Dinner at Olivia's

is always a special treat.

Tonight she made me a compari and pellegrino with a little lemon. This was a great way to start.

Sheila made crostini's with goat cheese, Olivia's sun dried tomatoes, a little parsley herb mixture and some smoked salmon or shrimp.

I made a blood orange salad. 

Steve made a radicchio salad with a simple wonder garlic vinaigrette.

Olivia then served chili pepper polenta cakes.

Diver Scallops on a bed a of sauteed fennel, leak, and spinach.

And if that was not heaven enough, Sheila surprised us with delicious coffee and chocolate shortbread cookies.  And Olivia dished out her homemade persimmon ice creme.

YUM!

 

Pan Roasted Open Faced Grilled Cheese with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Avocado and Chiptole Lime Salt

5 out of the 6 ingredients came direct from Steve and Olivia at Farmer and the Cook

1. Heat an indulgent amount of olive oil in non-stick or other favorite grilled cheese making pan

2. Slice up some of Olivia's fresh spelt seed bread 

3. Place slices in oil and allow to "toast"

4. Meanwhile, grate up some yummy sharp cheddar cheese.  You could get this at FnC, but I had some from Vermont in my fridge.

5. Turn slices of bread over, sprinkle with cheese and cover to allow cheese to melt.

6. When cheese is melted, remove to a plate.  Put 2 or more of olivia's amazing smoked sun dried tomatoes on top.  Slice up some avocado and place on each sandwich.  Sprinkle with Olivia's amazing chipolte Lime sea salt.  Eat with a fork and knife for tidiness or not.

You can get Olivia's chipolte mix and tomatoes at organichiles.com.

Volunteer Heirloom Bruschetta

Beautiful Ripe Small Heirlooms from Steve's Farm
Red Onion from Farmer and the Cook
Fresh Garlic from B.D.
Arugula from Steve's Farm
Lemon Basil from BD
Balsamic Vinegar from Kim from Argentina
Olive Oil
Fresh Mozzarella from Rainbow

Olivia combined the above ingredients in the perfect combination and sliced the mozzarella, arranging it around the bowl of tomatoes.
I sliced the bread into 1/2 inch thick slices. Toasted one side, then lightly under toasted the other. Removed from oven, rubbed a cut slice of garlic on the slices, poured some olive oil on them and toasted them a little more.
Instead of putting the tomato mixture on the bread, Olivia served the bowl of tomatoes with the bread on the side.

Olivia's Perfect Squash Blossom Pizza

Sunday Nights at Farmer and the Cook now offer a selection of delicious salads and pizzas and Jonothan McCuen and friends play. We got the 2 Squash Blossom Pizzas. I feel like I could eat another. Maybe Olivia will give up the recipe, but let me see if I can recreate it:

1. Amazing delicious flaky thin pizza crust
2. Caramelized Onions
3. Fresh abundant vibrant basil pesto
4. Creamy flavorful goat cheese
5. Toasted Pine Nuts
6. Squash Blossoms fresh from the Farm

I gobbled it up and washed it down with a little red wine from Casa Barranca, our local organic vintner.

Such a nice community vibe and feeling always at FnC. Thank you Steve and Olivia.

Almond Cake with Strawberries and Guava

Olivia produced the most beautiful heart shaped Almond Cake.
She is a master. The cake was moist and light and the balance of almond and sweetness was magical. She piled whip creme with strawberries and guava on top.

The entire gathering moaned in ecstasy with each bite. People went back for seconds and thirds!

Below from Olivia Chase:

How we inspire each other. On Tuesday night Kira lent me the Rose Bakery book and in it I read "A bowlful of strawberries is really nice, but adding a hint of lemon and even half a teaspoon of sugar can make it great." For Thursday's cake I did not find my recipe in the cookbook rather the inspiration for "making it great".

Almond Torte with Whip Cream Strawberries and Guavas

I made Lulu a double recipe in a 13" heart shaped pan but the following is a
single recipe which will make a 9" cake.

1 1/4 cups sugar
8 oz soft almond paste
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla

6 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup flour, all-purpose
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1/2 pint whip cream, whipped
1 basket strawberries, sliced
2 lbs pink and white guavas, peeled and cored...discard the core...it is full of seeds
2 Tbls sugar
1 lime, juiced

Butter bottom and sides of a 10 inch cake pan and line with parchment paper.
Pre-heat your oven to 325'.

In a food processor mix sugar and almond paste until the paste crumbles into small pieces.
Add the butter and vanilla and continue processing untill you have a smooth batter. Add the
eggs one by one, mixing until each one disappears into the batter. Empty the contents of the food
processor into a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the flour
mixture into the batter and stir gently until you no longer see any flour but make sure not to overmix.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until a wooden tooth pick comes out
clean. Wait 5 minutes and turn out onto a platter.
Slice the fruit and add the sugar and lime juice.
To serve top with unsweetened whipped cream and fruit.

Brown Cow Creme Yougurt with Olivia's Apricot Jam

in a bowl, stir the creme top yogurt until smooth.
add olivia's apricot jam and stir to blend
add some ground cardamon