Foodie Movies make me happy

Did you ever see the “Taming of the Shrew” with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton? What a movie! Shakespeare’s comedy of male chauvinism and women’s lib in the 16th century has always been one of my favorites. I remember seeing “Kiss me Kate”, the musical version, at Starlight Theatre in the early 1950s. What a treat, I was 11 or 12 years old and I loved it. I also loved the fact the lead character was named Katharina , the European version of my name, Katherine.
The Franco Zeffirelli movie is a work of art. Every inch of the film is beautiful. It was filmed in Italy and depicts the life of Italians, both rich and poor, in the 1500s. There were scenes in the rain and you felt the cold damp creeping through your bones. There were scenes in Petruchio’s home in Verona which made you feel the poverty ; the dust almost made you cough!
But my favorite scenes? The food, what else? It didn’t show a great deal of food…it wasn’t huge tables of food for lavish feasts. But there was one scene when Katharina followed Petruchio from her father’s home in Veronna to his home in Padua, after their wedding. He was so obnoxious! But she followed him anyway, through the rain, through the mountains and the snow and ice. She was frozen to the bone, hungry, her wedding gown was a sodden, mud and ice caked mess. She finally arrived to find the table covered with roasted chicken, a huge beautiful copper bowl full of rich creamy polenta, fresh breads. Starving, she grabs for the food, only to watch Petruchio turn the table upside down, dumping the warm inviting dinner onto the dirt covered floor! I was so saddened by this….not for her, but for the polenta…one of God’s greatest achievements! I dream of creamy polenta….sometimes drizzled with pesto, sometimes topped with mushroom ragout…most of the time with a huge pat of creamery butter and a mound of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. As I have said before, no wonder I am 4’ square!

I have watched “Under the Tuscan Sun” dozens of times, just to gaze upon the beautiful food she feeds the artisans who are restoring her old Italian villa. And “Moonstruck” to see the eggs in a basket…eggs fried in the center of a piece of bread!
I cried the first 6 times I watched “Babette’s Feast”, of course living on a desolate Denmark coast in the middle of winter would make anyone cry! But the food that Babette prepared for her feast was incredible.
“Like Water for Chocolate” is another great foodie movie. Set on a ranch in Mexico at the turn of the century, this beautiful food will kill you! But you will die happy.
“Woman on Top” is a magical movie about a Brazilian chef; “No Reservations” is a movie about food, wine, and has Aaron Eckhart for dessert! What more could a girl want?
I suppose if they ever made a movie about me, they would call it “Monday Night at Mimi’s” It would be a cross between a disaster movie and a psychological thriller with great cinematography and huge platters of food. There would be discussions at the dinner table that would rival those of the Walker family of the television show “Brothers and Sisters”.There would definitely be a Grilled Cheese Contest going on! You would definitely need to lower the volume.
Never fear…. It will never happen.

Timpano from " Big Night"

the photo above is from one of my favorite blogs,

Proud Italian Cook.

Go to http://prouditaliancook.blogspot.com. for their recipe....excellent!

Other movies about food? Don’t miss “Tortilla Soup” and “ Big Night” is absolutely required! You will be in your kitchen making timpano before you know what hit you.
I suppose you know what is last, …but certainly not least. The movie about the queen of the kitchen…no, not Martha Stewart! Julia Child! Don’t miss "Julie & Julia", it is an inspiration to all who dream of creating works of art in the kitchen!
Have fun!

The Somerset Ridge Painters

will be featured artists during the

First Paola Art Crawl!

Saturday, February 6th, 6:00 to 9:00pm in exciting Paola, Kansas!
In case you haven’t been to Paola lately, they are on a roll!
New businesses are moving in, old buildings are being restored!
There is a lot happening on the square,

and, it is becoming quite an art community!

Join in the fun on Saturday, February 6th
Come to

Molly’s Table
Where the Somerset Ridge Painters will be exhibiting their work.

Molly’s table is a wonderful little restaurant just off the square
at 117 S Pearl

Come and enjoy the art, some food and wine!

Come party with the artists!

speaking of Food and Wine........

try these two wonderful appetizer recipes, one sweet, one savory

Have some ricotta cheese or warm brie and crackers ready!

Figs Poached In Somerset Ridge Tawny Port

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup Somerset Ridge Vineyard Tawny Port
4 thin slices lemon
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
8 dried plump black Mission figs, halved lengthwise

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Add the port, lemon slices, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Add the figs, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly and remove the lemon slices, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean from the syrup.

Cool and refrigerate.

Antipasto

8 ounces canned mushroom stems and -pieces drained and finely -chopped
1 can artichoke hearts drained and finely chopped (14 ounce)
1 jar pimiento stuffed olives drained and finely chopped (10 ounce)
1 can ripe olives drained and finely chopped (6 ounce)
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup instant minced onion
2 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine first 6 ingredients mixing well then set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Pour dressing over vegetables then place in a large jar with a tight fitting lid.

Shake jar to stir ingredients then refrigerate overnight.

Serve spread with assorted crackers.

Today I needed comforting. Yes, it is cold and windy outside, but the real reason I needed comforting is I just lost an old friend. Today, Susan Callender Rettig died of lung cancer.
Susan had lived away from the Kansas City area for several years, but had been brought home to Hospice House several days ago. Four of us, all good friends of Susan’s since our junior high and high school days, were preparing to go tell her goodbye when the phone call came. We didn’t make it in time.
Feeling the need to be together, to talk about Susan and the old days, I called Jasper Mirabile of Jasper’s Restaurant and he and his staff were waiting for us when we arrived.
The comfort we needed was right there at our table. Sitting there on a busy weekday during lunch, we were made comfortable and given all the time we needed to be sad, to laugh, to remember. We drank Flyboy Red, my favorite wine, and eventually settled in to enjoy Jasper’s wonderful lunch.
As we ate the warm, comforting food, we decided the point had come to face facts and realize we need to make time for “us”. We need to be together, we need to be closer now than we have ever been. When we were young, we lost touch because of life…. .children, jobs…life. Now, 50 years after graduating from Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, Kansas, we need to remember “us”. My “girl friends” from high school are very important women now, important to me. I intend to keep them close from this point on.

Being me, a total “foodie”, I am sure I will be preparing dinner, or maybe lunch, for them soon. That is my therapy, feeding friends and family. Feeling the warmth and togetherness around the table is vital; the sound of laughter and small talk, hearing knives and forks against the dinnerware, smelling the aromas of the food, all add up to being together.
I am sure Susan will be there with us

It comes as no surprise to me that I immediately think of Italian food when I want to cook something comforting. Big bubbling casseroles of pasta and melted creamy cheeses with sprigs of fresh fragrant herbs tucked in here and there; maybe a spicy tomato sauce, or a rich green pesto. There must be lots of warm crusty bread and fresh creamery butter. Comfort food should never be low fat! That is a law!

One of my favorite casseroles is Chicken Tetrazinni. Apparently Chicken Tetrazinni was “invented” right here in the United States, not Italy. The year was 1910 – Tetrazinni is said to have been named for the Italian opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini (1871-1941), called “The Florentine Nightingale.” She was extremely popular in the United States and was a star of the San Francisco Opera. She also was a long-time resident of San Francisco. It was a culinary tradition to name new dishes after personalities of the day, and Chefs of the 19th century used to flatter great prima donnas like Luisa Tetrazzini, making them the inspiration and then naming dishes for them.
A few historians say that master French chef, George Auguste Escoffier, invented this dish, but the dish is not mentioned in Escoffier's cookbooks and memoirs. According to Luisa Tetrazzini's 1921 autobiography, she was unaware of this fact.
Here is my favorite recipe, tried and true. I renamed it today in honor of my friend.
Susan's Tetrazinni
9 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup Somerset Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 ounces linguine
3/4 cup frozen peas (optional, but I love the additional color)
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.
3. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.
4. Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.
6. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.
Makes 8 servings

So when you are sad, or blue, prepare this recipe. Invite those you love and share this comforting meal with them.
Have a salad, crusty bread and butter and the rest of the bottle of chardonnay (plus one or two more in the refrigerator). Let yourself wallow in the love of this warm gooey casserole and that of your friends and family. Life will look a little brighter.

I’m excited! Two of my favorite events are scheduled and on the calendar!


Slow Food Kansas City
Presents
Pig 102
"From Snout To Tail"
Eat & Drink Local
Local Duroc Pork, Local Wine & Local Chefs
Join Slow Food Members Kay Tucker & Chef Jasper Mirabile for our 2nd annual small plate dinner & cooking class featuring Pork Belly, Jowl, Trotter, Neck Bones & more.
Our Mission: To teach the home cook how to use the whole hog from snout to tail.
Jasper will be serving Tuscan Bean Soup, Mama's Sunday Sauce & Neck Bones and

Bucatini 'Almatricina, & Porchetta.
Kay is making Guanciale, Head Cheese, Zampone and Country Pork Pate
To finish off our Pork 102 Dinner, how about an XV Olive Oil Cake W/ Caremelized Pancetta & Gelato!
Slow Food members Dennis & Cindy Reynolds will be offering their Somerset Ridge wine produced locally in Somerset, Kansas.
February 25, 2010 6:30 PM
Jasper's Ristorante 1201 W. 103rd. Street Kansas City, MO 64114
40.00 per person includes wine. Tax & gratuity extra
Sign up today, seating is limited
$5.00 from every purchase will go directly to Slow Food KC Chapter.

I am going to be making sausage, cured pork jowl, head cheese,

Zampone and pate over the next few weeks!

This event does sell out quickly, so if you are interested in trying our pork dinner, make your reservations early!
Call Jasper’s Restaurant,
816-941-6600

Next exciting event is one I consider “my baby”!
Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery
2nd Annual
Art in the Vines
Saturday, June 12th
11am to 6 pm
Come and see Kansas City’s finest Art, hanging in the beautiful vines of Somerset Ridge!
Enjoy a glass of the vineyard’s finest wine
while strolling through the vines,
Experiencing the art work of 30 plus artists!
It is one of the most exciting events of the summer!

Do yourself a big favor....mark your calendar now!

Do you absolutely love Mexican food? Last night I spent the evening with my granddaughter, Ali, and the rest of her family, to celebrate her birthday. Her choice of restaurant was Cactus Grill in Leawood here in Johnson County, Kansas. I've been going to Cactus Grill since it opened in the early '90s. It is always good and I love their Creamy Cilanto Chicken soup. I started making it when I was a personal chef for a doctor and his family. After tweaking the recipe, this is a favorite.

Creamy Cilantro Chicken Soup

6 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth

4 cups (packed) fresh cilantro

2 cups (packed) fresh Italian parsley

6 ounces cream cheese, cubed

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1 fresh marjoram sprig

1 cup shredded cooked chicken

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

Note: You may make your own broth with a fresh chicken, having both the broth and shredded chicken for this recipe; Or you may use a good canned broth and shred a rotisserie chicken from the deli.

Combine 2 cups broth, 2 cups cilantro, parsley, cream cheese, and almonds in blender; blend until smooth. Heat 4 1/2 cups broth in large saucepan. Whisk in herb-cheese mixture and marjoram. Simmer 25 minutes to blend flavors. Transfer 1 cup soup and remaining 2 cups cilantro to blender; puree until smooth. Add puree to soup in pan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more broth if desired. Top each bowl of soup with a 1/4 cup warm shredded chicken and a few toasted sliced almonds for garnish .

Granted, this is not just Mexican, it is actually rather worldly.

To have this as part of a Southwestern/Mexican meal, serve it as the 1st course in a dinner of more traditional Mexican food.

May I suggest

Braised Short Ribs in Pasilla Chile Pozole

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard seed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds beef short ribs, cleaned, excess fat removed, and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 dried pasilla chiles, seeded and stemmed
1 cup hot water
1 white onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 bunch celery, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups red wine
2 tomatoes, quartered
3 to 4 cups beef broth
1 (16-ounce) can white hominy or pozole, drained
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Directions
Place flour in a bowl with all ground spices. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Once well mixed, add to a shallow dish.
Dredge short ribs one by one on both sides, making sure to shake off any excess flour. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil smokes, add the short ribs. Brown short ribs for 5 minutes on each side until a golden crust starts to form. Once brown, reserve, and continue until all are brown. Set ribs aside.
While the short ribs are browning, heat a cast iron skillet. When skillet is hot, add the pasilla chiles and toast for 4 minutes until they start to smoke. Remove and submerge in 1 cup hot water. Allow to steep for 10 minutes until they become soft and pliable. Remove from water and puree in blender with 1/4 cup of the water. Set aside puree mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the dutch oven. Cook for 15 minutes until the vegetables caramelize. Deglaze pot with red wine, then add tomatoes, beef broth, hominy, and pasilla chile puree. Bring the whole mixture to a simmer. Start adding all the browned short ribs back into the pan.
Cover and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes until short ribs barely start falling off the bone. Season with salt, pepper, cilantro, and parsley, and serve.

A simple green salad and warm flour tortillas will complete your special meal.

Back to the Studio

I am so excited! I actually started a new painting yesterday. After 6 weeks of picking up a paint brush just to lay it down again, I am thrilled I actually put some paint on a canvas! I have two paintings that I need to complete, plus several new paintings that I need to start, so it is a good thing that my heart and mind are once again back into my painting. I suppose the fact that I am once again right in the middle of planning the next Art in the Vines show at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery might be jump starting my creativity. Whatever might be the catalyst, I am grateful!

I am so lonely for my friends and teachers at ARTichokes! I have found I paint better and am more prolific when I am involved with Becky Pashia, Ada Koch and Kristin Goering, the premier instructors at ARTichokes. Due to my schedule during the holidays, I have not been able to participate in their classes, but beginning February 1st....I AM BACK! I hope I am smart enough to be selfish when I schedule my time in the future....I need to paint!

Back to street foods....

When I went to Germany with my friend Inge, we arrived in Bavaria just in time to meet her relative at the pretzel cart. Yep, the pretzel cart. Not only was it a permanently placed cart and landmark, but it sold the biggest, most gorgeous pretzels you could ever find!

In Germany as in most countries, street food is regional, but the most popular and best known is the pretzel and sausage, and of course, beer. Throughout Germany you will find small structures, similar to a kiosk, for selling fast food. Each Schnell Imbis is situated near a busy location, such as a castle, a ski lift, a busy intersection, etc. There you can buy a sausage on a roll, a pretzel and even a beer. You will find a selection of sodas and candy.

German pretzels are huge, unlike the skinny pale pretzels you find here in our malls and stadiums. In Bavaria, pretzels are fat, and shiny dark golden brown with a split showing the wonderful chewey white interior. Unlike in the US, Germans eat soft pretzels with butter, not mustard or cheese sauce for dipping. The bakeries also sell pretzel rolls, which are good with liverwurst or other "Aufschnitt" (bologna) in the middle.

There are possibly thousands of recipes for pretzels available. Some use a lye solution in the preparation, some use a solution of baking soda and water, some don't use a wet solution but are instead brushed with beaten egg to produce the shiny brown crust. To prepare a truly authentic German pretzel, you must use the extremely caustic lye solution. "Why on earth would you add it to your baked goods? Apparently, the brief contact with lye sort of precooks the surface; it breaks up the gluten so it caramelizes in the oven. The pretzels are perfectly safe once they've been baked. Some other foods are treated with lye before cooking, but hominy is the only one that comes to mind. Anyway, if a pretzel is still wet from the dip, then it's still dangerous, so be careful with it." That statement is from an excellent webpage on making German pretzels. Go to http://www.cs.uml.edu/~dm/brezla/ There is a recipe on the page.

Now, for the grilled sausages. German's never grill their sausages until they pop open. When they "explode", they quickly become dry. It is very common for them to eat their sausage with out a bun....very different from the American hotdog at the baseball game. Instead of that soggy soft bun, they pair their sausage with a big delicious pretzel!

If you live in the Kansas city area as I do, you are very fortunate to be close to Werner's Specialty

Foods. http://www.wernerswurst.com/ 5736 Johnson Dr. Mission, KS 66202-3325 (913) 362-5955.

David and Judy Miller have been making excellent German sausages for years, particularly their Bratwurst. Try them, you will be happy. When the weather gets warm, particularly on a Saturday, they will be out in front of the store with their grill....no, it isn't quite a schnell imbis, but yes, German street food in Kansas! Come back Toto, life is good!

Street foods in France

The French used to think it was bad manners to grab a snack out on the street. They felt the proper place for dining was in a Paris restaurant or sidewalk cafe. How times change! Today you will see Parisians munching on sandwiches, hot dogs, pizza, pastries while strolling along the street or sitting in the sun by the Seine.
So, a hotdog isn't French enough for you? Then maybe you should stop for crêpes at a booth on the sidewalk. Many cafés and restaurants have crêpe booths from which you can buy freshly-made crêpes, plain and simple with butter and sugar, or fancier filled with chocolate and nuts, ham and cheese, apricot jam, or some other treat.
BASIC CREPES
3 eggs

1 1/2 c. flour

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1/8 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. skim milk
In mixing bowl, combine eggs and salt, add flour alternately with milk, beating until smooth after each addition. Add oil and beat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cook on upside-down crepe griddle according to manufacturer's directions, or in skillet with non-stick coating. (If using skillet, allow 2 tablespoons batter per crepe, turning skillet to coat evenly in very thin layer. Cook over medium heat until bottom is brown, turn brown other side a few seconds).
Crepes may be made in advance, wrapped in foil or plastic wrap, and stored in refrigerator for 2 or 3 days; for easier separation, a layer of waxed paper or foil may be placed between crepes. They may be kept in freezer if tightly sealed in freezer bags. When ready to use bring crepes to room temperature before separating.

What you put on these is up to you. The famous Crepe Suzette is orange flavored and flambéed. You will find those in the sidewalk cafes. On the streets, you will find them filled with Nutella, that delicious Chocolate Hazelnut spread, maybe sliced bananas with a caramel sauce. They also sell them with savory fillings like wonderful french cheeses, maybe some ham.

Sorry I am not much on Japaneese street foods, but I understand octopus, bean paste and rice cakes are big. I don't think I will be going to Japan anytime soon. I am thinking about Great Britain. I'll let you know what I find out!

As usual, photographs provided by Fotosearch.com

photos by Fotosearch.com

IS IT SPRING YET?

Okay, so it was in the 40s today, but have you seen the huge mounds of snow in my front yard? Maybe by the 4th of July I'll be able to see the street! Pulling out of my driveway is dangerous! I can't see either direction as I pull out. Come on Springtime! Lets see some daffodils, some tulips! I'd be thrilled to see a blade of grass!

I suppose I need to stick with heavier wintertime recipes, but I long to dive in to spring's lighter fare. And with spring I can start driving to Annie Cassidy's chicken Farm for her beautiful fresh eggs. I have missed them terribly!

I am also anxious to prepare Carnivale food. In Italy, the street vendors take advantage of the huge crowds in the streets, selling one of my favorite street foods,
Frittelle (Fritters) but there is absolutely no reason to wait for Carnevale. Carnevale, also known as Carnival and Mardi Gras around the world, street foods are very important. I am not a fan of funnel cakes, but from their popularity at festivals and fairs here in the United States, I must be in the minority! But if you take the Italian Frittelle and taste test it with a Funnel Cake...I think

you will be saying "Delizioso!"

I figure we should make the Frittelle to make sure we have the recipe and procedure perfected by Carnevale. So, I will give you several recipes, each one a little more elaborate.

Hope you have fun choosing your favorite!

Frittelle

1 3/4 cup rice (cheap rice is best here)
1 quart milk
The zest of one lemon
3 Tablespoons sugar (3 to 4)
A walnut-sized chunk of sweet butter
3 eggs
1 jigger Somerset Ridge Ambrosia Dessert Wine

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Oil for frying
Confectioner's sugar

Simmer the rice in the milk until it's quite done, then stir in the sugar, lemon zest, and butter and let the mixture cool.
Separate the eggs and whip the whites to soft peaks. Stir the yolks and the rum or wine into the rice mixture, then fold in the egg whites, flour and baking powder. Drop the batter a teaspoon at a time into hot oil and fry the frittelle until they are a rich golden brown. Drain them on absorbent paper, and when they have cooled dust them with confectioner's sugar.

Frittelle con Uvetta, Fritters with raisins

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup less 1 tablespoon raisins
3 tablespoons sweet butter
3 eggs
The zest of a lemon
Sugar
Oil for frying
Salt
Bring a half cup of water to boil with the butter and a pinch of salt. Add the flour in one fell swoop and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, for five minutes. Let it cool, then work in the raisins, eggs, and lemon zest. Fry the batter a tablespoon at a time in hot oil. Drain the frittelle on absorbent paper, dust them with sugar, and serve.

Frittelle di Seomolino, Semolina fritters

1 quart milk
1 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon semolina
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The grated zest of an orange
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1 flavorful apple, peeled, cored and diced
5 yolks
Flour
Sugar for dusting
Salt
Oil for frying

Bring the milk to a boil with the orange zest and the vanilla. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and the semolina, and cook for 10 minutes over a moderate flame, stirring constantly. Stir in the raisins, almonds and apple, then remove the mixture from the fire and stir in the yolks. Let the batter cool (it will be fairly stiff), form it into 1 1/2 inch by half-inch sausages, roll them in flour, and fry them. Dust them with granulated sugar when they are cool and serve.

so now that I've talked about Italian Street Food, I suppose I should give Germany, France, Mexico, etc. an equal amount of space.....next time.

In the United States, the Pinon, better know as the pine nut, is from the Great Basin region which extends into Mexico and covers most of Nevada and over half of Utah, as well as parts of California, Idaho, Oregon and Wyoming. Pinon are also common in other parts of the world, wherever pine trees grow. Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pines (family Pinaceae, genus Pinus). About 20 species of pine produce seeds large enough to be worth harvesting; in other pines the seeds are also edible, but are too small to be of great value as a human food. In Europe, pine nuts come from the Stone Pine (Pinus pinea), which has been cultivated for its nuts for over 6,000 years, and harvested from wild trees for far longer.
Native Americans have always considered the pinon as a staple, grinding them into a paste they ate either cold or hot like a soup.
Pine nuts have been eaten in Europe and Asia since the Paleolithic period. They are frequently added to meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. In Italian they are called pinoli or pignoli[6] and are an essential component of Italian pesto sauce. The pignoli cookie, an Italian specialty confection, is made of almond flour formed into a dough similar to that of a macaroon and then topped with pine nuts. Pine nuts are also featured in the salade landaise of southwestern France. Pine nut coffee, known as piñón (Spanish for pine nut), is a speciality found in the southwest United States, especially New Mexico, and is typically a dark roast coffee having a deep, nutty flavour; roasted and lightly salted pine nuts can often be found sold on the side of the road in cities across New Mexico to be used for this purpose. The Nevada Pine Nut, or Great Basin pine nut has a sweet fruity flavor and is relished for its large size, sweet flavor and ease of peeling. Pine nuts are also used in chocolates and desserts such as baklava. It is also a widely used ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine, reflected in a diverse range of dishes such as kibbeh, sambusek, ladies' fingers and many others.
Today, the pine nut is a much appreciated culinary ingredient. When American Southwestern cooking became recognized as an important cuisine, the pine nut was introduced to the general public in the United States. Pine nuts are considered to be fairly expensive, but the harvesting of pine seed is not an easy process. The shelf life on the pinon is very short. Keep them in your freezer!
As for me, my favorite recipe using pine nuts is Pignoli, the Italian cookie. This is the perfect way to taste the true nutty flavor of the pine nut.
· 2 lbs almond paste
· 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
· 8 egg whites (room temperature)
· 1 lb pignoli (we are speaking Italian!) nuts
· 1 1/2 cups sugar
· 2 tablespoons honey
· 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Cream together the almond paste, sugars and honey into a smooth batter. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then gradually mix into the batter, along with the vanilla. Spread the pignoli in a dish. Drop the batter by teaspoonful into the nuts, then place onto a lightly greased cookie sheet at 1-inch apart.Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 12-14 minutes or until golden. Remove carefully from baking sheet with a spatula while still warm. Makes about 4 dozen.

Here we are thigh high in snow but I am beginning to plan for the summer. No, I am not talking about summer vacations, traveling, etc. I am talking about events at the vineyard! It won't be long before we have bud break on the vines....well, it might be better to say "in April"...I just hope it won't "be long". Anyway, once the buds pop out, it is just a matter of time before we have a lush green vineyard once again.

That means it is just a matter of time before we once again hold our Art in the Vines! I am going to start contacting the artists soon to ask for their commitment to our 2010 art fair. We will try to schedule it for a perfect weekend in June! Stay tuned...there will be many great events at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery!

As for painting....I am a loser! I have not picked up a brush since the first of December. I've walked into my studio several times, only to look around, sigh, and walk out. What could be wrong with me? So I thought maybe I should work on my creativity in the kitchen. I have 150 recipes I need to work on, prepare, design the presentation and take the photographs. I walk into the kitchen, look around, sigh and walk out! Picking up on the pattern? Oh well, there is always tomorrow! My paint brushes and oil paints are at the ready....camera batteries are charged up and ready to go....plenty of butter in the refrigerator. Yep, tomorrow is a new day.

So, you ask, how have I been spending my time? I have two projects that are near and dear to my heart. Short term project....Pig 102 with Chef Jasper Mirabile! This is where J and I take pork from a whole pig, snout to tail, and create a delicious meal. We hold the event at Jasper's Restaurant and the profit goes to the Slow Food organization. This event will be held on February 25th! So, now I am curing pork, tweaking recipes, etc. I love living on the edge!

My long term project is the Somerset Ridge Cookbook. I have been promising friends of the vineyard that there would be a cookbook....and now it is more than just an idea! Lots of work to be done, but I love it!

Now, just one thing to do.....pray for spring!

MORE DAMNED SNOW!

Yes, I do know that in today's electronic world,when you capitalize letters it means you are yelling! Believe me, I am yelling….! In one 24 hour period the snow removal teams came 3 times to shovel my driveway, sidewalk and front porch! (As you can see from the photo, they don’t clear decks. You can also see I didn’t get my deck furniture to storage!)
It has been a difficult task for the poor guys with single digit temperatures and tons of the white stuff. And I was just bitching about paying the $200 a month for the homes association fee! I think I am getting my money’s worth now!

I am truly thankful I have my blog and the cookbook to work on….I can watch just so much television. I do have several blogs that I follow and it is like having someone to visit with, hearing about their world, their weather! We food bloggers are quite a group. I don’t want to say anything about the artist bloggers….still trying to figure them out. I am pretty sure I am not a good fit with that group. They are probably appalled by my blog, combining food and painting, but what the heck, it is my blog!

No fresh tomatoes in this weather, so today I think I will put on a pot of creamy tomato basil soup and dream up a new grilled cheese combination. Nothing fights off the winter B-r-r-r-r-s like tomato soup and grilled cheese!
Oh, I said I was going to quit eating….okay, you make the soup and let me know how it turns out.

Creamy Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil Chiffonade

2 (15-ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (28-ounce) can concentrated crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
Coarse salt and black pepper
20 leaves fresh basil, cut into chiffonade, for garnish

To chiffonade the basil, stack 10 leaves, roll tightly from stem end to top of leaf. Slice into ribbons ands shake to separate. Repeat with remaining 10 basil leaves. If you aren't into perfection, simply tear a few leaves onto top of each bowl of soup. It will still taste fabulous!Perfect for soup!

Directions
Combine broth and tomatoes in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. When soup bubbles, stir in heavy cream and reduce heat to low. Season with a little salt and pepper and simmer gently 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. With an immersion blender, puree soup. Serve bowls of soup with basil chiffonade.

Now, add French Toast Cheddar Sandwiches and you can snuggle up on this cold winter's evening and feel pampered.

French Toast Cheddar Sandwiches

2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk or light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 slices white bread
1 prepared mustard
4 cheddar cheese slices, thick slices
3 teaspoons butter

Set out a heavy skillet or cast iron griddle. Beat the eggs slightly in a pie tin or shallow bowl and add the milk or cream and salt, set aside. Spread the bread slices out on a flat working surface. Spread one side of four slices of bread lightly with the prepared mustard. Top each with a slice of cheddar cheese. Butter the remaining four slices of bread and top each cheese slice with bread, butter side down. Heat the butter in the skillet or on the griddle. Carefully dip each sandwich into the egg mixture, coating both sides. Allow the excess egg mixture to drain back into the bowl. Dip only as many sandwiches as will lie flat in the skillet or griddle. Cook over low heat until browned. Turn and brown the other sides. Repeat for the remaining sandwiches and if necessary, add more butter to the skillet or griddle to prevent sticking. Or you can place the sandwiches, after dipping, on a well greased baking sheet and brown in the oven at 450 degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.

I don’t mean to sound negative….but I have officially reached the point where I can honestly say….I am sick of winter! Fortunately, I don’t have to get out in it, don’t have to shovel snow, don’t have to walk the dog; I just have to stay in and stay warm. But the truth is, I am bored. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who eat when they are bored….I stand in the middle of the kitchen and try to figure out what I want to eat next. So far, I have resisted baking a cake and covering it with warm fudgy ganache. I have ignored my desire to whip up a batch of sugar cookies. I have fought off the urge to make a 10 pound pan of warm and cheesy lasagna. However, I lost the battle with the bag of horribly stale store bought cookies. Dipped in a cup of hot tea, they weren’t all that bad.

I figure by spring thaw, I will have an additional 50 pounds to lose. Depressing, isn’t it?

So, today, in honor of the New Year, I have given up eating and have turned my attention to the new cookbook I am working on. I am hoping that writing about food won’t make me gain weight.

For the last 6 years, both Cindy and I have promised our harvest crews and friends of the vineyard that there would be a Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery cookbook. We have declared we would, indeed, include all of the recipes that have been served at harvest events and gourmet dinners.

There seems to be a tradition at some vineyards to feed their harvest crews brisket, baked beans and potato salad. Boring! At Somerset Ridge, harvest event menus include dishes like French Braised Pork with Rosemary Cannellini Beans, or Wild Boar on a bed of Soft Polenta.

Our menus have always consisted of gourmet dishes, prepared with fresh locally grown foods whenever possible. The garden at Somerset Ridge provides us with fresh vegetables, all organically grown, just as our grapes are. We grow our own shallots, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, pumpkins….all lovingly tended by Mae Reynolds.

Our meats include buffalo from a local herd. Our baked goods are full of beautiful fresh eggs from Annie, our egg lady. Our homemade Ricotta cheese is made from rich creamy goat’s milk from right down Somerset Road.

Yes, this is going to be a very special cookbook. I’ll keep you posted on our progress.

In the meantime, here is a recipe that is on the list to be considered for the cookbook. Hope you try it!

Polenta-Pecan Apple Cobbler
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup quick-cooking polenta mix or yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 cups cubed, cored, peeled cooking apples (8 medium)
1/2 cup dried tart red cherries
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup half-and-half or light cream

For topping, in a small bowl stir together flour, polenta mix or cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside.

In another small bowl combine the pecans, the 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; set aside.

For filling, in a large saucepan combine the apples, cherries, the 1/3 cup brown sugar, the lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until fruit is almost tender, stirring occasionally. Combine cold water and cornstarch; add to saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Keep hot.

Add the 1/3 cup half-and-half or light cream to topping mixture, stirring just to moisten. Transfer filling to a 2-quart square baking dish. Using a spoon, immediately drop topping into small mounds onto filling. Sprinkle with pecan mixture.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into topping comes out clean. If desired, serve with additional ice cream, half-and-half, or light cream. Makes 8 servings

I love Christmas, but truthfully, by Christmas Day night, I am ready to have the house back to normal….. the most important “de-holidaying” is getting the kitchen back in shape. That means I no longer have to keep a minimum of 5 pounds of butter and 36 eggs in the refrigerator. The carton of milk returns to a quart of 2% instead of a gallon of whole milk, 2 quarts of heavy cream and 2 quarts of half and half. It takes me a while to get all of this accomplished, but I do start on Christmas Day night. I’d like to think I would shed the pounds I’ve gained from Thanksgiving to Christmas just by ridding myself of butter and cream, but alas, the pounds remain way into springtime, and usually, beyond!

I hope your Christmas wasn’t messed up by the blizzard that hit the Midwest. Mother Nature and Jack Frost joined efforts to create havoc in the Kansas City area, successfully changing plans for many families. Mine was fortunate to not have anyone arriving on flights or traveling by car.

So, here we are, a few days till the end of 2009. I haven’t done much partying on New Year’s Eve for the last 3 years, and I don’t think I want to return to wild partying anytime soon. No, I think a nice quiet evening at home is how I will be spending the evening. Arch and I used to have big New Year’s Eve parties at our home, usually having around 35 guests and food galore. Arch always made his Black-eyed Peas, traditionally good luck to all who eat them on New Year’s Day. After midnight, Arch would serve his specialty along with big chunks of hot cornbread. Those were the days.
You do know that Black-eyed Peas are not really peas at all, don’t you? They are actually beans. According to the USDA they are high in potassium, iron, and fiber. In fact, a one-cup serving of cooked black-eyed peas supplies 11 grams of fiber, almost half of the daily requirement. They are also extremely low in fat. Certainly the nutritional aspects of black-eyed peas should be convincing enough to serve them often.
Arch’s recipe for black-eyed peas is easy and takes very little hands-on time. The cooking method may be adapted to suit you, but he always simmered them slowly on the stove. But they can be cooked in a slow cooker, or prepared quickly in a pressure cooker. They may also be cooked ahead and refrigerated for up to three days; simply reheat, adding additional water if necessary.
Arch's Black-eyed Peas with Ham Hocks
6 Servings
1 cup dried black-eyed peas
3 cups water
3 meaty ham hocks
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
additional salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
· Sort the peas, removing any broken ones or rocks; rinse well and place in a large saucepan.
· Cover with water, bring to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes.
· Let the peas sit for at least 1 hour; drain.
· Return the peas to the pan and add the water;
· Bring the peas to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until the peas are almost tender, 1-2 hours.
· Add the remaining ingredients and simmer covered until the beans are very soft and tender, checking periodically to make sure there is enough water.
· About 15 minutes before serving, remove the ham hocks from the mixture; remove the meat from the hocks, chop, and add back in to the peas.
· Taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground pepper if necessary.
· Simmer for about 10 more minutes, then serve.
Happy New Year!

Christmas is almost here! Have you baked cookies yet? Here are my two all time favorite Christmas Cookie recipes. I am pretty sure if you leave a plate of these out for Santa, you will be a BIG hit with the old guy!

I am wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

This is my favorite cookie of all time, and I love cookies, so that is saying a lot! The recipe is from Pelagia Frosch of Detroit. Mrs Frosch is the mother of my dear friend, Inge Richter. Every Christmas she sends a huge box of Lebkuchen to Inge. I’ve tried to highjack the UPS guy before he delivers them, but so far I have been unsuccessful!

I hope you find the time to bake them; if you love spice cookies, you will be a big fan of Lebkuchen!
Thank You, Mrs Frosch!

Lebkuchen

1 pound honey
1 pound sugar
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1 heaping teaspoon ground cloves
1 dash ground ginger
1 rounded tablespoon baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
2 1/2 pounds flour
1/2 pound ground walnuts
cocoa for color, adjust to your liking
for glaze:
powdered sugar
warm water

Cream the butter, sugar, honey and then add eggs. Sift all of the dry ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk and the ground nuts to the creamed mixture. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out the dough on lightly floured surface. Cut with 1 1/2-2" cookie cutters, usually round or star shaped. Bake on greased cookie sheets for 15 to 20 minutes. When cool enough to remove from baking sheets, glaze with mixture of powdered sugar and water. These cookies can be kept for months in a cool place if stored in a metal can along with a whole apple.

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My next favorite cookie is the Italian Cuccidati, a fig stuffed cookie. They are a lot of work if you do the traditional shaping and decorating, but you can just do half moon shape and use a simple glaze. I think they are definitely worth the extra effort! The photo is by the Food Network.

Cuccidati, Italian Fig Cookies

Filling:
8 ounces dried figs, chopped
6 tablespoons brandy
1 jar honey (8-ounce)
2 ounces raisins
2 ounces dates
2 ounces dried cherries
2 ounces citron or candied pineapple
1 cup walnut pieces, toasted
1 cup whole, blanched almonds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 pinches ground clove
Rind of 1 lemon (remove any white pith)
Rind of 1 orange (remove any white pith)
Pastry:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
3 eggs (1 whisked with 1 teaspoon water, to make an egg wash)
1/4 cup milk
Icing:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk (1 to 2)
Colored sprinkles, or small dots

1. Make the Filling: In a bowl, combine the figs with 4 tablespoons of brandy and let soak overnight or up to 4 weeks.
2. In a food processor, combine the soaked figs, the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy, and all the remaining filling ingredients. Process until chopped and well combined. (Alternatively, run all the ingredients through a meat grinder. Some Italian women bring their filling ingredients to the butcher and have him grind it for them.) Keep chilled until ready to use.
3. Make the Pastry: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like fine crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs and milk. While the motor in running, pour the liquid through the feed tube until just combined and a dough is formed. Form the dough into a disk and chill 30 minutes.
4. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut out large (3-inch long) almond shaped pieces from the dough. Transfer the pieces to a sheet pan; then chill.
5. To form the cookies, have ready the filling, the chilled dough pieces, the egg wash with a pastry brush, and a sharp knife. Paint the edges of the dough pieces with egg wash and place 1 teaspoon of filling shaped into an oval in the center of half the pieces. Top each with a second piece of dough and carefully pinch the edges together to seal. Trim the excess dough from around the edges.

6. Make each dough package look like a bird or fish, by shaping and cutting decorative lines. You can split 1 end to look like a tail, carve rows of lines to look like feathers or fins, cut a curved line for the gills or beak opening, and a hole for the eye. (There are many different shapes they're made into, such as wreaths, slippers, and crescents.) Re-chill the cookies.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Brush the cookies with the egg wash. Bake the cookies until lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes.
9. Meanwhile make the Icing: In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.
10. Toss the cookies with the icing while they're still hot and sprinkle with the colored sprinkles, or leave them plain. The icing makes the cookies look like porcelain when they're done.

Did you notice that the movie “Julie and Julia” is available On Demand? $4.99 and you can spend a lovely evening with Julia Child and French cooking! What a bargain! It is a delightful movie and one that makes you want to cook. Go back to my Thursday, August 13th blog for my story about the movie. Then, if you haven’t seen it yet, please think about renting it. You will be glad you did…..but have groceries on hand, because you are going to be hungry!
I am anxious to check out “Nine” a new musical that will be released to the theatres on Christmas Day. Mind you, I am not a big musical fan. “Moulin Rouge” was such a disappointment for me….much to dark and disturbing to be a musical! I want a musical to have me smiling and humming a song on my way out of the theatre. Is that too much to ask?

So, back to cooking…..yesterday I made a batch of Amaretto Fudge….wow, pretty good!
Tastes just like Christmas is suppose to! It is fun to have flavors and aromas “take you back” to special times. That is what the aroma of Bourbon does for me….holiday time and Bourbon Balls! My Dad was a huge fan of those little spheres of Christmas Joy! You don’t see them very much anymore, but when I say “Bourbon Balls”, everyone over the age of 45 or 50, particularly men, smile wistfully, remembering when…..

Do you suppose A Kansan in the Kitchen can bring them back? Let’s give it a try!

This unbelievably easy recipe is a Southern favorite, made with bourbon, vanilla wafer crumbs, and cocoa, along with pecans and confectioners' sugar.
Ingredients:
BOURBON BALLS
5 c. crushed vanilla wafers
2 c. confectioners sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
2 c. chopped nuts
6 tbsp. light corn syrup (Karo)
1/2 c. bourbon, or you may substitute rum or brandy
Mix together and roll into balls and then in sifted powdered sugar.
Makes about 100.

After a holiday of Amaretto Fudge and Bourbon Balls, I might need a trip to the Betty Ford Clinic!

More Christmas Ideas!

Okay, you all know about my love affair with sea salt. You also should be aware of my addiction to sweet and salty together. When I was growing up, PayDay Candy Bars were my favorite. It just seems natural to me to combine salt with brown sugar and butter. Boy, I’m really thinking about a PayDay!

In the past, I’ve given you my recipe for Chocolate Shortbread Cookies with Sea Salt, so today I want to share a fairly new recipe. It may be a recent addition to my collection, but it has quickly become a favorite. I wish I knew where I got it, but all I know, it has been within the last year. Hope you enjoy them.

Salted Caramel Bars

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 2/3 cups flour, all-purpose
caramel topping:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9" pan with foil or parchment, allowing edges to hang over opposite sides.
In a bowl, stir together the butter, sugar and salt. Whisk in egg yolk, then stir in flour. Transfer dough to pan and press the mixture evenly into the bottom, building up edges slightly. Prick dough all over with a fork, then freeze 5 to 7 minutes until firm. Bake until light brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Prepare topping and pour evenly over shortbread; cool in pan at least 2 hours. Carefully lift bars from pan using parchment and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares and top with sea salt.

Caramel topping directions: In a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 6 tablespoons light corn syrup, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Once the mixture bubbles, stir constantly until thickened, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Pour on top of cooled shortbread.
Makes 36 1 1/2" squares.
I suppose you could sprinkle some toasted nuts over the top, maybe cashews? Me? I just want the sea salt.

My family has a long tradition of celebrating Christmas Eve at Tom and Vicki’s house. There are anywhere from 25 to 40 us, depending on which out-of-town relatives come for the holiday. My brother and sister-in-law took over the duties of hosts when our parents decided the whole thing was a bit too much for them. Tom and Vicki used to do Beef Stew and Biscuits, now we dine on Lasagna. They make our celebration such a grand event!
The highlight of the evening is always our Chinese gift exchange, which has absolutely nothing to do with China or the Chinese; our apologies! A better name would be "The Gift War" or maybe "Cut Throat Gift Exchange", because it normally turns cut throat over one or two of the gifts! You will find much plotting.... cousin against cousin, daughter against mother, brother against sister! We have a $25.00 limit on these gifts and you would be amazed at the originality. Everyone draws a number and then all hell breaks loose! It would be very boring if each of us chose a wrapped gift from the pile according to our number, and that was the end of it. What makes it fun is the taking of someone else’s gift! It is a wonderful evening and brings such laughter and joy! So far, after all these years, no name calling (well, maybe occasionally) but certainly no fist fights! There was a near war over adult sized slippers from the Disney Store that looked like the head of Goofy with big floppy black ears. They were a big hit!

If you have never participated in this type of gift exchange, I recommend it highly. It is definitely Christmas Eve for my family! We don't go home with "just what we've always wanted" gift wise, but we all, young and old, take away wonderful Christmas memories. Isn't that what it is all about?

To find out how to have your very own wild and crazy gift exchange, simply Google "Chinese Gift Exchange"....the rules are simple! Have fun!

My grandmother, Ann Baker Robnett Johnston, queen of her world renowned Beaten Biscuits with Boone County Country Ham, was also famous for her Christmas Divinity with Missouri Black Walnuts. This candy is not called Divinity by accident….no, it is indeed on purpose. Divinity is defined as “being of the quality associated with being a god or goddess”.
My grandmother’s divinity was indeed heavenly!

Photograph courtesy of whatscookingamerica.net

Divinity is an age-old candy our grandmothers made that is a light as a feather confection. It is a simple recipe, calling for readily available ingredients. Only two things are required for success: a dry day and a calibrated thermometer allowing you to cook the syrup to its proper temperature. Divinity, nougat and marshmallow are all from the same candy family. Divinity like candy is shaped into a roll, dipped into caramel, and then rolled into chopped Pecans for that famous Pecan Nut Roll you see advertised along the highways of America!
The following recipe is my Grandmother’s, but the directions have been altered many times. As mixers and equipment have improved over the last 50 years, I have changed procedures. Trust me, it is much easier now! Grandmother used to drop small amounts of the cooked mixture into a cup of ice cold water and test it with her fingers, knowing exactly when it had cooked to perfection. Today, I cook it to 250 degrees F on the candy thermometer. That particular temperature is a tricky one, you see, according to the following chart from http://www.homefamily.net , it is right on the edge of two stages.

244 to 248°F
Firm ball A ball that holds its shape and will not flatten when removed from water
250 to 266°F Hard ball A hard ball that holds its shape when removed from the water but is still pliable.
So, testing with the cold water method can be very tricky! Yet, Grandmother’s Divinity was always DEVINE!
Divinity
3 large egg whites (at room temperature)
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup chopped Black Walnuts
Line a 15×10-inch jellyroll pan with waxed paper, butter the waxed paper well, and set aside.
Place egg whites into the bowl of your stand mixture and set aside to wait for use.
In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, combine the corn syrup, water, sugar and salt. Place over low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches a rolling boil.
Warm the candy thermometer before taking the syrup temperature. Cold metal can shock the syrup which may also cause crystallization. Clip on your calibrated candy thermometer. Reduce heat to medium to maintain a full (but not rolling) boil. Cook syrup, without stirring, to 252 degrees (F). Just before your syrup reaches this temperature (around 250 degrees), begin beating the egg whites with your whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Remove the whisk and replace with your paddle beater. Grandmother’s old MixMaster had two beaters, that was it….no whisk, no paddle.
Remove the completed syrup from heat and allow the boiling to completely subside (about 1 minute). Next step is a great tip I read somewhere, sorry , don’t remember where! Pour the syrup carefully into a heat-proof large Pyrex measuring cup to make pouring in the next step easier. Do not scrape the pan.
With your mixer on high speed, slowly begin to add the hot syrup to the egg whites. Once you begin to pour the syrup, do NOT stop and do not scrape the mixing bowl. When all the syrup has been combined, continue to beat the mixture until it begins to lose its gloss and holds its shape in stiff peaks. This takes about 10 minutes of continuous beating.) Note: all of the notations to not scrape the pan or the bowl should be taken seriously unless you want little hard crystals scattered throughout your candy! Trust me!
Next, add the vanilla and, if you choose to tint it for the holidays, the food coloring. Beat well. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and fold in the nuts, if desired.
Using two large spoons, drop spoonfuls of the mixture into mounds onto the waxed paper. Allow to rest undisturbed for two hours, or until the mounds are at room temperature. Carefully peel from the waxed paper and store on layers of waxed paper in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Divinity also freezes exceptionally well for longer storage.
If you are really into candy making, a great webpage for understanding the chemistry of sugar, check out http://www.baking911.com/candy/101_intro.htm
Make some candy this Christmas! Your kids and grandkids will remember you fondly!

Judy Witts Francini at the outdoor market in Palermo, Sicily.October, 2008


As promised, here is how Judy and Andrea Francini celebrate Christmas in Tuscany, in Judy’s own words.

“Celebrate Christmas by feeding someone!My husband Andrea is the happiest when I make bollito misto for the holidays--the dish that keeps on giving. I like to make it the day before the meal. We begin our meal with chicken liver crostini, serve tortellini in brood (broth) as the first course, and the boiled meats for the main course, along with the vegetables that were cooked in the broth. The best parts of bollito misto are the sauces on the side! Traditionally, olive oil and salt are the base, then salsa verde, mostarda di Cremona (candied mustard fruits), and perhaps mayonnaise or mustard. A side of giardiniera (pickled Italian vegetables) is good too. My favorite dishes are with the leftover bollito misto. I love lesso rifatto, where the beef is cooked with twice the amount of red onions stewed with the beef and red wine. True comfort food! If you are really eating, this is the extravaganza! Try a double first course, such as the pasta served in sugo (sauce). The sugo is from cooking the second main course, stracotto, served with sautéed spinach and roasted potatoes. Andrea always wants a tray of mixed roast meats--veal, pork, rabbit, beef, and perhaps a special pig's liver wrapped in caulfat, roasted with bay leaves, and basted with Vin Santo. Usually these meals are for a minimum of 10 to 15 close family members. Families either do the bollito misto, or roast meats, or game, if you have a hunter in the house! Some families prefer fish. However, excess is the key! The main meal is at lunchtime. After the main course, the dried fruits (dates, figs, and nuts) are brought out. Panettone, panforte, ricciarelli, and other sweets follow this. After all this a digestivo--an after-dinner drink that helps you digest the feast! After a couple of rounds of cards or bingo game called tombola, it all starts again! My best wishes for a fabulous and peaceful new year. "Peace on Earth" never meant as much as it does this year.

Bollito Misto
2-1/2 pounds beef (muscle, tongue, etc. for boiling)
2 beef bones
1 onion, peeled and left whole
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
1 celery stalk
1 tomato
Parsley
Sea salt to taste, about 2 tablespoons
One-half capon or boiling chicken, optional
Place all the ingredients in a large soup pot, and cover with water. Bring to a slow boil, covered for 1 hour. Skim the surface. Add the chicken and cook for another hour. Control the beef to see if it is cooked. It should be very tender; the skin will easily come off the tongue.(I like to make this the night before so I can remove any excess fat from the broth.) Remove the beef and vegetables from the broth. Throw away the tomato, parsley, and beef bones. Strain the broth and replace the beef in the broth. Refrigerate overnight. Remove the solidified fat from the broth the next day. Reheat all together. To serve, remove enough broth for the soup. Heat the tortellini in broth and serve with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve the beef already cut and arranged on a serving plate.
Salsa Verde
1 cup Italian parsley, leaves only
2 tablespoons capers
1 garlic clove
1 anchovy filet
Red wine vinegar, to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 slice white bread
Finely chop the parsley, capers, garlic, and anchovy, using a sharp knife. Put the mixture into a serving bowl and add olive oil and red wine vinegar. Adjust seasonings. Remove the crust from the slice of bread, and soak the bread in red wine vinegar. Then crumble the bread into sauce. (This is the poor man's technique; the bread looks like pine nuts in the sauce! Instead you can add some chopped pine nuts!) I love salsa verde on hot green beans and boiled potatoes. I also make an appetizer by removing the yolks from hardboiled eggs and blending them with the sauce. Refill the eggs and refrigerate before serving.

Lesso Rifatto
1 pound leftover boiled meat, chopped into small cubes
1-1/2 pounds red onions, finely sliced
2 cups stewed tomatoes, or red wine
Olive oil
Salt
Sauté the onions in olive oil; when golden, add tomatoes or red wine. Season to taste with salt. Bring to a boil and let cook for 10 minutes. Add the leftover beef and cook covered for an additional 20 minutes. To make this even richer, add some cubed raw potatoes to the pan with the onions.


One of the desserts Judy suggested are

Ricciarelli (Sienese Almond Cookies)
These delicate Christmas cookies are said to be shaped like the almond eyes of Madonna by Renaissance painters. Like all Italian almond sweets, they were called "marzipan" for centuries. They are a popular dessert treat in Italian homes. Here's the recipe!

2 cups blanched ground almonds

2 large egg whites

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups powdered sugar

3 drops almond extract

Extra powdered sugar for rolling in

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepared almond "flour" or "meal" is available online from Bob's Red Mill and Whole Food Market. If you grind your own almonds, I recommend a Swiss nut grinder, and there is one by Zylos that's fabulous.



Combine the almond "flour" with the baking powder, powdered sugar, and flour. Beat the egg whites until stiff and mix into the almond mixture. Add the almond extract and blend until you have a soft paste. Place some powdered sugar on a clean, dry surface. Form one tablespoon of dough into a small ball, roll in the sugar, and then form the traditional diamond shape, flattening the cookie with the palm of your hand. Place the cookies on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Ricciarelli are fabulous with tiny cubes of candied orange peel rolled into them and then dipped in chocolate.
Makes about 16 cookies.

Read more about Ricciarelli and cookies on the Divina Cucina blog.
while you are there, check out her new cookbook. It is wonderful!
You can order one from Judy on her blog.

There you have it….Christmas feasting in Tuscany! Hope you give Judy’s recipes a try, she is a world renowned chef and author. And if you ever get to go to Italy, Judy is a wonderful guide! She was our guide through Sicily for 13 days; it was absolutely a perfect experience!

I decided to ask 2 very good friends, both award winning chefs, to send me their Christmas traditions and a recipe. Chef Jasper Mirabile from here in Kansas City and Judy Witts Francini of Tuscany, have both responded with generosity and kindness, more than willing to share.

I am featuring Chef Jasper’s Christmas with you today.

When I asked Jasper Mirabile if he would be willing to send his family’s Christmas menu so I could post it on my blog, he jumped right in with both feet! Wow, the Mirabiles know how to eat!
Here, in Jasper’s own words, is the menu they have every year at Christmas

“Christmas Eve morning, all the granddaughters go to Nana's (that is Jasper’s Mom) and make the traditional Sicilian pizza with Nana...a family tradition. Later on, we always do a version of the feast of the seven fishes...Pasta with Lobster; shrimp splashed with sherry and caramelized onions; fresh crab meat cocktail; fried sole; seared scallops, sometimes baccala (dried salted cod) but the younger generation won't eat this. Next, a big beautiful baked ham. Then we have my homemade Italian sausage and the pizza...cannoli and Mama's Cream Puffs and the family's Italian cookies.” Then, a few minutes later, a second email came with a few things he had forgotten. "4 more dishes for Christmas Eve: Tuscan Bean Soup; Lemon and Romano Cheese coated Fried Oysters, Calamari Salad and of course Pannetone from Farm To market Bread Co...DELICIOUS!"

I don't know about you, but I suspect they are all unconscious by the time Santa arrives!

It is tradition that the Sicilians (and Italians) have a Feast of 7 Fishes on Christmas Eve. Some think that it is perhaps one representing each day of the week, but most traditions come from the observance of the Cena della Vigilia, the wait for the miraculous birth of Christ in which early Christians Catholics fasted on Christmas Eve until after receiving communion at Midnight Mass. In later years it became a penitential day, meaning that all foods except meat were allowed. Other theories include are that there would be served three fish dishes representing the three Wise Men or the Holy Trinity while in some there may have been as many as thirteen, one for each of the apostles plus one for Jesus. Each family and each sect of the Italian culture is different, (the fish they say is from a tradition those from Naples brought over), it also depends on what was available in various parts of Italy. In most of the southern coastal regions in Italy and Sicily, seafood was abundant and so the perfect opportunity to work fish into the menu for this festive day. If you measure the shoreline of Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia and numerous other costal islands, there are almost 3000 miles of shoreline! Needless to say, fish were, and still are, readily available.

Jasper’s Grandmother always made Papa Mirabile’s Scampi for their Christmas Eve Feast. The caramelized onion and sherry make this dish a wonderful holiday tradition.

1 stick Butter
1 medium Onion, cut into ¼” slices
2 teaspoons minced Garlic
1 pound medium-size Shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon crushed Red Pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Basil
2 tablespoons chopped Italian Parsley
¼ teaspoon Salt
½ cup Cream Sherry

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often so it does not burn, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, red pepper flakes, basil and parsley and season with salt.
Add sherry and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until the shrimp is tender. Serve at once. Serves 3 to 4

Jasper's lemon and Romano coated fried oysters are called Oysters Christina and are in his latest cookbook. Jasper says "Even if you don't normally like oysters, you are going to love this unique recipe. The savory taste of lemon and the crispy texture of the coating, give you a reason to try oysters again!"

Another food that Jasper is known for is the traditional Sicilian dessert, Cannoli. Jasper's recipe is indeed wonderful, but Jasper is also known for the fact he cannot pass up a cannoli! on our trip to Sicily, Jasper ate a total of 43 cannoli in 10 days. He set out to try as many as possible, looking for the perfect cannoli. He has written a chapter called "On the Cannoli Trail" in his new cookbook, that is a wonderful description of his quest. Traveling with Jasper is always fun!

Thanks for sharing, Jasper! For more exciting recipes from Kansas City's premier chef, pick up Jasper's new cookbook, Jasper's Kitchen Cookbook at his restaurant or at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery. His original cookbook, The Jasper's Cookbook, is still available at the restaurant. They make great Christmas presents! Between his two cookbooks, you will find all of Jasper's menu for Christmas.