

Paul Carlson (right) and Mickey Humpula (left)
talking to Mark Dressler (center)

Epicurean Classic

Just a quick announcement:

The Hearth & Vine will be closed all day Saturday, September 10, so our crew can be a part of the Epicurean Classic being held in Traverse City in the Warehouse District.

The Hearth & Vine is open today (Friday) until 9 PM and will be open Sunday, September 11, from 11 until 6 PM.

Thanks!

First to arrive, last to leave

Here are a few items of note since our last post back in August:

•  We got really busy at the cafe. Crazy, barmy busy. 

•  We visited with our son, Noah (and his girlfriend, Katie), who came home from college (culinary program) for a long weekend. Noah worked with Paul at the H&V for a few hours last Saturday--so great.

•  We closed over the Labor Day holiday (Monday and Tuesday—everyone needed a break and it was, after all, Labor Day. Sorry if you had to grill your own dogs.)

•  We scaled back to fall hours: now open Wednesday through Sunday (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) until we close for the season. Stay tuned on that. And no, we are not taking reservations--regardless of what other sources tell you.

•  We had a small employee party at the house and since it was cold and raining, we congregated in the kitchen and dining room and enjoyed a few drinks and Mexican fare. We need a bigger kitchen.

•  We made beer (a good, dark, left-handed brew) with Mickey and Chelsea.

•  We made Bloody Mary mix with some of our heirloom tomatoes and home grown jalapeno peppers (but didn't have time to make salsa).

•  We saw our daughter, Ella, off to first grade (a bittersweet event for a mom who works out of her home office).
• We lost 1/3 of our plum tree near the patio because it is so heavy with fruit. And ancient.

•  We picked up several pounds of gorgeous chanterelle, black trumpet, gypsy and lobster mushrooms from mushroom guru Ken Harris at the Farmer's Market in Traverse City. 

•  Paul got a haircut at Vision Modern next to the Inside Out Gallery in TC (thanks, Angela!) and we had a chance to check out some cool art (Steve Barber's work really grabbed our attention) and say hello to Kim and Mike--long time, no see.

So this week, as we prepare for the Epicurean Classic, we want to send out a special thank you to our employees who helped us survive the unexpected explosion of visitors at the Hearth & Vine after  Sleeping Bear Dunes was voted "Most Beautiful Place in America" on GMA (see below). Being inundated with customers is a good problem to have, of course, but we had to do a lot of scrambling and add more staff to handle the volume (which can be challenging in this area, especially when people are headed back to school for the fall). But everyone stepped up to the plate and our new hires have been terrific. Thanks, everyone!! 

A very special thank you goes out to Mickey and Chelsea, who start their days before the sun comes up working at Meadowlark Farm and then head over to the H&V to cook and serve Thursday through Sunday. Without Mickey to help keep the kitchen running smoothly and efficiently, Paul would not have time to take care of the business side of the café, or have time to grab a little rest now and then. Paul is one of those chefs who opens and closes his kitchen—very hands on and attentive to detail when it comes to food—and so that means he rarely stops moving. I know—I watch him collapse on the couch at the end of his 14-hour day. First to arrive, last to leave. 

So Mickey, you have been a tremendous help keeping Paul together. Grazie, Ke itumela, Siyabonga kakulu, Merci, etc., etc..