Summer's Finest

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Is there anything more delicious and appealing for breakfast on a warm summer morning than fresh organic white peaches and blueberries topped with cottage cheese and cinnamon? I thought not.

Food Blog Encounters - 1

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I don't often get the time to cruise the food blogging community to see who's out there and what they're writing about. It's a shame because there are so very many great writers and cooks who blog. I have tremendous respect and admiration for these people and can only aspire to their creativity, both in the kitchen and as a writer. So I've decided to put effort into more "cruising" and every once in a while I'll share with you a few of the food blogs that I've encountered.

First, a few notes: I'm not particularly html-savvy so this isn't going to be very fancy-schmancy - with photos and all - just links and descriptions. Second, when you click on a link it will take you away from my post page. If you wish to return to my page, please click on your BACK button. Third, why the corn photo? Maybe the myriad kernels represent the whopping number of food bloggers on the Net. Maybe I just like it.

This morning I made the rounds of some of my favorite sites:

Susan and Cary at Farm Girl Fare always make me smile and sometimes cry. Theirs is an awesome story of the bond between humans and animals. Click here for Cary's story.

Sher at What Did You Eat? is stifling in 100+ degree weather but that doesn't seem to thwart her creative skills. Today she features an awsome and cooling grape and almond gazpacho a la Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook on her site.

Karletta at Culinary Muse, sips a cocktail on the San Francisco Embarcadero musing about the dramatic changes that have taken place there since 1968.

Catherine at Albion Cooks serves up luscious vegetarian fare. Today she highlights a beautifully presented taco salad .

David Lebovitz, cookbook author, chocolate expert and American ex-pat living the sweet life in Paris, offers up an intriguing cake made with US-banned absinthe.

The prodigious Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen espouses recipes that are South Beach Diet friendly with flair and gusto. Today's post features shrimp and Asian-style veggies from the grill, along with other South Beach food pairing suggestions.

At A Mingling of Tastes, Julie shows us how to prepare a trio of dishes showcasing fresh figs. I can't wait to try any one of these recipes.

Okay, that's it for now. I've already got a list for next time!

Pear-Ginger Gelee With Lemon Verbena Cream

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Inspired by the Passion-Fruit Gelee with Basil Cream recipe which appeared in the June 2006 issue of Gourmet, I came up with my own version of a light, not-too-sweet, jelled dessert for these hot days. This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging at Kalyn’s Kitchen. Kalyn will be at the BlogHer conference this week so her WHB round-up will be next Monday. Be sure to check it out; you will find delicious and enticing entries from food bloggers the world over. If you wish to join in, click here for the guidelines.



Pear-Ginger Gelee with Lemon Verbena Cream
Ingredients
Gelee:
¼-ounce envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ cup water
2 cups organic pear nectar (I used Bionaturae Organic Pear Nectar which has no added sugars
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Cream:
½ cup packed lemon verbena leaves, coarsely chopped
½ cup Splenda granular (or ½ cup sugar if you prefer)
1 cup heavy cream or regular 1/2 & 1/2
½ cup 1% milk
1 teaspoon (heaping) unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons water

Sprigs of lemon verbena with blossoms

Preparation:
For the gelee, add the two gingers to the pear nectar and heat gently to a simmer. Remove from heat and allow to steep 20 minutes then strain into a clean glass container, extracting all the liquid from the solids. Refrigerate the strained nectar until very cold. Discard the solids.
When the nectar has chilled thoroughly, in a small saucepan, soften the gelatin in the water for about 1 minute then heat on low, stirring, for l minute longer or until fully dissolved. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cold pear nectar, 1 tablespoon at a time until the gelatin has cooled. Gently whisk in the remaining nectar. Pour into a small, square glass dish and refrigerate until firmly set.

Meanwhile, for the cream, place the heavy cream and milk in a medium saucepan and add the chopped verbena leaves and the Splenda (or sugar). Bring to a simmer, whisking to dissolve the Splenda, then remove from the heat and allow to steep 20 minutes. Strain into a clean glass container, pushing on the verbena to extract all the liquid. Refrigerate until very cold. (Discard the verbena.)

When the gelee has firmly set and the cream mixture is very cold, in a small saucepan, sprinkle the heaping teaspoon of gelatin over the 2 tablespoons of water and allow to soften for 1 minute. Over low heat, stir until the gelatin has dissolved completely. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the gelatin has cooled. Gently whisk in the remaining cream mixture. Cool in an ice and water bath if necessary. (This is important as you will be pouring this over the jelled pear nectar cubes and you don't want them to melt!)

Cut the jelled pear nectar into cubes, ½ to 1-inch square, and place in 6-ounce glasses. Gently pour the cold cream mixture over each gelee-filled glass, allowing the cream to fill in the spaces between the cubes. Refrigerate until the cream has set. Garnish with a sprig of lemon verbena to serve.

Lemon Verbena, according to Wikipedia, is a deciduous perennial shrub native to Peru, Argentina and Chile, and was brought to Europe by the Spanish in the 17th century. Wikipedia goes on to say “it grows to a height of 1 to 3 metres and exudes a powerful lemony scent. It prefers full sun, a lot of water, and a light loam soil, and is sensitive to cold. The light green leaves are lancet-shaped, and its tiny flowers bloom lavender or white in August or September.”
My Lemon Verbena receives about 5 hours of sunlight, sometimes none at all due to fog, hardly ever to never gets watered and often gets a frost or two in the winter but still grows prolifically each summer. It’s now about 9 feet tall and began blooming in late June this year. The soil is not loamy, but the shrub does live next to the horse corral.

For more ways to use this pungent, lemony leaf, from salt-free seasoning to lemon cake to a hair rinse, click here.

Chicken Feta Quesadilla & Chicken Stuffed Tomato

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It's 2 o'clock in the afternoon and I'm wandering around the kitchen, opening cupboards and refrigerator, trying to figure out what to eat for lunch. The single white peach I had for breakfast is no longer giving sustenance. I need some protein and I need something whole wheat. And I need it now!
A can of chunky white chicken, a whole-wheat low-carb wrap, some feta cheese, and a jar of Artichokes and Hearts of Palm Bruschetta from Trader Joe's all seem to fall into my hands as if by magic. Visions of quesadillas float through my brain. Then, interestingly enough, a tomato tumbles by. Surely someone's looking out for me.

Low-Carb Chicken Feta Quesadilla
Ingredients:
1 whole wheat, low carb wrap
1 can chunky chicken, rinsed of excess salt (available at Costco)
2-4 tablespoons Two Hearts Bruschetta (Trader Joe's)
1 tablespoon reduced fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation:
In a bowl, combine the chicken, bruschetta, mayonnaise, and herbs until mixed thoroughly.
Place wrap on a cookie sheet and heat oven to 400 degrees (my apologies to those sweltering in the valley!).
Spread the feta over the wrap and top with 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture. Fold the wrap in half and press lightly.
Place in oven for about 12 minutes, or until filling is hot and bubbly. Don't overcook or the wrap will get weird. Let cool for just a few minutes, cut in half, sprinkle with some torn basil and eat - hungrily.

Then, take that beautiful red tomato sitting on the counter in the tomato department and:
Chicken Stuffed Tomato
Ingredients:
1 perfectly ripe red tomato, preferrably organic
1/4 cup chicken mixture from above

Preparation:
Core the tomato and hold it upside down over a bowl. Squeeze ever so slightly to allow the seeds and loose pulp to drain out. You can help the pulp along with a sharp knife.
When you have a sizeable enough hole in the center of your tomato, fill it with the chicken mixture and EAT it.

Ahhhh! Crisis averted.

Sonoma Valley Treat

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Recently, after spending three wonderful days with Clay's family, we drove back across the very hot Sacramento Valley, along the Carneros Highway which goes through a venerable wine growing region that borders Napa Valley to the south, and on to the Sonoma Valley where I stayed with my sister, whom I call Alwyn, for two days in a fabulous house in the hills outside the historic town of Sonoma. And the temperature continued to climb.

Our days were spent in and out of the pool, which overlooked the valley, talking, talking, talking and thoroughly enjoying each other's company (that's me on the left with my sister on the right).
We went out to dinner both nights: first to Della Santina's, then the next night to the girl and the fig, both in the town of Sonoma. Our food was exceptionally delicious in both well-known and award-winning restaurants, but because I have a hard time with photographing food in restaurants and don't consider myself a food critic, you'll just have to take my word for it. I heartily recommend both establishments, not only for their superb menus, but for ambience and service as well. If you're planning a trip to the Sonoma Valley, do call ahead to make reservations. You won't be sorry.
Two days aren't nearly long enough when sisters are visiting and this time seemed especially short - so much more so when being treated to such a wonderful place - but Tuesday arrived and so did Clay to drive the both of us home. First though, taking advantage of our location, we stopped at The Fig Pantry in Sonoma, a deli, coffee fountain, food and gift store owned by girl and the fig restauranteur Sondra Bernstein . There I bought her cookbook, aptly named The Girl and The Fig Cookbook (read what others are saying about it here) and several jars and bottles of figgy things that will become part of future posts.
Hungry from all that shopping, we popped into the deli side of the store and ordered sandwiches and a salad to go, giving Clay a taste of what he had missed. The signature grilled fig, toasted pecan, pancetta and goat cheese salad with a balsamic fig dressing (served at the restaurant also) was outstanding. The pastrami, red onion confit, and Vella dry jack cheese panini that Clay had and the grilled steak, arugula and black olive aioli panini that I had were both exceedingly satisfying. Add Fizzy Lizzy's Raspberry Lemonade and I was in heaven.


Filled to bursting, we headed up the road to Trader Joe's in Santa Rosa where I replenished my pantry with some of my favorite condiments and a few bottles of rose wine. For the summer, you know. Stay tuned.

Family, Food & Hot Weather

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Recipes: Green Gazpacho and Watermelon-Cucumber-Mint Salad

On a recent trip outside the cool climes of our little corner of the world, we ventured into the greater Sacramento Valley, Sierra Foothills, and beautiful Sonoma Valley (next post) to visit with family and friends. As we arrived in the foothills, the temperature was hovering at about 100 degrees and continued to climb for the next 5 days. Needless to say, meals were prepared using as little indoor heat as possible, and prepped early in the relative coolness of the morning or late in the evening. I didn't cook any of the dishes you will see here. Lazy sloth that I am, I just savored the delicious and creative endeavors of our family's cooks.


The cool cucumber & watermelon salad and the incredible (and coveted) green gazpacho were prepared by newly-weds Jennifer (Clay's sister) and Kees. More photos and recipes will be the subject of another post.

Watermelon, Cucumber & Mint Salad
adapted from Sensational Salads by Barbara Scott-Goodman

Ingredients:
4 cups seedless watermelon cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups seedless cucumbers peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 bunch (small) watercress, stems removed, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts (I would toast these)

Preparation:
Place watermelon and cucumbers together in a large bowl.
Make a vinaigrette by whisking together the lime juice, olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt.
Pour over the melon mixture, tossing to coat.
Mix in the chopped herbs and the pine nuts and chill thoroughly before serving.
This is intended to serve 6 but is so delicious they will want seconds. My only addition to this recipe would be to toast the pine nuts before combining with the fruits.

Green Gazpacho
Adapted from Alex Urena
Printed in the New York Times, July 12, 2006

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds ripe plum or grape tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 stalk lemon grass, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup vodka
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped small dice
2 green bell peppers, seeded, cored and chopped small dice
4 tomatillos, husks removed and chopped small dice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper
1/2 avocado cut in small cubes (I'd use the whole thing)
1 small handful each chives, cilantro, parsley, minced separately
1 bunch scallions, finely sliced

Preparation:
The night before serving,
Combine tomatoes, lemon grass and vodka in a blender and puree until smooth. Line a colander with cheesecloth, set over a bowl, and pour in tomato mixture. Refrigerate overnight. Clear liquid will drain through to the bowl leaving the solids in the colander, which you can discard.
In another bowl combine the cucumbers, green peppers, tomatillos, vinegars, lemon juice, sugar and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper and refrigerate overnight.
Before serving, combine the tomato liquid and the vegetables in their marinade in a large bowl along with the minced herbs, scallions and avocado.
Adjust to taste with salt, pepper and vinegar, adding more as needed. Serve very cold.

My note: the recipe says to blend the ingredients until smooth but this was left rustic, which I think is better. Also, it says this will serve 6-8 people but I can promise you it will all be gone before you know it!

Weekend Herb Blogging

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Nasturtiums

I love my nasturtiums. They come up every year all by their little selves, covering fence posts, climbing up walls and creating beautiful backgrounds for garden scenes around the property. I use their peppery leaves in salads and place whole flowers as a garnish on top of salads and tucked around grilled chicken or fish, to name just a few uses.
Wikipedia shows links for almost 80 varieties of nasturtiums. Check them out for your viewing and educational enjoyment. And Linda Gilbert at Sally's Place has an in-depth article on them as well as a recipe for Nasturtium Mayonnaise that I'm going to try as an accompaniment to grilled salmon.
Please forgive the lack of cooking and recipes lately; my days have been fully occupied with weeding and gardening this week. I'll be back in the kitchen soon. In the meantime, Weekend Herb Blogging is being hosted this week by Paz over at The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz. Started by Salt Lake City food blogger Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, Weekend Herb Blogging has become a very popular event, with entries from food bloggers around the globe.
Now I'm going to get cooking!