Sunday with Michele
Sunday afternoon I spent the day in Society Hill with my dear friend Michele Haines. I met Michele at Temple University 3 years ago while studying a Russian Language course. Michele Haines is the founder of Spring Mill Cafe. She has cooked food all over the world and has participated in many philanthropical endeavors. Learn more about Michele HERE
We met early in the morning to set the table for the lovely lunch that was in preparation. An hour went by and then we grabbed our necessities and headed out the door.
Our day began at The Headhouse where we met with a small group of people doing a tour of historic Philadelphia. Sunday at Headhouse is the meeting place for local farmers. Headhouse Farmers Market runs every Sunday from May to December between the hours of 10am- 2pm beneath the Headhouse Shambles at Headhouse Square located at 2nd and Lombard Streets.
Michele took us under the Shambles and introduced us to a few of her favorite producers and friends. Among them were a group of farmers from Chester Springs, Pennsylvania known as Birchrun Hills Farm. The are a family owned dairy farm that specializes in handcrafted raw milk cheeses. They are best known for their Birchrun Blue and Fat Cat cheeses. I was more impressed by their Equinox which is a creamy cheese with notes of caramel and a hint of salt. DELICIOUS.
After stopping for cheese we headed over to local meat vendor LaDivisa. You can find them at Reading Terminal. We learned a bit about the history of their house-made charcuterie and the process of making it.
Our final stop was at John & Kira’s which is a local chocolate shop, also found at Reading Terminal. We sampled their Chocolate Bees and their Chili Pepper Urban Garden Bar. All I can say is what a perfect end to the little tour through the market. I’ll be going back next Sunday.
Alas it was time for lunch at Michele’s. She invited the small group of 5 back to her beautiful home to enjoy a lovely Mediterranean Paella. As I watched Michele prepare the paella I was in awe. The colorfulness of the dish as it was being prepared was beautiful sight and the aroma of spices that filled the kitchen was making my mouth water. Watching Michele in action was just so much fun. You could really tell she enjoys what she does.
As I poured the wine for her guests she nudged me and insisted that for her next event I learn how to correctly pour the wine. Finally it was time for everyone to sit down and enjoy the food. As Michele and I headed back into the kitchen we could here them saying how impressed they all were with what Michele had accomplished in her small kitchen. After they finished eating it was time for dessert. A simple chocolate mousse with a few raspberries on top. Delectable the lunch was a success. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed taking a little food tour through the market and then sitting down to enjoy an afternoon with Michele.
What a perfect Sunday. I encourage you all to make a trip to the Spring Mill Cafe and sit down for a lovely meal. Congratulations on 30 years of fine dining!
