Food for Thought
Lula's Pantry in Rockport is like the town general store all grown up and glamourous. I can go there and buy tea towels, dishes, kitchen tools, pasta, jam, candy, tea, see friends, have a remarkable conversation with an out-of-town stranger, and take home some great ideas. The exception is that in Lula's Pantry each of those dry goods and moments will be the blue ribbon of their category; the best tea — Harney's; the best tea-towels — Dermond Peterson Design Handprinted; the best out-of-town strangers — on a rainy Tuesday in March I met the art director for "The Proposal" there; and the best ideas.
A design and entertaining genius, Brett Roeske, proprietor, invents brilliant gift concepts, furniture solutions, and quick recipes. He's better than a year's subscription to "Martha Stewart Living."
It's an indulgence, Brett willingly admits of his high-end general store, but think about it: We live at the outer edges of America, and without driving to Boston, at Lula's Pantry we can find the iconic Alessi teapot with the singing bird at the spout along with the handsome Alessi cheese grater that feels like a fine woodworking tool in your hands. We can have Sarabeth's jams on our toast, and steel-cut pasta for our puttanesca. We can have modern design in the form of Chilewich floor mats and placemats. In little Rockport, we can find the dishes upon which Giada serves her balsamic chicken drummettes, Mud Australia pottery in a palette of natural colors that autumn and spring must envy, dishes sold at Barney's and Moss in New York City. In little Rockport, in a small, cheerful shop with a public deck off the back that has an unparalleled view of fishing boats and Motif No. 1, we can find a gift fit for a cousin or a prime minister.
And if you don't know what to make for dinner that night, or if you don't know what size coffee table fits in your living room, Brett Roeske will guide. He has in his head those methods and solutions of which Martha has made an industry. (Brett told me that what makes a living room and coffee table work is if everyone seated in the room is able to set a wineglass or coffee cup down on something in front of them.)
One night I needed a very special house gift, went to Lula's Pantry, started eyeing the shelves, and picked up a shiny steel scoop with a solid wooden handle.
"That's an ice scoop," Brett called out from across the store. "I'll give you some ribbon, and on the way to the party you can buy a bag of ice and tie this to the top!" Gift acumen.
Another Saturday, I was headed for a party and raced to Lula's for something for the hosts. It was late afternoon, and much of Rockport could be found there doing the exact same thing — our version of sitting around the cracker barrel. Brett's idea this time was for me to assemble a basket of treats which would become the hosts' breakfast the morning after the party: Farmhouse Pancake mix, La Colombe Coffee from a little roaster in Philadelphia, Organic Italian Tangerine Juice, maple syrup and Sarabeth's Peach Apricot Jam. Gift genius.
Yet another Saturday afternoon I was having company, and had nothing to make for dessert. At 3:30, I drifted to Lula's, imagining at least those amazing Rosemary Shortbread from Lark Fine Foods that no homemade cookie could beat for delicacy and allure.
"But, what about this," Brett appealed, removing a jar of Thursday Cottage Handmade Lemon Curd from the shelf. "It's the easiest, most delicious dessert you can make. A jar of this English lemon curd mixed with whipped cream. Layer it in a wine glass with cookies or berries."
We might not have it all the time, but on the nights we want the very best pasta, it's on Main Street. If we need the most beautiful, original house gift, Rockporters need only find a place to park.
Along with the Lula's Pantry Lemon Parfait, here is another surprisingly delicious, absurdly simple recipe made mostly from Lula's Pantry ingredients. With one stop at the grocery store for chicken and arugula, and one stop at Lula's Pantry, you could have the ingredients for a sterling dinner, deceptively easy to prepare, a graceful cheat of a gourmet meal.
You can watch Brett Roeske teaching me to cheat with flair at Times' Web site www.gloucestertimes.com/food.
Food for Thought runs weekly in the Times' Living section and is written by Heather Atwood, an author and mother from Rockport. Questions and comments can be sent to Heather at heatheraa@aol.com.
Lula's Pantry Blood Orange-Glazed Chicken Breast
(The first four ingredients are all available at Lula's Pantry.)
1âÑ2 cup blood orange marmalade
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp preserved Meyer lemon
One whole chicken breast
Stir first four ingredients together and pour thickly over chicken breast. Bake for one hour at 375 degrees.
Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp minced shallot
6 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp citrus champagne vinegar (also at Lula's Pantry, but regular champagne vinegar works, too)
1 tsp preserved Meyer lemon
2 tsp blood orange marmalade
Whisk all together, pour over arugula and toss.
When the chicken is done, let rest five minutes. Then cut each breast away from the bone, so that you have two intact breast halves before you. Then slice each breast into 1âÑ2-inch thick disks, and lay them over the bed of dressed salad.
Lula's Lemon Curd Parfait
1 pint heavy cream
4 to 5 ounces to lemon curd
Fresh berries and, or cookie crumbs
Whip cream. Empty curd into separate bowl. Fold 1âÑ2 cup of whipped cream into curd and stir together gently. Then pour all back into the original bowl of whipped cream and fold together. Layer with crumbled cookies or raspberries in attractive, individual glass dishes. Wine glasses work fine.
COMING NEXT WEEK
Ken Duckworth of Duckworth's Bistro and Duckworth Beach Gourmet shows Heather Atwood how to make Pan-Seared, Line-Caught Atlantic Cod with Celery Root Puree and Celery Heart Salad with Blood Oranges and Ruby Red Grapefruit.
