Southern Chef Series with Natalie Dupree

We have updated some of our original dates for our Southern Chef Series with Natalie Dupree.

Our new schedule is Sunday, October 11- Monday, October 12.

Natalie will be teaching "mastering the art of southern cooking" to a group of 10 guests. Days will be spent with Nathalie both cooking, learning her favorite recipes and hearing her wonderful stories of her many cooking adventures. 

 The chef series features Sunday and Monday afternoon cooking with Nathalie, lunch and dinner including wine and a one night stay at the Serenbe inn for each guest will be $295.

Please call the Serenbe inn at 770.463.2610 for more information and reservations.

We are very fortunate to have this opportunity to share Nathalie with 10 lucky guests! Please don't miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity. This will be a wonderful event to plan with your friends for a lovely little get-a-way.

As a personal friend, stay tuned to my blog for some memories and stories I have of Nathalie and her history with my mom.

Atlanta Magazine

This month Atlanta magazine is featuring a wonderful farm to table local eating guide which is very exciting for me because it features both the Farmhouse and the Hil restaurant both located in Serenbe.

The Hil is owned and operated by the restaurant’s namesake Chef Hilary White and husband Jim White. The Hil is their vision for a refined, yet informal, neighborhood restaurant, with a dedication to serving simple, farm-fresh cuisine.

The magazine also features two of my recipes that I know you will enjoy! One is for my grits souffle and the other is for a wonderful summer salad with Cucumber, Fennel, Onion and Mint with a delicious Buttermilk Vinaigrette.

"This dish has been a favorite at The Inn at Serenbe since we opened in 1996. It works great for breakfast, a brunch, or even dinner. I love using fresh collards from Serenbe Farms, but kale works well also. The addition of stone-ground grits, we use JennyJack Grits, adds a lovely texture.  And, the beauty of the dish is it can be made the day before."

Here is my Grits Souffle recipe for you to enjoy.

• 1 lb. grated sharp chedder cheese or goat cheese
• 6 farm fresh or free range eggs, lightly whipped
• 2 cups cooked Jenny Jack grits**
• 1 cup cooked collards, chopped and drained
• 2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
• 1 tsp salt
• 2-4 dashes of tabasco

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended. Pour into a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Bake in a 350º oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

** Grits

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup grits
• Boil water. Add grits and cook 5 minutes

Please click Atlanta Magazine for the summer salad recipe.

What's in my refrigerator

One of my favorite things to keep in my refrigerator are caramelized onions.

Every two weeks when I am working around my house I will finely chop up 3-4 onions, heat olive oil in my lodge skillet and add the onions. Once all the onions are in, I will add more oil to make sure they are covered and cook on the lowest simmer possible.

As I continue to work around the house, I always check on the onions and stir every thirty minutes.

With very little effort, I have lovely caramelized onions in about 2-2 1/2 hours!

"The beauty of caramelized onions in your fridge is that you can easily add them to the salmon you make for dinner, use them in your morning eggs or add them to any pasta dish".

The possibilities are truly endless and I think you will agree that this is a great staple to have in your own refrigerator.

I'd love to hear how you use your caramelized onions, so feel free to email me: marie@serenbestyleandsoul.com.

Enjoy!

Harvey's Garlic Coleslaw

My father only made two things in the kitchen his entire life.

One was popcorn and the other was his garlic coleslaw. To this day, people rave about his coleslaw and it is still one of my favorites.

Harvey's Garlic Coleslaw

• 1 head cabbage
• 3-6 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup of mayonnaise (either Duke's or Hellman's)
• 1/2 cup of Heinz white vinegar
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Slice cabbage with mandolin set at 1/4. Chop the garlic and rub along bottom and sides of bowl. Add the cabbage and mix with your hands. Mix the mayonnaise and vinegar well.

Pour small amount at a time into the cabbage and work with your hands until slightly wet.

Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

One tip I always give everyone is, please do not allow any substitutions in the brand of mayonnaise or vinegar you use. It really does make a difference. And always use fresh ground pepper.

And if you really love garlic, I have been known to add up to 10 cloves per recipe!

The response I received from the eggplant souffle recipe was overwhelming so thank you for that. Going forward I will try to add recipes on a weekly basis so check back often for those.

Soul Food

Soul food feeds you on lots of different levels.

It's all about soul nourishment, when you see a thing of beauty such as a plate of tomatoes or you smell caramelized Vidalia onions cooking, it's just another example of nourishment for your soul.

For me the kitchen is the most soulful place in the house. It is the one room where you can play to all five senses. And those five receptors are channels into the soul.

"I feel when all five senses are charged, it just opens you up to so much of the beauty of life, to the creativity of life, the joy and the fun and the grace of it all."

How do we honor those senses everyday? For me there is no better place to honor who we are than in the kitchen.

That is what I love about the kitchen. It has always been the center of all my houses because when you are cooking, what you are really doing is sharing your heart with others.

Creating a simple nutritious meal is about caring and loving one another. It says you love yourself and your family. It tells others you want to sit down with them and hear how they are. People don't care if you make an elaborate 10 step soup. They just want to share.

That for me is the essential part of cooking: sharing your heart and soul with another.

My cooking demo!

Enjoy!

I am off to Boulder to help my youngest daughter set up her apartment for her senior year of college. Back in a couple of days for more blogging and stories from Boulder.

Margaret's eggplant souffle

I love to share with people why I am so passionate about cooking and what it brings to my life and others.

Today while doing my cooking demo at the Serenbe Farmer's market, you only had to see this small boy's face when he tasted my mom's eggplant souffle to understand.

My demo today was "everything eggplant" and a young boy approached my table with his mom. When asked if he would like to try a sample he said no and insisted he did not like eggplant. I told him this wasn't like regular eggplant and thought he would enjoy it.

After some thought, he gave in. With hesitation in his eyes he took his first bite, chewing slowly and looking very serious.

Finally he looked up at me, flashed a huge smile and proclaimed "I like it!"

Here is my mom's eggplant souffle recipe:

Preheat oven to 350.

Peel and cut into 1-inch cubes:

                               1 medium eggplant 

Bring to a boil in a heavy saucepan:

                               2 cups of water

                               1 teaspoon of salt

Add eggplant, simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Drain and mash. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of pulp.

Cut crusts off:

                               1 slice of white bread

Soak bread in:

                               3/4 cup of milk

Add:

                                2 beaten eggs

                                1 tablespoon of grated white onion

                                2 tablespoons of melted butter

                                1 teaspoon of salt

                                1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

Add eggplant, mix well, and pour into 1-quart buttered baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees on the middle rack until souffle seems "set" in the middle, 30-45 minutes.

Join us next week at the Farmhouse as we will be featuring this as one of our side items!

      

Serenbe Farmers market

Tomorrow morning (Saturday, 8/15) at 10 am I will be having a cooking demo at the Serenbe Farmers market!

Come join the fun and shop around for beautiful art work, planters, fresh herbs and of course a wonderful selection of home grown veggies from Serenbe farms as well as other local farmers.

After shopping at the market, don't forget to stop by the Blue eyed Daisy bakeshop for breakfast.

Tomorrow's demo will be "all things eggplant"! So many people always tell me they don't know what to do with eggplant or are afraid to cook it. Come see me and learn how to make three different dishes including my mom's famous eggplant souffle. 

Stop by for a sample taste! I look forward to saying hello to you tomorrow.

Hi/Lo

"Beauty does not come with a price tag".

One of my favorite things is what I call Hi/Lo.

So often, people think that to get great style it has to be expensive. I love to tell people about my finds: a great deal on dining room chairs to go with my repurposed dining table, or that wonderful inexpensive floor lamp to add the finishing touches to a living area.

Some of the best places to shop for items that I just love are Target and Ikea. Did you know that Target on- line features eco friendly home decor at affordable prices? Or that Ikea has wonderful dining chairs to go with your dining table?

            

Recently we added some furniture to one of our green homes in Serenbe and came up with a wonderful mix of hi/lo. Imagine a designer dining table with $69 dining chairs from Ikea. Or a beautiful over sized wall clock for $100 from Target for a contemporary feel.

Look around you and there are so many lovely things you can add to your home to bring beauty into your life. Style doesn't have to be expensive, it just has to be a reflection of who you are and what you wish to share with others.

Welcome to Serenbe style and soul

Food has been a part of my being beginning when I was in utero. My mother, Margaret Lupo, owned a small restaurant called Margaret's Tray shop in downtown Atlanta when she was pregnant with me. My father, Harvey Lupo, owned a produce wholesale business.

So obviously food has always been an integral part of my life. It has so many facets to it beyond cooking and eating. I love to read cookbooks, talk to our gardener about the next season's planting, shop in food stores, plan a menu and cook for family and friends.

Food has so many nourishing aspects to it beyond just feeding our bodies. It creates an opportunity to bring people to your table and share yourself with them.

For me, cooking is a very intimate exercise and my personal way of touching their souls.

My most favorite memories and moments are times spent around a dining table. It is when we come together to nourish ourselves with the food prepared and the relationships we hold dear.

I look forward to sharing my passion about food with you. 

Marie's passion for cooking

"Cooking is about sharing your love"

A beautiful Thursday afternoon sitting in Marie's kitchen, it only takes me a few minutes to realize her passion for food, cooking and life at Serenbe. Marie's definition of food is one that that says it creates a wonderful community gathering place.

"In your house, everyone always gathers around the kitchen. Food is not just about traditional nutrition but rather about feeding your soul".

For Marie, cooking is about caring for people and showing your love to them. 

To truly experience the essence of Marie as I did sitting with her, click on the play button below to hear her passion and what she wishes to bring to our blog readers!

Style and Soul

For me, the two words are integrally intertwined. I feel style is an outward expression of the inner aspects of ourselves, our soul.

From our manner of dress, the way we design our homes, to the food we prepare, each of these gives us ways to express ourselves.

I have always felt that personal style should not depend on the latest craze or fad. 

It is about realizing what feels authentic to you and embracing that with passion.

Nathalie Dupree is coming to Serenbe

Update: The cooking event with Nathalie has SOLD out. If you would like to be put on a waiting list in case of any cancellations, please contact the Inn, 770.463.2610.

For 27 years I have had the pleasure of being friends with Nathalie Dupree.

I am excited to tell you that she will be joining us for the launch of the Southern Chef Series at Serenbe on October 11-12.

Nathalie Dupree is the author of ten cookbooks, eight of which are hard backs, selling over half a million copies, and host of three hundred television shows, which have aired on PBS, The Learning Channel and The Food Network for over fifteen years.

Nathalie, as she is known to her fans, has won innumerable awards for her work, including two James Beard Awards. She is most famous for her approachability and understanding of Southern cooking, having started the New Southern Cooking movement now found in many restaurants throughout the South.

She will be teaching to a  group of 10 participants who wish to learn about "Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking." Along with learning tips on cooking some of her favorite southern recipes you will share a couple of days hearing her personal stories of her many food adventures.

For reservation information, please call 770-463-2610  Please stay tuned to my blog for more details.

The Farmhouse

The Farmhouse, located in the Inn at Serenbe, serves beloved recipes made with farm-fresh organic ingredients grown just steps away on the Serenbe Farms.  My husband Steve  and I founded Serenbe and operated it with the family as a bed-and-breakfast before the community developed,  and recently I am excited to have returned to my kitchen in the historic home as proprietress to guide the art of southern cuisine utilizing local products. 

"Whether in the restaurants at Serenbe or in our home, we enjoy watching people's reactions as they taste locally-grown, freshly-harvested food. If you've never had an egg that was gathered that same morning, or a turnip or tomato that was picked yesterday, tasting it for the first time is like coming home."

The weekly-changing, a la carte menu is rich with Southern delicacies straight from my recipe box, prepared in a style that highlights the flavor and nutrients of 

farm-fresh produce.  

Reservations are recommended at the Farmhouse which serves dinner Thursday-Saturday evening and a fried chicken brunch every Sunday. Come by early and enjoy a mint julep on the veranda during our two for one happy hour from 4-6:00 pm at the newly opened Farmhouse bar.