Your great grandmother's ketchup

This is off the beaten path for Modish living, but I really think the topic of food fermentation is very interesting. I learned alot about fermented foods years ago when I was trying to whole-foods my way out of a thyroid condition. I basically found these foods to be packed full of enzymes and probiotics, and they basically digest themselves and help digest most of the meal you eat them with. So healthy. They also contain a higher level of vitamins and nutrients when compared to regular foods. 

So when I came across this recipe today for fermented ketchup from Nourished Kitchen, I thought I'd better pass it on. I will be making this for sure.  How good will it feel to feed your kids an ultra healthy ketchup!

Homemade Ketchup: Ingredients

• 2 cups tomato paste, preferably homemade
• 1/4 cup raw honey, maple syrup or whole unrefined cane sugar 
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh whey*, divided
• 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar, plus extra for thinning the ketchup, if desired
• 1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Homemade Ketchup: Method

1. Spoon tomato paste into a large mixing bowl and fold in raw honey or other natural sweetener of choice.
2. Whisk in one-quarter cup fresh whey or vegetable starter culture into the sweetened tomato paste along with apple cider vinegar, sea salt, allspice and cloves.  Continue whisking these ingredients together until the paste is smooth and uniform.
3. Spoon the homemade ketchup into a mason jar, top with remaining two tablespoons fresh whey or vegetable starter culture, cover loosely with a cloth or lid and allow the ketchup to sit at room temperature, undisturbed, for three to five days.
4. After three to five days, uncover the homemade ketchup and give it a thorough stir before transferring to the refrigerator.  Naturally fermented homemade ketchup will keep for several months in the refrigerator.

TIME: 5 minutes (active), 3 to 5 days (fermentation)
YIELD: about 1 pint.
DAIRY-FREE? Omit fresh whey and substitute one packet vegetable starter culture (see sources) dissolved in one-quarter cup plus two tablespoons filtered water.

Cape Cod Part II. The Packard Gallery, Provincetown, MA

As promised, I wanted to tell you about my favorite art gallery on the Cape. It's the Packard Gallery in Provincetown, on the main strip. I think the gallery structure used to be an old church and it's filled with the work of three generations of painters. Anne Packard, her daughter Cynthia and her daughter Leslie. All three are so talented.  The work is beautiful and many of their paintings hang in the lobby of major corporations and celebrity homes today.

Go to their website to see a better representation at www.packardgallery.com but ofcourse the best way to see the work is to visit the gallery. Trust me when I say these jpeg postings do not at all convey the strength of this art.

Now that I am back...

So sorry for the long blog vacation!  I took a quick trip to the Cape during school break, everything got caught up, and I left without sending out my last planned post. What was I thinking?!

But it has been a nice week away. And I have lots of ideas bubbling over since I've been gone for so long. I hope you're all still here, checking in!

To start with, I thought I'd share with you a few of my Cape favorites.

Cape Weekends is located in Orleans on the way to Nauset Beach. I only recently discovered this shop, last year. It's huge. I love their collection of items. The owner has great taste and seems to find the trendiest stuff in every category - kids, clothing, home goods, art, jewelry. She carries some Brooklyn designers too which I always seem to favor. Lucky Fish for one. Love Lucky Fish. Here is a very tiny sampling. She has a website with a small online shop too capeweekend.com, but visiting is way better.

Orla Kiely ofcourse

Feisty Elle "Dhalia" felt earrings

Cate and Levi lamb

Zaishu Flower table

Cape Cod artist Wendelin Glatzel

Another favorite is Salon 16 West also in Orleans. Mainly because they carry a great line of skincare products called Welstar, that are all natural, totally organic and essential oil based.  They are a made in very small batches using only pure, raw materials. Visit their website to see the whole product line www.welstar.net. I love how pure these products are and she even carries a sun protection line that's essential oil based.

A few others to mention.

- The semi-new French bakery and restaurant in South Wellfleet called PB Boulangerie. I must admit, I've never been overwhelmed with the restaurants on the Cape, all very predictable, but this place is truly French and very sophisticated.

- Ofcourse the Candy Manor in Chatham..

- The Chatham Bars Inn is a luxury inn but also a great place for cocktails, dinner or a bar style lunch when in the area.

- East Wind Silver in Chatham for inexpensive but good quality silver jewelry.

- I love the bookstore, Where The Sidewalk Ends, in Chatham. Not only is this a great title for a bookstore, but this place is very cozy and friendly and they offer up a great selection of interesting books, local and otherwise.

- And then there is my favorite Art Gallery in Provincetown. I'll blog about this tomorrow...it deserves it's own blog post....

I'm off to start watching the Oscars...good night!

Calendars Part 2

Back! Warm day. There is still lots of snow and dirt and mush on the ground, but I KNOW that yes the seasons do change, and yes the snow will melt, and no I won't look pasty white for the rest of my life. 

In case you need convincing, here's a visual reminder that May, June and July are in fact coming.

Yearly Calendar Part II. My fav is on top. Love love the color.

Michelle Armas

Meadow Lark Creative

Jolie Jolie Designs

Paper and Cup Chalkboard Calendar

Hand Illustrated by The Wild Unknown

mid week support

As far as weeks go, I'd say this one ranks pretty low on my life list.  But I'm working hard to make the second half of my week a happy one. Thought these flowers would help. And assuming we could all use a little spring imagery right about now.

Enjoy and have a good day!

Photo by Emerson Merrick

Photo by Emerson Merrick

Photo by Emerson Merrick

Happy Valentines Day!

I made these for my daughters first birthday. Very easy to make. If anyone wants directions, let me know.  Have a happy day!

very clever mama

Have you seen these?

This woman from Adele Enerson from Helsinki, Finland creates a completely different world from whatever she can find around her when her daughter sleeps! 

Now they are both becoming famous. She has a book coming out "When my baby Dreams" coming out in January 2012. She was just on the Today Show. Good for her. This is really brilliant.