Traveling Food Lady

Peach-Carrot Muffins,a peach of a muffin!

2012-02-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

Recipe makes 6 large muffins.

Fresh peaches give the muffins that added moisture and soft texture.

Muffin Recipe

Heat oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour muffin tin.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of whole milk, 2 eggs, 2/3 cup of canola oil, 1/4 t. of ground nutmeg,
1/2 t. of salt, 1/2 t. baking soda, 1/2 t. of baking powder, 1 t. ground cinnamon, 1/2 c. chopped pecans, 1 1/2
cups of diced peaches, 3/4 cup of grated carrots. Stir ingredients together adding the peaches and carrots at the end. Gently fold all mixture together.
Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes until wooden toothpick comes out clean.Cool several minutes before serving and slicing.

Fish and Chips from Bowpicker ~ street food!

2012-01-29T08:27:00.000-08:00

Astoria Column ~ built to commemorate the migration to the Pacific coast. Take the trek up the 164 steps to view the incredible sight below. A great way to work off all those extra fries you just inhaled from the Bowpicker!

Pull up in your car, walk right up and order!You may have to wait 10-15 minutes but, certainly worth the time.

Bowpicker is located near the Maritime Museum, right off the main street next to the water. (Another great place to visit while traveling through Astoria,OR)

I have eaten my share of fish and chips around the earth and I will say, they get 5 stars!

They use Albacore Tuna and what a difference that makes~not fishy, not dry, just down right delicious.

Busy in the kitchen-opps, galley!

This was a half order which hubby and I shared-plenty! I noticed an extra bite or two in there.....hummm...

Chef Dennis and his no knead bread~it works!

2012-01-25T14:09:00.000-08:00

yes, easy to prepare!

Prep time: 2 hours 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 2 hours 45 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

3 cups of warm water
1 1/2 Tablespoons of Coarse Salt
1 /1/2 Tablespoons of Yeast (2 packets)
6 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
Corn meal for dusting peal
Flour to dust dough ball

Instructions

Start with tap water at about 100 degrees (body temperature), make sure the water is not too hot it will kill the yeast. Colder water is ok it will just take longer to rise, if your letting it sit overnight it really doesn’t matter.
Add the yeast to the water and mix it up. Don’t worry if all the yeast does not dissolve, it will finish mixing in the flour.
Mix the salt into the flour.
Add the flour into the yeast water and start your mixer. (This is wet dough.)
Now place your dough into your container. Cover, but not tightly and place on the counter for about 2 hours to rise. (If you don’t have time to wait let it sit out for about a half an hour or so, and put it in the refrigerator overnight, it will rise just more slowly.) The dough does need to sit in the refrigerator after the initial rise for at least 3 hours before using*
Now that your dough has set up you are ready to form a dough ball. Pull off about a one pound piece of dough (this recipe will make about 3 loaves this size). This is the only time you really handle the dough. You need to pull it down to form a ball, tucking all the ends in at the bottom. The ball should be semi smooth. I had to add some flour to keep it from being too sticky while forming a ball.
Place the dough ball on a cookie sheet with a liberal amount of corn meal under it so it will not stick.
Let this dough rise for 40 minutes, and while it is rising preheat oven. I used a 350 oven temperature.
Dust the top with flour and make some light slices into the dough for that artisan look.*
Before you place the bread into the oven you need one more thing; in another baking dish, or the broiler tray add two cups of water, the steam it creates will give the crust that nice crackle.This really does give it a wonderful crisp top!
I heated up the water in the micro for a quicker start
The dough should have a dark colour (probably darker than you think it should be), this is rustic artisan bread.
You may have to experiment a little to get it just right for your oven. Chef Dennis said his oven took 35 minutes to bake the bread.I just tapped the top for that hollow sound,then removed from oven.

Notes

*Its best to make it a day or two before you need it, remember this dough will last up to 14 days in the refrigerator, and the older it gets the better it will taste. You’ll begin to get more of a sourdough taste as it ages. In fact, when and if you make a second batch Chef Dennis suggests that you don’t clean out the container and let the scraps of your original dough speed up the fermentation process.
*if you don’t have a bread stone you can bake this bread on a cookie sheet , you just won’t get the crusty hardened bottom to the loaf
*(You can form the dough into a longer loaf if you like, or make a bigger loaf, a bigger loaf may require a longer cooking time though)

This recipe can be found on Chef Dennis's web page: www.askchefdennis.com
This is one of the easiest breads I have ever made. I was not sure about putting the dough in the refrigerator to rise more, but it worked like magic.

Nothing better than serving it right from the oven with fresh extra virgin olive oil.

2012-01-17T18:27:00.001-08:00

Pizza in Rome~a great recommendation!

2012-01-17T14:09:00.000-08:00

After my last trip to Italy with my touring group of ladies, I had to be in Rome to fly back home so... I took Elizabeth's Minchilli's recommendation to visit this wonderful pizza establishment. Elizabeth has taken several classes from the owner himself, he does offer classes to the public I read, making breads and his fabulous pizza. Elizabeth reports from Rome where she writes about all things delicious and beautiful. She also gives private walking tours taking you to some of the most exciting eating establishments in Rome. Although I have never met her, I know we have many things in common. Sometime soon, I will give her a call! If you are in Rome, look her up......I know it would be a great experience for you. She also writes a fabulous blog about her findings in Rome and also in Florence.
elizabethminchilli.com

Bonci is famous for his constant innovation of toppings and ingredients.

This was the pizza I chose~loaded with fresh basil!

The pizza was warmed and then the basil was added at the last moment.

Delivery truck and address if you want to find BONCI! It is delicious!

Calf &Kid in Melrose Market, Seattle

2012-01-13T08:14:00.000-08:00

The Calf & Kid is Seattle's premier cheese shop specializing in a wide variety of imported and domestic cheeses, with an emphasis on artisan and farmstead cheeses of the Pacific Northwest. Their selection of cheese changes seasonally, guaranteeing there will be something new and wonderful to taste upon every visit. They also have samples to taste and great explanations about the cheese. Worth a visit for certain!

They also offer a selection of gourmet accoutrements including crackers, jams, chocolate, and fresh bread delivered daily from Seattle's own Macrina Bakery.Be sure to stop in for a taste of one of life's greatest affordable indulgences: cheese! Your mouth will thank you. www.calfandkid.com.

GLASSYBABY~Seattle's other best

2012-01-12T18:24:00.000-08:00

One really will not know how fabulous these are until you hold one in your hand.

The vessels or vases are unique in shapes and come in all shades of brilliant colors.

They are sturdy and can be used in so many different ways......and what mood makers!

When you are in Seattle visiting, or even if you live there, I hope you can stop by and visit the Madrona neighborhood for a real experience and meet some fabulous people out front and behind the scenes.

GLASSYBABYS
3406 E. Union
Seattle, WA 98122
206-518-9071

Chocolate Mint Macaroons

2012-01-06T14:10:00.000-08:00

French macarons are delightful little treats, however, they take some practice and patience! I do not have good piping skills to say the least! I am working on ways to make my meringue sandwiches look more professional. In spite of all the imperfections, they tasted really good!

The macaroons are made from egg whites, ground almonds, superfine sugar and powdered sugar.

Not fancy ingredients for such a delicate bite-sized after dinner treat! Oven: 325 degrees for 10-15 min.

1 cup confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup ground almonds~try Trader Joe's, already ground

1/4 cup superfine sugar

2 extra large egg whites, room temperature

1tsp. peppermint extract

green food coloring drops, to your liking

chocolate sprinkles for top portion of meringue

line cookie sheets with parchment paper

For the filling

4 T. unsalted butter

1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar

3 oz. melted milk chocolate bar, melted and then cooled

Process the ground almond meal and confection sugar in food processor for 20 seconds.Using a large sifter, gently sift out any large pieces of almond.Whip the eggs whites until they hold soft peaks and gradually add the superfine sugar. Beat in the peppermint extract and food coloring.Using a large spatula, fold dry ingredients into the egg whites, one third at a time and thoroughly incorporate and fold until all the almond mixture is well mixed. The batter will become shiny and thick with a ribbonlike consisitency. This may require at least ten good folding strokes.

The next step is tricky, well it was for me using a pastry bag. I kept squeezing it too hard an the filling kept exploding out of the bag! That's where the patience part came in for me! Fill the bag, using a 1/2inch/1-cm plain tip. Pipe circles onto the prepared baking sheets.( I drew circles to help me keep my portions close in size to one another)I got about 20 circles made. Top only the top portions you will use with the sprinkles or they will not sit flat. Let the batter on the sheets now sit for thirty minutes.You should be able to gently touch the surface without any batter sticking to your finger.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven. The macaroons are ready when they have a crisp shell. If the bottoms are still soft or sticky, try returning them into the oven for a few more minutes with the oven door ajar.

Cool completely. Carefully peel off the parchment paper and place on wire rack. Use the filling to hold macaroons together.( as much as you like)

Happy New Year !

2011-12-31T13:18:00.000-08:00

My friends and I wish you a wonderful and happy new year!

Honey Rosemary Cherries and Blue Cheese Crostini

2011-12-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

This wonderful appetizer takes about 20 minutes to prepare.

You can also make up single-servings and present this as a first course.

This appetizer is a great start to a celebratory meal~it is a really beautiful pairing of ingredients.

Recipe~adapted from Southern Living Magazine

1 thin slice of garlic and 1 shallot, sliced very thin.
2 Tbsp. of olive oil
1 12 oz. package of frozen(thawed) or a large can of sweet, dark pitted cherries. I used cherries from Oregon Fruit Products,15 ounce can.
2Tbsp. of balsamic vinegar
2Tbsp. of honey
1/4 tsp. of chopped fresh rosemary
2 cups of loosely packed arugula
1/8 tsp. of pepper
1/8 tsp. of salt
1 loaf of ciabatta bread, cut into 1/4 inch toasted slices
8 ounces of blue cheese, room temperature

Saute the garlic and shallot in the olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add cherries,vinegar, honey, rosemary, salt and pepper. I also added three tablespoons of the cherry juice I reserved from the can. Cook, stirring occasionally for 8 to 10 minutes. Let this mixture stand for 10 minutes. Place the arugula on the toasted bread slices. Top each with the cherry mixture and 1 slice of blue cheese.

Icicle Ornaments Cookies from Savoring Time in the Kitchen

2011-12-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

I have been procrastinating for a few days trying to come up with some clever ideas for cookies and up pops "Savoring Times" recipe just in time! I loved the idea of having a cookie you could eat and also hang on a tree! I have been hanging these cookies all over the house just for fun.....

Savoring Times blog suggests these are great to go with coffee, especially with the hole at the top to use for dunking the cookie into your coffee!

Icicle Ornament Cookies ready for my guests tonight!

These cookies were positioned around my Magnolia wreath.

Grains de Verre on gourds

2011-11-12T09:50:00.001-08:00

Tonight I needed to place a little something extra on the table for my guests. I made these last year and thought I would just make a few again this season to decorate the table with. This picture does not have as many beads glued on~I liked the way it turned out. I let my guests take these home with them as a small gift of friendship!

Here it is again, but with different lighting. You can add so many designs!

This photo, I went heavier with the beads.

Here are my supplies~not much required. I used the brush that comes in the glue container and gently covered the area where I wanted the beads to remain. It takes a few hours to dry, so allow plenty of time. Best to do the day before. The materials were purchased from JoAnne's Fabric Stores.

A few shots from my last tour with the ladies in Tuscany.

2011-11-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

My tours are for women only. I certainly have nothing against the guys! It's just that the gals have a special way of having fun and relaxing! We stay at four star hotels,with each person having their own room. This is how we differ from other tour groups. We stay off the beaten path and spend most of the time in the hill top villages all over Tuscany. Of course, we shop, do food and wine tastings, cooking class, visit markets and have lots of photo opportunities. We also spend time with my local Italian friends learning as much as we can about their way of life and how they get the food from the ground to the table. Our group size is between four and six ladies. Let me know if you are interested in a trip with your friends for next season~it is an incredible experience to share with your friends! It would be my pleasure to introduce you to Tuscany my way.

Soppressata~the spicy salami

2011-11-04T15:40:00.000-07:00

There are two stops I make when I visit Florence: the first, my favorite coffee bar, to get my jolt for the rest of the day and then, The Mercato Centrale. As soon as I step through the sliding doors, I am in my element. The hair stands up on my arms, I get so excited! If I am hungry, all I need to do is walk up to a counter and order. Should I need more coffee, I go to another favorite spot, right there in the market.
I have just returned from taking my touring group for a ten day adventure. We visited the market twice.We had to do a special stop for cheese. I did one previous tour with some folks from New Zealand and had to do the same. Honestly, I could spend all day here! One of my favorite stops is the Perini section, who consistently set up an incredible display of meats and foods for display. At times, you can grab a taste or two. The first three photos were taken from their area in the market. They are located all the way towards the back, in case you go looking for them. There are plenty of signs warning you what "not" to touch or taste....

Then we come across the famous pig head, all skinned and no way in the world, able to grunt!

I was hoping to get a photo of this guy turned around so you could see the back side. Gorgeously stuffed! As I asked him nicely if he could" possibly flip" it and he did, Mr. Perini gave me a" not so friendly" smile, so I put my camera down and just nodded.....they have a job to do and the last thing they want is to be bothered by some tourist, like me, with a camera shooting one hundred photos a minute and not coming up for air. It is always polite to ask first to photograph. This is very serious business for them! These guys are are incredible with their displays!

Anyway, the Tuscan version of this sausage is indeed a head cheese: a sausage made from the pigs head and variously seasoned with spices such as pistachios, pepper and some lemon peel. This, by far, is my most favorite sausage from Tuscany.

Head cheese is not exactly a delicacy for many of us, but the Tuscans love it....and as you can see, the proud butcher displays the pigs head indicating that Soppressata is for sale at this spot, right now! Soppressata is served by itself or with other cured meats as an antipasto. It is also necessary to note that Soppressata varies in tastes from region to region in Italy.

One more fabulous display by Perini

And, one more. Enough to make you a cheese addict!

Not Perini, but right across the aisle.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

Don't eat all that left over candy! Ha!

Pasta Made Easy

2011-10-29T17:18:00.001-07:00

Not the best picture, but here comes the pasta. I did it! My very first attempt on my own! I have made pasta before in classes, but never without supervision! I loved making this! And, no written recipe ~

I just tossed in a few teaspoons of premium pesto and a tad of grated cheese.The pasta was cooked for two minutes or until al dente. I added a tad of salt to the boiling water before adding the pasta. Drain, then toss though with sauce.

The ingredients to the pasta; 3/4 cup of flour and one egg. That was it. I did not add any salt or water. Make a well, add the egg. Mix the egg with fingers until all the flour is combined with the egg. You will need to knead the dough for a short time until it appears elastic~just until you get a little" bounce back with touch" in the dough. Place the kneaded dough through your pasta machine. Follow the directions for your machine to get the thickness and consistency you need before the last pass to get your long pasta. Dry for several hours on tray and sprinkle with flour to keep pasta from sticking. Enough for one serving or two small ones!

Parsnips instead of potatoes

2011-09-10T10:31:00.000-07:00

Fresh parsnips located near the carrots in grocery

Parsnips cut into small pieces for easy cooking

Milk and cream are added during cooking

Ingredients for parsnip puree~just a handful of ingredients and a few short steps,taking the place of potatoes!

1 pound of fresh parsnips
4 garlic cloves, smashed or chopped very finely
1 Thyme sprig, leaves chopped finely
1 cup of whole milk
1 cup of whipping cream
1 stick of unsalted butter
salt to taste

Peel parsnips just like you would carrots. Remove tough ends. Add to medium pan the chopped parsnips, thyme, salt and garlic. Add milk and cream and cook over medium heat until parsnips are tender. This will take at least 20 minutes or more. Drain and save liquid, if there is any left after cooking. Cool parsnips and place in blender or food processor. With processor on low speed, add the butter, blend until smooth. This is when you may need to add some of the reserved liquid to get it to a light and fluffy consistency. I have added heated milk a few times to get it to the consistency I like. It just depends on how creamy you want it to be!

My daughter had us over for dinner not too long ago and this was a side she served with a beef brisket she had prepared. I was delighted to see her take the leap from potatoes to parsnips! The choice was well suited and certainly complimented the brisket. The very first time I tasted parsnips was on one of my trips to New Zealand. I had this veggie as a side with a lamb shank. I had no idea what the vegetable was that I was eating. I knew it wasn't a potato and it was prepared with the same consistency of mashed potatoes.....however, I was stumped! Today I normally serve parsnips along side of lamb shanks or a roasted leg of lamb. It is the perfect combination.... the parsnip matches so well with either beef or lamb.

Williams-Sonoma Easy Roman Pasta

2011-09-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

Quick and easy Roman pasta

The ingredients:

1/2 lb. spaghetti

1/4 cup of olive oil

4 large garlic gloves,thinly sliced

1 jar of Antica Enotria organic cherry tomatoes, drained*from Williams-Sonoma

4 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Kosher salt, to taste

Fennel salt, to taste

Fresh grated Pecorino cheese for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Set aside.

In a large saute pan over medium heat,warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about one minute. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally and gently smashing about half of the tomatoes. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved water and bring to a simmer.

Add the pasta and toss together until well combined and warmed through, about two minutes, adding more cooking water as needed to create a light sauce. Sprinkle with fresh basil and fennel salt. Serve immediately. Serves four. I did substitute the cheese since i had it on hand.

This dish took no time at all to prepare!

I used whole wheat pasta

Shavings of fresh Parmesan cheese were tossed on top for a finishing touch.

Peach Jam Tart

2011-08-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

I used this meal from Trader Joe's

Baked until crust turned golden brown

Peach Jam Tart

I used a good quality peach jam

Recipe for the crust

1 large egg, plus one extra egg yolk for brushing on lattice top
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon of almond extract
2 cups of flour, plus a little extra for rolling out dough
1 cup of almond meal (flour) sweet and nutty in taste
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 stick of room temperature butter
2/3 cup of sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a 10 inch tart pan. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract. Mix the flours together along with the spice in a separate bowl. With mixer running, gradually add the flour ingredients into the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until dough is formed and clumps together. Take the dough and divide 2/3 of the dough to form a ball and shape the remaining 1/3 dough into a ball. Wrap the two forms of dough in plastic and chill for forty five minutes. I found I had to put the dough back in the refrigerator for another ten minutes for the lattice topping. The stiffer it was, the easier it was to lift and place on top of fruit mixture.
Roll out chilled dough on parchment paper. I did use around 3 extra tablespoons of flour while rolling out the dough to create better consistency. Place into the tart pan and spread the peach jam evenly on the dough. Roll out the remaining dough to place on top of jam. Cut the dough into strips and place in lattice pattern on top. Brush with yolk of egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Let cool before cutting. Serves eight. Serve with whipping cream or French Vanilla ice cream.

Fresh tomatoes with Asiago and fresh herbs

2011-08-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

Fresh beefsteak tomatoes ready for broiler

Tomatoes just out from under the broiler

Serve with grilled or broiled steak or chicken

A wonderful way to use those fresh tomatoes from your garden! Position the oven rack at least 6 inches from the broiler. Slice four tomatoes, thick slices, and place in a safe baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix 1/4 cup of coarse breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup of finely grated Asiago cheese. Chop 1 tablespoon of parsley and 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme. Sprinkle mixture evenly over tomatoes and gently pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil directly over tomatoes. Broil until the breadcrumbs begin to turn brown. You will need to stay close by and watch! Drizzle with more oil before serving.

For Julie~Roasted Beets with Feta

2011-08-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is what you can do with the beets from your garden like my friend, Julie!

And, most likely, you will be growing green onions!

If you are not growing beets, I think canned beets will do as well in this recipe.

A wonderful and delicious summer treat!

I have heard many of my friends from Seattle say, "this has just been the coldest summer ever".....believe it!
I was invited to several showers and weddings(outside celebrations) during past two months. No one really was good at predicting how the weather would shake out especially with the cooler temperatures that Seattle has been experiencing all summer. Many friends were so disappointed about the condition of their flower and vegetable gardens~veggies were so stunted! Flowers were not blooming! How can there be weddings outside in this freezing weather?(well not really freezing, but you get the point)Weddings went off without a hitch! Flowers and veggies, not so good! Things are finally warming, growing and shaping up.
One particular friend has a gorgeous garden this summer, but everything is "so not growing."It has just been too cold at nights and really not much above 70 degrees during the daylight. Last Sunday, Julie and I picked beets, little beets, from her garden. We managed to find four and threw them in the gathering basket. Julie wrapped them in foil, baked them to perfection and the rest is history!
There is nothing more pleasing than to have grown your own vegetables and then serve to your family. I can't tell you when I have had a better tasting beet!
Julie, when the other beets are ready, here is a quick recipe for you!

ROASTED BEETS WITH FETA

Peel 4 medium beets and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Add one teaspoon of salt. Pepper to your liking.
Spread the beets on a baking sheet and roast until tender at 450 degrees, about 35 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and toss in 4 chopped scallions.
Add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, fresh if you have it.
Top with crumbled feta cheese. Serve chilled.

Another way to cook the beets is to bake then in foil, remove the skin, slice and just toss (roast) in the oven for ten minutes more with the oil, salt and pepper. Cool and add onions.

Serves 4

Bourbon Infused Peaches

2011-08-18T17:07:00.000-07:00

Boozy Peaches from Food Network

Toasted pecans add that extra crunch!

For a quick seasonal dessert~

Slice 3 or 4 peaches, depending on size, with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Set aside and keep cool for 30 minutes or more

Whisk 1 cup of heavy whipping cream until it just starts to thicken. Beat in 4 teaspoons of brown sugar.
Add 4 teaspoons of bourbon and beat the whipping cream until soft peaks have formed.
Layer the peaches and cream in dessert glasses.
Top with toasted pecans.

Serves 4 ~so easy and beautiful to serve!

Refrigerator Pickles from Savoring Time's Mom!

2011-08-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

Sweet, sour and crisp!

Can make in less than a half hour!

Refrigerator Pickles from Savoring Time Blog

Here is a great recipe from a fellow blogger over at Savoring Time. If you have a garden this summer and planted some cukes, put them in the frig!

Recipe
1 cup of white vinegar
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of water
1-2 teaspoons of celery seed (she used 2 and so did I)
1 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of sliced cucumbers, baby ones for pickles
3 small onions, thinly sliced

Place the sliced cucumbers and the onion in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir in the vinegar,sugar,water and salt together until it has dissolved. Add the celery seed. Pour the mixture over the onions and refrigerate.

This took no time at all to prepare. I am going to leave them in the refrigerator for two days to marinate and then will serve them as a side dish or throw them on my turkey burgers!

Fresh Peach and Cream Pie

2011-08-02T15:07:00.000-07:00

This pie is so delicious and easy to prepare!

A great dessert to serve to your guests at a cookout or summer get together.

Ingredients
4 cups of fresh peeled peaches
1 cup of sugar
1 unbaked pie crust
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of flour
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of flour
1/4 cup of butter
additional fresh sliced peach for garnish, if desired

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Place the 4 cups of fresh peaches into the unbaked pie shell. I chopped mine up. In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup of sugar along with 1/3 cup of flour and the salt. Add the beaten eggs and the sour cream. Blend all the ingredients well with a whisk. Spoon this mixture over the peaches.

In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of butter until the mixture resembles a course mixture. (You can use a pastry blender or forks for the flour mixture.) Sprinkle the course mixture evenly over the peach mixture.

Bake the pie for one hour or until golden on top. Garnish with fresh cut peaches and whipping cream!

Island Fun and Food~San Juan Island,WA

2011-07-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

Freshly caught Dungeness crab~right from the trap!

Two crabs were more than we could eat!

Dinner on the deck!

Our search for the Orcas was worth the effort and wait!

Prawns for dinner the next night, available for sale on the dock!

Miss Ariel, Portuguese Water Dog, faithful and devoted.

Typical Ferry getting us around the islands. A trip to the islands is worth every minute~lots of sights and wonderful food!

Almond Biscotti~tozzetti

2011-07-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

This recipe makes about forty cookies. I did cut some in half.

Traditionally dipped into a class of vin santo.

However, these are very light and great for eating alone.

There is just a subtle anise flavor from the flavored liquor that was added.

Almond Biscotti

1 cup of sugar
1 whole egg
3 yolks of eggs
1/3 cup of Anise flavored liquor
3 cups of sifted four
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 cup of blanched almonds
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces at room temperature
grated zest from 1/2 of a lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, combine the butter and sugar. With a mixer, beat in the whole egg and then add the other yolks one at a time. Beat until light and creamy. Stir in the anise and lemon zest. In another bowl, mix the flour and the baking powder together. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until blended and a dough consistency forms. By hand, mix in the almonds.

Shapes the dough into two loaves, 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for thirty minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven. Cool just for a few minutes and cut the loaves with a serrated knife into slices about 3/4 inch long. Turn the cut slices on the baking sheet, cut side down.

Return the slices on the sheet bake into the oven for an additional 25 minutes at a reduced heat of 275 degrees. Bake until they are dry and lightly colored. Remove from oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
The biscotti will keep up to 2 months in an airtight container. But, good luck with that~they won't last that long!

Next All Girls Trip to Italy Full!

2011-07-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

I organize two trips a year to Italy for my friends and their friends. Anyone can join!

We do fun things that gals like to do, meaning our trips are for women only!

We visit many famous places in Italy, some you may not have visited yet.

We eat at wonderful restaurants and visit my friends on their farms and in their shops!

We take the time to meet the local people and enjoy their company.

We get out of the city and visit the countryside for most of the trip.

We take the time to stroll through the gorgeous villages and towns.

Yes, we take time to smell the flowers along the way. Get more information from: www.travelingfoodlady.com

From Drying To Drinking-a fresh coffee experience

2011-07-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

Red beans are ready to be picked from a Tanzania Coffee Planation

These beans have been sun-dried and sorted

Ladies from Arusha Coffee Plantation sorting the unwanted beans

Ladies quickly moving the beans in netting for bagging

Bags ready and waiting

Bagged and ready for destinations around the world

Un-roasted coffee beans filled to the rim

Ready to sample some local coffee

Good to the very last drop

Always fresh flowers from dinner to coffee

Summer Bridal Shower ~Al Fresco

2011-07-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

Glasses were ready to be filled for the celebration!

The colorful handmade table top.

The herb pots were given out as prizes which were donated by a dear friend.

I made a special bouquet with the wedding colors.

The bride-to-be wanted cheesecake for dessert, so guess what I prepared!

I found the little bottle topper dress at Michael's and added the small purple flowers.

The bride-to-be had her special seat!

Many of my friends, including myself, all have grown children who are now at the ripe age of thirty and are beginning to"think" about marriage or they are planning to wed soon. This is frightening! (not really)
One will be married at her home this July, outside of Seattle. Another follows in August.......a summer has never been as beautiful and filled with excitement! The extensive preparations have been made and come rain or shine, the weddings will go on.
The photos above are from a bridal shower held at one of the bridesmaids home. The grounds of the home are the perfect setting for any celebration. The owners are devoted to their gardening and love sharing it with friends. When the weather turns, all entertaining goes outdoors to the wide lawn. The evergreens and ferns were in full bloom, the sun was low and the shadows were soft. The table, made by the owners, was placed outside to add that "al fresco"touch to the event!

Cherries for the 4th!

2011-07-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

Cherry Clafoutis-serves six

Cherry Clafoutis can also be made with other varieties of soft fruits.

Ingredients-for six servings

3 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cup of milk
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp. of vanilla
3/4 cup of flour and two more tbsps.
1 1/2 pounds of sweet pitted cherries
1 tbsp. of unsalted butter to butter baking dish
Confectioner's sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the baking dish. (Use a shallow ovenproof dish.)
Spread all the cherries in the dish and set aside.
Mix the flour and sugar together in large bowl and add the three well beaten eggs.Whisk altogether. Add the vanilla.Whisk to combine.Whisk until well blended.
Slowly pour the mixture over the cherries.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the batter is golden and firm to the touch.
Before serving, sift powdered sugar on top and serve warm.

Peaches with Creme Anglaise

2011-06-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

Cornstarch and sugar added to thicken cream sauce.

Half-and-half cream is used. Mix the sugar and cornstarch together.

Fresh juicy peaches from Georgia! You will need three!

Finished dish with sauce just on bottom of peaches.

Creme Anglaise is poured over top of fresh peaches.

Recipe ~
Whisk together 2 cups of half-and-half, 1/3 C. of sugar, 1 Tbsp. of vanilla, 3 egg yolks, 1/8 tsp. of salt and 1Tbsp. of cornstarch in your saucepan. Cook over medium heat. Keep stirring and bring to boil. Whisk for one minute. Remove from heat. Serve sauce on peaches warm or cold.
I broiled the peaches after brushing 1 tsp. of melted butter to each half and sprinkled each with 1/2 Tbsp. of sugar. Broil until they start to get brown on edges, about 5 minutes. I served this dessert directly from the broiler then added the sauce. Delicious warm!

Grilled Peach & Prosciutto Salad

2011-05-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad

Ingredients for salad
1 T. Olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. sugar
12 strips of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cut into strips
1 pkg. Prosciutto ham sliced into 1 inch wide strips
2 T. chopped pecans
Pepper to taste
2 peaches, not peeled and sliced into at least 6 to 8 wedges
1 T. Balsamic Glaze for garnish, dot around plate upon completion
Spinach leaves or Arugula for garnish

Toast the pecans, chop and set aside. Toss the peaches in a small plastic bag with oil, sugar,salt and pepper until the peaches are well covered with mixture. Grill until all the peaches get that grilled mark~then chill.
Try to create a tripod with the cheese slices, think of a triangle standing on its side, so the Prosciutto looks draped over the cheese strips. (You are creating a mound to place all the ham on) Drape the ham on the cheese. Sprinkle with the pecans and now add the peaches around the base of the cheese and ham mound. Use your mister if you have one to apply a quick coating of oil on the salad and add a few dollops of glaze where needed.
I made this for lunch today and hubby loved it! Oh, I also just used my small panini grill to grill the peaches~too darn hot here to light up the grill mid-day!

Cabbage~A few carbs for the day!

2011-04-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

Grated for salads

Steamed with butter and herbs

Chopped for a casserole

An all purpose vegetable and excellent choice for the vegetarian diet

Nuts for Dessert or Snack

2011-04-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

Roasted Almonds with Cranberries

We try to keep a large selection of nuts on hand-they are so high in vitamin E and God knows, we need more of that in our diet! Scary fact though, almonds are 21% protein and 49% fat....I know, some of that fat is monounsaturated, one of the good fats in our diet. Then we add chocolate to the situation.....that blows everything! I save these fruity sensations for dessert. Better a small morsel of sweetness than a large piece of cake or pie. Easy to assemble......

6 ounces or squares of chocolate, dark or bittersweet. I actually used Semi-Sweet from Baker's.
3/4 C. of dried cranberries.
1 C. of whole toasted almonds, chopped very coarsely.

Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler, medium heat, stirring the chocolate frequently. When the chocolate is completely soft and melted, gently add and fold in the fruit and nuts. Remove double boiler from heat. Spoon with tablespoon onto waxed paper. Put plate or baking sheet into refrigerator to set up. Serve at room temperature. This recipe make 12 to 16 pieces.

Back to the Market in Seattle

2011-04-27T04:42:00.000-07:00

Nothing more delicious!

I took this for my friend, Leslie,who lives for and adores, pink.

Fresh, Baby Bokchoy

Spring Rhubarb

Gorgeous, gorgeous flowers from the tulip fields, north of Seattle.

You always find a happy fish!

Fresh Oysters for a quick snack.

The picture says it all!

Sweet Ricotta with Lemon and Cookie

2011-04-26T11:20:00.000-07:00

Ricotta Dolce Al Limone Con Biscottini

Ricotta Dolce

Ricotta Dolce with Biscotti

For Cookies
2 T. Sugar
1 Lg. egg white, room temperature
3 T. King Author's Flour, unbleached
Pinch of sea salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix butter and sugar until combined and add the egg white. Whisk for one minute or until blended. Add in the flour and salt. Put the batter into a small plastic bag. Now, with the tip cut off, with at least a 1/3 opening, pipe the batter onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and make the cookie strips about three inches long. Keep the strips of batter at least two inches apart. The first batch I made did not get large( fat) enough, so be generous with the amount you are piping out. Bake until the edges are light brown, about 12 minutes. That's all there is to the cookies!

The Ricotta
One lemon
3 T. sugar
4 T. water
1 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
plastic bag or pastry bag with 1/3 tip

Cut very thin strips of lemon zest from one lemon and boil these strips in water for one minute. Remove from stove and drain the water. Now, return the pan to the burner and add the strips plus 3 T. of sugar and 4 T. of water to the lemon peels in the pan. Cook until all the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is now like syrup.This takes about 5 minutes. The liquid should be translucent. Reserving this syrup, strain out the lemon peels and let the liquid cool down. Chop 1/2 t. of peel and add 2 T. of the cooled syrup to the cheese. Stir well. Spoon into small dessert dishes. Place the rest of the peel on top of cheese mixture. Drizzle with extra syrup. Chill, now add the cookie into the mixture before serving. Make 6 small servings. Recipe adapted from La Cucina Italiana Magazine.

Old Fashion Goodness- High 5 Pie

2011-04-24T06:12:00.000-07:00

High 5 Pie at its best!

Founder Dani Cone is using her Grandma Molly's favorite butter crust to create innovative pies and desserts in her Seattle shop.
If I had time for a single dessert, I would head straight for 1400 12th Ave, Seattle, to experience her extraordinary and creative varieties of pies. Key Lime, Peach Ginger, Cherry Almond, Mixed Berry, Curry Veggie, Apple-Cherry Rosemary are just a few of her classic favorites. One bite reminds you this is what pie should taste like: buttery, flaky and down right earthy! A passion for quality and goodness is the only explanation I can come up with as to why her pies are so popular in the area.
It is a modern shop on the corner of a busy street, but don't give up trying to locate it! For those of you on the go, portability is an option!
See High 5 Pie on The Food Channel this evening at 10:30!

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic-perfect with lamb!

2011-04-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

A very easy and delicious way to dress up that wonderful bundle of green....

3T. of olive oil
2 pounds of fresh asparagus, rinsed and dried
1 to 1/2 t. of fresh minced garlic
sea salt
2 t. of fresh squeezed lemon juice

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss the asparagus with oil and garlic in a large plastic bag for about thirty seconds.
Arrange on flat baking pan and sprinkle with the sea salt. Add pepper to your liking. Bake the asparagus until tender and the tips are starting to turn brown. (You will have to flip the spears around a few times when cooking.)This takes about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Have a wonderful Easter celebration!

Celebrating "Salad As A Meal" with Patricia Wells

2011-04-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, a refreshing and colorful lunch was prepared at the Walrus and the Carpenter, located in Ballard,Washington. Attending the event was author and James Beard award winning chef, Patricia Wells. What a delight it was to meet her and taste several of the recipes from her latest cookbook, Salad As A Meal, now on sale.

Patricia Wells

Smoked Trout, tarragon and cucumber salad with a tangy horseradish cream sauce. It was as delicious as it looked!

A wonderful light dessert with Yarmuth Farms Chevre and Ballard Bee Company Honey served with walnuts and crusty French bread.

Jann chatting away with Ms.Wells

Another recipe from her cookbook, Chilled Pea and Buttermilk Soup with herbs.

Probably the best salad many of us have had in ages, using the iceberg lettuce this time, Iceberg Lettuce Salad with Bacon and Roquefort.

The new cookbook ~endless ways to serve salads!

Molbaks,Woodinville,Washington-a must to stop and shop!

2011-03-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

Cassoulet -style turkey sausages with white beans

2011-03-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

One of my dear friends from Seattle mailed me this recipe. It is adapted from a cookbook titled, All You Need To Know for Easy Get-Togethers, P. Anderson. I still have not picked up the book~this one would be great for those quick dinners I like to prepare. I call this my perfect Sunday meal....throw in a salad and freshly bread and there you have it!

Serves 8

2 pounds of turkey sausage or Italian sausage links

3 pints of cherry tomatoes or one large can of diced tomatoes

4 large cloves of garlic, sliced

1 medium onion, cut into chunks

3 Tablespoons of olive oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

2 Teaspoons of dried thyme

3 Bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cans of undrained white beans

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Mix the sausages, tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil,vinegar,thyme, bay leaves salt and pepper into heavy roasting pan. Roast in oven until the sausages are brown and tomatoes have reduced to thick sauce, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in beans and continue to cook until casserole has heated through, about ten minutes later.

Store leftovers in refrigerator and warm on stovetop for instant dinner the next night! My hubby suggested I throw in some mushrooms~sounds good to me! He loved this meal! Thank you Carrie for sending this along!

Focaccia with Caramelized Onions,pears and blue cheese

2011-02-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

Food and Wine Magazine gives us one of their best! Other than the time it takes for the dough to rise,this doesn't take long at all to prepare. I could hardly wait to bite into the first slice!

Makes at least one 9x13 inch focaccia.

Ingredients

1 c. warm water

1 pkg.active dry yeast

1/2 t. honey

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil plus 1 T.

1 t. kosher salt or sea salt

1 lg. onion

1 t. light br. sugar

1 lg. pear, Bosc, cored and sliced very thin

1/2 c. blue cheese

In large bowl, combine water, yeast and honey and let it stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the flour and 1/4 cup of the oil. Let that stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining flour and salt and knead until smooth. Transfer to oiled bowl, cover with plastic and let stand for 1 hour.

In a skillet, heat 1 T. of oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the sugar, cover and cook, stirring occasionally,until brown. 1o minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Oil a 9x13 baking sheet. Place dough on sheet and press it down to fit. Drizzle with the 2 T. of olive oil. Let the dough rise until puffed, about 20 minutes.

Scatter the onions over the dough. Arrange the pear and sprinkle with the cheese. Drizzle dough with rest of oil and bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Cool and serve.

Butternut Squash Frittata with Risotto and Blue Cheese

2011-02-10T15:43:00.000-08:00

From La Cucina Italiana~a superbly welcomed addition to my files! A risotto frittata embellished with butternut squash and a few dollops of blue cheese to top things off! Served warm with a salad, glass of wine and there is your dinner.

Ingredients

1 T. butter to grease your 8-9 inch spring form pan.

3 T. plain breadcrumbs

2 C. water

2 C. of vegetable broth. I used chicken -that's what I had on hand.

1 T. of olive oil

1 Sm. onion,thinly chopped

3 C. 1/4 inch cubes of butternut squash.

1 C. Arborio rice, fresh ground pepper

6 eggs, beaten with whisk

Sea salt for flavoring and fresh ground pepper

3 oz. of blue cheese-that equals to 3/4 cup

Oven 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of spring form pan. Coat with crumbs,tapping out excess.

In medium pan, combine the water and broth . Simmer and remove from heat.

In medium pan, heat the oil over medium heat;add onions. Cook until softened. Add the squash and salt. Cover, stirring occasionally until the squash is tender.

Add the rice to same pan. Cook,uncovered until the rice is lightly toasted. Add pepper and 1 1/2 cups of the warmed broth. Cook, stirring frequently until the broth is absorbed then continue to add all the broth, 1/2 a cup at a time until both is gone. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese. Completely cool the risotto mixture. Stir in beaten eggs and add salt.Pour the mixture into the prepared buttered baking pan. Bake until set, about 1 hour.

Happy Birthday,JoAnne

2011-01-17T11:46:00.000-08:00

If today is your birthday also, "Happy Birthday!"Friends are so very special!

Ricotta, spinach and sweet potato pie

2011-01-13T10:21:00.000-08:00

I had this recipe in the back of my mind for quite some time now and decided this was the day. Comfort food for a very cold day, way down here in Florida. It certainly does not require numerous ingredients and most(well actually all) I had on hand. I love it when that happens and a trip to the grocery store is not needed.....besides, it's too darn cold to go outside!!!

Finished dish.
Before baking and veggies are mixed with cheese.

I left some of the veggies unmixed on the bottom of the pastry before pouring the cream mixture.

Ingredients:

1 half of the box of puff pastry, I used Pepper ridge Farms.

1T. butter,used to grease baking dish.

1/2 bag of baby spinach,uncooked.

1 large sweet potato,peeled and grated or sliced very thin.

2 C. whipping cream, not the heavy.

4 eggs.

1/2 t. salt.

3 T.chopped fresh dill.

1 14oz. container of ricotta cheese.

1/2 clove of minced garlic.

Butter baking dish. Add the pastry according to the size of your dish. I had to roll mine a bit longer and wider to cover the baking dish. I filled the pastry with a handful of spinach and potato slices, just to make it more solid of a dish for cutting and then mixed the remaining spinach and potato with the ricotta cheese and the dill. Lightly whisk the cream, salt and eggs together and pour over the mixture. Crimp edges of pastry if needed. Cook for 35-40 minutes until light brown on the top. Temperature set at 350 degrees.

Balsamic Sea Salt

2010-12-31T12:02:00.000-08:00

I am ending the year with a bang~sprinkling a tad on fresh tomatoes with Mozzarella and fresh basil for a side salad. Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year...........

Taboo after dinner?

2010-12-15T16:37:00.000-08:00

A day without at least two cappuccinos while traveling out the country, for me, is a day without sunshine! I do order the short cups~still counting the calories. Look at how rich and creamy this cup is! This is a meal in itself!! Let me get to the point .....having a cappuccino after dinner was/is a major violation I have experienced for a long time when traveling to Italy. I considered this my dessert at times until someone close to me pointed out very quietly that drinking this type of coffee was never done after dinner. My heart shattered! This is incredulous! I was from Washington where Starbucks was created and had any selection of coffee drinks at any time of the day. So for a few days, I started to take notice and pay more attention to when people were ordering or drinking cappuccinos and really, I never observed anyone caught in the act after dinner or even late in the day-except, the tourist, like me. Whatever is the logic behind this taboo? To that question my friend just replied," it's just not what we do here in Italy." As an American visitor to foreign places, I make an extra effort to comply and conform and not make up my own rules as I go. I never wear tennis shoes and always have a scarf around my neck. I certainly do not wish to challenge the logic behind having a cappuccino after dinner, but I would like to know what it is! If you know, please do share!

Welcoming signs of Fall

2010-11-13T10:50:00.000-08:00

I am crazy about pumpkins, any size or shape. And, if I can bake it or make soup, I am a happy camper! As a matter of fact, I found a few wartie looking pumpkins on a visit to Pennsylvania and had them shipped back to Florida. Of all things we don't grow here, it's pumpkins! It is great fun to decorate or experiment and tuck the little boos all around the house, even among the dishes in the kitchen hutch. This year I experimented with tiny little beads that Martha Stewart sells, available at JoAnne's Fabric Stores. I brushed glue on the top of the gourd and then just sprinkled the beads all around. Did all the work in a flat box so I could gather and save the unused beads that didn't stick to the glue.

"Honey, we need more honey!"

2010-11-12T14:09:00.000-08:00

Not too far from my home is a gal that sits in her car and sells honey. Actually, she has a table set up along the side of the road loaded with quarts of local honey. My husband was the first to notice her and purchased one of the smaller containers she was selling. I detected a hint of citrus~perfect for this little dessert!

Ingredients:

wholewheat pecan bread, cut into small bite size pieces, actually three bites works well!

fresh Pecorino cheese, room temperature, sliced and served on top of bread.

one orange, sliced.

a piece of a honeycomb, if available to put on the top~talk about freshness!

freshly grated nutmeg.

honey, 2-3 tablespoons drizzled on top and on orange slice.

That's about it.Take the bread between your fingers, trying not to let ingredients slide off and wait for your taste buds to cry!

Food Florence Style-love the market!

2010-10-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

Finding the right cheese to bring home~just too many to choose from!

Then we have all these gorgeous veggies to "wish" we could bring home!

Yes, this little" piggy" did go to market!

Signs of Fall

2010-10-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

A favorite time of the year for me with great market finds.
The beginning of the salmon run from Lake Erie.

Signs of Halloween and Thanksgiving, just around the corner.

Goat Cheese Frittata

2010-08-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

There have been a few nights when I made a mad dash to the pantry or refrigerator to figure out what in the world we are going to have for dinner tonight that is really fast, fresh and delicious. Finding a nice wine to accompany the dish is another question.......this is a simple, but spectacular all in one meal tasting its' best, directly from the oven to the table. Most of the ingredients are probably in your possession right now! It is so easy and quite filling!

Slice one large red onion, cut into medium size pieces

8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Six eggs, lightly beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

Four ounces of goat cheese, broken into 1/2 inch chunks

One small garlic, pressed

Three medium cooked potatoes, sliced

Two T. olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Use a ten inch pan or pie plate, slightly greased. Heat a small frying pan and saute the onions and garlic, adding the potatoes and basil last. Stir everything well. Transfer the onion mixture in to the beaten eggs. Place the dish in oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the eggs are set and top is light brown. That's all there is to it!

Anyone For Fish-Trey Ngeat

2010-08-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

Traveling to far off places gives me a real reality check. I may not have the top of the line dishwasher, cooking appliances or even the latest style in a kitchen design, but I am grateful for what I can come home to. I know most of us feel the same way. I look at the water in this photo and cringe at the thought of washing anything in it or even eating anything from it, but people have been surviving this life style for years and it continues to this day.

Drying freshly caught fish and spreading them open on wooden racks is a common sight along the waterways and lake areas around Cambodia. The fish must be quickly preserved as there are no means of modern freezing or cooling in many areas. Forget about electricity! As you can notice, the fish is split, insides removed and salt is added to remove much of the moisture as well keeping bacteria from forming. Pray for no rain!

When dried, the sun fish is stacked and hauled off to the local markets. Catfish is a common catch that can later be grilled or fried and served with a bowl of hot steaming rice.

A Grand Terrine

2010-07-19T05:09:00.000-07:00

Passing through the Marche Paul Bert last year, I came across a rather large terrine in one of the antique shops. Apparently there was exposition and this terrine was made just for the occasion. If I understood the story correctly, the ingredients did not cook according to planned and spoiled. I took a picture of a photograph of the chefs adding their last finishing touches. What a pity it was unable to completely cook all the way through.This would have fed a village!

The terrine was not for sale, just on display along with a few more photos of the exposition. So, what does one do with this rather large baking terrine afterwards? There is just no stopping the French when it comes to competitions, thank goodness!

Blueberries and the 4th of July

2010-07-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

Every 4th of July we always have something with blueberries....oh, we have the watermelon as well, but the berries are my favorite.

Tonight we are having Blueberry Tartlets to start the celebration off with a bang and maybe an extra pound or two! No, this is all good for you!

Blueberry Tartlets

1 C. blueberry or blackberry jam

your favorite sweet short pastry

1 C. mascarpone

1 pint of fresh blueberries

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Gently melt the jam, set aside until cooled, but still runny. Using individual tart molds, non-stick, place and form dough inside, weigh down and blind bake until lightly browned. Cool pastry cases on wire rack. Spread the base of each with plenty of mascarpone, then top with berries and runny jam. This is just too easy and so delicious! Serves 6

Avocado Salsa with Crab Fritters

2010-06-26T16:50:00.000-07:00

This is such a wonderful time to be cooking ~ the endless array of fresh fish, crabs, fruits and vegetables are just around the corner! This dish is perfect for that hot day and does not require you to be slaving in the kitchen and missing out on a summer activity, like working in the garden or maybe mowing the yard or even riding on your motorcycle.

My house has been empty for over a month and this is the first meal I have prepared this summer! Maybe I passed some of you while riding on my motorcycle through the Rockies~it's great to be back in the kitchen again. Have lots of catching up to do reading previous posts.....I can't wait!

For the salsa

1 yellow bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 ripe avocado

1 firm mango

3 ripe tomatoes

1 small red onion

juice and finely grated rind of two limes

3 T. of fresh cilantro, chopped

Chop and dice all of the above into small pieces. Stir in the lime juice, rinds and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

Crab Fritters

2 eggs,beaten

1/2 C. of all purpose flour

2 C. cooked fresh corn

2T. fresh parsley, chopped fine

10 Oz. cooked white crabmeat

3 to 4 T. of olive oil for frying

salt and pepper to taste, lime or lemon wedges for serving

Place the fresh corn, flour and eggs together in bowl and stir until well mixed. Lightly fold in the crabmeat, parsely and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drop large tablespoons of the fritter batter into the hot oil and cook 3 minutes or so on each side or until lightly browned.

Place on paper towel to absorb any oil and serve the fritters immediately with the salsa.

Eggplant Stemperata

2010-05-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

One of these days, I am really going to figure out how to do all this blogging properly. I see that I have knocked out all my favorite bloggers sites~I changed the template and all hell broke loose! I'll keep working on it...

Anyway, this is a wonderful side or served on a grilled crostini. Tonight we are having lamb and I thought this would step up the flavor some. Most of the ingredients were on hand.

Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants

3 T. olive oil

1 sm. red onion, finely chopped

1 med. red and yellow pepper, finely chopped

sea salt to taste

1 T.honey

2 garlic gloves, crushed

1/3 c. raisins

1 med. tomato, diced

1 C. chopped green olives

1 T. capers

2 T.roasted pine nuts

pepper to taste

2 T. shredded fresh mint

Slice the eggplant into 1/2 thick slices. Brush with oil on both sides. Salt and pepper. Bake until well done, 30 minutes, but not to the point where it starts falling apart. Roughly chop when cooled.

Heat the oil and saute the peppers and onions until tender. Add the honey and cook until the vegetables have a caramelized coloring. Add vinegar, stir in olives, tomato, raisins, garlic, capers and cook for 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Combine the eggplant, stemperata, pine nuts and fresh mint and stir very gently. Makes 2-3 cups.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

Waking up to the berry best Mother's Day ever~ right out of the oven, bursting with fresh berries and goodness!

Hoping your day was filled with love and happiness.......

Hihi Olive Estate

2010-04-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

On March 9th, we left for New Zealand to help with the 2010 olive harvesting. Our friends in Hihi raise a variety of olives on hundreds of trees. With that number of trees, help is always needed when the olives ripen and must be picked. This season, not all the trees were bending over with the weight of the fruits. The water situation in the Far North may have a terrific impact on the oil and olives this year. We sure hope not! The ground was extremely hard and dry. Large cracks had formed, wide enough to sink your foot into at the base of the trees. The trees varied in the amount of olives that were produced, some with a

handful and other trees with baskets filled to the brim.

In spite of harsh weather conditions this fall, the Hihi Olive Estate continues to produce award winning oils to sell throughout New Zealand.

Here are a few pictures of the groves and landscape.

Nuts about nuts!

2010-04-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I had an urge to bake something with macadamia nuts. I found a sight on Amazon where I could order them by the pound.......low and behold, they arrived today and the baking frenzy begins!

You are now viewing the box of ten pounds of raw, broken pieces of nuts, truly decadent and equally healthy. So, where does one begin cooking or baking?

Banana Macadamia Nut Bread

2 1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. of sugar

1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. of packed brown sugar

3 1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. Cinnamon

1 1/4 c. mashed bananas

1 t. vinegar

3 T. vegetable oil

1 egg

1 c. coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

1/3 c. milk

With mixer, blend all the ingredients together EXCEPT the macadamia nuts in a large bowl on medium speed. Mix three minutes or until everything is well blended. Add nuts and stir with spoon until incorporated into mixture. Pour into well greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes . Easy!!!

So, I only have have 9 and 1/2 pounds to go! Will be busy roasting! Fortunately, the nuts can be frozen and remain in good shape for a year.

Pasta made easy!

2010-03-03T17:56:00.001-08:00

Getting down to the basics here.......and that fantastic pasta machine! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could do this, making pasta from scratch, but I had some great instruction and fresh range eggs!

This cooking experience took place a few years ago outside of Florence. The person pictured has much more gray hair now.....

Tonight for dinner we had Tagliatelle with walnut sauce. A light went off that somewhere in my collection of photos, there was a picture of me squeezing and re-squeezing the pasta through the machine trying to get the correct thickness. It was just a process of folding and refolding and making the setting smaller. The thickness I was attempting to achieve was thin enough to read a newspaper through. That never happened. Continuing on, it was a delight to be working on this marble surface and not in a bowl, something I don't do very often. I felt very professional as I broke the eggs in the flour well and then was able to whisk away, incorporating the flour as needed. Chilled water was added, a quarter of a teaspoon at a time to make a loosely massed dough ball.Then on a lightly floured surface, I was able to knead the dough until it was slightly glossy in appearance. We covered the dough with a tea towel while we drank wine for thirty minutes. Now, that's how you make pasta........

Tagliatelle with Walnut Sauce

1 3/4 lb. of butter

1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup of heavy cream-use whipping cream

2 cups of finely chopped walnuts

3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 extra large garlic, chopped very fine

1/3 cup of freshly chopped parsley

14-16 oz. of pasta, such as tagliatelle

Use a small frying pan and lightly brown the walnuts, about three minutes, moderate heat. Let the walnuts cool. Process the walnuts and parsley together until finely chopped and blended and then add the butter. Mix. Gradually add the oil in a steady stream while processing. Add the garlic, cream and then Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook pasta according to directions, al dente, drain and toss with sauce. Serves four.

Do we ever have enough?

2010-01-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

Astier de Villatte, 173 rue Saint Honore, Paris

Beautiful white-glazed earthenware based on designs from the 18th and 19th centuries.

I am not speaking about money, but all the extra elements that complete a well planned meal......dishes, serving pieces, tabletop luxuries..... those gorgeous accessories that make our meals taste more delicious than they appear. I have a passion ( big time) for any tabletop piece...it can be plates, cups, napkin rings, teapots, cups and saucers, crystal-you get the picture.

Throughout the holidays, I spent some time viewing blog sights of different shops and designers. I found a plethora of tabletop settings that almost caused me cardiac arrest a few times. How can there be so many beautiful pieces of china, ceramics, earthenware and porcelains produced and there are still more to come. Where does all this talent come from?

Having owned a shoppe or two with similar products, I'm constantly on the lookout for something calming and elegant that would suit my lifestyle today. I visited this shop in Paris last month and stole a few shots. I hate it when they have signs saying, no photos....some day I am going to get caught. Regardless, I got the shots that I wanted to share. It is worth the visit to stop in and view the beautifully designed earthenware if you are in the area.

A Holiday Wish!

2009-12-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

May you have a wonderful Holiday Meal

With all your Friends and Family

~Peace to All on this Earth~

Cookies, Anyone?

2009-12-18T07:41:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday, a group of friends met for a cookie exchange~like we needed cookies to eat! We really wanted the opportunity to get together. Our time that afternoon was very special and we had a wonderful selection of cookies to exchange. Several of the gals mentioned cookie experiences from past holidays as we lunched on home made tomato soup, grilled cheese and egg salad sandwiches.

This was the first cookie exchange for most of us. There must be a thousand different methods to this exchange madness, however, we managed to make certain we had plenty to take home.

Trying to remember the cookie I preferred the most around the holidays, the classic Peanut Butter Blossoms came to mind. These are a one bite and disappear cookie, good frozen or served at room temperature and easy to prepare. I loved these cookies as a child and as an adult, I will root around the cookie tray to single out the Peanut Blossoms ! I don't do this all the time!

Ingredients:

48 Hershey's Kisses

1/2 c. shortening

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1/3 c. light brown sugar

1/3 c.granulated sugar

1 egg

1 t.vanilla

2 T. milk

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

dash of salt

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the shortening and the peanut butter until well blended. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the egg, milk and vanilla. Stir together the flour, baking soda and a dash of salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll dough balls in the granulated sugar; place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a kiss into the center of each cookie. Remove cookie after a few minutes of cooling and then place on racks to cool.

White and Green

2009-12-17T16:09:00.000-08:00

White and green and delicious! One of my favorite vegetable dishes to prepare around the holidays.......it dresses up turkey, ham or your favorite roast. My French sister taught me how to peel each stalk and steam it perfectly. I have a recipe to make homemade mayonnaise to top the asparagus, but it appears I just do not have the know-how or expertise to make the mayo as good as she does~so, the Hellman's appears! This side dish can be served chilled or hot, either way, it makes a beautiful presentation.

The Classic Bistro Soup

2009-10-29T16:49:00.001-07:00

Just a few Saturdays ago, Paris was chilly with a "few odd showers about". Blue skies kept popping through and stopping the rain periodically.....the perfect time of year for the classic bowl of French Onion Soup.This soup is all about cooking the onions until perfectly caramelized, dark and tender. Then, for me, the best part...the big gooey cheese on the top. Aged Swiss (Gruyere) is the key to getting that rich bubbling crust on the top of the soup. I always seem to have a difficult time scooping up a chunk of the croutes (toasted baguettes) smothered with cheese, and getting it into my mouth without leaving a trail of cheese from the bowl to my mouth! I recently read this classic soup is eaten in the mornings for breakfast as a cure for the common hangover........I think I just would prefer to savor it for lunch! The bistro is located at the entrance of the Paul Bert ( flea) Market on the left. A perfect location to taste this classic, luscious soup.

Zucchini and Feta Fritters

2009-10-14T16:19:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to cook with cheese besides melting it on toast or including it in an omelette or even making a souffle. By far, this is a wonderful combination with some of my favorite cheese, feta. This is so easy and incredibly delicious......you have got to try this!

Fritters

5 medium zucchini, coarsely grated

1/2 t. sea salt

1/4 cup grated onion

3 oz. of flour

1 beaten egg

7 oz. crumbled feta

oil for frying.I started out with 1 T. and added more with each batch I fried.

Place the grated zucchini, salt and onion in a large bowl. Mix and let sit for 30 minutes until the juice is drawn out by the salt. Drain. Mix the flour, egg and stir in feta cheese to the zucchini mixture. Fry large tablespoons of the mixture in moderately hot oil until brown on both sides, making sure the fritters are well cooked. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

I served the fritters with a chunky hot tomato salsa and sour cream on the side.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-10-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

The abundance of pumpkins from across the country has to be one of the best aspects of fall. I am delightfully amazed at the varieties that sprout up every season. I recently found some wonderful varieties at my local Walmart, of all places.....not fond of that store at all. Anyway, the pumpkins and gourds came from Frey Farms located in Illinois. This is a huge outfit and one of the largest producing pumpkin farms in the country.

Having just arrived home from another motorcycling adventure with Big Al, I searched and found Central Market in Ft. Worth. They had a beautiful display of fall gourds and vegetables. As I rode the highway home towards Florida (1200 miles) on my little Honda, all I could think about was what I was going to make with the canned pumpkin that I made last November. It was time to pop the lid!

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

1 lb. of cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup of light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 1/4 cup of pumpkin

3 large eggs

1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream

1 t.vanilla

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/2 t. ground ginger

1 t. ground cinnamon

Gingersnap Crust

5 T. melted unsalted butter

1 1/2 cup of crushed gingersnaps

3 T. sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the crushed gingersnaps, butter, sugar and pat the mixture into a 9 inch spring form pan. Pat the mixture up the sides of the pan about one inch.. Bake until lightly darkened, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

In a large bowl, mix the cheese and brown sugar until creamy. Add the pumpkin and eggs and beat until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour into the crust- lined pan. Bake for 45 minutes or longer or until firm. Refrigerate until chilled and serve.

Quick Tomato Soup

2009-09-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

Native to South America, it took a little time for this fruit to gain acceptance as a food (treated as a veggie today) in the U.S. and Europe. Today, the tomato is an integral part of our lives and many of the worlds cuisines. Sliced tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and sweet basil is one of my favorite summer side dishes. Look at the other recipes that depend and rely on a few good tomatoes to build character in a bowl....gazpacho, minestrone, ratatouille and of course, tomato soup.

For the soup

4 cups tomatoes

1/2 C. medium chopped onion

1/2 C. chopped celery

1/4 C. chopped carrots

32 Oz. of chicken broth, I used low fat

1 t. salt

3 T. butter, salted

3 T. all purpose flour

Gently saute the onion, celery and carrots until soft. Add tomatoes and simmer ten minutes. Add (cooled) cooked ingredients and process until smooth. Add flour and butter to medium size pan to make a roux. Whisk continuously while adding 1 cup of the broth. Slowly add the rest of the chicken broth, stirring well. Incorporate the tomato base to the broth and simmer.

This soup takes very little time to prepare.....so tasty with some warm, crusty French bread.

Oh Sweet Madeleines

2009-09-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

There are two cabinets in my kitchen that I avoid with a passion ~ where the pans are....(Connie Francis came to mind). I never seem to be able to keep the pans organized or lined up! This afternoon, I decided enough of this clanging around every time I go to grab one and to my surprise, I found my Madeleine baking mold. It's the silvery silicon model, but still remains top on my list for being able to remove the delicate cakes without harming them.

The recipe I followed came from 101 Cookbooks.com. I was particularly interested in the butter method that was suggested. It worked like a charm.....for a fleeting moment I imagined myself in Paris, parked on a sidewalk somewhere, sipping coffee, savoring my little cake and watching the day go by.

The part about the butter was interesting. I usually just melt the required butter and toss it in. This time, I melted 1 1/2 sticks of butter on a medium fire and heated the butter until it turned brown and gave off a nutty, delicious aroma, taking about 20 minutes. I kept repeating to myself, "I am actually frying this butter."Indeed I was! Then using a paper towel, stuffed into a mesh strainer, I removed the solids that appeared from the liquid unsalted butter. The butter was clear and hot and needed to cool to room temperature. I loved the aroma! When the butter had cooled, I gently folded it into the egg and flour mixture, stirring just enough to bring everything together.

The outcome was better than I hoped for. I even managed to stuff one, the Madeleine that is, into the mouth of my favorite UPS person as he handed me a package at the door, a package from my French sister...........

Ah, modern technology!

2009-09-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

When camping in the Serengeti, you won't always find the modern conveniences of home, but it worked perfectly! This was our chef, amazingly talented with limited means, but consistently creating the most delicious meals. The dish washing crew really kept things shinning!

Coffee Time in Tanzania

2009-09-03T19:04:00.000-07:00

The ladies in this picture have gathered the dried coffee beans from the drying and sorting boxes and now the beans are ready to be shipped and roasted. Of course, I had to have a cup first! No modern means of production in sight~just a lot of hard back-breaking work for hours at a time.

Out Of Florida

2009-07-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

Off to Africa for a few weeks to visit some old friends and to meet some new ones! I hope they have our fruit quencher ready for when we arrive...

I will be doing a little exploring while on the road-never know what you will find. Be back in a few weeks...take care!

No Words Needed

2009-07-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

Just a lovely spot to people watch and have a great refreshment~ or two!

Spinach and Cheddar Souffle

2009-07-16T05:54:00.000-07:00

Most of the time when I am on the road (airports), I will pick up a few magazines to help kill some of the waiting time. This recipe came from the August issue of House Beautiful. Flipping the pages, I noticed one of the Barefoot Contessa's easy and extremely delicious looking recipes and article. I was attracted to this because I read where this dish could be prepared in advance, up to two hours. The presentation of any kind of souffle when guests are seated is something that does not occur very often when I have company for dinner. Guess this is why I was so attracted to the recipe....maybe I could really pull this off! Well, it worked like a charm!

3 T. unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing dish

1/4 C. finely grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

3 T all-purpose flour

1 C. scalded milk

1/4 t. nutmeg

pinch of Cayenne

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 extra large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/2 C. grated aged Cheddar cheese, lightly packed

1 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature

1/8 t. cream of tarter

1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter the inside of a 6-to-8 cup souffle dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

2 Melt butter and stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Take pan off the heat and whisk in the hot milk, nutmeg, Cayenne, 1/2 t.salt and 1/4/t. of pepper. Cook over low heat, whisking for one minute further until thick and smooth.

3 Off the heat, but while still hot, mix in the egg yolks. Stir in the cheeses and the spinach and pour in large bowl.

4 Put egg whites, cream of tarter and pinch of salt in a bowl, beat at low speed one minute and then kick it up on medium until the egg whites are glossy with peaks.

5 Whisk 1/4 of the eggs whites into the cheese mixture to lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the souffle dish, smoothing the top. The Contessa suggests drawing a large circle on the top with a spatula and place in middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Do not open oven while baking. To make in advance, prepare recipe through step 3(adding the cheeses). Keep the mixture covered at room temperature until ready to bake.

Cheesecake Made With Ricotta

2009-07-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

After my walk this morning , I sat down to cool off, glanced through Martha's book and this is what I found. I have been watching the calories lately and knew I was treading in dangerous territory. I have REALLY been missing my desserts and thought I might be safe with this cheesecake.

Unsalted butter, soft for greasing pan

3/4 C. sugar, more for greasing pan

6 lg.eggs, separated

1 1/2 lbs. fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese

1/4 C. flour

1/4 t. salt

zest of one orange

Oven 375 degrees

1 Butter and sugar 9" spring form pan.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, cheese, flour, zest, 6 T.of the sugar and salt until mixed. Set aside

2 Mix the egg whites until foamy. Add the remaining 6 T. of sugar and beat until the egg whites are glossy and thick.

3 Gently fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the ricotta mixture until combined. Gently fold the remaining egg whites and mix. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, about one hour. One hour is all it took!

Transfer to a rack to cool, 10 minutes. Re-invert to another rack, cooling the top side of the cheesecake.

This cheesecake is best eaten the day it is made. I did keep what was left in the fridge and it was very tasty the next day for lunch.

Pain D'Avignon (Boulangerie-Cafe)

2009-06-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

The next time you visit Hyannis, MA, or if it is on the list of places to visit in the future, you may want to drop in for a cup of coffee or purchase one the various gourmet items for retail.

Pain D'Avignon Bakery is located near the airport in Hyannis.......how convenient. In fact, you actually pass by the cafe as you leave the airport property.

Inside the 15,000 sq.foot facility they bake their own Artisan breads, croissants, pies and pastries for many of New England's hotels and speciality shops, including Whole Foods and The Market at Pine Hills.

Also, the cafe is rented out for private parties or business events~one more note, they will FedEX any of the breads anywhere! Should I mention the Cranberry Pecan Rustic, Kalamata Olive, Raisin Pecan,Whole Wheat or French?

Location: 15 Hinkley Road, Hyannis, MA ~508.778.8588 www.paindavignon.com

Gurgling Away the Summer

2009-06-26T13:57:00.001-07:00

I just had to show everyone this darling little pot~I have used them for tea, milk, lemonade,water and sangria......just about any liquid you can pour. When you fill the pot half way, air gets trapped in the handle and it actually gurgles when you start pouring. Comes in oddles of luscious colors. A great conversation piece and ice-breaker! Email me if you want to know where to get one.

How About A Date!

2009-06-16T17:04:00.001-07:00

We grill many times during the week. I love cooking anything I possibly can outdoors -something about that taste the oven just can't top! This salad is perfect for steak or beef, burgers included. I love the range of colors as well as the texture and taste.....it represents summertime and a summery lightness all on one plate!

The highlight for me in this salad is the date....I don't use them too often in salads and why, I don't know. I enjoy eating dates right out of the package or stuffed with cream cheese, topped with a small sliver of ginger. The dressing I made , which I did not photograph, is very simple yet packed to the gills with intense flavors. I know there are numerous other dressings that work well with this simple salad. The dressing you might use will depend on the meat or fish you are cooking. I made my dressing with orange juice, white wine vinegar and walnut oil.

I just cut several wedges from the bibb lettuce and scattered them on a platter. Also, I sliced blue cheese into pieces and arranged the cheese on the wedges. Cut up a few dates, grab some walnuts and there you have it~ a robust salad that will compliment your barbecue and delight your taste buds!

Food for thought this Memorial Day

2009-05-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

This Memorial Day holiday we are on the road riding our motorcycles, not cooking, in Washington, D.C., with Rolling Thunder, a group of advocates for all America's armed forces nationwide and seeks to bring POW/MIA issues to the political forefront. Estimates vary, but as many as five hundred thousand motorcycles roar down Constitution and Independence Avenue in formation showing support for those who have served and are serving in our military today. It is impressive to see the thousands of on-lookers crowd along the sidewalks and curbs to salute and wave to the riders who have taken their holiday to come to Washington to speak for those who cannot.

For those readers who have family members that are serving or who have served this country, thank you for your service........

Rhubarb Sangria

2009-05-14T16:25:00.000-07:00

Not in my wildest of dreams did I ever think to add rhubarb to my repetoire and list of exotic cocktails, but guess what?And how very refreshing it is! I should clarify that by saying if you happen to enjoy rhubarb.

I have been reading a lot of recipes which include rhubarb and there are many floating around this time of year. My mother and grandmother grew rhubarb, but it was consumed strictly for pies, jams and chilled soups. They both would have enjoyed this drink.....cheers!

Rhubarb Sangria

1 C. sugar

3/4 C. water

1 bottle of sparkling rose-have it in the grocery stores

5 oz. of brandy

1 C. of red wine

2 t. lime juice

3 large stalks of rhubarb cut into 3/4 inch sections

1 t. vanilla

1 T. powdered sugar

Begin by cleaning the rhubarb stalks-chop and setting aside. Bring the sugar and water to a boil until the sugar has dissolved. Add the rhubarb.Let the rhubarb sit in the sugar solution for 5 to 10 minutes.Watch that it doesn't become too soft. Add the brandy, red wine, lime juice, vanilla, powdered sugar and stir vigorously in serving pitcher. Add the sugar water with rhubarb. Now add the sparkling rose wine at the last minute. Pour into glasses filled with ice and garnish with fruit.

Springtime in NYC

2009-05-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

I really had not planned to be in New York for the weekend, but it turned out to be one of the best I have had in years. The rain stopped, the sun decided to pop out and people began filling the walkways and aisles. Their carts and baskets were overflowing with the produce and spring delicacies brought in from NY and a few other surrounding states.

The vegetable pictures are from the market located at Union Station. The variety of vegetables ranged from wild arugula to wild ramps with their beautiful flat broad leaves to mushrooms and French fingerling potatoes. There was no shortage of anything. I only wished I was having a dinner party that weekend ~ everything I would have needed was right there in front of me! The asparagus was piled high and beautifully displayed tempting every "passer-by- er". Home-baked pies and breads were also in abundance. Did I mention the cheese and fresh butters? For a brief moment I thought I was in France~ New York City, you were beautiful this weekend.

Spring Dessert ~ Clafoutis

2009-04-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

Just arrived from France ~ spring has sprung! A friend of ours lives a few hours from Paris where she runs and operates a beautiful countryside B&B. Her home rests between fields of mustard, which were in full bloom, and wheat . For miles and miles all you could see were oceans of yellow and green~it was gorgeous! She prepared a grand lunch for us. We actually sat in the foyer with the intention of receiving the best part of the sun for that time of day. It was perfect in every way. For dessert we were served the traditional Clafoutis (Cla-foo-tea). Warm from the oven, there could not have been a better dessert.

I don't know if there is a standard

recipe for Clafoutis, I have tested many.

This recipe was heavy on the fruit side and very shy on the flour side. I tried to remember the ingredients my friend used~ no pen at the table , but easy to remember.

1 3/4 cups of mixed fruits.

1 cup of flour.

3 eggs.

2 cups of milk.

1/2 t.vanilla.

1/4 t. salt.

1/2 cup of sugar.

1 T. butter.

Butter and lightly flour a 9 inch pan or tart pan. Place the fruits in the pan. In bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Slowly pour in the milk. Whisk until blended and smooth. Add the eggs, one by one, whisking after each one. Add the vanilla. Pour the batter over the fruit. Dot with the butter and cook in oven at 400 degrees and bake until puffed , about 20-25 minutes. That's all I remember~ and I think it's right.

Modern Technology- only a dream

2009-03-31T05:26:00.000-07:00

Rich, poor.....famous and not so famous, there are always plenty of smiles in areas like this on the river. It breaks my heart to know there are children in the world today who struggle to survive. But, this is life.......

Thrashing the grain from the stocks can be quite a challenge, especially on windy days. Notice the woman in the bottom photo is beating the rice stock with a stick. This goes on for hours a day. I loved the little girl's flip - flops! The next picture is a man standing beside a thrashing machine. How does he ever breath?

Tonle Sap ~ Fresh Water River in Cambodia

2009-03-30T17:31:00.000-07:00

Getting off the beaten path while traveling is something I think many of us really enjoy. Wish I could do it more often. There are endless surprises along the roads!

The body of water where I

photographed is actually a combined lake and river. It is the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia. During the monsoon season, the river water is pushed up from the Mekong River into the lake. There is so much water that the nearby fields flood, along with many of the forests and farm lands. Hence, a flood plain which provides a perfect breeding ground for fish. Everyone fishes. After the fish are caught, they are dried and sold at the local markets ~ notice the person squatting on the makeshift drying platform. The fish are rotated several times a day to complete the natural drying process.

Life on the river continues with no interruptions when the flooding occurs. The school are floating as well as the grocery stores. Peddlers selling their wares go up and down the river all day long. Even the restaurants are floating~ cooking takes place right there on the drifting boats. Sometimes there is even a little time to play~

Floating Islands ~ Iles Flottantes

2009-03-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

Had one of those moments this afternoon wondering what could we have for dessert.....not that we really needed any tonight. Always some eggs, sugar and milk around, so off to the library!

Custard

5 large egg yolks.

1 t. vanilla.

2 1/4 cups of milk.

1/2 cup of turbinado sugar.

For the meringues

3 large egg whites.

1/3 cup of superfine sugar, plus 2 T. more.

Toasted, sliced almonds for garnish.

1/2 cup of turbinado sugar for the caramel.

I heated the milk in the microwave to give it a head start. Whisk the yolks in a bowl that can be placed in water. Fill a pan with at least one inch of water, place bowl in water and heat the egg mixture until a custard consistency. Keep whisking. This will take about seven to ten minutes. After the egg mixture has thickened, pour and cool in individual bowls and cover with plastic wrap. Let cool.

For the meringues, I was not to sure how all of this was going to shake out, but it did! Line a cookie sheet with a dish towel. Fill a skillet with water and bring water to a light boil. While the water is getting ready, beat the egg whites until soft peaks have formed, gradually adding the sugar. Take large spoons and gather up the egg whites and then drop into the simmering water. Simmer for thirty seconds on each side. Remove meringues with slotted spoon and place on the towel lined tray. Repeat until you have about ten to twelve meringues. You have just made the islands!

Place two meringues in each bowl and add the almonds. Heat up a small pan and add the sugar. Heat until it melts and turns golden in color. Drizzle the caramel on top of the meringues. Server warm or chilled.

Risotto pea soup with mint~

2009-03-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

There is always a bag of peas in the freezer, right? My kids needed bags of frozen peas to place on injuries when they were playing sports in school. The formation of the bag on a knee or ankle seemed to do the trick. Now days, the peas just exist, tucked away waiting for some useful purpose.

Well, today they are being put to use~not the same peas......

Ingredients for soup:

1 onion, chopped finely.

3 T. butter.

1 cup of risotto.

1 1/2 quarts of chicken broth.

2 T. of olive oil.

6 oz. of chopped pancetta.

2 T. of chopped fresh mint.

Salt and pepper to taste.

grated parmesan cheese for topping.

1 12oz. bag of peas, thawed or fresh.

Melt butter in pan and add onion and ham. Cook over medium heat for five minutes or until the onions are translucent. Place half of the peas in a food processor with the olive oil until pureed. Add the rice to the onion mixture. Pour in the broth and the pureed pea mixture. Simmer for fifteen minutes, uncovered. Keep mixture stirred. Add the rest of the peas, salt and pepper and cook for another eight to ten minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir in the chopped mint. You can add a bit more broth is you feel the soup is too thick. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cheese. Serves four~ just a nice Spring soup!

2009-03-26T17:32:00.001-07:00

Let-us be creative!

2009-03-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

Not only do the French have a gusto for food, presentation is right there next in line! Deciding on a centerpiece, according to Susan Loomis, should consist of no pressure and be fresh and enticing ~ how is this for enticement?

Susan concentrated on what was at hand and went from there. At an outdoor market located not too far from where we were cooking, Susan picked out some fresh herbs and tossed them along side this beautiful head of lettuce.To add a bit of color, she popped a few sweet grapes for contrast. Susan was able to turn something so simple into something spectacular with the wink of an eye ~ she constantly entertains a la Francaise. Now, my version was not as extensive, but I gave it a whirl and tried my hand with the raw ingredients at hand. My lettuce creation is the picture on the top. Try one yourself this Spring with all those beautiful green leaves from your garden.

Nutmeg ~ topping off the rice pudding

2009-03-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

To help celebrate the arrival of Spring, I splurged this afternoon by making one of my favorite desserts, rice pudding. I poured all of the whipping cream into the mixture leaving none for that little dab on the top. Then I remembered that special little jar tucked away in the spice drawer. As soon as the top was twisted off, I could tell this was indeed going to be a treat.

I started buying whole nutmeg a while ago. Now it is difficult to use anything else. I love the color that is exposed as it slowly shrinks in size. There is such a difference in the taste by grating it yourself. I was in Whole Foods in January and they were selling (giving) plastic containers filled with the nuts for 25 cents. I grabbed up as many as I could and passed them out to all my friends. Never knew so much excitement could be created by such a little nut~

A few of you may be aware that I opened a store sometime ago. I have dedicated all my time to that business and my family and have not had the time to keep up with posting. I have missed

reading so many of your posts and
looking at the great photos of your creations ~ things are slowing down and I have a bit of free time which I have not had in months! Hopefully, I can now do some catching up!

My Big Purchase

2008-11-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

A trip to Dehillerin is always a treat. How do they ever remember where everything is in this place? After you have compiled your list and located what you wanted to buy, you discover one more item that you just have to have in your kitchen.......well, this is what I found, that one more item that I still can't believe I dragged all the way back home to Florida. My blind-baked crusts will never shrink or puff up again, not with these. These pie weights are special~they will work because I purchased them in Paris.....and from the legendary store so many of us enjoy. No more beans or rice when baking my crusts!

Pommes Farcies Aux Poireaux Et Creme-Apples with leeks and cream

2008-11-15T03:38:00.000-08:00

Not very often do I venture into the world of leeks. I don't quite exactly know why, but I think it has something to do with grit and sand~just when I think I have scrubbed and rinsed until my fingers have shriveled, I will bite down on something that should not be there. There first time I was preparing leeks, I was completely unaware about washing and the importance of cleaning between the leaves and root areas. Complete disaster as you can imagine. My latest experience proved to be a success in every respect! This recipe is adapted from Susan Loomis, author of On Rue Tatin.

1 C. water

1 Dried bay leaf

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

4 Large apples

2 T.unsalted butter

The white part of four large leeks, WELL rinsed and diced

2 T. to 1/4 C. bottled water

1/4 C. creme fraiche or heavy cream

Sweet cicely or flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cored apples in a baking dish and pour the water around the apples. Remember to remove one strip of skin from the apple so it does not burst during the baking process. Add the bay leaf to water. Lightly salt the inside of the apples.

Place 1 T. of the butter and the chopped leeks in heavy saucepan, cook and stirring until leeks are transparent. Add the water, stir and cover pan. Continue cooking until leeks are tender, about 10 minutes, adding additional water if needed to keep the leeks from sticking.

Transfer cooked leeks to a bowl where you add the cream. Stir and season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently fill each apple with equal amounts of mixture, pressing it into the cavity and mounding it on top, if possible. Top each apple with 1/4 of the remaining butter.

Bake in center of oven until apples are tender and leeks are golden brown for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, serve on warmed plates and garnish. Serve immediately.

Sunday in the Park-Jardin du Luxenbourg

2008-11-07T06:47:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures I just had to share-what a way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Joggers were pounding the dirt, babies pushed in exquisite strollers, bookworms parked on park chairs, all images of the unhurried Parisian.

On Rue Tatin in Paris

2008-11-05T19:05:00.000-08:00

Bienvenue! Last week I made a very quick trip to Paris and had the opportunity to meet Susan Herrmann Loomis. She is the author of On Rue Tatin, Farmhouse Cookbook, French Farmhouse Cookbook, The Great American Seafood Cookbook and the Italian Farmhouse Cookbook. I can't keep up with all of these books! What talent! Anyway, the class was held in the cooking apartment belonging to Patricia Wells. Should you ever have an extra day or week while visiting the city, try to include a lesson or two from Susan. She is a delight to work with and very entertaining!

The menu for the day consisted of two favorite dishes of Susans', "Pintate Aux Agrumes Aux Legumes De La Ferme" (braised Guinea hen with citrus and farm vegetables) and "Pommes Farcies Aux Poireaux Et Creme" (apples stuffed with leeks and cream). After the completion of the dishes, we were able to sit down for the tasting.....then critique our creations. None of us had any negative comments! For dessert we made a pear clafoutis, which melted in my mouth. The entire experience was charming and how wonderful it was to be back in my favorite spot on the globe!

Slow Roasted Tomatoes and Fall

2008-10-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

I find it hard to believe fall is here again.

Where has the time gone? Getting the new store up and running has been a chore, to say the least. Anyway, I have been cooking, but not much, and thought I would share this recipe.

I just returned from visiting my sister in Erie, PA... She has an abundance of tomatoes still growing. We popped some into the oven and devoured them as fast as they came out. Not only were the tomatoes delicious, but the colors that surrounded her garden and neighborhood were spectacular. I have to share some other pictures!

Serves six.

6 tomatoes, sliced in half.

1 T. of balsamic vinegar on each half.

1 t. of honey on each half.

1 T. of olive oil on each half.

2 garlic cloves, sliced very thin.

salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the tomato halves cut- side up on baking dish or tray. Place a slice of garlic on each tomato and then drizzle with the honey, oil and vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste . Roast until lightly browned. This may take an hour. Drizzle with a bit more oil and vinegar before serving. Serve the tomatoes chilled or at room temperature.

Lunch in Mumbai

2008-08-31T01:07:00.000-07:00

Traveling as far as thirty miles away, the dabbawalas begin each day by picking up homemade lunches and delivering them to workers either in an office or factories in Mumbai. As you can imagine, being the second most populated city in the world, the traffic in this city is crowded and often jammed beyond reason, preventing people from leaving their workplace to eat lunch. Under British rule, this was the way many British workers dined......also, workers spend a great deal of time commuting to and from work making lunchtime totally unfeasible to travel away from the office for lunch.

For a small fee, the dabbawalas arrive around 9:30 to pick up the specially designed containers and off they go, either on bike or foot, to the final destination. Mass lunch brigades on coffin like platforms arrive by train and then are picked up by a very organized team and delivered to the designated destination. You will notice on the lunch containers codes to determine what train the lunches will be carried on and the code for final delivery. Churchgate Station is a great location to witness the incredible display of teamwork. The action commences around 11:30am when containers are loaded off the trains and grouped for delivery. To top it all off, the lunch containers(tiffins)are then picked up after lunch and delivered back home, ready to prepare for the next day. Needless to say, scheduling and timeliness are essential for this profession.

Delights From The Chianti Region!

2008-07-31T04:56:00.000-07:00

It is impossible for a "certain" group of us to pass by a market or grocery store anywhere! Endless displays of food catch my eye and entertain me for longer than is necessary.....many times I get that tug on the shirt indicating, "let's go"....guess it is just a "foodie thing".

I do so appreciate all the talented people in the food world for their outstanding dedication and creations for all of us to enjoy and sometime taste!

Hope your summer is going well..........

Caramelised Mushrooms

2008-07-30T18:27:00.000-07:00

Here is a very special "Aussie" recipe and easy appetizer, especially if you are fond of mushrooms~and goat cheese! The flavor lingers long after the last bite!

8 oz. button mushrooms

1 T. olive oil

2 T. brown sugar

1-2 T. balsamic vinegar

8 oz. goat cheese

1 French Baguette, sliced and toasted

A few sprigs of fresh arugula

Place the mushrooms, sugar, oil and vinegar in a small bowl and toss until well coated. Place and cook in a non-stick frying pan for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring until the sauce begins to caramelize. Spread the goat chesse on the thinly sliced baguette and top with mushrooms and arugula. Now invite some friends over for a bite and glass of chilled white wine! Enjoy!