New French Style Gifts for the Holidays!

Our Tête à Tête Set for Two, with French vintage transferware dinner plates, vintage knives and forks, and oversized linen or damask napkins sets the table for a French-style moment, be it dinner, lunch, or breakfast, or even a picnic. The  set comes packaged in a Kraft box with a La Vie Rustic label and an indigo satin ribbon, perfect for gift-giving.

Gratin dishes are back at La Vie Rustic, this time hand-thrown by artisan potter Rebecca Bresnick, based on one of my favorite French gratin dishes, a classic in shades of ochre and rust. It’s the right size for 4 to 6 servings of any gratin – think potato, seafood, or leek for winter, asparagus, artichoke and fava bean for spring, tomato, eggplant, pepper for summer, and fresh shelling beans, celery root, and savory quince for fall. The dish is a unique, one-of-a-kind gift for your favorite cook. The supply is limited, so we suggest pre-ordering for November shipping.

And don’t forget our popular Petits Pots for Escargots set of 12 vintage stoneware pots for the Francophile on your list,

Red Poppies for Remembrance

Red Poppies for Remembrance

We’re celebrating red poppies this year with the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War on November 11, 2018 when the armistice was signed. Red poppies have become the symbol of remembrance in the Commonwealth countries and in the United States for those men and women lost not only in World War I but in all wars. John Mc Crae, the Canadian poet immortalized the poppies in his World War I poem, In Flanders Field.Our popular Field of Red Poppies will have a red paper poppy attached to the seed bag through December 31, and we suggest giving this gift of remembrance to anyone you know who has lost a loved one to war who has a little space to plant their own red poppy field. And also, to give yourself and anyone else the gift of remembering the sacrifices of World War I and the terrible wars that followed. Planted in fall or early spring, the poppies will bloom in spring and early summer, the same time they are blooming in the fields of France.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
    That mark our place; and in the sky
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
        In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
        In Flanders fields.

 

 

 

Field of Red Poppies and Bishop’s Lace Seeds with Rice Hulls for Ease of Spreading $10.00

 

 

La Vie Rustic has mixed red poppy seeds with Bishop’s Lace seeds, Ammi majus, which is a cultivated version of Queen Anne’s Lace, along with California rice hulls for ease of scattering. With these, you can create your own iconic red poppy fields to wander in, cut bouquets from, or perhaps, even to paint or simply to admire while sipping an aperitif. Plant this mixture of Red Poppies and  Bishop’s Lace flowers wherever you would like a swath of color and romance and remembrance. Photo above by Thomas Kuoh

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Contents: 7 grams Red Poppy and Ammi majus seeds, rice hulls and complete growing instructions, enough to plant 2000 square feet.

Germination: 5 to 7 days

$10,00

 

Something New and Something Old

Something New and Something Old at La Vie Rustic

New are these beautiful hand silk-screened pillow shams in a delicate fern-like pattern in dark plum and mauve  from textile artist, Sharon Spain. Combine them with her square sham in rose pink for unusual pillows for bed, couch or chairs.

Something old, with the patina of time? A set of 4 vintage French knives, or combine old and new with a mini-pistachio wood cutting board with its own vintage knife.

 

 

‘Gros Sel’ Salt Jars are Back in Stock

‘Gros Sel’ Salt Jars are back in stock! Hand thrown on a potter’s wheel, patterned after my own salt jar, which was hand-thrown by a Provencal potter. These are made in Northern California exclusively for La Vie Rustic . They are six inches tall, including the stopper, have a wide mouth, over three inches, which makes them easy to reach into, and a natural cork bark stopper. They are meant to store large salt crystals,hence the label ‘Gros Sel’, but they can be used for anything.  The salt jars make special, unusual gifts for people who love to cook and who have almost everything.

SEEDS FOR FALL AND WINTER SALADS

It’s not too late to plant lettuce and chicories! Order now to plant in September, and you’ll have fall and winter salads that look like the photo below, by Sara Remington for La Vie Rustic-Cooking and Living in the French Style.  Heirloom French Lettuce Seeds and Chicory Seeds

End-of-Summer Salad Starts with White Bean Soup

End-of-Summer Salad Starts with White Bean Soup

La Vie Rustic’s White Bean Soup with Winter Savory Soup Set, using large, meaty Royal Corona Beans, Herbes de Provence, Winter Savory Sea Salt (Sel de Sarriette) and fresh sweet bay laurel produces an unctuous broth and well-seasoned beans. My suggestion, switch things up. Serve the broth in a shot glass with a dollop of creme fraiche for a fancy appetizer,  and turn the beans into an end- of- summer salad, like those you find in Paris, heaped on platters in the windows of the city’s delicatessens.

This salad pictured above combines arugula, prosciutto, and shaved Parmesan cheese dressed with an olive oil and red wine vinaigrette, but another favorite of mine uses loads of minced parsley, olive-oil packed tuna, minced red onion and olive oil and lemon juice vinaigrette with lots of freshly ground black pepper.

La Vie Rustic’s White Bean and Winter Savory Soup Set, pictured above, has everything you need to make the soup, including a recipe card. Of course, the soup is so delicious you may find it difficult to use the beans for salad.

We have a new shipment of vintage Escargot Pots from France, prettily boxed with a full-color recipe card for classic Escargots a la Bourguignonneif you want to get a start on holiday gift giving, as well as lovely sets of vintage French dinner knives.

Saffron for Fall Paella and Risotto

If you plant your saffron crocus bulbs in September, you’ll be harvesting saffron for fall and winter paella and risotto. Each year, for at least five years, your harvest will multiply by many fold. The plant about is from a second-year plant. The first year the plants only have one blossom, but with 25 or more bulbs, you’ll have a first harvest for that paella. Order now in lots of 25 or 50 for early September shipping.

Chicken and Artichoke Paella

This is one of my favorite versions. I cook it in a paella pan on my Weber, but it can be done on the stove top as well.

1 cup large dry white beans or fresh shelling beans

salt and pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs winter savory

1 chicken or rabbit, about 2 1/2 pounds, cut in small pieces

1 teaspoon Spanish paprika

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

4 to 5 cups chicken broth, heated

8 small artichokes, upper 1/3 removed, outer leaves peeled back to yellow center and cut in half (soak in acidulated water until ready to use)

2 sprigs rosemary, minced

1 pound fresh peas, shelled

1 pound fava beans, shelled (optional)

1 pound thin green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths

¼ pound pancetta, in ¼ inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed and soaked in 2 tablespoons heated broth

2 1/2 cups Bomba or arborio rice

lemon wedges

If dry beans, soak the beans overnight. Bring to a boil with a teaspoon of sea salt, a fresh bay leaf and a 2 sprigs winter savory, and then simmer until tender, about 1 1 /2 hours. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid. Set aside in a bowl, glazed with some of the cooking liquid to prevent drying. If fresh, shell the beans and cook as above, until tender, about 45 minutes.

Season the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme and set aside.

Prepare a charcoal or wood fire, with the coals to be 8 inches below the grill. When the coals are hot, set the paella pan on the grill, over the coals. Add the olive oil and when it is warm, add the chicken, sautéing and turning often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the onions, garlic, and tomatoes to the oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the soft, about 7 to 10 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, add the broth, drained white beans, artichokes, peas, favas if using, beans, rosemary, pancetta, and rice. Stir well, and cook uncovered without further stirring until the rice is nearly tender and much of the liquid absorbed, about 20 minutes. Tuck in the fava beans. Check the bottom that the rice is crisping, but not burning. Remove the pan when the rice still is a tiny bit firm. Cover with foil and let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8

 

 

 

It’s time to pre-order saffron crocus

It’s time to pre-order your saffron crocus for early September shipment. As soon as you get your crocus, plant them for an October –November harvest. It’s almost instant gratification. If you bought crocus from us last year you can expect double your harvest this year, since. Do water last year’s bulbs now, in August

 

 

 

August is also the time to be planting escarole, frisee, and radicchio,  to harvest in fall, and in mild climates, through winter and into early spring.La Vie Rustic’s French Heirloom Chicory Seed collections gives you six different varieties, including the history of each variety.

 

Plant them close together and use the cut and come again method for harvest. To do this, cut out the mild, tender leaves at the heart of the plant. New ones will take their place, over and over again to provide you with steady, tasty salads for months.

Summer Refresh with a Little French Style

SUMMER REFRESH WITH A LITTLE FRENCH STYLE

It seems every season can use a little refresh, and updating our homes and gardens in even a small way with something new is rewarding. Here at La Vie Rustic the refresh takes on a bit of French style, from vintage French knives for the table or picnic basket, airy pillows with Japonism-style silk screening, or a dash of lavender sea salt for grilled meats to young salad greens of heirloom French lettuces and escaroles, even a late planting of Van Gogh sunflowers for early fall bouquets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

La Vie Rustic Featured in Victoria Magazine

As summer comes and we start to move outside for meals and gatherings, Victoria Magazine captured the La Vie Rustic style of garden and table in their July/August issue with lush photographs at my home and inspirational text.  Fruits, vegetables, and flowers from the garden, vintage tableware mixed with contemporary, and easy, seasonal seasonal dishes from appetizers to dessert are the hallmark of that style.

Here is one of the recipes from the cookbook, La Vie Rustic -Cooking and Living in the French Style we made that day.

Zucchini and Pine Nut Fritters

In Provence, summer gardens are always laden with zucchini. They are a fundamental ingredient in the summer vegetable stew, ratatouille, in Soupe au Pistou and they are frequently sautéed with lots of garlic and onion as a side dish. Here the zucchini, grated raw, preservers its fresh, green flavor. The fritters,

similar to potato pancakes, but with a softer interior, get an added texture from toasted pine nuts, plus a sprinkle of sea salt. I like to serve these as a first course or a side dish.

 

2 zucchini, ends trimmed

¼ cup flour

1 egg

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½  teaspoon coarse sea salt plus extra for sprinkling

¼ to 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Extra-virgin olive oil for frying

Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a hand-held grater. With your hands, squeeze the zucchini dry. You should have about 2 cups.

Put the zucchini in a large bowl and sprinkle with the flour, then turn to mix well. Add the egg and ½ teaspoon of the salt. With a spoon, mix well to form a batter.

Film a frying pan with some olive oil. Over medium high heat, heat the olive oil. When it is hot, spoon about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake, allowing about 2 inches between each pancake.

With the back of a spatula, press down to spread the batter to make about a pancake 3 inches in diameter and ¼-inch thick.  When the bottom of the pancakes are golden, and the edges are cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes, sprinkle some pine nuts on top of each pancake, pressing them in slightly with the back of the spatula. Using the spatula, turn the pancakes and fry until crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined platter and continue until the remaining batter is used.

To serve, sprinkle the pancakes with the remaining pine nuts and sprinkle with a little sea salt.

Makes 8 to 10 fritters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grilling Time with Fresh Bay Leaves

If you lived in the Mediterranean region, you’d find an abundance of the sweet bay laurel trees (Laurus nobilis) that are native to the area and where the fresh or dried leaves have been used for thousands of years to season food, like these Lamb and Eggplant Kebobs. Fresh bay leaves are tucked between the meat and vegetables and provide a deep, aromatic flavoring to all.

Here at La Vie Rustic we have more than 40 Laurus nobilis trees to provide for your cooking pleasure. We snip the cuttings for you the day we ship them to you, ready to use.

Since it’s grilling time, we also suggest our Herbes de Provence, and Artisan Fruit and Herb Sea Salts to season grilled vegetables and meats of all kinds. What to accompany the grilled foods? Beans, of course – big, white, juicy Royal Corona beans from Rancho Gordo which come with their own jars of Herbes de Provence and Winter Savory Sea Salt, and a 4-color recipe card.  To serve as a side dish, simply scoop the beans from their broth into a bowl.

And for Father’s Day, why not a heavy duty cutting board of English Walnut or Black Walnut to keep alongside the barbecue, plus some fresh sweet bay and a jar of Herbes de Provence? Or other LVR items? We’ll even gift wrap it for you and enclose a card.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credits:Kebobs by Sara Remington from La Vie Rustic – Cooking and Living in the French Style (Weldon-Owen, 2017), Herbes de Provence, Thomas Kuoh, Cutting Boards, Frankie Frankeny .

 

 

New Shipment from France of Vintage Escargot Pots!

I love these hand-made stoneware escargot pots. Each has just room for a juicy escargot and lots and lots of garlic/parsley butter, the best part. As Eater.com tells us classic French food is cool again (for some of us it always was) and nothing is more classique than escargot. La Vie Rustic’s set of 12 escargot pots comes boxed with a pretty, enticing label and a card with a recipe for Escargots Bourguignonne making the set  good for gift-giving too.