Kitchen of the Year Wrap Up
Posted: July 26, 2011 Filed under: Belgard News, Events, Outdoor Kitchens, Outdoor Living, Pavers | Tags: Belgard Elements Collection, Belgard Outdoor Living, Belgard pavers, brick oven, Elements outdoor kitchens barbecue, grills, patio pavers, wood burning stove 1 Comment »
Relaxing outdoors
Rockefeller Center in New York City was bustling with hundreds of daily visitors on site to view the House Beautiful’s Kitchen of the Year, featuring both indoor and Belgard® outdoor spaces designed by Chef Tyler Florence. With Belgard’s collection of patio pavers, pillars, walls, fireplace, and fully functioning kitchen with grill and brick oven, the outdoor area was a spectacle to behold. The area was set up so that you couldn’t help but meander out one of the many double doors onto the outdoor living room, dining room or kitchen. Anytime during the day visitors found a peaceful retreat in the center of Manhattan on the couches or at the dining room table. This space did exactly what a great outdoors space is meant to do: beckon you outside.
Before
Chef Tyler Florence outdoors
Designed by Chef Tyler Florence, the goal for this area was to create a space where people can share good company. He felt the need for the outdoor component based on his life in CA where being outdoors is possible all year long. “You want to be part of your events, so having a full kitchen outdoors brings the whole experience together,” Florence comments. This outdoor kitchen has all of his requirements: brick oven, charcoal grill, storage, fridge, and numerous chopping blocks to create work surfaces.
“The Kitchen of The Year was an incredible experience. To see all of the sponsor companies put together an exhibit of that magnitude in five days was amazing. However, I can honestly say the Belgard portion of the project was by far the best!” states Todd Sriro, Field Marketing Manager for Belgard Hardscapes.
The fireplace
Each day saw new cooking demonstrations (recipes at House Beautiful) and wine tastings. When a chef wasn’t creating a masterpiece inside, one could be found in the outdoor kitchen displaying their talents in the Chicago brick oven or on the grill. The outdoor kitchen’s U-shape allowed visitors great views while the chefs had everything at their finger tips. “Not only was the Belgard outdoor kitchen used throughout the week for cooking demonstrations and special events but it supplemented the indoor kitchen’s amenities. The outdoor sink and ice maker came in handy,” adds Mary Beth Sharp, Marketing Manager for Belgard Hardscapes who spent the week in NYC.
“It was a great experience and the outdoor living area really added a new dynamic to the event. Visitors loved the idea of expanding the home and entertaining areas outdoors,” comments Sharp. The kitchens will remain open through July. During August, the area will convert to “Bar 30″ for snacks and cocktails. At the end of the summer many kitchen parts and pavers will be donated to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore.
An outdoor kitchen...
worthy of the...
best chefs!
At Belgard, we want to create the best space for you. Using our website, an outdoor room or kitchen for your home is a click away. You will find listings of design centers, dealers and contractors in your area to help get you started. We offer tools, such as our lifestyles catalog and the online visualizer where you can discover ways to create new spaces in your back yard, for your pool or for a driveway. Our catalog, online catalog and website have 100′s of ideas and photos get you started. Belgard | Be Prepared for Company!
Kitchen of the Year Opens Monday 7/18
Posted: July 14, 2011 Filed under: Events, Outdoor Kitchens, Outdoor Living, Pavers | Tags: belgard, Belgard Elements Collection, Belgard Outdoor Living, Belgard pavers, brick oven, Chicago Brick Oven, Elements outdoor kitchens barbecue, landscape concrete pavers, outdoor kitchen, patio pavers, pizza oven 1 Comment »
View from W. 50th St. into the Kitchen of the Year set-up in Rockefeller Center
Belgard® is excited about their progress on the House Beautiful’s Kitchen of the Year, opening Monday, July 18th in NYC’s Rockefeller Plaza. The area went from a plain plaza to an indoor/outdoor chef-inspired entertaining space. Chef Tyler Florence has made the design in such a way that you can’t help but want to linger, smell the cooking and enjoy friends. They say the most popular place when entertaining is in the kitchen – and this set-up has both indoor and outdoor ones!
Belgard Elements
The outdoor space is designed around Belgard’s Bristol Elements Collection, including a U-shaped kitchen with a Chicago brick oven and a living area with a fireplace. To keep the design cohesive, the Bristol line’s coordinating kitchen pieces are used as design elements for the counters and cooking spaces. Medium Rare grills and accessories are integrated with this kitchen and come standard with the Elements line.
Outdoor living space
For the covered outdoor living room, the Element’s Bristol line outlines the living space using planters, columns and walls. In this space, seating will be abundant and the smells of Chef Florence’s cooking waft through the air. Visitors can relax and sip a glass of wine alfresco. Adding an outdoor space to your home is like adding on a new room.
Arrival of the pavers
The senses will have so much to take in, but not to be overlooked is the transformation of the grey road and sidewalk from drab to fab! The look now includes lively colors of the natural collection’s popular Mega Lafitt with its look of cut flagstone yet with the strength and long-term durability of a paver. Natural looking Mega-Arbel is used on the patio entrance and as accents, while Urbana pavers, also part of the natural collection, are used as trim throughout the project.
Below are some pictures of the building process. Using Belgard products makes installation a breeze! The Element’s items arrive in pre-made components, so they are set into place. All Belgard pavers are designed with the simplicity of installation in mind.
Come back next week to see photos of the final product! Click here for the schedule of events. Read previous posts.
Outdoor area being prepped
Starting the paver installation
Elements components
The U shaped kitchen keeps work and cooking areas within easy reach
Awaiting appliances
Appliances being installed
Brick Oven being "cured" = excess moisture removed
Come out & relax by the fire in the outdoor living space
Outdoor area before
Now a fabulous entertaining space
Recipe of the Month
Posted: July 14, 2011 Filed under: Recipes for Company Leave a comment »
Fresh Herb Focaccia
Using fresh herbs from the garden intensifies the flavors of any dish. Try this bread with your favorite garden herb. Serve with a dipping bowl of extra virgin olive oil mixed with sea salt and pepper, or mix the oil with a fine balsamic vinegar for a sweeter taste. For a heartier option, slice and top with a tapenade, thin-sliced cold steak, buffalo mozzarella or finely-chopped marinated eggplant. For added color, you can add whole fresh cherry tomatoes on top before cooking, or even olives.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 5 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary, basil or herb of preference
- 1 teaspoon chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for oiling bowl and tops of loaves
Preheat your CBO oven as instructed in the “User’s Manual” to 400°F or your oven to 450°F.
In large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water. Combine flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture, stirring well with wooden spoon. Add garlic, herbs and oil. Knead dough on lightly-floured board until smooth; about 5 minutes. Place dough in oiled bowl and brush top of dough with oil. Let rest and rise until twice its original size; about 30-45 minutes. Punch dough down and shape into 10, 4″ x 1″ loaves. Make diagonal slashes with sharp knife across tops of loaves and place on ungreased baking sheet that has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Let loaves rise for 10 to 15 minutes. Bake until golden brown in the brick oven for 10 to 15 minutes (15-30 in a kitchen oven depending on thickness). Remove to wire rack to cool and serve while warm. Makes 10 loaves.
From Chicago Brick Oven recipes. www.chicagobrickoven.com
Visiting NYC & HB’s Kitchen of the Year
Posted: July 6, 2011 Filed under: Belgard News, Events 2 Comments »
View from the top of the Empire State Building
A glance at the plans
If you are coming to New York to visit the House Beautiful’s Kitchen of the Year in NYC’s Rockefeller Center, the week of July 18th, or anytime this summer (the kitchen will be on display through the fall), here are some great sightseeing ideas from your friends at Belgard. After you’ve had a chance to take part in the coinciding food festival, Tastes of Summer, NYC offers numerous options for the art lover (Metropolitan Museum of Art, the MOMA, Guggenheim, the Whitney), the theater-goer (the ever-popular Wicked, 2011 Tony winners The Book of Morman & War Horse, the classic Anything Goes), and the site see-er (the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and the Empire State Building), yet here are some ideas off the beaten track and budget friendly.
Inside the Fed building
The Federal Reserve Bank
333 Liberty Street, Lower Manhattan
(212) 720-6130
Visit the website.
The Fed’s free tour takes you five stories underground into their gold vaults, demystifies how the Bank functions, and lets you test your new knowledge at Fedworks, an interactive, multimedia center. You’ll even pocket some (shredded) money at the tour’s end. There is also a wonderful museum with scheduled lectures on the history of money. Call to make a tour reservation at least a week in advance and don’t be late, as security procedures are lengthy. Mon-Fri, 9:30 am, 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm. No charge.
In bloom at the pond
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
900 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY
(718)623-7200
Visit the website
Down the street from the Brooklyn Museum of Art (another great visit) is the most popular botanic garden in the city. This 52-acre sanctuary is well worth seeing. Visit its spectacular Cranford Rose Garden, one of the largest and finest in the country; the Shakespeare Garden, an English garden featuring plants mentioned in his writings; a Children’s Garden; the Osborne Garden, a 3-acre formal garden; the Fragrance Garden, designed for the blind but appreciated by all noses; and the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. The renowned C. V. Starr Bonsai Museum is home to the world’s oldest and largest collection of bonsai, while the impressive $2.5-million Steinhardt Conservatory holds the garden’s extensive indoor plant collection.
Admission: $8 adults, $4 seniors/students, free for children 11 and under, free to all on Tues, and Sat 10am-noon year-round.
Grant's Tomb
Grant’s Tomb
Riverside Drive and W. 122nd Street
Visit the website
Grant’s Tomb, officially designated as the General Grant National Memorial, stands as a tribute to Ulysses S. Grant, the principal author of Union victory during the Civil War and 18th president of the United States. Located in Riverside Park on the upper West Side of Manhattan, this granite and marble monument is the final resting place of President Grant and his wife, Julia Dent Grant. It is also the second largest mausoleum in the Western Hemisphere. Right next door on Riverside Drive, take a tour of the Riverside Church, a fabulous 80 year old cathedral replicating a 13th Century Gothic Cathedral in Chartres, France. Tours available. Free of charge.
The Cyclone
Coney Island
Visit the web site
The city getting too hot? Grab your suit and ride out to Coney Island, a New York City neighborhood that features an amusement area that includes 50 or more separate rides and attractions, plus the home of the hot dog! Don’t miss a ride on the famous, old-style roller coaster, The Cyclone, or taking a dip in the ocean. Coney Island is a great way to see another side of the city. Be warned, it can take up to an hour subway ride from Manhattan. Fireworks every Friday at 9:30pm.
At the Conservatory
Central Park
Enter from all sides. Use a map to plan your visit.
Visit the website
With statues galore, miles of walking and biking trails, boat rentals, and more, this centrally located 843 acre park has something for everyone. Whether you stroll pleasurably through the many gardens, tour the Belvedere castle, ride the carousel, take a horse-drawn carriage ride, watch the model boats sail, or people-watch from the Balcony Bridge, you will not be disappointed with a trip to the Park. Always check the weather before embarking – summer storms develop quickly.
Children's Museum
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
212 W. 83rd St, New York, NY
Visit the website
The four floors of this museum provide a wide range of activities. City Splash, an outdoor water activity area in what is essentially the back alley of the museum, is filled with learning stations where plastic boats flow down zigzagging pipes and other things. Another floor has Dora the Explorer activities and there are large Playworks and Little West Side areas, with a play fire truck and New York City bus.
Admission: $10 children and adults, $7 seniors
