www.theuprootpieco.com

Check it out.

A long hot summer!

First, I would like to apologize for the length of time it has been since Squash Blossom has been updated. However, as most of you know The Uproot has taken most (okay all) of my time as of late. I couldn't be more excited how well received it was in it's first season. Now with putting the oven into hibernation for the winter also comes some free time. I will be working on a new website and switching the Squash Blossom blog over to The Uproot Pie Co. blog. So, stay tuned for future updates. . . I am very excited about the coming spring and seeing every ones faces again!

This past summer brought us to the Rockland, Camden, and newly formed Union Farmers' Markets, Plein Air our wine night with Oyster River Winegrowers, weddings, receptions, fundraisers, birthdays and harvest festivals at The Farnsworth. I couldn't be more grateful to everyone for supporting The Uproot!

So, stay tuned, there is plenty more to come...

Vote for your favorite Farmers' Market!!!

Farmers' Markets are spreading across the country like wild fire. My friend and fabulous farmer Trish and I started the Union Farmers' Market, this is our first season and we are kicking butt!... take a moment to vote for your favorite market wherever you may live!!

Plein Air

Join us every first and third Tuesday of each month from 5pm-6pm for locally made wine and wood fired pizzas at Oyster River Winegrowers!

The Uproot Pie Co. and Oyster River Winegrowers has teamed up to give you a relaxed and fun evening of wine and pizza at their renovated barn in Warren!

Don't miss the opportunity to get to know your local wine makers!

See you there!

ummm, yes please!

A week of non-stop-early morning to early morning working and we finally christened the new oven a couple of nights ago. Some Rocky Mountain Sage, a little Laphroaig, a few blessings, and some unbelievably supportive and loving friends, we lit a little fire to dry her out...

Today was my first market... and within two hours I was sold out. With many, many, many thanks to Andy, this new venture is being handed off to me. With great love and gratitude I move forward with The Uproot Pie Co.! (check out more pictures on Facebook!!)

also introducing....

Not only am I working to start the Uproot Pie Co. I have also teamed up with a local farmer and have started the Union Farmers' Market right on the common in the little village of Union! I have ten vendors signed up and ready to start at the end of May. If you live nearby we would love to have you stop by!!

Vendors include:

Whitefoot Farm

Terra Optima

Appleton Creamery

The Uproot Pie Co.

Guini Ridge Farm

I love Pie

Two Wise Women

Salamander Hollow

Fiddlehead Goods

Bud and Linda Bailey Farm

We are also very excited to have Paddy Mills playing at the first market on May 27th and Cinder Conk will be joining us later in June!! Stay tuned and check out The Union Farmers' Market Facebook page!

Introducing.... THE UPROOP PIE CO.!!

Finally... here it is... the plans to my new business venture. To what will hopefully get me through the summer and early fall...

All Andy's secrets blogged about for all to see. (What, they don't make any sense? you don't think you could build a trailer - from scratch- and wood fired oven with these plans? ....you're crazy! or human?)

So far I have been accepted to the Rockland, Camden, and Union Farmers' Markets (the Union one I am starting up with a friend!) and that will run from Wednesday - Saturdays. Andy just spoke with a local wine maker and he has a beautiful barn on his property and is interested in wine/pizza nights. More to come on that as soon as I chat with him. It is all so exciting. Andy just finished welding and painting the trailer. Next up axels and wheels then the oven... whew!

Cheers to The Uproot Pie Co.!

(oh yes, and I should mention The Uproot Pie Co. is on facebook, that's right, facebook... so go check it out, there are plenty more pictures!)

"Jump and the net will appear"

I know I've been saying this for a while now but change is in the air. I begin training a new gal to take over for me at Sweets & Meats tomorrow, which means something WILL be happening whether I am ready for it or not. Adjusting to life being independently employed (or independently UN employed as a friend just told me) will be challenging and exhilarating all at the same time. But the support is there and by the grace of the Universe this new venture will carry me along for a bit. Keeping my fingers crossed and gathering steam by May i will be up and running. I'll be posting a link to my new business soon!

bread marathon Saturday....

Loaf one just out of the oven, perfectly blistered just the way I like it... crisp crust and smelling like heaven. This is the third batch of bread, I'm a bit obsessed with the same recipe, changing it, adding more water each time, I have yet to be disappointed. Doubling the recipe I get three boules and five little demi baguettes (for veggie meatball subs tonight!). Yesterday was a great day for mixing while we endured yet another snow storm - it was beautifully blustery and perfect around ten last night for shoveling and running in the snow with Finn.

When not in the kitchen mixing, I spent my time upstairs... here:
warm and quiet next to the fire. More bread pictures to come later as they emerge from the oven. Thank you Nancy Silverton! and cheers to a peaceful Saturday baking.

Ummm, yes please

French toast cooked in bacon fat... wait, let me rephrase, cooked in bacon fat from a pig raised by our dear friends Dwight and Maggi. Crispy, eggy, cinnamony goodness.

Directions:

1. Take white bread slices

2. Dip in eggy, milky, cinnamony mixture

3. Fry in the same pan as your bacon

4. Voila! Bacon fried french toast.

If you haven't tried it, you should not miss it... it's the simplest things.

This is how we are spending our millionth snowy day at home. I'm also getting ready for a bread marathon and soup for dinner. More pictures when I can find my camera cord!

Enjoy your snowy Friday!

dinner tonight....

This recipe from Gourmet is a quick warm dinner for these cold windy days... we are staying in today - waffles for breakfast, soup and pie for dinner. A day to gather myself for the coming weeks, fill out paper work (for my spring project... stay tuned!) and rest my body. Hope everyone is fairing well through the winter, we're almost there!

FOR PASTRY DOUGH

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

FOR FILLING AND GLAZE

• 1 medium boiling potato (5 oz)
• 2 cups finely chopped onion (1 large)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 9 oz good-quality white Cheddar, coarsely grated (2 1/2 cups)

MAKE DOUGH:

• Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
• Drizzle evenly with 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork mixture, or pastry will be tough.)
• Turn out mixture onto a work surface and divide into 6 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute butter. Gather dough together with scraper and press into 2 balls, one slightly bigger than the other, then flatten into disks. Chill each disk, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

MAKE FILLING AND GLAZE WHILE DOUGH CHILLS:

• Peel potato and cut into 1/4-inch dice (3/4 cup). Steam potato in a steamer set over boiling water, covered, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
• Cook onion in butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to plate to cool.
• Whisk together 2 eggs, cream, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined well. Stir in potato, onion, and cheese.
• Whisk remaining egg in a small bowl and reserve for egg glaze.

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE PIE:

• Put oven rack in middle position and put a large baking sheet on it, then preheat oven to 425°F.
• Roll out larger piece of dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin and fit into tart pan. Spoon filling evenly into pie shell and brush some of egg glaze on rim of shell.
• Roll out smaller piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then cover pie with it. Trim edges of pie, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then press edges together and crimp decoratively.
• Brush top of pie lightly with some of remaining egg glaze. Cut several steam vents in top crust with a small sharp knife.
• Bake pie on hot baking sheet until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

grey. very grey.

look what we found!

Ummm yup! How absolutely beautiful is she??!! It has been in the house mere minutes and we have had all the burners, the broiler, and the stove lit, beets are boiling and of course:

the inaugural upside down chocolate pudding cake. WHICH, I might add, cooked perfectly and evenly. Really! We have officially moved out of 1923 into the land of professional cooking appliances. I cannot wait for the first loaf of bread. Oh and did I mention it fits three FULL sheet pans? (You can be jealous now).

a little taste of Tartine

I spent most my day yesterday in Tartine heaven. Watching videos viewing their new book, drooling over their bread and being completely inspired. Tartine is a bakery to envy. Owned and operated by husband and wife team Elizabeth and Chad who have cultivated a little pastry mecca in San Francisco. I have been once and watched as the line grew around the building as the day progressed and lasted, I am sure, until their doors have closed. Just felt like sharing what inspired me yesterday in the land of bread and pastry. Thank you Tartine.

Tartine Bread from 4SP Films on Vimeo.

Thoughts over coffee.

As I sit this morning with my coffee, snugged on the couch while the fire slowly takes off the chill from last nights frosty temps I have been a bit contemplative. Actually, I have been quite reflective all week. Could be the approaching solstice, short, cooler days, and finally taking a moment to breathe. Although I have another full day today, I am demanding my mind take this moment.

I just finished reading an essay of a friends on evolution and it has made me wonder just how I have (or have not) evolved over the course of my very short life. How I have adapted to my environments through choices I make or don't make and how I have complete power to go in any direction I wish. How is it we decide which direction that is? There are some of the theory of allowing the forces of the Universe to guide them fully, feeling it is all out of our control. Then there are people who make it happen for themselves. I have come to realize, as with many things in my life, I am pretty dead center - a bit of Universal luck along with a willingness to participate in the direction I am headed. Though having a destination in mind occasionally helps.

The last sips of coffee, I need a refill, the dog is whining and I have some catering to tend to. For now, I will focus on today and leave the Universe to do its thing.