Saturday, July 18, 2009

getting ready for company



Too many dishes and not enough table space much less storage space! There are so many wonderful blogs out there and lots of them have gorgeous table settings. The photography is outstanding. The use of light and props is creative and I want to run to the store and find all the little decorative items they use.

The linens are crisp. Many are antique with beautiful lace. I have a lot of Gram Potter's back in Florida. Here at the cabin I only have the retro tablecloths and no ironing board!

We will have a houseful next week when my sister arrives from Atlanta. Our friends from South Portland will be here as well. Hopefully my boys will be here as well as the grandchildren. I am thinking about the menu......and the weather which has been a real issue this summer.

I like things that can be made ahead. We will make Larry's beans and Don will make a cake. I will do my potato salad. Jeff said something about lobster rolls.

I have been craving pickled beets. I made them years ago. They need to be water bathed and I don't have the canning kettle or the inclination to go through all that. While looking for something else on Food Network, I saw this recipe courtesy of Alton Brown. So today I made it! They look wonderful! I had to roast my beets longer than the 40 minutes suggested in the recipe but that could be because they had been stored in the refrigerator and I doubled the amount of the pickling liquid. I will use what is left on fresh cucumbers for dinner. Two quarts is the right amount for this cottage because not everyone likes them as much as I do.



Pickled Beets

6 medium beets, cleaned with 1-inch stem remaining
2 large shallots, peeled
2 sprigs rosemary
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large purple onion, Frenched
1 cup tarragon vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1 cup water

Preheat the oven to 400°. Toss the beets with the olive oil, shallots, rosemary and olive oil. Place in a foil pouch and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes or until a knife easily pierces the beets.
Remove the skin from the beets and slice thinly. Layer beets and onion in quart jar. Boil the vinegar, salt, sugar and water and pour over the beets. Seal and let stand in refrigerator for 3 to 7 days. Makes 2 quarts.










I prepared them above and this is what I have now!




Speaking of company, we had some last week.




Jack counted 29! Lovely to look at but the mess on the beach!

1 comment:

Ruh-u meyyit said...

Greetings from Turkey.Have a nice day.

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