The French Way........

When I decided I wanted to cook for a living, I knew I had to master some very important things….and my number one mission was sauces. I spent years learning the art of Northern Italian cooking, but not until I had mastered the art of French sauces.

I took Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking to the kitchen and started cooking. It wasn’t like Julie and Julia….far from it! It was me spending a great deal driving back and forth between home and the grocery store….I must have gone through a thousand pounds of butter! I started studying everything I could find on French sauces. You need to realize this was a long time before Al Gore invented the internet! It was all at the library.

 In the 19th century, the chef Antonin Carême classified sauces into four families, each of which was based on a mother sauce (also called grandes sauces). Carême's four mother sauces were:

• Béchamel, based on milk, thickened with a white roux.

• Espagnole, based on brown stock (usually veal), thickened with a brown roux.

• Velouté, based on a white stock, thickened with a blonde roux.

• Allemande, based on velouté sauce, is thickened with egg yolks and heavy cream.

In the early 20th century, the chef Auguste Escoffier updated this classification to five mother sauces. They are:

Sauce Béchamel, milk based sauce, thickened with a white roux.
Sauce Velouté, white stock based sauce, thickened with a roux or a liaison.
Sauce Tomate, tomato based sauce, thickened with a roux.

Sauce Espagnole, a fortified brown veal stock sauce.
Sauce Hollandaise, an emulsion of egg yolk, butter and lemon juice. (traditionally a reduction of pepper corns white vinegar and a bay leaf is used in place of lemon juice)

These 5 sauces are the base for many other sauces, referred to as “small sauces”,simply by incorporating additional ingredients. Bechamel can become Mornay Sauce with the addition of cheese, traditionally Gruyere.

With so many people watching their weight and what they eat, sauces and gravies are far less important today. Sad, but true. But I think everyone who cooks should know how to make the 5 mother sauces. You won’t make them every day, not even weekly. But there are special occasions, holidays that simply call for a more elaborate menu. A sauce can make an ordinary plate of food an exciting meal!

So, here it is, almost Fall. Cooler weather is here, you are thinking about warm, satisfying food and looking forward to being back in the kitchen. Now is the time to develop your sauces! Today I am going to cover Bechamel. I hope you decide to try your hand at sauces….they are amazing.

Bechamel….it used to be prepared in most homes on a regular basis, only we called it “White Sauce”  Have you every tasted a spoonful of Bechamel? I think it is heavenly. With just a small amount of freshly grated nutmeg (none of that stuff in the spice shaker….I’m talking about you grating a dash from a whole nutmeg). If you haven’t, you simply must.

Here is the basic recipe, makes approximately 4 cups of sauce.

Bechamel Sauce
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until it forms a smooth paste. Continue whisking, cook for about 2 minutes, and then gradually – 1/3 cup at a time - add the milk. Continue whisking and cook until the sauce is completely heated through, smooth, and thickened. Remove from the heat and season with the salt and nutmeg.
So, now that you have made the basic sauce, what do you do with it?

Let’s make Mornay Sauce….

Mornay Sauce is a classic cheese sauce made by enriching a standard Bechamel wiith Gruyère and Parmesan cheese.

Mornay is an ideal accompaniment for vegetables, pasta or fish. The Cheeses can be switched for Cheddar and it is the perfect cheese sauce for macaroni and cheese! It is one way to get the kids (and many adults!) to eat the dreaded broccoli! Here are the directions:

Mornay  Sauce
1 quart prepared Beshamel Sauce
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
½ tsp mustard powder
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup whole milk, hot

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the Béchamel to a simmer. Add the cheddar cheese and mustard powder and stir until the cheese has melted. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat and adjust consistency with the hot milk if necessary. Serve right away.

Makes about 1 quart of Cheddar Cheese Sauce.

Here is my favorite Lasagna recipe….it is Bobby Flay’s. It is long and worth every extra ingredient and moment of your time. The Bechamel has cheese, making it a Mornay Sauce. I hope you love it!

                                 Bobby Flay’s Lasagna


Bolognese Sauce:
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds pork shanks (on the bone)
3 pounds beef shanks (on the bone)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound pancetta, finely diced
1 1/2 cups finely diced Spanish onion
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 cup finely diced celery
4 whole garlic cloves
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups homemade beef or chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices
4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 cup tomato sauce, recipe follows
Chopped fresh parsley leaves
Chopped fresh basil leaves

Ricotta Mixture:
3 cups ricotta, strained in a cheesecloth lined strainer for at least 4 hours
2 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Tomato Sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves


Bechamel (Mornay) Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 to 2 1/2 cups whole milk, heated
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Assembly:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Bechamel Sauce
4 fresh sheets pasta, cooked for 2 to 3 minutes in boiling, salted water, drained or 1 pound lasagna noodles (cooked in boiling, salted water until slightly under al dente, about 5 minutes)
Ricotta mixture
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Fresh basil leaves
Bolognese Sauce

For the Bolognese Sauce:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat.
Season the shanks on both sides with salt and pepper, place in the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.
Remove the shanks to a plate. Remove fat from the pan. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden brown. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the pan and cook until soft and lightly golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the red wine, scrape the bottom of the pan and cook until completely reduced. Add the beef stock, diced tomatoes, thyme, rosemary and parsley and bring to a simmer. Add the shanks and 1/3 of the pancetta back to the pan, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 2 hours.

Remove the shanks to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl.

Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl. Place 3 cups of the cooking liquid into a large high-sided saute pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about 3/4 cup. Add the shredded meat and the remaining cooked pancetta to the pan along with 1 cup of the tomato sauce, parsley and basil and stir to combine and just heat through.

For the Ricotta Mixture:

Stir together the ricotta, eggs, parsley, basil, cheese and salt and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.

For the Tomato Sauce:

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and red chili flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, bring to boil, season with salt and pepper and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil.

For the Bechamel (Mornay) Sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of the hot milk and continue whisking until the sauce is thickened and loses its raw flavor, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season the sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper and whisk in the cheeses. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in some of the remaining milk.

For Assembly:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the butter. Ladle a thin layer of bechamel evenly over the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of pasta dough, cut to fit the inside of the pan on top of the bechamel and top the pasta with the ricotta mixture and spread evenly. Spread a thin layer of bechamel over the ricotta, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan and some basil leaves. Top with another layer of pasta and spread the meat mixture evenly over the top. Ladle an even layer of bechamel over the Bolognese mixture, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan and some basil leaves. Place the final layer of pasta dough over the meat mixture and ladle the bechamel over the top to completely cover the pasta and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of Parmesan.

Place the pan on a baking sheet and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F, remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 25 to 35 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting. Cut into slices and top with some of the tomato sauce, more grated cheese and chopped parsley and basil.

See what I mean?  LONG! And HEAVENLY!

                           The "Nine Lives" Show at the Tortoise Gallery

I had so much fun at the opening of Nine Lives at the Tortoise Gallery! The gallery was packed with friends, art lovers and the wonderful people of Miami County.

Nancy Sims-West, owner of the Tortoise, had the gallery looking magical! She directed the hanging of the show and it was perfect, as was her own appearance. She topped off her black dress with a gorgeous necklace by Johnson County jewelry artist, Nancy Forbis.

The wine was from Somerset Ridge, the home of the Somerset Ridge Painters. The food was created by the painters! The painting behind the table is by JoAnne Carlton.

As I said, the food was prepared by the nine of us, and there was plenty of it! I made ham salad and it seems to have made several people very happy. I was asked for the secret to a perfect ham salad….and the answer was good ham, good mayonnaise, good dill pickles.


Here is a “sort of” recipe….ham salad is one of those things you just do, but I will try.

This is for Kristin and Matthew:

2 pounds baked ham, cubed, I use Farmland Foods
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 whole (2 halves) dill pickle, coarsely chopped. I use Claussen’s Kosher Dill Halves
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
½ to ¾ cup mayonnaise, I use Hellmann’s
Place the cubed ham in the food processor and pulse to chop, being careful to not over chop it, You don’t want ham paste! Pour ham into a large bowl. Place bowl of food processor back on its base, and put in the chopped onion, pickle and celery. Process to medium chop. (The size of the ham, onion, celery and pickle pieces is up to you. If you are making it for sandwiches, you may want it a finer chop. For a plated salad, larger bites are nicer. Mine was for spreading on crackers so I made it a medium fine chop.)
Put chopped onion mixture into large bowl with ham. Toss to mix well before adding mayonnaise. When adding mayonnaise, stir gently to blend well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Your ham will determine how much salt you need. Adjust the amount of mayonnaise for your taste.
See? You didn’t need a recipe! It is just plain old home cooking!
Ada Koch’s Oatmeal Cookies were another big hit….and once again, good old home cooking! I will see if I can get her recipe for you. Stay tuned!

It was such a treat to meet Majo’s mother, Ana Herrera, who came from Louisiana for this event. Okay, so she came to visit Majo and Shawn, but I think her timing was perfect!

Majo with her mother, Ana Herrera

To close, I want to thank Jim and Inge, Jerry and Jodie, for coming to the show….aren’t old friends great? Jerry and Jodie had just returned from a trip to Scotland, landing back in Kansas City about 20 hours earlier! Now that is friendship! By the way, they agree with me on the subject of the traditional food of Scotland….pretty boring!

I wish I could have gotten photos of the crowd, but at 4' 11", I don't do well with a camera. You would be looking at pictures of people's backsides! So, I took most of the photographs before the doors opened at 6PM.

left:  Floral...right: Alsace Autumn
my paintings

For those of you who could not make the opening celebration, the show will hang at the Tortoise for the next 4 weeks. If you are coming down to Paola to see it, let me know and I will meet you….we can do lunch at Molly’s!

                                        Yesterday I should have been in the studio, painting….
                                                      no doubt about it. Why wasn’t I?



Majo,  Kansas City artist



Enjoying the music and
wine on the Veranda







 Simple….BIG day at the winery! After a miserably long, hot summer, we have finally been given some absolutely lovely weather! Gorgeous blue sky, gentle breezes and 74 degrees! Glorious!



Cindy, Mistura Fina, and Stan Kessler

 I was just going to drop by the vineyard and winery to take a few photographs and visit with Majo, my good friend and fellow Somerset Ridge Painter. As I pulled up in front of the winery there were cars parked everywhere! I instinctively knew I was going to work. I washed wine glasses, cleaned off the tables out on the lawn, washed more wine glasses, grabbed my camera and took some shots, washed more wine glasses. The afternoon flew by…..but no painting. But I sure had fun!

Cindy and Dennis, the owners, had arranged for some fabulous musicians to play on the veranda….Mistura Fina with Stan Kessler! Lots of Brazilian rhythm with a Bosa Nova/American Jazz approach! FUN! People took their wine out on to the veranda, or to the tables on the hillside; they brought picnic lunches or enjoyed the food items the winery has available in the tasting room. We had Frisbee players, Bocce ball enthusiasts, music lovers, cigar aficionados, art lovers….and even the 2 horses next door decided to entertain over along the fence. They actually posed for Majo to paint their portrait!



Big fans of the crowds at the vineyard


Yep, it was a good day at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery! Not so good at the studio………..

Did you ever have one of those flashbacks brought on by an aroma, a smell? It is amazing how the mind works. Let me explain, NO! not how the mind works (particularly mine!) but rather how a smell sent me back, way back, into my childhood.

Those of you who have been reading my blog since the beginning, January 2009, know I’ve shared many memories and recipes from the Ogg Family Farm. My mother was the youngest of the 5 children of William Clyde and Minnie Florence Ogg of Ray County, Missouri. The farm had been in the family for 3 generations by the time I was born. I spent part of my summers visiting my aunt and uncle, Clarence and Zelma Ogg (don’t you just love the names!), and many holidays, particularly Memorial Day. Being an out of doors kind of girl, I loved to wander around the farm, climb on the tractor, run down to the fishing pond, and look for kittens in the barn. This morning I was transported to that barn, all because of a whiff of dried grasses. Many times I drive down country roads to get to Paola, where my studio space is located. Country roads are so much better than highways! Driving at 35 to 45 miles an hour as opposed to 70 to 75, gives me the chance to think about my painting; thinking about the canvas on my easel. That morning, little did I know that I was about to be transported back to the 1940s!

Here in Kansas, the fields are now dotted with hay bales. Food for the livestock during the coming winter months is an important part of farming. Huge fields are dedicated for just that purpose. As I was driving along with my windows down early that morning,  my car was filled with the soft, summery smell of just mown dry grasses.  That is when the barn filled my thoughts.
The barn was huge; it had a hay loft and I can still smell the combination of the dried hay and the hard packed Missouri dirt floor. As I shuffled through the hay that sifted down from the loft above, the laser-like beams of sunlight that streaked through the spaces in the walls, made the tiny particles of straw dust, dance and glisten. Of course, it played hell with anyone who had hay fever, but I was allergy free during those days!
Once inside the barn, I would stop and let my eyes adjust to the light, and listen for the soft mewing of the latest litter of kittens. It was heaven. The smell of that old barn will apparently stay with me forever. So will the memories.
After a day of wandering, I would wash up at the old pump on the back porch. I’m not sure how you can love an old pump, but I did. The water was always cold, crystal clear, and tasted better than any glass of water from the faucet back home in Columbia, Missouri! The fact that it was part of the world’s greatest screened in back porch might have something to do with it. Actually, I loved every nook and cranny of that farm house.
I certainly can’t share memories of the Ogg Family Farm without including some food memories. As I said, many holidays were spent there, with holiday foods! Old family recipes, such as my Grandmother Ogg’s Corn Bread Dressing come to mind….there was nothing like the food on the farm! Piping hot biscuits, homemade salt rising bread, fresh green beans slow cooked with country smoked ham and onions, Grandmother’s Chicken and Noodles, heavenly Hams, fresh from the farm’s smoke house, so big they barely fit in the oven! Wow….I miss the farm!
My favorite farm breakfast features corn! My Mom says they didn’t use Maple Syrup, but they did have a steady supply of Sorghum Molasses, her favorite. But for me, pure maple syrup drizzled over these buttered Corn Fritters and running over onto a big slice of fried Country Ham, suits me just fine!

Ray County Corn Fritters 
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
12 ounces cooked corn
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups flour, unsifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
oil or shortening for frying

1. Beat egg in a large bowl. Stir in milk, the corn and 1 tablespoon of oil. Add and beat in flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.
2. Drop in tablespoons of the mixture into deep or shallow hot oil (375 degrees). Fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes on each side.
3. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot. If desired serve with butter and a healthy drizzle of syrup. (OH yes! I desire!) I might add some like a couple of fried eggs, over easy, and even hash browns with this breakfast. As for me, I just want the corn fritters and fried ham! (with butter and syrup, of course)

Lesson Learned:  Childhood aroma memories can make you hungry!

An Invitation for you!



The Somerset Ridge Painters
Photo by Shawn Johnson

                                   The Somerset Ridge Painters

are pleased to invite you

to the opening of their new gallery show!

Please join us at The Tortoise Gallery on Friday, September 16th, 6 to 9 PM.

The Tortoise is located on the Historic Town Square, Paola, Kansas

The Somerset Ridge Painters
Audrey Benskin, Patsy Brown, JoAnne Carlton,
 Winnie Davis, Kristin Goering, Maria Johnson,
Vicki Johnston, Ada Koch, and Kay Tucker

Harvest Day #1 is a done deal!

Ada Koch working on her painting inspired by the vineyard

The winery at Somerset Ridge was
the place to be on Saturday!

As hard as it is for me to realize the grandchildren are all back in school, it is even harder to realize that Harvest Day #1, 2011 is a done deal! While I am “retired” from the vineyard, I am only ‘semi-retired’ from Harvest events. And I still bake their fresh rosemary shortbread for them, I don’t have much to do there anymore. But come Harvest Season, I can’t stay away. I have been enjoying harvest at the vineyard since 2001, and I love it!



Two "seasoned"pickers! The Vandenbergs know their grapes and their wine!



As usual, Dennis sent out an email stating the date and time, asking for volunteers to call or email immediately for a spot on the team of 80 pickers. Also as usual, the reservation list was full within 10 minutes! I actually talked to a woman who walked around with her blackberry in her hand waiting for the notice from Dennis! A spot on the picking team is considered to be a treasure!

The grapes that were harvested this time were the Traminette, an extremely prolific vine with white grapes galore. By the time the pickers had stripped the vines of their fruit, they were ready to eat, drink and have a party. That is just one of the things Cindy and Dennis Reynolds do well….throw a party!

Lunch is served!

Lunch was a joint effort, with Donna Nagle of Molly’s Table, taking the lead; all I did was make the dessert and find enough tomatoes for 80 people. Donna and her trusty side-kick, Patrick, served a wonderful meal. We have a tradition of executing menus typical of a wine producing country. The first harvest event each year has been Greek. We serve up cooling Greek Salads with Lemon Grilled Chicken, Pita Bread, Sliced Tomatoes, and for dessert, Lemon Sugar Cookies. The wine is a wonderful selection suggested by our own wine maker, Dennis. A chilled Chardonel, and Flyboy Red wines were perfect with the luncheon.

While we were sipping wine, enjoying the salad, Dennis and his crew were in the back of the winery, crushing the grapes that had been harvested just moments before. I love to stand a few feet away and watch them work This was always Arch’s favorite part of the harvest season. He became pretty proficient at tossing in the rice hulls that keep the grape must from packing solidly in the hoses leading from the crusher to the press….well, his favorite part right up there with drinking the wine!



Maria discusses her paintings with some of the pickers




 

This event had several additional features. Jeanne Mackay was there with her Tasteful Olive oils, Silpada was showing their new jewelry, Maria Johnson and Ada Koch were painting glorious paintings of the vineyard, and there was some wonderful live music on the veranda!

See what I mean? They know how to throw a wonderful party at Somerset Ridge Winery!

But don't mess with these two! Kelley and Holly take the wine business very seriously!

A day at the Market

The Farmer’s Market right here in Overland Park may not be one of those 1000 year old markets in Sicily that I love so much, but it is a darned good market. During the summer months, when open air markets around America are bustling, lively centers with splashes of brilliant color and hundreds of happy people, Overland Park offers her residents a market that is every bit as fun and efficient.

Granted, several years ago the city had some problems with the management of the market, but from what I can tell, they seem to have ironed out those problems by changing the management team. Sadly, some of the old standby farmers who were always there with their vegetables and fruits, are no longer present., but I have met some of the newer vendors and they are every bit as nice and informative.

The Farmer’s Market here is open 2 days a week; Wednesdays and Saturdays. Saturday is by far a much busier day, so I chose Wednesday to go shopping, photo taking and generally introducing myself to the newer vendors. Beside that, I needed 50 locally grown, organic tomatoes to be part of our harvest luncheon for the pickers at the vineyard. I handled my shopping first and stashed them away in the car, then returned with my camera.

My first stop was Justin’s Produce. Justin is a young man who has a warm smile and seems to be quite the businessman! His slogan is “Bringing the freshest produces right to your door” Yes, Justin will deliver to you!

Justin’s Produce, founded in the summer of 2006, and has been a quality vendor to the Overland Park Farmer's Market since 2004. The various fruits and vegetables offered by Justin's Produce have several unique benefits to the consumer. The produce will help provide its customers with the freshest in fruits and vegetables, which are local to the Kansas City area when in season. At the beginning of each week Justin’s Produce will send out an e-mail, regarding the different produce that it has to offer for the week along with the prices. You may also call to acquire this or any other information you may need. If there is a specific item you are looking for feel free to ask and we can see about acquiring it for you. Now that is SERVICE!

On down the way, I met a delightful young couple, Brian and Monica Boutte of Spoon Creek Organic Farm in Gardner, Kansas, here in Johnson County. Brian explained his last name, Boutte, was Belgian. His Grandfather was a farmer, I suspect his father was a farmer, and Brian is a farmer, and has good reason to be proud of his heritage and his produce!

One of Brian and Monica’s selections was a small yellow tomato with a sign “Longkeeper Tomatoes, $3.00 per pound” ….of course I had to ask. Brian had me hold one of the little yellow-orange orbs and feel its weight and firmness. What I felt was an under-ripe tomato, but Monica explained they are ready to eat now, but when stored in a single layer in the basement, they will stay fresh and ready for your table for months! Wow! How cool is that?

My next stop was the booth of my good friends from The Tasteful Olive. The market is directly behind the Tasteful Olive shop, so they offer tastings of their oils and vinegars. The pairing of their wares and the farm fresh vegetables and fruits is a natural. One of my favorite foods this summer has been big juicy cantaloupe with a drizzle of the Olive’s Chocolate Balsamic (I can’t have gelato 3 meals a day!). And have you tried some of those cantaloupes that are the size of a watermelon? Delicious! I truly have not had a bad cantaloupe all summer. Yet another benefit of a hot summer along the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. Oh, and don't forget those amazing Missouri peaches....with Chocolate Balsamic!

Due to the heat, and my tomatoes in the car, I had to call it quits and head for home. It may have been a hot day, but it was a good day……until I went to the studio and did serious damage to not just one, but 2 paintings! Some days, I simply should not be allowed to pick up a paintbrush! In the words of David Gross…”Kay, what were you thinking?”…then he rolled his eyes. Damn, I hate it when he is right!

3rd Friday celebration at The Tasteful Olive!

Hello again! I am back, probably for a week or so, then I will dive back into painting again, body and soul! Since my last posting, I have 2 new paintings, so I am going to keep up the pace to make my December goal.


I wanted to share last night’s Tasteful Olive event in downtown Overland Park. These 3rd Friday events are always so much fun. People are out for fun, food, music and friends! The shops are open, the restaurants are hoppin’, and trust me when I tell you, The Tasteful Olive was the place to be. Jeanne Mackay and her crew were on their game! They were giving the crowd the information on olive oil and vinegars as well as the opportunity to taste any or all of the heavenly oils and balsamics.

Cindy Reynolds and Kelly Bates of Somerset Ridge Winery were delighting the crowds with their wonderful wines, and once again, with knowledge of grapes and wine making. I must have heard Cindy talk about her wines at least 10,000 times, and she never fails to amaze me! Yes, I might be prejudice, but she teaches me something new every time I hear her!

Of course, I was there, too. I had my Italian Blood Orange Gelato, I had my Midwest Fresh Strawberry Sherbet, and I had my Mom’s Sugar Cookies with a Twist. It was a warm evening outside, so the guests at the Olive welcomed a cooling treat. I prepared for each of them, a mini sundae with a spoonful of the Fresh Strawberry Sherbet, made with the 18 year old traditional balsamic vinegar, along side a spoonful of the Blood Orange Olive oil Gelato, then I drizzled a little of the Chocolate Balsamic on top. It was a delight to watch the skeptical expressions turn into WOW!

So what turned my Mom’s Sugar Cookies in to Mom’s Sugar Cookies with a Twist? It was simple….a cup of Tasteful Olive’s Lemon (fused) Olive Oil replaced the cup of vegetable oil. A simple move that brought that already perfect cookie to a light, crispy, delicately lemon sugar cookie….a cookie you will crave time and time again.
Here is the recipe, just for you.

Mom’s Sugar Cookies with a Twist


1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
1 cup Tasteful Olive’s Lemon (fused) Olive Oil ….remember, if you don’t live in the Kansas City area, you can order by calling the store 913-649-7900. Online ordering will be available in September, but until then, give them a call and they will ship their products to you.
1cup of granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 ¾ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Cream the butter and the olive oil together until light and well blended. Add the two sugars and beat until light in color, truly creamy. Add the vanilla.

In a bowl, whisk the soda, salt, cream of tartar and nutmeg into the flour. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture, beating just until blended. One of the secrets of this cookie is to not over work the cookie dough. Treat it gently and you will reap the rewards!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place about a cup of granulated sugar In a flat container, such as a pie pan. With a small ice cream dipper sprayed with non-stick oil spray, shape balls of cookie dough and drop them into the sugar. I usually make 10 at a time, to not overcrowd the pie plate.

With your fingers, press one ball into the sugar, lift from pan, and place sugared side up on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies should just begin to turn a delicate light brown around edge. Do not over bake.

Hints:
I use a 1 ¼” scoop to shape my cookies.
This size scoop gives you approximately 6 dozen cookies

 The Tasteful Olive’s Persian Lime Olive Oil and their Blood Orange Olive Oil also make incredibly delicious cookies. You can tint the dough an appropriate color if you wish.

The recipes for my Fresh Strawberry Sherbet and Blood Orange Gelato are available on the Tasteful Olive’s webpage.

Go to http://www.thetastefulolive.com  click on recipes, then desserts.

Have you ever heard the Italian phrase

“Il Dolce Far Niente”?

No, it isn’t food, it doesn’t have anything to do with food, cooking or eating.

It also doesn’t have anything to do with painting.

So, you ask, what does it have to do with my blog?

That is easy to answer…..it doesn’t have anything to do with it.

You see, “Il Dolce Far Niente” simply means

the “Sweet Doing of Nothing.”

That is exactly what I am going to do for the next few weeks, nothing!

Nothing with my blog, that is.

I will be doing plenty of painting at the studio.

So, goodbye for now, I will return in a week or two, maybe three.

But for now, do me a favor and put a big circle around

September 16th!

There will be big celebration and opening of the

Somerset Ridge Painter's

show at the Tortoise Gallery!

ahhhhh....now for some

 Il Dolce Far Niente!

Hot? Yes! Unbearable? No way!

I cannot deal with the heat like I did when I was younger; I'm just saying I need to be cautious. But today was going to be so fun at Somerset RidgeVineyard and Winery, I threw caution to the wind and headed south to see what was happening. What I found was the hillside covered with the tables and red umbrellas surrounded by happy people! But there was an additional umbrella, one draped with beautiful scarves. There below it was the fabulous MaJo!  Also known as my friend, Maria Johnson and one of Kansas City's most exciting artists, and a member of the Somerset Ridge  Painters, MaJo had set up her easel and was surrounded by glorious paintings of the vineyard, wine bottles and glasses.

As I approached Maria's wonderful "studio", she was explaining why she couldn't sell the painting to the couple holding the colorful  canvas. That was when I heard her saying "That one is very special. It is for my friend, Kay. It is of her husband." I knew exactly what was going to be the subject of that painting! I moved around behind the couple and sure enough, Maria had painted a bottle of Flyboy Red wine and a wine glass full of the deep red wine that was my flyboy's favorite. Arch has graced the label since Dennis Reynolds, the owner of Somerset Ridge and the amazing winemaker responsible for making Somerset the winner of the Jefferson Cup,  created the wine in honor of Arch.

It was unbelievably wonderful; I could picture it on my wall, could hardly wait to get it home! But then I heard the lady explain that she really wanted to buy 2 of Maria's paintings and the Flyboy painting went so well with the other one she had chosen.  Maria agreed to paint her another one, now, it would be ready in an hour!  (I'm the painter who now has over 25 hours into my current canvas!)

The deal was struck, the couple went down the hill to the veranda to enjoy a bottle of chilled chardonel while Maria started their painting.  As soon as they stepped away, a man approached her, asking about the paintings. Guess which one he wanted to buy! Yep....Flyboy! He ended up buying 2 truly sexy paintings of wine glasses full of glistening Somerset wine....MaJo is really good!

Next she started a large canvas of a grape vine next to and end post....unbelievable! 2 people, 2 different people wanted to buy it and it wasn't even finished yet! They each did their best to convience Maria to sell it to them...it was quite fun to watch! Of course Maria sold it to the lady that had stated her desire to buy it first, so there stood the poor guy who was so set on taking it home.  He decided to wait for Maria to paint one just for him, as long as it was similar to the one he had just lost.
Next was a couple who also wanted two paintings....one of which was Flyboy....it looked like I needed to tell Maria to go ahead and sell it. I too would wait for  another one, painted just for me.
What a day for Maria and all of her new friends!  What fun it was to watch the wheeling and dealing...they certainly were anxious to take home a painting by MaJo!

The entire day was quite an experience....there is just something about art and wine and I must not forget the absolutely adorable musician! This guy is wonderful. He has a terrific connection with his audience, plays all of the requests, and did I mention he is so darned cute! He will be back, Ladies, so plan a trip out to the vineyard soon!



Winemaker, Dennis Reynolds, talking wine with visitors

 It was a great day  at Somerset Ridge!

Summertime's perfect dessert....

On a hot summer day, does chocolate fudge cake come to mind as a perfect dessert?  Probably not. How about Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese? No?  How about Ice Cream?  Icy cold, creamy smooth, rich, flavor packed homemade ice cream?  Yep....that does it!
As you know, I love to make ice cream, gelato, sorbet....whatever you want to call it, I love it.
It used to be part of every summer holiday celebration. The ice cream freezer, maker, machine....whatever you called it, was set up out on the backyard, ice and rock salt were waiting . The freezer can was filled with the ice cream mixture and set in place. The ice was packed around it, salt was added; the lid was tightened down and the crank was attached. All that was left was turning that crank,  over....and over....and over again!  Finally, after a long wait....it was ice cream time!
Homemade ice cream was part of every summer holiday. Of course, there probably was that chocolate cake and apple pie too....but it was the ice cream that was the big hit.

The history of ice cream is sketchy in the beginning. Nero supposedly sent slaves running on foot to the mountains to scoop up snow and then high tail it back to the palace so he could have a frozen treat, something like a snowcone with fresh fruit on top. I can't help but wonder what happened to the poor runners who arrived back at Nero's pad with a bucket of water......
Ice cream as a dairy delight was probably “discovered” in the 1600’s. The concept of flavored ices evolved, but no one is sure how. We do know that Charles I of England, or rather, his chef (either French or Italian), made ice cream a staple of the royal table. Depending on which version you read, either the chef had a secret recipe for ice cream and the king paid him a handsome reward to keep it a secret, or the chef was threatened with death if he divulged the recipe. Either way, once Chuck-One was beheaded in 1649, the chef blabbed. Soon nobility in Europe knew of, and enjoyed, “crème ice.”

The still-for-the-rich “iced creams” were widely known in the 18th century on both sides of the Atlantic. Several recipes appear in a 1700 French cookbook, “L’Art de Faire des Glaces”, and here in the soon-to-be United States, ice cream was also known. The first newspaper ad for ice cream appeared in the 1770s, as did the first actual ice cream shop (no one called them parlors then) in New York City in 1777. George Washington paid almost $200 (a chunk of money then) for ice cream equipment and recipes in 1790. Thomas Jefferson had a special recipe for his Vanilla ice cream (he was the first to serve it in the White House in 1802), and James and Dolley Madison served ice cream at their second inaugural ball in 1813. Still, ice cream was limited in quantity and popularity, due to the enormous effort needed to make it (think two large bowls, lots of ice and salt, and 40 minutes of shaking one bowl while stirring the other – whew!).

If You Want Something Done Right, Ask A Woman

Give credit to Nancy Johnson. In 1843 she developed the first hand-crank ice cream maker, and despite what you might read elsewhere, received a patent for it. Much of the confusion (and lack of credit) to Ms. Johnson comes from the fact that she sold her rights to William Young for just $200 (still a pretty good sum in those days). He at least had the courtesy to call the machine the “Johnson Patent Ice-Cream Freezer.”
Thanks to http://www.zingersicecream.com/history.htm for the history lesson.

Today, many of us have electric ice cream makers....no need for ice and salt, and no turning the crank!
So where am I going wiith this? I ran into Louisberg Cider Mill for a few things yesterday and they had fresh peaches!  Is there anything better than homemade fresh peach ice cream? I doubt it! There is nothing that compares to homemade ice cream. It has an amazingly fresh taste, and it is so simple. There are basically 3 ingredients:  peaches, sugar, and cream.  It is cold, creamy and perfect for a hot summer day.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream
2 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup half and half
1 cup granulated cane sugar
4 medium peaches, seed and skins removed, then roughly chopped
Juice from one lemon (roughly two tablespoons)

In a medium sauce pan over a med-low heat, pour in heavy cream and sugar. Just heat it up until it gets luke warm (Just enough to dissolve the sugar). Pour cream and sugar into a mixing bowl and set aside. Meanwhile, chop up all of your peaches and toss into a food processor. Blend until roughly pureed (about the size of peas, smaller or larger). Squeeze one whole lemon into your peach puree (about 2 tablespoons). Mix lightly with a spoon, then pour peaches into cream and sugar. Add 1 cup of half and half (Cream and sugar mixture should be cold enough at this point with all of the add ins). Next, pour peaches and cream into your ice cream maker and turn that baby on! (depending on ice cream maker, it should be done in roughly 25-30 minutes). Serve semi-soft or for harder ice cream, freeze for a couple of hours. Enjoy!
If your ice cream maker will not hold the entire recipe, divide and store half in sealed container in refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

I suppose my second favorite ice cream is pure vanilla! This recipe uses honey as the sweetner rather than sugar.

Honey Vanilla Ice Cream
2 vanilla beans

2 cups heavy cream (whipping cream)
1 cup whole or 2% milk
1/2 cup honey
Cut the vanilla beans in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds. Add both the seeds and the vanilla beans to a saucepan, along with the heavy cream, milk, and honey. Stirring occasionally, bring the vanilla cream mixture to steaming over low-medium heat.

Check to see that the honey is completely dissolved and then remove the pan from the heat. Remove the vanilla beans (pods) from the cream and discard them. Chill the mixture for 2 hours and then freeze it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
 This honey vanilla ice cream recipe makes 6 to 8 servings.

How long has it been since you had Pavlova? Have you ever had Pavlova?..........Let me tell you about my beloved Pavlova….no, no, no, not the ballerina, Anna Pavlova. I am talking about the dessert Pavalova. Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer. It is a meringue with a crisp crust and sweet meltingly-soft center.


The dessert is believed to have been created in honor of the dancer either during or after one of her tours to New Zealand in the 1920s. The dessert is a popular dish and an important part of the national cuisine of New Zealand, and is frequently served during celebratory and holiday meals.

If you have never had it, you are in for a treat. Due to its elegance, it is unfortunately saved for special occasions, but it need not be! Whip it up anytime….particularly now during fresh fruit season. Naturally, in New Zealand, it is covered with gorgeous slices of juicy Kiwi combined with other fruit, such a strawberries. I love it with some of our Missouri Peaches, peeled, sliced, and delicately sweetened if needed. As wonderful as the fresh fruit is, it is the whipped cream filled giant meringue that has me president of Pavlova’s fan club!
Here is the deal....That first distinctive crunch as you crack through the delicately baked meringue shell is one of my favorite all time sounds. Where the soft meringue center becomes one with the cool whipped cream is possibly one of the sexiest bites of food you will ever experience in your life, and I kid you not!

Yes, you have to try it……please!

Pavlova

serves 8 to10….or just me over several days! Some say it can’t be held over from one day to the next…..wrong….still delicious, just not as gorgeous!

1/2 cup egg whites, at room temperature (from about 4eggs)
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 1/4 cups heavy cream  2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1 cup of thinly sliced ripe fruit, such as kiwi, peaches or nectarines
10 strawberries, , thinly sliced or other berries, such as raspberries or blackberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a clean, dry bowl until foamy. Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla and continue whipping until stiff, smooth and glossy, about 8 minutes more. On a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit a sheet pan, use a pencil to draw or trace a circle 9-inches in diameter. Line the sheet pan with the parchment, pencil side down (you should still be able to see the circle). Spoon the egg whites into the circle, using the back of the spoon to smooth the top and sides of the disk. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until the meringue has puffed up and cracked on the top and the surface is lightly browned, about 45 minutes more. Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open, and let the pavlova cool in the oven at least 30 minutes, to room temperature. This ensures a gradual cooling, which protects the delicate meringue.

Whip the cream and brown sugar together until stiff. Spoon it in the center of the cooled pavlova and spread out to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Arrange the soft fruits of your choice on top. To serve, slice into wedges with a serrated knife.

Here is a chocolate version….however, I much prefer the original!

Chocolate Pavlova
serves 8

6 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, melted
3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 (1 ounce) square bittersweet chocolate, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Beat together egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to soft peaks in a large bowl. Beat in sugar, about three tablespoons at a time, until stiff and glossy peaks form. Sift cocoa and cornstarch over egg whites, and gently fold in. Gently fold in vinegar, vanilla, and melted chocolate. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the meringue into an eight inch circle. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 1/2 hours until the outside is crispy and the center is soft. Using a metal spatula, loosen the meringue from the parchment paper, and remove to cool on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely, about one hour.

Whip cream with the sugar, and spread over the meringue. Arrange strawberries decoratively over the top, and drizzle with chocolate.
See the resemblance?

Anna Pavlova

They say with age comes wisdom….uh, I’m waiting. Not for the age….I’m there. It’s the wisdom I am waiting for. I am searching for a way to live more simply (as I sit here with my laptop and cell phone). Maybe it is the approaching big 70 that has me wishing for fewer things, fewer things on my “to do list”.


I have a wonderful family; children, grandchildren, mother, a sister and brother and their families. I adore each and every one of them. But it seems like it is so difficult to arrange a simple dinner for them.

Yes, I am well aware this is all due to that approaching birthday … I really do understand that…..but understanding doesn’t make it easier to deal with it. Sure, I sit and dream of winning Power Ball and moving to Italy. Everyone will want to come and visit me! I will cook in an ancient kitchen, paint in the courtyard. Yes, life would be perfect….. Sure it would.

Instead, here I am….and I’d love to be there!

Of course, I am able to change some things….I am going to start giving away things. Fewer possessions ought to make my life simpler….right? I sure hope so. I also can start reading more, blogging less. There are days when I actually put pressure on myself to post a new blog…knowing full well someone out there is saying “Oh God, she’s at it again!” (It is one, or more likely all three, of my children saying it!).However, I did just receive a lovely email from a new reader from southern Missouri, Patsy Bennitt. Maybe my blog isn't so bad after all! Thanks, Patsy!

I suppose I am fulfilling my need to have conversations when I “talk” to you all with my blog.

I satisfy my need to be creative by painting instead of cooking. Okay, so it is Paola instead of Italy…..

Yep, I am getting older….time to simplify! Where to begin… I need to sit and think about that…….



My life is soon to be taken over by painting,,,,much more so than it is now. I need 4 new paintings for the September show at The Tortoise Gallery with the other Somerset Ridge Painters. I need 10 new paintings for the show in December at ARTichokes with David! Wow…when I think I spent 180 hours on Ponte Vecchio, it makes me realize I should have started in January!

On my easel now is a painting of an autumn hillside above a backyard vineyard in the Alsace region of France. I have close to 20 hours in it at this point….and if David Gross, my friend, teacher and studio partner, has his way, I will probably have another 8 to 10 hours in it before I am finished! He never says much, but when I say “I think I am finished!”, he raises an eyebrow and says “oh you do, do you?”

And you know what?....he is always right! Damnit!

I just ordered 2 cases of canvases last week. I ordered 10 new tubes of paint today, bought at least that many last week. My brushes are taking a beating, but they will probably hold out for one more painting….I think I am ready.

What I am ready for right now is a cookie! Have you ever had a Cowboy Cookie? I found this recipe on Martha Stewart.com several years ago. Very Good! Great for breakfast!

Cowboy Cookies
3/4 cup pecans (3 ounces)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant or quick-cooking)
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until darkened and fragrant, 10 to 13 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Into a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
2.With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
3.With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Beat in oats, chocolate, pecans, and coconut until just combined. (Dough can be covered with plastic and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
4.Coat baking sheets with cooking spray; line with parchment, and spray parchment. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto prepared sheets, about 3 inches apart.
5.Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges of cookies begin to brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers Makes about 5 dozen.

The Tortoise Gallery is OPEN!



Nancy Sims-West

Friday night the people of Paola and Miami County, Kansas, came out to support the new Tortoise Gallery on the square! It was a great evening for the gallery's new owner, Nancy Sims-West and the featured artist, painter Jeannie Foster.  Jeannie's paintings are fun, whimsical and vibrant.

Sims-West has big plans for the gallery, and if last night's success is a sample of how Nancy throws a  party, the historic square is in for some fun! Nancy is making connections with many area artists in preparation for upcoming shows. The Somerset Ridge Painters will be showing there in September!

Nancy and her two sons made their guests feel welcome and comfortable as they greeted people . The food was catered by Donna Nagle, owner of Molly's Table, a neighbor right there on the square. The artichoke dip was outstanding!
The wine was from  Dennis and Cindy Reynolds' Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery, Miami County's premier winery.
If you missed the opening, never fear. The show will be hanging through August. Please drop by The Tortoise Gallery to meet Nancy and see the colorful paintings  of Jeannie Foster. The gallery is located on the south side of the square at 5 West Wea, Paola. By the way, there is a coffee bar in the gallery and if you are lucky, you may be served by two cute barista's, Nancy's sons.

It's HOT!

We are in the midst of a long term heat wave. I know it is summer, but what happened to our 85 to 90 degree summers? What’s with this 100 degree plus stuff? I don’t even want to talk about the humidity!


What I do want to talk about is our favorite summer drink. Iced Tea!
What is more simple than iced tea? .Of course,  there is the choice of sweetened or unsweetened; how about with or without lemon? I personally think iced tea should have a crisp green sprig of mint, fresh from the garden, or in my case, fresh from the pot on the front porch.



 I think the best iced tea I have ever had was at TGI Friday’s. I was there for Sunday brunch, years ago, but I still remember it. Why? Because it had every element of the perfect glass of tea.
1. Tall clear glass made of thin glass, not plastic, Styrofoam or paper.
2. Filled to the brim with crystal clear ice cubes.
3 The tea was lightly (and I do mean “lightly”) sweetened
4. The glass was filled to the very top with brewed tea.
5. Lemon? No way! It was a big juicy wedge of gorgeous lime slipped onto the edge of the glass!
6 And to top off this perfect presentation of a glass of iced tea, a beautiful, absolutely fresh, dark green sprig with 4 or 5 leaves of mint.
Perfection!

Being from the Midwest, I was raised knowing you could add sugar or sweetener to your iced tea, but my first trip to the south was an eye opener. They assumed you wanted your tea sweetened. Sweet Tea in the south is a given. And it is sweet! Considering the fact that there have been diabetics in the last 4 generations of my family, I use an artificial sweetener. But below the Mason-Dixon Line…..SUGAR! LOTS OF SUGAR! The traditional Southern Sweet Tea is sweetened with a simple syrup. A common recipe for this sweetener is for 3 quarts of iced tea, boil one cup of water and ¾ cup of sugar, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Add it to the tea and serve over ice.

What do you think of instant tea? My personal opinion is simple….YUCK! It was a big moment in America when we suddenly had the jar of Lipton Instant Tea available. In Googling for information on the history of instant tea, I was directed to a page called Rewind the Fifties. Here is what I learned.

“Thomas J. Lipton was an Irish immigrant and a multi-millionaire with a string of retail stores. In order to appease some tea brokers in London, Lipton decided to sell tea in his stores, but he wanted to sell tea that would be affordable to working class families.
To do this Lipton did three things. First, he cut out the middleman and brought his tea directly from India. Second, he sold his tea in packages by the pound, half a pound and quarter pound. Lastly, he made tea bags so that they would be easy to handle.
At first, Lipton sold his tea aggressively to the English working class with much success, but eventually instant tea came to the United States. The question is, why?
Well, it started post War World II, when tea sales in the United States started to flourish, out distancing those in England for once. The reason primarily has to do with 1950’s advertising, and the advent of pre-packaged and ready made food products available to the Americans after the war.
Because of this, instant tea took its place along side other pre-packaged foods like instant coffee, food mixes and frozen drink items. Also, because of instant teas, housewives, during the 1950’s, no longer had to worry about brewing the perfect tea for guests. But it was only in the late 1950’s that instant tea took off.
Why? Companies had invented a tea that dissolved in cold water, therefore housewives, pressed for time, did not have to boil water to make a good cup of tea. This sealed their devotion and instant tea has been a hit in the United States ever since, with no signs of abating.
So when you are drinking the glass of cold ice tea this summer, remember to give thanks to Thomas J. Lipton
for having vision, fortitude and good business sense for helping bring instant tea to the United States.”

Personally, I will continue to make my tea the old way….but wait, cold brew bags are pretty darned good! And we can always rely on the sun to do the work for us. Do you still have your Sun Tea Jar?

I read the food52,com page regularly and was so pleased to see this posting just a few minutes ago. It is about tea! I found this idea fascinating and will try it very soon.

Orange Green Tea Sparkler

by merrill
My neighbor and I had a conversation recently about a concoction she often throws together involving iced green tea and orange juice. I decided to try my own version, adding some sparkling water for a little fizz.
Serves 1
• 1 green tea bag, or the equivalent in loose tea
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 orange wedge for serving
• Sparkling water

1. Boil a kettle of water and put the tea bag in a mug. Pour 8 ounces of boiling water over the tea and stir in the honey. Taste and add more honey if you like, but remember you'll be adding orange juice later. Allow the tea to steep at room temperature until cool.
2. Fill an 8-ounce glass with ice and add 1/2 cup of the tea, the orange juice and an orange wedge. Top up with sparkling water, stir gently and sip slowly, reveling in summer.

So, now what are you going to do? Brew, Instant, Sweeten? With Citrus? With Mint?
With this heat, let me give you this little bit of advice….Drink lots of it, however you fix it!
Stay Cool!

"Abstract" is the word of the day!

Hey there! This weekend when you are driving to Miami County to enjoy the Somerset Wine Trail events, go into Paola and visit Molly's Table....the best restaurant around! Not only will you have some great food, but you will get to see some wonderful paintings! The new paintings went up today and it is fun! The majority of the works are abstracts, bright in color. Donna Nagle, owner of Molly's Table, has generously offered her antique brick walls to the Somerset Ridge Painters for over 2 years now, and I am always amazed at what
those walls do for abstracts!
The painters showing at Molly's are Audrey Benskin, Vicki Johnston, JoAnne Carlton, David Gross, and me (however, my additions to the show are not abstracts).

Come to  Molly's for lunch soon....you will love the Chicken Tortilla Soup....the BEST I have ever eaten! The freshly baked breads, cookies and pies are wonderful...I've tried them all! Donna has specials everyday. Crisp Green Salads with Blackened Salmon, or her Apple Walnut Salad...and don't miss her Greek Salad!
Okay, so your mission is to drive to Paola, go to 117 South Pearl....it is a wonderful old building that was the original post office in Paola.  Go in, make yourself at home, order lunch, sit back and enjoy everything about Molly's.. The art work is there for your enjoyment also! Next, drive 3 or  4 miles east to  the beautiful Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery....I doubt if you need any further instruction.  Enjoy!