Today's PixieTip!

The Sharks Are Circling

2010-07-30T04:00:03Z

Last Thursday night I went to a job fair. It was the kind of job fair where they have 10-12 companies come in to do a brief (2 min.) overview of who they are and what they're all about and then they go back to their booth and everyone makes the mad dash to talk to/interview with, throw their resumes at, the companies they are interested in. The particular field this fair was for was Sales & Marketing...but I'm currently waxing unsuccessful in my own job search...so I thought I'd give this fair a look-see...besides they invited finance, communications and other managerial specializations to the party...so I figured it was o.k.

Wow.

Sales People. Be all that you can be. I was a sparky, happy, sunfish in a sea of sharks! LOL

It was an interesting and eye-opening experience. I haven't been in a room that looked so slick in my entire life. Picture this (you know a slick salesman/woman when you see one) They have a certain je ne sais quoi that I don't know how else to describe other than "slick." It's part of their job...black suits, sports coats...very business formal...no business casual. I was very glad I had dressed up all the way, better safe than sorry, and people gunning for every position available. Don't try to chat anyone up while you're in line that's for sure! LOL

I told myself I needed to visit every booth and try to get my resume out there and I met my goal. I don't really anticipate getting any phone calls whatsoever, but it was good for me to get out there mixing around with the other molecules, promoting myself and seeing what is out there. It makes sense to me now why sales people are the way they are and how they make the money they make (or don't make it as the case may be as well). You have to think that you are truly the best whether you are or not. I can take some lessons away that's for sure.

As an additional note: There were a couple of insurance companies there as well, desperate as I may be, in the end, I just couldn't bring myself to get jazzed up about working for them. I talked to them, gave them resumes and went from there, but it just is not for me. One of the guys I talked to specializes in insurance for the elderly. From the get-go he asked if I had grandparents that were still living. When I replied that they were, he gave his spiel and went on to say that I could immediately sell to them, and that it wouldn't be just one but two sales, one for each of them, of which I would make $300 a pop, so immediately I could gain $60 from my grandparents. Soooo sleazy. Like I said, not for me.

Originally posted on Tracy's Blog, Monday, November 17, 2008

I Have Greatly Overestimated My Powers

2010-07-29T04:00:21Z

So first of my travel blogs. Yeah, I'm scrapping the whole Katie makes the recipes from the food blog thing because I need to get this done in advance so Kelly and I can spend the whole of August concentrating on writing our personality type home & life booklets. Tired yet? Because I am.

But we're also about to break out with categories of tips, y'know like a proper magazine, Travel, Health, Home, Relationships, etc.. because we've been writing these tips for about a year and since I haven't had a vacation in three years, we are going a bit wild this summer. I've got Jersey Shore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Malibu, Findlay Ohio, and Bethany Beach Delaware and that's just ME. My little sis has been a bit of a jet setter herself lately, so I thought we should definitely start to think about using our own life experience, especially as it pertains to type. So. Bayhead.

It's perfect for last minute, we've got to get our of here right now or we're going to explode vacations, which is what we were working with after three years without sun and beach. (We had gone two years ago to the Jersey shore but in late September, so we had sand but no sun.) So the last minute, spur of the moment vacation would work best for Organic Freedom and Smart Freedoms like my husband and me. My Classic daughter freaked out when our free condo fell through and we had to book a hotel! So this type of trip would not be ideal for Classics. Funs would do well, although only travelling an hour away from home might not be enough of an adventure, but rest assured this beach town has lots of water sports available, so there are other things to do besides sit on the beach.

Walter and I were given a long weekend at The Grenville Inn in Bayhead NJ as a wedding present by some of his sweet friends and we checked it out as a newlyweds and had such a good time that we came again the following summer when I was pregnant with Dorothy. It was in The Grenville Inn that Dorothy first woke her father up in the middle of the night by kicking him. When he told his mother about Dorothy's in utero back flips she said, "Get used to it." And oh has he ever.

It is a quaint and historic Inn. It is not a grand hotel, but more like a giant Bed and Breakfast. Some people have written that it has fallen on hard times, or is run down, and while it could probably stand a renovation, its not THAT bad. It's clean, and whatever you need they will provide. Plus it's a small enough hotel that I felt safe sending the 7 & 5 year olds down to get me coffee and a bagel every morning, and they relished the freedom and made friends with the wait staff. Everyone there was ridiculously friendly and sweet and we had a nice and relaxed time.

We booked last minute for the fourth of July weekend, and were able to get a room, however very SMALL...it was cozy and after the weekend we got a bigger room with pull out couch and lots more space. The pull out couch NEEDS TO BE, um replaced? Or completely fixed, but when Walter complained of this (the hammock on the bottom end of the bed was worn through and so if anyone over four feet tall slept on it, their feet were on the floor) they took off a nights charged.

People have complained of the Air Conditioning, but frankly we were there for the heat wave and we were very comfortable. There are free standing units in every room, and central AC, and I was very very chill. Also, the food is grand. It's truly top notch and the snobby New Yorkers (of which I can be included. I have a highly developed palate and I love good food and it's one of my favorite things about NYC) can suck it, because the food was good. Yeah, they had some "heavy" fare, but it IS New Jersey and our connoisseur loved the pork chops, and I loved the artichoke and goat cheese appetizer. And whatever fish special I had was divine and yummy and I ate the whole thing which is unusual for me.

Our other favorite spot for lunch, however was Dorcas. This little breakfast and lunch place has the sweet little teenage waiters — they all had ponytails, wore khaki mini skirts and green polos. (so yeah, your husband will get you whatever you want from this place, oh excuse me MY husband will get you whatever you want!) We were never able to sit together as a family, however because Meredith wanted to eat at the soda fountain and there were only three stools, so Dorothy and I had nice lunches together and when the weather broke we all had a nice lunch outside on their gravel patio under the awning. Best turkey club EVER.

We also found the best gift/souvenir shop in Cobwebs Gift Shoppe. We had to hold the girls back because they wanted to buy everything in the store (and me too!) In the end they got these very reasonably priced $10/each little porcelain mini boxes. Dorothy's was of a mermaid on a dolphin with a starfish inside, Meredith's was a bathtub with yellow duckies inside. They also got necklaces. Dorothy's is a mini bottle with sand and beach glass inside. She has been wearing hers every day. I got these cool shoes called SwitchFlops. You can change the outside. I got the kitten heels which aren't THAT comfortable, but they are sweet and I will be getting more outside ones, and probably the flat kind...

Also frequented Mueller's Bakery! All in all a quite satsifying and relaxing and happy week. Highly recommend Bayhead.

Pro Palettes

2010-07-28T04:00:05Z

As someone who often has to schlep her makeup kit (a.k.a. her livelihood) around from job to job, I value products that are concise and condensed. A palette that contains 20 different shades of foundation is much more portable than packing 20 different bottles. Or a palette with 15 different neutral eye shadows that can be mixed to create a wide variety of looks is more efficient than a bag of individual shadows. This being said, it is hard to find palettes full of useful products. You know what I mean: you buy a palette around the holidays and in a few months a couple of shades are worn through to the bottom but the others are untouched. Whether you are a pro or a makeup aficionado who likes to do her friends up, the following are a few of the palettes that I can throw in a bag and feel fully supplied:

RCMA Foundation Palette
-Tops for being able to mix and match any skin tone. Its creamy but not greasy consistency means it works with almost anyone. Not particularly glam but very, very helpful.

Viseart Eyeshadow Palette
-The neutrals in this palette lend itself to creating any look - from beauty to special effects. Highlight, shadow, fill in eyebrows, smoke out an eye or even use the greys and brick shades to make someone look tired or slightly bruised. I literally always carry it with me in case of a makeup emergency!

Lorac Croc Palette
-For some reason this eyeshadow/blush combination of warm, shimmery pinks, bronzes and a deep brown works on everyone. I don't know why, I don't question it, I just use it.

Sephora Brand Harmony Palette
-Soft nudes and pinks that you can mix and match to achieve any shiny nudie mouth for anybody.

Imposing Structure on Other People

2010-07-27T04:00:49Z

After running PixiesDidIt! with my Organic Freedom sister, Katie, for the past 3+ years, I’ve become acutely aware that my way—structured and in a hurry— isn’t the only way. My main problem was figuring out how to work with the other way before it drove me crazy.

About 2 years ago, Katie asked if we could have a weekly meeting to review what we needed to get done because she felt we didn’t have enough structure at PixiesDidIt and "wanted more of it.” Naturally, I was elated until she forgot about our morning meeting week after week after week. When I finally lost it with her demanding to know how she could ask for a routine, only to continually blow it off, she replied, "I need routine so that I can break it." I think if I had been 30 years older, I would have had a stroke there and then. My blood still simmers thinking about it.

At the time, I didn’t know what to do because I wasn’t ready to give up on our company but couldn’t figure out how to get her to stick to routines (and reliably remember appointments), so, I gave up. I stopped trying to impose my kind of routine and expected absolutely nothing out of her. I figured this way she could only surprise me on the upside. But a few weeks ago, I realized that once I gave up trying to impose structure, a quasi one sprouted up on its own—just a little more organically than I would have liked.

We have weekly deadlines and schedules that we meet even if all of the procedures are not always followed to the letter (yet). Plus, I have my own routines that keep everything on my end running smoothly. And I know that if I truly want to guarantee that Katie remembers an appointment or task, I have to remind her. And finally, our focus switched from something Katie was lukewarm on (our service business) to something she adores, writing. I often don’t have to remind her to get writing or copy done because she’s done it.

Even though routine is my lifeblood, it’s not everyone’s. No amount of nagging or saber rattling demanding change will actually change them—trust me, I tried with Katie. So if you are like me and find yourself about to lose your mind dealing with a Fun, an Organic Freedom, or a Smart Freedom, I proffer my two secret methods on how to avoid stroking out.

They work amazingly well with REAL deadlines. They can smell fake ones a mile away. Create jobs and roles for them that involve actual, legitimate deadlines. More often than not, they will get it done AT the deadline and not a moment before.

When they’re really jazzed about something, you rarely have to remind them but do it just in case it’s important that there is no chance of missing it.

Summer Cassoulet

2010-07-26T04:00:56Z

I am a huge fan of battening down the hatches. I believe I touched on this in April, but it would be fair to say that, despite the fact that I don’t even like the cold, things can verge on the maniacal at times. The stories in my family of burns I have incurred making “Christmas Punch” on the first crisp day in, say, October are legion. And I may or may not have told a friend this morning that it could be a good thing if it rained at her September wedding in Maine “for the mood.”

Perhaps it’s the endlessly wet day we had on Monday here in New York, but, at the time, I was truly confused by the odd shadow passing over her face. “Did I really ask this person to be a bridesmaid?” her eyes seemed to say, as I nodded proudly in her direction: “You’ll serve Dark ‘n Stormies – it works!” The fact was that after the heat we’ve had, I’d been thrilled by the prospect of a rainy respite, and, in truth, I had found myself craving that most wintry of dishes: Cassoulet.

For a professional “locavore,” I have a fantastic gift for wanting what I can’t have. Or can I? The cranberry beans have just arrived, plump and mottled with pinkish-red flecks, and the Quattro’s Game Farm market stand has the most delicious duck and pheasant sausages year round. Add a head of young garlic and half a bottle of wine, and you’ve got a seasonal but comforting meal that tastes and smells truly cozy without becoming too heavy for July.

I look forward to discussing traditional Cassoulet at length in the colder months immensely, but, in brief, it’s a Southern French pork, mutton, duck or goose, and white bean ragout whose origin no one agrees on and whose ingredients are much disputed from town to town. Castelnaudry, Toulouse, and Carcassone all claim credit for having created le Cassoulet officiel and deeply scorn other versions. I shudder to think what they’d do to me after reading this recipe, but press on. I promise it’s worth the culinary blasphemy in the name of properly celebrating your next rainy day.

Serves 4

extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, quartered and sliced thinly
1 whole head garlic
1 ¾ lbs fresh cranberry, borlotti, or other beans (1 lb shelled)
½ bottle dry white wine
2 cups beef stock or other good stock
2 bay leaves, fresh if possible
freshly ground black pepper
8 good-sized sausages of your choice (I used 4 pheasant and 4 duck, but pork, venison, wild boar, or any other combination you can think of will work here).
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup coarse breadcrumbs (preferably homemade)
kosher salt
small handful fresh parsley, minced

Heat a large casserole or other stovetop and oven-safe pot over medium high heat. Add a glug of oil and then the sliced onion but no salt. You want the onions to caramelize here rather than sweat. Stir every once in a while until they’ve taken on a deep golden color – about 5 – 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pull the outer layer of paper off of the garlic (it can hold some dirt), but leave the inner layers of paper and the head itself intact. Trim off the roots and then cut the head in half across its equator so that each clove is halved and exposed.

Once the onions are browned, put both halves of the garlic into the pot cut side down. Sizzle for 30 seconds and then add the beans. Stir to combine and then add the wine, stock, bay leaves, and black pepper. Resist the urge to add salt as it will toughen the beans. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Skim off any foam, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, adding more stock if too much liquid boils off.

Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Prick the sausages a few times on each side with a sharp knife tip and add a little olive oil to the pan. Working in batches, brown the sausages well on both sides and remove to drain on paper towels.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Once the beans have simmered for 30 minutes, squeeze the head of garlic to release the cloves into the cooking liquid, stir in the lemon juice, and check the seasoning with kosher salt and more black pepper if necessary. Arrange the sausages amongst the beans, sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and season with a little more kosher salt. Bake uncovered in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven 10 minutes before serving and sprinkle with the parsley.

Originally published July 25, 2007 on Amanda's Blog

"A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor a man perfected without trials."

2010-07-23T04:00:58Z

Here I am again, late into the heart of darkness in the very middle of the night. Most sensible people are in bed. Me? Apparently not so sensible. I've been exhausted since 11 p.m., but just needed some time to myself. It's been a pensive, thoughtful kind of a day. Not happy, maybe a little sad, frustrated for certain, kind of twirling around a little as to which direction to take. I don't mind the twirling so much as the lack of direction makes me insane in my membrane.

I am certainly going through the employment refiner's fire. Nothing like trying to find something that will somehow be a good fit through a vague description of something that sounds like everything and nothing all at the same time, if you can just manage to get your foot in the door. I've found several jobs that have piqued my interest and have applied to those along with a slew of others that would be a fit, a good fit even, just not my favorite choice. We'll see what we will see.

If I could just find my way to being a successful paranormal romance novelist with brilliant heroines and exciting paramours, I could take a well earned vacation to Hawaii or Fiji or something and bask in the balmy ocean breeze on the snow white sands in some remote and delightfully vacant location. Blue-green waters as far as the eye can see, and a nice cabana boy to bring me deliciously fruity beverages of choice to pass the time. Yes...fantasy of this nature is always better than a gloomy November day looking for a job in Finance...though I do enjoy the gloomy more than not. It cheers me up.

Originally posted on Tracy's Blog, Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Katie Can Do It!

2010-07-22T04:00:08Z

Okay. Um. Maybe she can't. Looking this glamorous takes a lot of work. Nah, we were hijacked by the most amazing and wonderful parents aside from our own — oh that's right I can't tell you who they are as their daughter is private. But I can tell you that she is a friend of Kelly's who has been called "Aerin" in Kelly's blog and she and her dad are from the same small town in Western Pennsylvania that my mom is. The one that I mentioned when I made the beet tart.

And no, Kelly did not meet her in this town, she met her in New York City, sitting across or next to each other in one of those hedge fund thingies that everyone's been talking about for the last couple of years. All I know about hedge funds is that they gave Kelly one of her most fabulous and lovely friends and one of my favorite people. I'm like a wanna-be friend. She has admired a ring that I got for pushing Meredith out of my yahoo and I have every intention of giving it to her if I kick the bucket before she does. Kelly thinks I'm mad, but hey that's how I roll. And it's how friggin' cool "Aerin" is.

So, her folks. Okay "Aerin" who is apparently afraid of sharks in pools like my freaky sister is one of those people who you can't help but stare at. She's killer gorgeous, with big brown eyes, luscious dark hair, and a ridiculously fit, tan and skinny tall body. She's Italian, which means her real name is most certainly not "Aerin" but we can all dream can't we? She's got the cutest dimple when she smiles which is often and has this way of talking out the side of her mouth that makes you feel like you have finally arrived amonst the in-crowd. That she would laugh out loud and long at my description of her, since she is from one helluva small ass, past its prime Western Pennsylvanian town is also part of her charm. Now we need to add her folks to the list of her charms.

It's so fun, with such a big personality, someone whose light you enjoy basking in, to see where that star fell from. And I was not disappointed. Aerin shares her mom's beauty and her dad's smart eyes. Her mom has the similar side smile and dimple and the quick and easy laugh. Her dad is a straight talker, retired Air Force man, and has all the confidence that such a life inspires, oh except for a mischievious sparkle in his eyes. Such a delight. Their house is perfection. As we all (Mom, Kelly and I) said as we drove out of town, "we would all happily move right in." Perfectly decorated and perfectly tidy. And they were sweet, easy and happy people to spend an afternoon with. Sipping iced tea in a breezy spot under the trees, the children playing with chalk on the pavement as we talked about Aerin's upcoming wedding and just the sweet little details of life.

Mom and I separately heard the train whistles in the not so distance and were reminded of my grandparents and her parents. The town they shared their lives in, and it was magical to have a home we could be welcomed to in such a special place. Aerin's mom IS Italian, so if we thought coming to visit during a non-eating time would mean we wouldn't be eating, we were sorely mistaken. She made us the perfect summer feast. A chicken salad casserole (really really good!) and a fresh green salad with yummy fruit. I ate everything on my plate and that is not something I every truly do. And then, um, scrumptious dessert! Peach cheesecake pie. I'm still full.

So. I'm sorry I didn't make the soup. After we left Aerin's parents we went out to see the house my grandpa grew up in, the hollow we went for walks in, the cemetery to visit my grandparents and aunts and uncles graves, and leave stones on the headstones. We drove past the church my mom got married in, the walk on Thiel College where my grandpa proposed to my grandma, the house my Grandma Breck moved into as a widower and my Aunt Emily and Uncle Don's house. All the stops! We got home around 10 pm. Tired but full of fun and adventure. I won't even detail the last two days we spent in Pittsburgh with my mom's brother and his family, but it was magical too. These summer visits to Cleveland are the best rejuvenating vacations. I pray they keep happening for many many years to come.

Amen!

Fave Sunscreens

2010-07-21T04:00:38Z

I know, I know: it has been hot. If you are like me, you are basking in it. If you are like my Cleveland-bred husband, you are sweltering. But let me tell you how glowing your skin looks in the humidity! Who needs product when the air itself provides you with that dewy glow!

The glorious weather has gotten me thinking about something very specific: Sunscreen. I try to wear it every day now that I am no spring chicken anymore. And not just on my face. Don't neglect what my friends and I call "The Leather Bib" - you know, that area of your chest that is often exposed by an open collar or t-shirt? That gets as much sun as anything and I regret I wasn't more vigilant sooner.

But there are so many different types out there. There are the 80's style zinc based sunscreens which are still adorable on the tips of little kids noses but maybe not for the chic, sophisticated Pigment Reader. Sunscreens with Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxides, however, are great for sensitive skin even if it takes a little more effort to rub in. They are also the main sunblock in any foundation that has SPF. Dermalogica makes a great one called Super Sensitive Faceblock.

Then there are ingredients like Helioplex, Cell-OX Shield, which are in the new high SPF sunscreens like La Roche-Posay Anthelios and Neutrogena lines - two of my faves for their ease of application and high protection.

Then there are fabulous makeup sunscreens like La Mer's The SPF 18 Fluid Tint that my makeup artist friend Dina introduced me to. It gives sheer, but very effective, dewy coverage, and takes care of your sunscreen needs. Even on the leather bib! Or, if you love your foundation and want to SPF it up, add a little bit of Dermalogica's Solar Defense Booster and you are all set!

Word to the wise, however, no sunscreen gives the level of protection that you think you are getting because we generally don't put enough on. So don't necessarily count on that SPF 70+ to keep you protected for 3 days straight. I carry a little bottle around with me at all times - the sprays or the little sample bottles are great for this - just so I don't give my Dermatologist a reason to chastise me!

Have Safe Sun!

Originally published June 7, 2010

Sharks in Pools

2010-07-20T04:00:22Z

For Christmas, my dad buys each of us a book pertaining to our current interest and/or hobby—or at least the ones he wants us to cultivate. About 10 years ago, he got my siblings, both writers, books about writing and getting published. Me? I tore open my present to discover a book titled "Three Minute Therapy." Yes. It's always nice to learn that your parents think your hobby should be getting sane. But, the best part about receiving the worst Christmas present ever was that when I finally cracked it open, there was a chapter titled "Sharks in Pools." I nearly fell out of bed. I'd no idea there were other nuts out there who were also afraid of sharks in chlorinated pools.

My fear started with a James Bond obsession. One summer, I read a ton of Ian Fleming novels (a feat unto itself as I’m the slowest, highly educated reader this side of the Mississippi) and my newfound love fortuitously coincided with a Bond movie marathon. That’s when I saw THE scene that changed my life. Bond is leisurely swimming in a pool when suddenly his host taps a button that opens the underwater pool grate releasing minions of sharks to attack. Caught off guard, Bond is surrounded and almost overpowered. Only through his 007 prowess does he finally fight them off. Now, I’d never been a huge fan of pool grates, but this movie said to me, “Be afraid. Be very afraid.”

Most people point out that sharks wouldn’t last two seconds in a chlorinated pool. Unfortunately, the Bond pool looked freaking cholorinated. Plus when Bond dove in he never said “Oh my, isn’t this a refreshing change! It’s saltwater.“ And let’s face it, any normal person diving into a normal pool (i.e., neon blue) only to discover it was saltwater would exclaim, “Oh wow, it’s saltwater!”

The other thing people ask is whether I’m afraid of sharks in their natural habitat. The answer is yes and no. No, when it’s murky and I’m ankle deep. Yes, when the water is clear blue like a pool and therefore, I am compelled to watch every angle at all times to ensure I don’t miss a shark charge from behind. For some reason, I never quite believed Walt McNamara—noted Cleveland attorney and essentially an uncle—that sharks cannot attack humans without playing the score to Jaws otherwise they risk being in violation of international water play law.

A little while after I’d opened my Christmas “present”, I met Aerin (name changed to protect her inner neurocies), and I learned over a plethora of margaritas that she too was afraid of sharks in pools. Naturally, we felt a unique kinship and became the best of friends. But, here’s the rub, the whole sharks in pools thing isn’t unique. Most intelligent people just don’t cop to it.

According to “Three Minute Therapy,” people like Aerin and me are simply your average, garden variety, control freaks. We’re often also afraid of flying (Guilty.) We are perhaps also the same people who in the middle of enjoying the view of the city and the river from the elevated portion of the N/R train simultaneously think about how to survive a train derailment into the river. For the record, only skinny people are making it out of the subway’s narrow pop-open windows.

So, how do we cope with these irrational fears? First, never swim alone and always scull near someone. This way if a shark does attack it lowers the probability that you’ll be the swimmer it chooses. Second, never swim in deepwater, chlorinated or un-chlorinated, because that’s like asking for a remake of the Jaws poster. As for flying, you need crazy rituals to ensure the plane’s safe arrival. I put the sign of the cross on the door of every plane I board before starting a prayer ritual that will likely one day include troll dolls.

Pattypan, Basil, & Chevre Soup

2010-07-19T04:00:37Z

Pattypan take their name from the pâtisson, a Provençal cake that’s baked in a fluted mold and mirrors the scalloped shape of the vegetable. And the squash's flavor is actually lightly sweet – a characteristic you can enhance with roasting or a quick sauté. Plus the moisture content is low compared to, say, zucchini, so they can take quite a bit of abuse without turning pulpy or watery.

Yuno’s Farm has such lovely pattypan in the warmer months: plump, round, and striped green, creamy white, or butter-yellow. And, yes, I’ve been shopping at Yuno’s a lot lately – their market stand is irresistible this time of year. I must admit a certain feeling of allegiance to Nevia there, as she was also a professional dancer before going into the food industry. But I assure you I am consistently blown away by the beauty, variety, and quality of the produce her farm brings to market.

In this soup – which is at its most balanced and summery when served slightly less than piping hot – the pattypan lend their gentle sweetness to the blunt anise of the basil (more of a main player here than a seasoning), and the earthy twang of the goat’s cheese stays subtle as it binds the whole thing together.

Just make sure not to add the basil paste until you’re ready to serve. The heat of the soup will dull the cooling jade color, which is too pretty to let your guests miss.

Serves 6 – 8

3 lbs green pattypan or other green summer squash
extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, medium dice
kosher salt
5 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1 ½ cups good chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves, fresh if possible
freshly ground black pepper
6 oz fresh chevre, plus more for serving, crumbled
juice of 1 lemon
1 large or 2 smaller bunches basil, plus a few extra sprigs for serving
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

Rinse the pattypan and trim off both ends. Slice in half (straight though the center into 2 half-moons, if you catch my drift). Then slice up each squash half quite thinly.

Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add a glug of extra virgin olive oil and then toss in the onions. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and sweat, stirring often, until they turn translucent. Add the garlic cloves and stir gently for 1 minute longer. Then stir in the sliced pattypan and cook, stirring every so often for 5 minutes or until a few of the squash pieces are lightly golden.

Add the stock, the wine, the bay leaves, some more kosher salt, and a good grind of black pepper. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the squash is soft. Then remove from the heat and pour through a sieve over a large bowl. Purée the vegetables and chevre in a food processor and pour back into the pot. Add cooking liquid until the desired consistency is reached and season with the lemon juice and more salt and pepper. The soup should be held at this point until you’re almost ready to serve.

Just before serving, pulse the basil in a food processor until finely chopped. Stream in the 1 cup of olive oil until a paste is formed. Heat the pattypan soup until the temperature is midway between lukewarm and piping hot and then stir in the basil paste. Check the seasoning again with salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve in bowls with more crumbled chevre, a small basil sprig, and a good drizzle of the olive oil.

Originally published July 22, 2007 on Amanda's Blog