July 30th, 2010 by admin
This past week was spent in the incredibly breathtakingly panoramic Jackson Hole, eating and drinking with friends and family, touring the Grand Teton National Park, and sitting poolside, just relaxing for a few hours.
One of the more memorable meals was at Snake River Grill, off the main square of downtown Jackson Hole.
It’s a culinary institution in Jackson, having won number awards for its cuisine and wine lists.
One of the dishes ordered during the course of the evening was a warmed fig appetizer, with melted Gorgonzola cheese, oozing goodness and sweetness with the first bite.
This is fresh fig season. It will last until late fall, but August and September the black mission figs are at their peak and should be utilized when available. Figs, a staple in California cuisine for years, are a fruit that most people only know from the cookie of the 60’s - Fig Newtons. They are a far cry from biting into a fresh fig, with a claret hued center and dark mahogany skin bursting with sweetness.
I grew up with figs growing in our backyard. A massive black mission fig tree, symbolic of Italian cuisine, was evident in almost every Italian household yard. Every year, my mother would send me several empty egg cartons filled with figs from the garden for my birthday in mid-September. A bit of home in a styrofoam container. I would eat a dozen in an afternoon.
I have a first-year fig tree beginning to resemble a “tree” growing in my backyard, with one little fig produced so far. I am hoping it grows into a massive fig producing specimen…to supply me with my favorite summertime treat for years to come, just as my mother’s tree in Brooklyn did for so many years.
Here’s a recipe for the figs served at Snake River Grill. Easy, delicious, seasonal. A perfect first course this time of the year.
FIG - GORGONZOLA BITES
12 whole black mission figs, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 pound Gorgonzola dolce (a soft, sweeter blue cheese) or use Cambozola cheese
24 hazelnuts
3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or Saba
ground black pepper
Cut the figs in half lengthwise. Place on a baking sheet. Top each with about 1/2 teaspoon cheese and one hazelnut. Bake in 400o oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted and the figs have warmed through.
Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle very lightly with vinegar and grind with black pepper. Serve at once.
Makes 24 figs bites.
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July 23rd, 2010 by admin
It’s been awhile since I posted anything substantial on my blog. For good reasons. Life took a detour and ended up in a very remote and foreign land.
It all began in late May, May 31st to be exact. My former husband called me on what would have been our 40th anniversary to wish me a “happy anniversary”. I was out of town for the weekend. We had been divorced almost 8 years, but he remembered this day every year. His voice sounded strange - very weak and his speech was slurred. I wondered if he hadn’t had a little alcohol to celebrate the date. When I mentioned this, his response was that he was tired, couldn’t sleep and no, had not been imbibing since he was training for an ultra marathon in September.
The next day his speech was just as slurred when he picked me up from the airport. His right hand had a slight tremor. His chest hurt. He had gone to a pulmonologist to have his chest examined that day and the doctor could not find anything to indicate problems. Just a slightly elevated thyroid. I know that thyroid problems can create speech disorders and tremors, so I wasn’t too concerned.
A few days later, it was apparent that the slurred speech, hand tremors and sleepless nights were getting worse. Another doctor, a neurologist, performed an MRI. Another doctor put a EKG and EEG monitor on his chest for 48 hours to check his heart rythmn. Two weeks into this disorder and his health was failing. No appetite, poor balance and weight loss. He was agitated, highly stressed. This from a man who ran marathons, ultra marathons and ate voraciously. June 13th, Father’s Day, was painful. He could hardly walk. He barely ate the brunch I had prepared for him - his favorite of waffles, sausages, fresh fruit and coffee. This was the last day he was able to drive his car.
On June 23rd, another doctor (internist) ordered a spinal tap to eliminate possibilities of ALS, MS, Parkinsons, and any degenerative brain disease three weeks into the first symptoms. I took him to this exam. The doctor was concerned. He had lost 14 pounds in 3 weeks; went from 178 to 164. He couldn’t stand without assistance. His speech was terribly slurred. He had a hard time concentrating. Couldn’t do crosswords. Couldn’t read books he loved.
On Thursday, June 24th, Bob couldn’t get out of bed. He was supposed to remain flat on his back for 24 hours to prevent dizziness from the spinal tap, but he was too tired and weak to even try to get up.
The next day, Friday, June 25th, he had a 9 o’clock appointment with a noted cardiologist at Intermountain Medical Center because his heart tests proved to be troublesome. I had to work that morning, so a dear friend drove him to the appointment, and then was going to drive him to mediations he had scheduled for that afternoon.
At 9:45 am I received the call that he was being admitted into the hospital. His heart was failing. Maybe a pacemaker. Maybe an ablation. But he was being sent directly to Cardiac ICU.
When I arrived in his room early that afternoon, a team of doctors were trying to piece together this broken man. Heart failure team, the cardiologist, the neurologist team, and the nerve team. Serious. Very serious. He was hooked up to monitors everywhere. ICU for three days until the heart was stabilized. By Monday, he was moved from ICU to the cardio floor. More tests. More doctors. By now the heart was pumping well and a pacemaker was not in the picture. Maybe an ablation. That team pretty much had done their jobs and released him from their care until further studies.
After four days on the cardio floor, neurologists couldn’t figure out what the problems stemmed from; they were baffled. All tests came back negative. The ALS, the MS, the Parkinsons. Only one test remained outstanding. Neurologists concluded it was a brain stem cancer. A move to the neurology floor to give him a better chance of recovery. T-14. We were hopeful. Two days later, no change. Maybe it’s Hashimoto’s Encephalopathy. Let’s get that steriod treatment going. Two days later, no change.
Our son, Justin, flew in on July 1st to visit his dad. He was shocked at his state of health. What shall we do? Move him to a top hospital such as the Mayo? UCLA? No, he was getting the best care right here. The doctors will figure it out. It will be soon. Justin flew back home on the morning of July 4th, with plans to come back the following week. He had a full calendar at work for the next week.
By July 4th, he could hardly walk from the bed to the bathroom without assistance. His weight was dropping drastically. Doctors were pumping him with carbs. Get that weight up, please! Down to 157 pounds, nearly 20 pounds lighter than one month earlier. Visitors brought strawberry shakes, I brought burgers and fries, anything to get some meat on those bones. Nothing worked. He had no appetite.
Tuesday, July 6th. Dr. Call, the neurologist on staff that week, cornered me in the hall. He showed me a sheet of paper he had just received from the Prion Center at Case Western where the final spinal tap test was performed. 85.1% postive for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. I knew what that was. I fell to my knees.
Fatal. No possibility of treatment. Dr. Call went into the room and talked with the patient. Laid it on the line. It was the hardest day of my life. How long, he asked? Weeks at most.
The room was spinning. How can we go from hopeful to fatal in such a matter of hours? Bob was stoic. He always was. Okay, he said. I was hoping for 20 more years, but, I guess not. I held his hand, I cried. He cried. I called my son in San Diego who then called my daughter in Boston. She had just moved there 9 days earlier so her husband could complete his residency at U-Mass. When she called him at the hospital and gave the diagnosis, he groaned, “Oh God.” My daughter packed that day for herself and her twin three year olds and was on the next flight out in the morning.
Bob was in full control. Had his real estate attorney, his estate planning attorney, and his list was being composed for the memorial services. We discussed what he wanted, who he wanted to speak, and such.
It was a whirlwind of a day. I was on the phone all day, inbetween comforting and tears.
Our daughter arrived the next day with the two little girls in tow. We cried as she descended from the escalator and Gianna ran towards me, yelling “Mimi, Mimi”, and jumped up into my arms. A heartbreaking memory.
I dropped my daughter off at the hospital, warning of his condition and his appearance. I took the girls back to my house for lunch and a nap. The next few days were a blur of shuttling back and forth to the hospital. Word had gotten out about his condition and people were showing up at the hospital in droves. Enough. I had a list of those who were permitted to visit. Others, sorry. This was the time for family and close friends only.
Hospice was taking over. They were great. His final days were going to be at my house, in the dining room, overlooking the garden. Hospital bed was set up at 10 am on Thursday, July 8th. At 11 am, I got a call from Sarah at the hospital that another neurologist wanted to perform a “Hail Mary” treatment. Bob wanted it. Okay, bed had to be picked up. Friday morning was the insertion of the three catheters in his neck. A nightmare reaction to the medication. Four hours of intense convulsions. Five of us to hold him down to prevent the catheters from being pulled out. Everyone involved was shocked at the reation. This is not what we wanted, not what he wanted, for sure. After he was pumped with enough sedatives, the first of the three treatments was performed in his room. By 4 pm, Bob was sedated enough to sleep.
At 8 am the next morning, while feeding breakfast to the girls, I got the call that Bob wanted to see me. Sarah was already at the hospital. She had spent the night with her dad, by his side, watching his condition deteriorate by the hour. Bob was visited by the neurologist at 9 am and announced that he was done. No more treatments. He was ready to go. The doctor was relieved, I think. He could see it would not be beneficial at all. That Saturday was a transition from hospital care to hospice care in less than 3 hours. A team from Hospice took over, gave us the rundown for the next few days, and everything was in place for Bob’s final days to be spent in the same room at the hospital with the most attentive care of an incredibly supportive staff.
We stood vigil; he was animated (as much as he could be). He was fitted with a catheter for urine. He was not given any food or water, since he couldn’t eat or drink without choking. Meds were administered.
By Sunday, his weight was down to 148. A shell of a person. Bob was somewhat lucid; heard everything we said and made gestures to keep us laughing. We joked. We cried. By Sunday night, he closed his eyes, never to open them again. His breathing was erratic.
The nurses were amazing. The doctors supportive. Justin was called on Tuesday morning that his dad had maybe hours to a few days remaining. He flew in that night and went straight to his dad’s bedside.
Wednesday, July 14th. Bob was not responsive. He couldn’t move. Breathing was labored. We counted the breaths. Justin and I stayed until 10 pm. Sarah wanted to remain at the hospital. The girls had not seen their mom for hours. They needed Mimi and Justin there in the morning.
At 4:15 on Thursday morning, the 15th of July, I sat up in bed, startled by something. I called Sarah’s cell phone at the hospital. He was breathing with difficulty. I got up, showered, dressed, answered some emails, and started making blueberry waffles for the girls’ breakfast. At 7:21 am the phone rang.
It was Sarah’s cell phone. All I heard was wailing. I knew. “We’ll be right there!” I said. I screamed down to Justin in the basement where he was getting ready. I called my next door neighbor, Mary, to watch the girls until I could get reinforcements. The twins were still sleeping, so they never saw the transition from Mimi to Mary who was at my door in less than 30 seconds, dressed for the day. Justin and I drove in silence all the way to the hospital, a 20 minute drive with no traffic.
I used valet parking for the first time in 3 weeks. We ran to the elevators and up to the 14th floor.
Sarah was sitting and crying in the waiting room with two other friends who were there when Bob passed. The nurses were getting him ready for us to visit one more time. I couldn’t believe this day had come. Relieved. Sad. Confused.
We went into his room for the final time. His spirit had left him. A shell of a man. Still warm. Not the Bob who entered the hospital almost three weeks earlier. We held his hand, kissed his forehead, and said goodbye for an hour. Some more relatives and a good friend came to say goodbye, too. It was over.
Now the hard part. The funeral, the mourning, the excrutiating sadness for my children to lose their dad at such a young age. The grandchildren will not grow up with the love of Grandpa Bob as their grandfather. He loved them. He adored them. They loved him. They adored him.
A weekend of planning, phone calls, endless guests in and out of the house, food being delivered by friends and neighbors, stories of Bob, tales of better times, and lots of liquid refreshments. Lots.
Bob’s funeral services were attended by over 300 mourners. We buried him on July 19, 2010, eight years to the day of our divorce. Life is strange. Life goes in waves, peaks, and valleys. These last 50 days were a rollercoaster ride of unprecedented proportions. And now the hard part. The sadness. The loneliness of the holidays for my children, and the realization that Bob will never see his granddaughters grow up or see and future grandchildren be born.
People grieve in different and individual ways. Some people come by and just listen and comfort. Others create drama around their grief, making life more difficult for those around them because it’s all about them, of course. And others just crawl into a shell and then don’t come out for days. I have experienced all of the above. But until all this is digested and has passed, then we all need to be kind and considerate. Kisses and hugs. Food and wine. Laughter and tears. And patience. Lots and lots of patience.
Love to all my dear friends and family who supported us through the last 2 months of medical hell.
We appreciate you all so much. Your food sustained us. Your hugs comforted us. Your stories revitalized us. Your love touched us.
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July 3rd, 2010 by admin
It’s July 3rd, I know. But here in the State of Utah, if a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is celebrated the day before. Don’t ask. Yeah.
So the fireworks, barbeques, parades and all the other 4th of July hoopla is going on today and tonight. Tomorrow, well I guess some of will celebrate again in true patriotic fashion.
But I thought I would take images of garden and other 4th of July memories today. It’s a
gorgeous day here and if this day could be bottled and preserved, it would perfection in glass. No wind, a slight breeze, temperatures in the 70’s, sunny.
Happy 4th of July no matter what day you choose to celebrate. Happy Birthday America!
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June 15th, 2010 by admin
It has begun, the summer concert season. The first of this summer’s concerts at Red Butte Gardens is tomorrow night with Steve Martin and his banjo and band…yes, that Steve Martin. I will be attending with friends, picnic basket laden with a movable feast.
There is something about eating on blankets, laid out corner to corner with neighboring concert-goers, under the stars (or rain showers), bundled in warm jackets and jeans waiting for the shows to begin.
Eyeing the picnic baskets of the blankets in close proximity always intrigues me. Some folks prepare meals from scratch, others pick up a bucket of fried chicken, some packaged salads and bags of chips. Personally, I like to pack a small buffet. Something for everyone. Even those not included in the party but are oogling the fare. We share.
It seems that food tastes better when eaten with rudimentary utensils. No crystal, no china, no silver. Just sturdy plastic glasses, plates and forks. Passing the platters of cheese and fruit, muffaletta sandwiches, chunky potato salad, sliced tomatoes with basil and mozzarella, and of course a sweet to finish off the meal always seems more appetizing when balanced precariously. Bottles of fine wines are opened. Glasses are filled before and during the concerts. It’s a fine way to spend a summer’s evening. Bundled with friends, sated from fine foods, and the sounds of live music, from banjo strumming ragtime to symphonic movements and operatic choruses.
Here are a few menu ideas and recipes that might bring enjoyment to a summer evening under the stars, prepared with love at home, then transported to your favorite location.
Caprese Sandwich with Portobello Mushrooms
Caprese incorporates the flavorsome combination of basil, tomatoes and mozzarella. With the addition of grilled portobellos, this sandwich provides a more substantial meal. Perfect for take-along picnics when the dressing is drizzled on the sandwich just before ready to serve.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 clove garlic, minced
4 large Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1 red onion, sliced into four ½” thick slices, keeping the onions in tact, not in rings
4 focaccia, ciabatta or Kaiser rolls, about 4” diameter
1 cup mixed greens, 1 cup baby spinach or 4 red leaf lettuce leaves
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced into 8 slices
2 large beefsteak or other meaty tomatoes in season, sliced into 8 slices
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Dressing
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
Combine the olive oil, salt, and garlic in a bowl. Brush both sides of mushrooms with oil mixture. Heat a skillet, indoor grill pan or outdoor grill to medium. Cook the mushrooms over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until softened. Brush the onions
with the oil mixture and grill for 2-3 minutes per side. (Can be done several hours ahead).
Cut the bread in half horizontally and place the greens on bottom half of each bread, two slices of mozzarella, 2 slice of tomato, a few basil leaves, one grilled mushroom, and red onions. Whisk ingredients for dressing in a small bowl. Drizzle each of the sandwiches with some of the dressing, place the tops on the sandwich, cut in half horizontally, and serve at once. Makes 4 whole/8 half sandwiches.
NOTE: If transporting the sandwiches, assemble them without the dressing, and then dress the sandwiches just before serving.
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June 10th, 2010 by admin
I know that summer is not quite here yet, but there is a salad that seems to be synonymous with the season - a Caprese. Now, I know it’s been done, been there, over-hyped on menus, but it is one of those salads that seem to be everyone’s favorite. Whether you are growing your own tomatoes and basil, or finding some fat, succulent early varieties in the market, a perfectly prepared Caprese is one I never seem to tire.
For a class last week, I found some tomatoes on the vine at the market which had that distinctive tomato aroma. Both red and yellow varieties. And then some fresh basil plants just waiting to be plucked and used right next to the tomatoes. Down the aisles to the cheese section was a container of *perline* mozzarella, pearl sized mozzarella balls, hence the name.
Slicing the tomatoes 1/4″ thick, placed in a concentric circle with yellows in the center, red on the perimeter, they were topped with julienne cut basil leaves, and then the mozzarella balls, drained of their whey.
For dressing, I drizzled my finest extra virgin olive oil over the entire salad, sprinkled on finishing salt (coarser than kosher), and then a bit of ground black pepper. No vinegar necessary. Tomatoes are acidic enough. A salad so easy to prepare couldn’t be more eye-catching. Topped with a chive blossom for color and a basil sprig, it was finished!
Come August and September, this salad will be making more of an appearance on my dining table, when my tomatoes are ready for picking and the basil leaves are the size of small paddles. I can’t wait. But in the meantime, these vine-ripened tomatoes will have to do.
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June 1st, 2010 by admin
As the week of food and wine, rain and clouds, old and newly made friends fades, the city of Portland always amazes me. The forefront of everything delicious, delectable, and a little decadent, this food mecca is always in transition. In flux for the better. New restaurants, bakeries, coffee, cheese, chocolate shops, and wineries seem to pop up overnight and within a few weeks, are the entire buzz, the rage and the “must go to” location.
Very few cities can sustain the number of restaurants that Portland boasts year to year. This trip included visits to some the newest kids on the block. Exciting menus, both for dinner and for the bar were discovered.
My short, very early morning flight into PDX was uneventful (thank God), a car was rented, and the drive into the city was in a downpour. No surprise, it’s Portland!
My first stop in town is always The Grand Central Baking Company on Hawthorne Avenue (they have six locations). Needing breakfast, something to tide me over till dinner, I opted for their special of the day – toasted brioche, topped with thick peppered smoked bacon slices, a mixed green salad topped with a fried egg. (Note…a fried egg on everything is the rage in this city!) A cup of Stumptown coffee accompanied the breakfast. Perfect. A little shopping therapy along Hawthorne Avenue was next in line. Imelda’s. Their shoes would make its namesake green with envy. Then I headed back home.
Dinner that night was at Pok Pok, a short walk from the house, located on Division and 32nd Street. Andy Ricker’s first foray onto the restaurant scene has been opened about 5 years, and from day one has created a local and national buzz for his authentic Thai cuisine and creative beverages at his funky house/garage/street side location. Expect long lines every night so either get there early or make a reservation if you have a large party. If alone or a party of two, sit up to the bar and enjoy one of the most unique meals in town. Roasted half hen with Thai spices, sticky rice and an eggplant salad for dinner was more than enough for one, and two could have easily shared. Bar seating is my choice at Pok Pok, for I always meet the most interesting folks as my dining neighbors, such as this night – a food writer here in Portland where the talk was of course, food and wine, local chefs, and places I must try. Walking back home in the rain concluded a fine Portland day.
Day two. A brisk jaunt to Stumptown Coffee on Division Street and 47th. A hot brew with the local paper. I felt so at home. Then a short walk across the street to Petite Provence on Division and 49th, a charming little bistro offering house made pastries, breads and a variety of coffee drinks and teas. Breakfast was a simple artichoke, basil and tomato omelete with a side of fresh fruit. Breakfast also comes with a choice of croissant or house made breads. I opted for the giant croissant. Enough for 2 to share.
Then a brisk walk in the rain back home. The deck was to be cleaned and the gardens were going to be tamed. So, I stuck around to supervise. Afterwards, another short walk to Division and the shops that entice. Fleur de Lis, Portico, and a new comer, Taste Unique at 2134 Division. A husband and wife team opened this little eatery featuring traditional Italian take out dishes. Lasagnas, tiramisu, pestos, fresh pastas, tomato sauces. Some are in the frozen cases, some freshly made that day ready to pop in the oven at home. Your choice. They were having a Sicilian dinner that night for 12 participants, but it was totally booked. For $25 per person, 4 courses, I was curious to taste and so were the other 12 diners. Wine is not included, but at $6 per glass, it’s a bargain. Next time I’m in town I will attempt a reservation for their speciality dinners. Check out their schedule at www.tasteunique.com.
Dinner turned out to be at the most anticipated new darling on the dining scene – Olympic Provisions at 107 SE Washington.
Situated in a restored warehouse, the industrial feel remains tastefully designed and decorated. Floor to ceiling windows, open kitchen, subway tiled workspace and a mirrored bar with more top shelf bottles than one can imagine. And the menu – well, let’s say it’s original, varied and so reasonably priced, it’s obvious why there is a wait time for up to an hour for one of the few tables or a spot at the kitchen viewing bar watching the two chefs working at full speed to keep pace with orders.
This is casual dining at its best. To start the evening’s feast, a charcuterie platter of housemade salamis, sausages, and pate, accompanied by bread, pickled red onions, cornichons, and hot mustard was a reasonable $12.
Charcuterie is Portland’s darling first course. There is one offered on almost every menu in every new establishment, and most places are making their own sausages and pates. Some places such as Olympic Provisions, do it perfectly. And if not housemade, then the meats are no doubt from Chop Butchery and Charcuterie at 735 NW 21st Avenue and also selling at the downtown Saturday Farmer’s Market. But I digress…..
A plate of seared marinated quail, braised Swiss chard and preserved chili was a winner for $12 - another meat course dish.
For fish dishes, we opted for soft shell crab on potato-bacon hash (hash combinations are another newly discovered menu item in Portland)
and seared spring chinook salmon, perfectly cooked with spring vegetables in a light broth were both $12, once again so reasonably priced for the quanity and quality of the dish.
You can’t have dinner without salad, right? How about roasted beets, oranges, pistachios, shaved ricotta salata on a minty yogurt sauce? $5. Yup. For all that goodness.
Another salad – chickpeas, red leaf lettuce, sopressata, French butter radishes, olives with sliced hard boiled egg for $7.
I tell ya’…I don’t know how they do it. But it’s such a refreshing concept. Good food at reasonable prices.
For desserts – all made on premise in full view from the bar area – are either $5 or $6. While waiting for our table, we watched the evening’s fresh from the oven cookie selection being plated. Warm double chocolate, ginger and shortbread cookies. Rhubarb galette with sour cream ice cream
and coffee hazelnut toffee ice cream were our choices.
Both dreamily rich. With coffee. All that food – and 4 glasses of wine. $110.
Now, honestly, the number of courses we ordered was over-the-top extravagant. I would say share the charcuterie. Share one fish dish. And order just one salad and one dessert. But, rarely do you read a menu where almost EVERYTHING sounds enticing, as it did here. It was all so delicious, and the portions are not overly generous. Perfect small plates, but we were stuffed. I highly recommend Olympic Provisions. Same owners as downtown’s Clyde Common. They do right by respecting food, their customers and their locations.
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May 24th, 2010 by admin
I woke up this morning to the quietness of white flakes floating down past my bedroom window. At first, I thought I was dreaming. When I went to bed last night, it was raining, hard. The calming sound of rain on the roof was welcoming. But snow? Not predicted for May 24th, but sure ‘nuf, snow it was. Record breaking for the latest date of snow in the valley. Why? After I just spent days tenderly planting these tomatoes, heirlooms and beefsteaks, six prolific basil plants, and a few other vegetable garden specialties.
I had covered my 16 tomato plants two days ago with plastic bags because the weatherman had predicted cold temperatures, NOT SNOW. Basil plants were also under protection. My only hope is that the warmth of the plastic coverings saved their short lives. Remember that scene in “Father of the Bride” where snow fell on the day of Banks-McKenzie wedding in San Marino? I felt like I needed to go out with my hairdryer and give my plants a blast of heat.
It was just a few days ago that I sauntered into the kitchen herb garden to snip chives and their blossoms, mint leaves, a few basil leaves and oregano. I so missed that experience this winter.
And now…they are under a blanket of snow. Please, please be strong little plants. I don’t want to have to replace you! I need my two herb pesto, my tomatoes for Caprese salad, my oregano for grilled chicken with lemon and garlic, and an array of mint for desserts.
So, buck up little buckaroos…and make it through this weather-related crisis. You can do it!
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May 23rd, 2010 by admin
It’s been the weirdest merry month of May. Cold, rain, snow. So, what to do when golf is not an option, skiing is over (except for Snowbird), and you’ve exhausted all gardening and movie options.
You bake. And bake. And test more recipes for baking (next cookbook…”Small Sweet Indulgences”).
So today I tested three recipes. A Whidbey Island Berry Buckle, Raspberry Filled Sandwich Cookie, and Umberto, an Italian tea cookie that has honey and rum flavoring.
I figure if I do 5 recipes a week, I can get through all 100 recipes for the book by October 1st, deadline for manuscript. Obviously, I can’t give you the recipe for these goodies just yet, but I just wanted to get the mouthwatering thoughts of all these sweets motivating you to maybe make something for dessert. So here’s a recipe for a quick, very quick topping for the berries in the market now. Strawberries are so succulent. Blackberries are juice bursting bites of flavor.
And the oversized blueberries are perfect for mixing with other fruits.
I had this easy topping over raspberries, sliced strawberries and blackberries last night for a finale to a simple meal of steamed artichokes, crabcakes and endive-cucumber-tomato salad. Easiest dinner to create, and an easier non-sweet finale.
Served in martini glasses, festive, beautifully presented and deceptively simple. Try it. Trust me, you’ll keep this one in your memory/recipe bank all summer.
Fresh fruit, waiting to be topped
LEMON CURD-YOGURT TOPPING FOR FRESH FRUIT
8 ounce container Greek non-fat plain yogurt
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
1 heaping tablespoon prepared lemon curd (Stonewall Kitchen and Dickenson make great curd)
Mint leaves for garnish
Fresh fruit of choice: berries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, sliced mangoes, pineapple chunks
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Allow to sit for 1 hour for flavors to meld, if time permits.
Place mixed berries in a bowl and drizzle with topping. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs. Easy. And kids love it too. Makes enough topping for 4-6 servings. Spring has sprung so let’s celebrate with lemon, mint and berries!
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May 17th, 2010 by admin
Shopping the aisles of Costco last week, I was intrigued by a Mexican papaya, green skinned large fruit costing about $3.99. It found its way into my basket. I needed to use this unusual fruit in something!
The papaya is about 10″ in length and about 5″ in diameter. After cutting away the outer skin (it’s very thin and pliable), the papaya was cut in half lengthwise. Then the black seeds were scraped out and discarded.
Cut into 2″ pieces, the papaya was coarsely chopped in the food processor, pulsed on and off about 5 times. Placed in a medium bowl, a small jicama was peeled, coarsely chopped and added to the processor and chopped on and off, again until salsa sized. Added to the bowl with the papaya, 1/4 of a red onion, 1 small jalapeno (seeded), 1 cup cilantro leaves and 1/2 red bell pepper (coarsely cut) was added to the processor. Again, pulsed on and off until chopped, not pureed. To the bowl with papaya and jicama it went.
Tossed gently with juice of 2 limes, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar and tasted for seasoning. The salsa should be ready to eat at this stage of the game, a pale pink hue with flecks of red from the bell pepper, green from the cilantro and jalapeno, and the purple of the red onion with a slight crunch from the jicama.
Serve with tortilla chips, on grilled fish, on the side of your favorite quesadilla or on your omelet. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Makes about 3 cups of salsa.
It will wow! your guests since it has a lovely spring pink color palate. And the taste! Mild yet spicy. It will be your go-to salsa for summer.
Ingredients for salsa:
PAPAYA SALSA
1 large Mexican papaya
1 small jicama (about 3″ in diameter), coarsely cut
1/4 red onion, coarsely cupt
1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely cut
1 jalapeno pepper,cored and seeded
1 cup cilantro leaves
juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
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May 14th, 2010 by admin
You’ve been asked to bring a little something to a gathering. Maybe an appetizer, something easy to pick up and pop in your mouth, nothing too complicated, nothing too expensive and nothing that requires a road map for reading instructions.
How does a crispy phyllo cup filled with goat cheese and a little savory topping? Easy. Three ingredients. That’s it.
Buy a box of 15 Apollo’s Phyllo Shells, ready to be baked. About $3.00 in the freezer section of the market, next to the puff pastry sheets.
Next, get yourself to Costco and see if they have Saveur brand goat cheese bites. About 15 per package, 2 packages per box. If you can’t find these little morsels, buy a 4 ounce log of goat cheese and cut into bite sized pieces, small enough to fit into each shell.
Place the cheese in the shells, place the shells on a baking sheet, top with a small dollop of a savory of some kind. Olive tapenade. Italian eggplant caponata. Chopped artichoke hearts. Strips of roasted red pepper. Pesto. Bake in 375o oven for 6-8 minutes just until the cheese warms and the shells are crispy. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme, basil, rosemary, or chopped Italian parsley. Serve at once. It’s that easy. Makes 15 (if using one box of shells).
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