the FALL
STYLE ISSUE
Bonus AISLE STYLE
WEDDINGS INSIDE!
FALL 2014 | $6.99
REIGN TAKES A CULINARY JOURNEY WITH CHEF LINDA HAMPSTEN
AN
URBAN HARVEST
A statuesque woman is bustling about the kitchen with purpose. Candles flicker from every corner of her renovated loft, reflecting in the windows that look out on the city’s newest darling – Union Station. Music strums in the background and unmistakable aromas fill the space. All the while, she is sautéing with one hand, and pouring a cocktail with another – in wine colored suede heels no less. Meet Linda Hampsten, the bespoke chef whose culinary prowess has captured the taste buds of politicians, actors and musicians the world around. This evening, she’s cooking for a group that’s slightly less star studded, but her dishes are just as bold as the bold faced names for whom she so often cooks. “I have a lot of provocative memories from childhood around food and celebrations. My father came from a very large Polish family and my mother, a Czech family, so there were always a ton of aunts and uncles around. Family, food and celebration was a big part of my life growing up.” Tonight, Linda is taking her 30 plus years of experience and coupling them with her fondest memories to create a holiday dinner party that’s anything but traditional. Throw away the notion of a turkey and mashed potatoes and instead think comfort food, completely reinvented. Using the Autumn harvest as her inspiration, she’s created a seven-course meal for her twelve guests. And while the task may seem daunting, the private chef has learned a number of lessons over the years that anyone can apply to their own holiday soirées. “I try to encourage everyone to step out of their routines and put a twist on their traditions. I find
inspiration everywhere – a restaurant, a conversation or a book, and then I bring it into my repertoire and make it my own. It’s much more fun for your guests to experience something that’s personal and a bit unexpected.” THE SETTING Having spent her life and career in the likes of the Tuscan Coast, Switzerland and more recently, the picturesque foothills of Boulder, Colorado, for Linda, a move to the city meant a fresh environment brimming with inspiration. Her new home, a renovated loft in the historic Ice House Building, was the ideal place to host a fall fête with modern sensibilities. Sweeping city views made for a natural backdrop when designing an evening that would be comfortable, yet elegant all the same. THE DÉCOR As important as the meal itself was the mood and décor. Here, we stripped away the rules and reimagined the holiday meal as a modern palette, with natural, yet festive elements serving as the common thread. Stylist Nicole Dominic created a stunning fall tablescape using a neutral palette of black and gold. Vintage china was mixed with contemporary elements, and geodes, gems and agate served as chic appointments for both place cards and texture to the centerpiece. A lush, dramatic floral garland spanned the entire table, with harvest inspired greenery and colorful flowers surrounding elegant candlelight. Each individual place setting was also complemented by an air plant offset by black sand, and gorgeous live
garlands ornamented each of three crystal chandeliers that sparkled from above. At the head of the table, a custom, hand-calligrpahied menu hung with grace, showcasing Chef Hampsten’s culinary journey in grand style. Its design was reminiscent of the simple yet sophisticated invitation that served as the event’s first impression, also hand calligraphied. To complement the chef ’s personal décor, modern, organic furnishings were brought in and placed around the hearth, the perfect gathering spot during cocktail hour and dessert. The chef ’s baby grand piano was also complemented by chic décor with a modern, industrial sense of style. Around the entrance to the loft’s expansive patio, a floral garland mimicking the look and feel of the tablescape was draped, adding to the festive ambiance. Party favors were perfectly placed on a nearby console - a collection of luxe body products from Zents (founder Cord Coen was one of the evening’s special guests) in the line’s Fig fragrance, the perfect fall scent. THE CUISINE Seven exceptional courses served as the framework for an evening that was unforgettable in every sense. Using the words “nostalgia, ”urban” and “harvest” as her credos, Chef Hampsten created an artfully inspired fall menu. In lieu of a large meal, Chef Hampsten chose yet another twist on tradition – tapas. “Small plates are a wonderful way to enjoy a meal out with friends. Why not bring that same concept into the holiday dinner?”
WRITTEN BY BETSY MARR | PHOTOS BY JENNIFER OLSON | STYLING BY NICOLE DOMINIC
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COCKTAIL HOUR As they entered the loft, Linda’s twelve guests were greeted with the perfect collection of fall fare and libations. Breaking and Entering Old Fashioneds were the evening’s signature cocktail, each hand crafted by the chef herself. “It goes back to the word nostalgia – I remember my parents drinking old fashioneds while I was growing up. Bourbon has this great, rich, sometimes caramel to maple flavor in it, which speaks fall to me.” To complement the flavor, Linda muddled orange peels into each drink before adding homemade dark cherry syrup for sweetness and balance. Cocktails were perfectly complemented by a series of three fall appetizers - prosciutto with apple chutney and horseradish, Tuscan sage leaves and a unique beet lox. “Beets have so much color and flavor to them. In this case, I wanted to allow for a new introduction – mimicking how you would make a traditional lox, we cured the beets with brown sugar and salt, dill and spices and served them with a very clean, sweet goat butter.” AMUSE LIVER & ONIONS REIMAGINED A far cry from the childhood staple we all avoid as adults, this take on the dish was all grown up. “We made a very simple pate that was baked in a bana maria (water bath) to a very perfect temperature before adding in shallots that we roasted in the skin on a bed of salt so that it caramelized. We then took them out of the skin and sautéed it with olive oil and local honey.” SOUP A WALK IN THE WOODS “I was so inspired to do this dish! It was a concept, an idea that has evolved from meals growing up. One of our favorite things was a Jello parfait that my mom would make – layered with fruit, bananas, apples - whatever she had. I wanted to try to create a soup in a similar style. We made a mushroom soup into a beautiful tureen and cut it into slices, placing it in individual soup bowls. We then poured hot water over it, making a very clear broth. All of the beautiful wild mushrooms, thyme and flavor really came to life.” FIRST COURSE RADICCHIO AND MASCARPONE CREPES Instead of traditional pasta, Chef Hampsten created a crepe as the meal’s first tapas course. “The inspiration for the crepes comes from my time living in Europe. Radicchio is a salad we’re all familiar with but very few people have it cooked. In this
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case, it became the filling for the crepes. Radicchio, mascarpone and parmesan were transformed into a savory crepe, topped off with poppy seed butter.” MAIN COURSE ROASTED BRINED BIRDS In keeping with her edict of all things unexpected, Chef Hampsten opted not for a traditional turkey and mashed potatoes, but instead for Cornish game hens and parsnips. “We brined each bird in a salt and sugar solution with bay leaves and peppercorns. Instead of mashed potatoes, we went with parsnips because they are beautiful and have such a unique flavor. The carrots were very fun – I loved candied sweet potatoes when I was young, so these substituted those. I used a lot of beautiful organic carrots and made a glaze out of maple syrup, lime juice and butter. To complement everything, I brought in greens with a bit of a smoky flavor to round off the other plates in the main entrée.” PAUSE CRANBERRY CRANITA As a palette cleanser, our chef celebrated the season with a refreshing cranberry granita. “Granita is really like a frozen ice. The idea is to bring something clean, fresh and bright into the meal between courses and just clean the palette. It’s such a simple thing to do – it can take 5-10 minutes to get going and everyone always enjoys it.” CHEESE CANDIED PUMPKIN AND GORGONZOLA DOLCE Taking her cues from her time living in Europe, Linda incorporated a thoughtful cheese course into the meal before serving dessert. “We candied pumpkin – everyone’s favorite fall ingredient – and served it with a gorgonzola dolce, which is much sweeter than a typical blue cheese. A cheese course is such a fun way to add to the celebration of a meal with friends.” DESSERT WHITE CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE RISOTTO As a chef, Linda’s signature is reinventing dishes into something totally different than its initial form. This was done with the meal’s final dessert course – a white chocolate and orange risotto. “This also ties back to nostalgia. I remember going to my aunt’s house and having rice pudding at the end of the meal. This was a more grown up, modern version of that – a white chocolate risotto.”
CRANBERRY GRANITA Serves 8 INGREDIENTS • 2 cups pure unsweetened cranberry juice • 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice • 1/4 cup vodka • 3/4-1 cup simple syrup (taste for sweetness, see below) • 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water = simple syrup INSTRUCTIONS To make the simple syrup, combine the water and sugar in a small pot and cook at a simmer until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool. Combine the cranberry juice, lemon juice and vodka in a medium sized bowl. Add the simple syrup and stir well. Pour into a glass baking dish and freeze, occasionally breaking up the granita with a fork as it sets, about every hour. It will probably need at least 4 hours to freeze entirely. Before serving, scrape the granita again with a fork so the ice transforms into small light crystals and is easy to serve. From Cultivate, Recipes by Linda Hampsten Debuting Spring, 2015
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THE CHEF Linda Hampsten THE STYLIST Nicole Dominic THE PHOTOGRAPHER Jennifer Olson THE VIDEOGRAPHER Alizee Laroche Traveling Rock Productions THE FLORALS Plum Sage Flowers THE DÉCOR HW Home THE TABLETOP Chairished Vintage Rentals THE CALLIGRAPHY Kelle McCarter designsgirl THE FAVORS The Fig Collection Zents THE WINE Synergy Fine Wines
Linda Hampsten is a bespoke private chef whose life has inspired her signature culinary style – from childhood memories to European adventures. In spring 2015, she will open The Bindery in Denver’s Lower Highlands enclave. Modeled after Chef Hampsten’s worldwide travels, The Bindery will be an urban market and café where patrons can delight in small plates, house made provisions and truly unique take out meals to be enjoyed in their homes with friends and family.
WATCH THE EVENING UNFOLD… Visit reignmag.com to see an inspired video collection of Reign’s Urban Harvest.
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