Harvest at Somerset Ridge

In three weeks, our amazing volunteer "pickers" have harvested all of the beautiful grapes from the vines! We picked, partied, dined and wined. Cindy and Dennis and their team made sure everyone had a good time. We served lunch to 80 people each day under a tent down between the water's edge and the vineyard.

I do love Harvest at Somerset Ridge!

What a weekend! I'm exhausted, but happy as a clam. The 50 year reunion of the Wyandotte High School Class of 1959 went beautifully! I saw people I had not seen since graduation day! My Goodness...we are certainly a young handsome group!

The committee had as much fun as the others, and let me tell you, that is rare. We are usually putting out fires, not literally of course, thank God, handeling disorderly classmates who have partied too much, trying to find more ice, more beer for Bill, and such. Not this time, it all went off without a hitch. The Hilton Garden Inn in Kansas City, Kansas did a wonderful job.

This photo was taken on Friday evening. Not bad for a bunch of old broads, eh? We had a similar photo taken in 1959. We all had longer hair and pearls! Wish the other members of Our Gang could have joined us this time. I just wonder how I got to be the shortest one!

AH-h-h-h-h-h-h......at last.....peace and quiet. Harvest is over, the class reunion is over, the cookbook is over. I wonder what's next?

Oktoberfest Art in the Vines!

The Art in the Vines show during our Oktoberfest celebration is my first priority. We have doubled the number of artists for this show! The date is Sunday, October 11th, opens at 12 noon and closes at 5:00pm. Cindy and Dennis Reynolds, owners of Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery, have a great day planned for you, so don't miss it! It should be a wonderful Midwest autumn day, lots of room for everyone, lots of art, wine, food and fun! And the Oktoberfest music of Willie Kirst as he strolls through the vineyard! In his Lederhosen!

I must be honest, I haven't painted much lately. With the reunion, harvest at vineyard, cookbook projects and catering, I simply haven't had the time or energy. I will be painting for the next month, so I should have some new work at the show.

The artists we have lined up are all local. Somerset Ridge is all about supporting local products and artisans. When they decided to let me organize an art show, that was the first thing they asked for.... local artists! In a town with the Plaza Art Show that brings artists from everywhere but Kansas City, Art in the Vines is a wonderful opportunity for the amazingly talented artists from right here. And it is such a fun day! Wandering through the art down in the vines with a glass of wine is a great way to spend an afternoon!

Speaking of Oktoberfest, do you cook a special meal for your family with all of the great foods and recipes from Germany? Arch was German and very partial to beer and brats! He loved German Potato Salad, Red Cabbage, Sauerkraut, Apple Strudel....he loved it all! But I think most of all, Arch loved Wild Boar! While he was stationed in Germany, he found the boar to be one of his favorites. When he returned to the states, no wild boar. Over the years, he developed a recipe for what he called Mock Wild Boar. This takes 3 weeks to make! He would start it around December 1st and during the week of Christmas, we were all treated to a feast fit for King Ludvig himself!

Arch and I cooked it one year for a harvest event and it was a big hit. Earlier this year, Jasper Mirabile and I cooked a "Pig 101" dinner at his restaurant and we included Arch's Wild Boar. I am thinking I am just about ready to share this, up till now, well gaurded recipe. Arch would be 83 on October 25th, so I will continue to think this through, and possibly give you his recipe on his birthday. Maybe......

But for now, how about a recipe from one of my fellow Wyandotte graduates who submitted this recipe for our reunion cookbook. Thank you Larry Johnson!

Larry said this recipe came from his wife's family, who immigrated to Russia from Germany during the reign of Catherine the Great. when the Russian Revolution occured in 1918, they left Russia and came to America, settling in McCook, Nebraska. This recipe originated in the Volga Valley in Russia.

Sauerbraten

Beef Pot Roast, allowing 1/2 pound per person

6 carrots

6 stalks celery

2 green bell peppers

1 large box of raisins

1/2 box crushed ginger snaps

2 bay leaves

2 quarts cider vinegar

3/4 cup dark molasses

flour

butter

salt to taste

Three days prior to the dinner, buy a nice pot roast and trim off the fat. Place the roast in a non-reactive pot large enough to submerge the roast in cider vinegar.

Peel the carrots, chop the clery and green peppers. Add the vegetables and bay leaves to the roast and vinegar. Salt to taste. Cover the pot and refrigerate for 3 days, turning the roast in liquid at least once a day.

On the day of the meal, about 3 hours prior to serving, remove the roast from the refrigerator, saving the vegetables and vinegar. Rub the roast with flour. In a large pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. when hot, add meat and sear on all sides over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Turn heat down to medium-low, pour in the marinaded vegetables and add enough of the vinegar to come 1/4th the way up pot. Simmer about 2 1/2 hours. Roast should be ready to fall apart. Remove roast from liquid, keep warm under foil.

Crush half a box of ginger snaps and add to liquid in pot. Next add 3/4 cup molasses and a large box of raisins. Turn up the heat and let mixture boil until it is the consistency of thick gravy. If it is too thick, thin with more vinegar marinade.

Carve the roast and pour the gravy over the sliced meat. Serve with the vegetables.

Thanks again, Larry! Great addition to our cookbook.

This is it! 50th class reunion for the

Wyandotte High School Class of 1959! I am amazed it has been 50 years, yet there are days.....you know the ones. Knees hurt, eyes won't cooperate, can't remember what you were looking for in the open refrigerator before you! I doubt very much if any of us old Bulldogs will feel those failures this weekend. We will dance to the rock'n roll, we will do the twist, sing the lyrics to all the songs we loved back then. We will eat too much, probably a few will drink too much. We will wonder who the hell is that at the next table, we will wish we were in jeans and flip flops. We will make it to the ladies room a few times to make sure the hair still looks okay, lipstick has not crept up the lines that didn't use to be around our lips. The guys will wonder if anyone noticed the lack of hair and the abundance of waistline. But around midnight on Saturday night, we will smile and hug our friends, we will make promises to keep in touch now that we have been reunited. We will say goodbye as if we may never see them again..... for in reality....we probably won't. Therefore, I am going to make the most of this weekend!

The cookbook that Jack Smithson and I started compiling almost 2 years ago will be unveiled during the reunion. Actually, there won't be any unveiling....each class member who attends the reunion will receive a gift bag when they arrive. One of the gifts will be a copy of the cookbook! I am so amazed at the response we received when we put out the call for recipes and family histories. Its a BIG cookbook!

One of the recipes submitted was for Snickerdoodles, a recipe from way back then! What highschool kid didn't love to come home to the aroma of freshly baked cookies? We are all still that kid....Cookies are still a favorite.

Snickerdoodles
Dorothy Faerber Smith
Dorothy says: "This recipe makes about 7 dozen cookies."
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup ground cinnamon
2 sticks butter
1/2 pound lard
3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 1/3 cups flour
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pour first 3 cups of sugar in a large plastic bag, add the cinnamon. Secure bag and shake vigorously, then empty into a medium bowl. Set aside.
With an electric mixer, mix butter, lard, 3 cups sugar, eggs and vanilla. Cream well.
Add the dry ingredients, mix well.
Take a handful of the dough with floured hands and roll into a small log; next pick off enough dough to form ball a little larger than a walnut and drop into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat forming balls until you have 5 or 6, then roll them around in the sugar. shake them off then place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. You will have room for about a dozen per cookie sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Take off sheet and cool on rack.

Snickerdoodles, Toll House, Gingerbread, the oldies are definitely goodies! Even an old woman from the Class of 1959!

Today I attended my first creative writing class. I figure if you people are going to read what I write, I'd better try to write well. The class is taught by Mary-Lane Kamberg and it is held at ARTichokes, my favorite place.

The class was wonderful. We dived right in, actually had two writing assignments, 1 for the opening of an article on Hot Air Baloons, the 2nd for the opening on Mashed Potatoes. Fun! I truly can hardly wait for the next class!

I have homework....haven't had homework in years. Will I have enough self control and drive to get it done? Time will tell.

It is an interesting assignment. Write an opening to an article about a coffee shop. Let me say this.....I’m a Hot Tea kind of woman….nothing fancy, nothing green, just plain old tea. Do I drink coffee? Sure, late at night , in a piano bar listening to jazz, I drink Bailey’s and coffee. Does that count?
Sending me into a Starbucks is like sending me to a different planet. But I faced my assignment with an open mind. All I can say is, I’m glad I took my open wallet. Holy Cow! The prices! To make it worse, I didn’t even know what it was I spent $6.00 on!
How was I to know Caffé Misto was coffee with steamed milk. Talk about STEAMED! Why doesn’t it cost $2.00 instead of $6.00? After all…its coffee with steamed milk. I can buy coffee with Bailey’s Irish Cream for $4.50!
I will say this much for them, their Caramel Apple Spice is delicious, particularly if you have a piece of Pumpkin Loaf with it!
I do have one question….why is a small beverage called a “Tall”?
Yes, I definitely do not come from the Planet Starbucks.
Tomorrow I’m landing on Planet It’s a Grind. I’ll send a report back. Over and out.




Pumpkin loaf....mmmmm, sounds delicious.



Pumpkin Date Nut Loaf makes 2 loaves


1 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 3/4 cups flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chopped dates, dusted with flour
(Starbucks didn't have nuts or dates....mine is better!)


Melt butter. Add eggs and pumpkin. Beat thoroughly. Add sugars, baking soda and powder, and spices. Beat thoroughly until all lumps are removed. Add flour. Beat thoroughly. Add nuts and dates, mix. Spoon into 2 greased bread pans. Bake for 1 hour at 350ºF. Test with toothpick to ensure loaves are ready.

Harvest Weekend #2….
Today there were 80 people at Somerset Ridge Vineyard, all eager to help with harvest. There were thousands of clusters of grapes waiting to be picked. The weather started off pretty foggy, then it turned hazy, finally….beautiful. Perfect for a day in the vines!

We picked some of our red grapes varietals, Chancellor and Chambourcin. And we ate a French lunch! The menu was Alsatian Onion Tart; a Salad of Greens, Apples, Dried Cherries and Pecans with a Maple Syrup infused dressing; Fresh Vegetables from the Somerset Ridge Garden drizzled with a Vinaigrette of Shallots, also grown there in the vineyard. For dessert I made our special Vineyard Bars, a rich bar cookie of brown sugar, apples and raisins with pecans.
Dennis served Flyboy Red and Buffalo Red wines. It appeared everyone had a great time.

I haven’t given out very many recipes lately….and let’s face it, that is why most of you read my blog.
I think couscous is a very interesting food. It looks like a grain, but actually is a pasta. It is precooked and takes just minutes to prepare. Couscous is traditionally served under a stew, but
can also be eaten alone, flavored or plain, warm or cold, as a dessert or side dish. Last week I served an Orange Scented Couscous with our Harvest luncheon. I also make a more savory couscous with Kalamata olives, lemon and mint. I hope you give it a try.
Golden Couscous with Olives, Lemon and Fresh Herbs
1/2 cup margarine
2 cups chopped onions
6 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 1/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 cup pitted, halved brine-cured black olives
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups uncooked couscous (about 14 oz)

Melt margarine in large pot over medium-low heat. Add onions; stir to coat. Cover pot and cook onons until very tender but not brown, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Mix in ginger and turmeric. Add broth, olives, basil, mint and lemon juice. Bring to simmer. Mix in couscous. Cover pot, turn off heat and let stand until couscous is tender and all liquid is absorbed about 12 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mound couscous in bowl and serve with your favorite stew.
Serves 8
My next class on How toWrite an Heirloom Cookbook starts this coming Thursday at ARTichokes. That box of recipes you have been collecting for years will make a wonderful cookbook, complete with family stories and photos. Call Artichokes today, 913-322-9481, to reserve your spot in the class.

ART IN THE VINES 2

Oktober

ArtFest

I am up to my eyeballs in Harvest at the vineyard…but my other life is still going on! I am organizing the artists for the next art show at the vineyard! It is going to be so cool! The 2nd Art in the Vines, our OktoberArtFest, is on Sunday, October 11, 2009. At 12 noon, the vineyard will open to the public with a new and exciting art show! All the artists are local. We have paintings, sculpture, floral art, jewelry, and wearable art. We will have music celebrating Oktoberfest with food to match! What more could you want? OH! OF COURSE…..WINE! Please join us for a wonderful afternoon. Mid-October is always beautiful here in Kansas; bright sunshine, cool breezes. Grab your friends and come out for a glorious day!

We will be featuring the art of:

Amy Thomas….jeweler
Maria Johnson….painter
Winnie Davis….painter
Wanda Bellamy…painter
Vicki Johnston ..painter
Ellen Sweeney…painter
Rich Hayek…. pastels
Brownie Hayek… floral
Claudia True… painter

Mike Driggs…sculptor
Ada Koch…painter
Kristin Howard…painter
JoAnne Carlton…painter
Ana Welch… junior painter
Tony Forner….junior jeweler
Venita Routh…painter
Becky Pashia…painter
Nancy Beaver…painter
And a few more that I am waiting confirmation on.
Don’t miss it!

The beautiful vineyard of Somerset Ridge is going to be overflowing with art work and artists! Stop by the winery first, buy a bottle of wine, then come up into the vineyard and spend the afternoon strolling through the art while drinking your wine!

Willie Kirst will be playing fun Oktoberfest music and there will be food for sale, making for a perfect picnic in the vines!

Don't forget...October 11th!

Harvest at Somerset Ridge

Harvest is well underway at the vineyard. On Sunday, over 80 volunteer pickers arrived around 8:45 to begin picking our 3 white varietals, Traminette, Chardonnay and Chardonel. This week we got 1100 gallons of juice! There is going to be some wonderful white wines next year!

Harvesting the grapes has become a fun event at the vineyard. Many of our pickers have been coming for at least one event per harvest season for 5 or 6 years. They are great supporters of Somerset Ridge wines and events. To make the day even more fun, at the end of the picking, a gourmet lunch and wine are served under tents right beside the vines and the water. Sunday's menu was Mediterranean in flavor, and was served with the winery's Flyboy Red and Buffalo Red wines.

Next week, we harvest some of the red varietals, and the menu will be French. If you have a reservation to come and pick, I will see you there.

If you don't have a reservation, I'm sorry, we are completely booked.

Go to http://www.somersetridge.com/ to sign up for the vineyards newsletter. Next year you will have an opportunity to make a reservation. Just remember, this year the newsletter went out, via email to all those registered as friends of the vineyard , and within 2 hours, all reservations were filled and it was closed. The response is wonderful!

Thank you supporters of Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery!

The Old Grinter Place on the Kaw

I grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, a true melting pot, blending European cultures with good old Midwest simplicity. As a young child, I was exposed to the cuisines of many countries as well as their traditions. I have to admit, however, it was our very own foods and traditions that I loved. Good old American food, farm cooking, locally grown foods, that is where my memories come from! Wyandotte County, Kansas gave me a major love of food and some great memories.
One memory I have from the 60s is of a restaurant called The Grinter Place.
Moses Grinter, the first permanent white settler in Wyandotte County, was sent in 1831 by the United States Govemment to establish a ferry across the Kanza (Kaw) River. This ferry crossing was to serve as a military link between Fort Leavenworth and Fort Scott. The first ferry on the Kaw was called the Military Ferry The name was changed to Delaware Crossing and Secondine Landing, and finally was named Grinter's Ferry. Travelers crossing on the ferry paid $.50 per person and $2.00 per wagon to cross. Grinter settled near the ferry, married Anna Marshall, a Delaware Indian, and raised a family of ten children. The Grinter family first lived in a log house, but in 1857 Moses Grinter began building the stately brick house, located at K-32 Highway and South 78th Street, which is recorded in the Library of Congress as the oldest house in Wyandotte County.
From 1855 to 1860 Moses Grinter operated a trading post, a business that sold about one hundred sixty types of goods (clothing, powder and bullets, perfume, sugar, and scissors, among other things) to the Delawares in exchange for cash and furs. The Grinters also farmed, raised poultry and livestock, and planted an apple orchard on their farmstead. During the Civil War one of their sons served in the Fifteenth Kansas Calvary.
Moses Grinter died in 1878, and upon the death of Annie in 1905 their son-in-law and daughter, Reverend Henry C. and Martha V. Grinter Kirby, moved into the residence. Henry and Martha's daughter sold the residence and land in 1950 to a family who owned and operated a chicken-dinner restaurant on the site until the mid-1960s. Through the assistance of the Junior League of Kansas City, Kansas and the Grinter Place Friends, the State of Kansas acquired the site in 1971 and now administers the former Grinter residence as a state historic site.
Having graduated from Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, Kansas in 1959, I remember the fried chicken restaurant so well. It was set up in the old barn, used lots of red and white checked tablecloths, served drinks in Mason Jars. The fried chicken was wonderful, served family style. But what I remember the most was the cornmeal pancakes with apple jelly! They kept bringing them to the table as long as you were still eating.
Annie Grinter probably never made cornmeal pancakes and the restaurant is long gone, but the memory of the pancakes lives on. Here is my version. Try them next time you serve fried chicken or pork chops. A great combination! Just imagine, hot, crispy on the outside, brushed with melted butter and served with homemade apple jelly!
Cornmeal Pancakes
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3 tablespoons oil
1 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
Pour boiling water over cornmeal. Add sugar and salt. Let cool. Stir in beaten eggs and oil. In separate bowl mix flour and baking powder. Add to cornmeal alternately with the milk. Beat until smooth. Cook on hot griddle. Serve with apple jelly or maple syrup.

Here in the Midwest, grilling meat is close to a religion! There are organizations, societies, fests, and contests for the millions of experts in the art of grilling meat. There have been thousands of books written on the subject, and television series based on grilling meat. But my favorite way is to pan-fry. Bring out Granny's big old heavy cast iron skillet and you are ready to fix a steak that will make you smile. (If you don't have a cast iron skillet, go to your local hardware store and buy several sizes. You will find you use them daily! I will add directions for "seasoning" your new skillet at he end of this blog.)



Back to MEAT!



Pan-fried T-Bone Steak
2 to 4 servings
Ingredients
2 pound T-bone steak (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
Coarsely ground black pepper
Kosher salt
1 to 2 tablespoons oil, I prefer peanut oil


Directions
About 1/2 hour before cooking the steak, bring it to room temperature.
Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Lightly brush the steak all over with oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high, add the steak and cook, turning once, until well browned, about 7 minutes for the first side, and 4 minutes on the second side, for medium-rare. Hold the steak with tongs and sear the edges. (An instant-read thermometer inserted perpendicularly into the steak registers 125 degrees F for medium rare.)
Transfer the steak to cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Cut the tenderloin and strip from the bone, and slice against the grain. Transfer to a serving platter and serve au natural, with mustard, compound butter, or horseradish sauce.





My sister has always said

“Fried Potatoes can cure anything!”


Unfortunately, the frying thing has been accused of all sorts of bad stuff. Actually, the carbohydrate thing has been discussed in a negative fashion also. But truly, is there a food that soothes as well as fried potatoes? You have this plate of wonderful crispy-on –the –outside, creamy-on-the-inside, seasoned heartily with salt and pepper (oh, that’s right….salt is not good for you either) and for me, sliced onions. We might as well get right down to the nitty gritty here, I prefer mine fried in bacon grease! Now that I’ve sent the younger generation’s finger flying to the delete button, I want to ask one question…..What can an occasional plate of fried potatoes do to you? I’m not saying you should eat this everyday, not even once a week. I’m saying occasionally! You know you drive thru McDonalds for a quick lunch which includes French fries. Wouldn’t you rather have wonderful fried potatoes at home, fried in Granny’s iron skillet with real bacon? You are lying to yourself if you say you don’t want them!
Now that I have you either totally turned off with the bacon grease thing, or turned on with the crispy, creamy thing, I am going to share a recipe with you that is an amazing substitute for fried potatoes. Granted, there is no bacon grease, no onion, no using Granny’s skillet, but they are very good and will be perfect with my pan fried steak.

Baked Pommes Frites

6 russet potatoes, with or without skins, your choice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel potatoes and cut into half-inch thick slices (lengthwise) cut again into 1/2-inch thick fries. Place the potatoes into a pot with cold water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring up to a gentle boil and simmer until a paring knife tip goes through easily, cooked about 3/4 of the way through. Drain carefully and put potatoes in a bowl. Add olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Toss well and lay out in 1 layer on baking sheet. Bake until light brown. Check for seasoning, adjust if needed by adding more while pommes frites are still hot.



How to season a cast iron skillet.

1. If the pan is new, be sure any adhesive label is completely removed.
2. Wash, rinse and dry the utensil.
3. Grease the inside surface with Crisco or other solid shortening. A medium-light coating, as you would grease a cake pan, is sufficient.
4. Put your greased utensil in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour.
5. Remove, cool and store the pan.
6. Never...NEVER put your skillet in the dishwasher! To clean, wipe it out with paper towels. If you feel you absolutely must wash it, rinse with a small amout of warm soapy water, rinse well, then dry extremely well!



You are going to use your cast iron skillt for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can fry perfect fried chicken or pork chops. You can use it to make high, light cornbread or pineapple upside down cake.....the list goes on and on.

I have always said I have 3 great kids, inspite of me! How someone like me can come up with 3 wonderful adult children is beyond me. Yet, there they are. Cindy, Chuck and Betsy….all determined, self-reliant, extremely capable human beings who take joy in life and helping others. Who understand the world and what it takes to survive in it. Who are compassionate, kind and generous.
I know what you are thinking. “Kay is a typical Mom, her kids can do no wrong”. Not so, I always said “never say your kids would never do something wrong, because as soon as the words leave your mouth…..they do!” In reality, I am sure my kids did plenty, they were just smart enough to not let me know about it.
Now they are adults, parents themselves….but I’ll brag about my grandchildren another time. Today is the time to brag about my 1st child, Cindy Campbell Reynolds.
About 2 weeks ago Cindy called and asked if I could go to a luncheon with her on August 28th. I asked her if it was something special and her answer was, “Oh, it’s no big deal, I have a table at the luncheon, thought you might like to go”. Now Cindy has served on many boards, worked for many organizations, organized many charity functions, so I figured this was one of those luncheons. I accepted her invitation, and today was the event.
Being borderline elderly and clumsy, I did a great job of breaking a little toe earlier this week, so I emailed Cindy early this morning asking if I would embarrass her if I wore sandals, as I still can’t wear a regular shoe. She assured me it would be fine. I had asked Cindy who was sponsoring this lunch and she told me it was an awards program sponsored by the Kansas City Business Journal and the Kauffman Foundation.
Ding! A bell went off. I got on the Journals webpage and searched “Cindy Reynolds”. Thank God I did! My daughter was being honored as one of the top 25 Business Women in the greater Kansas City area!

I arrived at the Sheraton Hotel in Overland Park to find the large ballroom packed with over 50 tables seating 10 each. 2 giant video screens were set up, one on each side of the stage. There were large photographs of the recipients of the award out in the lobby! This was a major deal!
I looked up and there was my beautiful daughter and her family. There were friends there that she had known since grade school! Her brother read about it in the Journal and he came!
Each of the women were featured in a video about their career, their goals, their philosophy. Then they were brought up on stage, one at a time, given a beautiful award, and photographed awhile some quotes from each were read.
Yes, my kid, that bouncy, non-stop ball of fire who was an early over-achiever by walking at the age of 6 months and 1 week, has now been recognized as a truly fine woman. I could not be more proud. Congratulations, Cindy!

Whether it's called Shortbread or Shortin' Bread, everyone loves it, but then why not....butter, flour, salt and sugar! That's it, 4 ingredients, and you have one of the best cookies in the world!

This recipe is made with dark brown sugar, making it a cookie with a rich caramel flavor. Most shortbread cookies do not have an icing or glaze, but I put a light glaze on mine so I can sprinkle them with Sicilian Sea Salt. Hope you enjoy them!

Sicilian Salted Shortbread

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Generous pinch of salt

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 pound butter

Adjust the oven rack 1/3 of the way down from the top of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place flour, salt and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. With a pastry blender cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Turn out onto a board or smooth surface. Briefly squeeze the mixture between your hands and then knead slightly only until the dough holds together smoothly. Do not handle more than necessary. The heat of your hands will melt the butter too much and you will need to chill the dough before you proceed.

On a lightly floured cloth with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/2" thickness. Cut with a floured 2" cookie cutter. Reroll and cut scraps. Place cookies 1" apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Pierce each cookie three times with a fork, going all the way through to the cookie sheet. If cookies appear to be sticky and soft, pop baking sheet into the refrigerator or freezer briefly.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, reversing baking sheet's position during baking, until cookies are lightly colored. Do not overbake.

Remove with wide metal spatula to a rack to cool.

Now, these cookies are delicious at this point, but....mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with a few teaspoons of warm water. Stir well until no lumps are evident. Drizzle this glaze over the cookies and immediately lightly sprinkle each cookie with a few grains of coarse sea salt. Absolutely delicious!

I also make a chocolate shortbread witht the same glaze and sea salt....wonderful!

Sea salt and Caramel are two amazing flavors, but you combine them and you have a powerful combination. The 2 flavors are popular in homemade caramels; sweet, salty and chewy. If you are in the mood to make candy, try this recipe. The combination of smooth, sweet caramel, crunchy salt crystals, and bittersweet chocolate may sound unusual, but it makes these candies impossible to put down.
Sea salt has become a fashionable ingredient, and should not be hard to find in a well-stocked grocery store. If you like, you can substitute kosher salt for the sea salt. Table salt is not recommended, but if you must use it, use less than the recommended quantity. Do not use rock salt.

Sea Salt Caramels from about.com
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
6 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp sea salt, such as fleur de sel
1 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Preparation:
1. Prepare an 8-inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place the cream in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup and honey and stir until it begins to boil. Periodically wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
3. Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 257 degrees on a candy thermometer.
4. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and stir in the butter, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of salt.
5. Pour into prepared pan and let set at room temperature until firm enough to cut.
6. Cut the caramel into small squares or strips with a chef’s knife.
7. Temper the chocolate and dip the caramels in the chocolate one at a time. Place them on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper or foil to set. While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on the remaining salt and allow to set completely.

to temper chocolate go to

http://video.about.com/candy/How-to-Temper-Chocolate.htm

Day One Still Life Project!

It was a blast! Not too successful for me, but fun! Vicki Johnston, Winnie Davis, and Joanne Carlton joined me for a great day of painting! Day 2 tomorrow!

Thanks to Becky Pashia and all the wonderful people at ARTichokes for giving us this opportunity.

The Still Life Project at

ARTichokes



I was surprised the still life setup went so quickly, then I realized Vicki had painstakingly set it up at home the evening before! She looked at it from all angles, tried different elements, textures, colors. By the time we arrived at ARTichokes this morning, Vicki knew exactly what we needed and what went where. There were a few little changes, due to the lighting, the size of the space, etc., but basically, it went fast.



Tomorrow, Tuesday morning at 10:00am the doors will open and I hope painters come to paint Vicki's creation....it is a beauty! I took these photos, and yes, it changed slightly as it was built, but they will give you an idea of the elegance in design. Please, if you love to paint, come join us. The still life will remain in place until Friday afternoon.

Paint the whole beautiful arrangement, or pick your favorite part!

Tuesday through Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Hope to see you there!

ARTichokes Gallery, Mission Farms, 107th and Mission Road, Leawood, Kansas.

This is a busy season coming up for me….! #1. HARVEST! Thought I’d be retired by now, but doing one more harvest season. #2. My 50th High School Class Reunion…I know, it is hard to believe I have been out of high school 50 years, but it is true! #3. I am catering a dear friend’s wedding reception. And finally, #4. I am going to start painting again! I miss it! Three weeks without being covered in oil paint is just too long! I personally hope ARTichokes never closes again….too hard on me, messes with my mind! I’ve been working in soft pastels, but they just don’t do it for me, yet. I’m still just learning the techniques and papers, etc, so I have a long way to go.

Cooking, on the other hand, is still going on. This week starts the 4 to 5 week long harvest season and we had to close the reservations for the first three weeks. Dennis sent out the newsletter announcing the first 3 dates and within 2 hours we were completely full! What that means for me is cooking for 100 people every Sunday for the next 3 weekends. After that comes the harvest dates for the red varietals!

Thank goodness I have excellent companions in the kitchen, Mike and Christine Hursey. And, we are cooking in their brand new professional kitchen at their new Casa Somerset, just down the road from the vineyard. It will almost be like retirement!

The menus for these first 3 events are Mediterranean, French and Greek. Should be lots of fun out in the vines; good wine, good food, good music, and as always, good company!

Tomorrow, Monday, Vicki Johnston and I set up the large still life at ARTichokes for our 4 day Still Life event. I am really looking forward to it. We will be able to paint for 4 days, Tuesday through Friday, leaving the still life set up the entire time, giving us an opportunity to complete a large intricate painting or several smaller, quicker studies. Who knows, I may even try a pastel. I hope all you painters have it on your calendar!

The Somerset Painters are not painting this coming Wednesday, due to the still life event.
We will return to our weekly painting out in Miami County eventually, but we plan to visit Ada Koch’s studio the following Wednesday.

Now, finally, deciding what recipe(s) to share with you today. This weather has me thinking fall and cooler weather, but I know we won’t be that lucky for long. However, I do think I might start sharing cooler weather recipes with you….it will turn to fall eventually!
This one is not right off the farm….Grandmother Ogg didn’t use pimientos or chives in her dumplings, and the peas were out of the garden, or out of the cellar where all of the jars of her home canned vegetables were stored! Chances are, the onions, salt and pepper were her only seasonings, and you can count on bacon fat being used rather than olive oil! Other than that...it is just like her's!


Beef Stew with Dumplings 10 to 12 servings

2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1” cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
28 ounces beef broth, I use low sodium variety
2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup water
1 10oz package frozen baby peas

For dumplings:
1 ½ cups biscuit mix
2 tablespoons finely diced drained pimientos
1 tablespoon finely minced chives
½ cup milk

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the meat in the olive oil. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic; cooking until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the broth, herbs,and seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, lower temperature and simmer for 1 ½ hours.
Discard the bay leaf, then combine the flour and water until smooth; stir into stew. Bring to a boil; cooking for 2 minutes to thicken. Reduce the heat and stir in the peas.

For dumplings, combine the biscuit mix, pimientos and chives in a bowl. Stir in enough milk to form a soft dough. Drop by tablespoonfuls on to simmering stew. Cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, until dumplings are cooked through. Do not peek before 10 minutes. Lid must remain on during the cooking time. When done, serve immediately.

The nice thing about dumplings is they taste so good! They simmer in the meat broth and get light and puffy. When you have dumplings, you don’t need potatoes or bread, just a nice salad will do the trick. And for dessert…I think a couple of Swedish Butter Cookies and a cup of coffee hit the spot!

Swedish Butter Cookies….makes 6 dozen

1 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the syrup and blend well. Combine the flour and baking soda, then gradually add to creamed mixture.
Divide dough into 8 portions. Roll each portion into a 9 inch log.
Place logs 3” apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cut into 1 inch slices. Remove to wire rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar.

What a glorious evening! The opening for the new show at ARTichokes took place on a perfect evening. It was mild with a beautiful sky and gentle breeze. Thank heavens....the crowd spilled out onto the sidewalk! It was amazing how many people came to enjoy the new art pieces and ARTichokes' newly designed space.

Becky Pashia and Megan Sutherland spent the first 3 weeks of August redesigning their gallery and studio in Mission Farms at 107th and Mission Road in Leawood, Kansas. I thought it was perfect before, but you should see it now!

Becky, co-owner and artist, has a brand new painting space right in the middle of the gallery. Her former studio is now a space designed for classes. (Go to www.artichokeskc.com/ and click on class schedule. Pick a class! You can sign up on line.)

I arrived at ARTichokes at 3:30 in the afternoon for a painting demonstration by Arkansas artist, Barry Thomas. Barry is known as an American Impressionist. Visit his web page and view his paintings. http://www.barrythomasart.com/

Barry is a big man, tall and strong....its a good thing, he paints huge! He also paints heavy....there is paint on the 6' piece he did during the demo which will take well over a year to dry.

Barry talked to Audrey Benskin, Kristin Howard and me for an hour, explaining his palette, his canvas, studio, education....you name it, we asked it, he answered it! It was such an amazing opportunity for us and he was so kind to indulge us!

The other artists in this show are Sue Adams, Sara Cameli, Angie Jennings, Bruce Mayfield, Pam Peffer and Mike Savage. There are several wonderful new pieces hanging by Kristin Goering, ARtichokes instructor. Becky Pashia found some time during all the remodeling to paint several exciting new pieces!

Kristin Goering and Becky Pashia

The show is one of ARTichokes' best! Take the time to visit the gallery. Go to http://www.artichokeskc.com/ for the gallery hours, artist information and photos of some of the pieces in the show. While you are there, check out the classes offered starting after Labor Day! Get those creative juices flowing again!

The recipe for today: Last night's appetizers were delicious, provided by Room 39, ARTichokes' nextdoor neighbor. There were crab cakes, spicy cheese balls, stuffed mushrooms, watermelon cubes wrapped in prosciutto and endive petals with blue cheese. For the dessert tray, warm almond cake with a dallop of whipped cream. All were bite-sized but BIG in flavor. Room 39 always does a great job.

One of my favorite appetizers is one that I can make several hours before the party and stick in the refrigerator. This recipes makes about 15 servings, but if you are having a large crowd, it is way too simple to increase the number of servings...won't even take a calculator! Just remember to prepare the tomatoes and onions at least 8 hours before you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.

Roma Tomato Sandwiches

1 loaf white sandwich bread...not Wonder Bread, but a good loaf from the bakery

Roma Tomatoes, peeled

1 large white onion

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon mustard

salt and pepper

Slice the peeled tomatoes and onions and layer them in a plastic container. Cover and refrigerate them for 8 hours. You are infusing the tomatoes with the onion flavor.

Cut the bread slices into 2" rounds, using a 2" biscuit cutter. Spread each slice generously with a mixture of the mayonnaise and mustard.

Remove the onions from the container of tomatoes. Drain the tomato slices well, then place one slice of tomato on a bread round. Sprinkle generouly with salt and pepper. Top with another bread round.

When all sandwiches are complete, place on a tray and cover with slightly damp paper towels and then with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Is America the Beautiful becoming America the Cruel?

Fair Warning! I am about to get political …. ….delete if you don’t wish to hear me rant again, however, there is a recipe at the end! Last time my rant was on hotdogs….today? Health care and Politics.

I have been on Medicare for several years now, basically haven’t used it, but it is nice to know it is available.
With all the news on the health care situation, I am sure most people age 60 and up are feeling pretty uncomfortable. (I am envisioning railroad tracks being built straight to the Arctic Ocean, where chunks of ice are being corralled, waiting for the boxcars of the elderly to arrive. We will be stripped of clothing and our dignity then set adrift to die on the ice!)
In most cultures, the elderly are respected and taken care of. They are honored members of the family and community. Here in the United States, we are suddenly being seen as drains upon society, using up resources that can be better used on people with a "future." Will we be told “No medical treatment for you, here’s a pain pill”? If there is a plug to pull, is it going to be pulled?

In all honesty, I am not so sure I will want to live after I become badly impaired, but shouldn’t that be my decision? Shouldn’t I have the opportunity to sit down with my three children and discuss my choices with them? Or is there going to be a “Death Panel” that will make that decision for me?

We need to be very careful here, Folks. Those arrogant idiots in Washinton are, unfortunately, our employees, they work for us. There is no “new god” in Washington, DC. The God in our nation’s capitol is still the One whose name is carved into the marble monuments, the One who our forefathers wrote about so eloquently in our Constitution.

I want to see the elderly of America standing tall, standing strong, standing smart! Our eyes may be going, our joints may be arthritic, our organs may be suffering from years of use, but

Our hearts belong to America the Beautiful!

We will not go quietly!

I am not sure this is the time for a recipe, but I think I will print one anyway. After all, you read this blog for recipes, not politics!

American Pecan Bars

18 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
3/4 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
6 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecan halves (8 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Place rack in center of oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees. To make the crust: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add salt, and mix to combine. Add flour 1 cup at a time, on medium speed, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition. Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together in large clumps.
2. Press dough about 1/4-inch thick into a 9-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan. Prick the pastry with the tines of a fork. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Reduce oven to 325 degrees. To make the filling: Place butter, brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla.
4. Pour filling onto the cooled crust. Bake until filling bubbles, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a paring knife around edges of the pan, and invert onto cooling rack, leaving the pastry on the rack. Invert rack with pastry onto a cutting board, leaving the pastry on the board, filling side up. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1-by-3-inch bars. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

The Somerset Painters
from left to righ: Ada Koch, Maria Johnson, Kay Tucker, Vicki Johnston and Audrey Benskin

Yesterday was Somerset Painters Day. I have to say, I love Wednesdays; the camaraderie with the painters, the day outdoors, the creative juices flowing, and LUNCH! Not only did we set up on the veranda and paint for 3 hours, but we also went to Casa Somerset where Chef Michael prepared a delightful lunch for us. Mike gave us a tour of their new 3 story Tuscan style home that is destined to be a fabulous Bed and Breakfast! Go to his web site http://www.casasomerset.com/ and check out the photographs of the building's progress over the last year and a half. While you are there, go to the archives and click on the entry for September, 2008. There you will find Mike's recipe for Limoncello Cake that is served with a delicious sauce. Mike served it to us for dessert at lunch today and it was incredible! If you are looking for a very special cake, this is it!

I am really into Southern Foods right now; grits, fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, peach cobbler, mint juleps, pecan pralines keep running through my head! Wonderful Southern cooking, like turnip greens with bacon and onion, pimento cheese, deviled eggs, cornbread dressing, fried ham with redeye gravy....okay, I need to go to the kitchen, I am hungry!


Here is a recipe for you to try while I'm cooking! It is from Food and Wine. Photo by Kristen Strecker





Fried Green Tomatoes





1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound green tomatoes or large tomatillos, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Old Bay Seasoning, for serving
Hot sauce, for serving



In a medium bowl, season the flour with salt and pepper. Put the eggs in another medium bowl and toss the bread crumbs and grated Parmesan in a third bowl. Dredge the tomato slices in the flour, then coat them in the egg, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Coat in the bread crumbs, pressing to help them adhere.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the breaded tomatoes in a single layer and cook them over moderately high heat, turning once, until deeply golden and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the tomato slices to paper towel—lined plates. Sprinkle with salt and Old Bay and serve immediately with hot sauce.

As you can see, I am trying a new look for my blog….may not keep it, so don’t be surprised if it changes again….and again.

I just received this photograph of my good friend, Willie Kirst, who will be playing at our OktoberArtFest in the vineyard on Sunday, October 11th! Oktoberfest celebrations are so much fun, and this one will be one of the best! Art in the Vines, Great Wine, Delicious German Food, and Willie Kirst playing his accordion as he strolls around the vineyard!
Don’t miss it! Willie will also be playing on Sunday, October 25th.

Tomorrow is Somerset Painters day. We are painting at or around the vineyard, then going to Casa Somerset for lunch. Chef Michael will be preparing pasta for us. Life is good! The chance of rain is 80%...but we are going!

Speaking of Chefs, Chef Jasper Mirabile quoted insignificant me on NBC Action News on Monday! He used a line from this blog concerning Julia Child’s Boeuf à la Bourguignonne. He prepared the dish on the program, with the magic of television, had it done in 5 minutes!
Thanks for plugging my blog, JJ, I appreciate it!

Everything this week is still Julia, Julia, Julia. I wish she was still with us, she would love the press, the excitement, and I am sure, the movie! I just watched one of her television shows on making French Bread. I’ve said before, when I have a question about food, I go one of two places…Julia Child and/or Martha Stewart. I love all of the cooking shows, and the Food Network, but most of those shows are hosted by someone who specializes in a particular cuisine, or an entertainer. For extensive information on a wide variety of foods I feel Julia and Martha are far more qualified and experienced. If it is a science of cooking question, I check Howard Hillman’s book, The New Kitchen Science. If I have a question on Italian foods, I text dear Jasper and email my friend in Tuscany, Judy Witt Francini. How lucky I am to have friends that I can rely on for a little help!

Today is my sister Ann’s birthday. She and Bruce were here last week and participated in our grilled cheese contest, but more importantly, she gave me a recipe for a Gouda Cheese Spread that she developed one day when she needed another appetizer. Sometimes we get really lucky, and this was one of those times! I took this to the Artist’s Party for Cindy and Dennis and was asked to please print the recipe…here it is, Winnie!

Ann’s Gouda Cheese Spread

1 round of Gouda, grated
1 can of Santa Barbara Ripe Green Olives

(available at Whole Foods)
Diced red onion
Mayonnaise
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Grate the cheese into a mixing bowl. Drain the can of olives and slice each olive 3 or 4 times. Add to cheese along with diced onion. Stir in enough mayonnaise to make it as moist as you like it. Season with a good amount of black pepper.
This is excellent! Thanks, Ann, and Happy Birthday!

Here is some information on gouda cheeseGouda cheese [GOO-dah, Du. , KHOW-dah]Holland's most famous exported cheese is Gouda, with its characteristic yellow interior dotted with a few tiny holes. It has a mild, nutlike flavor that is very similar to EDAM, but its texture is slightly creamier due to its higher milk fat content (about 48 percent compared to Edam's 40 percent). Gouda can be made from whole or part-skim cow's milk, and aged anywhere from a few weeks to over a year. The younger the Gouda, the milder the flavor. When aged over a year, it takes on almost a cheddarlike flavor. It comes in large wheels ranging from 10 to 25 pounds, and usually has a yellow wax rind. Baby Gouda, which comes in rounds weighing no more than a pound, usually has a red wax coating. Some Goudas are flavored with CUMIN or herbs. Though Gouda is also made in the United States, the domestic version is rarely aged and is extremely mild-flavored. Gouda is particularly good with beer, red wines and dark bread. The Dutch make a dish called kaasdoop , a Gouda FONDUE served with potatoes and rye bread, (My goodness, that sounds wonderful! I'll try to find a recipe for us!)

A Treasure From The North

We used to take a week of vacation and drive to Lake Clitherall in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. We would stay in a rustic old fishing camp and my in-laws would go fishing twice a day, morning and again in late afternoon/early evening. The Walleye was wonderful, the fresh tomatoes were perfect, the corn-on-the-cob delicious. But what I really loved was the Raisin Rye bread from a small Swedish bakery in the town of Clitherall!
The combination of the rye flour with the raisins and pecans made this bread a real treat The subtle, earthy flavor of rye, the nuttiness of the pecans, and the offsetting sweetness of raisins combined to make a bread whose flavor seemed to delight the taste buds.. You could toast it for breakfast with some great local fresh butter and fold it around a big thick slice or two of crispy fried country style bacon and think you’d died and gone to heaven!
And at cocktail time….nothing beats a slice of the bread thickly spread with Roquefort or another assertive cheese and a glass of Somerset Ridge Ruby Red Wine!

I thought about that bread so many times through the years and finally decided to research it. The closest I have come to matching the Clitherall Bread is what I call

Minnesota Raisin Rye
Biga (starter)

1/8 teaspoon instant yeast

1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/3 cup (2 5/8 ounces) cool water

Dough

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/2 cup medium or light rye flour

1/2 cup pumpernickel flour

1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

3/4 cup lukewarm water

2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup raisins


Make the biga by stirring together the yeast, flour, and water. The dough will be very stiff and dry. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rest at room temperature overnight.



Next day, combine the biga with the remaining ingredients (except the pecans and fruit) in a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, mixing to form a shaggy, sticky dough. Knead the dough until smooth (even though it's smooth, it'll still be very sticky), then place it in a lightly greased bowl and let it rest for 1 hour; it will become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk. The heavier rye and pumpernickel flours keep dough from becoming as light as white bread dough.Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, gently deflate it, and knead in the nuts and fruit. Shape the dough into a slightly flattened ball and place it on a greased sheet pan, or into a greased 9" round cake pan. Cover the pan with a proof cover or some lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the loaf rise for about 90 minutes, until it's puffy. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the bread for about 50 to 55 minutes (tenting it lightly for the final 15 minutes), until its interior registers 190°F to 195°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on rack. Yield: about 16 servings.

Hope you try it! God, I love to bake bread!

Live! From Jasper's Kitchen
Popular Local Chef Hosts Radio Show
Presented by The Hen House Markets
Kansas City, Mo. - Jasper Mirabile, Jr., renowned chef at the popular Italian restaurant that bears his and his father's name, hosts a weekly radio show on KCMO 710 AM radio Saturday mornings at 11 AM.


I haven't talked much lately about my good friend, Jasper Mirabile. He has a wonderful radio program on every Saturday morning at 11am that is full of information about food, Italian food in particular, restaurants in Kansas City, travel, the Slow Foods organization and what is happening in the Kansas City area. He has great guests and terrific topics. Tune in to hear the latest in food news!

Jasper and I collaborated on a dinner held at his restaurant. We called it "Pig 101..From Snout to Tail". I loved the experience! Jasper also attends our harvest events, at leastone each harvest season. He says being at the Somerset Ridge Vineyard for harvest is just like being in Italy! I agree!

Jasper's New Cookbook!

Jasper's Ristorante Presents Jasper's Kitchen Cookbook Dinner

Join Jasper Mirabile Jr. for the premier book signing of his new cookbook Jasper's Kitchen Cookbook from Andrews McMeel Publishing Universal Press.The Jasper's Kitchen Cookbook is a nostalgic collection containing more than 100 recipes from the beloved family-run institution. It is more than a cookbook; it's a rich family history that began long before the opening of the first Jasper's in 1954. The book is full of life and flavor, spanning from antipasta to dolci and celebrates the Italian tradition of shopping local markets and eating what is in season. This will be a true collector's item, filled with stories and photos from the Mirabile Family, chronicling the history of their successful restaurants throughout the years. Jasper Jr. understands that a love of food and family are essential to cook the very best authentic Italian. He passes on these lessons and his reverence for the past, creating a truly unique culinary offering. September 21, 2009 6:30 PM 55.00 per person includes dinner & one cookbook

Tax & Gratuity not included Jasper's Wine Selections will be available.

Jasper's Ristorante 1201 W. 103rd StreetKansas City, MO 64114

Please call for reservation!

816.941.6600

I will be there, so anxious to get his new cookbook! His last cookbook is still in print and is available at the restaurant.

I am such a lucky person….here I am at 67, almost 68, years old and I have a wonderful life going on with an amazing family, a grand combination of both old and new friends, and 3 wonderful interests, painting, cooking, and the vineyard, that keep me active and happy. I never have a day when I wonder “what should I do with myself today?” I have the opposite, “Just how many of these things on my ‘to-do-list’ can I accomplish today?”!
I’m not saying that I don’t have days when I want to stay in my pjs and read a book, because I do… it is because I love a day like that and I figure I deserve one every now and then!
I’m pretty sure all of you have figured out that I love to write my blog. I hope I don’t bore people, but I like to write about the things I know. And to have such a full exciting life at this stage and age is amazing! I must admit, it is also tiring at times, but I seem to pop out of bed the next morning, ready to start another new day and tackle another to-do-list!

The other day I tried to figure out how many hours it would take for me to do all the things I would like to do in one day. Between painting for 4 or 5 hours; cooking for 4 or 5 hours; spending 4 or 5 hours with family, eating, drinking, talking and laughing; Blogging for 2 to 3 hours; spending 4 or 5 hours with friends painting, eating, drinking, laughing, learning, maybe seeing a movie…I figured out there just isn’t enough time for me to have a “perfect day”. Maybe I need to arrange for a perfect weekend!

I am thinking French Food today, I suppose the Julie&Julia movie is still having an affect on me. I want my house to be filled with the aroma of French Braised Pork Shanks with Rosemary infused White Beans. I want to inhale the aroma of Normandy Apples with Cinnamon and Honey. I want a warm crusty Baguette with real French Butter. I think a simple green salad would be perfect to serve with this menu. My choice of wine would, naturally, be a dry red from Somerset Ridge Vineyard, if only I had saved a bottle of the Cabernet Reserve! I suppose I should whip up a dessert. I am remembering the first time I made Julia’s Whipped Cream Torte, must have been in 1970….OMG! Was it good! But then, I’ve never tried anything from Julia that wasn’t!
This recipe is for her Apricot Gateau, the cake that she chose for her own birthday celebration. She called it her "Los Gatos Gateau Cake”. She described it as a Dacquoise type of apricot-filled torte. She prepared this on one of her television shows and said she loved the rectangular shape because she could prepare the recipe, cut off the end piece, eat it and then frost the cut end again and no one was the wiser! Here is the PARAPHRASED recipe. (paraphrased by Pat Goldberg in 2003) The photograph is of an Apricot Orchard in Provence, France

Meringue-nut layers

3/4 c each toasted and skinned hazelnuts and blanched toasted almonds

1 c sugar

3/4 c (5 to 6) egg whites

pinch salt

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

3 Tb additional sugar

1 Tb vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

Pulverize the nuts with the sugar in a blender or food processor. better done in two batches. preheat oven to 250. Butter and flour two pastry sheets and, using a spatula mark out a total of 4 12x4 inch rectangles on them.Beat the egg whites until stiff and shining, adding in the salt and cream of tartar when they have foamed. Add the 3 Tb sugar at the end while you are still beating, and then the extracts. Fold in the pulverized nuts and sugar, put the resulting meringue in a pastry bag, and fill in the four squares, from the outside to the inside. Bake about an hour on two oven racks, exchanging the two pans about every 20 minutes. They are done when you can push them loose from the pan - but don't force them. Put on a rack to cool.

The Apricot Filling

1 lb dried apricots

1 c dry white French vermouth

2 c water

1 stick cinnamon

zest of one orange

2/3 c sugar

2 Tb orange or apricot liqueur

1 Tb cognac or rum

Soak the apricots in the vermouth and water for several hours. Add the cinnamon and zest and simmer at least 10 minutes until the apricots are very tender. Drain the fruit, reserving the cooking liquid.Puree the fruit in a food processor or with a food mill (she doesn't say what to do with the cinnamon stick). Boil the cooking liquid until it is a thick syrup, stir in the puree and the liquid and the liqueurs. Cool, cover, and refrigerate.

Confectioners Butter Cream (make just before using)

8 oz unsalted butter

10 oz confectioners sugar (2 cups sifted directly into cup)

2 egg yolks

1 Tb vanilla

3 to 4 Tb orange or apricot liqueur, cognac, or rum

Beat the butter over hot water until it has just softened, then add sugar. Beat another minute or two until it is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat another minute, then add the vanilla and liqueur. Beat over cold water if it is too runny.

Putting the damn thing together

1 c confectioner's sugar in a sieve or shaker

2 c shaved almonds, lightly toasted

lightly whipped and sweetened cream to pass with the cake {optional}

Be careful with the cake layers, they are easy to break (but can be disguised as you put the cake together. Save the best one for the top. You will use only two more, the last one is "just in case." Put the ugliest meringue layer on the serving plate or board, and slip a couple of layers of wax paper under it in a way that allows you to pull them out later. Put aside almost 2/3 of the butter cream. Of the remaining butter cream, spread half of it on the meringue, then spread that with half the apricot stuff. Put on another meringue layer and repeat. Top with the most beautiful meringue. If it looks good, dust it with powdered sugar. If it is cracked in a way that the sugar can't cover up, ice it with a bit of the butter cream. In any case, spread the butter cream on all the sides of the cake. Then pat on the almonds. You can put some on top to cover imperfections too. Chill the cake. It can be refrigerated for up to two days or it can be frozen. In that case thaw in the refrigerator for several hours.

Our Julia sure knew how to eat well!