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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Wild Turkey




Apple Wild Turkey Pie:
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup Bourbon
  • 3 pounds Granny Smith apples, about 9 to 10 apples
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted*
  • pie pastry for 2-crust pie
  • 2 teaspoons apricot or pineapple preserves, melted
  • 1 tablespoon buttermilk or evaporated milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation:

Combine raisins and bourbon; let soak for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Peel apples; cut into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange apple slices in a steamer over boiling water. Cover and steam 10 minutes, or until apple slices are tender. Combine 3/4 cup sugar, the flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl; add apple slices, raisin mixture, and pecans, stirring well to combine.
Fit 1 pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate; brush preserves over the pastry. Spoon apple filling mixture into pie crust.
Roll remaining pie crust out; cut out several leaf shapes, marking veins with a sharp knife. Arrange the pastry leaves over apple filling mixture; brush leaves with buttermilk or evaporated milk, and sprinkle pie with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake at 450° on lower rack of oven for 15 minutes. Shield edges of pie with strips of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and bake 30 to 35 minutes longer.
*To toast nuts, spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in a 350° oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. Or, toast in an ungreased skillet over medium heat, stirring, until golden brown and aromatic.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A Holiday Fete




Since it's that time again, I'm posting a party from last year that I loved.  The thing on the bar was enormous.  Everything was full of fruit.  Some of the fruit topiaries were concentric circles of kumquats and figs.  It looked delicious.  Plus it was at David Bouley's test kitchen, so it WAS delicious.
And I love that kid with the big glass of red wine. 
Photos by Yancey Hughes.

Friday, November 12, 2010

More press...

We're in Lucky this week:

"Elise Loehnen, editor at large: Anybody who has gone through the process of planning a wedding can attest that it will suck up as much time as you give it--there are endless themes and tropes to explore, and just as many seemingly small decisions to be made (from the weight of the napkins to the thickness of the calligraphed line). So you may as well make the decisions with people you like, right, particularly when said people are wildly creative and talented. This weekend I tripped on over to Emily Thompson's recently reopened flower shop in Dumbo (57 Jay St., 323-896-1494, Friday-Sunday, 1-7 pm), where Emily turns out otherworldly holiday wreaths and some of the most creative floral displays out there (check out this recent display she put together for Garden Design Magazine). She can literally trick out a table to look like Bambi might have taken a nap there (in the best possible way). Whether you're getting married--or need something awesome and conversation-inducing for a dinner party--this is your girl."

emily thompson flowers large.jpg

Thanks Elise! You banquet table will be sure to include a soft bed of leaves and moss for you to curl up in...


Thursday, November 4, 2010

In the press...Garden Design Magazine

Our holiday how-to in the current Garden Design.

Story by William L. Hamilton, photography: Michael Kraus

BOX HILL.

This party wreath:

Goes here:
Postcard collection of Maggie Land Blanck
The country home of Stanford White. It's covered in tiny pebbles. Happy 90th birthday!