Interestingly, the table cloth above was the impetus for this gathering. When Margaret Pate asked me to do a giveaway of one of her scarves on the blog my response wasn’t “but pies don’t wear scarves…?” so much as it was to immediately start planning a spring dinner party around one of her textiles to help her.
I had the brilliant idea to paint my kitchen the week before the party. There’s nothing like company to make me exceedingly ambitious. It’s white now. Along with a large portion of the floor which I splattered with paint. But kitchen victoriously painted, splatter aside, I then moved on to prepping the food for the party. At 2 AM the night before. I made four seed rye crackers, lovage and celery leaf aioli, Cruze Farm’s buttermilk herb dressing, marinated olives in fennel, garlic, and orange zest (which I forgot to serve!), tested my brown butter & maple waffle recipe as well as my olive oil ice cream (a recipe coming to a blog near you soon…), and mixed up three different batches of bread dough to proof. My favorite was the fennel seed & rye bread, for sure.
This was a triumphant menu, nearly everything we ate that night was procured right here in Chattanooga. Really livin’ up to the name on this one. The ricotta was made from local milk, the dressing from local buttermilk (how wonderful to live near Cruze Farms!) & homemade aioli using local eggs & herbs, salad with the most amazing greens gifted to me by Lee & Gordon’s when I went out there to shoot their greenhouse for the Time’s Free Press magazine Chatter, Link41 bacon, and Dancing Fern cheese from Sequatchie Cove along with some of their Cumberland (my go to everyday cheese). Even the pasta was made with beautiful eggs from Alexanna Farms. And all of it served up on a table cloth designed by a local! So there.
The day of I told Margaret I’d love help when she offered. Come at one! No two! No…can you go steal forage some flowers around the neighborhood? How about those fluffy white ones (the better word would have been hydrangeas) near Humphrey’s (the, um…flower shop)?…Honeysuckle!!…It’s raining, don’t get wet! So essentially I told her to come two hours later than I’d originally planned due to my poor time management, asked her to steal flowers from a flower shop, and then requested honeysuckle vines cut in the rain. She came through on all of the above. She then proceeded to set up the dinner table with plants & plates & napkins rolls she made, arrange the dining room (brilliantly hanging the vines from my unsightly dining room lighting fixture…), and do a maddening amount of dishes. I’m not used to having that much help. It’s get use-to-able. I need to find an assistant that I can pay in baked goods, tea, and what I like to think of as my charmingly harried company. Any takers? Yeah…
The ins and outs of this eggs & bacon salad are this: mixed Lee & Gordon’s greens (cress, bibb, some arugula, various and sundries…the cress is clutch), ribbons of asparagus, batons of Link41 bacon, 5 minutes eggs a la Dash & Bella (sprinkled w/ a bit of black truffle salt if you’re feeling fancy, which I was), shavings of Sequatchie Cove Cumberland cheese (substitute whatever you like if you can’t find that!), and a nice slathering of that buttermilk dressing (which is a Barefoot Contessa recipe that I make using homemade aioli instead of mayo & use a variety of herbs in.. think chives, fennel, basil, tarragon, parsley… whatever combo strikes your fancy… but I never leave out the basil)
I’ve included my recipes for the two soda syrups below, but they’re a bit “informal”.
Stinging Nettle & Ricotta Ravioli with Proscuitto, Lemon Butter, & Greens
yields about 48 raviolis, serves 6
Ingredients
For Pasta
9 oz AP flour
3 eggs
For Filling
1 bunch stinging nettles (you want about 1 cup cooked, so about 4ish cups raw)
2 cups arugula, steamed with the nettles
1/2 cup Italian parsley finely chopped
1 cup homemade ricotta
4 oz herbed chevre or plain chevre & 2 Tbsp chopped assorted fresh herbs (think herbs de provence)
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts chopped fine (can sub pine nuts)
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp fresh grated pepper
salt & lemon juice to taste
For Sauce
2/3 stick of unsalted butter
juice of a lemon
reserved pasta cooking water
kosher salt
1 cup baby greens (I used spinach & arugula)
6 slices proscuitto fried crispy (can sub bacon as I have in these photos)
finely grated cheese (I use Cumberland but parm would be just fine)
Cooking Direction
Make Pasta Dough:
Add the flour to a bowl and make a well in the middle. Crack the eggs into the well and swirl them with your finger, slowly incorporating the flour. When all the flour is incorporated turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and the dough bounces back when pressed with your finger, about 5-10 minutes. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
Make Filling:
Steam the nettles for about 10 minutes, adding the arugula in the last 4. Squeeze the greens dry with paper towels. Reserve the steaming liquid! This is great to drink on it’s own nutrition wise, very rich in iron. But I like to boil it and make sweet milky tea with it. It’s absolutely full of nutrients.
Finely chop the greens and add them along with the parsley to the two cheeses in a mixing bowl. Mix well to combine and season to taste with salt. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and salt if needed.
Assemble & Cook:
Bring a large pot of heartily salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, make the ravioli.
Pinch off about a fourth of the dough at a time, knead it a bit, and then roll out the pasta sheets in a pasta roller. Keep the sheets floured and covered w/ a damp cloth while rolling out the others to prevent sticking and drying out. Alternately, you can use a rolling pin, but I find this difficult and very much love my hand crank pasta roller.
Either use a nifty ravioli mold as I have, or you can simply dollop your filling onto one sheet of pasta, about a heaping tsp of filling spaced about two inches apart, wet the spaces in between with a finger dipped in water, and then place another sheet on top, pressing to seal, getting out as much air as you possibly can. Cut the pasta and place on a flour dusted baking sheet while you continue to make the rest.
Cook the pasta in the boiling water, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted slowly whisk in the lemon juice along with a two finger pinch of salt. Transfer pasta with a slotted spoon to the lemon butter along with about half a ladle of the cooking water. Cook, shaking the pan every now and again, about another 4 minutes to let the sauce thicken and coat the pasta. In the last two minutes add the greens to just wilt. Serve garnished with crumbled crispy proscuitto and grated cheese.
Lavender, Honey, & Meyer Lemon Soda
Ingredients
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp dried lavender buds
zest & juice of 1 meyer lemon
1 bottle sparkling water
Cooking Directions
Bring water, sugar, and honey to a boil, stirring to dissolve honey & sugar. Remove from heat, stir in lavender & lemon. Cover and let steep 10-30 minutes depending on how strong you want it. I like it strong! Either mix the soda & syrup in a clean bottle or pour about an inch of soda in a glass and top off with sparkling water. But you get the idea. Mix them!
Cucumber, Mint, & Lime Soda
Ingredients
1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
1/2 a cucumber, diced
3 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
juice and zest of one small lime
1 bottle sparkling water
Cooking Direction
Boil sugar and water, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Let steep 10-30 minutes and mix with sparkling water as above!
3 Seed Rye Crackers
slightly adapted from Lemons and Anchovies
Ingredients
For Crackers
6.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) AP flour
2 oz (scant 1/2 cup) rye flour
1 tsp kosher salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water
For Topping
1/2 Tbsp white sesame seeds
1/2 Tbsp black sesame seeds (or you can just use all white)
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
Cooking Direction
Heat oven to 425° F.
Mix all ingredients for topping in a small bowl and set aside.
Mix flours and salt in a bowl. Stir in olive oil and water to form a dough. It will be crumbly but press it together. Divide the dough into three pieces, covering the ones you aren’t using with a towel to prevent drying out. Roll out each piece on a floured work surface until very very thin. 1/8″ or less. Sprinkle 1/3 of topping over and press into the crackers with a rolling pin.
Cut the crackers into your desired shapes, transfer crackers to a flour dusted baking sheet, and bake for about 7-12 minutes. Start checking at 7. Repeat with the remaining two pieces of dough.
Let crackers cool on a wire rack. They can be stored in an airtight container.
*Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days and frozen for 1 month.
A post of epic proportions! Your ravioli looked spectacular
I’m drooling over here – the egg salad is mouthwatering, the ravioli recipe is amazing, all of your ingredients are so refreshing, and I see waffles which is the best way to start and end a day in my book.
After admiring all of the lovely food – I realized you’re also giving away a gorgeous textile. My favorite album at the moment is the new Daft Punk album, specifically the track with Panda Bear – I will always be a sucker for Animal Collective. Anyway – gorgeous food and gorgeous textile – I hope I win!
A beautiful post. I tried an olive oil ice cream recipe recently by David Lebovitz, surprisingly delectable. My all time favorite album is All Things Must Pass by George Harrison – it fits every mood.
I’m a Buble fan! And I love how the napkins are tied up in little bundles. Cute!!Jana @ 333 Days of Hand Lettering
I recently discovered your blog and find it absolutely delightful. Your writing and photographs are beautiful and honest. I’m having a hard time deciding on a favorite album, but at the moment I have really enjoyed listening to the beautiful harmony of the Civil Wars on Barton Hollow.
Really beautiful!
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust……David Bowie.
Lovely photos and thanks for the nettle recipe-shared it 🙂
Wow Beth, that is incredible, a everything-local dinner party. And that linen does look very neat. I like the color combo as well. I really don’t know which dish to pick as my favorite cause all you mentioned out here sounds amazing and I am so looking forward to the olive oil ice cream!
Beth, the recipes look fabulous! What a gorgeous dinner party. Maggie’s scarf/table runner looks beautiful.
And favorite album right now? (I have it replaying over and over again…)
Old World Romance by Seawolf. I love it.
deep breath…i’m not the nervous type but for some reason leaving you a message feels nerve racking. finding your blog this week has inspired an epic proportion of intentions on my part. (i cried). (it’s a good thing!). i haven’t seen a blogger using this space for real-deal writing. it was my intention when i started mine to do this, but of course, you know how writing is.
keepin’ it real: you and all of your work is pure beauty. thank you for reminding me to free my artist for more play. thank you.
album: escondido’s “the ghost of escondido.” i’m listening to it on CD—an ancient technology that arrived in the mail (another ancient technology) from nashville with a handwritten note from the band (yet another? let’s hope not).
poems: christian wiman’s “every riven thing” CHECK IT.
thank you beth,
ariyele
Two albums from a band from Muscle Shoals called The Bear (1st one is self-titled and the new one is called Overseas then Under. I hoping to get them to Chattanooga soon!
http://thebearmusic.com/home.cfm
Hypnotic photos! Thank you for sharing a most intoxicating dinner party. I have been listening to old LP’s recorded in mono. Early Beatles, Rubber Soul and Bob Dylan Highway 61. There is an iridescence to the sound that tempts me to listen again and again.
Check out Phil Spector’s Back to Mono if you haven’t… it’s the best
The album I’m listening to is Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience.
Lovely post! It makes me want to start doing some entertaining of my own…love the veggie dip and crackers especially! I’m love the first album by Tame Impala, Innerspeaker.
Currently listening to Trapper Schoepp & The Shades album called Run, Engine, Run. They opened for the Wallflowers who were in town a few weeks ago and I am loving their music.
I have been shopping for some lovely scarves lately. I wear them to Latin Mass. Even if I don’t win the giveaway, thanks for showing me a nice place to get one! Also, thanks for the beauty of your blog, I am obsessed!
First off, loving following you on Pinterest! Secondly, in my heavy rotation right now is the 6-song EP called ‘7″ Singles’ by Kishi Bashi. Brilliant one-man band, violinist.
Ahh! This party is perfect. I would love a plate of that salad right now. I’m going to have to recreate it.
Before I recommend an album, gotta thank you for the Big Kitty rec you did numerous blogs ago. What a great band! Listened to ‘Decades of Trouble’ first and it still kills me.
Right now I’m pretty addicted to The Tallest Man On Earth’s self titled EP. He’s got a few albums out and they’re all good, though.
So many amazing things in this post!! Ahhh I love it. I’m totally stuck on Jack White’s album, Blunderbuss, and I can’t wait until his next one (rumor has it that he’s currently working on it!).
your menu you looks totally delicious. if I lived closer I would glad come to wash up in exchange for baked goods. though actually would prefer to cook along side and learn. not looking for an apprentice are you? 🙂
unfortunately I don’t have any suggestions as I don’t listen to music.
fruitcrmble AT Comcast DOT net
Gorgeous photos! That ravioli looks amazing…I don’t make homemade ravioli often because it’s so much work, but it’s always SO good when I do…yum! 🙂
Haha, nice way to learn about new music! My current favorite album is probably Drum Hat Buddha by Dave Carter and Tracey Grammer.
Gorgeous photos, as always. And thank you for introducing me to the 5 min egg and another wonderful blog! I’m currently listening to George Strait’s Love is Everything…*sigh* I miss Tennessee…
This looks absolutely amazing. As soon as classes end (and I get access to a kitchen), I’ll be sure to try it!
I’ve been on a UK kick lately. I’m all about The Life Pursuit and If You’re Feeling Sinister (Belle & Sebastian). And I’m always in the mood for The Smiths.
Everything looks wonderful. Your photos are beautiful and I must make that lavender soda! My favorite album for a while now has been Heartland by Owen Pallett. Absolute perfection.
Beautiful photos! Random Access Memories is my current favorite album.
Current favourite has got to be Desire Lines by Camera Obscura. georgianess at gmail dot com
I’m due for a dalliance with nettles and ravioli Beth. Thanks for sharing so much beauty…as always. I am stalking Fauntella Crow at the moment {http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTPz8iPlttM} Imen x
Thanks for another great post and recipes! These days I’m playing a lot of Passion Pit. Beirut and Beach House are also on my playlist.
This ricotta ravioli looks so unbelievable! I wish I was a guest at this party.
1. you lay a beautiful table
2. that ravioli sounds so fabulous that I am going to attempt to re-create it
3. and the crackers
4. I am loving Hammock’s ‘Departure Songs’ right now: http://hammock.bandcamp.com/album/departure-songs
How about a little Andrea Bocelli.
I laughed when you said you forgot to serve your dish. Ina Garten/aka/Barefoot Contessa said she and Jeffrey were talking about their wonderful dinner party they held the night before, and how well it went. She said, and the lobster was good. He said he did not remember eating lobster. She went to the oven and there it was. She forgot to serve it. She never mentioned what they drank….
grace potter + the nocturnals’ the lion, the beast and the beat have been in my cd player for about a year. i’ve also been swooning over the avett brother’s the carpenter and i always fall back on Matt Nathanson’s Some Mad Hope.
I can’t stop listening to Laura Marling’s new album, “Once I Was An Eagle.” It’s on spotify and well worth checking out!
Soundtrack to 180 degrees South. The film is good too. There is a lovely tea kettle on a wood stove in it. 🙂
I love her scarves! I am loving the new Daft Punk right now and anything by Born Ruffians as always.
Your food always looks so good. Right now I’m loving Shaking the Habitual by The Knife. 🙂
Yum yum! Listening to Deep Sea Diver “History Speaks” today.
My all-time favorite album has to be Reconstruction Site by The Weakerthans.
Thanks for sharing such beautiful recipes! Listening to Gillian Welch – The Harrow and The Harvest. Pretty much obsessed with her. Also anything by Old Crow Medicine Show lately. Assembly of Dust – Some Assembly Required is one of my top five albums of all time–a collaboration with many fantastic musicians including Bela Fleck, Grace Potter, Mike Gordon, Richie Havens, David Grisman, Jerry Douglas. Great stuff.
This looks like one hell of a dinner party! That table runner is beautiful. Your whole place looks beautiful. I’m currently playing The National’s new album on repeat. It’s so good it makes me cry, but everything seems to make me cry lately, so.
Hello Beth, what a lovely post. If you haven’t already, try listening to Sibylle Baier’s Colour Green. Her song “I Lost Something in the Hills” is my favorite- very haunting and beautiful.
This post is soooo stunning. And anything with ricotta is heaven to me. I’ve been listening to the new She & Him on repeat lately…
So gorgeous.
Your soda sounds (and looks!) amazing.
And, olive oil ice cream! It’s so good! I make a no-churn version that I can’t get enough of.
xo
Cool blog!
Those flavors sound incredible. I’m inspired to step up my salad game now!
Favorite album right now: Random Access Memories, by Daft Punk. Second favorite: Swing Lo Magellan, by the Dirty Projectors.
So many wonderfully beautiful photos and ingredients in that pasta!
Thanks for sharing these recipes and your inspiration for that spring dinner party. I love the succulent & cactus centre piece composition. I love the pattern of your table cloth too !
My favourite album of the moment is “She Was A Princess – EP” by AnnaO, you can find it on i-Tune store.
(Soft summery & poetic rhythm, a voice reminding Charlotte Gainsbourg, perfect for summer afternoon).
my favorite album, although one you could not buy in any store, is one that happens once the summer days turn hot. like blood running through our veins, the sap of pine trees does the same. when the sun is high, and so hot that sap starts to seep out and drip from the tips of needles, you can actually hear with a stethoscope the rivers of sap flowing through the tree. those are magical moments in the forest, and these days are not far away.
but for purposes of the contest…when I think of spring, I think of traveling, and when I travel I like to listen to Joni Mitchell’s album Blue.
I appreciate the wild foods you use in your recipes – stinging nettles !
That’s not an easy question …. a favourite album … the music i listen to very much depends from day to day … a new discovered one but apparently old already that i have been playing over and over would be “fever ray (2009)” The song “If I had a heart” is played in a historical series I was watching (Vikings) … the rest of the album isn’t bad either imo. My second favourite song would be “September Sun” from Type O negative (album “dead again” year 2007).
If it’s something to play during dinner or sth like that … i probably would opt more for something from Clannad, Loreena mcKennit, Era, Enya or Enigma. It’s relaxing music.
Right now I’m really into Magic Central by Breathe Owl Breathe. Their music is really whimsical and fun, and every song is incredibly beautiful and clever. And it doesn’t take itself too seriously – I like that.
just found your blog through rebekka seale. so much fun to look thorough! an unconventional album choice, but one that always makes me smile, the soundtrack to “xanadu.” 🙂 would love to win this scarf, thank you!
currently can’t stop listening to Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – We The Common! Love your blog, and would love to win this scarf!!!
I loved your menu that you developed! I cannot wait to try the ravioli with the nettles I have. As for music, I have been listening to Honeyhoney. I am not typically a country music person, but have been enjoying the Billy Jack album.
Such delicious looking food and a beautiful arrangement! Love the scarf as a table textile. Lately I’ve been listening to the National’s new album as well as some Wild Child.
MaMuse :All the Way
I drink nettles every day!
everything looks mouthwateringly good. so excited that you’re a Tennessean!
Just stumbled into your blog and everything you do is so beautiful, I will be back for sure. Lately I have been listening to Daft Punk’s new album Random Access Memory, and I recently saw Hannah Georgas live and she was amazing. Aside from cake, textiles are pretty much my best friend so thank you for doing this.
Amazing photos and these recipes look wonderful. I’m still obsessed with Alt-J’s An Awesome Wave. And Daft Punk’s new album 🙂
This entire setup is insane! I love the idea of a cacti/succulent garden as a centerpiece. I love Simon + Garfunkel’s “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, & Thyme” because no one ever told me I have to get over the classics 😉 p.s. If I’m ever in Nashville I’ll be your pastry paid assistant.
x dotti dee
Woops! Just realized you don’t live in Nashville! But the sentiment remains the same.
I read this post and went straight to infor about you. I wasn’t surprise to read about your creative writing. You’re very good at it, I’ll keep reading your blog. Pictures are beautiful as well.
This looks amazing! I’m not much of a cook but all this stuff must be delicious! I love all the little succulents and the big dinner table.
I’ve been following your incredibly beautiful posts on Pinterest for a few weeks now, I’m happy I decided to check out your blog!
As for music…I’m a huge music geek, but one of my absolute favorite bands must be this short-lived Australian twee group from the 90s called The Cat’s Miaow.
oh my. girl, you can do no wrong. i adore everything about this blog of yours.
xx
http://petalandplume.blogspot.ca/
couldn’t help but notice the “Argentina” on the leather wallet 🙂
Did you buy it here?
Greetings!
Unfortunately no…it’s a little day planner we discovered at a little shop…I can hardly remember where. But I hope to visit one day, very much so!
yummy
love it