LoveFeast Table

Yum right?  This yummy picture says it all.  Pretend you’re sitting down to eat this right now.  We toasted the hearty bread, melted some fine cheese, sliced a fresh tomato from the farmers market and plucked a leafy green off our basil plant out on the deck.  Just for you our guest!  We are enjoying the pleasure of you enjoying it!  That’s sorta what’s happening with this blog right now.  While you linger over this picture, we are busy cooking up stuff in our kitchens and in our heads to serve you better at this place we call LoveFeast Table.  You are our guest here and we are so pleased you have stopped by to linger, enjoy the conversation, and partake of the pictures, and so on….in fact, we wish we could sit down with you over a cup of joe too!  So, please come back and spread the word and leave us a note (here, on Twitter or on Facebook).  Thanks for being our guests at the table!!

Chris Ann and Kristin

This summer we won’t be taking a vacation.  I know, I know, sad.  But, not really.  You see, I’m still living off of last year’s Killer Road Trip!  Have you ever taken one of those vacations where you decided to pack it all in?!  That’s what we did!

The day we were leaving and packing up the van, Devon unplugged our Breville Espresso Machine and the grinder.  I said, “What are you doing?  Where is that going?”  He responded, “With us.  On the road.”  You see, we have made many trips across country.  The worst part about those drives is the lack of good coffee.  You know, you wake up in the morning, the air is crisp, you leave your hotel and head out on the road.  Your only choices are what we call “caffeinated hot liquid beverages“.  They really don’t pass for coffee (at least not in our book).  So, this go around, Devon was bound and determined we would have the real deal and make this one memorable road trip!

Well, me being an Amelie lover, decided to document our trip…instead of a gnome, we had our Brev!

We headed out from Baltimore and landed in St. Louis, MO to see Devon’s mom.  We went up in the arch.  We went to the City Museum (this alone was worth a trip half way across the country!)  After a couple of days there, we headed up to South Dakota.  We went to the Badlands, the fossil museum (if you can call it that…more like a glorified pit stop with a few rocks) and the Corn Palace.  We headed up to Mt. Rushmore.  Our Brev hit roadside stops along the way.  After a few days among the bikers, we didn’t realize it was Sturgis Week too, we headed back east to visit CA and family in MN.  We lingered there for a week then headed back to St. Louis and then home.

I have to say, having the Brev with us, made the trip more exciting and enjoyable.  We drove, we talked, we sipped our Americanos…and our stomachs didn’t hurt from the gas station acid we could’ve bought to keep us awake!

P.S.  Some people called us obsessed, but I must add, we have inspired two seperate families to take their machines with them on the road!  We are not the only ones!

Kristin and I have a little saying called “breathing the dust” — and by this I don’t mean flour dust…I mean more like pixie dust.  Dust that when you breathe it in, makes you dream crazy things.  Dust that makes you believe crazy things.  Dust that makes you do crazy things.  Things you barely have time to do because the laundry is piling up, and you drive in your van running kids all day long.

This dust makes you dream things you are technologically underdeveloped to do.  But, you do it anyway.  But, sometimes it makes you want to whack things.

Occasionally, you just want to toss your dream away.

You feel like your brain has been flattened out, your feet in the fire.

But, then something like a good idea, falls from above.

Again, things look greener, more beautiful.

And, definitely better when divided and shared.

It was about a year ago.  Chris Ann was in Baltimore for a visit.  She had just come out of a dreary Minnesota winter.  I planned a day of “art-inspiration-creativity-fun stops and shops”!  We went to ArHaus and were quickly inspired by the vignettes and even had a great conversation with the artist/installer there.  I saw Chris Ann take a deep, refreshing breath…she even smiled!  We then went to Clipper Mill to scope out the artists and Woodberry Kitchen.  We walked around and watched glass artists, iron artists and had a great conversation with a mobile maker.  At this point, there was a bounce in Chris Ann’s step…the creative juice was coming back.  We then headed to one of my favorite stores, Red Tree.  She walked around touching fabrics, picking up dishes…we began to daydream about running a store like this (it’s been an ongoing dream of ours!).  When we were done there (about an hour later)…we headed to get some lunch.  A quick stop in Shine Collective, and a purple skirt later we finally made our way to The Golden West Cafe.  After a day of visual creative inspiration (really we were on a high at this point) and with a plate of sweet potato fries and a glass of cold beer,  we had an epiphany.  I guess that’s what you’d call it!

Let me quick set the stage.  Chris Ann and I have known each other for 15 years.  We are both artists…have both owned businesses…are married to entrepreneurial husbands…and have often brainstormed crazy business ideas!  Everything from restaurants, to retail decorating stores, to art workshops for women…and even in one disillusion moment, “Hubcap Hotties”.  Even though, every one of our ideas (Hubcap Hotties excluded) was brilliant, we had never landed on a concept that embodied all of our passions and skills.  Until we were enlightened, inspired and sparked at The Golden West Cafe.

It was here that LoveFeast Table was born. This is the start of walking out our dream and we have The Golden West Cafe to thank for our humble beginnings!

So, when Chris Ann came for a visit this summer, The Golden West Cafe was on the “Must Do” list.  Now, over this past year, I came to find out, my neighbor, Samantha is part owner of The Golden West Cafe.  Chris Ann and I had many reasons to make it here for lunch!

We took our girls and the baby and made our way to The Golden West Cafe for another plate of sweet potato fries!  When we entered in, I saw my neighbor Carol, who was there with friends!  Ahh…it’s like a neighborhood joint!  I know when I walked in, saw the freshly clean restaurant and new paint and touches around the room…last year’s juice began to come back!  I don’t know if it’s the lime green wall with the moose head, or the cowgirl mural (Pioneer Woman would be proud) in the lounge area, or the hanging lanterns that got me.  I think it’s all of it!  Really it’s a room of inspiration!

The host escorted us to our seats.  We started with sweet potato fries!  They were hot and delicious.  Chris Ann’s daughter ordered a burger that came with garlic fries…I have to say, this time, the garlic fries did it for us!  The burger was made with organic, grass fed beef from Springfield Farms.  It was juicy and in CA’s daughter’s words, “It was so good!  It was like a bite of heaven!”  My daughter, wanted breakfast, so she ordered French Toast.  It was hot and gooey and thoroughly enjoyed!

Chris Ann and I ordered a veggie burrito to split (we weren’t incredibly hungry) and mojitos.  In the past, my culinary experience here had not always been good.  I have in my mind, mushy food soaked in too much sauce.  But, when I took one bite of this burrito, I was hooked.  The grilled vegetables of zucchini, peppers, plantains and onions, were crunchy, flavorful and hot!  Really, they tasted like they had been picked that morning.  (I found out from owner Samantha in an interview, that their vegetables come from local farms.  Even one of her employees owns a garden that they use…stay tuned for interview in another post!)  We devoured that burrito!  Oh, and can I just say, the plates they brought for us to use, were straight out of grandmom’s corner hutch!  They made us smile!

The mojitos were cold and refreshing and we finished our visit with tasters of their homemade banana cupcakes.  These little jewels melt in your mouth!  Really, if you are ever in Hampden, and need to hit a sweet spot, pop in, order one…or half a dozen…of these confectioner’s delights and I promise your need will be met!  Not to mention, their purple sparkles will bring a smile to your face!

Our service was attentive and not overbearing.  I think our server’s name was Ryan and he was helpful and on top of our needs.

As we sat there, looking around, we realized it was a perfect place for LoveFeast to be inspired!  So, if you are in need of inspiration or just some juice to walk out a dream you have, go to The Golden West Cafe in Hampden, order a plate of sweet potato fries or a banana cupcake and be ready to have your creative self be served!

They are open seven days a week and feature live music on the weekend nights.  It’s a great place to bring the family, go on a date, or pop in for a banana cupcake!

Thank you crew at The Golden West Cafe for starting us out on our Golden Adventure!

Love,

Kristin and Chris Ann

While we were in Washington DC, for dinner at Potenza…

which was less about Italy…

and more about the wallpaper…

and the wine…

We got to see our friend, Elyse, who happened to be in Washington, DC on business as well!  We visited Elyse in New York City, last January where,  Elyse took us to one of her favorite places for cocktails, Death & Company.  We also dined, with her and her family at Hearth.  So, while the guys played pool…

we caught up with Elyse.  We were glad we stayed up the extra hours to do that, even though we were so tired we could have grown a rocket ship on our head,  to take us off to zzz-land!!!

Thanks for coming out with us Elyse, we’ll see you soon!!

Chai in the summertime?  You betcha’! (That’s what we say about anything we agree with in Minnesota.)  It was the the most wonderful of afternoon pick-me-ups!  And, how fortunate for us it was made by someone who really knew what they were doing!  While we were visiting Kristin & Devon in Baltimore, another one of their friends, Vivek, who is from India, happened to be in the U.S. on business.  So, Devon drove into Washington, DC to pick him up and bring him back to Baltimore for a visit as well.  We usually start craving a shot of espresso mid afternoon, but with Vivek in the kitchen we were in for a special treat!  He was going to show us how to make Masala Chai, a hot spiced tea drink.

The first thing Vivek did to make the Chai was to pour in the water and the milk.   This should be a 50/50 amount of water and milk.  He also added just a splash of heavy cream.

Then, he added 2 1/2 scoops of sugar.  Um, I know we don’t have perfect numbers here, but this is something best made by feel, and to taste,  and perhaps by somebody who is from India.

Then, he added 2 or more cardamon seeds, 3 strips of cinnamon, 4 fresh mint leaves, and a pinch of ginger powder.  (You can also use fresh ginger if you have it on hand.)  No vanilla!!  That’s right Starbucks!

These ingredients should be boiled on high heat.  When the Chai starts to bubble on the edges of the pan lower the heat and add the tea.  Stir in the tea until camel in color.  Then, turn up the temperature for about 2 minutes.  Then, it is finished, strain, and drink!

You can see, while we’ve had other bowls of bliss , we loved these tiny bowls very much!!  We treasured the time Vivek spent in the kitchen with us, teaching us how to make real Chai.  Do you have a friend who has shared a traditional recipe or meal with you?  Please add on your comment and share it with us at the LoveFeast Table!!

The day after Chris Ann and family arrived, we had to prepare and get ready for a good bye party.  Our good friends, Amanda and Noe and their three kids, were moving to Moshi, Africa.  (It seems as if there have been a lot of good byes lately!) We had been planning this party for a couple of months and we were so excited when Chris Ann and Todd booked their ticket for the same weekend!  That would mean, this would be a LoveFeast in true CA and K fashion!!

The sangria was good and marinated!  Devon and Todd began the preparations.  We wanted to keep the menu fresh and colorful.  We decided on Grilled Chick and Grilled Flank on top of homemade, Spanish Caesar Salad.  Years ago, Devon came up with a Caesar dressing that puts most dressings to shame.  It is made with yogurt and combined with oven roasted tomatoes, cashews and Manchego cheese…well, one taste, and I promise you will never see Caesar salad the same way!  We also oven dried our own tomatoes, and let me tell you, it is a new pantry staple in our home!  (Check out recipe below!)

Our friend, Denene, brought fresh fruit salad.  We picked up a few loaves of crusty bread.  Then I attempted…Sweet and Salty Cake from Baked.

I mixed and stirred and got the cakes in the oven.  Chris Ann whirled and twirled around the dining room stacking dishes and folding napkins.  She clipped and snipped fresh flowers and loaded up vases.  The room took on a relaxed yet festive look!  The aroma of cake wafted in the air.  Then Devon and Todd, fired up the grill.  Char grilled steak permeated the yard!  They flipped and turned the meat over the fire!  They chopped and tossed the salad!  Devon whirred and blended the dressing!  The kids ran in and out of the doors!  We were in our zone!

The guests of honor arrived first.  We chatted and enjoyed a few precious moments of their undivided attention.  Then the rest of the guest began to trickle in!  Chris Ann came up with a mottled concoction to rim the sangria glasses with.  I slathered the icing on the cooled cakes and sprinkled the sea salt.  It was coming together!

With glasses full and guests all here, we sat down to enjoy a LoveFeast together!  Some of these friends we had not seen in a while.  We all caught up.  We heard  Amanda and Noe’s plans.  We shared.  We listened.  We savored every moment.  These are the moments we live for!

We will miss Amanda and Noe.  But, hopefully with a little planning and saving, we can enjoy a LoveFeast or two with them in Africa!  Bon voyage our friends!

Oven Roasted Tomatoes:

Tomatoes…I’ve used campari, cherry and other small tomatoes

Olive Oil (we have also used truffle oil!)

Sea Salt

Cracked pepper

Fresh Thyme

Garlic cloves

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Wash and dry tomatoes.  Cut in half.  Place on a sheet pan that has been generously oiled, cut side up.

Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Finely mince garlic and sprinkle on top of tomatoes with fresh thyme.

Place in oven for 2-2 1/2 hours.  Larger tomatoes take longer.

Enjoy!  We use these in salads, on pizza, in pasta, in mixed veggie, in omelets, really the possibilities are endless!

Tuesday night we drove into Washington, DC., for dinner at Potenza. First, let us say that we had a great time!  We always have a great time together whether we are lost in Rome, swinging on the front porch in Baltimore or dining on the deck in Minneapolis.  However, our dinner at Potenza last night was bumpy like a dirt road in Tuscany.  Thankfully, the wine was flowing and good, and it didn’t really matter what we were eating, because we enjoyed being together!

Now, on to an honest review of this newish restaurant.  They opened in March of this year.  We stumbled on them through Urbanspoon.  We had taken a look at many restaurants in DC, because we wanted the perfect experience for our one night out together.  Maybe, it was the pictures of the vats of limoncello or the velvet booths…you know we are always about atmosphere.  Whatever it was, we landed on Potenza.

We ran through the rain from Todd’s hotel, dried off and slid into our chairs.  We were greeted by our waiter, who made a few suggestions and we began our order.  We like to share, so we can taste all the flavors.  We decided to start with antipasti.

We ordered Fried Risottoa Balls stuffed with Provolone and Wild Boar …or should we say, “Bore”?  They looked beautiful and tasty, but one bite told us differently.  They were tasteless, there was no bite of boar sausage or flavor of provolone present.

Next, came the Spinach Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce and Toasted Walnuts.  Hmmm….ummm…what can we say, it was mushy, soaking in a puddle of pale, cool sauce.  Gnocchi should have a bit of a nice crisp skin on the outside…ahhh…no crisp skin, they were prepared wrong.

We moved on to a visually beautiful plate, the Charred Octopus on a bed of Chopped Tomato, Cucumber and Crouton Salad, that reminded us of gaspacho.  This dish was good.  It had clean flavors. But, it was hard to say at this point just where this dinner was going.   Like we said, it was a bumpy road.

Next, came a beautiful green piled rocket salad, ahhh, you can’t ruin rocket can you?  Well, after it was sent back, the chef had tasted and agreed it was so salty it was unedible.  We lost our mojo for it and didn’t even want to replace it.  At this point you would have thought the table staging, the camera flashing, the plates going back to the kitchen, would have signaled to the waiters, management, and kitchen to step it up a notch.  We wouldn’t expect special treatment, just good food, and wine glasses kept filled.

Next, came the wrong order of roasted vegetables, which they replaced for the correct medley of Roasted Fennel, Pan Seared Cauliflower with Truffle, and Caramelized Cipolline Onions.  Thankfully, you can’t really screw up roasted vegetables and they were delicious.  At this point, we had finished our first bottle of wine, our glasses were empty and we were in need of flavor.

Where was our waiter?  Our glasses of wine were left empty, the new bottle not yet ordered and our small plates were finished.  We were left high and dry.  At this point the exceptional wallpaper in the dining area and bathroom, became the topic of conversation.  Way more exciting then this dinner.

Next, came our entrees.  Unfortunately here, our mouths were gritted with the nasty Basil Pesto that was grimed onto the Sirloin.  It was so distracting we could hardly finish it or mentally try to recover any hope of enjoying the beautifully Whole Oven Roasted Bronzino (fish) with Truffled Cavatelli and Roasted Cauliflower.  Like we said, this was a bumpy ride.  And, at this point awfully unpredictable.   The manager then, deboned it tableside.  It looked mouth watering.  And, thankfully was nearly perfect, taking our dinner travels up the hill again.  We stayed at the top of the hill and also enjoyed the Lemon Olive Oil Poached Monkfish.

With the main courses finished, could we chance dessert?  We ordered the Tiramisu and a most delicious Panacotta.  Then, we inquired about the homemade Limoncello, pictured on their website.  Part of the reason we chose this restaurant was our fondness of Limoncello and we were excited to try both their Melloncello and their Grapefruitcello.  The waiter, looked blankly, not knowing if the elixir existed.  He went to check and came back with both the Grapefruitcello and Limoncello.  As Devon, sampled ours, we heard a gasp from the table next to us.  They basically spit out their Limoncello at the same time as Devon.  We then made friends.  We had a common bond with the table next to us, at this point, swapping stories of Tuscany and Limoncello, and exactly what this glass wasn’t.

So, here’s the thing.  This restaurant is on a great piece of real estate, it’s on the corner of H Street, with a great bakery and a beautiful wine bar.  It has killer bathrooms and beautifully done decor.  The bets were in, would this restaurant last a year?   Would people’s palates or hotel traffic win the day?  From all appearances, Potenza pretends to offer the whole package!  But, one bite tells you, it has missed the mark of it’s Potential!  If the quality of food is brought up to the level of beauty the environment has to offer, this establishment will deliver a smooth ride down a Tuscan road.

Chris Ann and family arrived in Baltimore!  After a quick toast with sangria, we had to run to a little league game.  Ok…we continued the “toast” with a small pitcher that we smuggled to the baseball field.  Over a bit more sangria, we decide to start our feasting with a bushel of steamed crabs.

The kids spread out the newspaper and within minutes of arriving back at the house, the festivities began!  There’s no better way to linger and catch up than over a pile of steamed Maryland crabs.  We’ll let the pictures tell the story.