Kat is a tiny little woman with a huge heart and a wonderful zest for life. Like so many of my friends, I met Kat while she was working as a designer and I was selling printing services. Kat and her dearest and best friend Ida Trusch operate Trusch Gilbert, Inc, a design firm that produces some of the finest design work in Richmond.
But their exemplary design work is just one of the many things that will impress you about these two incredible women.
The friends have forged a life together that is to be admired. Those who know Kat and Ida will tell you that while both women are tender hearted, they are also independent and strong willed. Each has given the other the room they needed to live the life that each other wanted. They are devoted animal and nature lovers who live in a house they built themselves on a wonderful piece of a paradise in the woods. To visit them in their home is a privilege that I have been fortunate to experience.
When they are not busy with client design work, both women can be found in their individual workshops using their magic powers to make three-dimensional art.
Kat and Her Dad
Itty-bitty Kat is once again enjoying her passion for welding that began in her college days. Kat can be found in her studio making iron sculptures. I can just imagine how she must look as she suits up in her welding gear and holds that flaming torch in her hand. It amazes me how she is able to turn those stiff and cold rods of iron into such wonderfully fluid ribbon works of art. Kat is just as likely to be found at her computer making fanciful computer images that are not only beautiful, they bestow an emotional story to all those who gaze upon them.
To learn more about Kat and see her work, visit:
http://www.artists2artists.net/profile/KatharineGilbert
Ida Trusch
As for Ida, she has always enjoyed building things. Ida can be found working away in her workshop as she transforms wind shook wood and other natural artifacts like deer horns and shells into fanciful pieces of furniture and art. The respect she shows for the wood and the other natural materials she uses in her work is almost a like a religion to her. Each piece she makes is unique and precious.
To learn more about Ida’s and to see some of her work, visit:
http://www.artists2artists.net/profile/IdaMTrusch
Now that you know a little bit more about Kat and Ida, let’s talk food.
It was on a visit to Kat and Ida’s house that I first tasted this wonderful Herb Focaccia Bread.
I love bread. I love bread even more than I love cake,and that is saying something. This Herbed Focaccia bread is so delicious, I just had to write Kat and ask if she would share the recipe. Thankfully she did. The original recipe comes from The Herbfarm Cookbook but Kat has made her own variations over the years and this is her take on the recipe.
Kat and Patricia
Kat grew up a farm with her sister Patricia. To this day, she is still just a farm girl who loves to garden and grow herbs. It is only fitting that Kat’s recipe would include Herbs.
Kat's Herbed Focaccia
Kat’s Herbed Focaccia
Makes 2 mid-size round loaves.
Ingredients:
Dough
1 Package of Active Dry Yeast (or 1 tablespoon of dry if you buy in bulk)
1 Tablespoon of Sugar (or Honey)
1 Peeled Baking Potato (or 3 small peeled red/yellow Potatoes) boiled in enough water to cover until done. Put the cooked Potato through a potato ricer* and reserve one cup of the liquid.
1 Cup of Lukewarm Water (105 to 110 degrees)
4 1/2 Cup of Unbleached Bread Flour, plus additional flour as needed
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Herbed Topping
Use fresh herbs if you can. If use must use dried herbs, be sure to mix them together in advance so that the herbs have a chance to become re-hydrated.
2 Tablespoons fresh Rosemary
2 Tablespoons fresh Basil
2 Tablespoons fresh of Thyme
1 Tablespoon fresh Sage
2/3 Large Cloves of Garlic (minced)
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Add enough Olive Oil to make a good mixture to spread on top of dough
Directions:
Add all the ingredients for the Herbed Topping together in a small food processor and process until the mixture is a consistency that you can spread on top of the bread dough. Feel free to add in some cheese to the mixture if you like. Set this mixture aside until the final rise.
Next, in a separate small bowl, mix together the Dry Yeast, Sugar (or Honey) and 1 Cup of the Lukewarm Water until foamy. Add in the riced* Potato and 1/2 to 1 Cup of Potato liquid. Set this aside for 10 minutes to let the dry yeast activate.
Potato Ricer
*When a Potato is “riced” this means that the Potato has been pushed through sieve with a series of small holes that are the size of grains of rice. This action serves to smash the Potato as well as remove the excess water from the Potato. If you do not have a Potato Ricer, you can use your colander and simply smash the Potato through the holes or you can simply smash the Potato.
In a large bowl, add in the Flour and salt. Make a well and add the Yeast / Potato mixture into the well. Mix together to form dough. (You will need to add in some additional flour to compensate for the extra liquid but be careful not to add too much additional flour. You want this to be sticky rather than too stiff!)
Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes in a heavy-duty electric mixer using a dough hook or paddle at medium speed. You can also knead this by hand on floured surface until the dough becomes (ideally) elastic and satiny. (Kat says, “This never gets satiny or elastic for me –it’s always sticky”.) Add flour as needed to keep dough together, but remember it still be sticky!)
First Rise:
Place the dough in large bowl that has been well oiled with Olive Oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then a clean towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature until it doubles in size. This will normally take about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
Second Rise:
Remove the risen dough from the bowl and punch it down softly. Knead it again gently to help dough come together. Remember, the dough will still be sticky, but that’s o.k. If you oil your hands with Olive Oil, this will prevent the dough from sticking to them.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces and place them into 2 well-oiled pie plates. Kat says that the Pyrex pie pans work best for her.
Now it’s time to use the Herb Topping. Spread the herb topping over each of the two loaves and then let them rest for at least 5 to10 minutes so that they can begin to rise again.
Place the loaves in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Watch carefully. When the bread is just about done, turn oven to broil for 5 minutes (give or take) to brown the top. Kat suggests that, “Checking the bread with a reed for doness never hurts!”
It is often said that the best way to get to know someone is to break bread with them. The next time you want to get to know someone, try serving Kat’s Herbed Focaccia.
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