I make no secret of the fact that FarmBoy BBQ is one of my favorite local businesses or that I know the owner. I think they have the best barbecue around and their brisket is like a religious experience.
However, I wrote a post here in August about how difficult it is getting in there because of PennDot and their endless sink hole remediation project. The project has been forever and seems to be way behind schedule.
Farm Boy is located at 625 N. Morehall Road (AKA Route 29) in Malvern.
But guess what I discovered completely by accident today? Farm Boy is on Instacart under the restaurant tab for our area!
So if you would like to help out this restaurant so that they survive PennDot hell part two (they already had to live through this sink hole remediation once with PennDot ), place an order on Instacart and Uber Eats if you don’t want to deal with the aggravation and delays created by PennDot!
Trust me, you’ll be glad you did. And if you’ve never tried Farm Boy, this is as good an excuse as any.
And if you have an extra few minutes, please contact our state Senator Katie Muth, and tell her that PennDot is strangling small businesses with their delays on Route 29.
Last night’s roast chicken with a curry paste in leftover form first became a bone broth.
Then, after broth was cooked and strained, the chicken I had leftover that had been separated from the carcass prior to bone broth was shredded and added back along with finely chopped vegetables (fresh spinach, red cabbage, red onion, celery) and simmered along to perfection.
Some of the mashed potatoes left over from the chicken became gnocchi- just enough to cook separately and fresh for bottom of the bowl and soup ladled over it.
Now last night’s chicken was a happy experiment. We love curries and I thought why not try a curry roasted chicken?
I made a curry paste and used it to roast the chicken with it.
It wasn’t too complicated to make the paste. It was a couple different kinds of curry powder that I have, red curry paste, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder.
I thought that the leftovers would make a good bone broth and they did. And last night I decided some of the leftover potatoes would make great gnocchi.
And it all worked! In an era of expensive grocery prices, it was a thrifty solution to stretch groceries and make leftovers more fun!
I love growing basil. It’s one of my favorite herbs. And since I started growing it from seed and using my greenhouse to grow it , it’s a game changer. It is a stronger plant and it lasts longer when you grow from seed yourself. And it loves being in the greenhouse with the chili peppers I grow.
Today I made pesto out of some of the basil and served it on tortellini for dinner.
Now my late father made his pesto using a mortar and pestle. I use my blender. And below are the ingredients for my pesto and literally it just goes in the blender and I pulverize it. I refrigerate it until I’m going to use it and I just love pesto when homemade like this.
Pesto
3 – 4 cups fresh basil leaves
Bunch of fresh flat leaf Italian parsley or lovage
My friend and I had been trying to get into Matine’s Café in Devon for months. There were either lines out the door to get in, or you simply could not get a space in the parking lot.
The parking lot is an odd configuration, which is not the fault of the café, but I imagine the owner is making a tidy rent off of these people, and they could do better with the parking lot.
This place was so worth the wait to get in . We both couldn’t remember the last time we had so enjoyed lunch out. We were there for quite a while and just took our time and because it was the last week in August it was a steady but not impossible flow of people in and out.
We ate inside, which was less crowded than outside. They have a lovely outside dining area and that was completely full.
Among other things, we had an actual French woman wait on us. And that made the experience even more fun.
When you walk in the building is deceptively small compared to when you go inside. I think it would be a marvelous place to reserve seating for a luncheon if they did that. This café is spotlessly clean, including the ladies room.
When you are inside, it reminds you of an actual French or European Café. It is light and airy and old style marble top café tables. The tables are so authentic, that I have to wonder if they were purchased in France and shipped over.
They have a wonderful café menu that I imagine might have seasonal adjustments. One of the things I love best is the coffee and tea and the tea, when you are ordering an iced tea, is a pour over so the tea is super fresh and that makes all the difference in iced tea in my opinion. They use loose tea, which is also my preference at home. My friend had I think it was a mango peach iced tea, and I had the Ceylon gold. Ceylon gold is a loose tea I enjoy at home. It is flavorful, but not too acidic nor does it get too dark.
My friend had an artichoke quiche that was beautiful looking. I had the smoked salmon tartine. she loved her quiche and one thing I loved about my cartoon other than how fresh it was and how good quality of smoked salmon it was that they used, was the Tzaziki sauce they used on it. And it also had baby fresh arugula on top. I adore arugula.
Tzaziki is something you think of in Greek cuisine which is Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. On the Tartine that I had, it was perfect.
Both of us opted for gazpacho on the side. I am picky about gazpacho, and quite frankly, I rarely order it out because I make my late mother-in-law’s Andalusian version of gazpacho and it’s just pretty much my favorite. Their gazpacho is the best I’ve had outside of my own kitchen, ever. To me there’s also is reminiscent of an Andalusian gazpacho, and interestingly like me, they serve it with crumpled feta on top. I never knew this was a thing. I literally tried it one time with my own gazpacho because I just happened to have some in the refrigerator and I thought the tastes would go well together. Also, a lot of restaurants think they can get away with gazpacho made from canned tomatoes, and the taste is just not the same. Matine’s is fresh and there is a slight citrus accent as well.
We also sampled their cheese plate, which they described as being enough for two people, it could have fed more. It was a great selection of cheeses, including a magnificent brie, and we took leftovers home. What I liked about the cheese plate as it was simple and pretty to look at. It wasn’t fussy.
The plates they use for our lunch were a pretty matte blue ceramic disc.
Because it was a belated birthday lunch, we split a dessert crêpe made with Nutella. And although Nutella is an Italian product, ironically the first time I ever had it was in France when I was a teenager.
While we were there, I ran into a friend who was also enjoying a belated birthday lunch with one of her friends!
After we finished eating, we shopped in their little market inside the store. I brought home croissants and a little bread boule, along with some French pantry items like Marie-Antoinette Tea and a fabulous Dijon mustard, as well as Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuer Eau Parfumée.
Oh, and they have a Little Free French library outside!
We are very excited to have been able to get in and have the time to appreciate this place properly. We look forward to going back again, and I have a feeling it will become a new spot for us. They list the address is Wayne, but it’s really Devon to me because it is just before the Whole Foods if you are headed west and just after the Whole Foods if you are headed east on Lancaster Avenue.
Matine’s is located at 757 Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA and they are open seven days a week 8 AM to 5 PM.
You can now book a table via a reservation at resy (Click here.)
I will note because it’s important, I was not compensated for this post in any way, shape, or form. I did not seek compensation for this post in any way shape or form. I was simply a normal customer, and I loved the experience and the food and will be back again.
Real farms. Real farmers. Locally sourced. Heritage breeds.
A lot of us look for these things, and Chester county used to have lots of options. Today development is growing in farms are shrinking.
It’s tough going for farmers in a county once known for farms and agriculture. It’s very sad.
Then there are the people that want to make you believe their Emperor’s New Clothes and a couple years later they’re still empty every time you drive by, but I won’t mention them any further. This is a post about realfarmers doing their thing, beautifully.
We recently discovered White Horse Farm quite by accident. Someone I know had shared on social media that she had gone to one of their open farm days for their farm stand. I remember when this farm was in a magazine article a few years ago. (See Philadelphia Magazine, 2018.)
So these are the new stewards of the land of this farm and it’s gorgeous. And they have cows, ask my friend who has a cow named Norman, and you will know I love cows. Actually, my husband will tell you I like farm animals in general. I will also admit that I talk to the chickens on a neighbors property. They are so happy and their laying songs are peaceful to me.
But you have so many things that go by on social media where you can supposedly buy great food raised well, sustainable practices, regenerative farming, and so on. White Horse Farm in Berwyn is actually doing this, and I think they deserve a lot of new customers and Chester County love.
Once again, I will stay for the record. I am not a compensated blogger, and I am writing this post after picking up my first order that we paid for from White Horse Farm. Now obviously we haven’t tried everything, but I can tell you I had their yogurt for breakfast this morning. Their yogurt is a thinner kind almost like Seven Stars and I think it makes a great drinking yogurt. We also have a gorgeous chicken, a small pork roast, ground pork, Italian and breakfast sausage.
White Horse Farm photo
So I thought I would write a little post about them, because it’s an all of our best interest that small farms like this survive and thrive. They not only have their own dairy stuff that they are doing, but they raise chickens and Berkshire pigs. they are a medium size pig, and I believe they were originally bred in England. They are a true heritage breed, and their meat is highly sought after for cooking if you’re a foodie. The meat from these pigs I have learned is known as the “Wagyu of pork.”
White Horse Farm Photo
All of these animals on this farm are humanely raised. Actually, I’d like to live on this farm. It’s so pretty. The pigs are able to forage in woods on the farm like nature intended, so they’re not just kept in a pen and fed pig kibble. (I’m not saying pigs get kibble, but you know what I mean.)
The chickens are pasture raised, which essentially is free range. I like their chickens because they’re not huge. The one I bought is about 3 pounds. Honestly, there are a few things as good as small batch raised chicken.
And if you join their club, you can order as you go, and you have access above the farm stand days.
Here is my actual receipt for my first order:
My receipt and notice I also signed up for a membership because this is kind of a membership farm. Yes they will be having farm stand days, but the benefits of a membership is you can order more to your individual needs.

It was simple enough to pay via Venmo, and you can also pay them with cash. I also like what they raise seems to be heritage breeds. It’s kind of like in my garden, I like planting heirloom things.
I know people like raw milk and they do sell that. I also noticed they have some goats. I don’t know what they’re doing with goats, but I remember my cousin Suzy was allergic to cow’s milk when she was little and they substituted goat milk.
Now another reason why I’m writing this post today other than I’m a very happy new customer is they are having a farm stand day from 9 AM to 12 noon this coming Saturday, July 19th. The address is 8 Barr Road Berwyn. This farm is located in Willistown Township.
I hope people patronize them this weekend and going forward. If you go to their farm this weekend, please respect that this is a working farm. That means leave your dogs at home, and make sure your children understand it’s a working farm not a petting zoo. I am not trying to be offensive to people, but I have friends who are farmers, and I have seen what I mentioned with my own eyes. It’s like when I cringe when I see people pull over the side of the road to randomly pet and feed other people’s horses.
Anyway, sign me very happy that I discovered another local farm thanks to someone. I know discovering this farm on a farm stand day.
It’s such a simple thing, and it is a very uncomplicated dessert or breakfast treat with plain Greek yogurt. Strawberry rhubarb crumble.
I had rhubarb in my vegetable box from Lancaster County PA the other day and I had some strawberries in the refrigerator.
Here’s how you make it and it couldn’t be more simple:
2 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
1 1/2 cups diced fresh strawberries
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup butter
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish if you have one if not, I used a deeper vintage 8 x 8 Corningware baking dish.
Combine rhubarb, strawberries white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, egg, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon ginger together in a large bowl until evenly coated.
Put fruit mixture in the bottom of the baking dish.
Mix 1 ½ cups flour, the rest of the brown sugar, oats, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon together in a separate bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or two forks until topping is crumbly. Sprinkle topping over rhubarb layer.
Bake in the preheated oven 40 to 45 minutes until it’s bubbling up around the edges of the topping. The topping will be brownish and color and smell delicious.
You can serve warm or cold and it is really good with plain Greek yogurt for breakfast.
I bought a now vintage cookbook…that I remember seeing around when I was a kid. This was something the Junior League of Philadelphia put out during the Bicentennial.
The recipes since this was a cookbook that made its debut in 1976, are a combination of classic and dated. For example, there are more basic Jell-O mold recipes then I’ve seen in other places in a while.
However, there’s a bunch of fun stuff in this cookbook and I did make one recipe this week. I made the chicken tetrazzini. It actually turned out remarkably well. I do not however, use canned vegetables so I used fresh mushrooms, and I sautéed them with an onion and some garlic.
Anyway, here are all the various photos of my creation. I did also substitute Marsala for the sherry, because I didn’t have any.
I also used a combination of shredded Swiss and Gruyère with grated Manchego. I had a piece of leftover Manchego and decided that would add the sharpness the recipe calls for.
Other than these deviations, I pretty much stuck to a recipe for once and it was honestly surprisingly good. 
Settantatré is open! Now I know that they have been getting stuff ready this week because my friend has been raving about their coffees. So when I was at Surrey Consignment shop for their big April sale I decided to walk down the strip and check out Settantatré. (The address is 802 Lancaster Ave., Berwyn and it’s where Surrey and E MJ’s are.)
When I went in, they are still setting up, but they have their freezer and refrigerated cases full of goodies and homemade focaccia and I don’t know where the pastries come from. I don’t believe the chef makes them, but I could be wrong. I bought a couple of croissants for Sunday morning breakfast.
Now this business has been making a buzz ever since Matt Gentile and Genna Curcio opened in Milmont Park down in Delaware County. Matt Gentile was the chef at Panorama in Old City and other amazing places like LaCroix and Ela and Parc.
So Chef Matt was there when I went in today and couldn’t be nicer. And me in an Italian food store is probably irritating for some store owners because I have to look at everything. the store is not huge, but it has a great selection of pastas and sauces and soon they will be open for some kind of dinner things in the back. I didn’t get the details on those. That’s just what other people have told me and it says it on the website something about the 73 club.
I don’t need gluten-free pasta so I bought regular pasta which was a treat because I normally make my own. I don’t buy much pasta unless it’s dry. And even then, it’s if I can get certain brands like Garafalo. However, my sister and niece like gluten-free pasta so I’m very excited to have such an amazing place close by.
I will be having one of the raviolis I purchased for dinner with their spicy Rosé pasta sauce.
I also got this spicy tomato nest thing which is goat cheese with sun dried tomatoes and I guess pine nuts and stuff. That is from Shellbark Hollow, whose goat cheese is one of my favorites.
Anyway, I had a swell time visiting this little store. And I think Chef Matt was amused by me because I said look I’m just a regular kind of customer person, not an influencer looking for freebies, but I said I would put a little write up on my blog. My blog means nothing to him and I’m not a food writer. I’m just a home cook. But the real food writers like Craig Le Ban are fans of this Chef and business.
I look forward to my next visit and next time I will make time for coffee because it smelled espresso perfect.
I am including a little tiny video with the bottom for people that are stumped on how to pronounce the name of this business.
I was not compensated in any way shape or form for my visit. No overreaching wannabe influencers were involved either. Just plain old #shopsmall #shoplocal
I think this is BS. Influencers do things for themselves. They don’t do things for your business …..and any of these people? These lame people are NOT how I judge where I’m going to dine…..
I don’t know the family, I didn’t know this gentleman but these are the people who we should celebrate MORE in Chester County.
We need to celebrate our real farmers who just get out there and do their thing to make all of our lives better without glam shots on tractors they don’t own and expensive publicists.
People whom I know described Fred de Long as an amazing man who contributed so much.
