New Orleans artist Hayley Gaberlavage

Art with a wink

There's a raw, open and honest feel to Hayley Gaberlavage's art.  It's retro, yet contemporary all at once.  She shines brightest in her sociological portraiture where "innocence is equally dispersed amongst irreverent youth and the blue collar Americana of her Alabama roots".

Deemed a "Superstar of Southern Art" in the March 2012 issue of "American Oxford", she has a remarkable ability to capture bygone attitudes and appearances, while honoring the straight-forward honesty of her colorful and often eccentric subjects.

The result is art that is uncannily captivating and refreshing.

 "In my paintings I contemporize the out-dated.  Preferring turquoise blues, olive greens, muted tones and unfinished background surfaces, my palette is distinct.  My technique of evaporating background into swarthy brushstrokes allows time into the work, the acknowledgment of memory, which is imperfect, always unfinished, and congruous to the retro aesthetic and mood".

"Miss Hazel"

"Friedman"     

"Suits and Bow Ties"

"Busted"

"Ballroom Social"

"Marvelous Madge"

"Emerald"                                

"Mardi Gras Day"

"Lynette"

"The Devil Made Me Do It"

"Lu Lu on Louisiana"

"John Robert Dudley"

Hayley and Miss Hazel

Each of her pieces are uniquely painted, graphic tour de forces.

For more of Hayley's southern nostaglia, visit 

hayleygaberlavage.com/

Contemporary.  Humorous.  Americana.  Slightly Southern.

                                                                           

                           

            

Banana-Coconut Ice Cream

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Because this recipe contains mashed bananas, I hereby pronounce it "health food".

I waited 50 years to attempt to make home made ice cream, and now I can't stop.  

It's far easier than I had imagined, and completely satisfying.  I've found it to be richer than store-bought ice cream, so I actually eat less (picture above notwithstanding).  The key for me was buying the Cuisinart white ice cream maker ($69.00 at Williams Sonoma).  It comes with 2 bowls (which you keep in the freezer at all times, so you can make ice cream at any given moment). 

The best $69 you'll ever spend

For this recipe, bake the shredded coconut in a shallow pan at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.  You want it toasted, but not burned.

While that's cooling, whisk together sugar, egg yolks, and milk in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly for about 20 minutes until the mixture thickens.  Don't let it boil!

the mixture should thicken and coat a spoon

Remove from heat, and whisk in the coconut, half-and-half, cream of coconut, and vanilla. 

You can use Coco Lopez cream of coconut, or Goya.  Make sure not to use coconut milk--you need cream of coconut!

After folding in the mashed banana, cover the mixture and chill for at least 3 hours (or overnight, it should not be warm at all when you put it in the ice cream maker). Pour it into the Cuisinart, churn for  about 20 minutes, and either enjoy it immediately (the consistency will be creamy and soft), or transfer to another container and freeze for a harder consistency.

Here is the recipe:

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup sugar

6 egg yolks

4 cups milk

2 cups half-and-half

1 (15-ounce) can Cream of Coconut (Coco Lopez or Goya)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 (very) ripe bananas, mashed

Bake coconut in shallow pan at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until toasted

Whisk together sugar, egg yolks, milk in heavy saucepan over medium heat; cook, whisking constantly, 20 minutes or until mixture thickens and will coat a spoon (do not boil)

Remove from heat; whisk in toasted coconut, half-and-half, cream of coconut, and vanilla.  Fold in banana.  Cover and chill for at least 3 hours (or longer--mixture must be totally cool before churning)

Pour mixture into frozen bowl of ice cream maker (this recipe makes several batches--do NOT pour the entire thing into Cuisinart bowl--it will overflow!  Fill bowl according to your ice cream maker's instructions)

Churn for about 20 minutes ( again-be aware that it will increase volume as it churns--don't over-fill the frozen bowl!).  Eat immediately if you like a softer consistency, or transfer to another container and freeze for harder texture.

Happy Memorial Day!

Pascaline Doucin-Dahlke

For my first blog since my mom passed away, I wanted to highlight something or someone who made me happy.  

See the Mountain Triptych

French-born artist Pascaline Doucin-Dahlke's work has been described as ebullient,  rhapsodic, vivid.

Her art makes me smile.

Montpellier Fence

Blue Turkish Birds

Yellow observation

Born in Paris and a trained architect, she worked in the creative divisions of Eurodisney and Universal Studios before moving to Los Angeles to focus on her fine art career.  Pascaline has completed several art commissions for restaurants and public spaces in addition to gallery and museum showings.

Orange Turkish Birds

Koi Pond

Zion Coral Trees

Waves

Desert Tan


Drawing inspiration from a combination of early 20th Century European and American Abstract Expressionist art, she pushes to the edge of abstraction, while remaining within a classic aesthetic harmony.

Behind the Wall

Vertical Blue

Blue and Orange Pine Needles




Hard not to smile.


www.pascalinedoucindahlke.com

Mustard roasted fish, garlic rosemary potatoes, and broccolini

If "Condiments-Anonymous" existed, I would have to join.  And be their flagship member.  My fridge is packed with mayonnaises, sauces, mustards, sour cream, hot sauces, tarter sauces, ketchups.  Sometimes, the protein in the dish I am cooking is just a vehicle for the delicious condiments I put on it! 

This Barefoot Contessa recipe (which she got from a Parisian friend) is magnificent because it is is easy, fast, completely delicious, and it lets me use 3 different kinds of mustard! (although you can get by with 2)

There really is fish under there!

I used Red Snapper fillets for this recipe, but you can use any fish you like (or even chicken).   Put the fish fillets on a parchment or foil lined sheet, and season well with kosher salt and pepper

For the sauce you'll need either Creme Fraiche (I buy it at Wegmans, but you could use sour cream instead), a standard Dijon mustard, a Whole grain mustard (with the whole mustard seeds in it), capers, and shallots.   The creme fraiche isn't supposed to separate during cooking, but I've used sour creme and the end result is just as delicious.  I also add a 3rd country style dijon, because my family has ordered me to use up some of the dozens of condiments crowding the fridge so there will be room for the milk and other necessities, which are currently stored in the garage fridge due to over-crowding in the kitchen fridge

Cover the fish with the sauce, and  bake in a 425 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish.  Don't overcook--you want it to be just cooked through. 

I served the fish with simple garlic rosemary roasted potatoes. These take about an hour to cook, so be sure to start them well ahead of the fish.  Cut the potatoes into chunks, toss them well with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper

Make sure to flip the potatoes about ever 20 minutes while cooking so they get all nice and evenly crispy

Broccolini is so delicious, and a bit more elegant than regular broccoli.  I blanch the stalks in salted boiling water for 2  minutes, then quickly immerse them in an ice water bath to halt the cooking.  This also makes them a gorgeous, bright green.  Drain them  on paper towels, then saute the stalks for a few minutes in some butter, olive oil, and shallots.  Don't over- saute...they should still be crispy.  Just heat them through.  I also like to drizzle them with balsamic glaze, which I buy at Wegmans.  You can also drizzle with a bit of fresh lemon juice

Here are the recipes:

Mustard-roasted fish:

4 (8-ounce) fish fillets (red snapper, grouper, or similar)

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

8 ounces creme fraiche (or sour cream)

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons drained capers

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil, or use an ovenproof baking dish

Put fish fillets skin side down and sprinkle with salt and pepper

Combine creme fraiche, mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in small bowl.  Spoon over fish fillets, making sure to cover the fish

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.  Don't overcook. The fish will  flake easily at it's thickest part when it's done.

Serve hot with sauce from pan on top

Garlic-Rosemany roasted potatoes:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cut 2 pounds red potatoes into 1 to 2 inch chunks (don't peel first)

Toss with 1/4 cup olive oil, 5 minced garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons minced rosemary.  Season with salt and pepper

Spread out on baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes to an hour.  Flip potatoes with spatula about every 20 minutes to ensure even browning and crispiness

Broccolini:

Blanch  broccolini in salted, boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes.  Drain and immerse in ice water bath to stop cooking.  Drain on paper towels.

Saute in pan with a bit of butter, olive oil and minced shallots for a few minutes.  You want the brocclini to be evenly heated through, but still crispy.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper (or Adoro), and drizzle with balsamic glaze or fresh lemon juice

Now get thyself to a CA meeting immediately!

Because love is love

In honor of Valentine's Day, a few thoughts about love, equality, and why gay marriage is a good thing:

Because encouraging commitment, stability and openness doesn't undermine the institution of family--it enhances it.

Because everyone is entitled to share value of marriage--love, loyalty, commitment, respect and family.

Because legalizing gay marriage doesn't threaten or undermine my own or anyone else's heterosexual marriage whatsoever.

Because gay people need emotional and economic stability no less than straight people--and society benefits when they have it.

Because it's not about Special Rights, it's about Equal Rights.

Because marriage comes with a host of legal rights...1,049 to be exact, ranging from the ability to collect Social Security survivor's benefits to the right not to have to testify against a spouse in court to the right to priority in claiming human remains and in making anatomical donations on behalf of a deceased spouse.


Because most states recognize marriage between men and women, including persons on death row, child abusers, and wife beaters.  At the same time, those states prohibit marriage by loving, caring, stable partners of the same sex.  And that's just crazy.

Because it makes no sense that the same people who crucify gays as promiscuous in one breath often vilify gay marriage in the next.

Because if conservatives are truly worried about the demise of marriage, why not target Las Vegas-style weddings, no-fault divorce laws or adultery?


Because Thomas Jefferson once said "If it neither breaks my leg nor picks my pocket what difference is it to me?"

Because it's the height of hypocrisy when people like Rush Limbaugh oppose gay marriage because they say it destroys the sanctity of the institution of marriage.......yet they themselves have been married and divorced 3 or 4 times.


Because how could anyone say no to these guys?

Because love is love.  End of story.

Keith Olbermann hit it out of the ballpark with this Special Comment:


http://current.com/shows/countdown/videos/special-comment-clear-case-for-same-sex-marriage

Zoe Strauss: Ten Years

Daddy Tattoo, 2004

 I visited the Van Gogh exhibit at the  Philadelphia art museum last weekend, and was prepared to write about it in my blog today.  But after seeing Van Gogh (which was wonderful),  I wandered downstairs to look at Zoe Strauss: Ten Years, a mid-career retrospective. It was her exhibit that resonated with me the most....in sort of unsettling ways.   Strauss is only 41, has never had any formal photography training, and conceived her first installation--the I-95 project (in which she installed her work on pillars below an I-95 overpass in south Philadelphia)--before she even owned a camera.  

Initially, I was put off by the raw edginess of her photographs.  She photographs people and places at the margins of society (often in her hometown of Philadelphia)--whether it be the facade of an abandoned building or a hand-lettered sign with it's characters askew--with the simple dignity of recognition.  

Her tendency to focus on the most disenfranchised people and places reminded me of Diane Arbus.   

I was with my friend Peggy, who owns a photography studio and is herself a tremendously talented photographer.  Peggy was completely captivated by Strauss's work.  I left the exhibit feeling like I had been punched in my solar plexus. 

The exhibit reminded me that art is not always about the aesthetic, but often its magic lies in its ability to provoke.  What I like about Strauss is that she refrains from passing judgement on her subjects, and doesn't proselytize.  She simply records snapshots of life--however unattractive or shocking--with unadorned simplicity.

What do you think?

Mattress Flip, 2001

Click the link to read about the tragic follow-up to this photograph: The boy in the white shirt, "Boo", was shot and killed
6 years after the photo was taken.

http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/Zoe-Strauss-Mattress-Flip-Laurence-Boo-Rose-Philadelphia-Museum-of-Art.html

If You Reading This Fuck You

Woman Showing Dead Bird, 2010

Monique Showing Black Eye

Strauss took this photograph, having no idea she had photographed the subject before--it was only after she recognized the tattoo that she realized this was the same girl in "Daddy Tattoo" (above)

Woman, Camden

 Powerful stuff.


And finally, props to Peggy-- here is a snippet of her excellent work: http://peggypetersonphotography.com/