I have come to the conclusion that Valentine’s Day is simply too hard to deal with. I can concentrate on my darling grandchildren, I can cook, I can buy a ton of chocolate, but when the actual day arrives, there will be a big hole, a dull ache. I will not have that darling man, with the grin from ear to ear, pull out a bouquet of flowers and a gift, obviously and hysterically wrapped by him. And the mushy cards! That man could find embarassingly soupy cards! I loved them.

Arch never missed a holiday, birthday, special date….he was one man who remembered all of them and planned ahead! I was always amazed when he would show up bedside with his gifts. I never did figure out where he hid the flowers; sometimes it was as early as 8am when they were presented to me along with that “Arch Tucker signature grin” and sparkling eyes!

He is my Valentine. How fortunate I was to have him for our 9 years together. How lucky I am to have him in my heart forever.

Happy Valentine's Day

Yep, I need to rant….again. It has been a while, so I’m not too embarrassed about it….I’ve waited almost a week, hoping to calm down a little before I write this......It’s not working….

A record number of people watched the Super Bowl, including me. It was the first one I’ve seen since Arch passed away. I’m telling you this, if Arch had watched the opening ceremony for that game, he would have bellowed so loudly, they could have heard him all the way to Timbuktu! Military men feel strongly about their country, their flag, their National Anthem….why         doesn’t every American?

I cannot believe the current trend in music that allows vocalists to absolutely destroy our National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, with their ridiculous vocal gyrations. The song is beautiful, as it was written, but their “artistic liberties” have turned it into something unrecognizable.

Just a few short months ago, I was right here in this blog, telling you how beautiful and talented Christina Aguilera was in the movie Burlesque. The almost unattractive and “sort of” talented songstress that performed the anthem before the game last Sunday, was not that Christina Aguilera! What a major disaster! I truly looked at her and found it impossible to see even one little thing that made me think of that lovely young woman in the movie.

But  the worst thing was her forgetting the lyrics. Do you think she ever considered what the lyrics meant? Do you think she ever actually heard the words? How much do you think she was paid for that disaster? I bet she didn’t forget the amount she was charging!

When are we going to hear someone stand up at a sporting event and in a clear sincere manor, sing our beloved Star Spangled Banner as it was meant to be sung? When will Francis Scott Keyes hear his lyrics performed to a beautiful tune as opposed to a screaming roller-coaster disaster?

Yep….it is time for a change alright…THIS CHANGE! Bring back our NATIONAL ANTHEM!
And while you are at it…BRING BACK OUR COUNTRY AND OUR NATIONAL PRIDE!

Whew…I wish I felt better, but truthfully, I am afraid our spoiled rotten “stars” here in America, including movie and TV stars, singers, politians and sports figures, will continue to behave as they damn well please. Bad behavior is prevalent among them. When are we going to stand up and refuse to buy tickets, watch programs, buy CDs and DVDs featuring these “ bad boys” and “misguided girls”? Lindsay, Charlie, Kanye, Tiger, Mel, Paris….the list goes on and on. Thank goodness most of them don’t sing. There wouldn’t be a song worth listening to!.....and while I’m ranting….Who gives a DAMN about the REAL HOUSEWIVES of anywhere! Good Lord, give me patience! I’m living on the edge here!

One more rant and then I am through….just today another Congressman has had to resign because of bad behavior! Are they stupid?!?! What is wrong with these people? They are so sure we will continue to elect them.....Sadly, that is pretty much what we’ve taught them to believe.

Yep….I am ready for that change….soon, like now.

Straight from Somerset Ridge!

In anticipation of temperatures in the 50s this weekend, they are making a Spring Citron Martini with 2 parts Somerset Ridge Citron, 1 part lemon sparkling water, a slice of lemon and a few home-grown raspberries for charm! What a great way to spend the evening!
 Cindy and Dennis are still celebrating!



Somerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery

wins prestigious 2010 Jefferson Cup Invitational award!

http://somersetridge.com/

Traminette Oktoberfest by Somerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery wins a prestigious 2010 Jefferson Cup Invitational award. Of the more than six hundred US wines invited to participate in the annual competition, only twenty were recognized in 2010.

 Midwest wines are on a roll. In the center of the United States, a new type of crop is taking root: wine grapes. With the passing of the Kansas Farm Winery Act in 1985, the state better known for fields of corn and magical red slippers started down a path to rebuild the once world-famous Midwest grape growing and wine industry.
Before Prohibition, most of the wine produced in the US came from Missouri and eastern Kansas. Prohibition devastated the once-thriving industry but in the past 20 years, the region has been reasserting itself in quantity and quality. Now, Kansas is producing some of the most attractive wines in the country.

In only five years - since 2005 - the number of licensed wineries in Kansas has risen from 13 to 25. Says owner/winemaker Dennis Reynolds: "At Somerset Ridge, we have made it our mission to show the world what Midwestern soil is capable of."
Somerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery, just twenty miles south of the emerging cultural hub of Kansas City, has made one of the best white wines in the nation, as recognized in the 2010 Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition. The event took place on November 18-19 in Kansas City, Missouri. More than six hundred wines had been pre-selected as outstanding examples of viticulture and winemaking in America. In addition to winning a prestigious Jefferson Cup, Somerset Ridge also garnered gold and silver medals for five other wines.

Awarded with a Jefferson Cup in the category Best Non-Vinifera White for its Oktoberfest, Somerset Ridge has joined the ranks of the local wine revolution in the United States. Dennis Reynolds says: "This is a validation of our region's re-emergence as a world-class wine producing area. We are excited about what the Jefferson Cup recognition will bring for the growing Kansas - and Midwest - wine industry."

Alongside winners from California and New York's Finger Lakes region, there were two other Kansas wineries awarded (for a total of four cups) as well as two wineries from Missouri and one from Ohio. "The local food movement is very strong in the Kansas City area, providing an incubator for the local, sustainable wine industry," owner Cindy Reynolds says.

The Jefferson Cup Invitational has been organized by Doug Frost MW, MS, each year since 2000. Other judges include wine merchant and past chairman of the Court of Master Sommeliers Wayne Belding MS; Laura dePasquale MS, vice president of fine wine at Palm Bay International; and Guy Stout CWE, MS, corporate director of beverage education at Glazer's. The annual selecting of both Vitis vinifera and non-vinifera wines for the Jefferson Cup aims to respect the diversity of American viticulture and Thomas Jefferson's own celebration of native varieties and hybrids.

About Somerset Ridge
Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery was started in 1998 by former corporate executives Cindy and Dennis Reynolds when they planted their first vineyards in Somerset, Kansas. Since then, plantings have grown to more than 8000 grape vines of 14 different varieties, both Vitis vinifera and American hybrids. Sustainable farming practices are key at Somerset Ridge. The winery makes both red and white wines, under 18 labels, and a limoncello.

This was taken from the Chamber of Commerce article, released today. The word just keeps spreading!

Here is a recipe I embellished from a recipe in Bon Appetit magazine back in 1996....some things are indeed timeless! It is so much better made with our Oktoberfest wine!

Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons

1/4 cup Tasteful Olive's Tuscan Herb Olive Oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup Somerset Ridge Oktoberfest Wine
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)*
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)*
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup whipping cream
Croutons
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
24 1/4-inch-thick baguette bread slices
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
For soup: Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, wine, all squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)

For croutons: Preheat broiler. Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme and sage over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve.

I just spent a lovely morning at one of my favorite shops….

The Tasteful Olive in Historic Overland Park, Kansas

Owner Jeanne Mackay and I met this morning to taste, talk, plot and plan. We discussed the culinary possibilities of her oils and vinegars. I took photographs and got to know Jeanne. 

Originally from Minnesota, Jeanne moved here to Johnson County with her husband and bought a farm. They raised their 6 children with fresh air, sunshine and good healthy foods from their own gardens. In the process, the Mackays discovered how healthy olive oil is.
The decision to open the shop came when several years ago, she discovered a delightful little shop in an historic part of Chicago. Located in a lovely little house, they sold olive oil and a few kitchen gadgets. For Jeanne, the seed was planted, and in March 2010, The Tasteful Olive opened. Historic old town Overland Park was a natural choice for Jeanne. Strangely enough, she opened The Tasteful Olive in the shop space once occupied by the bicycle shop where she bought her bike many years ago.

She and her husband immediately started the renovation of the space….removing the low dropped ceiling, revealing a wonderful space above for beams and better lighting. The green painted concrete floor was magically turned into an attractive hardwood floor. The white walls were painted lovely earth tones.

Next came the ingenious cabinetry. All designed and hand made by Jeanne’s husband, they are perfect; they display the Italian-made stainless steel fustis, the airtight containers with spigots, that hold the variety of oils and vinegars available at the shop. They also hold a supply of Jeanne’s signature bottles and provide a hidden place of disposing the tiny tasting cups. The overall appeal of the shop is wonderful and is greatly enhanced by the amazing cabinet work.

Now, let’s talk olive oil and vinegar. First of all, I recommend that you visit the web page for the Tasteful Olive. Go to www.thetastefulolive.com Make sure you click on the recipe tab for Jeanne’s delicious ideas. Next, check out the blog tab for some interesting facts and thoughts. Actually, read it all! Don’t miss all of the health related material.
I came home today with an additional 4 bottles of olive oil and 2 of balsamic vinegars! I can hardly wait to try some of my recipes with these oils….I’m thinking I am one lucky lady! In my kitchen I have the following oils: Basil, Tuscan Herb Infused, Butter, Herbs de Provence, and Tunisian Blood Orange! I could spend the next month trying all of the recipes that are zooming about in my head. In addition, I am the proud owner of 3 Balsamic vinegars….all from Modena, where only true Balsamic comes from. I adore the 18 year old Balsamic, and now I get to play with the Peach White and the Honey Ginger!
Time will tell what heavenly concoctions are realized from this new connection Jeanne and I have. Watch both her web page and my blog. We will be posting soon!

In the meantime, try this Italian Polenta with Mushrooms. A great place to use The Tasteful Olive's Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil!
Italian Polenta with Mushrooms
For polenta

4 1/2 cups water
1 cup polenta or cornmeal (preferably organic)
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For mushrooms
1 pound assorted fresh exotic mushrooms such as porcini, oyster, chanterelle, lobster
3 tablespoons Tasteful Olive's Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil
1 garlic clove, smashed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup water
3 Additional tablespoons Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (we used chives)
For serving
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil for drizzling

1. Make polenta: Bring water to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan. Add polenta in a slow stream, whisking until incorporated. Simmer, stirring occasionally with a long-handled whisk or wooden spoon, until liquid is absorbed and polenta is thick and soft, about 30 minutes. (Remove from heat and stir in cream, cheese, salt, and pepper. Keep warm, covered.

2. Saute mushrooms while polenta simmers: If using porcini, halve if large, then slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices. If using oysters, trim spongy base if necessary and slice caps into 1/2-inch-wide strips. If using chanterelles, leave small mushrooms whole, halve if medium, and quarter if large. If using lobsters, cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
3. Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saute mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden and any liquid they give off is evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Add water, olive oil, lemon juice, and parsley and heat, swirling skillet, until liquid forms a sauce.
5. To serve: Top each serving of polenta with mushrooms. Serve immediately (polenta stiffens as it cools), sprinkled with Parmigiano-Reggiano and an additional drizzle of the oil.
6. Note: Mushroom sauce can be made 1 hour ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature. Reheat before using.

Now, go visit Jeanne! Tell her I sent you......

Have you ever seriously thought about molasses? I mean, what is molasses? You’ve heard of it, you probably have a bottle with Brer Rabbit on the label, shoved way back in the cabinet, but what is inside that bottle? We know we use it more often in the fall and winter; it is an ingredient in many of our Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes. What would gingerbread be without molasses? What in the world is this stuff called molasses?

Molasses is what’s left over after sugar cane has been crushed, its juices boiled down to a syrup, and sugar crystallized out. In the parlance of the eighteenth century, first molasses was what was left after the sugar had been crystallized out once. When this was re-boiled and more sugar crystallized out, the remaining syrup was second molasses. After a third time, the molasses was blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap is still the result of the final boiling, which is why it’s less sweet and more strongly flavored and has a higher concentration of nutrients (such as iron and calcium) than other molasses.

Cane molasses is a common ingredient in baking, often used in baked goods such as gingerbread. There are a number of substitutions that can be made for molasses. For a given volume of molasses, one of the following may be used (with varying degrees of success): an equal volume of honey, dark corn syrup, or maple syrup, or ¾ that volume firmly packed brown sugar

So, now we ask what is the difference between sulfured and unsulfured molasses….you were asking yourself that question, weren’t you? Well, let me tell you….

Sulfured molasses is made from young sugar cane. Sulfur dioxide, which acts as a preservative, is added during the sugar extraction process. Unsulfured molasses is made from mature sugar cane, which does not require such treatment. All grades of molasses may be sulfured or unsulfured. Got that? Okay, let’s move on.

My mom has spoken of sorghum molasses many times. She would talk about her mom, Grandmother Ogg, making biscuits 3 times a day and eating them warm from the oven, slathered with home churned butter and Granddad’s sorghum molasses. Now we are talking!

Grandmother’s biscuits with her butter were the closest thing to heaven that I can think of! As for Granddad’s sorghum molasses, all I know is according to Mom, he would go somewhere and return to the farm with a gallon bucket full of the rich dark syrup. So, I did a little more research.

I went to http://www.herculesengines.com/sorghum/default.html to find out all about sorghum. It seems it is more commonly called Sweet Sorghum, which is a syrup made from the juice of Sorghum Cane. In years past it was an important source of sweetener. It came into prominence during the 1850's in the United States. By 1888 total US production was 20,000,000 gallons. An 1896 encyclopedia listed the main states that produced sorghum were Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri. It was something that many farms grew to some extent. Many just planted enough for their own use while others grew it as a cash crop. Most neighborhoods had at least one farmer that had a mill and evaporating pan. (That's where Granddad Ogg went!) The farmers in the area would bring their cane to them to be squeezed and cooked into syrup. With the decline of the family farm and the easy access to other sweeteners most of these operations have ceased to exist and only a few die-hards still produce this delicious syrup. Another tradition down the drain!

Here is a spice cookie recipe straight off of the farm using Sorghum Molasses

SORGHUM MOLASSES SUGAR COOKIES
3/4 c. shortening
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. flour

Melt shortening and let cool. Add sugar, egg and molasses; beat well. Sift together dry ingredients. Add to first mixture. Chill and form into balls. They will flatten out as they cook. Bake 10-12 minutes at 325 degrees. I like to drizzle cooled cookies with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and a little warm water….pretty good!

As for Grandmother Ogg’s biscuits, how many times have I blogged about my darling Grandmother Ogg, the Ogg Family Farm and Biscuits? did you know you can scan down my blog and on the right side, just under the logo for Molly's Table, there is a Search box. Type in Ogg Family Farm, click onSearch, then scroll back up to top of blog... and there it is, a list of all the blogs where the farm is mentioned. Scroll down to the blog for Mar 10, 2009, and there it is...biscuits by Minnie Florence Ogg. Gee, it might have been easier to just type in the recipe again....no, I want you to know how to search my blog!

Looking for a great new muffin recipe? Actually, this is a very old muffin recipe. It comes from my studio mate's mother and grandmother.

David Gross' Gingerbread Muffins      

1/2 cup butter softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2/3 cup mild molasses (use Brer Rabbit Mild)

1/4 cup milk

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup raisins 

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Blend in the molasses.

Sift the flour and dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately. Dredge raisins and pecans in a little flour, stir into batter. Turn into a clean bowl with cover. Store in refrigerator until ready to bake.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Put batter into greased muffin tin, or use paper liners, filling about 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 minutes, cool until just barely warm before glazing with a simple glaze of powdered sugar and warm milk. Actually, taking one right out of the oven, splitting it open and adding a pat of butter is heavenly!

So, now you know all about molasses....almost. I won't bore you with the details, you can Google for those!

I receive the Cooking Channels Newsletter and when it arrived a short time ago, I was so excited! In big letters it said BIG GAME! Wow, I thought….Deer, Bear, Elk! Yeah! I want to cook big game! Needless to say, I was very disappointed to find out the Big Game they were referring to was the Super Bowl! Sometimes my mind doesn’t work like a normal person’s! Okay, most of the time……..

Maybe it is the weather, I’m bored….therefore I think about cooking! I would much rather cook an elk than make a bowl of ho-hum dip!

I did bake a pound cake this morning. I have been meaning to test the recipe for some time, finally got around to it. I am thinking this will be the perfect cake to serve with fresh peaches and Somerset Ridge Tawny Port Dessert Sauce. So now, I have the cake, the wonderful sauce….I just need to wait for fresh peach season….months from now….damn, poor planning. I’m thinking I might use candied pecans or hazelnuts with some sea salt and use them in place of the peaches. It will work!

Here is the recipe for the sauce…enjoy!

Somerset Ridge Tawny Port Dessert Sauce

1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup whole milk
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 to 3 tablespoons Somerset Ridge Tawny Port
In a large saucepan, combine the 2 milks, brown sugar, and butter. Cook while stirring over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is warm.
In a small dish, combine the cornstarch and Port. Stir to remove any lumps. Add to sauce in saucepan, stirring until it begins to boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly, remove from heat. Serve hot.

Kay’s Salty,Spicy Candied Pecans

2 1/2 cups raw pecans
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 Pinch cayenne pepper
Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir the pecans with the egg white.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Pour over the nuts and stir until evenly coated.
Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
Slide parchment paper (with nuts still on it) off of the baking sheet and onto a wire rack (or the counter) to cool. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt before they cool.
Break nuts up into a bowl to serve or store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Now to be completely honest, I just sat down with a piece of the pound cake, completely unadorned and a cup of hot tea….my oh my, I am a happy girl! So, you want the cake recipe, right? Okay, here it is

Somerset Ridge Vineyard Pound Cake


cake baking in the oven

 1 pound butter (4 sticks)
1 pound sugar (2 cups)
9 large eggs
1 pound all-purpose flour (4 cups)
dash salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large lemon, juice only

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10" tube or Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, cream the butter with electric mixer, and then gradually add the sugar, continuing to beat until well creamed and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the flour and salt, beating constantly. Add the extract and lemon juice and continue beating until well blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, gently tapping bottom of pan to distribute batter evenly in pan.,
Bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center, comes out clean. Wait 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan, place it on a serving plate.
Hint….instead of serving with the sauce, you can poke holes in the still slightly warm cake and drizzle part of the Tawny Port Dessert Sauce into the cake. Pretty darned good!

Confession: I cut cake recipe by half and baked in a 9”x5” loaf pan. I figure no one needs to eat an entire cake by themselves. I baked it for 60 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Now what can I cook….wish I had that elk….

Pork and Food Trends

Chef Jasper and me, Pig 101, 2009
Boy, I look a lot older now!

You say the word “Pork” and Chef Jasper Mirabile and I start figuring out new ways to use the whole pig. We held our Snout to Tail dinner 2 years in a row. Last year we featured our cured Guanciale, an air dried pork jowl with hand blended spices and herbs.

(Search my blog for “An evening at Jasper’s….Pig 102 Feb 27, 2010, for the full story.)

We held Pig 101 in 2009, Pig 102 in 2010….I’m thinking the suggestion of our holding a dinner to award a Master’s degree in Snout to Tail to those that have attended previous dinners, just might be a great idea.

Jasper emailed me last night asking if I was ready to start making more Guanciale. Well…YES! Maybe we can put on our chef’s hats and create a Master’s dinner….time will tell! In the meantime you can expect some pork recipes in my blog….surprise, surprise!

The Food Channel recently released their findings in the search for the top 10 food trends for 2011. Here they are, from www.porkmag.com just for you:

If you’re like many, you may start to increase your food canning or preserving in 2011, according to the Food Channel’s Top 10 food trends for the New Year.. “As we head into 2011, we see people beginning to cherish simplicity” says the report.

Just as a good writer understands that writing fewer words is harder than a lot of words, removing things from our lives is harder than adding to them. And, yet, we see that the 2011 Food Trends are about embracing what may be a little more difficult, because it has proven its value.
The trend to local foods will continue, according to the report. We value things that are, if not exactly close to us, are at least close to the little guy. The new food simplicity is about putting value on the independent grower. In 2011, the consumer is all about buying from a business that is dedicated to creating a quality product, dedicated to doing the right thing, regardless of the size of the business or the number of products they produce.

Here are the Top Ten food trends for 2011:

1. Food preservation has a rejuvenation. They used to call it “putting up,” as in putting up tomatoes or corn for the winter ahead. Maybe your grandmother still refers to it that way. What it means of course is canning, pickling, and preserving—and more and more folks will be getting into it for a number of reasons.

2. A gender role reversal is bubbling up in the kitchen. The slumping economy has hit men harder than women, with job losses in traditionally male fields such as finance and construction. Women, on the other hand, are employed in fields that are expected to flourish in the years ahead.

3. Support a local grower . . . anywhere. Politicians say that all politics is local. It's becoming more and more evident that the same is true for food. This trend understands that mindset—that it’s all about eating local, but that local goes beyond a geographical definition.

4. Sometimes we don't want to know the nutrition numbers. Politicians on the local, state and federal government level are stepping up efforts to legislate healthier eating. These well-meaning efforts have led to calorie counts on restaurant menus, bans on trans fats, and a war on sodium. Let’s face it. Some things we just don’t want to know.

5. Discount eats make the new smart phone apps delicious. Just as the adorable antics of cats have become the unexpected stars of the Internet, food has become the dominant attraction of smart phones. It seems like there’s a new mobile food app popping up every time you start to feel hungry.

6. Getting closer to the customer. As anyone who works for a big corporation knows, the bigger your brand, the larger a target you may become. In today’s world, a corporate mindset might be bad for business.

7. Rediscovering the butcher, baker and cheese maker. We see American food shoppers going about their marketing a bit more like our European counterparts in the coming year. People will be returning to the neighborhood butcher shop to pick up fresh meats and grabbing their specialty breads and pastries at the corner bakery.

8. Living up to their pledge, chefs join the cafeteria crews. This will be the year we finally get really serious about feeding our children healthier, better quality foods.

9. Eating your way out of your comfort zone. This trend is about consciously trying new things that stretch our food vocabulary and experience.

10. Looking for foods that keep us young, strong and active. It’s no secret that Americans are reaching retirement age in record numbers, now that the Baby Boomers are starting to hit their mid-sixties. And, as they have since they first began to walk, boomers will influence nearly everything in 2011, including foods.

There you have it…..and now here is a bacon recipe….

Chocolate Chip-Bacon-Pecan Cookies


. Little bits of crisp, fatty bacon melt into the sweet, soft, chocolate-studded cookie dough, making these cookies chewy, rich and addictive.
Makes about 18 thin-and-chewy cookies

5 strips bacon

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, turning several times, until browned and done, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Chop finely.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla extract, and beat until just blended. Add the dry ingredients; beat until just incorporated and the flour is dissolved. Stir in the chocolate chips, pecans and bacon.
Drop one large tablespoon cookie dough 2 to 3 inches apart (as they will spread) on baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until firm and golden brown around the edges, and still slightly soft in the center. Transfer to a rack and cool for 15 minutes.
Can be stored on countertop for one to two days, and then refrigerated in an airtight container.

Don’t knock it until you try one! You will be amazed!

There is another round of snow moving into Kansas City, only this time it will be preceded by freezing rain. Ah….the joys of winter in the Midwest! The grocery store was full of people all day; this evening the shelves were empty. My refrigerator is well stocked with soup-making ingredients and I have a case of Coke Zero. I won’t starve.


Luckily, I have a 30” x 40” canvas on which a new painting is underway. With the forecast, I plan on spend all day tomorrow and Tuesday painting! I haven’t painted at home for months. I’m really looking forward to it. I haven’t been very creative for the last 2 months. It is time!

The weather has forced thousands of Canada Geese to winter in Johnson County, many of which are hanging out in my neighborhood. I am in one of the last houses in Overland Park. You look out my backdoor and all you see is open fields….covered with geese. They swim and sleep on a nearby park lake and they dine in my backyard! There are times when the sky overhead is full of Vs with the lead goose forging ahead; the air full of their honking . Speaking of their honking, did you know the honk of the female is different than that of the male? Since the female is identical in appearance to the male, I suppose having a different honk makes identification easier. One last note on the goose…they live anywhere from 10 to 24 years…that is, if they avoid hunting season! The oldest known wild Canada Goose was 30 years 4 months old. I’m not sure how they know that, but that is the record. Isn't it amazing what you can find out when you “Google”?

Since I appear to be stuck on the goose, here is a Mario Batali recipe you might want to try if you have a goose breast in the freezer. I know juniper berries are not in most kitchens here in the US, but don’t skip or substitute, buy them and try them.

This goose has a definite European flair to it. The flavors are very German.

Stuffed Goose Breast with Caraway and Apples

Serves: 4 servings

1 large whole goose breast, removed from bone
4 juniper berries, smashed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
 1/4 cup olive oil plus 4 tablespoons
 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
 2 medium onions, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
 3 green apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1-inch dice
 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
 2 boiled potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
 1/2 cup bread crumbs
 1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/2 cup
 1 pinch ground cloves
 1 egg
Lay breast out in a non-reactive baking pan. In a mixing bowl, stir together juniper, rosemary, olive oil and vinegar and pour over breast. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
In a 14-inch saute pan, heat remaining oil over medium heat and add onions. Cook until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add apples, caraway and cooked potatoes and cook another 10 minutes, or until apples have started to soften. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add bread crumbs, parsley, cloves, egg, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Remove goose from marinade, brush off and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper and lay flat on cutting board, skin side down. Lay stuffing out evenly over goose and roll up like a jelly roll. Tie securely with butcher's twine and place in roasting pan. Roast in oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. Remove, allow to rest 10 minutes and carve. Serve with spiced white cabbage.

Spiced White Cabbage
Serves: 4 servings
 1 head white cabbage, cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
 4 tablespoons olive oil from Garda
 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
 2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish
 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
 1-ounce speck, cut into matchsticks
 Juice of 1 lemon
Boil cabbage ribbons 20 minutes in lightly salted water. Drain and cool. In a 14-inch saute pan, heat olive oil until smoking. Add cumin, horseradish, pepper and speck and toss to coat. Add cabbage and toss again. Cook 8 to 10 minutes until soft and well-seasoned. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with sliced goose breast.

You say Macaroon, I say Macaron!



There is this cookie called a coconut macaroon….


                                        there is also the delightful Italian Almond Macaroon…..



Italian Macaroon

 and then there is a heavenly bit of pleasure called a French Macaron.

Yes,  all 3 are cookies, but that is about all they have in common.  

The first macaroons were almond meringue cookies similar to today’s amaretti, with a crisp crust and a soft interior. They were made from egg whites and almond paste (a combination of equal parts of ground blanched almonds and sugar, mixed with egg whites—today glucose or corn syrup can be substituted). The name of the cookie comes from the Italian word for paste, maccarone (mah-kah-ROW-nay), and is also the word for pasta/macaroni and dumplings.
While origins can be murky, some culinary historians claim that that macaroons can be traced to an Italian monastery—where they were modeled after the monks’ belly buttons!

Macaroons came to France in 1533 with the pastry chefs of Catherine de Medici, wife of King Henri II. Two Benedictine nuns, Sister Marguerite and Sister Marie-Elisabeth, seeking asylum in the town of Nancy during the French Revolution (1789-1799), paid for their housing by baking and selling the macaroon cookies, and thus became known as the “Macaroon Sisters” (the French word is macaron, pronounced mah-kah-RONE).

Of course, Catherine didn’t tell me this story herself….so who knows, and today both the Italians and the French claim the cookie as their own. Both are wonderful and in my humble opinion, a hundred times better than America’s Coconut Macaroon. So, I am going to remove the coconut version from the table for today.

Colmar, France

In 2002, I experienced my first French Macaron in Colmar, France. I was immediately captivated by the luscious colors and fillings. It may well be the Queen of the versatile cookie!

Colmar is located in the Alsace region of France. Surrounded by vineyards, full of spectacular restaurants, Colmar is known as the Venice of France. Lovely canals meander through the town, making Colmar one of the world’s most beautiful cities in Europe as well as one of the most photographed. But to me….it was the sparkling glass and glistening highly polished brass of the dessert display cabinets full of beautiful French pastries in delicate pastel colors that I remember the most. I must have stood before that display for 20 minutes trying to decide which flavor and color of Macaron that I wanted. Unless you’ve experienced it, there is no way to imagine the joy of that moment! An absolutely perfect pastel yellow lemon macaron and a cup of hot tea in a beautiful porcelain tea cup, so thin you could almost see through it. The tablecloths were starched and ironed to perfection as was our server’s long apron. All together, it was a beautiful experience!



Ortigia, Sicily

As for my introduction to the Italian Macaroon, it came in 2008 in Ortigia, Sicily. We stayed in a beautiful old hotel with a 4 star rating. There, resting on my pillow each evening, was a Italian Macaroon. Throughout Sicily, we found these little cookies individually wrapped and left in our rooms to say goodnight.

So what brings all this chatter about Macaroons/Macarons? Let me tell you how I spent close to 4 hours of my day.

About 8 years ago, I became a member of Les Dames D”Escoffier, a world wide philanthropic society of professional women leaders in the fields of food, fine beverage and hospitality. The invitation-only membership, composed of 27 individual chapters across the United States and Canada, is highly diversified and reflects the multifaceted fields of contemporary gastronomy and hospitality. We are so fortunate to have a chapter here in the Kansas City area. I thoroughly enjoyed the organization, the programs and my fellow members, until Arch was diagnosed with cancer. I found my time for organizations was limited, so I chose to take a leave of absence.



Chef Carter Holton

http://www.inkkc.com/content/my-essentials-chef-carter-holton-23

                                       Here it is 6 years later, and I finally returned to the chapter.
Today I attended a class and demonstration by Chef Carter Holton, held in the beautiful kitchens of Portfolio Kitchen and Home at 8027 State Line, Kansas City, Mo. Portfolio is owned by Geri Higgins.

Chef Carter prepared literally dozens and dozens of French Macarons, all in beautiful colors and amazing flavors. Carter Holton is the pastry chef for La Fou Frog, as well as The River Club here in Kansas City and teaches for The International Culinary School at The Art Institutes International - Kansas City. He received his degree from the Culinary Institute of America, the CIA.

He started the class by preparing a dark chocolate ganache with lime zest as the filling for the lime macarons he prepared afterwards. The flavors for the day were Strawberry, Lemon Poppy Seed, Orange, Almond, Chocolate and Lavender.
With humor and authority, Carter prepared our treats. explaining his procedure as we watched carefully. Making a perfect Macaron is not the easiest thing in the world. Those small colorful pillows held together with creamy ganache are a lot of work! Most of the class attendees declared their desire to order the Macarons from Carter rather than rushing home to make their own! In all honesty, I was pretty fired up as I left Portfolio, but on returning home I had second and possibly third thoughts. I haven’t given up totally, I just need to get my ducks in a row, hopefully insuring success. I need to go shopping for perforated bottom sheet pans for baking, several more Silpats for lining those sheet pans, and a scale for measuring ingredients by grams. This making Macarons is not like throwing together a batch of chocolate chip cookies!

For now, I am not going to give you Carter’s recipe. I need to make them a few times, working with his written recipe and instructions as well as trying to incorporate the notes I made as he spoke about the procedure for making the finest macaron. So, stay tuned, I will keep you posted! In the meantime, if you have a French bakery near you, go have a cup of tea and a French Macaron; I’ll be doing the same.





While most food blogs are featuring food for Super Bowl Sunday, there are a few who are not out there with recipes for dips, chili and brisket. Now I love dip, I love chili, I love brisket….but it is refreshing to see a recipe for something else!

Take, for instance, one of my favorite blogs ,Proud Italian Cook. I don’t know the name of the proud Italian cook, but I do know I love the way she looks at food and cooking. She describes herself as “ a wife, mother, Gramma, mother-in-law, and self proclaimed "Foodie". Especially Italian foods!” She is in Real Estate in the Chicago area.
Go to her blog by clicking on http://prouditaliancook.blogspot.com/
Check out her recipe for Marsala Baked Pears posted on Wednesday the 26th. Of course I am a big fan of Marsala and I adore pears, but doesn’t that cover everyone? Check out her blog, I think you will enjoy it.

Yes, I know the guys aren’t going to be thrilled with a dessert to go with their beer and football, but once they taste these pears, they may feel you have scored a touchdown!

Marsala is a fortified wine produced in Sicily. During my trip to Sicily in 2008, I drank wine from one end of that big island to the other, but it wasn't until I tasted the Marsala that I became dedicated to learning more, tasting more, experimenting in the kitchen more! Every now and then, I Google "Marsala recipes" just for the fun of it and always enjoy some of the inventive ways to incorporate Marsala!

Okay, now for the guys and their Super Bowl food....hey, I have a lot of male readers. I must keep them happy! So, here is a warm beer cheese dip. Get out the chafing dish or fondue pot!

BEER-CHEESE DIP because you can't have a Super Bowl without Velveeta....I think it is a law


1 lb. process cheese spread loaf, cut into pieces
1/2 cup regular or non-alcoholic beer (any brand)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper sauce (make it as hot as you like)
bite-sized vegetables, bread cubes, or pretzels for dipping

Heat cheese and beer in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly, until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the red pepper sauce.
Remove mixture and place in an earthenware fondue dish, electric cooking pot, or chafing dish. Keep warm on low heat setting.
Serve with vegetables, bread, or pretzels!

If you would prefer using cheddar, try this one.

1 round pumpernickel bread (unsliced)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 c. beer
Garlic to taste (1/4 tsp.)

Mix all ingredients together except for the bread. Cut off the top of the bread, then pull out the soft center of the bread, making sure you leave the wall of the bread bowl at least an inch thick. Pour the beer/cheese mixture into the bread bowl, replace the top and wrap in foil. Bake in 400 degree oven for 30 minute. Place bread bowl in center of platter, suround with crackers and or corn chips. Place a serrated knife on platter also for cutting the bread bowl into bite sized pieces.  Dip pieces of bread in cheese.

If you prefer a cold beer cheese, mix the same ingredients in above recipe, chill and serve with chunks of the bread

  As for me....I'm going for the Marsala Pears!  Thank you Proud Italian Cook!

During the wintertime, I find it easier to sit at the computer and research my family’s genealogy. Hours literally fly by as I search for and read every little bit of information I can find. I am always amazed over how much time and effort my Aunt Lou Emma Jones had to devote to the research. She spent years tracing the Ogg side of the family, no computer, lots of leg work. She would travel by car to many small Midwest towns seeking cemeteries, hoping to locate a missing headstone or two. Snail mail was her only link to distant possible relatives, with weeks passing by between letters.


Now, all I have to do is search through Ancestry.com. I can Google a name, a map, or an event; and then fill in the spaces in my Family Tree software. Better yet, today there are 5 or 6, maybe more, web pages with search engines, all connected to make the search more complete, more thorough. And this is world wide! Yes, I have it much easier than Aunt Lou.

The Ogg family genealogy goes back to the year 1325. They lived in Aberdeenshire on the northeast coast of Scotland. The “Foodie” in me requires that I research the foods they ate, as well as how they cooked. I’ve even developed an interest in the history of golf and the production of Scotch, and I don’t enjoy either! It is all just part of the overall picture of my ancestors.

I’ve never been enthralled with the food of Great Britain. It always seemed pretty boring to me. So, I went to the library and started reading cookbooks on the foods of Scotland, both old and new. As with any region, the menu was developed due to the food available. Northeastern Scotland, Aberdeenshire in particular, relied on fish from the sea as well as lamb and beef. Recently, as I was driving down to the studio, I passed a field of black cattle; they each had a near perfect wide band of white around their middle, much like a belt. I truly was fascinated by their stark design. I asked around and someone told me they were referred to as “Oreo cows”. When I returned home to my computer, Mr Google helped me discover they are Galloway Cattle, a Scottish breed. They are one of only a few breeds developed for the meat rather than dairy or as draft for pulling heavy loads. Their meat is excellent, lean and delicious.

Today, in the age of wonderful inns and restaurants, many setup in the ancient castles, the menu has become a blend of the ancient as well as the new sophisticated and rich food. Their recipes are delightful to read, full of strange names and weird spelling. Do you have any idea what a collop is? Or a stovie? How about clapshot? Actually, most of them sound like some accidental injury to a limb! I think the name that upsets me the most is skink…. which simply means soup. Somehow a bowl of skink just doesn’t do it for me! But I did discover a recipe for a soup featuring a cheese from Aberdeenshire called Strathdon Blue.

The soup is Fennel and Strathdon Blue….I don’t think I will add skink to the name. I will call the Maitre Fromager, the cheese expert, at Dean and Deluca to see if he carries Strathdon Blue. If not, maybe he can order it. I think I need to try it, I need the connection with my ancestors. Not to mention how much I love blue veined cheeses.

Here is the recipe in case you want to try it also.

Fennel and Strathdon Blue Soup


Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter
3 bulbs fennel, washed and roughly chopped
2 leeks, white part only, chopped
4 ounces of peeled and chopped potato
2 ½ cups chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup milk
4 ounces Strathdon blue cheese
2/3 cup half and half

In a large pan, melt the butter and sweat the fennel and leeks in the butter until softened; do not allow to brown.

Add the finely diced potato and mix together to coat in butter. Add the stock, bring to a boil and then simmer gently until the potatoes are soft. Season with pepper and add the milk and cheese; return to the boil then remove from the heat.

Allow to cool slightly and then blend totally. A blender will work better than a food processor.
Stir in the cream, check for seasoning, and serve. If reheating is necessary, do it gently over very low heat.

There is one other recipe I am anxious to try, very Scottish. Orange Marmalade from Aberdeenshire. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Have you ever prepared a dish that you think is possibly the most perfect thing you ever ate? Rest assured, it doesn’t happen often. Now, let me say, Prime Rib and a Porterhouse Steak are purely perfect, they stand on their own. This dish brings a combination of foods and flavors to bring you the perfect “dish”.

About 25 years ago - a “wondrous jewel of a food store” opened on Manhattan's Upper West Side. It was christened The Silver Palate. Its purpose was to prepare food as though it were cooked at home and have it ready for their thousands of customers to pick up and take home.

In November 2007, the Cookbook of the Month was The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. It is a wonderful real “go to” cookbook. Among the many recipes is Chicken Marbella.

Chicken Marbella was the first main-course dish offered at The Silver Palate, and the distinctive colors and flavors of the prunes, olives and capers have kept it a favorite for years. It's good hot or at room temperature. When prepared with small drumsticks and wings, it makes a delicious hors d'oeuvre. The overnight marinating is essential to the moistness of the finished product: the chicken keeps and even improves over several days of refrigeration; it travels well and makes excellent picnic fare.

As I said, a most perfect food….

Chicken Marbella for 12 (recipe may be halved to serve 6)

photographer unknown

4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives, whole
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup Somerset Ridge Chardonnay
1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.

With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat. It is marvelous served with Polenta, Mashed Potatoes or Rice Pilaf.

To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.

Okay, back up….see that line “Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.”? Don’t skip this part, no matter what you might be thinking of chicken with brown sugar. Trust me! This dish, comprised of chicken, prunes, capers and olives is incredible.

I hope to be interviewing Jeanne Mackay of The Tasteful Olive, in downtown Overland Park, early next week. We have discussed the possibility of me designing several recipes featuring her wonderful olive oils and balsamic vinegars, maybe next week we will figure it out. Have you tried her Blood Orange Infused Olive Oil yet? Please do, it is heavenly! Check out her blog   http://www.thetastefulolive.com/blog.asp
So, stay tuned, more to come!

When cabin fever strikes, it is best to convince yourself that life is good. Being stuck at home, snowbound, unable to shovel yourself out to rejoin civilization, isn’t all bad. After all, you can use this time to clean out closets, shred old papers, and watch endless movies on the Hallmark channel. And don’t forget, there is always the proverbial sock drawer.

I was well on my way to becoming curmudgeonly last evening, as I watched the snow piling up, blocking all hope of exiting the garage ever again. I was steadily becoming bad-tempered, disagreeable….ah yes, dare I say, PO’d?

I wasn’t even in the mood to make soup…and you know how important soup making is to me. What was I to do? Should I sit and become more disagreeable, even though there was no one here to suffer from my bad mood? Or should I find an outlet of some sort to focus on until the sun comes up and the snowplows arrive in my neighborhood?
After checking the lineup on television, I decided to settle in for the evening in my big comfy leather chair and watch Modern Family followed by Off the Map. They were a distraction for a while......until the Anaconda scene. A non-venomous snake that lives in or near water and in trees, is the largest snake in the boa family. It had wrapped itself around one of the characters and was crushing the life out of him in preparation of swallowing him whole, I suppose. Thank heavens it didn’t show that part! Anyway, all the funny parts of Modern Family were quickly forgotten….Kay Tucker hates snakes.

I desperately checked the DVR to see if there was anything I had recorded that I should watch….and there it was. The Train is a Burt Lancaster movie made in the 60s, telling the story of how the Germans tried to take all of the masterpieces of art from the museum in Paris to Berlin at the end of the war. It sounded good to me. I lit the fireplace and I knew there was one last thing….a cup of coffee with Bailey’s. I realized it would more sense to drink something warm and very French in honor of all those beautiful paintings.

That is when it hit me…. Cafè Amore! I haven’t had one in years.

One year for our anniversary, I made a traditional French dinner for Arch… Chateaubriand, a seared and roasted beef tenderloin with wine sauce. I also served chateau potatoes, or as Arch said “Ahhhhh, fried potatoes!” It was a great dinner, a fun evening and we both had our first Cafè Amore.

In one of your “good coffee cups”, pour 1 oz of Cognac, 1 oz of amaretto (an almond liqueur). Add the hot coffee, making sure you leave room to top it off with lots of whipped cream! Sprinkle shaved almonds on top of the cream.
So, last night I watched my movie, by the fire, with the snow falling softly outside my window. On the table beside me there was a beautiful steaming cup of Cafè Amore, in which I used the last of my Arch’s Cognac.

If I were to toast the event in French, I would say “A votre santé” (to your health). I would normally give my favorite Italian toast, “Cin cin”. But I just couldn’t. Even though the bad guys were the Germans, my German was no bad guy. So a simple toast of "Auf uns!" was my toast….”To Us!”


Halleluiah! They are shoveling my driveway! Life is good!

More snow is predicted for tomorrow!

 I certainly feel sorry for all the parents who will have children home….AGAIN….due to school closings! Here in Johnson County, the public schools have to be in session so many days during the school year, so it looks like all the little children will be going to class into the middle of June unless the weather clears up!

Of course, when the schools are closed because of snow days, the studio is definitely not on my schedule. There is so much work to be done and I want to start a new painting….maybe next week.

Since it will be snowing all day tomorrow, I am going to bake bread again. It is my favorite thing to do on a snowy day. Daughter Betsy wants to make German Pretzels, so that is probably what we will do. I may also make some Schiacciata – a classic Tuscan Flatbread. If I had been on the ball (which doesn’t happen often) I would have gone to my favorite deli and stocked up on German sausages and some great Havarti, my favorite cheese. Werner’s Specialty Foods in Mission, Kansas is a great source for handmade traditional sausages. Dave and Judy Miller, the owners, carry many hard to find European foods, and David’s brats are highly respected! Here are some email addresses for them in case you want to check on the availability of certain items. wernerswurst@hotmail.com wernerswurst@yahoo.com and dmiller167@kc.rr.com.

Werner’s is located in Mission, Kansas on Johnson Drive. Just walking in the door is a treat….the aromas are incredible. Sure wish I had some of their Havarti to pop into a Pretzel roll!
Check out their webpage http://www.wernerswurst.com there you will find their address and phone number as well as menus, specialty items, catering info, etc. If you go around lunch, you can treat yourself to a schnitzel sandwich! If I were you, I’d have them put a slice of Havarti on it!

Back to the pretzels….I’ve mentioned German pretzels several times in the 2 years I’ve been writing my blog, but I have never given you a recipe. There is a reason for that. True German pretzels are dipped in a lye solution before baking, and I just can’t encourage you to do that. But, I can encourage you to visit any one of the dozens of web pages featuring recipes for the authentic as well as some featuring a baking soda bath for your pretzels. I can only suggest you Google German Pretzel recipes and do a little reading. I will tell you this, my favorite is a King Arthur Flour recipe which you will find here http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/classic-pretzels-recipe Yes, I do order the non-diastatic malt powder from King Arthur, and it makes all of the difference in the world.
I should also tell you that when you Google the pretzels, there are several web pages with step by step instructions on shaping and dipping your pretzels, complete with photographs. It would be a good thing to read them first.
One other tip….when you go to Werner’s, buy some Black Forest ham, sliced fairly thin. Open up a warm freshly baked pretzel, add a little butter and tuck that Black Forest ham and a little Havarti or Swiss cheese in it and get yourself a glass of Riesling wine or a cold beer and prepare to feel like you are living the good life!

A big pot of soup is on everyone’s mind this time of year. I have shared so many of my favorites over the last 2 years, but I think I have another one for you.
Here is a soup that is a perfect companion for a pretzel. Simply skip the slices of bread, grate the cheese and sprinkle on top of each serving of soup, then dip your pretzel in the soup! YUM! Hope you enjoy it!

Riesling Cheese Soup

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup diced onions

1 cup diced cauliflower

2 potatoes, cut into 1/2"cubes

1/2 cup carrots, cut into 1/2" cubes

1/2 cup Somerset Ridge Vineyard Riesling Wine

4 cups chicken stock

4 ounces Canadian bacon, diced

5 ounces Gouda cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil on medium-high heat in a 1.5-quart saucepan. Add onion and sauté until softened. Add cauliflower, carrots and potato; sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and bring to a boil. In a small skillet, heat the butter. Add the Canadian bacon and sauté until lightly browned. Add bacon to soup. Reduce heat to low and cover, simmering until vegetables are tender (about 15 minutes). Pour soup into four individual flameproof crocks or bowls. Top each portion with one-quarter of the cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately with German Pretzels.

With the forecast, I’d better start looking for the next soup I will share with you. Spring is NOT just around the corner!

For you dear sweet loved ones enjoying the warmth and sunshine in Palm Springs,

I don't have a recipe for you, but please enjoy your weather!

Kiss Rudy for me!

The world has definitely left me behind…..where have I been? This weekend I watched 2 programs that I haven’t seen in years. Saturday night I watched the Miss America pageant and Sunday evening I watched the Golden Globes.
Let me start with Miss America. My, oh my, how things have changed! It is not that the young women appeared to be less than lady-like; they just did not give the appearance of elegance. Beautiful, of course, but not Miss America quality! And what was with the bikinis? Last time I saw the pageant, it was one piece swimsuits! And the evening gowns…remember when the stage had to be twice to three times wider because of all the gowns? Now they are skintight, split up to the upper thigh! And did they name a Miss Congeniality and I missed it? And when did the pageant move to Vegas?
As for the result of the pageant, I would have chosen Miss Hawaii; at least her hair looked well groomed. The new Miss America is Miss Nebraska, who looked like she was wearing a really bad wig that had slipped too far forward on her head. I will probably not watch it again for sometime, possibly never again.

Now, for the Golden Globes. I truly have no idea when I saw the last one. I immediately texted my daughter asking who the emcee was! Never heard of him….sorry, still don’t know who he is, but he was very funny. I particularly enjoyed his introduction of Bruce Willis….introduced him as Ashton Kutcher’s father! He may have gone a little too far by saying the waiters had all been hauled off by the immigration guys. The audience sort of gave a nervous groan.
I was delighted to see some of the older stars, and I do know some of the younger stars, I think. I love movies, so I actually had seen some of the movies that were nominated.

                                               But I still don’t know who Ricky Gervais is!

Strangely enough, while I was trying to remember when I last watched a Golden Globes show, something made me remember a great bowl of Hot and Sour Soup. Don’t ask me what….I don’t have a clue. Maybe I was just hungry. More than likely it was because my mind wandered back to the Chinese cookbook I was reading earier. Anyway, I do love the combination of flavors of Hot and Sour.
Truthfully, it is the only way I have ever liked tofu….and actually, in this soup, I love tofu! I don’t keep all of the ingredients on hand, my pantry definitely leans toward Italy, not China! So a trip to the grocery store is necessary. Fortunately we have several excellent oriental markets, a new international market, and Whole Foods. So the ingredients are no problem.

Hot and Sour Soup
6 dried Chinese black fungus
6 dried wood ear, black, cloud, straw, or shiitake mushrooms, or one bunch of fresh enoki mushrooms
5 dried lily buds
One can of bamboo shoots
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of white vinegar or rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
4 cups of chicken broth
1/2 block of firm tofu, diced into small cubes
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
3 scallions, diced
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of finely ground white pepper (do not substitute with black pepper!)
1/4 teaspoon of chili oil (optional)
Cilantro (optional)

Pour boiling water over the mushrooms until the mushrooms are covered and allow them to soak for 20 minutes, turning the mushrooms over occasionally. It may not seem like a lot but they will grow quite a bit. After soaking remove any woody ends with a knife. Cut mushrooms into strips. Reserve 1/4 cup of the liquid and mix with the cornstarch. (If using fresh enoki mushrooms set aside as they do not need to soak).
Pour boiling water over the lily buds until covered and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Cut the buds crosswise then tear them up into a few bunches.
Mix the vinegars and soy sauce together and set aside. Open the can of bamboo shoots, drain well, and cut the shoots lengthwise into strips.
Place the chicken broth into a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the tofu, mushrooms, lily buds, bamboo shoots, vinegar mixture, and cornstarch mixture. Mix and bring back to a boil. Once it comes to a boil remove from heat. While stirring the soup slowly pour the egg into the broth in a small steam while stirring the soup allowing the egg to instantly cook and feather into the soup.

I just did a little proof reading of this blog....I am indeed rather strange....from Miss America to Chinese Hot and Sour with a moment wondering about a British performer.

I may need to take a day or two off.....

While I'm getting some rest, check out this video my friend Dave sent me. Everything you need to know about making French croisants! Enjoy!   http://www.wimp.com/howcroissants