Announcing: May Homespun Brunch

Chef Demo at JLA Tour of Kitchens

This weekend Jason will be part in the Junior League of Atlanta  Tour of Kitchens. On Saturday afternoon we will be doing a demo in the beautiful kitchen (photo above) designed by CSI Kitchen & Bath. Jason will be preparing Ricotta Gnocchi with fresh market vegetables. Did I mention that you get samples?!

The Junior League of Atlanta, Inc. Tour of Kitchens, entering its 17th year, features a view into 14 of Atlanta’s finest residential kitchens. The two-day event has raised more than one million dollars since its beginning to aid the Junior League of Atlanta, with a membership of  nearly 4,000, to carry out its mission towards community initiatives benefiting women and children at risk.

Saturday, March 292:15 pm1165 East Beechwood Drive NW Atlanta, GA 30327

Tickets are $35  online ($40 at the door) for a sneak peek into 14 of Atlanta’s most spectacular kitchens (7 each day) created by Atlanta's top designers. The JLA Tour of Kitchens features a view into 14 of Atlanta’s finest residential kitchens.

January Dinner Menu

SNACKS Grilled Cheese Bites Utterly Cool Smoked Gouda, Pine Street Market Bacon,

Spiced Pickled Apples, La Calavera Bakery Sourdough Bread

FIRST COURSE Creamy Riverview Farms Polenta with Roasted Sherry Mushrooms, Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Ricotta, Broccolli Micros

FAMILY STYLE MAIN COURSE Braised Pork Belly With Pan-seared Scallops French Green Lentils with Butternut Squash

Roasted Carolina Sweet Potatoes with Cipollini Onions, Fennel, and Brussels Leaves

Braised Red Cabbage and Swiss Chard with Red Carrots and Golden Raisins

DESSERT Citrus Blondie Orange Ice Cream, Candied Orange with a Champagne-Citrus Sauce

LOCALLY SOURCED Gum Creek Farms, La Calavera Bakery, Riverview Farms, Pine Street Market, Utterly Cool, Crystal Organic Farm, D & A Farm, Turnip Truck

Photo Credit: Kathryn McCrary Photography

Christmas Mingle Recap

This past holiday we had a little 'Christmas Mingle' for the Homespun community. We had a spread of snack, a spiced bourbon punch, live music, and took a collection of nonperishable goods.

We are grateful for our friends, new and old, that have come alongside us to support Homespun. This a special community, and this year hold so many excited opportunities. Thank you to all that came out!

Special thanks to Morgan Blake for capturing the evening, Haley Sheffield and friends for entertaining us with those sweet tunes, and  Juli Vaughn for hosting in her beautiful studio and decorating. You can view the full gallery here.

Lamon Luther at Vinewood Plantation

Contributors: Phil Sanders –  Photography // Lamon Luther - Tables // Sherry Donelly of Gertie Mae's - Table Scape Design // Jamie Jimenez  - Paper Goods // Vinewood Plantation –  Location

Atlanta Creates | Chef Jason Jimenez

Recently Jason was featured on “Atlanta Creates.”  This is a project initiated by Buffy Dekmar Photography to build creative community and share the faces and personalities behind creative businesses in Atlanta. You can read the full story and interview with Jason here. Below is an excerpt capturing the Dekmar's experience at our October  gathering.

This culinary experience is a new (old) concept that brings (back) values and feelings that might otherwise have eluded our generation...Fresh, locally-sourced ingredients range the color spectrum and are expertly combined to create a memorably exquisite meal. Name cards are placed strategically to encourage new connections. Candles and laughter light the room.

Follow this project on Instagram (@buffydekmarphoto + @dekmarfilms + #atlantacreates) and Pinterest.

IN-HOME with HOMESPUN ATL

If you've been to either our pop-up brunch or dinner, you know the routine...sit down around the table, meet new people, and enjoy an artisan meal. Hosting these gatherings is our favorite time of the month!

We are inviting YOU to join us in the hosting. Yes, you can have friends, neighbors, and coworkers over for dinner and cook a delicious dish. In fact, we encourage you to do so! However, if you're looking for something a bit different, we invite you to take advantage of our In-Home experience. That's right, we come to you!

Did we mention as a host your seat is FREE?! The process is simple, you contact us to schedule the date and submit the emails of your guests. We set up a private Eventbrite invitation, and your guests purchase their $65 seats. You'll need to fill your dining room with 8-10 paying guests, and we will take care of the rest.

The In-Home experience is like our pop-up gatherings, in that Chef Jason will select and prepare the menu. We can accommodate allergies upon request. The menu features a locally sourced meal to include: snacks, first course, family style dinner, and finished with dessert. We will be preparing the food on-site, so we will arrive 3 hours before the dinner. We also need a working kitchen (standard stove top, oven, and refrigerator).

Discounted Rates - We have a number of dates in the coming weeks that we will be offering your guests 15% off their seats.

 The discounted dates are:

• January 29, 2014
• January 30, 2014
• February 1, 2014
• February 6, 2014

Please email us at info@homespunatl.com to schedule your In-Home gathering.

Photo Credit: Phil Sanders Photography | Styling: Blue Eyed Yonder & Lindsay Coletta Design

Gluten-Free Gnocchi Recipe

GF-GNOCCHI Homespun ATL recipe

Jamie and I welcomed the new year with a nourishing, rustic meal. Relaxing at home, we decided to use what ingredients we had around the apartment. (We had also decided to be gluten-free for the first couple of weeks of 2014.) We had some ricotta, gluten-free flour, eggs, and even some parmesan. It is not what is usually around our apartment, but fortunately leftovers from holiday cooking.

I did what any chef does, look up recipes online or in our dusty recipe books.  I found a simple recipe for gnocchi with ricotta. This would technically be gnudi (pronounced "nu-dee"), which is a type of gnocchi made from ricotta cheese and a little bit of flour. I used the ratios given, and added a few more ingredients to make it my own.

I enjoy making food that has a process, like gnocchi. Practicing technique from start to finish is fulfilling. Often when making recipes I think to myself, “In what time of history did someone think I have cheese, flour, and eggs. I know, I will make a dumpling.” From then on it is passed through the years and generations perfected.  Now all of us get to benefit from one person and their culture. We can easily look up a recipe and learn a new process. I think that knowing, appreciating, and honoring a food's origins puts more love and soul into what we are creating.  It also inspires us to try something new.

Have fun and find joy in creating a great meal for friends and family.

Best,

Jason

GHOCCHI-PROCESS

Gnocchi

• 2 sprig rosemary finely chopped

• 1 ea lemon zested on micro plan

• 3 ¼ cups fresh ricotta cheese

• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated

• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour sifted

• 2 extra-large eggs beaten

• extra sifted gluten-free flour (coating)

Tomato and Olive Sauce

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 clove of thinly slice garlic or crushed

• 1 ea shallot thinly sliced

• 4 oz white wine

• 14 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes

• 4 oz Castelvetrano Olives

• 1 ea lemon juiced and zested

• ½ bunch parsley roughly chopped

Garnish

• 2 tbsp EVOO (Lemon scented Olive Oil)

• 2 oz Grated Parmesan (Parmesan Reggiano)

Gnocchi Directions

1. Fill a large pot with water about 4 qts and 4 Tbsp of salt.

2. Mix ricotta, parmesan cheese, eggs, lemon zest, rosemary, GF flour together with ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper.

3. Roll into 4, 12 in logs on a lightly floured surface then slice gnocchi into 1 inch long cylinders. Roll into oval shapes with a fork and place on a large plate dusted with a little more flour to prevent sticking.

4. Cook a few at a time in a large pot of boiling water for 2 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon.

5. Place in ice water until they are cooled, then place on paper towels to dry. store on a small sheet tray. You can refrigerate up to 1 day or freeze in plastic bags. I prefer to use the gnocchi the day I roll it out.

Tomato and Olive Sauce Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan and cook garlic and shallots for 1 minute, being careful not to burn.

2. Add white wine off the heat and reduce until almost dry. Add tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened.

3. Add olives and heat through. Season with lemon juice, zest, and parsley. Add gnocchi and gently toss in the pan sauce.

4. Shave Parmesan to serve and dress with good EVOO.

GF-GNOCCHI-DISH-2

This recipe serves 6-8 people.  It made for great leftovers during the week.

JANUARY GATHERINGS

Photo Credit: Buffy Dekmar Photography

Creative Mornings Atlanta | Bravery

We had the pleasure being a part of Creative Mornings ATL this past Friday. Creative Mornings ATL is a time for creatives to wake up early on a Friday, connect over a small breakfast, and hear a lecture from one of the cities successful creatives. On this Creative Morning, Atlanta had the pleasure hearing about Bravery by a wonderful and inspiring woman, Alina Wheeler. She wrote the book Designing Brand Identity - a great tool for developing an impactful and lasting brand.

What I received from the talk was that we all have a sense of what brave means but often don't view ourselves as such. BUT we are. We are Brave! It is time we stand up from what we believe in, Step out in faith to try something new, tell someone, "I Love you" for the first time, or invite our coworker or neighbor over for dinner for the first time. There are all types of bravery, The question that was asked to many people was "When can you remember being Brave? " What if we had the discussion around the table this Thanksgiving? I think it would be a memorable one. Just think of the amount of life experiences we would hear from our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and friends.

After waking up early on a Friday to make it to a Creative Morning I never regret it. Sure it is hard to get out of bed and out the door, but the insight and the people you get to meet totally outweighs the extra sleep you could get. Oh and did I mention there is free coffee and breakfast. Hope to see you at the next one which I believe will be in the new year. Be Brave... and have a great Thanksgiving.

-Jason

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Photo Credit: Abbie Kressner