Hudson, N.Y. – Dinner - At Home with Susan Simon. Whilst the
general public can only read about cookbook author Susan Simon’s food through
her regular columns, “Susan Simon Says – Food for Thought”, in Columbia
County and Greene County daily newspapers and, In The Kitchen in Nantucket’s weekly, The Inquirer and Mirror, we were lucky enough to enjoy her
delicious food and her wonderful hospitality to boot in her center-of-town Hudson home.
Above.
The welcoming light of candles on the table, on a cold winter’s evening, which
is set for dinner with tartan napkins and placemats purchased in Italy decades ago and 1960’s decaled
rocks glasses purchased at The Hospital
Thrift Shop on Nantucket – 5 for
$3.00,
and the Spode “Woodway Country Club 1971” plates
were given as a
prize in a golf tournament, make for an elegant and cozy
atmosphere.
Dinner - At Home with Susan Simon
“While
there’s always work involved when you make dinner – whether for 2 or 6 – the
possibility of making a uniquely delicious meal is made simpler by living in
the heart of the fertile Hudson Valley here in Hudson, New York. There’s fresh produce available all year
‘round – even although the cold weather choices are usually storage fruits and
vegetables. Some farmers grow greens in their hoop houses – which are like manna
from heaven. There’s always a good
choice of dairy products, and a great selection of meat and fowl. I’m very
happy to know the provenance of the food that I eat (at the risk of sounding
like an episode of “Portlandia”).”
Above.
Susan Simon is the author of five cookbooks, the co-author
of the James Beard award-winning, Pasta Sfoglia, a guidebook, Shopping
in Marrakech and translator of Italy Dish by Dish, a region by
region guide to the food of Italy. In addition to writing two different weekly
food columns, Susan also is an occasional contributor to the regional online
magazine, Rural Intelligence. She always has a new cook simmering (yes,
simmering) somewhere in her mind. She is the co-founder of the Hudson
Children’s Book Festival Literacy Fund, and is a reading mentor with the Hudson
Reads program in the M.C. Smith Intermediate School.
An
Aperitivo before Dinner - Mixed Olives,
Pistachios, and Parmesan Crisps
“My
favorite Rubelli fabric covers the sofa and vintage Scalamandre
fabric on the chair.”
Dinner
- At Home with Susan Simon - The Guests
Besides
photographer, Manfredi Bellati and “paparazzo” Contessanally, Mark Haldeman,
Regional Manager for Paul Smith USA, and the dapper James Aguiar, National
Fashion Director for Modern Luxury, above.
“Backstage” in
the Kitchen
Preparation for Risotto with
Pomegranates to be served topped with Nantucket Bay Scallops alla
Veneziana
Dinner - At Home with Susan Simon
Risotto with Pomegranates topped
with Nantucket Bay Scallops alla Veneziana served at the table. The tulips are in a Harvest Ware jug by
the English company, Wade, the candlesticks have been collected over the
years.
Susan Simon’s Beet and Celery Root Salad
Recipe: Grate a freshly
pulled-from-the-garden, peeled beet and a peeled celery root (celeriac). Dress with the finest, fruitiest extra virgin
olive oil available, local apple cider vinegar, Maldon salt and pepper.
“That’s it – that’s all you need
when you have
fresh, local products. Let the natural flavors shine
through. Notice that I used several different apple
products for this meal – New
York State is the 2nd largest
grower of apples in the United
States. Washington State
is first.”
Above.
The Beet and Celery Root Salad is
served in an old English transferware bowl, Thai spoon inlaid with
mother-of-pearl.
“Backstage”
in the kitchen
On
the lime green Caesarstone table, Colston Bassett Stilton cheese,
still in wrapping, is waiting to be served with the Beet and Celery Root
Salad, beside it are ingredients to be used for the meal: Vialone Nano
rice, crystallized ginger, a bowl of pomegranate seeds, and crackers.
A footed, late 19th century
transferware compote bowl holds Satsuma oranges and acorn squash from
Susan’s late sister, Laura’s Nantucket vegetable garden.
Dessert - Ginger Cake
with Apple Sauce and Coconut Yogurt
Ginger
pound cake topped with caramelized applesauce, non-dairy coconut yogurt (made
with coconut water and coconut milk), a drizzle of apple cider syrup.
After Dinner Treats. Homemade caramels,
chocolate and Demerara sugar-covered salted almonds, dried figs,
crystallized ginger awaiting in the kitchen ready to be served after dinner.
On a bookshelf. A marble peach
purchased in Pietrasanta, a small landscape from the NYC flea
market, small triptych – marbled frame and photograph, a collaboration of
Hudson artists, Tony Thompson and Margaret Saliske.
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