FARMER'S DOZEN: Beekman Boys

Please excuse the blogging hiatus. I'll dive into some of the happenings of my life soon. In the meantime y'all, I'm thrilled to relaunch my Farmer's Dozen series - and with some fabo peeps! So, without further adieu...

I remember the first time I saw "The Fabulous Beekman Boys." Well, it wasn't an "in person" meeting but a sighting more so. I was in NYC for an event when I stumbled upon a large advertisement for their show. The oversized, larger than life window display at some tony shop in Manhattan depicted two boyish young gents in plaid shirts and Wellies - and they were posed a la "American Gothic" style and surrounded by all the bucolic accoutrements associated therein.

Immediately upon seeing this sight, I thought to myself, "Self, you and these fellas would be friends." Leave it to social media, good literary agents and small world connections to bring this Farmer into a conversation with these boys. I had to interview them! They obliged graciously and our friendship began!

Besides, when a friendship is based on mutual admiration for baby farm animals, cheese and fresh farm flowers, you know it'll be a good time! We all farm in our own ways, have an affinity for plaid and swoon at the scent of a freshly mown pasture. Friendship was meant to be! Plus, their show is great - really fun to watch and quite inspirational.

Ladies and gents - or shall I say fabulous boys and girls - I present the return of my Farmer's Dozen with my interview with The Fabulous Beekman Boys.

Ps- They - along with yours truly (hint hint, wink wink) - have a new book... And their book is fab!

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  Akin to a baker's dozen, my Farmer's Dozen is a quantity of a dozen or so questions - a series of questions with fellow designers, authors, tastemakers, friends and Southerners alike

Bio:  Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell are the founders of Beekman 1802,  a farm and Mercantile in Sharon Springs, NY.   Learn more about seasonal living at Beekman1802.com or by following them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram (Beekman1802Boys).  The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Vegetable Cookbook is their third book of recipes inspired by their farm.

Farmer’s Dozen: Beekman 1802 Boys

1. What are two fabulous things about your new cookbook?

It will make even those people in your life who "hate vegetables" clean their plates.

The design inspiration for the book was vintage seed catalogs, so even the book itself looks good enough to eat.

 

2. Who inspired you to learn how to cook?

Both of us learned from various members of our families. Brent's grandmother, who grew up in the coal mining country of West Virginia, always said that if a man can feed himself he'll never go hungry.

3. For me, my grandmother was my inspiration for cooking, I called her Mimi. What did you call your grandmothers?

 

Brent:  Mamaw (paternal) and Nanny (maternal).  Josh:  Grandma (paternal) and Grammy (maternal)

4. What are you listening to right now on iTunes?

The new eponymous Natalie Merchant album

5. What are your favorite scents from the garden and kitchen?

Fresh dirt, newly mown grass, beans in a slow cooker and bacon

6. I think a coffee table says a lot about your life and style. What’s on your coffee table right now, and what is your coffee table?

Our favorite coffee table is one we recently designed called The Water Table.  It is made by our local blacksmith and has steel legs that have the silhouette of turned wood and a removable zinc top that can serve as a place to put your indoor plants or as a service tray for beverages.

Link:  http://shop.beekman1802.com/products/mccarthy-table

7. What’s your favorite thing to eat? Is it also your favorite thing to cook?

Our favorite thing to eat doesn't require cooking!  We love sandwiches made from anything freshly harvested from the garden!  Tomato sandwiches, onion sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches...the list goes on.

8. Do y’all collect anything interesting? If so, how did you start?

We have "mini-collections" of lots of things.  Our favorite collection is books printed in or around the year 1802---the year our farmhouse was built.  We like to think they were the same books William Beekman had in his own library back in the day.

9. How did y’all meet?

We met 15 years ago the old-fashioned way---online when it was still dial up and you had to actually work for it.

10. Downtime is precious… I know I’m ‘jonesing’ over Nashville and The Mindy Project right now. Do you binge watch any shows or have a current tv crush?

We are always binge watching! It makes for such an immersive experience.  After watching a full season of House of Cards in one sitting you can't help but feel powerful and dirty at the same time--just like you were a real politician!

11. You’re having a dinner party and could invite anyone… Including any character from history, who would be at your dinner party? (Pssst, I am included on the guest list) 

Sitting right next to you would be Mindy Kaling!  We'd put Tina Fey across the table to keep things balanced.

12. I’m a sucker for garden flowers in mason jars or julep cups; they’re my go-to centerpieces. Do you have a favorite go-to place setting?

Our current go-to pieces are some vintage hob nail vases.  You can always pick hob nail pieces up on the cheap at almost every yard sale.

13. You’ve had a perfect weekend, how does that Sunday night look for y’all? I love breakfast for supper on Sunday nights and spending that time with family. 

Sundays are the one day that we take off of work so that we can actually work in the gardens.  There's nothing so rewarding as being exhausted.