All posts by Linda

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is an ancient grain that is a good gluten-free source of protein, iron, and fiber. My good friend, Denise, introduced me to the versatility and nutrition that quinoa offers, and I particularly like using it in cold summer salads.

Impromptu Quinoa Salad

Impromptu Quinoa Salad

I wanted to use up some items out of the fridge and put this salad together really quickly. I first cooked 1 cup of quinoa (I actually used a blend of white quinoa, millet, red quinoa and buckwheat) as per the package directions and set it aside to cool.  In a large mixing bowl with the cooled quinoa, I added the following:

  • 14 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 large radishes, cut in quarters, then thinly sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 cup spinach, cut very fine
  • 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped fine
  • 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, cut in quarters
  • handful of dried cranberries
  • handful of dried Montmorency cherries
  • 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning (replace with fresh herbs, finely chopped, if available)
  • 1/4 cup of Mediterranean Vinaigrette (I used a brilliant product from Hummingbird Fine Foods which is a classic red wine vinaigrette spiced with Greek oregano and rich, toasted cumin)
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • sea salt, to taste

Simple and simply delicious! Enjoy!

The Perlman Music Program

The Perlman Music Program Summer Music School, founded in 1994 by Toby Perlman, is an immersive seven-week program for exceptionally talented string musicians ages twelve to eighteen. They host concerts, masterclasses, open rehearsals and events all summer long.

We were finally able to attend a FREE Chamber Music Masterclass at the Clark Arts Centre on Tuesday night which featured Kim Kashkashian, Grammy-winning Armenian-American violist, who currently teaches viola and chamber music at the New England Conservatory. She worked with two quartets on movements from Claude Debussy, String Quartet in G Minor, Op.10 and Gabriel Faure, Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 15.

Kim Kashkashian working with her students

Kim Kashkashian working with her students

The talent of these young adults was astounding and watching Ms. Kashkashian work with them to improve their performance and their understanding of the material was inspiring. The format was that the quartets would each play their prepared pieces in their entirety, then Ms. Kashkashian would break it down phrase by phrase, line by line, and constructively critique and draw the very best from these young artists.

Hailed as one of the best violists in the world, Ms. Kashkashian has been hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as “an artist who combines a probing, restless musical intellect with enormous beauty of tone.” The New York Times has joined in these accolades, praising her “rich, mellow timbre and impressive artistry.”

There were similar workshops conducted on Wednesday and Thursday nights which featured two other artist/faculty masters. The culmination of this week is the Chamber Music Workshop Celebration Concerts, matinée and evening, on Friday and Saturday.

These young adults are brilliant musicians and the Perlman Music Program offers unparalleled musical training to young string players of rare and special talent from all over the world. It is a privilege to be able to hear and observe these gifted young people and their instructors who possess such extraordinary talent. They are truly the leaders in the future of classical and chamber music and we are grateful to have been able to watch them perform in such a positive and nurturing learning environment.

View through the trees on the Perlman Music Program grounds

View through the trees on the Perlman Music Program grounds

Tutto Il Giorno – Always Delightful!

 

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We bellied up to the bar at Tutto Il Giorno in Southampton just over a week ago to share small plates of appetizers and some wine with our dear friend, Sue. We sampled the Burrata (with sweet grape tomatoes and fresh basil), Britto (crispy calamari with zucchini and served with a basil dip), Arancini (local mushroom risotto cakes with a chive crème fraîche and truffle oil), Gamberi (grilled prawns, local asparagus, puttanesca sauce and toasted almonds) and Paccheri (slow cooked beef ragù served Neapolitan style). A beautiful bottle of Italian red wine to accompany and we had an amazing evening of great food and superb service (thanks Christopher and Mark!).

Belly up to the bar!

Belly up to the bar!

This past Friday night, we met up with Sue and another dear friend, Monte, again at the bar for a casual drink, bite and conversation. Sue and I shared the Branzino (fire-roasted whole fish served over an herb salad with a broiled cheese-crusted tomato), Ron enjoyed their featured pasta dish (delicious!), and Monte ordered their Cartoccio (local fish baked in parchment paper with mixed vegetables and seasoned with a roasted tomato vinaigrette).

Cartoccio!

Cartoccio!

This trendy Neopolitan-inspired restaurant opened in 2009 and reflects a chic dining atmosphere and experience. The Tutto legacy began in 2006 in Sag Harbor (now owned by chef Maurizio Marfoglia) when Gianpaolo de Felice and his close friend, David Mayer, imagined having the food of Southern Italy available in the Hamptons. That original restaurant was designed by Gabby Karan de Felice, married to de Felice, partner in the restaurants, and daughter of famous clothing designer, Donna Karan, and reflects the “urban zen” atmosphere (like her mother’s lifestyle store next door). That same comfortable atmosphere was replicated in the Southampton location where you’re always assured delicious cuisine made with local, fresh ingredients under the creative control of Corsican Executive Chef Alex Apparu. In 2014, the Tutto group opened a third location in Tribeca, which we’re looking forward to trying one day.

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Whether you go to Tutto for lunch or dinner, you’ll always enjoy the atmosphere, food that is consistently creative and delicious, an extensive wine list, and friendly and professional service. Before you’re done your meal, you’ll already be looking forward to your next visit. Buon appetito!

Asian Pork Noodles with Spinach

We’ve been going out so much lately that I haven’t cooked a great deal. Ron had a busy day of tennis yesterday and we wanted to stay in, relax, watch O.J.: Made in America, the new documentary about O.J. Simpson on ESPN, and prepare our own food for a change. I saw a recipe on the Food and Wine website that I wanted to try as we had a lot of spinach in the refrigerator to use: Asian Pork Noodles with Spinach.

Asian Pork Noodles with Spinach

Asian Pork Noodles with Spinach

I wasn’t able to find ground pork at the local grocery store, so I decided to use ground turkey instead. The other changes that I made to this recipe were that I added 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes when I added the spinach, about 2 tbsp. of sesame oil just before serving for extra flavour and to balance the acid, and garnished with both chopped cilantro and basil. To give the dish a little crunch, you could garnish with some chopped peanuts as well.

This was a very good dish (4 out of 5 stars), quick to prepare, nutritious and delicious. I would make it again, for sure.

As with all Thai food, this dish would pair well with a well-chilled, fruit-forward, lower-alcohol white wine like Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier or Pinot Gris.

Live Theatre In The Hamptons

There are world-class performing and visual arts here in the Hamptons. The proximity to New York City draws extraordinary talent and while we’re here, we try to take in as much as we possibly can. We’d be crazy not to take full advantage of it.

In June of last year, we attended an excellent performance of Arthur Miller’s production of All My Sons at Guild Hall in East Hampton. The production featured a really strong cast and starred Hamptons local Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) and Laurie Metcalf (The Big Bang Theory and Roseanne). A difficult subject, the tragic play was about a successful businessman whose unethical practices during World War II resulted in aircraft equipment failure that hurt and killed air force personnel and ultimately destroyed his and his former partner’s life and family. It was flawlessly acted but the subject matter made it difficult to watch. It was, in a brief description, theatre at its best.

"All My Sons"

“All My Sons”

Last week, we attended the opening night, world-premiere performance of The Forgotten Woman at the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor. This play is about a tremendously talented opera singer who is right at the cusp of fame and success in the opera world. As she steps into her own power, she must address core personal issues including her weight, conflict between motherhood and career, self-doubt and sexuality. Every performance was strong, but we felt that Ashlie Atkinson in the role of the opera singer, Margaret, was outstanding.

"The Forgotten Woman"

“The Forgotten Woman”

Last night, we attended the opening performance of The Underpants, adapted by Steve Martin from a 1910 German farce, at Guild Hall in East Hampton. We went with our actor, director and producer friend, Ian, and his friend, Birgit, from Cologne, Germany. Unlike the last two plays that we’ve seen, this was a wild satire, chock-full of sexual innuendo with lots of verbal and physical comedy. Ron and I thought the play was fun, was well-performed by the actors, and felt that we’d had a fun night of entertainment. I wouldn’t see it again, nor highly recommend it to others, but we felt it was definitely an enjoyable performance.

"The Underpants"

“The Underpants”

We’re looking forward to seeing whatever production is next and hope we’re able to attend!